People like OP drive me nuts. OP, the costs are clearly laid out on the PPA website. And while you are willing to pay $165 a month for your kid to play, you are losing your mind over a $50 backpack that is designed to hold the ball and other equipment. You join a team, you do what the team requires. That's part of the deal.

What's super fun about being OP's kid is that when everyone else has the team backpack and jacket, OP's kid gets to feel super left out in her purple sparkle backpack she used all last year at school that doesn't fit a ball.

Anonymous wrote:Not worried. You join a club and feel pressure to buy a lot of gear but it is ok if you dont get it all. No one really cares and everything carries on just fine. Most get it but not everyone does. That all. No big deal. Sharing info is the point of a soccer forum.

Yup

The backpack DD used every single practice and game. Well worth it. It's an Adidas Stadium which has a ball holder. It's nice.

The warmup pants are still in plastic.

Anonymous wrote:Not worried. You join a club and feel pressure to buy a lot of gear but it is ok if you dont get it all. No one really cares and everything carries on just fine. Most get it but not everyone does. That all. No big deal. Sharing info is the point of a soccer forum.

If you are a U9 chances are you don't have a backpack, just get one.

If someone otherwise doesn't have a backpack, just get one.

This isn't some sucker issue. They are needed and useful. Just get the brand that the team is using on sale at some store if cost is an issue. Get one as close to or the exact color as possible.

Things you don't need to buy through the team are bags, socks, practice shorts. You can get close enough for practice through brick and mortar stores when they go on sale. The stuff to buy are the game day items and, yes, even the "practice jersey". But shorts, socks, warm-ups for practice, just get the brand at a store at your leisure.

We didn't get a backpack the first year my DD played soccer and it definitely stuck out. Second year we got one - it's been great and has held up well. You don't have to get those every two years - just once (unless you switch clubs and they have a radically different backpack).

Not worried. You join a club and feel pressure to buy a lot of gear but it is ok if you dont get it all. No one really cares and everything carries on just fine. Most get it but not everyone does. That all. No big deal. Sharing info is the point of a soccer forum.

Anonymous wrote:Kid has a backpack that works great. Does it match this kids or that kids? Don't know, don't care. Got other things to worry about.

Congrats, then what are you worried about?

Kid has a backpack that works great. Does it match this kids or that kids? Don't know, don't care. Got other things to worry about.

Anonymous wrote:Spoken like the some user in the backpack buisiness. Nothing better then a "ragtag bunch of misfits" in hand me down cleats and the horror of non matching backpacks running circles around some fancy pants team in $300 cleats and overpriced kits

Oh Jesus, you buy a backpack and it gets used until it either wears out or your change clubs or both. It isn't like a backpack is useless.

But after your second or third replacement pair of warmup pants, warmup or rain jacket because they are lost at some field you will have realized that a $50 backpack would have paid for itself.

Spoken like the some user in the backpack buisiness. Nothing better then a "ragtag bunch of misfits" in hand me down cleats and the horror of non matching backpacks running circles around some fancy pants team in $300 cleats and overpriced kits

OP-- we did not buy the backpack and no one said anything. I have a U10 and she didn't need a backpack with her on the field. I usually had her extra stuff with me in any case (not to hide not having a backpack-- just because she was 9 and only took her ball and water bottle the field and I kept the rest in the stands). I did get her the jacket because I knew she'd be cold during late season games and practices. Even so, there were kids wearing winter coats at practice (warmer than the jackets) and no one minded.

Incidentally, we did buy the warm up pants but in our case, they were just Adidas pants with her number printed on. I'm sure there were times when she wore look-alike pants and I'm sure the coach didn't notice or care. (I wouldn't send her out there in non matching pants, though.)

Anonymous wrote:Are we really moaning about a backpack? I promise you its not a jacked up price , Nor is it a top of the line backpack. They are all priced abut the same club to club. $45-$65 range. Playin club /accademy/ travel. is a step up from rec. You want your team to look the same and not like a rag tag bunch of misfits. It makes your team and club look more together and gives the kids sense of pride and belonging representing their club. Little things like a backpack can mean a lot more to player than you think. the small price is worth the reward in the grand scheme of things. Wait til your kids grow out of boys size footwear and into men sizes. Get ready for the price to jump from $75 to $200 + just going from sz 6.5 to a 7.

Spot on if you can afford the $2500 for travel. You can and should get the $50 backpack. Your not in Rec soccer anymore, Go ahead add the bacon to the burger splurge for the extra 50 cents.

Are we really moaning about a backpack? I promise you its not a jacked up price , Nor is it a top of the line backpack. They are all priced abut the same club to club. $45-$65 range. Playin club /accademy/ travel. is a step up from rec. You want your team to look the same and not like a rag tag bunch of misfits. It makes your team and club look more together and gives the kids sense of pride and belonging representing their club. Little things like a backpack can mean a lot more to player than you think. the small price is worth the reward in the grand scheme of things. Wait til your kids grow out of boys size footwear and into men sizes. Get ready for the price to jump from $75 to $200 + just going from sz 6.5 to a 7.

smuck off.

Par for the coarse. Pay up, travel isn't free and don't let your kid be the smuck.