How much does soccer cost at competitive level?

[Anonymous]

My DC does another sport and it’s pretty expensive with private classes, group classes, tournaments, etc.

I’m just curious how much do you pay every month for soccer so that your kid can compete at a serious level?

What are the costs?

[Anonymous]

You need to define ‘top’.

Top ECNL team - assuming they don’t make the playoffs - is looking at $8- 10 annually (fees, kit, travel/gas/hotels/flights/, private coaching, gym) so 650 - 900 monthly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC does another sport and it’s pretty expensive with private classes, group classes, tournaments, etc.

I’m just curious how much do you pay every month for soccer so that your kid can compete at a serious level?

What are the costs?

What are you trying to convince your kid to quit their sport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to define ‘top’.

Top ECNL team - assuming they don’t make the playoffs - is looking at $8- 10 annually (fees, kit, travel/gas/hotels/flights/, private coaching, gym) so 650 - 900 monthly.

Plenty don't do private coaching and work out either at home or at their school's gym if they do anything at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to define ‘top’.

Top ECNL team - assuming they don’t make the playoffs - is looking at $8- 10 annually (fees, kit, travel/gas/hotels/flights/, private coaching, gym) so 650 - 900 monthly.

Plenty don't do private coaching and work out either at home or at their school's gym if they do anything at all

Hence the $8k in the range.

[Anonymous]

Probably better answered in the Soccer forum, but here are a few links with the base costs (before travel-related costs to events not in the immediate area):

https://www.fairfaxbrave.org/about-brave/fees

https://arlingtonsoccer.com/programs/travel/tryout-information/travel-fees

https://www.vdasoccer.org/policies

https://www.nvasoccer.com/fees

[Anonymous]

It really depends on what you mean by “competitive” or “serious”. Our son plays MSI Classic and was able to make his competitive “W” MCPS HS team even though there were kids who play travel that were cut.

We pay about $250 total per season for MSI classic. Is MSI Classic competitive? Sure, in some ways. Serious? Not really, or at least the kids/families aren’t serious enough to commit to travel.

[Anonymous]

If you’re traveling a lot - the gas, tolls, snacks, meals, hotels really add up.
With planning these costs can be managed - but it’s hard.
We also spent a lot on cleats due to a foot issue, plus growth spurts.
And I wish I had skipped the team jackets and hoddies from the capelli fan shop that were hardly worn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on what you mean by “competitive” or “serious”. Our son plays MSI Classic and was able to make his competitive “W” MCPS HS team even though there were kids who play travel that were cut.

We pay about $250 total per season for MSI classic. Is MSI Classic competitive? Sure, in some ways. Serious? Not really, or at least the kids/families aren’t serious enough to commit to travel.

Great to hear that! I was worried should I have my son in travel soon or he won’t be able to make the HS team. I understand Rec is not enough but don’t think he really needs to commit all the weekends… We have other family plans and he does other extracurriculars that he enjoy.

But I guess the kid needs to be athletic and stand out on tryouts for sure!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on what you mean by “competitive” or “serious”. Our son plays MSI Classic and was able to make his competitive “W” MCPS HS team even though there were kids who play travel that were cut.

We pay about $250 total per season for MSI classic. Is MSI Classic competitive? Sure, in some ways. Serious? Not really, or at least the kids/families aren’t serious enough to commit to travel.

Great to hear that! I was worried should I have my son in travel soon or he won’t be able to make the HS team. I understand Rec is not enough but don’t think he really needs to commit all the weekends… We have other family plans and he does other extracurriculars that he enjoy.

But I guess the kid needs to be athletic and stand out on tryouts for sure!

On the boy's side, most MLS Next and ECNL kids don't play in high school (some do). As you go down in tiers, the difference between Bethesda's third or fourth team and MSI classic is going to get smaller and smaller

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re traveling a lot - the gas, tolls, snacks, meals, hotels really add up.
With planning these costs can be managed - but it’s hard.
We also spent a lot on cleats due to a foot issue, plus growth spurts.
And I wish I had skipped the team jackets and hoddies from the capelli fan shop that were hardly worn.

Are there any talent spotting academies like the ones Ajax and Man U have? Would these boost the quality of US teams rather than relying on parents to pay for coaching?

[Anonymous]

Soccer seems to be cheaper than a lot of the more expensive sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on what you mean by “competitive” or “serious”. Our son plays MSI Classic and was able to make his competitive “W” MCPS HS team even though there were kids who play travel that were cut.

We pay about $250 total per season for MSI classic. Is MSI Classic competitive? Sure, in some ways. Serious? Not really, or at least the kids/families aren’t serious enough to commit to travel.

Great to hear that! I was worried should I have my son in travel soon or he won’t be able to make the HS team. I understand Rec is not enough but don’t think he really needs to commit all the weekends… We have other family plans and he does other extracurriculars that he enjoy.

But I guess the kid needs to be athletic and stand out on tryouts for sure!

On the boy's side, most MLS Next and ECNL kids don't play in high school (some do). As you go down in tiers, the difference between Bethesda's third or fourth team and MSI classic is going to get smaller and smaller

I think this last sentence in particular is especially true and thoughtful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on what you mean by “competitive” or “serious”. Our son plays MSI Classic and was able to make his competitive “W” MCPS HS team even though there were kids who play travel that were cut.

We pay about $250 total per season for MSI classic. Is MSI Classic competitive? Sure, in some ways. Serious? Not really, or at least the kids/families aren’t serious enough to commit to travel.

Great to hear that! I was worried should I have my son in travel soon or he won’t be able to make the HS team. I understand Rec is not enough but don’t think he really needs to commit all the weekends… We have other family plans and he does other extracurriculars that he enjoy.

But I guess the kid needs to be athletic and stand out on tryouts for sure!

Don’t get me wrong, those teams and spots are very competitive and at least at our school they get huge turnouts at tryouts. Lots of classic AND travel kids will get cut. But doing travel is not an automatic path to success. Similarly not doing travel doesn’t automatically mean you are out. It is very individual dependent.

[Anonymous]

Total costs on high level team---about $5k/year per kid.