New Arlington Travel Soccer Family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have said this hundreds of times -- Don't waste your time and resources on travel soccer pre u-12. You will have a negative return on investment. Check the u14 and older teams at Arlington to see how many kids started at u-10.

How would we be able to see who at arlington was where four years ago? Do they and others keep archived rosters online?

No, you aren't going to be able to find archived U10 rosters online.

Parents with kids in a certain age group can sometimes be a good source of information about the playing history of other kids in that age group at the same level, just by recognizing them and remembering them from another team, talking to other parents, etc...

As for Arlington U14s, on the DA teams it's true most were not Arlington at U10. It is not true to say that they were not playing travel soccer at that age. Also, there are other players who were at Arlington at U10 who are now playing at other DAs. The same goes for Arlington's Red teams. They have a higher portion of players who've always been at Arlington, but still a good number from other clubs, just as some of their former players have moved on to play at other clubs.

The idea that u9-U12 doesn't matter is simply not true. It is extremely rare to find a high level player at U14+ who was not playing travel soccer at u10. Probably less than 1%, if that.

Most of the larger clubs are like that. The thing is many of the u10 kids will not be playing by u14. Also most top teams have a turnover of 20-30% each year.

This is also simply not true of most high level players. The kids who end up leaving the sport are travel players on lower teams. Most A and B team kids tend to stick with the sport. Kids on C, D or E teams do tend to walk away form the sport or at least the travel end in favor of rec or other sports that they might enjoy more or are better at.

Think about that soccer player who also plays lacrosse and while ok at lacrosse the sport they are better at soccer and as kids get older the commitment demands increase so kids are forced to choose. This also happens to A and B team kids too. None of that means that playing travel from U9-U13 or U14 was a waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have said this hundreds of times -- Don't waste your time and resources on travel soccer pre u-12. You will have a negative return on investment. Check the u14 and older teams at Arlington to see how many kids started at u-10.

How would we be able to see who at arlington was where four years ago? Do they and others keep archived rosters online?

No, you aren't going to be able to find archived U10 rosters online.

Parents with kids in a certain age group can sometimes be a good source of information about the playing history of other kids in that age group at the same level, just by recognizing them and remembering them from another team, talking to other parents, etc...

As for Arlington U14s, on the DA teams it's true most were not Arlington at U10. It is not true to say that they were not playing travel soccer at that age. Also, there are other players who were at Arlington at U10 who are now playing at other DAs. The same goes for Arlington's Red teams. They have a higher portion of players who've always been at Arlington, but still a good number from other clubs, just as some of their former players have moved on to play at other clubs.

The idea that u9-U12 doesn't matter is simply not true. It is extremely rare to find a high level player at U14+ who was not playing travel soccer at u10. Probably less than 1%, if that.

Most of the larger clubs are like that. The thing is many of the u10 kids will not be playing by u14. Also most top teams have a turnover of 20-30% each year.

This is also simply not true of most high level players. The kids who end up leaving the sport are travel players on lower teams. Most A and B team kids tend to stick with the sport. Kids on C, D or E teams do tend to walk away form the sport or at least the travel end in favor of rec or other sports that they might enjoy more or are better at.

Think about that soccer player who also plays lacrosse and while ok at lacrosse the sport they are better at soccer and as kids get older the commitment demands increase so kids are forced to choose. This also happens to A and B team kids too. None of that means that playing travel from U9-U13 or U14 was a waste.

Many kids leave soccer because of the burnout and I agree that there is a high turnover rate (for various reasons). Kids on the top teams are not excepted. The top teams at big clubs at U16 would have a very different make up from their top team, when they were playing U9-U10.

[Anonymous]

I don't know, a lot of kids go to private schools where they play 5 days a week starting in 3rd grade, in addition to after school teams. By comparison, 3 days per week plus a game doesn't seem like muchl.

My u10 plays 6 days per week (travel and rec team to play with friends), plus every day at recess and still asks to kick around on his day off. But also has a friend doing the same who is very good but says it is a little much, so totally depends on the kid. They may burn out, but it's not us pushing them into it. Better than being on the ipad all afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Many kids leave soccer because of the burnout and I agree that there is a high turnover rate (for various reasons). Kids on the top teams are not excepted. The top teams at big clubs at U16 would have a very different make up from their top team, when they were playing U9-U10.

