Advice on juggling travel team and middle school team

[Anonymous]

Context: I have a kid who is trying to continue to level up in soccer, and his goal is to make his varsity high school team, not to play in college.

He recently joined a much higher level team, but he's the worst kid on the team based on how little playing time he gets. He likes the kids, the coach, and he wants to keep practicing with them because he thinks it's helping him improve. He also made his middle school team, which has a lot of good players (many of whom play for mid-level teams), and he's with his friends.

He is 13, and I don't want him to get injured by doing double practices. How would you have your kid prioritize practices?

He wants to get better and he wants to have fun with his friends, but I don't want him to get a stress fracture by doing 2 hour middle school practices and then 90 minute club practice with only an hour in between. He would do as many practices as he can if we let him.

Club practice T-W-Th, workouts Monday.
Middle school practice M-T-W-Th week 1, T-W-Th week 2, T/Th rest of the year with games M or W.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that playing for a club and a middle-school team is pushing it too hard in terms of injury risk; overall there are many kids who spend that much time (and more) on their soccer training. That said, one does need to balance sports with academics.

In terms of soccer development, your son is probably getting more out of the club practices than the school practices--even if he's getting little playing time during games, he's developing when he practices against these higher-level players--so I would prioritize those.

Maybe talk with the middle school coach and explain the issue, and see if there is a way your son can skip every other school practice session or something like that.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the above PP. I’d prioritize the practices where he’s getting the most touches and playing against better kids.

Is he so clearly better than his MS teammates that he would likely get a lot of playing time even if he misses practices?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Context: I have a kid who is trying to continue to level up in soccer, and his goal is to make his varsity high school team, not to play in college.

He recently joined a much higher level team, but he's the worst kid on the team based on how little playing time he gets. He likes the kids, the coach, and he wants to keep practicing with them because he thinks it's helping him improve. He also made his middle school team, which has a lot of good players (many of whom play for mid-level teams), and he's with his friends.

He is 13, and I don't want him to get injured by doing double practices. How would you have your kid prioritize practices?

He wants to get better and he wants to have fun with his friends, but I don't want him to get a stress fracture by doing 2 hour middle school practices and then 90 minute club practice with only an hour in between. He would do as many practices as he can if we let him.

Club practice T-W-Th, workouts Monday.
Middle school practice M-T-W-Th week 1, T-W-Th week 2, T/Th rest of the year with games M or W.

My kids coach was sympathetic to the players playing club and middle school. My daughter attended middle school practices but just juggled or something low impact.

[Anonymous]

MS season is short and DC's MS coach did not allow them to miss practice and I think that's typical.

Club team ended up cancelling a bunch of practices because so many kids on the team played MS.
If the practices weren't cancelled DC did skip club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that playing for a club and a middle-school team is pushing it too hard in terms of injury risk; overall there are many kids who spend that much time (and more) on their soccer training. That said, one does need to balance sports with academics.

In terms of soccer development, your son is probably getting more out of the club practices than the school practices--even if he's getting little playing time during games, he's developing when he practices against these higher-level players--so I would prioritize those.

Maybe talk with the middle school coach and explain the issue, and see if there is a way your son can skip every other school practice session or something like that.

Don't do it. Some kids tried this and all got injured including DS. Our rule was one practice a day.

[Anonymous]

Communication is key and managemthe wear and tear on ur kids body.

Club over school allways

[Anonymous]

Thanks folks OP here. We have talked to middle school coaches, who seem okay. He's not the best one of the team, but in the top 1/3. He would get a lot of playing time depending on how the middle school coaches allocate it.

He's going to do all of his club practices and we'll just wait and see how it impacts his playing time for middle school games. I'm shocked that they have 8 games for a MS season.

I told him he can do double practices 1 day a week.

[Anonymous]

Your kid is going from a history of what sort of consistent training to 4 days of 3.5hrs a day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going from a history of what sort of consistent training to 4 days of 3.5hrs a day?

His winter routine has been 1hr strength/agility training Mondays, club practice Tuesday - Thursdays for 90 minutes, 1hr small group training on Fridays, games Sat/Sun.
His spring routine will add in 3-4 2hr practices right after school or games in addition to above. And pick-up soccer/basketball and flag football for fun on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going from a history of what sort of consistent training to 4 days of 3.5hrs a day?

His winter routine has been 1hr strength/agility training Mondays, club practice Tuesday - Thursdays for 90 minutes, 1hr small group training on Fridays, games Sat/Sun.
His spring routine will add in 3-4 2hr practices right after school or games in addition to above. And pick-up soccer/basketball and flag football for fun on the weekends.

Who are your orthopedic doctor and physiotherapists?
What insurances do they accept?