What does your child’s soccer season look like?

[Anonymous]

For those whose kids play MLSNext/ECNL/EDP div 1 or at other high levels of youth soccer, what do their season look like?

I’m interested in U12 and above. Like how often they practice, how many matches, if they do private sessions, do rec or other competitive sports or extracurriculars.

And if they have any soccer goals, like play in high school, college, pro, etc.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Training starts August 1 but most kids have been playing in Super Y/ECNL playoffs/ sleepaway soccer camps since season "ended" in early June.

Three team trainings a week, 75 minutes each. Supplemental fitness and performance training offered as additional.

Club agnostical futsal in winter season.

At least three fall tournaments, including WAGS as essential for the girls.

My kid also has a personal/performance trainer they do one private or semi private with a week.

It's all really expensive, no college or pro goals, but D3 college would be nice just for the structure and commitment.

[Anonymous]

U14 MLS Next: "pre-season" starts August 1st, between 28-30 league matches over the year, 1st league game 9/9, 4+ tournaments, 4 practices per week, futsal over the winter. We won't be doing any individual training this year because of the many back-to-back games during the season and the need for rest. I'm hoping that at 4X per week, strength, conditioning, and skill work will be incorporated. No specific soccer-related goals. Just want to put him in a position to do whatever he wants to achieve in the game and make sure he's having fun doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U14 MLS Next: "pre-season" starts August 1st, between 28-30 league matches over the year, 1st league game 9/9, 4+ tournaments, 4 practices per week, futsal over the winter. We won't be doing any individual training this year because of the many back-to-back games during the season and the need for rest. I'm hoping that at 4X per week, strength, conditioning, and skill work will be incorporated. No specific soccer-related goals. Just want to put him in a position to do whatever he wants to achieve in the game and make sure he's having fun doing it.

May I ask how different this was from U-13 schedule?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Training starts August 1 but most kids have been playing in Super Y/ECNL playoffs/ sleepaway soccer camps since season "ended" in early June.

Three team trainings a week, 75 minutes each. Supplemental fitness and performance training offered as additional.

Club agnostical futsal in winter season.

At least three fall tournaments, including WAGS as essential for the girls.

My kid also has a personal/performance trainer they do one private or semi private with a week.

It's all really expensive, no college or pro goals, but D3 college would be nice just for the structure and commitment.

What is WAGS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U14 MLS Next: "pre-season" starts August 1st, between 28-30 league matches over the year, 1st league game 9/9, 4+ tournaments, 4 practices per week, futsal over the winter. We won't be doing any individual training this year because of the many back-to-back games during the season and the need for rest. I'm hoping that at 4X per week, strength, conditioning, and skill work will be incorporated. No specific soccer-related goals. Just want to put him in a position to do whatever he wants to achieve in the game and make sure he's having fun doing it.

May I ask how different this was from U-13 schedule?

Sorry, it was a little unclear. Not really different. There was a training day/time/location that didn't work for us last season so we set up some private training on that day to supplement. We're at a new club in the same league and don't know what the practice structure will be like. Old club had a conditioning day and did skill work as part of the week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Training starts August 1 but most kids have been playing in Super Y/ECNL playoffs/ sleepaway soccer camps since season "ended" in early June.

Three team trainings a week, 75 minutes each. Supplemental fitness and performance training offered as additional.

Club agnostical futsal in winter season.

At least three fall tournaments, including WAGS as essential for the girls.

My kid also has a personal/performance trainer they do one private or semi private with a week.

It's all really expensive, no college or pro goals, but D3 college would be nice just for the structure and commitment.

What is WAGS?

Girls tournament in October https://wagstournament.com/

[Anonymous]

Team practice 3-4 weekdays per week. Game on the weekend either league or friendlies. Probably six tournaments for the year, a couple may involve hotel/plane travel. Private skills trainer every week or two in season. Strength and conditioning once/week. 25 or so league games. It’s a lot of time and a lot of expense. U14 daughter loves every minute of it. No expectations for now although playing in college is the path for older players in the program.

[Anonymous]

EDP 1: Three practices a week. Personal trainer - soccer specific. Travel domestically and internationally (for different team) DC is committed. Currently (meaning 10 minutes ago just came home from field after allegedly playing ‘poorly’ in 2 hour pick up game).

Word to wise: watch burnout. Dropped my DC to low stress (think classic) to get fun back at U12.

Make sure all of this is intrinsically motivated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Training starts August 1 but most kids have been playing in Super Y/ECNL playoffs/ sleepaway soccer camps since season "ended" in early June.

Three team trainings a week, 75 minutes each. Supplemental fitness and performance training offered as additional.

Club agnostical futsal in winter season.

At least three fall tournaments, including WAGS as essential for the girls.

My kid also has a personal/performance trainer they do one private or semi private with a week.

It's all really expensive, no college or pro goals, but D3 college would be nice just for the structure and commitment.

I didn’t write this, but this describes my DD pretty accurately. Our club fields our own futsal teams, though. I do the private training with her myself, which we enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:EDP 1: Three practices a week. Personal trainer - soccer specific. Travel domestically and internationally (for different team) DC is committed. Currently (meaning 10 minutes ago just came home from field after allegedly playing ‘poorly’ in 2 hour pick up game).

Word to wise: watch burnout. Dropped my DC to low stress (think classic) to get fun back at U12.

Make sure all of this is intrinsically motivated.

What is your D.C committed to? College? Going Pro? Was burnout from playing too much or from putting so much pressure on himself or feeling so much pressure from his team or all of the above?

[Anonymous]

ECNL RL team:

3 practices a week
1 strength and training per week
4 tournaments in the fall plus possible ECNL tournament in December (2 local tournaments, 2 tournaments in a different state)
6-7 league games (schedule is not out yet so just guessing)
Futsal in the winter
4 tournaments in Spring (Jeff Cup, NC tournament and 2 others)
6-7 league games
State cup games
Possible regional tournament if they win state cup.
Private training once a week.

[dcu13]

NCSL U14

2 practices a week
Mid-August to early June
9-10 games fall, 9-10 games spring
2 tournaments
futsal optional winter

Also practices with neighborhood rec team (friends)
Also plays rec basketball in winter
Also does swim team in summer