Depends on the team maybe? My dd's travel team is relatively affordable (>$1000/year). I know this is unusual. Also, she loves the sport and it has given her a huge deal of confidence through skill development and team building. This has gotten her through middle school and into hs.

Anonymous wrote:Being around like-minded people is part of it, for both parents and kids. I feel much better about being completely obsessed with soccer when I'm surrounded by travel parent friends who feel exactly the same way. And my son is never happier than we he's around the other kids on his team who live and breathe the game, just like he does. Just for perspective, this is one of the better teams in the state, perhaps the Mid-Atlantic, so it's a different level of player and mindset than at a mid-tier team at a mediocre club.

Barf. I hate the way parents talk these days (bolded for emphasis). We all were on these teams as kids---me: 4 State Championships, 2 Eastern Region championship; sibling: National Championship, another sibling: State Team member, All-American, etc.

My parents never talked this douchey lingo. I hate being surrounded by people that are so myopic. Yes, we all love soccer in my family--but we have a life and other interests too. And the need to recite 'mid-tier team at a mediocre club' with disdain. Get a life.

Being around like-minded people is part of it, for both parents and kids. I feel much better about being completely obsessed with soccer when I'm surrounded by travel parent friends who feel exactly the same way. And my son is never happier than we he's around the other kids on his team who live and breathe the game, just like he does. Just for perspective, this is one of the better teams in the state, perhaps the Mid-Atlantic, so it's a different level of player and mindset than at a mid-tier team at a mediocre club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people bring up many good positives and I think there are some kids who are into a specific sport and very driven that is makes sense. The issue with travel sports is there are just not that many of these types of kids. The majority are kids that are good athetes and enjoy sports but aren't absolutely crazy about it. I have seen numerous kids like this that get burned out. And for people who say there kids could just stop playing...yeah right!! Think of the inherent pressure that comes from playing a sport and your parent and everyone putting such an emphasis on it - most kids don't have the guts to tell their parents because they are to afraid of the dissapointment that will come along with the decision...

Perhaps -- until around age 12. That's pretty much when I told my parents to F off.

It wasn't my parents. It was the douchebags running my club/team and the politics that made me sick around teen years. I made Varsity HS my Freshman year and ditched my travel club.

The kid that sucks big time but is never demoted, etc. It is infuriating to better players whose parents are sucking ass.

Anonymous wrote:I think people bring up many good positives and I think there are some kids who are into a specific sport and very driven that is makes sense. The issue with travel sports is there are just not that many of these types of kids. The majority are kids that are good athetes and enjoy sports but aren't absolutely crazy about it. I have seen numerous kids like this that get burned out. And for people who say there kids could just stop playing...yeah right!! Think of the inherent pressure that comes from playing a sport and your parent and everyone putting such an emphasis on it - most kids don't have the guts to tell their parents because they are to afraid of the dissapointment that will come along with the decision...

Perhaps -- until around age 12. That's pretty much when I told my parents to F off.

I think people bring up many good positives and I think there are some kids who are into a specific sport and very driven that is makes sense. The issue with travel sports is there are just not that many of these types of kids. The majority are kids that are good athetes and enjoy sports but aren't absolutely crazy about it. I have seen numerous kids like this that get burned out. And for people who say there kids could just stop playing...yeah right!! Think of the inherent pressure that comes from playing a sport and your parent and everyone putting such an emphasis on it - most kids don't have the guts to tell their parents because they are to afraid of the dissapointment that will come along with the decision...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely not my thing. I have always wondered why people do this and spend money on it. Seems like such a waste, more for the parents entertainment than for the kids. I guess if your child really likes the sport then ok, but still I have a hard time believing that many children are really that into that particular sport. I would rather be at home with the whole family, just hanging out.

Parent with no skin in the game here - very young kids - but don't the kids HAVE to be good at the sport to even be considered for these teams?

Not anymore. There are enough teams out there virtually anyone can play travel.

Big change from when I was a kid.

We love it because my DD has found something she is VERY good at....nationally good at, where her father nor I had any kind of this type of talent to expect it out of her. I get pure joy out of watching her play. I have found a great group of parental friends, and my daughter a great group of friends outside of school to diversify her group.

She's learned time management, prioritization, how to keep her body healthy, how to be coached yet lead, so many things I didn't learn until much older- she's 15. To us, allowing her to continue is a no-brainer.

