Anonymous wrote:Is there anyone on the board who can explain how the offer process (not internet posting) works, and why some players on all the teams, not just top, can hear so quickly, while others have to wait for quite a while? Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does anyone know the approximate cost for a year of PAC? (club fees, team fees, etc.?) Their website is not quite as easy to navigate as ASA's and I can't find that info. Considering it for our 2008 girl who just got cut from ASA Travel. (though I'm pushing harder for ASA ADP for commuting and cost reasons.)

Its similar to other clubs. Around $2000 but that is not exact. We have kids at a couple different clubs and the fees are all pretty similar.

I have kids in two clubs and, of the two, PAC is a lot less expensive because the price includes all the training, year-round. No extras for winter training, summer leagues, or tournaments. It is a good club. Excellent coaches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:07 - we sort of did what you are considering. My 2008 daughter loved rec soccer but wanted more. We were aiming for the middle ground between rec and travel (ADP at ASA) but friends suggested we try out for travel at the first opportunity because it was her best shot at getting a slot. Easier to get on a roster the first year when everyone is a newbie than the second (or later) year when there are a bunch of returning kids. She's a late 2008 birthday, so she was in 1st grade with 3.5 seasons under her belt, while the other kids were mostly in 2nd grade with 5.5 seasons under their belt. That extra year of play (and the extra months of age) were noticeable during tryouts - she was mostly being outplayed by bigger, faster, better kids.

Because of low numbers at tryouts, we ended up accepting a slot on the lowest of 6 teams. I wasn't sure she was ready, and we considered saying no. We liked our team, but being on the lowest team can be ego-busting at times. We got crushed in almost every game our first season because we were going up against teams who were just better. The teams above us could take players from our team if they needed bodies, which sometimes meant we played with fewer subs. We lost one kid to a higher team halfway through the first season. Second season was better - we started tying games against the teams who had previously crushed us. Through it all, we were very committed - we played every game, attended every practice.

But I noticed that my daughter wasn't getting much playing time lately, even though she did ok when she was on the field. She had improved a lot over the year, but it just wasn't enough; the other kids were still better. She ended up getting cut for next year; she was the only one. I wish that I had never had her try out for travel and we'd stuck with our original plan to do the in-between league. We spent a ton of money and a ton of time for just one year - feels like a waste now. I assumed that once she was in the system, she'd be able to stay in the system, but it's not always the case, and I feel bad that I put her through it. It's definitely hurt her confidence to know that half the girls on her team moved up a level or two, half stayed put and she's the odd girl out. Would have been better to have done the in-between league, where she might have stood out, vs. being the lowest kid on the lowest team.

So that's the potential downside of doing travel if you're not sure you're ready.

I have some friends that threw their kids into the ring a full year earlier. 2 of the 3 kids suffered and aren't returning next year. They were burned out by it in 2nd grade. One of the parents definitely expressed regret they pushed to soon. There is a thing in our Club that if you start a full year earlier--your kid can drop down and be on the A team the following year. So you get many very young first graders trying out.

Looking back at my own child's team now at U13. Only one of the kids on the entire A team at U9 is still on the A team now. Many of the A team players are now on the 3rd team. Many quit after a year or 2. Many ADP players or players that stayed in Rec, etc. are now on some of the higher teams.

Do not let any idiot tell you that if your kid doesn't start travel at the earliest age possible, their soccer chances are over. I have actually seen the opposite bear out.

Thank you so much for this insight. This is exactly what I am worried about. I really appreciate you actually discussing how it plays out in 4 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does anyone know the approximate cost for a year of PAC? (club fees, team fees, etc.?) Their website is not quite as easy to navigate as ASA's and I can't find that info. Considering it for our 2008 girl who just got cut from ASA Travel. (though I'm pushing harder for ASA ADP for commuting and cost reasons.)

Its similar to other clubs. Around $2000 but that is not exact. We have kids at a couple different clubs and the fees are all pretty similar.

Anonymous wrote:This sounds very discouraging for a young talented kid that starts travel a year early. I watched a kid completely dominate this weekend and he's playing his second year of travel. If he drops down to the 3rd team It would be because he just lost interest. It's just not that simple. No matter if you start early or later your kid must want to improve. Early success is easier because most young kids just don't get the touches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:07 - we sort of did what you are considering. My 2008 daughter loved rec soccer but wanted more. We were aiming for the middle ground between rec and travel (ADP at ASA) but friends suggested we try out for travel at the first opportunity because it was her best shot at getting a slot. Easier to get on a roster the first year when everyone is a newbie than the second (or later) year when there are a bunch of returning kids. She's a late 2008 birthday, so she was in 1st grade with 3.5 seasons under her belt, while the other kids were mostly in 2nd grade with 5.5 seasons under their belt. That extra year of play (and the extra months of age) were noticeable during tryouts - she was mostly being outplayed by bigger, faster, better kids.

