Big decision for a 10 year old??

[Unregistered]

I have 2 kids, my eldest is playing club and joined when she was 12. My youngest is 10 and he is currently playing travel soccer for Acton-Boxboro.

He desperately wants to play club soccer, he continues to watch his sister play every Sunday and now has asked us if he could play. Firstly, I am worried that it is too soon and don't want him to get burned out. Secondly, we have told him to choose between travel and club. Thirdly, which club???

I want to stay committed to my daughters club as she has learnt a lot from when she played travel, I think that this club is established and they have committed group of full time coaches. But AB have said that they want to start their own club team? But you have to play for both their travel team and the club team, that would be 5-6 days of soccer a week!! He is only 10!! He does have school work, and enjoys lacrosse. :)

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

[Unregistered]

A lot of kids play both town and club. I think it's too much soccer. Especially the club games are way more intense and easy to get injured. If your boy has a good town coach and good competition, stick with town. If not, leave town and switch to club. Find a club that's close and the coach is not yelling at games like a mad men.

[Unregistered]

Why don't you contact ABYS with your concerns? I am very surprised they expect your player to play on both teams as you point out it seems excessive. Contact the registrar first to confirm your understanding is correct that there are separate practices and games for the two teams required. ABYS has some excellent coaches but none are professional as you would get with some soccer clubs.
There are a number of non-ABYS club teams that practice in the area.

[Unregistered]

This is easy. Tell the kid to play lacrosse. That way he will have an enjoyable childhood.

[Unregistered]

A lot of kids play both town and club. I think it's too much soccer. Especially the club games are way more intense and easy to get injured. If your boy has a good town coach and good competition, stick with town. If not, leave town and switch to club. Find a club that's close and the coach is not yelling at games like a mad men.

My son's been playing club since U10. He tried out because he was consistently placed on the lowest town team (he was a big kid!) even though his footskills were good & he was able to score at will, which became extremely boring/frustrating for both him & his opponents.

Club absolutely was a great choice - he was challenged, learned a lot, and soon moved up in the town ranks. He played town & club each season after that up until his final U14 town season, when he had to quit because club practices were a hike and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to give 100% to his town team.

The only thing I'd say is that once he started club, he pretty much stopped playing other school sports. He just didn't have an interest in them. His choice, not ours. He does run, and plays a little basketball, but the sport he loves is soccer. I do worry about overuse injuries, but his coaches have always been good about allowing rest time.

[Unregistered]

a lot of kids play both town and club. I think it's too much soccer. Especially the club games are way more intense and easy to get injured. If your boy has a good town coach and good competition, stick with town. If not, leave town and switch to club. Find a club that's close and the coach is not yelling at games like a mad men.

club soccer at u10, i would recommend mps

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the info,

I looked into the emails I have been getting from ABYS and spoke to other parents and he doesn't have to do both, they just recommend it. Also something that surprised me was that they will do a joint Travel/Club practice??? how is that fair on the club parents paying the money to practice separate?

As for giving up the sport, he is far to obsessed with the soccer channel and can't get enough of soccer clips online.

MPS aren't they just a company that runs clinics? are they any good? My daughter plays for Stars, they seem to have a successful boys program?

Thanks and keep the comments coming :)

[Unregistered]

This is easy. Tell the kid to play lacrosse. That way he will have an enjoyable childhood.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...050304574.html

[Unregistered]

club soccer at u10, i would recommend mps

eagerly awaiting your generous payments for the mps academy.

[Unregistered]

If your son really loves soccer. Say good by to ABYS and move on. Parent coaches bring way too much politics. Just wait until they get older. It isn't worth the stress from all of the AB drama.

If you have the money, the time, and your son is self-motivated...go to club. If you are questioning any of those items, then wait a bit longer and see what happens.

If you are going to make the change this Spring, start contacting clubs. He could probably start practicing with teams now to see what he thinks. Good luck!

[Unregistered]

This is easy. Tell the kid to play lacrosse. That way he will have an enjoyable childhood.

