We know a U9 kid who is playing travel now and he was one of the weaker players on my sons Rec team. But Dad was a coach and also played college soccer and pro, and it was so clear how desperately he wanted his kid to be a star, when everyone else could so clearly see it wasn’t in the cards. The kid was like doing cartwheels on the field as the ball rolled by.... True story.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the kid. We are now U12 and have been doing 4x per week since U9. We also have done outside training in the offseason for foot skills and futsal.

Only you and your kid know when its too much. It is important to watch closely for signs of overtraining and scale back when needed. We know of some kids that go non-stop and have overuse injuries. Your kid will let you know when it's too much both physically and mentally.

For top level soccer, ultimately the kids self-select and they train hard (4x week average practices plus work at home and other training). Those that want the constant training and touches on the ball will rise to the top. It's okay to not be at the top as well. Nothing wrong with Rec soccer.

So depends on the player and what they want out of the experience.

Honestly, if your kid is 7-8 and is playing so much you need to worry about overexertion then there’s a serious parenting problem. Sounds sick, PP!

Around our school, I've noticed a significant correlation between kids who tried out for travel when they were seven and parents who were very invested in their kids being the "sporty boys" (there is also a significant correlation between these same groups and non-ironic use of the phrase "sporty boys").

+1 I couldn’t have said it better

We know MANY Arlington families where the parents care more about the status of their kids playing travel than they care about what’s best for the kid.

I overheard more than one parent mentioning to teachers at school open house last week that little Larla plays TRAVEL soccer. Have you seen the travel practices? Some of the kids look miserable. It’s like watching little kids do military drills

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the kid. We are now U12 and have been doing 4x per week since U9. We also have done outside training in the offseason for foot skills and futsal.

Only you and your kid know when its too much. It is important to watch closely for signs of overtraining and scale back when needed. We know of some kids that go non-stop and have overuse injuries. Your kid will let you know when it's too much both physically and mentally.

For top level soccer, ultimately the kids self-select and they train hard (4x week average practices plus work at home and other training). Those that want the constant training and touches on the ball will rise to the top. It's okay to not be at the top as well. Nothing wrong with Rec soccer.

So depends on the player and what they want out of the experience.

Honestly, if your kid is 7-8 and is playing so much you need to worry about overexertion then there’s a serious parenting problem. Sounds sick, PP!

PP here - I agree that it is not for everyone. I can tell you it's the parents putting the brakes on these kids and not pushing them. Not sure that's a parenting problem but that's fine to think that. It does not bother me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the kid. We are now U12 and have been doing 4x per week since U9. We also have done outside training in the offseason for foot skills and futsal.

Only you and your kid know when its too much. It is important to watch closely for signs of overtraining and scale back when needed. We know of some kids that go non-stop and have overuse injuries. Your kid will let you know when it's too much both physically and mentally.

For top level soccer, ultimately the kids self-select and they train hard (4x week average practices plus work at home and other training). Those that want the constant training and touches on the ball will rise to the top. It's okay to not be at the top as well. Nothing wrong with Rec soccer.

So depends on the player and what they want out of the experience.

Honestly, if your kid is 7-8 and is playing so much you need to worry about overexertion then there’s a serious parenting problem. Sounds sick, PP!

Around our school, I've noticed a significant correlation between kids who tried out for travel when they were seven and parents who were very invested in their kids being the "sporty boys" (there is also a significant correlation between these same groups and non-ironic use of the phrase "sporty boys").

A kid who just turned 8 would be a U9 right now. An 8 year old who is going to turn 9 before the end of the calendar year would be a U10.

Is 4x a week too much? Depends on the kid. For kids who really love it and have a wish to play at a high level, it is not nearly enough. Kids around the world at that age are playing every single day. 4x a week (3 practices plus a game) with their club , for a 10 month season. They'll also play before school, at recess, after school with their friends, before and after practice. Every day. Many top clubs around the world will only have 2 organized practices a week at that age, but only because they know the kids are playing every day on their own anyway. In the US that's less likely to happen, so we try to compensate.

