Id recommend staying off these boards. Nothing will make you want to quit faster then interacting with soccer playing kids parents. The responses are fine right now since your daughter has not played before but she sounds athletic. Wait until she starts competing for top teams

My daughter went from competitive gymnastics to dance and loves it. High level gymnastics are mentally and physically grueling and a bigger time suck. Much more so than soccer. I got a wake up call when my daughter went from the little kids age group to where you are in 4th-6th graders. Every other kid had a brace on their forearm or ankle. Still doing routines though. "Oh, it's just a hairline fracture, she'll be fine."

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are in Northern Virginia in the Burke area.

BRYC rec not travel stay away from them go to Bryc.org

Anonymous wrote:Tbh I would bribe her to keep doing gymnastics even if at rec level, or steer her to cheerleading or acro or some such.

Why?

Tbh I would bribe her to keep doing gymnastics even if at rec level, or steer her to cheerleading or acro or some such.

There is likely a rec team of some of her classmates and or friends that she could join. This is a good introduction to the game and probably not at too hard of a level for a new player.

A rec team is definitely the best way to start. She will likely make friends, have fun, and learn a bit about the game.

Rec team and have her kick a ball against a wall in your backyard or basement. You can look for wall drills on YouTube.

As a competitive gymnast she probably has good fitness and needs to work on ball skills. She can learn a flip throw pretty easily—my DD does competitive gymnastics and soccer and her coach loves her flip throws.

OP, BRYC and Burke Athletic Club both run good rec programs, and you won’t have to drive far.

Not sure where you're located, but a rec team is the best place to start. No reason to dive into a long camp right now. Just find the closest league to you and sign her up there. Or ask her friends at school to see if any of them are on rec teams.

OP here. We are in Northern Virginia in the Burke area.

yeah, where re you? If you're in DC, the Stoddert girls rec leagues are always looking for more players. She could likely find a team that had at least a handful of kids from her elementary school still playing together. Otherwise ask friends - she might like it better if she knew some people on the team.

If you are in Montgomery County, try MSI recreational league. Usually forms with kids from the same school.

My daughter has been doing competitive gymnastics for several years now but no longer wants to do it for a variety of reasons. She’d like to find a new sport. She wants to try soccer but we aren’t sure where to start. Do I just sign her up for a rec camp or team? Should she take a soccer skills class first? The goal is just to be part of a team, have some fun, and learn a new sport.