The level of play will be different. Its important to make sure the parents and players know this as well. Get everyone onboard with the change and requirements - additional costs - ordering uniforms, field permits, equipment needs. Have a good support system in place - manager who covers the registration, ordering uniforms, communicates with parents. Setting up age appropriate practices. Our whole team went from rec to classic so we didn't need to hold tryouts, and we knew the parents and the kids. With that said, for some the additional costs were hard for some families. After one year we had a parent coach do one practice a week and hired a trainer for a second practice a week. MSI will hold meetings for new managers and they have improved their communication efforts with team organizers but its challenging to get families to pay attention to deadlines over the summer.

Make sure you have an organized Manager. There's a lot of nagging to get people registered, and the coach shouldn't be doing that.

I know several coaches that went from rec to classic to travel. I don't know any that regret it.

Any tips from coaches who have been there, done that?

Anyone regret the transition?