Because of low numbers at tryouts, we ended up accepting a slot on the lowest of 6 teams. I wasn't sure she was ready, and we considered saying no. We liked our team, but being on the lowest team can be ego-busting at times. We got crushed in almost every game our first season because we were going up against teams who were just better. The teams above us could take players from our team if they needed bodies, which sometimes meant we played with fewer subs. We lost one kid to a higher team halfway through the first season. Second season was better - we started tying games against the teams who had previously crushed us. Through it all, we were very committed - we played every game, attended every practice.

But I noticed that my daughter wasn't getting much playing time lately, even though she did ok when she was on the field. She had improved a lot over the year, but it just wasn't enough; the other kids were still better. She ended up getting cut for next year; she was the only one. I wish that I had never had her try out for travel and we'd stuck with our original plan to do the in-between league. We spent a ton of money and a ton of time for just one year - feels like a waste now. I assumed that once she was in the system, she'd be able to stay in the system, but it's not always the case, and I feel bad that I put her through it. It's definitely hurt her confidence to know that half the girls on her team moved up a level or two, half stayed put and she's the odd girl out. Would have been better to have done the in-between league, where she might have stood out, vs. being the lowest kid on the lowest team.

So that's the potential downside of doing travel if you're not sure you're ready.

I have some friends that threw their kids into the ring a full year earlier. 2 of the 3 kids suffered and aren't returning next year. They were burned out by it in 2nd grade. One of the parents definitely expressed regret they pushed to soon. There is a thing in our Club that if you start a full year earlier--your kid can drop down and be on the A team the following year. So you get many very young first graders trying out.

Looking back at my own child's team now at U13. Only one of the kids on the entire A team at U9 is still on the A team now. Many of the A team players are now on the 3rd team. Many quit after a year or 2. Many ADP players or players that stayed in Rec, etc. are now on some of the higher teams.

Do not let any idiot tell you that if your kid doesn't start travel at the earliest age possible, their soccer chances are over. I have actually seen the opposite bear out.

Anonymous wrote:11:07 - we sort of did what you are considering. My 2008 daughter loved rec soccer but wanted more. We were aiming for the middle ground between rec and travel (ADP at ASA) but friends suggested we try out for travel at the first opportunity because it was her best shot at getting a slot. Easier to get on a roster the first year when everyone is a newbie than the second (or later) year when there are a bunch of returning kids. She's a late 2008 birthday, so she was in 1st grade with 3.5 seasons under her belt, while the other kids were mostly in 2nd grade with 5.5 seasons under their belt. That extra year of play (and the extra months of age) were noticeable during tryouts - she was mostly being outplayed by bigger, faster, better kids.

Because of low numbers at tryouts, we ended up accepting a slot on the lowest of 6 teams. I wasn't sure she was ready, and we considered saying no. We liked our team, but being on the lowest team can be ego-busting at times. We got crushed in almost every game our first season because we were going up against teams who were just better. The teams above us could take players from our team if they needed bodies, which sometimes meant we played with fewer subs. We lost one kid to a higher team halfway through the first season. Second season was better - we started tying games against the teams who had previously crushed us. Through it all, we were very committed - we played every game, attended every practice.

But I noticed that my daughter wasn't getting much playing time lately, even though she did ok when she was on the field. She had improved a lot over the year, but it just wasn't enough; the other kids were still better. She ended up getting cut for next year; she was the only one. I wish that I had never had her try out for travel and we'd stuck with our original plan to do the in-between league. We spent a ton of money and a ton of time for just one year - feels like a waste now. I assumed that once she was in the system, she'd be able to stay in the system, but it's not always the case, and I feel bad that I put her through it. It's definitely hurt her confidence to know that half the girls on her team moved up a level or two, half stayed put and she's the odd girl out. Would have been better to have done the in-between league, where she might have stood out, vs. being the lowest kid on the lowest team.

So that's the potential downside of doing travel if you're not sure you're ready.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has Bethesda told kids what teams they will be on yet?

We have heard for out boy. Offers probably go out at different times for different age groups.

Anonymous wrote:does anyone know the approximate cost for a year of PAC? (club fees, team fees, etc.?) Their website is not quite as easy to navigate as ASA's and I can't find that info. Considering it for our 2008 girl who just got cut from ASA Travel. (though I'm pushing harder for ASA ADP for commuting and cost reasons.)