A better way? U8-U15 soccer

[Anonymous]

Where not She .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks around here are spoiled with options including playing “down” in NCSL where most games are within 45 minutes/30 miles. She. I grew up there was one travel team in my town and the only other clubs nearby were all over Richmond so we routinely had 90-120 minute one way drives for weekend travel matches. Many other clubs and areas around the country have the same type of travel. It IS referred to as travel after all. For those whining about the travel look in the mirror. You filled out the registration info. You made the choice.

We live in a metropolitan area with hundreds of clubs and enough elite ones within an hours drive there is no need, outside of tournaments, to travel.

I grew up in Fairfax county in the 80s and we had Fairfax police, McLean, SYC, Annandale, BRYC, Bowie, Bethesda, etc., etc. We yea tied to at least 4-5 tournaments up and down in the East Coast. And Canada.

Your logic makes no sense. We are spoiled because we have so many decent options nearby (unlike you as a kid where you had to drive because no clubs were nearby) so we shouldn’t complain that our Clubs want to drive right past them because they are in a pissing match for customers and can’t be in the same league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids play soccer. I have grown to love it. It will never equal football, basketball, or even baseball in the US. At best it is hockey.

It is not part of the culture, it takes too long to master, it takes too long to play. Just not going to happen.

We have to have a different approach in the US. Also who pays for soccer. We have no clubs to fund youth development. Parents have to pay here. There is no other way.

Also, please look to Europe. The new super club league will be the death of club support for youth soccer development. They will be moving to a US system over time.

I used to think soccer/MLS would never be very popular but Atlanta United changed my mind. They ranked top 10 in the world for attendance in 2018. Nashville SC had 59k people at their home opener last year before everything shut down. Not saying it will beat out every other sport, but things can change quickly in this country and the games are better to attend in person than any other sport so there is no reason to think it wont keep growing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks around here are spoiled with options including playing “down” in NCSL where most games are within 45 minutes/30 miles. She. I grew up there was one travel team in my town and the only other clubs nearby were all over Richmond so we routinely had 90-120 minute one way drives for weekend travel matches. Many other clubs and areas around the country have the same type of travel. It IS referred to as travel after all. For those whining about the travel look in the mirror. You filled out the registration info. You made the choice.

We live in a metropolitan area with hundreds of clubs and enough elite ones within an hours drive there is no need, outside of tournaments, to travel.

I grew up in Fairfax county in the 80s and we had Fairfax police, McLean, SYC, Annandale, BRYC, Bowie, Bethesda, etc., etc. We yea tied to at least 4-5 tournaments up and down in the East Coast. And Canada.

Your logic makes no sense. We are spoiled because we have so many decent options nearby (unlike you as a kid where you had to drive because no clubs were nearby) so we shouldn’t complain that our Clubs want to drive right past them because they are in a pissing match for customers and can’t be in the same league.

You missed the point. There are so many options in this area you can find one that has similar travel to what you did in the 80s. Instead folks willingly choose clubs and levels that do too far/too much travel.

[Anonymous]

I second PPA. Except for the highest level teams that play EDP, the other teams don’t require long trips to games, but still have very good coaches.

[Anonymous]

It’s driven by parents’ egos. If you’re constantly dropping the names of far-away places your kid is goi no to play soccer, it’s a signal that your kid is “better” than those who just driving in the local area. It lets you implicitly brag about how good your kid is while couching in laments about all of the driving you have to do or how disappointed you are to miss X event because of soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s driven by parents’ egos. If you’re constantly dropping the names of far-away places your kid is goi no to play soccer, it’s a signal that your kid is “better” than those who just driving in the local area. It lets you implicitly brag about how good your kid is while couching in laments about all of the driving you have to do or how disappointed you are to miss X event because of soccer.

For some perhaps. For most, it is the desire to help your child succeed and advance at something. Work harder, go farther, etc. It's built into our society, and is the reason this travel situation persists in youth soccer. Claiming it is ego driven is frequently convenient for those that can't or won't make the commitment to their kids.

And yet, much of the travel is unnecessary. Four pages into this thread, after countless other similar threads, there is no solution proposed. In the span of a youth athletic career, few can or will take a stand at the expense of their children. One can either constantly fight the current, or embrace it and learn to maneuver in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks around here are spoiled with options including playing “down” in NCSL where most games are within 45 minutes/30 miles. She. I grew up there was one travel team in my town and the only other clubs nearby were all over Richmond so we routinely had 90-120 minute one way drives for weekend travel matches. Many other clubs and areas around the country have the same type of travel. It IS referred to as travel after all. For those whining about the travel look in the mirror. You filled out the registration info. You made the choice.

We live in a metropolitan area with hundreds of clubs and enough elite ones within an hours drive there is no need, outside of tournaments, to travel.

I grew up in Fairfax county in the 80s and we had Fairfax police, McLean, SYC, Annandale, BRYC, Bowie, Bethesda, etc., etc. We yea tied to at least 4-5 tournaments up and down in the East Coast. And Canada.

