Reader comments
Club sports: Options, expenses both expand for girls
68 comments | Read story
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
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.
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]."
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.
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:
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.
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
oh, and one last thing that parents should always remember. ACADEMICS COME FIRST!!! i can count numerous kids i knew that had the talent to play at some of the top programs in the nation, but because they were not as talented in the classroom they did not receive the reward.
always always always make sure that ACADEMICS COME FIRST!
1. It is more individual
2. It is VERY inexpensive both time and money compared to the other big three girls sports.
3. It allows for a life outside of sports.
4. You can still get a scholarship in college
Swimming is more expensive but I think is still quite reasonable compared to the other big three.
oh well, hind site is always 20-20 I guess.
Penn State, Santa Clara former NCAA champions, Portland former NCAA Champions, Pepperdine, USC defending NCAA champions are not the same they are far better. Stop trying to claim Avalanche players that played one year for Celtic and had already recieved their scholarsips while playing for Avalanche. The bottom line is ya you can go to college but their is a big difference on where your going from Celtic to Avalance. Name me one true Celtic player that is at big time soccer school.
Much better person?, what a joke.
Add your comment
Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.
E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.
- Y.'s Tavernari looking for right role 11:10 p.m.
- Griffins move up in poll 11:08 p.m.
- U.'s Wicijowski receives honor 11:06 p.m.
- Classmates salute their superhero 11:06 p.m.
- Wildcats' Lillard shares award 11:04 p.m.
- Tragedy leads to a gift of healing 11:04 p.m.
- Store planning for Palin crush 11:02 p.m.
- UVU's Swarbrick receives honor 11:02 p.m.
- Decision on boundary shifts to Feb. 11:01 p.m.
- SUU women shoot 55.8 percent in win 10:59 p.m.
- Letters: Liberal because LDS
278 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
260 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
203 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
191 - Letters: Global warming a lie
150 - Cougars going back to Vegas
146 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
134 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
119 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
100 - Harpring's NBA career is over
96
BYU athletic officials began negotiating last week with the organizers...
Cal offensive tackle Mike Tepper had this to say about the Golden Bears'...
@mark: "Sam ham, I keep hearing that about Gore. Can you give the details...
The winningest college qb of all time. Colt has been amazing for four years....
We're an excited and dedicated football team. No really... we're...
Is corrupt and burdened with incompetency. We need Judge Roy Bean back on the...
$25 football tickets | 6:18 p.m. Dec. 7, 2009 I hope Utah loses and looks...
Good win, frustrating to see so much up and down. When we play with intensity...
is that people like Dick Harmon think that TCU is so great that there's no...
If anyone in the MWC is self-centered and NOT helping with the BCS problem it...
Hint to "JUST TAKE CARE OF THIS EARTH | 7:13 p.m."... Just because one...
Better defense Okur. I can't believe Fes has not played. There has to be...


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.