People sure love to discuss travel soccer teams

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's telling that these posts almost always end up talking about super star - which let's face it, nearly all of our travel team kids won't even be playing in college.

Travel team travel team travel team It's about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order as if you and they are doing something special (reliving the pecking orders of jock culture adulation that passes down from generation to generation).

No. For most people, it's NOT about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order. It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games. It's about learning time management skills, the value of discipline, how to deal with victory and defeat, how to make a commitment and stick with it, all while doing something that you love. Most parents from club soccer that I know are realistic about their kids' abilities and what their soccer futures look like. Parents are on the sidelines to support their kids, not because they're living vicariously through their kids. That's an urban legend that you haters love to perpetuate. There's a different value proposition in club soccer than in rec, even for the B and C team players. It's not for everyone, so choose what's best for your kid but don't knock others' choices and stop stereotyping their motives. I don't look down on your kid's decision to NOT play club soccer, so don't look down on my kid's decision to play and my decision to support him. Grr. Just sick of this drivel.

[Anonymous]

It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games.

Ugh, not the person you are responding to, but are you seriously suggesting that everyone who doesn't spend "hours each week" on a field is spending "hours in the basement" playing video games? My son plays rec soccer, and also plays an instrument, does martial arts and is a competitive chess player. He likes soccer, but he likes doing other things as well. He's not spending "hours in the basement" playing video games instead of doing travel soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games.

Ugh, not the person you are responding to, but are you seriously suggesting that everyone who doesn't spend "hours each week" on a field is spending "hours in the basement" playing video games? My son plays rec soccer, and also plays an instrument, does martial arts and is a competitive chess player. He likes soccer, but he likes doing other things as well. He's not spending "hours in the basement" playing video games instead of doing travel soccer.

PP here. No, sorry - that wasn't what I meant. I would rather my kid be playing soccer 4 or 5 days a week than playing video games (i.e., being inactive) period. I didn't mean to suggest that rec soccer players would be doing so. As I said, club soccer isn't for everyone. If your kid is a multi-sport athlete, has other interests such as music or drama, or simply likes more down time, then rec soccer is a great solution for you. And I fully respect that. I am just glad that my kid has something that keeps him active and out of trouble - he chooses to play soccer. I'm sorry if I offended you. That wasn't my intent. Quite the opposite - I meant to say that no one should be questioning others' motives or decisions and I just think it's wrong to say that all club soccer parents are living vicariously through their kids' involvement in a sport.

Signing off this thread. Again, sorry if I offended - wasn't my intent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous[b wrote:]I think they are so boring to watch! [/b]ANd swim meets are sooo long. Also hate baseball and softball and tee ball.

Sports our kids have tried that were fun to watch: Basketball, flag football, diving, lacrosse.

We are only a rec sports family, so maybe its more exciting when your kids are *elite*.

Agree. I put my kids in activities I personally like to watch: figure skating, tennis, and horseback riding.

Alas, all three are into soccer as well

[Anonymous]

It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games.


Ugh, not the person you are responding to, but are you seriously suggesting that everyone who doesn't spend "hours each week" on a field is spending "hours in the basement" playing video games? My son plays rec soccer, and also plays an instrument, does martial arts and is a competitive chess player. He likes soccer, but he likes doing other things as well. He's not spending "hours in the basement" playing video games instead of doing travel soccer.

PP here. No, sorry - that wasn't what I meant. I would rather my kid be playing soccer 4 or 5 days a week than playing video games (i.e., being inactive) period. I didn't mean to suggest that rec soccer players would be doing so. As I said, club soccer isn't for everyone. If your kid is a multi-sport athlete, has other interests such as music or drama, or simply likes more down time, then rec soccer is a great solution for you. And I fully respect that. I am just glad that my kid has something that keeps him active and out of trouble - he chooses to play soccer. I'm sorry if I offended you. That wasn't my intent. Quite the opposite - I meant to say that no one should be questioning others' motives or decisions and I just think it's wrong to say that all club soccer parents are living vicariously through their kids' involvement in a sport.

Signing off this thread. Again, sorry if I offended - wasn't my intent.

No worries, I understand what you were saying now. Good luck to your child in his upcoming season.

[Anonymous]

This is a BS thread just trying to stir the pot. If you are really good, money isn't a barrier. All clubs have scholarships if needed. The kids train a lot and if you watch the game, some of these kids are really good. In the absence of soccer being a part of our culture, travel has to exist for the ones that want to play competitively. The time and money is no different that any other sport (LAX, Basketball, Football, etc). THey all cost a lot and take up a lot of time.

