Halfway through 2nd grade (u8). Thats when he started changing from just a pastime to a huge interest. In hindsite our club is sooo competive that I wished we did it in 1st grade. But I couldn't justify the cost for a 6 year old.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And you don't have to jump to a crazy-competitive club that drives 9 year olds all over the east coast.

Nobody drives 9 year olds all over the east coast.

Oh yes they do. I won't, but some do.

Which league means driving all over the east coast at age 9?

My son just switched this season at U16. He was on a very good SFL team, but since they aren't playing this season, he jumped over to travel.

We had one of our kids who just "took" to soccer quickly. She played rec from 5 on. By age 7 she would regularly score 7+ goals in the first half, coach would sit her or have her play D, but even then she would just run the ball through the other kids. At age 8 she played on a U10/11 Travel team (this just before the birth year switch). This was a mistake, and we got sucked in by a coach telling us our kid was something truly special.

The maturity gap was quickly apparent, because the just barely 8 year old wanted to have fun, not stand around a field learning about positions and filling space. The 10-11 year olds had very little in common with her, and while she played well, there was very little enjoyment. We pulled her back to Rec for a half a year, and although now she was even better, it was much more fun for her. She moved back to Travel only playing 1 year up instead of 2.

She's now on an ECNL team; she's as good as she wants to be, will play college but has a (relatively) grounded view of the sport at this point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appreciate the feedback.

Have to be honest, comments about "snack and participation trophy" players are really, really offputting.

I didn't make such a comment - but I think you are being overly sensitive.

Perhaps, just don't appreciate the level of snark. They're less serious players, or kids who are just trying out the game. And that's totally fine.

Im not saying the kids that suck but at least try. Its the kids who are out there picking flowers or don't make an attempt to engage in the play that ruin it for everybody.

Have to be honest, comments about "snack and participation trophy" players are really, really offputting.


Why? There is nothing wrong about wanting that and it is fun and fine for some kids. But, if your kid wants to be competitive, snacks will not be involved. Frankly, even in rec, I was opposed to them. Kids do not need a snack after an hour of exercise, and if parents think they do they are welcome to give their own at home. Also, participation trophies are not necessary, and after around age 7-8 kids know they don't mean anything. Not necessary to fill one's house with more junk, whether one plays rec or travel.


What are you, a South Pole elf?

Whatever, fill your house w crap and give your kid a bunch of snacks. It's your life.

Anonymous wrote:

Have to be honest, comments about "snack and participation trophy" players are really, really offputting.

Why? There is nothing wrong about wanting that and it is fun and fine for some kids. But, if your kid wants to be competitive, snacks will not be involved. Frankly, even in rec, I was opposed to them. Kids do not need a snack after an hour of exercise, and if parents think they do they are welcome to give their own at home. Also, participation trophies are not necessary, and after around age 7-8 kids know they don't mean anything. Not necessary to fill one's house with more junk, whether one plays rec or travel.

What are you, a South Pole elf?

Our older boy started at age 8 (so, U9).

Our younger boy started at age 7 and, because we felt that he was ready for it (and the club agreed) he played up a year and joined the U9 travel team. (There wasn't even a U8 travel team available.)

Both started playing rec soccer at age 5.

We choose a local club (Vienna) where the travel was minimal -- some games in Maryland, West Virginia, and southern Virginia, but none more than 1.5 hours away, if I recall correctly.

Years later, one of our boys stuck with travel and one switched back to rec/house.

I married late to a younger wife who waited before we had three kids. I retired after 30 years with the company I joined at age 20 right out of college. I was no longer working - except for a series of high-paying gigs for the law firm of the same company - before DS showed his interest & talent in competitive athletics.

ppreciate the feedback.

Have to be honest, comments about "snack and participation trophy" players are really, really offputting.


I didn't make such a comment - but I think you are being overly sensitive.


Perhaps, just don't appreciate the level of snark. They're less serious players, or kids who are just trying out the game. And that's totally fine.

As I think most have acknowledged, so I think you are indeed being overly sensitive.

Anonymous wrote:DS double-dipped rec\travel\AAU soccer\basketball 4-8th grade. Soccer: field-player in rec, GK in travel through high school and NESCAC college varsity. Basketball: point-guard in rec, shooter in travel and AAU. I never could figure out the game\culture of lax.

How did you have time for anything other than driving him to practices/games?

DS double-dipped rec\travel\AAU soccer\basketball 4-8th grade. Soccer: field-player in rec, GK in travel through high school and NESCAC college varsity. Basketball: point-guard in rec, shooter in travel and AAU. I never could figure out the game\culture of lax.

Anonymous wrote:U10, but looking back should have done U9 when he was first asked. The rec experience wasn't as fun when the differences in skill levels became more dramatic.

This, would have be better off starting at u9.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appreciate the feedback.

Have to be honest, comments about "snack and participation trophy" players are really, really offputting.

I didn't make such a comment - but I think you are being overly sensitive.

Perhaps, just don't appreciate the level of snark. They're less serious players, or kids who are just trying out the game. And that's totally fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appreciate the feedback.

Have to be honest, comments about "snack and participation trophy" players are really, really offputting.

Not when your kids love to play the sport and actually has a competitive bone in his body. For them to play the game while two kids on the field are picking flowers or talking to a teammate about the planes flying overhead is frustrating. Those same kids look more forward to the post game snack than winning the game. Thats when you know its time to separate and move on to travel.

Exactly. It's not a statement about Rec, but a statement about a competitive kid's frustration level. When your own kid is not having fun, time to move. And you don't have to jump to a crazy-competitive club that drives 9 year olds all over the east coast. There are a ton of options with different levels of commitment, travel, attitudes toward other sports your kid might play, etc.

fo our oldest, the tipping point was how mad she got at a teammate who refused to try in rec. Young kids should be encouraged to play regardless of whether or not they actually care- just running around outside is a great thing. At the same time, the kids who do care are better served being around other kids who care