Anyone have a kid who never did soccer?

[Anonymous]

I have successfully avoided signing my oldest up for soccer for 7 years but I suspect at some point I'm going to get roped into it with my younger kid given how much he loves playing soccer.

Is it possible to find a league that does not require you to do both practice and games?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m shocked at how popular kids soccer is given how adult professional soccer is proportionately not nearly as popular as other sports in the US

The popularity of kids soccer is not really about fan culture it's just more about economics. Kid soccer is pretty cheap to run. There is a soccer field near my house that has like five or six games going at the same time during soccer season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never saw a point to sports. My kids are thin and healthy, and I don't feel like shuttling them around to useless activities. To be honest no childhood activities pay off as an adult, except maybe music if you're really into it (just for fun)

One of my kids got an athletic scholarship to a top 15 university that covered the entire cost of 3 out of 4 years. My eldest met her husband playing pick up soccer in an adult league. We’re pretty happy with the payoff from these childhood activities, though we also think that all sports are beneficial for their own sake.

There's a benefit to doing activities for the enrichment factory even if it doesn't pay off in the form of an athletic scholarship which are very competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have successfully avoided signing my oldest up for soccer for 7 years but I suspect at some point I'm going to get roped into it with my younger kid given how much he loves playing soccer.

Is it possible to find a league that does not require you to do both practice and games?

How will he play in games without practicing? I'm baffled by this.

[Anonymous]

I have 14 and 12 year olds who’ve never done soccer and show 0 interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have successfully avoided signing my oldest up for soccer for 7 years but I suspect at some point I'm going to get roped into it with my younger kid given how much he loves playing soccer.

Is it possible to find a league that does not require you to do both practice and games?

How will he play in games without practicing? I'm baffled by this.

When they’re little yes. But past 4ish nope.

[Anonymous]

I’m not a soccer fan. I was thrilled when my two kids disliked the sports. Then I had a third who adored it and I had to live the soccer mom life anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has never been particularly interested in soccer. She's 6. She has several other activities, including dance and swim, that she really enjoys. Everyone does soccer and I'm feeling guilty that we haven't done it. She's also never done a team sport and I feel like that would be useful, but just don't know that soccer is the right option for her -- while she can play, bike, and dance for hours, she gets tired after running for like 5 minutes.

Should we do soccer anyway even though she doesn't have any interest and (I anticipate) won't like it? To get her team sport experience and to stretch her endurance and skill set? Or should we double down on the stuff she already does and really likes?

If your kid never did soccer, did you regret it? Anyone else thinking about skipping it?

My oldest never did soccer or any team sport and never will. Her brain doesn't communicate well with her body so she is too clumsy and accident prone for sports. She can't even ride a bike or swim. Every sport or skilled activity is a total disaster for her, not to mention a complete embarrassment for us when other people see her just flailing and getting mad and frustrated at her uncooperative body. I just threw in the towel with traditional activities and let her play in the park and go on walks for exercise.

You have to be honest about your child's limits, even if it means they don't do activities that "everyone else" is doing.

[Anonymous]

We didn't do team sports or official non school activities until age 10, and my kids weren't interested in soccer, so then it was running, tennis, volleyball, and dance. Scouts for one at age 8. It was wonderful to have weekends free for travel and local sightseeing and time with friends and family. Some of our sports friends seem to run ragged with far away games. No thank you.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 8 & 13. Neither ever played soccer, nor wanted to. No other team sports either so far— just swimming and gymnastics. I also never played soccer, nor did my brothers. It’s a sport like any other sport. It’s not a requirement.

[Anonymous]

My 5th grader joined an after school soccer club last year that was run by a high schooler. Before that he’d never played, and I don’t know that he’ll ever play again… pretty sure it’ll be ok

[Anonymous]

OMG your kid is six. GET A GRIP. I have a 9 year old who is trying soccer for the first time this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have successfully avoided signing my oldest up for soccer for 7 years but I suspect at some point I'm going to get roped into it with my younger kid given how much he loves playing soccer.

Is it possible to find a league that does not require you to do both practice and games?

How will he play in games without practicing? I'm baffled by this.

Have you ever seen preschool aged kids play soccer? All they do is run around after the ball anyway. I don't mind if it was just like practice and then play a game but the idea of two commitments a week at the preschool level just kind of annoys me.

[Anonymous]

No one does practices before u7.

[Anonymous]

My daughter (5yo) did soccer for a few months, just because her friend was doing it. She clearly wasn’t that interested in it, so we didn’t sign her up again. She loves ballet, so we’re sticking with that. She also really wants to do gymnastics, but she has to take swim lessons and will be starting Hebrew school in the fall, so I don’t want to overschedule her.