Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?

[Anonymous]

Can confirm the new McLean uniforms look ridiculous. Just big, block-printed MARS across the front. I had to look it up to realize that Mars (the candy company) was the actual sponsor. Maybe that's on Mars for not having better branding, but I can imagine a lot of clubs laughing that they are playing against a bunch of martians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no issue with new game uniforms every two years. I DO have an issue with teams that require uniforms for practice. That is just insane.

I disagree. We just left a club for many reasons but one of them being, that the club had no culture around this. Kids had practice uniforms that they bought but would show up wearing whatever. Basketball t-shirts, different colored socks on each leg—you name it. Looked like a rec club if you happened to be checking out the club as a prospective player, or if you were a competing club sharing the same field.

You left a club because they didn't have a required practice kit?

I guess we come from different points of view on this. I am proud that our team doesn't feel the need to expect parents to spend money and coaches to spend energy buying and enforcing uniforms. Who cares if the look like a rec team when people are passing by? I'm glad our team, ranked consistently 2-5 in the state, shows who it is when the players step on the field, and not because parents have shelled about more money just to look the part. But I'm also the person who drives cars into the ground and is still using the same coat and handbag I purchased 10+ years ago.

OMG, +1. God forbid someone mistake my superstar for a lowly rec player because of those mismatched socks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can confirm the new McLean uniforms look ridiculous. Just big, block-printed MARS across the front. I had to look it up to realize that Mars (the candy company) was the actual sponsor. Maybe that's on Mars for not having better branding, but I can imagine a lot of clubs laughing that they are playing against a bunch of martians.

+1 and the shorts have a roofing company name splashed across them! I thought they sent the wrong shorts!

[Anonymous]

You left a club because they didn't have a required practice kit?

I guess we come from different points of view on this. I am proud that our team doesn't feel the need to expect parents to spend money and coaches to spend energy buying and enforcing uniforms. Who cares if the look like a rec team when people are passing by? I'm glad our team, ranked consistently 2-5 in the state, shows who it is when the players step on the field, and not because parents have shelled about more money just to look the part. But I'm also the person who drives cars into the ground and is still using the same coat and handbag I purchased 10+ years ago.

Are you saying your team doesn’t have practice kits at all? I don’t know of a competitive club in the area that doesn’t have practice gear, which is expected to be bought and worn at all practices.

If you can name a club, please do..

Some clubs even have two different practice kits and they are expected to wear different colors on different days. This is helpful for coaches who like to plan effective training and scrimmage sessions.

But I guess if you prefer the Waldo FC look, fine by me!

It’s also not about the money. It’s probably more cost effective to wear the practice uniform instead of ruining regular clothes.

[Anonymous]

We paid roughly $350 for this year's ECNL gear. He still casually wears the training shirts, shorts, and sweat pants of seasons past, so I really don't mind buying it. I don't know of any other clothing he wears more frequently, so probably a good investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can confirm the new McLean uniforms look ridiculous. Just big, block-printed MARS across the front. I had to look it up to realize that Mars (the candy company) was the actual sponsor. Maybe that's on Mars for not having better branding, but I can imagine a lot of clubs laughing that they are playing against a bunch of martians.

Actually, it's MARS non-profit company. Get over having the uniforms with companies sponsorship. It happens for most soccer companies even professional ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SYC is around $300 and they made you buy the $50 sweatshirt. Also had to get practice jerseys, which were overpriced.

Seems reasonable to me. The sweatshirt will be worn most days since kids don't wear jackets to school.

[Anonymous]

Potomac has MARS on their jerseys too.. always wondered what it was…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find all this complaining kind of crazy. Your kid is going to wear the training gear 3-4 days a week, 10 months a year for an ECNL/GA team, and 8 months a year for other levels. Then game kit for between 20-30 games if you include scrimmages. Figure home and away each get a minimum of 15 uses. The socks, which usually get worn for both training and games, get the most use. But a basic breakdown is: Training gear is 240 days of use, game kit 30 days of use for each color per 2 year cycle.

The cost of a Dunkin’ Donuts latte is roughly 4 dollars. And the average American spends ~ $1,100 per year or $2,200 on coffee over the kit cycle.

Get a grip!

Waste is wasteful. Why should I be forced to buy training pants that will never leave the drawer? Or a new backpack when the one we have is like new?

Backpack makes sense, and we haven’t bought a new bag because the kid feels the old one is lucky anyway.

Training pants usually get trashed in our house, but YMMV, so I understand.

Most of the complaints here were around the mandatory jerseys and kit. That one seems odd given the use the kits get, and frankly until the teen years they outgrow them.

No, waste is waste. I don't need another jersey when the ones that we have fit. Plus, our team makes us buy three jerseys. A home, away and an extra color that rarely ever gets used. Plus, training pants and windbreaker. This is all BS added garbage to bring up the cost so the club can force families to pay more. If the existing gear is still in good shape, I don't need more. The rationale that I must buy new just because prior stuff is worn makes no sense - and highlights how wasteful the culture is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find all this complaining kind of crazy. Your kid is going to wear the training gear 3-4 days a week, 10 months a year for an ECNL/GA team, and 8 months a year for other levels. Then game kit for between 20-30 games if you include scrimmages. Figure home and away each get a minimum of 15 uses. The socks, which usually get worn for both training and games, get the most use. But a basic breakdown is: Training gear is 240 days of use, game kit 30 days of use for each color per 2 year cycle.

