People sure love to discuss travel soccer teams

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thing that bothers me these days is that players need to be part of the "system" to move along the competitive trajectory. They need to be on the right teams (often in major urban areas), with the right coaches (with the proper proper licenses), to be considered for any type of national development program.

Isn't this how everything from schools and college to jobs work? Isn't life and success as much about who you know as it is what you know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love soccer.

Unfortunately travel soccer has come to mean "anyone can play if you can afford it".

Man, this is SO true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

No, but you will go on and on how your experience was somehow better and that you were a better player because "when you played travel meant something". Congratulations, you were a moderate sized fish in a very shallow pool. We are supposed to believe that because you played travel "back in the day" that you were truly a 1% player.

Here is your walk out song:
https://youtu.be/6vQpW9XRiyM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love soccer.

Unfortunately travel soccer has come to mean "anyone can play if you can afford it".

Man, this is SO true.

Non soccer parent here - just how much are these travel soccer teams?

[Anonymous]

^ sure, it is the same.

I am thinking about the talented kids that come to North America from other countries like Nigeria, Syria, or Argentina and never have a chance.

I am friends with a professional footballer from Africa and he would love to organize a team of the players not in the system against the US national team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ sure, it is the same.

I am thinking about the talented kids that come to North America from other countries like Nigeria, Syria, or Argentina and never have a chance.

I am friends with a professional footballer from Africa and he would love to organize a team of the players not in the system against the US national team.

This is in response to 10.08

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love soccer.

Unfortunately travel soccer has come to mean "anyone can play if you can afford it".

Man, this is SO true.

Non soccer parent here - just how much are these travel soccer teams?

I just paid $2500 for the year and uniforms for one kid (I have 2 and about to pay the same for the other). There will likely be other expenses pop-up.

This doesn't include winter futsal, camps and any other training you do. Easily, $7-8k/ year for two kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

No, but you will go on and on how your experience was somehow better and that you were a better player because "when you played travel meant something". Congratulations, you were a moderate sized fish in a very shallow pool. We are supposed to believe that because you played travel "back in the day" that you were truly a 1% player.

Here is your walk out song:
https://youtu.be/6vQpW9XRiyM

I'm sure PP doesn't go on and on - that's reserved for the travel parents, I'm sure.

But I agree with her sentiment. My husband played travel soccer in the early 80's. Was in the Olympic Development Program (I think that's what it was called), and played on a D1 team in college. He was good - really really good. He could have pursued soccer as a career but chose to go into research instead.

I would love to know what % of travel players now go on to play competitively in college or go even farther than that, vs. what % moved forward in the 70's/80's. Would make for an interesting comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love soccer.

Unfortunately travel soccer has come to mean "anyone can play if you can afford it".

Man, this is SO true.

Non soccer parent here - just how much are these travel soccer teams?

I just paid $2500 for the year and uniforms for one kid (I have 2 and about to pay the same for the other). There will likely be other expenses pop-up.

This doesn't include winter futsal, camps and any other training you do. Easily, $7-8k/ year for two kids.

So the season itself is just fall? Then you are on your own to train in winter/spring?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

No, but you will go on and on how your experience was somehow better and that you were a better player because "when you played travel meant something". Congratulations, you were a moderate sized fish in a very shallow pool. We are supposed to believe that because you played travel "back in the day" that you were truly a 1% player.

Here is your walk out song:
https://youtu.be/6vQpW9XRiyM

I'm sure PP doesn't go on and on - that's reserved for the travel parents, I'm sure.

But I agree with her sentiment. My husband played travel soccer in the early 80's. Was in the Olympic Development Program (I think that's what it was called), and played on a D1 team in college. He was good - really really good. He could have pursued soccer as a career but chose to go into research instead.

I would love to know what % of travel players now go on to play competitively in college or go even farther than that, vs. what % moved forward in the 70's/80's. Would make for an interesting comparison.

My husband was the same (same age group). But he says level of playing is much higher now (20-30 years later) and he likely would not have made a (D1) college team these days. Another big factor (in college play) is all the foreign recruiting and the team spots at the good school being filled up with non-US kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

No, but you will go on and on how your experience was somehow better and that you were a better player because "when you played travel meant something". Congratulations, you were a moderate sized fish in a very shallow pool. We are supposed to believe that because you played travel "back in the day" that you were truly a 1% player.

Here is your walk out song:
https://youtu.be/6vQpW9XRiyM

I'm sure PP doesn't go on and on - that's reserved for the travel parents, I'm sure.

But I agree with her sentiment. My husband played travel soccer in the early 80's. Was in the Olympic Development Program (I think that's what it was called), and played on a D1 team in college. He was good - really really good. He could have pursued soccer as a career but chose to go into research instead.

I would love to know what % of travel players now go on to play competitively in college or go even farther than that, vs. what % moved forward in the 70's/80's. Would make for an interesting comparison.

The same % of kids will play in D1 now as then. Why would it be any different? The difference today is that there are MORE kids playing and MORE kids are getting better training now than when your awesome husband played. The talent pool is much larger now than it was then. Frankly it is more likely that your husband would not stand out as much today as he did then.

Oh, and another thing, he would also be fighting for a college spot against better European players who also come to school and play college in the states. I doubt he had to compete against many international players when he played. Again, he was a moderately sized fish in a small pond then. That pond is now a lake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

No, but you will go on and on how your experience was somehow better and that you were a better player because "when you played travel meant something". Congratulations, you were a moderate sized fish in a very shallow pool. We are supposed to believe that because you played travel "back in the day" that you were truly a 1% player.

Here is your walk out song:
https://youtu.be/6vQpW9XRiyM

I'm sure PP doesn't go on and on - that's reserved for the travel parents, I'm sure.

