How good does a kid have to be to make travel

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

RantingSoccerDad wrote:Another option for the parent who wants a couple of kids to play together -- put together an entire team, then see if a club will register all of you together. Some do. If not, try VISTA.

But the other posters are right -- if you try out for a big club and find one of the players is a B-teamer and the other is a D-teamer, you can't reasonably expect them to play together.

They're also right that some clubs may have all their teams in an age group practice at the same time and place. PAC does. SYC did as of a few years ago, IIRC. Does Barca Academy?

Yeah they do. Evergreen’s pretty nice too

Evergreen is ok but it’s out in the boondocks.

Funny how we went from making arguments on how classic/rec is just as good as c/d level travel soccer at $2k per year to the most expensive destination for frustrated c/d level and rec players and parents (outside of a scant few teams). This thread moves fast and in strange and mysterious ways. LOL

Wtf dude. RSD asked a question about Barça Academy. I said Evergreen is nice. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

RantingSoccerDad wrote:Another option for the parent who wants a couple of kids to play together -- put together an entire team, then see if a club will register all of you together. Some do. If not, try VISTA.

But the other posters are right -- if you try out for a big club and find one of the players is a B-teamer and the other is a D-teamer, you can't reasonably expect them to play together.

They're also right that some clubs may have all their teams in an age group practice at the same time and place. PAC does. SYC did as of a few years ago, IIRC. Does Barca Academy?

Yeah they do. Evergreen’s pretty nice too

Evergreen is ok but it’s out in the boondocks.

Funny how we went from making arguments on how classic/rec is just as good as c/d level travel soccer at $2k per year to the most expensive destination for frustrated c/d level and rec players and parents (outside of a scant few teams). This thread moves fast and in strange and mysterious ways. LOL

Wtf dude. RSD asked a question about Barça Academy. I said Evergreen is nice. That’s it.

wow, that escalated quickly!

Don't worry, cranky Classic rec guy will be here any minute to tell us all that this is another inferior option to finding that ex-pro MSI Classic coach, who will develop the kids much better. Where did that guy go anyway?

[Anonymous]

RantingSoccerDad wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

RantingSoccerDad wrote:Another option for the parent who wants a couple of kids to play together -- put together an entire team, then see if a club will register all of you together. Some do. If not, try VISTA.

But the other posters are right -- if you try out for a big club and find one of the players is a B-teamer and the other is a D-teamer, you can't reasonably expect them to play together.

They're also right that some clubs may have all their teams in an age group practice at the same time and place. PAC does. SYC did as of a few years ago, IIRC. Does Barca Academy?

Yeah they do. Evergreen’s pretty nice too

Evergreen is ok but it’s out in the boondocks.

Funny how we went from making arguments on how classic/rec is just as good as c/d level travel soccer at $2k per year to the most expensive destination for frustrated c/d level and rec players and parents (outside of a scant few teams). This thread moves fast and in strange and mysterious ways. LOL

Wtf dude. RSD asked a question about Barça Academy. I said Evergreen is nice. That’s it.

wow, that escalated quickly!

Don't worry, cranky Classic rec guy will be here any minute to tell us all that this is another inferior option to finding that ex-pro MSI Classic coach, who will develop the kids much better. Where did that guy go anyway?

It wasn't me?

(I actually have no experience whatsoever with MSI Classic or virtually anyone else across the river.)

Nah, it’s not you, RSD. The cranky anonymous guy who picked a fight by saying classic rec teams could destroy big club c/d clubs seems to have oddly vanished after carrying the flag for almost the whole thread. Once Barca was mentioned, no peeps from him. You’d think he’d comment on that option too.

[Anonymous]

If I am cranky it is due to my inability to explain an idea that is so basic that everyone else gets it but you. If the A/B team experience is better than the C/D team experience, why wouldn't you consider other options especially if A=B=C=D=$3,000+. If the goal is to make it to the A team, why not consider classic/select over C/D team if your classic/select team has a strong coach and a few good players, they have the potential to beat NCSL and EDP teams in the lower divisions. If I can save money and time by doing classic/select at U11/U12 in preparation for U13 travel, I will do it and from my experience it has worked.

A solid classic/select coach: http://coachbricesoccer.com/about-coach-brice/

[Anonymous]

Agreed, which means you shouldn't rule either out. My only point is that classic/select has been a worthwhile alternative for many parents in the u10-12 range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, which means you shouldn't rule either out. My only point is that classic/select has been a worthwhile alternative for many parents in the u10-12 range.

Yes, I believe everyone agrees on this point. The only point that playing a couple of years of Select/Classic was poo poo'd was when it was also described as viable pathway to ECNL/DA.

