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Club sports: Options, expenses both expand for girls

I two sets of twin girls & a son and I can honestly say I love being a father to all of these little kids. I used to be the one in high school that didn't think our boys basketball team should have to share with the girls basketball team because they were girls. Needless to say, I have changed my tune as the father of four girls.

I feel so lucky to live in this country where girls have so many great opportunities. There are a lot of places in the world where girls are considered second class citizens. Sure, it's expensive, but at least there are options.

Boycott all those expensive sports. Reading is free. Tree climbing is free (as long as it's not outlawed). Playing with your pals on the street is free.

I'm glad for the girls but please please watch out for the boys that they dont become America's 2nd class citizens.

A mom

If your child is genetically blessed and being on a club team is what they really want to do and not what you want them to do then possibly think about it. Otherwise think about you only get the chance to be a high school kid once and there is so much pride and memories that goes along with putting on a high school jersey and playing for and in front of those kids you associate with every day. Don't sell a kid down the road just for the word club. Colleges are looking for athletes period. They'll put you where they want you if you are athletic enough. And find you wherever you are at.

And what happens to the potentially great athlete that can not come up with the funds to participate in an activity? What happens to the child that needs the scholarship to just attend school and can't afford to get on one of these "elite" teams? Our children need to be kids! Fun, laugh, play, no stress! They may have fun on these teams and enjoy the moment, but what kinds of pressure are they getting themselves into. Will that make them better parents? better employees? a better spouse? How many pro athletes have cracked under the pressure? What makes us think our young can deal with all that? Come on... let's not live in a fantasy world. Let our kids be kids! Teach them to work and love life. A 12 year old should not be worrying about college scholarships. They should be living a carefree experience as long as they can.

I have 3 daughters who have played on soccer club teams at the Premier level. It was their choice and they love it. They have had opportunities to play in soccer tournaments in Hawaii, San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston, Denver, and other locations. They have learned to work hard through participating on these teams. It is not easy. They have learned how to work together with a team. They all have 3.9 or better gpa's in school.

It does cost money and sometimes we're not able to travel with them to watch their tournaments. The actual coaching fees and season registration fees are reasonable. As noted in the article, the coaching fees are around $50 per month. We had our daughters take piano lessons which cost the same per month. They got 1/2 hour lesson once per week with piano. They got 3 - 90 min practices and 2 games per week with soccer. I would say soccer is the better value. Our teams have always organized fundraisers to help those who couldn't afford the costs. Generally, only the premier teams travel out of state so most teams do not have that expense.

all this will end when a public high school openly discriminates and requires club participation to play at the high school level. while i am not a proponent of lawsuits i will welcome the day that a parent bankrupts a school district and has coaches fired for failure to provide equal opportunity and access to all student athletes and not just the club athletes.

i have witnessed many talented kids destroyed because their parents were under the misguided and pathetic delusion that they were raising the next superstar. the reality is about 1% of all athletes will become that superstar. my advice to parents is and always will be the same. let your child live their dream not yours, it is more rewarding and it is easier on the pocket book. besides if your child has the natural ability and the desire they will find a successful path. there is no amount of money and training can overcome a total lack of ability or natural talent.

Club soccer in Utah has many different levels. The top level is Premier, but there is also Division 1, 2, 3 and sometimes 4. Each has their own league of teams at their skill level for each age group i.e. U-12, U-13, U-14, etc. The classification U-12 stands for Under 12. Generally, only the Premier level teams travel out of state for tournaments but the other levels can compete in league play and tournaments inside the state so their expenses are greatly reduced. Many lower level teams have coaches that coach for free as well so the only expenses are for uniforms, cleats, a ball, and the $50 league registration fee.

One last thing ... this article seems to indicate that parents can just place their kid on a premier level team. Don't be misleaded .. these teams generally have yearly tryouts. There are only, at most, 18 positions on a soccer team. Many teams to do not fill all roster spots. Your child has to be dedicated, and talented to land one of these positions. My children started at the lower divisions before advancing to the Premier level.

The sad thing is, most of these girls aren't going to get a scholarship in soccer. They would be a lot better off getting good grades like the girls in the article and getting academic scholarships.

The other thing this article doesn't really mention is that lots of times, club sports take away from highschool sanctioned sports. At my highschool, girls wouldn't run track because their club coach "wouldn't let [them]."

By the sounds of it I am going to stop coaching High School ball and start coaching club. I made around $1200 for each sport I coached, softball and basketball ($2400 total for 7 Mo. of daily practices and weekly games), works out to be about $2 an hour, if that no matter how many kids are on the team. These club coaches are raking in the money to coach kids and the majority of them don't even know what they are doing. It is funny to hear some club coaches talk about the crazy things that they think would work in a real game situation (not tournament ball). 1/2 of them could not coach a high school team where they were not able to pick the best players from several cities. I am in the wrong line of coaching.

