ASA 2010 boys Travel - why so few?

[Anonymous]

Anyone concerned with Arlington boys soccer turn out this year? My child made travel but we only went for the experience of the try out for him and had planned on ADP as opposed to travel soccer. We never expected him to make first team or anything, if he was that good then he probably would do travel. But with low turn out will ADP even happen this year?

[Anonymous]

So your kid made a travel team?

My take: they have too many teams now. The kids/families on the lower teams I've talked to were not happy with the return on investment--lack of attention.

In 2010/2011 there were just 4 teams per age group which kept the pool competitive and there was adequate attention/time/field space for the 4 teams.

Now in a lot of age groups--and especially the girl's side--they are just taking bodies to fill spots.

Additionally, with the birth year change kids were having to start travel soccer before I think is a developmentally/psychologically appropriate time for such structure (long seasons with 3Xweek practices, etc.). Many kids at this age want to play other sports too. This gets in the way of flag football, baseball, lacrosse, etc.

And, let me say, this isn't just Arlington. You could apply the same reasoning to MANY travel clubs in the area.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm. Perhaps there are more families that want to start at ADP at that age vs full-blown travel. You never know.

[Anonymous]

ASA academy and pre academy programs for boys had low turn out for 2010 too.
In our ES most the athletic 2nd graders are into flag football more than soccer...it is all they play at recess...rarely do you see a soccer game. Who knows....I think 8 is too young for just one sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ASA academy and pre academy programs for boys had low turn out for 2010 too.
In our ES most the athletic 2nd graders are into flag football more than soccer...it is all they play at recess...rarely do you see a soccer game. Who knows....I think 8 is too young for just one sport.

I think that is because most Arlington elementary schools don't allow the kids to play soccer. They hate 'balls' or any contact which is why I guess flag pulling is okay.

When my boys were in elementary at Arlington (now middle schoolers) almost every boy that was a good athlete played travel soccer---in addition to flag football, basketball and sometimes baseball. The kids played all sports at recess. Over time, as kids got hurt and more physical, they took away the soccer balls and banned it. Crazy.

[Anonymous]

Seems 2010 ASA boys is a soft year, compared to the last few years, top team will still be strong as usual, but lower teams may not be as dominating.

[Anonymous]

My kid's ASA tot coach is a travel team coach as well. I have a 2010 child, and I was asking him about travel. He told me that it's a rip off and if my kid doesn't make A or B team, it's not worth it as I'm very expensive. So, we didn't try out. My child is happy on rec.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ASA academy and pre academy programs for boys had low turn out for 2010 too.
In our ES most the athletic 2nd graders are into flag football more than soccer...it is all they play at recess...rarely do you see a soccer game. Who knows....I think 8 is too young for just one sport.

I think that is because most Arlington elementary schools don't allow the kids to play soccer. They hate 'balls' or any contact which is why I guess flag pulling is okay.

When my boys were in elementary at Arlington (now middle schoolers) almost every boy that was a good athlete played travel soccer---in addition to flag football, basketball and sometimes baseball. The kids played all sports at recess. Over time, as kids got hurt and more physical, they took away the soccer balls and banned it. Crazy.

I think this is really school specific. At my son's elementary school, they had to ban football for awhile because too many kids were getting hurt. But never soccer. It seems to go in waves as to what is played at recess - flag football, soccer, kickball, etc.

[Anonymous]

It's not just ASA. BSC has 6 teams for most of the lower age groups. The bottom team would get crushed by the average MSI team. Travel soccer has become a pyramid scheme, pure and simple.

[Anonymous]

ASA has 6 teams; with under 100 kids trying out they probably will drop to 5 for 2010 for this year unless they get lucky with everyone accepting or some adp players are willing to move up.
3 boys made it from our team, 2 on first team. I am sure ASA will be solid on their first teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ASA has 6 teams; with under 100 kids trying out they probably will drop to 5 for 2010 for this year unless they get lucky with everyone accepting or some adp players are willing to move up.
3 boys made it from our team, 2 on first team. I am sure ASA will be solid on their first teams.

They are 7 years old. Sheesh.

Kids change drastically over the next 10 years. Worry more about development then “strong team, going to crush everyone”.

[Anonymous]

I know a few ASA families with 2010 boys who are feeling pretty disillusioned with ASA based on their older kids' experience and their boys didn't try out. It may be a coincidence that the few families I know in that situation all decided not to try out, but maybe it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So your kid made a travel team?

My take: they have too many teams now. The kids/families on the lower teams I've talked to were not happy with the return on investment--lack of attention.

In 2010/2011 there were just 4 teams per age group which kept the pool competitive and there was adequate attention/time/field space for the 4 teams.

Now in a lot of age groups--and especially the girl's side--they are just taking bodies to fill spots.

Additionally, with the birth year change kids were having to start travel soccer before I think is a developmentally/psychologically appropriate time for such structure (long seasons with 3Xweek practices, etc.). Many kids at this age want to play other sports too. This gets in the way of flag football, baseball, lacrosse, etc.

And, let me say, this isn't just Arlington. You could apply the same reasoning to MANY travel clubs in the area.

This post is correct. This issue has been discussed ad nauseam on the big soccer threads, as well as try out threads for a few years now. All the general points above are true. Specific to Arlington, unless you make the A or B team in Arlington, it is not worth it and I think parents are starting to pay attention. For players on the E or F team, they're assigned the most inexperienced coach, they pay exactly the same amount of money, yet they have to practice on field space that is 50% the size of the A and B Team. They will not cut to less than six teams because they need the money. On the girls side, they barely get enough players to field six teams so they take everyone who shows up. ADP is a far better value at these ages.

[Anonymous]

So is it harder to make adp in Arlington than travel? Not top 2 or 3 teams, I know that is hard...but if you made 4th or 5th travel do they have a shot at adp or will they be “on the bubble”?

[Anonymous]

Definitely harder to make Girls ADP. 100% make it on travel side, often even if an underage 2011 in kindergarten.


Not everyone makes ADP.