Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 09:24     Subject: What’s your end goal?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:D1 is the goal. Scholarship would be nice although it’s probably not needed. We’ve been spending $10k year or more for a long time on ECNL, travel, private training, equipment. Our entire life and family has been shaped by her soccer training and traveling and now recruiting for at least the last 5 years. It’s all we know at this point. I will be sad when it’s all over. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like without soccer. What did we give up? What else could she have been doing? But she seems to love it and never complains. It’s more like a job now than playing a game. We’ve come too far U16 to stop now. June 15 is next week when she starts talking to coaches.


I feel this post! We are U12 now and I have similar thoughts. Good luck to you and your family!!

U12 you still have time to not revolve your life around soccer. Trust me.
As a fellow U12er with high level DD, while disappointing, it isnt surprising to hear people revolving their lives around soccer. We see it with a lot of kids around us. The funny thing, is many of the kids who have more balance, seem just as good, parents are happy, and I think will last longer. We are playing the long game - fall in love with the sport by not becoming co-dependent. Everything else falls into place over time. DMV, Instagram and parents puffing out their chests creates the FOMO effect. We struggle with it ourselves, but you have to have balance. The craziness will only increase, so whats the value in overextending yourself now IMHO


Love this, but I'll warn you it really did ratchet up at U13 when ECNL started for my DD. Combine middle school drama with IG causing a big divide in the team. Add in a huge turnover next year due to the age change and the spring season was not fun for pretty much anyone even at a successful team/club. We also are playing the long game and didn't let our kid get bogged down in any of that IG junk (still doesn't have an account). She was a Q4 so she'll do U13 again and really loves the sport and I hope it stays that way!
Anonymous
Post 06/11/2026 09:15     Subject: What’s your end goal?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:D1 is the goal. Scholarship would be nice although it’s probably not needed. We’ve been spending $10k year or more for a long time on ECNL, travel, private training, equipment. Our entire life and family has been shaped by her soccer training and traveling and now recruiting for at least the last 5 years. It’s all we know at this point. I will be sad when it’s all over. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like without soccer. What did we give up? What else could she have been doing? But she seems to love it and never complains. It’s more like a job now than playing a game. We’ve come too far U16 to stop now. June 15 is next week when she starts talking to coaches.


I feel this post! We are U12 now and I have similar thoughts. Good luck to you and your family!!

U12 you still have time to not revolve your life around soccer. Trust me.
As a fellow U12er with high level DD, while disappointing, it isnt surprising to hear people revolving their lives around soccer. We see it with a lot of kids around us. The funny thing, is many of the kids who have more balance, seem just as good, parents are happy, and I think will last longer. We are playing the long game - fall in love with the sport by not becoming co-dependent. Everything else falls into place over time. DMV, Instagram and parents puffing out their chests creates the FOMO effect. We struggle with it ourselves, but you have to have balance. The craziness will only increase, so whats the value in overextending yourself now IMHO
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2026 20:45     Subject: What’s your end goal?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:D1 is the goal. Scholarship would be nice although it’s probably not needed. We’ve been spending $10k year or more for a long time on ECNL, travel, private training, equipment. Our entire life and family has been shaped by her soccer training and traveling and now recruiting for at least the last 5 years. It’s all we know at this point. I will be sad when it’s all over. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like without soccer. What did we give up? What else could she have been doing? But she seems to love it and never complains. It’s more like a job now than playing a game. We’ve come too far U16 to stop now. June 15 is next week when she starts talking to coaches.


I feel this post! We are U12 now and I have similar thoughts. Good luck to you and your family!!

U12 you still have time to not revolve your life around soccer. Trust me.
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2026 11:59     Subject: What’s your end goal?
Anonymous wrote:D1 is the goal. Scholarship would be nice although it’s probably not needed. We’ve been spending $10k year or more for a long time on ECNL, travel, private training, equipment. Our entire life and family has been shaped by her soccer training and traveling and now recruiting for at least the last 5 years. It’s all we know at this point. I will be sad when it’s all over. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like without soccer. What did we give up? What else could she have been doing? But she seems to love it and never complains. It’s more like a job now than playing a game. We’ve come too far U16 to stop now. June 15 is next week when she starts talking to coaches.


I feel this post! We are U12 now and I have similar thoughts. Good luck to you and your family!!
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2026 11:31     Subject: What’s your end goal?
Having fun and developing skill consistently, providing opportunities like playing for a competitive team (doesnt have to be a top national ranked team, etc), opportunities to play with kids in the park, etc. After that, kid will show where it leads when they get older.
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2026 07:17     Subject: Re:What’s your end goal?
To find a bunch of drinking buddies. My plan is to make my kid's thing all about me. Hoping it works out! Seems to be pretty doable from what i'm seeing out there...
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2026 07:06     Subject: What’s your end goal?
D1 is the goal. Scholarship would be nice although it’s probably not needed. We’ve been spending $10k year or more for a long time on ECNL, travel, private training, equipment. Our entire life and family has been shaped by her soccer training and traveling and now recruiting for at least the last 5 years. It’s all we know at this point. I will be sad when it’s all over. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like without soccer. What did we give up? What else could she have been doing? But she seems to love it and never complains. It’s more like a job now than playing a game. We’ve come too far U16 to stop now. June 15 is next week when she starts talking to coaches.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2026 21:09     Subject: What’s your end goal?
Anonymous wrote:My family is at the beginning of travel soccer and it seems like so many families are pushing for most competitive teams, most competitive or “elite” clubs, etc.

For those who have bought in (literally), what are you most hoping your kid gets from competitive soccer? A shot at a college scholarship? Benefits of a team sport? Discipline from playing at a competitive level?


D1 scholarship or pro