I don’t buy the “money grab” claims. We have 3 kids who play soccer, and they have played everything from rec, to bottom level NCSL (heck, one used to play ODSL!), to ECNL starter.

Yes, the coaches are better on the top team. Yes, the players work harder, are more athletic, more skilled, and take it more seriously. Yes, they usually get better field space, more training, more games, more scrimmages, and more tournaments. Yes, they may get Veo when other teams don’t.

But that doesn’t mean lower level travel teams are not differentiated from rec. pretty much everything I wrote above is true again for low level travel vs rec. Better coaches, players, fields, competition, resources, etc.

My view is to get in early to learn the structure, improve skills, etc. Yes, some kids are capable of playing rec until middle school and then making the jump, but I find those kids are usually superior athletes. I think if they had made the jump earlier, they would have been dominant.

Don't need to go to the big, expensive clubs until U12 or U13 in my opinion. That's last year of 9v9 or 1st year of 11v11. You don't need to get caught up with the "need" to be on a certain team at a young age. Teams are changing annually anyway.

Daughter's U15 team still has new girls coming for next year. If the kid can ball, there's a place. And all kids have a place on some team high school years, so it's not necessary to be on team X or Y at your son's age.

My son has played rec with me as the dad coach (never played but coach other HS sports) since he was 6/7 up to this spring. He is going into middle school next year, and we talked about some of his sports goals (what he wants to play, how far he wants to go, end game). He said he wanted to play for the high school team, so we talked that middle school might be the right time to step it up a little. I teach at the HS and know a lot of the players. Most were upper level travel players so it made sense to us to consider travel. Despite not having any travel experience, we just went through all the local tryouts and received offers from all the clubs for B and C teams. He got smoked by most of the A team players, but was able to hang with the b/c teams. Not bad considering he only practices twice a week and plays other sports during fall and winter. I would say let the kids have fun and develop at their own rate. Play other sports, and when they get older, talk to your kid and see if they want to focus more on one sport or not. Vv

Tough one! I also coached my kid in Rec soccer from U6-U7, but we transitioned her into travel at u8. This got her into the top team at the ground level and she has stayed there for 4 years. The kids who came in at u9-u11 have all started on the 2nd or 3rd teams, except 1 who came to practice separately and the coach put her on the top team... but that was questionable in the eyes of other parents based on few factors.

So, I would say if you would like him to get on a 'top team' sooner rather than later, transition him sooner. The top teams get the better coaches, better players and more stability. The 2nd and 3rd teams and below can have much more turmoil with coaching turnover, player turnover and player & family dedication.

I agree that you certainly can develop a good quality soccer skills base in rec with supplemental skills clinics and winter programs. But, when you get into supplemental skills clinics, your son will usually be placed automatically with the lower skilled players from rec in those clinics.

If he has any good fiends that are moving into travel, then that could be a helpful time to move him into travel down the road.

Also, consider his physical advantage with height and speed. If he is gifted in this area, then he would have no problem moving into travel and getting looked at for a better team at anytime before u14.

That is just my point of view, hardly sage wisdom, but just a thought for consideration. Good luck!

Very experienced and accomplished coach here in other sports but a novice to soccer. In my second season of 9U rec because that's what my DS has chosen. I know how to coach and have added that structure and its paid dividends, but, I also know that he will need a better "soccer" coach at some point. Our parents are loving our more "intense" approach (as much as it can be for 9U).

(Kind of fun to be in a new sport!)

Anyway...we have looked at the club options and realize that many are a money grab and we could easily find a spot for him and spend the 3k per year. After comparing the rec model and the club model, there is not a lot of difference and you can create a similar experience by using winter indoor leagues, extra practices and a few tourneys.

We have the same issue in my primary sport as well as sports are a BIG business and very different than when I grew up playing 3 sports.

Does anyone have a good retrospective view of what a good, healthy progression looks like for a kid who is not keen on other sports (at this time).

Thanks for the thoughtful (and I'm sure the troll) responses...