Why club sports?

[Anonymous]

At least for soccer, if u want to do travel cheaply, join one of those Latino, African, etc. clubs that are plentiful in the area. They practice 2-3 times a week, usually play rec leagues or eventually EDP, let the kids play across multiple age groups assuming they’re good enough, or take kids super young, and they cost a fraction of all the more popular clubs. Most kids are just playing for fun bc the parents are so unfamiliar with the concept of playing in college for scholarships.

Cons are communication is often terrible, it’s cash based and lots of last minute planning for tournaments, and intense rivalries between clubs that lead to crazy fights.

However, if you’re wondering where some of the players are coming from in MLSNext ages that are displacing players that have been at clubs for a while, many are from these more grassroots clubs.

[Anonymous]

I did travel soccer, just wanted an my 8yo to get fit. It wasn't for us. We didn't really seek out a club we were just in the rec league and thought we would go to the tryouts. When I realized they really just needed a scout team. Well, I'm not paying for that.

It's more of a status thing than anything. There were a number of Drs. kids on the team. I gather club swimming is the same way. It's more about the ivy league social club than the swim times.

AAU basketball is a little better more "coach parent" oriented. Has its issues also, some of the coaches genuinely suck.

Can you call a coach that coaches 8yo "professional". I think they are really just paid "amateurs".

[Anonymous]

[mastodon]

Anonymous wrote:I did travel soccer, just wanted an my 8yo to get fit. It wasn't for us. We didn't really seek out a club we were just in the rec league and thought we would go to the tryouts. When I realized they really just needed a scout team. Well, I'm not paying for that.

It's more of a status thing than anything. There were a number of Drs. kids on the team. I gather club swimming is the same way. It's more about the ivy league social club than the swim times.

AAU basketball is a little better more "coach parent" oriented. Has its issues also, some of the coaches genuinely suck.

Can you call a coach that coaches 8yo "professional". I think they are really just paid "amateurs".

Why is needing better competition a status thing? Travel soccer didn’t work out for you bc ur kid didn’t need that level of competition and u just wanted them to get fit so it seemed the interest stemmed from you and not ur kid.

So if ur kid is really good and really wanted more than the rec league could offer, joining a travel club would still be a status thing?

It’s ok if travel sports is not for u and ur family but don’t assume other families are in it for the status or the glory or for whatever reason.

I have 3 kids and they all play at different levels of sports. You support them by finding the best environment that matches their skills and interests and see if it fits in your family life and priorities. That’s all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating about talking to so many parents about these travel sports leagues is that almost every one of them says "but he/she loves it" after describing a weekend of spending 16 hours in the car driving 500 miles between three cities for tournaments, eating crap fast food and sleeping in budget motels.

Are the parents trying to tell me that their kid loves that crazy schedule, or are they trying to convince themselves that their kid isn't going to burn out at age thirteen and never want to kick a soccer ball again?

I have had a kid at a high level in 2 sports, one of them soccer. In neither sport do weekends sound anything like what you describe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating about talking to so many parents about these travel sports leagues is that almost every one of them says "but he/she loves it" after describing a weekend of spending 16 hours in the car driving 500 miles between three cities for tournaments, eating crap fast food and sleeping in budget motels.

Are the parents trying to tell me that their kid loves that crazy schedule, or are they trying to convince themselves that their kid isn't going to burn out at age thirteen and never want to kick a soccer ball again?

I have had a kid at a high level in 2 sports, one of them soccer. In neither sport do weekends sound anything like what you describe.

+1

Where are these people hearing this stuff from? 😆 Our kid play high level too and we’ve not had a schedule like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[mastodon]

Anonymous wrote:I did travel soccer, just wanted an my 8yo to get fit. It wasn't for us. We didn't really seek out a club we were just in the rec league and thought we would go to the tryouts. When I realized they really just needed a scout team. Well, I'm not paying for that.

It's more of a status thing than anything. There were a number of Drs. kids on the team. I gather club swimming is the same way. It's more about the ivy league social club than the swim times.

AAU basketball is a little better more "coach parent" oriented. Has its issues also, some of the coaches genuinely suck.

