Anonymous wrote:2-3 off days a week. Recovery is extremely important to prevent overuse injuries, especially in teens.

I agree, we had 2 days off per week and ran into general knee swelling and pain at this point in the season. Now, DD age 12, is recovering for 2-3 weeks.

Kid on ECNL and also does HS for part of year.

During HS only Sunday off (assuming no double header for club) probably 1x per month there is a double header or tournament).

During non HS season usually 2 days off (Friday and Sunday assuming no double header or tournament).

One day off doing nothing or very light stuff

^Obviously I mean on college soccer aspirations! Kid has very serious college aspirations and knows it won't hinge on soccer, so the plan is if he can continue to play HS he will scale back club.

U16 boy on HS varsity and 2nd club team

While HS is in season: Monday - Friday practice or game with somtimes a Saturday game
Club while HS is in season is 1 weekday (usually skip because we do not do 2-a-days) and 1 weekend evening. So August - November can be 6 days per week or sometimes 7. Sometimes 5 if sick or lots of tests.

Club only (winter/spring): 3-4 Practices a week with 1 game.

Summer: HS has workouts 3 days per week with 1-2 playing opportunities.

We are trying to craft a better balance of making time to do additional things this year and will likely skip a club practice each week (not top team, lots of kids do this). I am pushing for no club Senior year and we may skip club Junior year if the kid finds other things they want to make time for during the year. This feels like the healthiest balance because HS has year round stuff going on. No college aspirations at all, kid just wants to continue to achieve academically, play HS, and do other things outside of soccer.

2-3 off days a week. Recovery is extremely important to prevent overuse injuries, especially in teens.

Kid is going to be good at something or else 😅

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6 year old son

Currently (no games going on)

Monday and Wed indoor soccer practice
Tuesday martial arts
Thursday martial arts
Friday Futsal session
Saturday tennis
Sunday off

Um
...
We aren't talking about your six year old.

😂….it would be interesting to see how a schedule like this would change over the years

Anonymous wrote:6 year old son

Currently (no games going on)

Monday and Wed indoor soccer practice
Tuesday martial arts
Thursday martial arts
Friday Futsal session
Saturday tennis
Sunday off

Um
...
We aren't talking about your six year old.

6 year old son

Currently (no games going on)

Monday and Wed indoor soccer practice
Tuesday martial arts
Thursday martial arts
Friday Futsal session
Saturday tennis
Sunday off

Anonymous wrote:Fridays only.

U17. He has training Mon-Thurs and usually 2 games on the weekends.

He does upper body training at home on Fridays.

^ my older son couldn't handle this training u13-17, unlike my younger son (above)--he had Osgoods, then groin issues, then chronic hip, then full-blown osteitis pubis. It wasn't until 18 that he was pain-free again.

They are built very differently.
You really have to be careful when the kids are going through growth spurts and the training load is high.

The other thing is the older one really only wanted to play soccer and after 4th/5th grade it's all he played. The younger one still played a lot of basketball. I do think the specialization also contributes to overuse injuries.

U11 Girls, it seems for our team we have 3x club practices and 1 game per week. Motivated families usually supplement with 1 or 2 additional days of training.

So 3 to 1 off days per week.

Fridays only.

U17. He has training Mon-Thurs and usually 2 games on the weekends.

He does upper body training at home on Fridays.

U14 - generally no off days but that depends on the schedule. Will at least get 30 mins of home on off days if nothing else.

For those whose players are starters and among the best players on their team, how many off days do they have, if they do?

I’ve always been impressed at the mental toughness of playing well consistently and the eventual growing pressure of expectations. Do they break? If so, how often?