Trraveling Soccer

How old is your kid? And, how many of these 'select teams' are available in your area? Those would be the top two questions that need to be answered before proceeding.

Granted, it was nearly 25 years ago but I participated in travel/select soccer starting at the age of 10. It was a fantastic experience. If my children showed promise and interest in a sport, I would definitely encourage their participation. There are definitely some cons that you may wish to consider:

-If the area is 'oversaturated' with select teams then the concept of a select team is really meaningless. Now, I'm not trying to establish some sort of preferred hierarchy but let's be honest. Not every kid who plays soccer is *that good* that they should be on a select team. If there are several options in your community then the teams get watered down, anyone can play, anyone can coach, and it isn't an advanced level of competition. Later on as a high school coach, we would see this as problematic because every kid who was a part of the select programs (and there were so many of them that every kid was considered 'advanced') thought they were entitled and good enough to make the team. Um, not so much...too many select teams basically means 'Traveling AYSO' where anyone and everyone gets a spot. I'm not for shutting kids out of participating in group activities BUT if a program is a select program then it needs to be just that - 'select' or the top kids - in order to maintain its credibility.

-Check the coach's certifications. For soccer, I believe the preferred licensing body is the USSF (United States Soccer Federation). While the certification is not an end-all, be-all, it does allow you to get an idea of the training the coach has taken. More information can be found by Googling "ussf licensing".

-At younger ages, and this is just my philosophical belief, kids should not be forced to 'specialize' in only one sport. I think if a child shows promise and has passion for soccer and wants to do the select program, that's awesome BUT specializing in one sport (unless they've got like Tiger Woods-like potential) is not the best thing for younger children or athletes. Cross-training, participating in other sports, and making sure to take time off to rest/recover is essential in helping the young athlete to have a more well-rounded physical and emotional contribution to their preferred sport. Additionally, over-participation (for some kids) in one sport can lead to burn out and injury at an early age.

Good luck to you and your daughter - participating with a travel/select team can be a very exciting and rewarding activity that she will remember and cherish for years and years to come! Do your homework and research and if the opportunity sounds like a good one then I definitely say "Go for it!". Above all, just remember to keep this fun and worthwhile for her.

My only input is that travel coaches expect a lot from the kids, especially that they are focused on that sport and only that sport. If your soccer is a year round activity will you be excluding your child from trying other sports?

I am personally all for travel sports but only the ones that are seasonal. The coaching and expectations are higher at a travel level than "house" sports and some kids that excel, like that. She will learn more because the coaches coach at a higher level.

Hi R.,

Coming at this from a different sport -- and I'm sure I will be in the minority here! My son -- after five years in the sport, including double rostering and skating up on Park Dist. teams -- played travel hockey one season and it was a nightmare. We were schlepping all over three counties for very little ice time as he skated under a coach whose entire philosophy was passing the puck to the hotshot so they would pound the opposition and prove the coach's worth. My son was hurt twice and his continuing to attend practice and games was not even mentioned at the season's end. You could see that the coach had nothing to say about him; it was still all about the hotshot. Schoolwork suffered and he never really recovered as a student. He skated one more season, jv, then quit and has never put on skates in the seven years since.
I know travel is great for some kids; just make sure your family is up to the commitment of time and money, and be careful that your other children are not slighted.

Good luck!
Mama S.

R.,

MR gave you great advice. I have several friends with kids who play travel soccer. It is an almost full year commitment as they move indoors this time of year and then move back out then may take a break during late spring/summer before they start up for fall in August. The fees typically hit around $2K I've been told with a uniform around $100. These teams typically have a paid coach with a parent manager.

Each soccer center is different, so it is not unusual to try out for several until you find the right fit. Some travel local, others farther. Ask around. I can tell you one soccer center had a coach that no one like so everyone I know jumped ship to another center or just went back to park district.

But heed MRs advice about being leary of narrowing your child in too much at a young age as it can be very hard to manage multiple activities.

Good luck!

I have 2 daughters who play travel soccer, ages 9 and 11 yrs, we have been in travel since U8 (which is 2nd graders)..my girls love it...they love making new friends from other towns and schools..many of the girls play basketball, softball, and swimming in addition to the travel soccer...the coaches keep it low pressure at these ages...right now we are starting to be more competitive at the U11 age..the biggest difference I noticed was the range of skill in the rec league and the philosophy of some of the volunteer coaches...our travel coaches truly know the game and all the girls want to be there...it has been a great experience at our house...we stayed with both rec and travel for the first season and let the girls pick which team they wanted to stay with and both chose their travel teams. You will notice that the competitive girls will leave rec making it more frustrating for your daughter. The average cost at these ages are $1000 per kid with uniform..it does increase as they age with more tournaments etc..