But I agree with her sentiment. My husband played travel soccer in the early 80's. Was in the Olympic Development Program (I think that's what it was called), and played on a D1 team in college. He was good - really really good. He could have pursued soccer as a career but chose to go into research instead.

I would love to know what % of travel players now go on to play competitively in college or go even farther than that, vs. what % moved forward in the 70's/80's. Would make for an interesting comparison.

The same % of kids will play in D1 now as then. Why would it be any different? The difference today is that there are MORE kids playing and MORE kids are getting better training now than when your awesome husband played. The talent pool is much larger now than it was then. Frankly it is more likely that your husband would not stand out as much today as he did then.

Oh, and another thing, he would also be fighting for a college spot against better European players who also come to school and play college in the states. I doubt he had to compete against many international players when he played. Again, he was a moderately sized fish in a small pond then. That pond is now a lake.

Really? Because if back in the day, there were only 1000 players on travel teams (I just made that number up for the sake of argument), and 500 went on to D1 teams, that says a lot more about the selectivity of travel soccer than if today, there are 10,000 travel team players and 500 still go on to D1.

Maybe I'm thinking about this wrong, but that's where I'm coming from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

No, but you will go on and on how your experience was somehow better and that you were a better player because "when you played travel meant something". Congratulations, you were a moderate sized fish in a very shallow pool. We are supposed to believe that because you played travel "back in the day" that you were truly a 1% player.

Here is your walk out song:
https://youtu.be/6vQpW9XRiyM

I'm sure PP doesn't go on and on - that's reserved for the travel parents, I'm sure.

But I agree with her sentiment. My husband played travel soccer in the early 80's. Was in the Olympic Development Program (I think that's what it was called), and played on a D1 team in college. He was good - really really good. He could have pursued soccer as a career but chose to go into research instead.

I would love to know what % of travel players now go on to play competitively in college or go even farther than that, vs. what % moved forward in the 70's/80's. Would make for an interesting comparison.

The same % of kids will play in D1 now as then. Why would it be any different? The difference today is that there are MORE kids playing and MORE kids are getting better training now than when your awesome husband played. The talent pool is much larger now than it was then. Frankly it is more likely that your husband would not stand out as much today as he did then.

Oh, and another thing, he would also be fighting for a college spot against better European players who also come to school and play college in the states. I doubt he had to compete against many international players when he played. Again, he was a moderately sized fish in a small pond then. That pond is now a lake.

Really? Because if back in the day, there were only 1000 players on travel teams (I just made that number up for the sake of argument), and 500 went on to D1 teams, that says a lot more about the selectivity of travel soccer than if today, there are 10,000 travel team players and 500 still go on to D1.

Maybe I'm thinking about this wrong, but that's where I'm coming from.

There are more college programs now too.

http://www.scholarshipstats.com/soccer.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

This simply isn't true. Rec soccer is NOT the same as a travel program today. I think the rise of travel soccer for everyone who has money has led to the demise of rec soccer, but in no way are they the same. There should be a place for a kid who is motivated to get better and wants to play more often than once a week who isn't the next Lio Messi, but in many cases, rec soccer ain't it. What's wrong with paying for an environment that has professional coaches, training 2-3x per week, nice fields, organized league play and tournaments, etc. even if your kid isn't in the top 1%? If you don't want to pay, then stay in rec. Our travel club has B teams through high school full of good kids who are good athletes who like the challenge of a travel program but know they're not going to play D1 - what's wrong with that? They wouldn't get what they want/need from a rec program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend goes on and on about how she has to take her three kids to travel soccer.
We have travel soccer tonight. There are six travel soccer games this weekend. How are we going to get all our kids to their travel soccer fields? Had to wash the travel soccer uniforms. Travel soccer. travelsoccertravelsoccertravelsoccertravel

You sound like the kind of person who might refer to their dogs or cats as your "kids". "Oh lol what my dog did today". Or perhaps you're the person who talks about your new diet that nobody cares about. Either way I'm sure you are passionate about something that nobody else gives a shit about either but they listen to you anyway.

You missed the point. Travel! Travel! Not soccer. Travel soccer.

This drives me batty. I played 'select' soccer back in the day. It used to not be anyone with a checkbook sport. It was that way in most youth 'select/travel' sports. Talent was required, not just money. I am the last one to go on and on about 'travel' because in this day and age, it's really just Rec soccer for more $$$. The people going on about it's good because 'there is a travel team for everyone now' miss the g-damn point. If everyone just played rec, except for the top 1% they wouldn't have to waste thousands of dollars every year and countless hours driving all over creation because the Rec programs would still have talent.

This simply isn't true. Rec soccer is NOT the same as a travel program today. I think the rise of travel soccer for everyone who has money has led to the demise of rec soccer, but in no way are they the same. There should be a place for a kid who is motivated to get better and wants to play more often than once a week who isn't the next Lio Messi, but in many cases, rec soccer ain't it. What's wrong with paying for an environment that has professional coaches, training 2-3x per week, nice fields, organized league play and tournaments, etc. even if your kid isn't in the top 1%? If you don't want to pay, then stay in rec. Our travel club has B teams through high school full of good kids who are good athletes who like the challenge of a travel program but know they're not going to play D1 - what's wrong with that? They wouldn't get what they want/need from a rec program.

Amen. Basically what all these "back in the day" complainers are upset about is that the amount of travel soccer today, that is inclusive for a price, somehow devalues their experience. They claim that they are not living through their kids but what they are doing is comparing themselves and their achievements against their kids or their kids teammates or friends. Its not "look at me because my kid is great" instead it is "look at me because when I played it was more 'meaningful' than your kids experience"

On the douche o'meter I'll place "ex college star" high above the overweight proud parent any day of the week.