A kid can certainly play u9 through u12/u13 in select/classic and consistently[/i] make a travel soccer team. This is not an outrageous notion. It is a stretch to say that a kid can play select/classic through u12/u13 and consistently[i] make a DA/ECNL team. Making travel is not that hard considering the number of B/C/D/E teams out there. But going from Classic/Select soccer for 3 years to becoming one of the top 140 players in the region? Sorry, but select/classic is not a recommended pathway.

The reality is, most kids who play select/classic have there reasons ranging from just not ready talent wise for travel, multi-sport athletes who simply prefer another sport but are still great athletes, family/time constraints that keep otherwise talented players from being able to commit to the time demands of travel soccer, the financial barrier of travel soccer and many more.

Can we move on now?

[Anonymous]

Moving on:

So what’s the best path for my U11 Girl to be an elite/DA player? She’s what I think is on a C or D team. I think she’s able to get on a B team but I understand that getting on an A team (DA, etc.) is a completely different league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moving on:

So what’s the best path for my U11 Girl to be an elite/DA player? She’s what I think is on a C or D team. I think she’s able to get on a B team but I understand that getting on an A team (DA, etc.) is a completely different league.

Extra training, touches, touches, touches. She is still at an age where she can develop technical skill and that is still the most important thing right away. Play as much and train as much as possible. Make sure anything extra being done is purposeful but mostly fun and engaging. Don't make it a chore. As she improves and she sees the results on the field a light will turn on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moving on:

So what’s the best path for my U11 Girl to be an elite/DA player? She’s what I think is on a C or D team. I think she’s able to get on a B team but I understand that getting on an A team (DA, etc.) is a completely different league.

First and foremost, your kid needs to want to do it. If she has the desire, then she should be getting touches on the ball daily.

My daughter (not from your area) is a pre-ECNL U12 at a very large and nationally competitive club. I can tell you that even when you are a kid on the "A" team, you have to put in extra work. My daughter's current team practices 3 times per week. One day per week, 6-7 "practice players" who are on one of the "B" teams are invited to come train--all are talented and all are looking to take a spot from a kid that is already on the team. The club has 3 "B" teams (set up in different regions), that play against most clubs' "A" teams, so there is plenty of talent. Outside of training, my daughter gets touches on the ball every day. She plays for a futsal club (highly recommend if you can find a great futsal program and coach--this will make a huge difference with foot skills). She has one futsal training per week fall and spring, and 2 per week in the winter (in addition to her club practices). If she doesn't have a practice or game, she is juggling, working on specific moves, etc. on her own.

Her coaches constantly tell all of the girls that they have to work on their own if they want to play at a high level.

I say all of this because while people can give you advice (like I am) on extra touches, private trainers, futsal, etc., it really comes down to your daughter wanting to grab a ball and play as much as she can. It should be fun for her... Kids need to have the desire first, then you can help along the way...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Moving on:

So what’s the best path for my U11 Girl to be an elite/DA player? She’s what I think is on a C or D team. I think she’s able to get on a B team but I understand that getting on an A team (DA, etc.) is a completely different league.

First and foremost, your kid needs to want to do it. If she has the desire, then she should be getting touches on the ball daily.

My daughter (not from your area) is a pre-ECNL U12 at a very large and nationally competitive club. I can tell you that even when you are a kid on the "A" team, you have to put in extra work. My daughter's current team practices 3 times per week. One day per week, 6-7 "practice players" who are on one of the "B" teams are invited to come train--all are talented and all are looking to take a spot from a kid that is already on the team. The club has 3 "B" teams (set up in different regions), that play against most clubs' "A" teams, so there is plenty of talent. Outside of training, my daughter gets touches on the ball every day. She plays for a futsal club (highly recommend if you can find a great futsal program and coach--this will make a huge difference with foot skills). She has one futsal training per week fall and spring, and 2 per week in the winter (in addition to her club practices). If she doesn't have a practice or game, she is juggling, working on specific moves, etc. on her own.

Her coaches constantly tell all of the girls that they have to work on their own if they want to play at a high level.

I say all of this because while people can give you advice (like I am) on extra touches, private trainers, futsal, etc., it really comes down to your daughter wanting to grab a ball and play as much as she can. It should be fun for her... Kids need to have the desire first, then you can help along the way...

I'll second the futsal part. Futsal is a great way to develop technical ability while having fun. This goes a long way towards my earlier part of keeping training from being a chore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Moving on:

So what’s the best path for my U11 Girl to be an elite/DA player? She’s what I think is on a C or D team. I think she’s able to get on a B team but I understand that getting on an A team (DA, etc.) is a completely different league.

First and foremost, your kid needs to want to do it. If she has the desire, then she should be getting touches on the ball daily.