The cost of a Dunkin’ Donuts latte is roughly 4 dollars. And the average American spends ~ $1,100 per year or $2,200 on coffee over the kit cycle.

Get a grip!

Waste is wasteful. Why should I be forced to buy training pants that will never leave the drawer? Or a new backpack when the one we have is like new?

It's about building a team culture. You can agree with it or not, and it was your choice to participate, but uniforms and similarity helps build team cohesion. Every professional and college, even high school teams do it. My kids played on the HS basketball and soccer teams and they had shirts they wore for warmups, track suits for away games, etc. that we were required to buy. Uniformity promotes team over individuals. It's why the military mandates everyone dress and look the same. Martial Arts studios make everyone wear the white robes and a colored belt.

So there is a legitimate rationale. And, yes, there is also a club marketing and profit motive for it. Clubs are very up front about this when you join. I don't see why you are complaining about something you voluntarily agreed to. It's like paying for an expensive vacation and then complaining about the cost of everything while you are there. You knew what it would cost going in so quit complaining and just enjoy it.

The bolded is really the only reason that clubs do it. It's a money grab - particularly when the U8 is also forced into the scheme. It's crazy how people normalize the $350 mandatory uniform bundles for youth soccer like its good for the sport. Reason 384745 why US soccer is not a serious endeavor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find all this complaining kind of crazy. Your kid is going to wear the training gear 3-4 days a week, 10 months a year for an ECNL/GA team, and 8 months a year for other levels. Then game kit for between 20-30 games if you include scrimmages. Figure home and away each get a minimum of 15 uses. The socks, which usually get worn for both training and games, get the most use. But a basic breakdown is: Training gear is 240 days of use, game kit 30 days of use for each color per 2 year cycle.

The cost of a Dunkin’ Donuts latte is roughly 4 dollars. And the average American spends ~ $1,100 per year or $2,200 on coffee over the kit cycle.

Get a grip!

Waste is wasteful. Why should I be forced to buy training pants that will never leave the drawer? Or a new backpack when the one we have is like new?

Backpack makes sense, and we haven’t bought a new bag because the kid feels the old one is lucky anyway.

Training pants usually get trashed in our house, but YMMV, so I understand.

Most of the complaints here were around the mandatory jerseys and kit. That one seems odd given the use the kits get, and frankly until the teen years they outgrow them.

No, waste is waste. I don't need another jersey when the ones that we have fit. Plus, our team makes us buy three jerseys. A home, away and an extra color that rarely ever gets used. Plus, training pants and windbreaker. This is all BS added garbage to bring up the cost so the club can force families to pay more. If the existing gear is still in good shape, I don't need more. The rationale that I must buy new just because prior stuff is worn makes no sense - and highlights how wasteful the culture is.

But, team cohesion! /s

I jest. My kids wear shorts even when it’s frigid, so for the life of me, can’t find the justification for warmup pants. It’s not about the cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can confirm the new McLean uniforms look ridiculous. Just big, block-printed MARS across the front. I had to look it up to realize that Mars (the candy company) was the actual sponsor. Maybe that's on Mars for not having better branding, but I can imagine a lot of clubs laughing that they are playing against a bunch of martians.

Actually, it's MARS non-profit company. Get over having the uniforms with companies sponsorship. It happens for most soccer companies even professional ones.

What are you talking about? It's MARS the parent company for brands like M&M, Snickers, Uncle Bens and a bunch of other food and pet brands. Go ahead to the MYS website and click on the MARS logo toward the bottom of the home page.

My point wasn't about corporate logos on jerseys (though I do hate them). My point was the hideousness and plainness and lack of identity of the MARS logo. So in your ignorance, you actually kind of proved my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can confirm the new McLean uniforms look ridiculous. Just big, block-printed MARS across the front. I had to look it up to realize that Mars (the candy company) was the actual sponsor. Maybe that's on Mars for not having better branding, but I can imagine a lot of clubs laughing that they are playing against a bunch of martians.

Actually, it's MARS non-profit company. Get over having the uniforms with companies sponsorship. It happens for most soccer companies even professional ones.

The McLean kit is expensive. The girls hate the shorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford the 2500 - 3500 to make yourself feel like your kids a selected travel player, you can afford the 300 for a uniform. send your kid to El Salvador and get a free kit if they could actually make a team. #whiteprivledge

Look, most of us complain about the logistics of getting our kids to and from multiple practices a week as it is; if I had to send them to San Salvador and back every Tues/Thurs, it'd be even worse.

[Anonymous]

At our club, it’s pushed but when the new uniforms look very close to the old uniforms some families don’t buy the new kit and it’s not an issue