Anonymous wrote:Travel programs generally will not take a kid that young, maybe age 7 at the youngest to play U9. Even then, the kid has to have the maturity and listening skills to participate in a structured practice.

But start with Rec and Some classes. Try Goldenboot: https://www.goldenbootsoccer.com/winter#IndoorTraining

Try HP Elite:
https://www.hpeliteandbeyond.com/winter-clinic-series

Try Capstone:
https://www.capstonesoccer.com/littlekickers

These all have age appropriate classes with lots of ball work.

If you live in DC don't drive to any of this. Driving and plenty of it will come when you choose to play travel soccer. No rush to chase cars on the freeway until your child has a foundation for the game that starts with loving the ball. Plenty of rec programs and qualified coaches who do clinics for little kids to learn the foundations of technical soccer. Ball and a wall or Ball and an adult who isn't garbage is a good alternative too at 4.5

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel programs generally will not take a kid that young, maybe age 7 at the youngest to play U9. Even then, the kid has to have the maturity and listening skills to participate in a structured practice.

But start with Rec and Some classes. Try Goldenboot: https://www.goldenbootsoccer.com/winter#IndoorTraining

Try HP Elite:
https://www.hpeliteandbeyond.com/winter-clinic-series

Try Capstone:
https://www.capstonesoccer.com/littlekickers

These all have age appropriate classes with lots of ball work.

Great suggestions but OP is probably a DC resident as 95% of the folks arguing on here know nothing about DCYFC. Biggest mistakes people make locally is not learning the game in that backyard and playing locally and organically.

This is PP, I agree with you on that. No need to drive 45 minutes to a class if you have one 15 minutes away. But also the OP said, "I take any recommendations." -Which, to me, sounds like that already have "The Fever!" It is too late for the OP, soon they will be driving 60 minutes away for classes, clinics and training sessions. After that, they will look into relocating their domicile to be closer to the MLS Next Club of their dreams. Then, they will be sending away from IMG and Barca Academy literature on residency options. -Can't stop the wheel once it gets moving!

Anonymous wrote:Travel programs generally will not take a kid that young, maybe age 7 at the youngest to play U9. Even then, the kid has to have the maturity and listening skills to participate in a structured practice.

But start with Rec and Some classes. Try Goldenboot: https://www.goldenbootsoccer.com/winter#IndoorTraining

Try HP Elite:
https://www.hpeliteandbeyond.com/winter-clinic-series

Try Capstone:
https://www.capstonesoccer.com/littlekickers

These all have age appropriate classes with lots of ball work.

Great suggestions but OP is probably a DC resident as 95% of the folks arguing on here know nothing about DCYFC. Biggest mistakes people make locally is not learning the game in that backyard and playing locally and organically.

Travel programs generally will not take a kid that young, maybe age 7 at the youngest to play U9. Even then, the kid has to have the maturity and listening skills to participate in a structured practice.

But start with Rec and Some classes. Try Goldenboot: https://www.goldenbootsoccer.com/winter#IndoorTraining

Try HP Elite:
https://www.hpeliteandbeyond.com/winter-clinic-series

Try Capstone:
https://www.capstonesoccer.com/littlekickers

These all have age appropriate classes with lots of ball work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.

Don't stress over it and choose whatever is closest to your house. He's 4.5, start with rec.

Do not start with Rec. It is almost impossible to move up from Rec if you start down that path. Practicing and playing against better players makes a big difference. Of course, if you agree with the other posters on here that traveling is not for you, then do REC. But since you started a thread on this, my guess is that you are ready to support your kid and not just limit them to games 10 minutes away.

Absolutely wrong. OP's kid is 4.5 years old. Both my boys are much older and play on an MLS academy team... they started with rec at that age. At 7 I had them try out for travel, I felt they were good enough to play up. Can you let us know which club or league has travel for U5 or U6???

I co-sign this. My kid started rec at 8, joined club at 9 and made 2 MLS Next-badge 1st teams and 2 ECNL-badge 1st teams at 10. It is really easy to catch up as long as they are mastering the ball daily which starts at home and that has nothing to do with a coach or club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.

Don't stress over it and choose whatever is closest to your house. He's 4.5, start with rec.

Do not start with Rec. It is almost impossible to move up from Rec if you start down that path. Practicing and playing against better players makes a big difference. Of course, if you agree with the other posters on here that traveling is not for you, then do REC. But since you started a thread on this, my guess is that you are ready to support your kid and not just limit them to games 10 minutes away.

Absolutely wrong. OP's kid is 4.5 years old. Both my boys are much older and play on an MLS academy team... they started with rec at that age. At 7 I had them try out for travel, I felt they were good enough to play up. Can you let us know which club or league has travel for U5 or U6???

Find a coach and 2-3 other families who can invest and will with their time and money to group train until he's 8 then worry about driving around for games to play alot of mediocre soccer. Foundation of skills as a floor for everything else can and should happen at 4.5. Visit all local teams tryouts this spring and then talk to the other talented (at this age coordinated) kids and make friends.

Start with the highest level you can. Development will proceed according to time on field, coaching, and competition. Coaching is worse in rec, same with competition and # of practices. Believe it or not, I don’t care.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.

Don't stress over it and choose whatever is closest to your house. He's 4.5, start with rec.

Do not start with Rec. It is almost impossible to move up from Rec if you start down that path. Practicing and playing against better players makes a big difference. Of course, if you agree with the other posters on here that traveling is not for you, then do REC. But since you started a thread on this, my guess is that you are ready to support your kid and not just limit them to games 10 minutes away.

This is crazy for a 4.5 year old. There isn't any travel at all until U8 and that's pretty limited anyway. Even real baby travel really doesn't start until U9.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.

Don't stress over it and choose whatever is closest to your house. He's 4.5, start with rec.

Do not start with Rec. It is almost impossible to move up from Rec if you start down that path. Practicing and playing against better players makes a big difference. Of course, if you agree with the other posters on here that traveling is not for you, then do REC. But since you started a thread on this, my guess is that you are ready to support your kid and not just limit them to games 10 minutes away.

Anonymous wrote:Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.

Don't stress over it and choose whatever is closest to your house. He's 4.5, start with rec.

The local rec league if this is his first time. You don’t want to be driving a 4yo an hour away for a soccer practice 1x or 2x a week.

1) Read soccer starts at home by Bob Byer
2) Join a local league: DC Soccer Rec, DC XI Scorpion League, PPA Rec, DC Way Rec or Takoma Park Rec
3) If you he is really still taking to it, he will excel and then you can have options moving forward. All of those clubs will notice and out you on a different track if your kid stands out.
4) Simply don’t mention playing up (playing older players) again until you are U15 playing U16 or above and in MLS Next or ECNL. Just simply play and enjoy.

Anonymous wrote:Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.

Definitely SYC. He sounds like he may be able to play up already. Inquire about one of the older MLS travel teams.

Hi

My son is 4½ years old and absolutely loves soccer , at home, at school, outdoors, he kicks at every chance he gets. He often plays with 6 and 7y/o, but I want to find a club to help him progress.

I found a few clubs in the area (for example, DC Soccer Club, DCYFC, PPA Team) but I’m not sure which is best for his age. I take any recommendations.