Yes, but most of the players on that club's top U16 team were at other clubs' top team when they were U9-U10, and many of the kids who were on that club's top U9-U10 team are on now on other clubs' top U16 teams.

The burnout rate of players who were on good A/B teams at U9/U10 is not that high. Most continue to play at some level through high school. A far greater percentage of lower level players will leave the sport, but most will move on to other sports they enjoy more and are better at.

[Anonymous]

I am on the fence on this. My 8 year old would be plugged into an iPad or Xbox if he had his way. Or moping about how bored he is when he hits his screen time limit.
He plays adp and rec, 4 practices and two games a week. I do not care if he likes soccer that much, i would rather have him doing that then video games. He is good at soccer, but I could care less if wants to do travel next year- getting out of the house, being active and part of a team are my priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Many kids leave soccer because of the burnout and I agree that there is a high turnover rate (for various reasons). Kids on the top teams are not excepted. The top teams at big clubs at U16 would have a very different make up from their top team, when they were playing U9-U10.

Yes, but most of the players on that club's top U16 team were at other clubs' top team when they were U9-U10, and many of the kids who were on that club's top U9-U10 team are on now on other clubs' top U16 teams.

The burnout rate of players who were on good A/B teams at U9/U10 is not that high. Most continue to play at some level through high school. A far greater percentage of lower level players will leave the sport, but most will move on to other sports they enjoy more and are better at.

I agree with this from what I've seen having had one kid play through high school and another almost all the way through. I was thinking about this over the weekend as one of my son's current teammates sent him a video of a game when they were on opposing teams, 7 years ago when they were U10s. There are 4 kids from my son's U10 team who are committed to D1 soccer programs, with 2 more likely to commit to D3 programs. Only two kids from that team no longer play soccer, one because he eventually switched to basketball, which he'll play in college. The opposing U10 team has two D1 soccer commits, and at least one D3. Not sure about the others, but many are still playing soccer. Most of the top players are on different teams now than they were at U10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t wait to see the wunder player in this area who trained and/or just played rec until u14 and then went ECNL/DA. It’s a path I am excited to see and learn about.

Me too. Also curious how pp knows how many DA players did or did not play soccer at ages 7-8. And if they do in fact know, please tell us, what percentage of those top teen players started later on or came from rec?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t wait to see the wunder player in this area who trained and/or just played rec until u14 and then went ECNL/DA. It’s a path I am excited to see and learn about.

Me too. Also curious how pp knows how many DA players did or did not play soccer at ages 7-8. And if they do in fact know, please tell us, what percentage of those top teen players started later on or came from rec?

Different poster, but I agree that you are not going to get the footskills you need to play at the top level if you only do rec around here, though you certainly could pull it off if you come from a soccer family, have a good teacher, and work out on your own. But you need some plan to have good technique and touch in place by the time you are 12 or so--it's not going to magically happen if you join travel after that, no matter how great an athlete you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Many kids leave soccer because of the burnout and I agree that there is a high turnover rate (for various reasons). Kids on the top teams are not excepted. The top teams at big clubs at U16 would have a very different make up from their top team, when they were playing U9-U10.

Yes, but most of the players on that club's top U16 team were at other clubs' top team when they were U9-U10, and many of the kids who were on that club's top U9-U10 team are on now on other clubs' top U16 teams.

The burnout rate of players who were on good A/B teams at U9/U10 is not that high. Most continue to play at some level through high school. A far greater percentage of lower level players will leave the sport, but most will move on to other sports they enjoy more and are better at.

No this is not the what I have seen. The u9/u10 “A” team players at top clubs have a continual turn over rate each year. What makes a “winning” u10 player does not translate to the u14 game. Many u9-u11 players rely on speed and size, not individual skill. The clubs teach individual skill but many of the top team players at u9-u12 do not work on it because it’s hard, boring, they are already doing soccer 4 days a week, 10 months a year and they think they are the best already. Many will get demoted as they move up the age groups. Most of the ones who drop to a lower team leave the sport after a year. They are not playing at another top club. The big clubs attract the the top one or two players from the small or to mid size clubs in the area each year. This is why u9-u12 really does not matter to clubs. You really do not know what you have till u13 or u14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t wait to see the wunder player in this area who trained and/or just played rec until u14 and then went ECNL/DA. It’s a path I am excited to see and learn about.

