Counting the cost?

[Guest]

Has anyone done an analysis of the cost of a four day local or out of town tournament for a professional family or players on a top-tier team who are being supported by parents who step away from work to make sure their players is well fed, rested, and prepared to compete?

It’s clear to me that few of these coaches have considered the cost or expense on the various levels. And their decision making reflects the fact.

The cost or expense goes well beyond team and other related fees.

[Guest]

Has anyone done an analysis of the cost of a four day local or out of town tournament for a professional family or players on a top-tier team who are being supported by parents who step away from work to make sure their players are well fed, rested, and prepared to compete?

It’s clear to me that few of these coaches have considered the cost or expense on the various levels. And their decision making reflects the fact.

The cost or expense goes well beyond team and other related fees.

I once heard a talk on the environmental impact of club soccer players traveling for tournaments. Not good! But I think that you’re pointing to the fact that we don’t really consider the scale pf the endeavor with it’s repercussions for productivity, the economy, and player and family well being. Such as physicians being pulled away from their work.

[Guest]

US youth soccer is the main contributing factor of climate change. Even more than cow's fart.

[Guest]

US youth soccer is the main contributing factor of climate change. Even more than cow's fart.

Hahahaha

[Guest]

For us to head over from Spokane for a league weekend costs us around $700-$800 between hotels, parking, gas, food and maybe some entertainment.
A few years ago we added up our families’ expenses to compete in Crossfire in 7v7. It cost us around $20k for the coach to decide to try out different kids in different positions and play with the format only to discover it didn’t work….the striker wasn’t much of a goalkeeper and the goalkeeper wasn’t much of a mid. The coach didn’t seem to care as he had a fun weekend at our expense with his entire family in a two room suite and eating well.8

[Guest]

Has anyone done an analysis of the cost of a four day local or out of town tournament for a professional family or players on a top-tier team....

Why does the tier of the team matter.

Clearly the whole thing is ridiculous. A massive waste of resources on multiple fronts, especially as Americans don't seem to grasp the concept of car pooling and prefer the tradeoff of everyone riding around in giant SUVs that ensure their privacy.

But, I'm also part of it. And like most of us, the individual effort required to go against the system is beyond my bandwidth, especially because - as you point out - we're also balancing work, etc, and just trying to enjoy some time with our kids competing at soccer.

[Guest]

We should note that it's not just soccer, it's all youth sports in the US. And the smaller sports require even more travel/wasting resources.

Soccer's particular weakness is the multiple leagues that cut-up competition into different communities for no good reason. I think we would all support a national league with clear tiers, with more focus on regional play, and 'national' only for the very top. But who has the energy to do this!

[Guest]

We should note that it's not just soccer,

Then include all of your vacations too.

[Guest]

Had 3 kids play till they were 18 at different clubs. We traveled all over the north west with the wife and dog. Best time and money ever spent. I knew where they were every weekday and weekend. They both got in normal trouble but nothing a parent doesn’t expect. No DUI or drug usage issues. Great times.

[Guest]

Then include all of your vacations too.

Yes, one should be responsible with vacations in terms of emissions and all sorts of resources. We avoid planes and cars as much as possible.

However, the big reason club sports in the US are such a waste of resources is the fragmented structure that requires so much travel. A better organized system would allow you to get competition that is just as good but closer to home. That's the relevant counterfactual.

[Guest]

Spending money on your kids sports adventures is much better than spending your money buying fentanyl. Facts.

[Guest]

Has anyone done an analysis of the cost of a four day local or out of town tournament for a professional family or players on a top-tier team who are being supported by parents who step away from work to make sure their players is well fed, rested, and prepared to compete?

It’s clear to me that few of these coaches have considered the cost or expense on the various levels. And their decision making reflects the fact.

The cost or expense goes well beyond team and other related fees.

STFU and enjoy life you neurotic freak.

[Guest]

Putting aside the dollar cost on individual players' families, you make a good point about the cost of parents taking time off work or out of their lives for club soccer at a lot of levels. I'm thinking especially of the team managers for all of these teams. Our team manager is amazing and spends an incredible amount of time planning and booking tournaments and travel. I appreciate her so much, but also recognize that it's crap that all of these clubs and teams run substantially on the unpaid labor of parents to make tournaments etc happen.

[Guest]

Putting aside the dollar cost on individual players' families, you make a good point about the cost of parents taking time off work or out of their lives for club soccer at a lot of levels. I'm thinking especially of the team managers for all of these teams. Our team manager is amazing and spends an incredible amount of time planning and booking tournaments and travel. I appreciate her so much, but also recognize that it's crap that all of these clubs and teams run substantially on the unpaid labor of parents to make tournaments etc happen.

And you need to stop talking to yourself. It's really getting pathetic watching you respond to your own weirdo posts

[Guest]

And you need to stop talking to yourself. It's really getting pathetic watching you respond to your own weirdo posts

I wrote this response and am not the original poster. Not sure what your problem is.