McLean 2017/U9 girls - how many teams?

[Anonymous]

I’m finding these takes pretty interesting. In our experience at a local large club, our kid landed on a low team and got so much experience he never would have gotten if he had stayed in just rec (where he was always slowed down in scoring, told to pass, etc.)! And I truly don’t see how he would have hopped onto a team 3 years later against all the kids with 3 years of 3x/week soccer. I’m aware that the girls climate is different than boys, but I really don’t think my kid (boy, lower team, just loves the sport) would have improved nearly as much if he had just stayed in rec and kicked around with a parent v playing many times a week against comparable competition (so much higher play than rec despite being a lower team).

If the money is a stretch, I would totally stay rec. But if not, our experience on a low team thoroughly elevated our child’s soccer.

I do find these boards are really really focused on top teams and that being the only goal of travel soccer or you are completely wasting your money! Not a lot of people here to discuss the value of playing on a more competitive team than rec, learning from a non-parent coach, learning how to be a teammate, general exercise many days a week, making non-school friends, taking pride in working hard to get better at something, etc. We and others around us find all of that very fulfilling on lower teams!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clubs care about the development of the top team. Not that much about the second team.

Below that, thank you for your money. Be flexible because practices and game fields are prioritized for the higher teams. You know, stuff rolls down hill.

Depends what club, a lot of Vsa and pwsi girls get promoted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m finding these takes pretty interesting. In our experience at a local large club, our kid landed on a low team and got so much experience he never would have gotten if he had stayed in just rec (where he was always slowed down in scoring, told to pass, etc.)! And I truly don’t see how he would have hopped onto a team 3 years later against all the kids with 3 years of 3x/week soccer. I’m aware that the girls climate is different than boys, but I really don’t think my kid (boy, lower team, just loves the sport) would have improved nearly as much if he had just stayed in rec and kicked around with a parent v playing many times a week against comparable competition (so much higher play than rec despite being a lower team).

If the money is a stretch, I would totally stay rec. But if not, our experience on a low team thoroughly elevated our child’s soccer.

I do find these boards are really really focused on top teams and that being the only goal of travel soccer or you are completely wasting your money! Not a lot of people here to discuss the value of playing on a more competitive team than rec, learning from a non-parent coach, learning how to be a teammate, general exercise many days a week, making non-school friends, taking pride in working hard to get better at something, etc. We and others around us find all of that very fulfilling on lower teams!

healthy take. DMV UMC full of transplants, social strivers, inferiority complexes you name it. Inflicting pain upon their progeny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m finding these takes pretty interesting. In our experience at a local large club, our kid landed on a low team and got so much experience he never would have gotten if he had stayed in just rec (where he was always slowed down in scoring, told to pass, etc.)! And I truly don’t see how he would have hopped onto a team 3 years later against all the kids with 3 years of 3x/week soccer. I’m aware that the girls climate is different than boys, but I really don’t think my kid (boy, lower team, just loves the sport) would have improved nearly as much if he had just stayed in rec and kicked around with a parent v playing many times a week against comparable competition (so much higher play than rec despite being a lower team).

If the money is a stretch, I would totally stay rec. But if not, our experience on a low team thoroughly elevated our child’s soccer.

I do find these boards are really really focused on top teams and that being the only goal of travel soccer or you are completely wasting your money! Not a lot of people here to discuss the value of playing on a more competitive team than rec, learning from a non-parent coach, learning how to be a teammate, general exercise many days a week, making non-school friends, taking pride in working hard to get better at something, etc. We and others around us find all of that very fulfilling on lower teams!

I tend to think more like you. It's a slippery slope to thinking that only a certain level matters or is worth the money. By that logic, none of it matters unless someone has recruited you to play for their youth academy at no cost. There is a level for everyone just like there is in other sports nowadays. Saying that kids under a certain threshold should not do club soccer (which is what it really is more than "travel" when they are younger, at least around here) just sounds like a way for insecure parents to feel better about themselves.

I've got one kid on the top team at their club, and one that will almost certainly be at a lower level if/when they move to travel. If a kid really likes a sport, and there is an appropriate level or league available for them, let them be. My dad always told me "there's always going to be someone better than you at [insert activity], and always someone worse". And it's true. Just let people live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m finding these takes pretty interesting. In our experience at a local large club, our kid landed on a low team and got so much experience he never would have gotten if he had stayed in just rec (where he was always slowed down in scoring, told to pass, etc.)! And I truly don’t see how he would have hopped onto a team 3 years later against all the kids with 3 years of 3x/week soccer. I’m aware that the girls climate is different than boys, but I really don’t think my kid (boy, lower team, just loves the sport) would have improved nearly as much if he had just stayed in rec and kicked around with a parent v playing many times a week against comparable competition (so much higher play than rec despite being a lower team).

If the money is a stretch, I would totally stay rec. But if not, our experience on a low team thoroughly elevated our child’s soccer.

I do find these boards are really really focused on top teams and that being the only goal of travel soccer or you are completely wasting your money! Not a lot of people here to discuss the value of playing on a more competitive team than rec, learning from a non-parent coach, learning how to be a teammate, general exercise many days a week, making non-school friends, taking pride in working hard to get better at something, etc. We and others around us find all of that very fulfilling on lower teams!

I tend to think more like you. It's a slippery slope to thinking that only a certain level matters or is worth the money. By that logic, none of it matters unless someone has recruited you to play for their youth academy at no cost. There is a level for everyone just like there is in other sports nowadays. Saying that kids under a certain threshold should not do club soccer (which is what it really is more than "travel" when they are younger, at least around here) just sounds like a way for insecure parents to feel better about themselves.

I've got one kid on the top team at their club, and one that will almost certainly be at a lower level if/when they move to travel. If a kid really likes a sport, and there is an appropriate level or league available for them, let them be. My dad always told me "there's always going to be someone better than you at [insert activity], and always someone worse". And it's true. Just let people live.

this is the right answer. there are 350 million of us humans in America and 8 billion in the world. somebody will always always always be "better" or "worse" than you. it's a free country. people have choices. focus on finding your happiness and what works for your loved ones. life is short and the years your ULittles are at home with you fly by so quickly in the big scheme of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks all. What about Arlington ADP? Looks to be half the price of McLean and still offers / practiced a week.

Where did you find the adp price? I can’t find it on their website.

[Anonymous]

It’s about $1300/yr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks all. What about Arlington ADP? Looks to be half the price of McLean and still offers / practiced a week.

That should say 2 practices a week.

ADP is ok and might help your child figure out if they really do want to get more serious with soccer. We have not done the program since they added a second day of pro coaching so that could make a difference. Our DD’s parent coach was just a babysitter so it wasn’t a great experience.