I have known loads of kids in this area who played every single day at your kids age. Most are still playing today into their teenage years and their love for the game has only grown - in part because they got really really good at it. Some have burned out and dropped out of the sport altogether. Others have stepped back to a level they still enjoy, but can also do other things.

The ones who burned out were the ones being pushed by their parents. They didn't really want to play every day, but their parents saw other kids doing it and didn't want them to fall behind. So they pushed them, and put way too much pressure on them at an early age, and took all the fun out of it.

Listen to your kid.

Do all clubs require 4x a week for travel? I thought others like Alexandria were less.

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the kid. We are now U12 and have been doing 4x per week since U9. We also have done outside training in the offseason for foot skills and futsal.

Only you and your kid know when its too much. It is important to watch closely for signs of overtraining and scale back when needed. We know of some kids that go non-stop and have overuse injuries. Your kid will let you know when it's too much both physically and mentally.

For top level soccer, ultimately the kids self-select and they train hard (4x week average practices plus work at home and other training). Those that want the constant training and touches on the ball will rise to the top. It's okay to not be at the top as well. Nothing wrong with Rec soccer.

So depends on the player and what they want out of the experience.

This isn’t healthy or normal. But look at those Olympic gymnast kids and figure skaters.

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the kid. We are now U12 and have been doing 4x per week since U9. We also have done outside training in the offseason for foot skills and futsal.

Only you and your kid know when its too much. It is important to watch closely for signs of overtraining and scale back when needed. We know of some kids that go non-stop and have overuse injuries. Your kid will let you know when it's too much both physically and mentally.

For top level soccer, ultimately the kids self-select and they train hard (4x week average practices plus work at home and other training). Those that want the constant training and touches on the ball will rise to the top. It's okay to not be at the top as well. Nothing wrong with Rec soccer.

So depends on the player and what they want out of the experience.

Honestly, if your kid is 7-8 and is playing so much you need to worry about overexertion then there’s a serious parenting problem. Sounds sick, PP!

It depends on the kid. We are now U12 and have been doing 4x per week since U9. We also have done outside training in the offseason for foot skills and futsal.

Only you and your kid know when its too much. It is important to watch closely for signs of overtraining and scale back when needed. We know of some kids that go non-stop and have overuse injuries. Your kid will let you know when it's too much both physically and mentally.

For top level soccer, ultimately the kids self-select and they train hard (4x week average practices plus work at home and other training). Those that want the constant training and touches on the ball will rise to the top. It's okay to not be at the top as well. Nothing wrong with Rec soccer.

So depends on the player and what they want out of the experience.

ITA. We are an Arlington family and my son is on the travel team now for the first year. I’m already regretting it. He’s 10 and loves soccer but the intensity of the practices and frequency and duration (90 Min) is making him not want to go. The season has barely started and he is whining about how it’s too much, he’s hot and tired, and he needs a break and doesn’t want to go. I think I made a mistake, but paid well over $2200 for the year commitment after uniforms and gear and club fees. So we can’t pull him without losing a lot of money.

And this was a kid who LOVED soccer and is pretty good at it.

Ditto. My 8 year old son tried out and made travel team last Spring, but once we saw how extreme the price and commitment was we declined. He enjoys other activities in addition to soccer (piano, drama, lego club) and would have to quit some of his other interests just for soccer. I don’t get why it has to be all or nothing at that age. It’s not healthy IMO.

Yep, we have a fifth and second grade still only doing rec soccer. One practice a week, one game a week, a weekly pickup and sometimes an extra practice.

That's why we don't do travel.

Does anyone think 4x week soccer for U10 (my kid just turned 8) is too much? I have a friend who coaches high school and played pro and he says that’s not good for them to play that much at such a young age.