Fee negotiation

[Unregistered]

If you have two kids, or if you have a financial need the best clubs will give you relief. The big clubs will not generally give you money because your kid is a good player.

That’s great to hear, they will subsidize flights, hotels, rental cars, meals etc? Would you be able to share which club does this? Need all the help we can get to keep costs down...

[Unregistered]

There are clubs that do not require that kind of travel. There are some that love going all over the country for elite play, which isn’t necessary but something that the team or coach wants to do. These are questions you need to ask when signing with a club. Out of state travel is something that is planned and you should know well in advance. When we signed with our club, we were given a schedule of all tournaments etc for the season and if any of those would require hotel stay, we knew upfront.

[Unregistered]

Can you imagine someone from a low income family having a vacation budget of $8-12k a year??? Says it all when it comes to how unaffordable high level elite soccer is here in the USA, basically excluding so much of the population, especially minorities.

High level elite soccer is the very definition of white privilege! Hope all you libs realize you are part of the problem and extremely hypocritical. Limousine liberals, who rail about white privilege yet don’t have the clarity to see they are railing about themselves.

[Unregistered]

There are clubs that do not require that kind of travel. There are some that love going all over the country for elite play, which isn’t necessary but something that the team or coach wants to do. These are questions you need to ask when signing with a club. Out of state travel is something that is planned and you should know well in advance. When we signed with our club, we were given a schedule of all tournaments etc for the season and if any of those would require hotel stay, we knew upfront.

Thanks for the clarity, if the clubs give relief for the travel, hotel etc as someone shared their club does than we are ok with the travel. Just trying to learn which clubs is open to this level of financial support for low income families. Thank you

[Unregistered]

Can you imagine someone from a low income family having a vacation budget of $8-12k a year??? Says it all when it comes to how unaffordable high level elite soccer is here in the USA, basically excluding so much of the population, especially minorities.

I don't disagree for the most part; specifically about the low-income families (won't touch the minorities angle).

yes, a great many people can't afford vacations and travels, I get it. But, for those who can, that is the audience I was referring to.

Because I CAN afford vacations, should I feel some guilt about that or something?

[Unregistered]

High level elite soccer is the very definition of white privilege! Hope all you libs realize you are part of the problem and extremely hypocritical. Limousine liberals, who rail about white privilege yet don’t have the clarity to see they are railing about themselves.

This is absolutely ridiculous to post this. So what are you saying? All soccer players are white and have money? Just because some people decide to spend copious amounts of money on any given sport, it's defined as white privilege? How about both parents work, make sacrifices, work multiple jobs? I can categorize this post as garbage just like some of the other asinine posts on this board. SMH.

[Unregistered]

Can you imagine someone from a low income family having a vacation budget of $8-12k a year??? Says it all when it comes to how unaffordable high level elite soccer is here in the USA, basically excluding so much of the population, especially minorities.

So, when offered a reduced rate to get my child into their club, I declined and instead told them to apply it for a scholarship for those who may have a harder time, that is somehow considered a bad thing.

I get it. If you wake up with the intent to find something to be angry about every day, you will have success.

[Unregistered]

So, when offered a reduced rate to get my child into their club, I declined and instead told them to apply it for a scholarship for those who may have a harder time, that is somehow considered a bad thing.

I get it. If you wake up with the intent to find something to be angry about every day, you will have success.

Not the person you quoted, but I hope that person was just trying to point out that high-level soccer might not be attainable for a lot of people based on the amount a family would have to spend for travel. It's well and good for clubs to offer scholarships, but the family still might not be able to afford multiple plane ride type tournaments in a year. I get it and have been in that situation before. Then again, this isn't the place to rail against economic inequality in the country.

That being said, good on you for saying no to the reduced rate. Hopefully the club followed through on that and didn't just use it to pay their DOC more or something similar.

[Unregistered]

This is absolutely ridiculous to post this. So what are you saying? All soccer players are white and have money? Just because some people decide to spend copious amounts of money on any given sport, it's defined as white privilege? How about both parents work, make sacrifices, work multiple jobs? I can categorize this post as garbage just like some of the other asinine posts on this board. SMH.

Clearly you don’t get or see what even the USWNT stands for which is equality and an opportunity for all. Youth soccer today does not offer that...how do you think a low income family making 30-40k a year would afford 8-12k in soccer costs for a high level club??? The financial disparity is too great to have the same opportunity as upper middle class families. Just look at most high level teams... the vast majority (quite a few even 100%) are white and from fairly affluent or affluent neighborhoods.

[Unregistered]

Clearly you don’t get or see what even the USWNT stands for which is equality and an opportunity for all. Youth soccer today does not offer that...how do you think a low income family making 30-40k a year would afford 8-12k in soccer costs for a high level club??? The financial disparity is too great to have the same opportunity as upper middle class families. Just look at most high level teams... the vast majority (quite a few even 100%) are white and from fairly affluent or affluent neighborhoods.

It's 100% true, but not sure it's relevant to the discussion happening here. There's the club fee 3-4k, uniforms, and then travel fees ($ to $$$$$$$$). You have to do your homework before signing on the dotted line, and if there are a lot of expensive tournaments on the schedule that you maybe can't afford, see if the coach is flexible about attendance. You never know.

[Unregistered]

That being said, good on you for saying no to the reduced rate. Hopefully the club followed through on that and didn't just use it to pay their DOC more or something similar.

They did, and I know the family who was assisted. We have a scholarship program which you can donate to help families in need.

It's not enough, but all I can do is all I can do.

[Unregistered]

That’s great to hear, they will subsidize flights, hotels, rental cars, meals etc? Would you be able to share which club does this? Need all the help we can get to keep costs down...

If you have a demonstrated need reach out to the ECNL clubs. Both in NJ have programs in place. The parents will need to have some skin in the game not matter the need.

[Unregistered]

It's 100% true, but not sure it's relevant to the discussion happening here. There's the club fee 3-4k, uniforms, and then travel fees ($ to $$$$$$$$). You have to do your homework before signing on the dotted line, and if there are a lot of expensive tournaments on the schedule that you maybe can't afford, see if the coach is flexible about attendance. You never know.

Yes that makes sense play high level soccer only to miss the showcases because you can’t afford them.

[Unregistered]

There appears to be a couple of individuals, or groups, that are trolling these message boards and turning discussions into arguments about racism. Please don't fall for it.

[Unregistered]

Yes that makes sense play high level soccer only to miss the showcases because you can’t afford them.

Sometimes you have to make a choice if you afford one showcase over another. It's not that hard to conceive if you can only afford a certain cost per year.