Your logic makes no sense. We are spoiled because we have so many decent options nearby (unlike you as a kid where you had to drive because no clubs were nearby) so we shouldn’t complain that our Clubs want to drive right past them because they are in a pissing match for customers and can’t be in the same league.

This.

My kid is in CCL. We drive by so many comparable clubs to get to one that happens to be in CCL. Or we don't drive to close-by clubs 20 minutes in another direction to instead drive 2 hours each way. And CCL has plenty of good teams but it is highly inconsistent. How does it make sense?

If there were one big league with promotion and relegation, which is kept local in the first few years especially, it would be better for everyone.

Of course if you live in Roanoke you are going to have to travel. Same if you live in Virginia Beach or West Virginia. But on of the benefits of living in Northern Virginia is that we don't. Or shouldn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks around here are spoiled with options including playing “down” in NCSL where most games are within 45 minutes/30 miles. She. I grew up there was one travel team in my town and the only other clubs nearby were all over Richmond so we routinely had 90-120 minute one way drives for weekend travel matches. Many other clubs and areas around the country have the same type of travel. It IS referred to as travel after all. For those whining about the travel look in the mirror. You filled out the registration info. You made the choice.

We live in a metropolitan area with hundreds of clubs and enough elite ones within an hours drive there is no need, outside of tournaments, to travel.

I grew up in Fairfax county in the 80s and we had Fairfax police, McLean, SYC, Annandale, BRYC, Bowie, Bethesda, etc., etc. We yea tied to at least 4-5 tournaments up and down in the East Coast. And Canada.

Your logic makes no sense. We are spoiled because we have so many decent options nearby (unlike you as a kid where you had to drive because no clubs were nearby) so we shouldn’t complain that our Clubs want to drive right past them because they are in a pissing match for customers and can’t be in the same league.

This.

My kid is in CCL. We drive by so many comparable clubs to get to one that happens to be in CCL. Or we don't drive to close-by clubs 20 minutes in another direction to instead drive 2 hours each way. And CCL has plenty of good teams but it is highly inconsistent. How does it make sense?

If there were one big league with promotion and relegation, which is kept local in the first few years especially, it would be better for everyone.

Of course if you live in Roanoke you are going to have to travel. Same if you live in Virginia Beach or West Virginia. But on of the benefits of living in Northern Virginia is that we don't. Or shouldn't.

Wait. What? You are using us why it makes sense for you to drive past many comparable clubs to get to one that happens to be in CCL? You tell us? Why do you so it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s driven by parents’ egos. If you’re constantly dropping the names of far-away places your kid is goi no to play soccer, it’s a signal that your kid is “better” than those who just driving in the local area. It lets you implicitly brag about how good your kid is while couching in laments about all of the driving you have to do or how disappointed you are to miss X event because of soccer.

Ha. And when I hear neighbors name dropping tournaments...and 'lamenting' about another drive to a faraway game or tournament....I'm thinking 'sucker-this sh*t doesn't matter'. I lived it myself as a player and now with my kids I choose accordingly. All of that crap pre-HS is meaningless and just a path to burnout on everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks around here are spoiled with options including playing “down” in NCSL where most games are within 45 minutes/30 miles. She. I grew up there was one travel team in my town and the only other clubs nearby were all over Richmond so we routinely had 90-120 minute one way drives for weekend travel matches. Many other clubs and areas around the country have the same type of travel. It IS referred to as travel after all. For those whining about the travel look in the mirror. You filled out the registration info. You made the choice.

We live in a metropolitan area with hundreds of clubs and enough elite ones within an hours drive there is no need, outside of tournaments, to travel.

I grew up in Fairfax county in the 80s and we had Fairfax police, McLean, SYC, Annandale, BRYC, Bowie, Bethesda, etc., etc. We yea tied to at least 4-5 tournaments up and down in the East Coast. And Canada.

Your logic makes no sense. We are spoiled because we have so many decent options nearby (unlike you as a kid where you had to drive because no clubs were nearby) so we shouldn’t complain that our Clubs want to drive right past them because they are in a pissing match for customers and can’t be in the same league.

This.

My kid is in CCL. We drive by so many comparable clubs to get to one that happens to be in CCL. Or we don't drive to close-by clubs 20 minutes in another direction to instead drive 2 hours each way. And CCL has plenty of good teams but it is highly inconsistent. How does it make sense?

If there were one big league with promotion and relegation, which is kept local in the first few years especially, it would be better for everyone.

Of course if you live in Roanoke you are going to have to travel. Same if you live in Virginia Beach or West Virginia. But on of the benefits of living in Northern Virginia is that we don't. Or shouldn't.