My daughter (not from your area) is a pre-ECNL U12 at a very large and nationally competitive club. I can tell you that even when you are a kid on the "A" team, you have to put in extra work. My daughter's current team practices 3 times per week. One day per week, 6-7 "practice players" who are on one of the "B" teams are invited to come train--all are talented and all are looking to take a spot from a kid that is already on the team. The club has 3 "B" teams (set up in different regions), that play against most clubs' "A" teams, so there is plenty of talent. Outside of training, my daughter gets touches on the ball every day. She plays for a futsal club (highly recommend if you can find a great futsal program and coach--this will make a huge difference with foot skills). She has one futsal training per week fall and spring, and 2 per week in the winter (in addition to her club practices). If she doesn't have a practice or game, she is juggling, working on specific moves, etc. on her own.

Her coaches constantly tell all of the girls that they have to work on their own if they want to play at a high level.

I say all of this because while people can give you advice (like I am) on extra touches, private trainers, futsal, etc., it really comes down to your daughter wanting to grab a ball and play as much as she can. It should be fun for her... Kids need to have the desire first, then you can help along the way...

I'll second the futsal part. Futsal is a great way to develop technical ability while having fun. This goes a long way towards my earlier part of keeping training from being a chore.

I also find that when your kid has been playing futsal for a little while (and you've been watching it), you can pick out the kids on the soccer field who play futsal pretty easily. They are the ones that are comfortable using every part of the foot....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Moving on:

So what’s the best path for my U11 Girl to be an elite/DA player? She’s what I think is on a C or D team. I think she’s able to get on a B team but I understand that getting on an A team (DA, etc.) is a completely different league.

Extra training, touches, touches, touches. She is still at an age where she can develop technical skill and that is still the most important thing right away. Play as much and train as much as possible. Make sure anything extra being done is purposeful but mostly fun and engaging. Don't make it a chore. As she improves and she sees the results on the field a light will turn on.

I'm a PP whose DD did exactly what you are asking about -- went from C to B team at U11 from B team to A team at U14 and from A team to ECNL team at U17. Biggest factor is self motivation. Unless it is a singular goal of your DD to play at the highest levels -- not your goal -- it won't happen. After the motivations then you need all of the bolded above. DD was also always the fittest player on every team she played on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, which means you shouldn't rule either out. My only point is that classic/select has been a worthwhile alternative for many parents in the u10-12 range.

Yes, I believe everyone agrees on this point. The only point that playing a couple of years of Select/Classic was poo poo'd was when it was also described as viable pathway to ECNL/DA.

A kid can certainly play u9 through u12/u13 in select/classic and consistently[/i] make a travel soccer team. This is not an outrageous notion. It is a stretch to say that a kid can play select/classic through u12/u13 and consistently[i] make a DA/ECNL team. Making travel is not that hard considering the number of B/C/D/E teams out there. But going from Classic/Select soccer for 3 years to becoming one of the top 140 players in the region? Sorry, but select/classic is not a recommended pathway.

The reality is, most kids who play select/classic have there reasons ranging from just not ready talent wise for travel, multi-sport athletes who simply prefer another sport but are still great athletes, family/time constraints that keep otherwise talented players from being able to commit to the time demands of travel soccer, the financial barrier of travel soccer and many more.

Can we move on now?

Yes, let's move on but let's agree that the argument is not about going from classic/select to ECNL/DA. The argument is about the believe that you HAVE to do travel soccer at u9/u10. The argument is the gap between rec (u9/u10) and elite soccer (u14/15) and whether a parent has to enroll their kid in travel soccer @u9 to make it to ECNL by U14/u15. I believe that it is unnecessary and that a kid can do classic @ u10 thru u12/u13 and still make it to ECNL/DA by U14/U15. I have watched kids go from classic to travel to elite travel (DA/ECNL). I have also seen talented kids burn out after leaving rec for travel @ u9.

My biggest concern is the folks on this board who have bought into the industrial travel soccer complex. You don't have to enter travel soccer at u9 to become an elite player and play at the highest level and you don't have to be in ECNL/DA at u13 to play in ECNL/DA by u15. The reality is that ECNL does not really matter until you are doing showcases.

At the end of the day, it all depends in your kid but I push back against any suggestion that you need to pay $3,000/year and travel all over the DMV at U10 thru u12 to make it to elite soccer. The clubs want you to believe that but that is not the case. Do your homework. Ask around. My experience with kids who have gone through travel soccer and after speaking to friends who played college soccer and elite youth coaches and college coaches is that the benefits of travel really begin at u12/u13. Hell, the top kids on the top team at a top club @ u10 were not even playing soccer by HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, which means you shouldn't rule either out. My only point is that classic/select has been a worthwhile alternative for many parents in the u10-12 range.

Yes, I believe everyone agrees on this point. The only point that playing a couple of years of Select/Classic was poo poo'd was when it was also described as viable pathway to ECNL/DA.