The positives I see as a former travel soccer player, division I athlete, and paid coach:

-Time management
-Learn to make friends in different environments, and how to deal when you don't
-Fitness, learn how to exercise, how to push your body, what you limits are
-Confidence builder and transferrable skill for kids that move often
-Learn how to work hard at something, both as an individual and a team
-learn how to deal with the fact that you may lose, no matter how good you are, how hard you work, or how much you prepare - and how to deal with that.
-Healthy competition, during games against others, and in training against friends.
-It's fun

Downsides:
-It is ridiculously convoluted in this area with so much money and so many egos.
-Pay to play sucks, but we are nowhere near a pro club structure that could support the infrastructure given the low fan and financial support of the pro game here and the small number of clubs for a country so big.
-Other people are crazy (but not me, of course, just everyone else), especially when their kids are involved. While individuals are crazy, they are downright dangerous in groups. There has never been a process designed that a person can't screw up or destroy.

Anonymous wrote:why we do travel: (u11 now)

-kid driven. he is crazy about the sport. would play it 24/7 if he could
-less time spent on screens.
-being physically active burns off extra energy
and lastly,
I hope that being occupied with sport as a middle or high schooler will leave less time for social drama, drugs, inappropriate texting, early sexual activity and all other evils. Lol. but not really. if you're playing baseball for 10 hours a weekend those are 10 less hours available to be texting naked pictures of yourself or sneaking off to drink.

Absolutely, PP. For me, it prevented a lot of bad behavior. Not only during the time I was practicing/playing, but also because I knew I couldn't be hungover for my sport the next day. Playing sports competitively when you want to is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

why we do travel: (u11 now)

-kid driven. he is crazy about the sport. would play it 24/7 if he could
-less time spent on screens.
-being physically active burns off extra energy
and lastly,
I hope that being occupied with sport as a middle or high schooler will leave less time for social drama, drugs, inappropriate texting, early sexual activity and all other evils. Lol. but not really. if you're playing baseball for 10 hours a weekend those are 10 less hours available to be texting naked pictures of yourself or sneaking off to drink.

Anonymous wrote:My two kids like their travel teams. One had no overnight tournaments last year. The other had a tournament in VA which was a lot of fun for the team. We spend a lot of money on travel because they play year-round (indoor in winter, summer team), have an occasional private training session, and some camp in the summer, and occasionally go to pro games. They aren't heavily involved in other sports, they make close friends outside of their small school, and it keeps them off electronics at home. We are a committed family.

I was just going to mention this. My son is an only child and defaults to electronics at home. He is too old for toys and while he will spend some time outside, it gets a bit boring and lonely. Travel sports are mostly for him to spend time with other kids and get to go new places and meet new people. He fences and you get sick of fencing the same people all of the time. He will never earn a scholarship from it but he enjoys it for now. He might go to a tournament once every month or so and it is only for one day out of the weekend. There is plenty of time for him to have a friend over and go to a party/sleepover. I do know people who think (and expect) their kid will get a scholarship out of it. They feel the pressure and I feel sorry for the kid on the long ride home if they don't perform.

Positivies...

my kids loved it
they got good coaching
they had to learn to earn a starting position/playing time
they made friends that they normally would not have made
they learned to manage homework and a demanding schedule
they learned you can't make everybody happy, some weekends, somebody is going to be disappointed
they learned how to be yelled at
they learned to manage their temper

more positives....

we spent countless hours together one one one just talking
my son and I learned we like to sing goofy songs at the top of our lungs in the car
my son learned I never know the correct words
we learned about staying in really scary hotels
we learned that we are blessed with money, health and friends

so many things.... was a great experience all in all

I agree with much of the above about the positives of playing travel. For us, the big reason my son is playing travel is HE wants to play and LOVES it. I never ever thought we would go down that road but he is very good at soccer and he is driven and wants to play all the time. He begged us. We told him that as soon as it's not fun, we will move on. We have no D1 aspirations. As long as he enjoys it, we will allow him to play. Yes it's inconvenient but it allows our family to spend quality time with him doing what HE enjoys. And watching him play is fun for me so I definitely don't mind the time on the sidelines. I wish there was an activity/hobby that brought me as much joy. I initially thought it was expensive but when broken down by the hour, it's less expensive than dance, music, or any of the other activities our kids have participated in. To top it off, it keeps my son away from video games and gets him outdoors. We don't see a downside in our son's case. However, I would not make the same choice if he wasn't begging to do it. We have friends who have pushed their kids into it and that's not fun for anyone.

Some clubs clubs take everyone. $$$$