That is so funny. I have a daughter who has been playing club since she was U9. It is her total passion and she is completely happy. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I also have 3 boys who I have been trying to steer away from soccer as much as possible. Although a couple of them really enjoy the sport and want to play club, they aren't really passionate about it. And really, are they willing to put in the effort and giving up other sports. It sounds like the clubs are more easy-going with the boys (which can be good or bad if you want to win). I can't imagine my boys making a choice between sports.

Lacrosse is a great option! Add in football, basketball, and summer baseball and you have perfection.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the info,

I looked into the emails I have been getting from ABYS and spoke to other parents and he doesn't have to do both, they just recommend it. Also something that surprised me was that they will do a joint Travel/Club practice??? how is that fair on the club parents paying the money to practice separate?

As for giving up the sport, he is far to obsessed with the soccer channel and can't get enough of soccer clips online.

MPS aren't they just a company that runs clinics? are they any good? My daughter plays for Stars, they seem to have a successful boys program?

Thanks and keep the comments coming :)

AB has no idea what they are doing. They have brought in the professionals coaches to do clinics which is a nice perk of living in AB, but again, you are dealing with parent coaches. Look at which parents are involved in the new "club," then look at their sons' situation and their history with club soccer for any older siblings. I think you will get all of the answers you need. Run away. If you are going to pay for a club, you should go to an established organization with experienced coaches.

Stars is great. I think the coaches are wonderful on the boys side. My son did the Academy for a while at U9. The problem is that there are so many boys in the Academy. It seems like they took anyone who wanted to sign up. I watched a lot of U9 boys at indoors this winter and it was really unimpressive.

Hopefully they will cut it down to a quality group of boys when they hit U10. You want your son to be challenged. It would definitely be more convenient for you to go the Stars route especially if your daughter is there (fingers crossed for similar schedules). You will be spending a lot of money, make sure it will be the best fit for your son.

And no, I don't think U10 is too young for club. Only you know your child and his interest level.

[Unregistered]

What does this have to do with anything?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...050304574.html

Sad story, but what's the point?

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the info,

I looked into the emails I have been getting from ABYS and spoke to other parents and he doesn't have to do both, they just recommend it. Also something that surprised me was that they will do a joint Travel/Club practice??? how is that fair on the club parents paying the money to practice separate?

As for giving up the sport, he is far to obsessed with the soccer channel and can't get enough of soccer clips online.

MPS aren't they just a company that runs clinics? are they any good? My daughter plays for Stars, they seem to have a successful boys program?

Thanks and keep the comments coming :)

I had this exact situation when my player was a U10. I opted to put him in the same club as my older player for sanity sake and kept him in town as well.

The issue was never burn out. He had plenty of time and more than enough energy. What I did find was that at U10 the club scene was not enough bang for the buck. At that club, unless the kid is on the 1st team, he or she was jammed into a huge group practice, which was total chaos. Then come the weekends, a selection of random coaches (and/or Dads) stood on the sidelines at the Maple games hollering random advice or sitting there silently. He basically learned nothing.

Meanwhile, the town program was even worse, but at least it was cheap and convenient.

Things turned around this year after I took him to a number of tryouts in June and chose a U11 program really suits him. His coach and teammates are terrific, the training is tops, and the focus is on development. I couldn't be happier. This is not MPS, which is very pricey, though they really do have terrific training. MPS has a summer league commitment that didn't work for our family.

Another draw back with MPS is that the club has an enormous number of teams & you have no idea which one your kid will be placed on. It's a bit of a crap shoot. I don't think you find out the teammates or the coach until after you have written them a very large check. Liking the team and coach at the tryouts was one of the big selling points for my player, as well it should be, and he has loved this year because of them.

Good Luck!

[Unregistered]

Another draw back with MPS is that the club has an enormous number of teams & you have no idea which one your kid will be placed on. It's a bit of a crap shoot. I don't think you find out the teammates or the coach until after you have written them a very large check. Liking the team and coach at the tryouts was one of the big selling points for my player, as well it should be, and he has loved this year because of them.

Good Luck![/QUOTE]

Thanks mr. MAPLE coach ..but my kids have the opposite experience. but keep trying theres a sucker born every minute