If you don't like it, don't do it. Stop bitching and by all means stop trolling these threads. I personally love watching the games and most of all, I love practicing independently with my kids. We just came back from the beach and spent more time kicking the ball on the beach than in the ocean.

If folks have the money and choose to spend it on soccer, so be it. If market demand are there, clubs will be happy to accommodate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's telling that these posts almost always end up talking about super star - which let's face it, nearly all of our travel team kids won't even be playing in college.

Travel team travel team travel team It's about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order as if you and they are doing something special (reliving the pecking orders of jock culture adulation that passes down from generation to generation).

No. For most people, it's NOT about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order. It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games. It's about learning time management skills, the value of discipline, how to deal with victory and defeat, how to make a commitment and stick with it, all while doing something that you love. Most parents from club soccer that I know are realistic about their kids' abilities and what their soccer futures look like. Parents are on the sidelines to support their kids, not because they're living vicariously through their kids. That's an urban legend that you haters love to perpetuate. There's a different value proposition in club soccer than in rec, even for the B and C team players. It's not for everyone, so choose what's best for your kid but don't knock others' choices and stop stereotyping their motives. I don't look down on your kid's decision to NOT play club soccer, so don't look down on my kid's decision to play and my decision to support him. Grr. Just sick of this drivel.

^^^^^ This, Thank You ^^^^^

There are obvious trolls on this message board who just want to annoy people.

[Anonymous]

Wait am I getting this right you can only be an intense soccer parent if you are "living through your kid" You cant just be a crazy sports fan that spills into your kids sports. Sounds a bit whack.

[Anonymous]

Travel and rec soccer are completely different and that is both ok and by design.

Money does not get you a spot on a team. It gives you the ability to tryout because parents determinecthhey can afford it but by no means guarantees you a spot. 60 girls in my daughters age group tried out for 20 spots. Maybe the other 40 went to other teams or stuck with rec soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we are a very long way from home-grown American FIFA players.

Pulisic was trained by his father and father's friend. He left for Europe at a young age.

Playing for Loudoun or Arlington or the likes is not going to make a World Class $200 million player. The training and coaching is inadequate.

Because the best athletes do not play soccer in the US. It unusually happens this way. A kid is a great athlete and has to decide between soccer and another sport. A pro prospect for soccer has the choice of playing for a club here(with the promise of maybe a college scholarship) or leave home and go to Europe at 14. He will not be a big shot in highschool(club don't like their players playing highschool) and espn will not be holding a news conference for him if he picks a school. In other sports the kid can stay with his family, be a big shot on campus, be on TV, have a chance at college scholarship and a pro career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we are a very long way from home-grown American FIFA players.

Pulisic was trained by his father and father's friend. He left for Europe at a young age.

Playing for Loudoun or Arlington or the likes is not going to make a World Class $200 million player. The training and coaching is inadequate.

Because the best athletes do not play soccer in the US. It unusually happens this way. A kid is a great athlete and has to decide between soccer and another sport. A pro prospect for soccer has the choice of playing for a club here(with the promise of maybe a college scholarship) or leave home and go to Europe at 14. He will not be a big shot in highschool(club don't like their players playing highschool) and espn will not be holding a news conference for him if he picks a school. In other sports the kid can stay with his family, be a big shot on campus, be on TV, have a chance at college scholarship and a pro career.

The professional contracts for Football, Baseball and Basketball in this country are $$$$.

To invest the same time and $ in soccer in the US--it has to be purely for fun and love of the sport because there is no long-term pay out and you aren't selling out stadiums with fans to watch you.

Barca and Man U came---and FedEx was sold out. We can't even fill our much, much smaller professional soccer stadium for a single game and nobody is watching MLS on TV every 'Sunday'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The professional contracts for Football, Baseball and Basketball in this country are $$$$.

To invest the same time and $ in soccer in the US--it has to be purely for fun and love of the sport because there is no long-term pay out and you aren't selling out stadiums with fans to watch you.

Barca and Man U came---and FedEx was sold out. We can't even fill our much, much smaller professional soccer stadium for a single game and nobody is watching MLS on TV every 'Sunday'.

Yes, there's $$$$ in football, baseball and basketball, but have you looked at the stats on how many actually make it? Let your kid play the sport they like, not for some pipe dream of playing professional or even D1. There's lots of really good players who never even make it to D1.

As for travel soccer, I find the trend of hopscotching all over the region, and in some cases, the country, absurd. There are plenty of good local players, you don't have to travel to Nebraska to play a good baseball team.