Can you call a coach that coaches 8yo "professional". I think they are really just paid "amateurs".

Why is needing better competition a status thing? Travel soccer didn’t work out for you bc ur kid didn’t need that level of competition and u just wanted them to get fit so it seemed the interest stemmed from you and not ur kid.

So if ur kid is really good and really wanted more than the rec league could offer, joining a travel club would still be a status thing?

It’s ok if travel sports is not for u and ur family but don’t assume other families are in it for the status or the glory or for whatever reason.

I have 3 kids and they all play at different levels of sports. You support them by finding the best environment that matches their skills and interests and see if it fits in your family life and priorities. That’s all.

Because it is what I said it is and your opinion is also wrong so there. why do you argue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating about talking to so many parents about these travel sports leagues is that almost every one of them says "but he/she loves it" after describing a weekend of spending 16 hours in the car driving 500 miles between three cities for tournaments, eating crap fast food and sleeping in budget motels.

Are the parents trying to tell me that their kid loves that crazy schedule, or are they trying to convince themselves that their kid isn't going to burn out at age thirteen and never want to kick a soccer ball again?

I have had a kid at a high level in 2 sports, one of them soccer. In neither sport do weekends sound anything like what you describe.

It depends where you live. I know a family from upstate NY that plays in DC-area soccer tournaments once a season. Not 16 hours, but good 6-7 hour drive.

They claim this area has the best tourneys in the northeast. I know local kids that play and of course it’s just a drive to Germantown soccer plex. I don’t know soccer, so have no idea if these are premier tourneys or not.

All the top baseball tournaments take place in Atlanta (summer) and Florida (fall). If you live in Atlanta, it’s just a 20 minute drive…but teams from all over the country are playing, including CA because they are the premier tourneys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[mastodon]

Anonymous wrote:I did travel soccer, just wanted an my 8yo to get fit. It wasn't for us. We didn't really seek out a club we were just in the rec league and thought we would go to the tryouts. When I realized they really just needed a scout team. Well, I'm not paying for that.

It's more of a status thing than anything. There were a number of Drs. kids on the team. I gather club swimming is the same way. It's more about the ivy league social club than the swim times.

AAU basketball is a little better more "coach parent" oriented. Has its issues also, some of the coaches genuinely suck.

Can you call a coach that coaches 8yo "professional". I think they are really just paid "amateurs".

Why is needing better competition a status thing? Travel soccer didn’t work out for you bc ur kid didn’t need that level of competition and u just wanted them to get fit so it seemed the interest stemmed from you and not ur kid.

So if ur kid is really good and really wanted more than the rec league could offer, joining a travel club would still be a status thing?

It’s ok if travel sports is not for u and ur family but don’t assume other families are in it for the status or the glory or for whatever reason.

I have 3 kids and they all play at different levels of sports. You support them by finding the best environment that matches their skills and interests and see if it fits in your family life and priorities. That’s all.

Because it is what I said it is and your opinion is also wrong so there. why do you argue?

🤔

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating about talking to so many parents about these travel sports leagues is that almost every one of them says "but he/she loves it" after describing a weekend of spending 16 hours in the car driving 500 miles between three cities for tournaments, eating crap fast food and sleeping in budget motels.

Are the parents trying to tell me that their kid loves that crazy schedule, or are they trying to convince themselves that their kid isn't going to burn out at age thirteen and never want to kick a soccer ball again?

I have had a kid at a high level in 2 sports, one of them soccer. In neither sport do weekends sound anything like what you describe.

It depends where you live. I know a family from upstate NY that plays in DC-area soccer tournaments once a season. Not 16 hours, but good 6-7 hour drive.

They claim this area has the best tourneys in the northeast. I know local kids that play and of course it’s just a drive to Germantown soccer plex. I don’t know soccer, so have no idea if these are premier tourneys or not.

All the top baseball tournaments take place in Atlanta (summer) and Florida (fall). If you live in Atlanta, it’s just a 20 minute drive…but teams from all over the country are playing, including CA because they are the premier tourneys.