Re: High School Coach

We have been on both sides of the high school sports teams and club teams in soccer. While it's true that there are different level of coaches, in order to coach at the club level, the coaches have to be certified and take training to reach different levels. They start at the beginning "E" level and can advance to an "A" level. The coaches license levels are all published. You know what you're getting. It's been my experience that, in general, it's the high school coaches abilities that are lacking. Some schools will let any interested teacher coach who may not have any training at all. There are no licenses needed to coach high school.

I have 2 sons and both will have played college baseball. We began taking them out of state to tournaments around 9 years of age. They loved the game and wanted to progress to the best of their abilities so we wanted them to compete against the very best. I realize that we are fortunate enough to have both of them go on to the next level but if they hadn't, the trips, places they've seen, experiences with their teammates, along with things like dedication and committment were just priceless.
Cooperstown, Florida, Oklahoman, Minnesota, etc. to see another part of the country and how those people lived was worth each dollar we spent. I agree with those that say it is expensive but I wouldn't trade those times for anything. My boys were also told they could quit anytime they wanted so there was no pressure from us. Coaches is rec leagues should be held in high esteem for the time they put in but most are just dad's without real background in the sport. My boys wanted to excel so we found the best coach's we could and got them involved. To be continued:

What the article does not mention is the commitment, other than financial, required of parents. I am the parent of three boys who have played competition soccer. It has required that our family adjust to meet the demands of the soccer schedule. We usually have to schedule vacations and other outings around soccer. Many times our family vacation was in conjunction with a soccer tournament. Getting our kids to 6 games and 6 practices a week was usually a monumental task. However, as a parent, it has been worth the effort. My kids love the sport and they are all physically fit. They don't spend much time playing video games, watching t.v., or getting into trouble because they are bored. They have had to learn to manage their time because soccer is so time consuming. Fortunately for us, most of their coaches have been decent and possessed integrity (for other players that is sometimes not the case). For boys, there are very few opportunities to play college soccer, so my sons are in it for the love of the game. I think every kid needs a positive passion of some type, my kids picked soccer.

I love sports, but was not good enough to make my high school teams. I was disappointed and still am today. I'm going to make sure my kids aren't disappointed by having them practice every day til they hate me. They'll learn to love me later for it.

Of course another option is dance. My two daughters, both athletic, chose ballet/jazz dance. They competed on private dance teams and school dance teams throughout junior high and high school. The private teams practice 20+ hours a week, 50 weeks a year. My monthly dance bill was several hundred dollars just for the team lessons/practice. Then add fees for costumes�each dance has a different costume�and travel expenses to competitions�New York, Orlando, Las Vegas, etc. The total expense, or investment, was several thousand dollars a year. They loved it and they learned wonderful life�s lessons about commitment, dedication, teamwork, and competition. Now they compete at the collegiate level.

My 2 girls love playing softball. They would probably hate me forever if I didn't let them play accelerated softball. Both are very good. One has a softball scholarship and the other will get one. She is already being recruited as a sophomore. We didn't do this so they could get scholarships or because I was a failure at sports when I was young. We do it because they want to. Why do all of you think you know what is best for everyone else?

I have a daughter who has played soccer (Premier) and basketball (Super League) at a very high level both in state and at regional events around the country. The joy I get out of watching her excell at what she wants to be doing is unmatched and do not have a problem paying top dollar for her to be a part of these programs. The confidence she has not only on the floor or field but in life that I believe has been helped by her being a part of competitive sports. It has been a great ride and hope it continues for many more years.

if you have a athletic child after a while get bored and don't get better unless they play with better competition. IT is well worth it if they truely love the sport. We have still been able to do two competitive sports and still have the love of playing

I'm 19 years old now, but starting when i was 13 i entered into competitive soccer. I played on a club theam that cost my parents thousands and thousands each year just so i could play a game. Looking back at it, here are a few suggestions to parents.
First off, let the kid chose what he/she wants to do. Yes, you can seek out the offers and whatnot, but let him/her make the final decission.
Secondly (assuming they enter into sports) always leave the door open to leave. My dad was great at this, whenever i got down he would just say "well, do you want to continue doing this. It is only a game, and you dont have to do it."
Thirdly (and VERY IMPORTANT) dont tell your kids about the financial struggles that come with their choice. I remember my parents telling me how my soccer was not allowing our family to travel as much as before, and i felt like i had done them wrong by playing. Tell them the consequences of playing, but never make it seem like the sport is taking anything away from the family. Be honest with them.

4th on my list: be supportive. make it to as many, if not all the games your child plays in. Nothing was more rewarding then celebrating with my family, and nothing was more comforting then sulking with their support.
5th: If your kid wants to play in college, help them seek out the scholarships, but make sure they do the bulk of the work. Have your child write the letters, make a film, get a profile, etc. Help them along the way, but dont just do it for them. Teach them that you have to "earn" it, it wont just come.
6th, Always be positive with them. Constructive criticism is good, but also remember you ARE NOT THE COACH. let the coaches get on the players, you just support them and make suer they are happy.
7th, as cheesy as this sounds it really is nice, tell your kids you love them before and after games. Give them a hug or whatever it is you do. Make sure they know you love them.
Club and high school sports can be expensive, yes, but very rewarding. If your kid wants to do it, dont be the bad guy that says no