Anonymous wrote:It ridiculous when you’ve got adequate competition within easy driving distance.

We’re in Colorado and ECNL-RL is a new thing for us this year. All of our club’s second teams are now RL, which means playing clubs we already play in our state league plus two more in the Salt Lake City area. That’s a 9-10 hour drive on a good day but our games there will be at the end of January so we’re planning to fly because I-80 that time of year is a crapshoot.

Our ECNL teams have three trips to Texas for their league games—that’s a lot of money to get your asses kicked.

ECNL-RL makes sense in some places but in others it's a SCAM.
Virginia is one of the best as all the games are pretty close. Maryland is one of the worst because you have to drive 6-7 hours and do an overnight to play a team that's markedly worse than the 30 teams that are better 5 minutes away. It's just a way for the clubs to squeeze more money out of families. Never again.

A 60-hour travel / hotel / soccer weekend to play 3, maybe 4 games (i.e. 6 hours of actual soccer) vs. 60 hours of training? You know what would be more beneficial.

Anonymous wrote:OP - I am on your page as far as managing time and expense.

But there are others who feel differently and like to play in tournaments and travel. I know families who paid for their DCs to play on teams outside their club that traveled and played overseas - mainly Europe. It may seem kind of crazy to us but really you can't say someone is right or wrong - different people enjoy and value different things. Their are parents taking their daughters all over the country to dance for example.

All you can do is try to find a team that matches your and your DC's interest level and tolerance for time and expense.

Agree with this. Everyone has a different idea of what sports and travel are about and that's fine. Visiting different places, meeting new people, and traveling as a kid can be fascinating and eye opening though. Watch interviews with pro's in almost any sport - they all talk about seeing different areas and being fascinated and learning through it. You'll get a similar story if you talk to people at work that traveled as a kid but isn't a pro baller, you just won't find that interview on ESPN. Every family can and should make their own decision how to spend their money and time off, but there's also nothing inherently bad about the teams or groups that choose to do some travel. Plenty of families take additional time when they travel and spend extra days at or near tournaments on vacation together. This is one of the many reasons you should find a club/team that's a fit for both your kid and family philosophy.

This isn't unique to soccer either. Hockey has a regular season travelling up and down the east coast. Basketball becomes regional, then national more quickly than any other sport my kids played. Baseball is incredibly spread out and the little league world series is for kids 10-12. Cheer/dance/gymnastics is similar at a very young age. If you don't like it, don't do it, but that doesn't mean its bad for the kids Just go in with your eyes open and the right expectations, whichever side you choose to be on.

OP - I am on your page as far as managing time and expense.

But there are others who feel differently and like to play in tournaments and travel. I know families who paid for their DCs to play on teams outside their club that traveled and played overseas - mainly Europe. It may seem kind of crazy to us but really you can't say someone is right or wrong - different people enjoy and value different things. Their are parents taking their daughters all over the country to dance for example.

All you can do is try to find a team that matches your and your DC's interest level and tolerance for time and expense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Literally no reason why. It's total boondoggle.

Do not tell SYC coaches that. They’ll convince you that flying 8 year olds to Florida is the only way develop them.

2013G came up to PA this weekend to run up the score in their first game only to lose the next 2. I'm sure this team needed to play SuperCopa in TX to find quality competition

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Literally no reason why. It's total boondoggle.

Do not tell SYC coaches that. They’ll convince you that flying 8 year olds to Florida is the only way develop them.

How elze can they learn to Samba?

Anonymous wrote:Literally no reason why. It's total boondoggle.

Do not tell SYC coaches that. They’ll convince you that flying 8 year olds to Florida is the only way develop them.

Its all so the coaches get a free vacation.

We managed to have 2 kids get through it with the farthest place we went being Richmond and VA beach. They are high school (Sophomore & Senior) on an ECNL and MLSnext team- but I didn’t let either of them play in these leagues until Sophomore year.

Your son must be on the top team at your club? Hope your national ranking is in the top 50, where you're flying to play better competition than the few tougher local opponents.

Part of the reason the team flies is because the club doesn't want to play local teams. Play a better team and get your players poached. Play a lower ranked team, lose to them and the parents leave because it's all about the wins.

So you fly out West to play those California or Texas teams. If you win, you say those teams should actually be ranked higher but have tough local competition. You feel good and pay for next year. If you lose to a lower ranked team in those states, you say they're artificially ranked low because of the tough local competition and you feel good competing with these under ranked teams which are better than local competition. You feel good and pay for next year. Play local teams and the parents leave. Play teams where trips are expensive means the parents can afford the trip and they stay next year. Weeds out the poor families in the process.

This is a business catering to wealthy families. The development of your son matters somewhat in the club's thinking I guess.

It ridiculous when you’ve got adequate competition within easy driving distance.

We’re in Colorado and ECNL-RL is a new thing for us this year. All of our club’s second teams are now RL, which means playing clubs we already play in our state league plus two more in the Salt Lake City area. That’s a 9-10 hour drive on a good day but our games there will be at the end of January so we’re planning to fly because I-80 that time of year is a crapshoot.

Our ECNL teams have three trips to Texas for their league games—that’s a lot of money to get your asses kicked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- thanks all.

Appreciate the honestly, and yes, PP, thought maybe this could be a boondoggle for the coach to have the opportunity to NOT be with the family! HA!

Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something... and now I'm going to put a smile on my face and tell me kid how yes, this will be so.much.fun!!

Way to be a leader in your household. Keep lying to your kids about how bad things are good.

Oooooh - now I remember why Jeff used to make sign in for this board for awhile -- it lowered the number of rude and inappropriate comments!

I'm sorry that my lack of leadership bothers you so much you thought it was necessary to comment on it.

And really? You think this is a BAD thing to go on the trip? I can totally see how it isn't necessary, useful, productive, or maybe even worthwhile, but BAD? Not sure how you got there.

But yeah, my parenting style is that I'm not sure my kid needs to know that this is a bullshit trip that his coach wants to take -- I'd rather be a team player parent here and lean into the fun they will have on this trip. At 14, he should still be able to have fun instead of dealing with adulting and such.

But you do you, parent! Show your kid all the BAD there is in this world -- and there certainly is plenty!

Anonymous wrote:OP- thanks all.

Appreciate the honestly, and yes, PP, thought maybe this could be a boondoggle for the coach to have the opportunity to NOT be with the family! HA!

Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something... and now I'm going to put a smile on my face and tell me kid how yes, this will be so.much.fun!!

Way to be a leader in your household. Keep lying to your kids about how bad things are good.

Went to FL with an 8 year old. Such a waste of time and money. Never again.

Exactly why I hope we finish 9th in ECNL this season. We went to Greensboro for the ECNL playoffs this summer which was relatively cheap. Next summer they are in California. No thanks. We can and did get beat by east coast teams last season. No reason to spend the time and money to go out west for the same