Me too. Also curious how pp knows how many DA players did or did not play soccer at ages 7-8. And if they do in fact know, please tell us, what percentage of those top teen players started later on or came from rec?

Different poster, but I agree that you are not going to get the footskills you need to play at the top level if you only do rec around here, though you certainly could pull it off if you come from a soccer family, have a good teacher, and work out on your own. But you need some plan to have good technique and touch in place by the time you are 12 or so--it's not going to magically happen if you join travel after that, no matter how great an athlete you are.

My DD played rec from K-5 then decided she wanted to try travel. Made the lowest team and has since worked her way up to the A team. (U17 now) it’s hard but not impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t wait to see the wunder player in this area who trained and/or just played rec until u14 and then went ECNL/DA. It’s a path I am excited to see and learn about.

Me too. Also curious how pp knows how many DA players did or did not play soccer at ages 7-8. And if they do in fact know, please tell us, what percentage of those top teen players started later on or came from rec?

Different poster, but I agree that you are not going to get the footskills you need to play at the top level if you only do rec around here, though you certainly could pull it off if you come from a soccer family, have a good teacher, and work out on your own. But you need some plan to have good technique and touch in place by the time you are 12 or so--it's not going to magically happen if you join travel after that, no matter how great an athlete you are.

My DD played rec from K-5 then decided she wanted to try travel. Made the lowest team and has since worked her way up to the A team. (U17 now) it’s hard but not impossible.

Is she at one of the big clubs or one of the smaller ones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t wait to see the wunder player in this area who trained and/or just played rec until u14 and then went ECNL/DA. It’s a path I am excited to see and learn about.

Me too. Also curious how pp knows how many DA players did or did not play soccer at ages 7-8. And if they do in fact know, please tell us, what percentage of those top teen players started later on or came from rec?

Different poster, but I agree that you are not going to get the footskills you need to play at the top level if you only do rec around here, though you certainly could pull it off if you come from a soccer family, have a good teacher, and work out on your own. But you need some plan to have good technique and touch in place by the time you are 12 or so--it's not going to magically happen if you join travel after that, no matter how great an athlete you are.

My DD played rec from K-5 then decided she wanted to try travel. Made the lowest team and has since worked her way up to the A team. (U17 now) it’s hard but not impossible.

Is she at one of the big clubs or one of the smaller ones?

PP here. Big clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is U10, born October 2009, so he is still 8. That is not unusual. Practices 3 times a week - 1 academy day and 2 team practices, plus game on weekend. That seems pretty standard.
I let him miss academy days if he is burned out - esp because that is on Mondays so sometimes he is tired. I try to listen to what he wants to do. It is an intense 10 months schedule. IMO kids can miss if they need a break. I want him to still like the sport in 5 years. He is a kid that will burn out if I don't limit the formal training. He plays constantly on his own in our basement - ball always at his feet. So I'm not concerned.

it's not an academy day, it's a skills clinic and it's an hour - or maybe even 55 minutes, so it's not the same as a 90 minute training session, or a game.

I don't understand why people think it's "too much". I'm all for my kids exercising daily and if it's a structured environment, so be it. If you are letting him skip academy days, he's only training 2/week. (plus maybe this goalie session you are talking about. - although I'm not sure that shouldn't be running simultaneously to one of the other scheduled practices. I don't know many select sports that you practice only 1/week for.

Kids are different. I had 4 travel soccer players. 3 of them went through the system and never lost intent - loved it, went on to play in college, either as a varsity or club sport. One burned out and quit. Same training as the other two.

[Anonymous]

My son started to do 3 practices a week since 7 years old. I only heard him complain when practice got cancelled due to rain or other thing. He did skip some practice when he was too tired after weekend tournament though.

[Anonymous]

From what I have seen in that age group, the practices are not really that demanding. Lots of line standing. I have seen other practices that are a lot more demanding and more touches on the ball but they only do 2xtimes a week. The 2xtimes a week for an 1 1/4 hours is better for the age group(if it’s run well- ie no line standing everyone touching the ball many times).