To be clear, I'm the person you quoted. My kid has flown from DC to Texas and California for tournaments. So, I believe parents and kids travel distances. But I've never heard of three tournaments in a weekend. There is also plenty of downtime at tournaments, which means sit down restaurant meals, combined with healthy things we bring from home. We eat very little fast food, and particularly not at tournaments when my kid wants to be at his best.

And yes, my kid enjoys it, although we didn't do it in second grade.

[Anonymous]

I feel like these threads reveal 3 groups of families.

The families whose kids aren’t into sports and have no idea why anyone would pay for any organized sports.

The families with athletic and talented kids who have very strong interests in sports and a good chance at college and pro options.

The families with kids who are into sports but aren’t particularly talented or athletic but are good enough to play in HS and even college because they put in the work. I think this is the group where travel sports can be such a mixed bag of experiences.

The families with

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like these threads reveal 3 groups of families.

The families whose kids aren’t into sports and have no idea why anyone would pay for any organized sports.

The families with athletic and talented kids who have very strong interests in sports and a good chance at college and pro options.

The families with kids who are into sports but aren’t particularly talented or athletic but are good enough to play in HS and even college because they put in the work. I think this is the group where travel sports can be such a mixed bag of experiences.

The families with

There is a 4th group of parents/kids that are delusional they will play in college because there is always a team willing to take their money and keep the dream alive, even though that coach knows that kid has zero chance.

Thats not an insignificant group…I would guess 20-30%+ of HS travel kids.

[Anonymous]

It is strange that all these "travel teams", end up playing in rec leagues.

I have little respect for a "professional" coach, coaching players several times a week all year long and then playing them against rec kids.

Very little respect for that. It is totally underwhelming.

I get it you have to drive a long way to find competition, and look there is some practice competition right there, let's go practice our slide tackles on them.

No respect be given for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like these threads reveal 3 groups of families.

The families whose kids aren’t into sports and have no idea why anyone would pay for any organized sports.

The families with athletic and talented kids who have very strong interests in sports and a good chance at college and pro options.

The families with kids who are into sports but aren’t particularly talented or athletic but are good enough to play in HS and even college because they put in the work. I think this is the group where travel sports can be such a mixed bag of experiences.

The families with

There is a 4th group of parents/kids that are delusional they will play in college because there is always a team willing to take their money and keep the dream alive, even though that coach knows that kid has zero chance.

Thats not an insignificant group…I would guess 20-30%+ of HS travel kids.

lol…I forgot to delete that incomplete last phrase but maybe I meant to note that group too. I don’t think you’re wrong on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like these threads reveal 3 groups of families.

The families whose kids aren’t into sports and have no idea why anyone would pay for any organized sports.

The families with athletic and talented kids who have very strong interests in sports and a good chance at college and pro options.

The families with kids who are into sports but aren’t particularly talented or athletic but are good enough to play in HS and even college because they put in the work. I think this is the group where travel sports can be such a mixed bag of experiences.

The families with

In addition to the group 4 someone posted with delusions, I think there's a group with kids like my oldest who loved playing in middle school, benefited from the exercise and the camaraderie, and the opportunity to develop his dedication, but also had other things he loved, so he transitioned to playing JV/Varsity in HS and doesn't plan to play at an intercollegiate level in college. College sports were never his goal, and wouldn't be a good fit with his academic aspirations, and his other extracurriculars, but that doesn't mean he didn't enjoy and benefit from competitive sports when he was younger.

People on DCUM act as though a family who chooses club sports in one season, and then chooses something later "failed" at the club sports. Like the whole point of club sports is to "win" or end up in the pros or something, as opposed to it being something that fits your particular kid and your particular family at this particular point in your journey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like these threads reveal 3 groups of families.

The families whose kids aren’t into sports and have no idea why anyone would pay for any organized sports.

The families with athletic and talented kids who have very strong interests in sports and a good chance at college and pro options.

The families with kids who are into sports but aren’t particularly talented or athletic but are good enough to play in HS and even college because they put in the work. I think this is the group where travel sports can be such a mixed bag of experiences.

The families with

There is a 4th group of parents/kids that are delusional they will play in college because there is always a team willing to take their money and keep the dream alive, even though that coach knows that kid has zero chance.

Thats not an insignificant group…I would guess 20-30%+ of HS travel kids.

More like 80 percent