I think one of the draws of CCL from a club’s perspective was the lack of relegation. Their teams are ccl1 no matter how lopsided the games are. For them, that may be preferable to having a top u12 girls team in NCSL3 while the small club next door has theirs in NCSL1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s driven by parents’ egos. If you’re constantly dropping the names of far-away places your kid is goi no to play soccer, it’s a signal that your kid is “better” than those who just driving in the local area. It lets you implicitly brag about how good your kid is while couching in laments about all of the driving you have to do or how disappointed you are to miss X event because of soccer.

For some perhaps. For most, it is the desire to help your child succeed and advance at something. Work harder, go farther, etc. It's built into our society, and is the reason this travel situation persists in youth soccer. Claiming it is ego driven is frequently convenient for those that can't or won't make the commitment to their kids.

And yet, much of the travel is unnecessary. Four pages into this thread, after countless other similar threads, there is no solution proposed. In the span of a youth athletic career, few can or will take a stand at the expense of their children. One can either constantly fight the current, or embrace it and learn to maneuver in it.

I take a stand all of the time. I'm the parent not driving to the faraway sh*t showcase or tournament because it doesn't matter at age 12. My kid still starts and plays majority of game anyways. If he doesn't, then we will move somewhere that doesn't require those kinds of drives at U13. We will never do anything and everything a Club demands when it is complete BS and a waste. More parents need to learn to question and say 'enough'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks around here are spoiled with options including playing “down” in NCSL where most games are within 45 minutes/30 miles. She. I grew up there was one travel team in my town and the only other clubs nearby were all over Richmond so we routinely had 90-120 minute one way drives for weekend travel matches. Many other clubs and areas around the country have the same type of travel. It IS referred to as travel after all. For those whining about the travel look in the mirror. You filled out the registration info. You made the choice.

We live in a metropolitan area with hundreds of clubs and enough elite ones within an hours drive there is no need, outside of tournaments, to travel.

I grew up in Fairfax county in the 80s and we had Fairfax police, McLean, SYC, Annandale, BRYC, Bowie, Bethesda, etc., etc. We yea tied to at least 4-5 tournaments up and down in the East Coast. And Canada.

Your logic makes no sense. We are spoiled because we have so many decent options nearby (unlike you as a kid where you had to drive because no clubs were nearby) so we shouldn’t complain that our Clubs want to drive right past them because they are in a pissing match for customers and can’t be in the same league.

This.

My kid is in CCL. We drive by so many comparable clubs to get to one that happens to be in CCL. Or we don't drive to close-by clubs 20 minutes in another direction to instead drive 2 hours each way. And CCL has plenty of good teams but it is highly inconsistent. How does it make sense?

If there were one big league with promotion and relegation, which is kept local in the first few years especially, it would be better for everyone.

Of course if you live in Roanoke you are going to have to travel. Same if you live in Virginia Beach or West Virginia. But on of the benefits of living in Northern Virginia is that we don't. Or shouldn't.

I think one of the draws of CCL from a club’s perspective was the lack of relegation. Their teams are ccl1 no matter how lopsided the games are. For them, that may be preferable to having a top u12 girls team in NCSL3 while the small club next door has theirs in NCSL1

That's why I love EDP. My kid has been playing EDP since U11, now U13. We are in NoVA and many of the teams are in MD, but the competition is great and there is relegation. My kid's team moved up two divisions and the thrill of winning the league each season and getting rewarded for it has built excitement for the kids. I see when we play some of the ccl teams how much our team has improved in comparison. The teams are MUCH more physical and intense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s driven by parents’ egos. If you’re constantly dropping the names of far-away places your kid is goi no to play soccer, it’s a signal that your kid is “better” than those who just driving in the local area. It lets you implicitly brag about how good your kid is while couching in laments about all of the driving you have to do or how disappointed you are to miss X event because of soccer.

For some perhaps. For most, it is the desire to help your child succeed and advance at something. Work harder, go farther, etc. It's built into our society, and is the reason this travel situation persists in youth soccer. Claiming it is ego driven is frequently convenient for those that can't or won't make the commitment to their kids.

And yet, much of the travel is unnecessary. Four pages into this thread, after countless other similar threads, there is no solution proposed. In the span of a youth athletic career, few can or will take a stand at the expense of their children. One can either constantly fight the current, or embrace it and learn to maneuver in it.

I take a stand all of the time. I'm the parent not driving to the faraway sh*t showcase or tournament because it doesn't matter at age 12. My kid still starts and plays majority of game anyways. If he doesn't, then we will move somewhere that doesn't require those kinds of drives at U13. We will never do anything and everything a Club demands when it is complete BS and a waste. More parents need to learn to question and say 'enough'.

This. I have a commitment to feed, clothe and help educate my kids. If prioritizing travel sports is part of the deal, call me negligent, 'cause I'm out.

[Anonymous]

There is absolutely no reason for these NOVA ECNL teams to have to travel to Charlotte or Raleigh to get a game. You should feel blessed that Covid put a damper on that this spring. We are not ECNL, but have played some of the Carolina ECNL teams in tournaments. There are only a couple I would say are close to the same level as the NOVA/MD ECNL teams. There are even better teams in CCL than down there.