A kid can certainly play u9 through u12/u13 in select/classic and consistently[/i] make a travel soccer team. This is not an outrageous notion. It is a stretch to say that a kid can play select/classic through u12/u13 and consistently[i] make a DA/ECNL team. Making travel is not that hard considering the number of B/C/D/E teams out there. But going from Classic/Select soccer for 3 years to becoming one of the top 140 players in the region? Sorry, but select/classic is not a recommended pathway.

The reality is, most kids who play select/classic have there reasons ranging from just not ready talent wise for travel, multi-sport athletes who simply prefer another sport but are still great athletes, family/time constraints that keep otherwise talented players from being able to commit to the time demands of travel soccer, the financial barrier of travel soccer and many more.

Can we move on now?

Yes, let's move on but let's agree that the argument is not about going from classic/select to ECNL/DA. The argument is about the believe that you HAVE to do travel soccer at u9/u10. The argument is the gap between rec (u9/u10) and elite soccer (u14/15) and whether a parent has to enroll their kid in travel soccer @u9 to make it to ECNL by U14/u15. I believe that it is unnecessary and that a kid can do classic @ u10 thru u12/u13 and still make it to ECNL/DA by U14/U15. I have watched kids go from classic to travel to elite travel (DA/ECNL). I have also seen talented kids burn out after leaving rec for travel @ u9.

My biggest concern is the folks on this board who have bought into the industrial travel soccer complex. You don't have to enter travel soccer at u9 to become an elite player and play at the highest level and you don't have to be in ECNL/DA at u13 to play in ECNL/DA by u15. The reality is that ECNL does not really matter until you are doing showcases.

At the end of the day, it all depends in your kid but I push back against any suggestion that you need to pay $3,000/year and travel all over the DMV at U10 thru u12 to make it to elite soccer. The clubs want you to believe that but that is not the case. Do your homework. Ask around. My experience with kids who have gone through travel soccer and after speaking to friends who played college soccer and elite youth coaches and college coaches is that the benefits of travel really begin at u12/u13. Hell, the top kids on the top team at a top club @ u10 were not even playing soccer by HS.

How many kids do you actually know that played classic at U13, then made an ECNL/DA team at U14? .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, which means you shouldn't rule either out. My only point is that classic/select has been a worthwhile alternative for many parents in the u10-12 range.

Yes, I believe everyone agrees on this point. The only point that playing a couple of years of Select/Classic was poo poo'd was when it was also described as viable pathway to ECNL/DA.

A kid can certainly play u9 through u12/u13 in select/classic and consistently[/i] make a travel soccer team. This is not an outrageous notion. It is a stretch to say that a kid can play select/classic through u12/u13 and consistently[i] make a DA/ECNL team. Making travel is not that hard considering the number of B/C/D/E teams out there. But going from Classic/Select soccer for 3 years to becoming one of the top 140 players in the region? Sorry, but select/classic is not a recommended pathway.

The reality is, most kids who play select/classic have there reasons ranging from just not ready talent wise for travel, multi-sport athletes who simply prefer another sport but are still great athletes, family/time constraints that keep otherwise talented players from being able to commit to the time demands of travel soccer, the financial barrier of travel soccer and many more.

Can we move on now?

Yes, let's move on but let's agree that the argument is not about going from classic/select to ECNL/DA. The argument is about the believe that you HAVE to do travel soccer at u9/u10. The argument is the gap between rec (u9/u10) and elite soccer (u14/15) and whether a parent has to enroll their kid in travel soccer @u9 to make it to ECNL by U14/u15. I believe that it is unnecessary and that a kid can do classic @ u10 thru u12/u13 and still make it to ECNL/DA by U14/U15. I have watched kids go from classic to travel to elite travel (DA/ECNL). I have also seen talented kids burn out after leaving rec for travel @ u9.

My biggest concern is the folks on this board who have bought into the industrial travel soccer complex. You don't have to enter travel soccer at u9 to become an elite player and play at the highest level and you don't have to be in ECNL/DA at u13 to play in ECNL/DA by u15. The reality is that ECNL does not really matter until you are doing showcases.

At the end of the day, it all depends in your kid but I push back against any suggestion that you need to pay $3,000/year and travel all over the DMV at U10 thru u12 to make it to elite soccer. The clubs want you to believe that but that is not the case. Do your homework. Ask around. My experience with kids who have gone through travel soccer and after speaking to friends who played college soccer and elite youth coaches and college coaches is that the benefits of travel really begin at u12/u13. Hell, the top kids on the top team at a top club @ u10 were not even playing soccer by HS.

You are arguing into the wind! Nobody said a kid could not make a travel team after playing 2-3 years of classic/select. This is not a point of disagreement. READ!!!!!!

We are in agreement on this point.