How far do I need to drive?

[Unregistered]

If a u13 girl wants to play against some of the best competition in the state, can I stay local (30 minute drive or so) for practice? Out of Taunton Forekicks area. I'm looking at elite clubs and see practices in Lancaster, Marlborough, Braintree. Not sure this seems manageable and thinking maybe staying a top player on a regional team is better for us.. But also wonder if my unwillingness to drive hours on a weeknight will limit her. Anyone know of a close solution?

[Unregistered]

Do you never tire of bashing NEFC?

[Unregistered]

NEFC is my top choice if we have to make the drive. They sometimes practice in Taunton from what I see. If it were mostly or all Taunton it would be a no brainer. Not bashing NEFC at all.

[Unregistered]

Looking again, they practice out of Marlboro and Holliston. Just wondering if there are closer options in Southern MA.

[Unregistered]

Looking again, they practice out of Marlboro and Holliston. Just wondering if there are closer options in Southern MA.

That's assuming she can make one of their elite teams. You're a little late to the party at U13.

[Unregistered]

It's assuming a lot. But she's looking for more and I am looking at options. There don't seem to be those types of options in Southern Mass.

[Unregistered]

It's assuming a lot. But she's looking for more and I am looking at options. There don't seem to be those types of options in Southern Mass.

Then you have your answer.

[Unregistered]

Focus on creativity & learning. The drive is overrated.

[Unregistered]

Make calls and take her to some practices at clubs you'd consider. Gives you chance to judge the drive and the club/team/coaches. Don't wait for cattle call tryouts later in the spring.

[Unregistered]

That's assuming she can make one of their elite teams. You're a little late to the party at U13.

Players develop at different rates and peak years beyond u13.

[Unregistered]

Make calls and take her to some practices at clubs you'd consider. Gives you chance to judge the drive and the club/team/coaches. Don't wait for cattle call tryouts later in the spring.

This is the way to go - you'll see quickly enough if she has what it takes vs other players. Don't listen to the naysayers - there's still opportunities at that age, especially with good coaching and stronger competition.

[Unregistered]

Players develop at different rates and peak years beyond u13.

and then within 18 they decide something else is more important and put soccer into neutral

[Unregistered]

This is the way to go - you'll see quickly enough if she has what it takes vs other players. Don't listen to the naysayers - there's still opportunities at that age, especially with good coaching and stronger competition.

Classic club soccer sales pitch. Then a parent realizes after the U16 season is over that they have spent a small fortune chasing a dream that has no happy ending. It has nothing to do with nay sayers and everything to do with your kid (not you) waking up in their sophomore-junior year and realizing that they have neither the talent (few do) nor the actual ambition to make soccer anything more than an extra curricular in their life. That realization is not some evil spin put forth by nasty nay sayers, it's real life for 99% of all youth athletes. For some strange reason there are elements (could it be they make there living through club soccer) here that want every youth soccer family to charge hard to the finish line like it is some red badge of courage to finish the race. Well club soccer aint the Boston Marathon with a moral victory at the end so unless you see some compelling reason when your kid is 12-13 years old to invest all of the time and now considerable money chasing a soccer career, you might just want to modulate your expectations. There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing soccer in a venue with much lower expectations and using all of the resources you would have spent on club soccer to support or otherwise build up other parts of your kid's life and then take a killer family vacation not built around soccer. Believe it or not you (and your kids) will end up so far ahead of the fools who follow the sort of advice put forth in the above post it will be almost laughable.

[Unregistered]

Classic club soccer sales pitch. Then a parent realizes after the U16 season is over that they have spent a small fortune chasing a dream that has no happy ending. It has nothing to do with nay sayers and everything to do with your kid (not you) waking up in their sophomore-junior year and realizing that they have neither the talent (few do) nor the actual ambition to make soccer anything more than an extra curricular in their life. That realization is not some evil spin put forth by nasty nay sayers, it's real life for 99% of all youth athletes. For some strange reason there are elements (could it be they make there living through club soccer) here that want every youth soccer family to charge hard to the finish line like it is some red badge of courage to finish the race. Well club soccer aint the Boston Marathon with a moral victory at the end so unless you see some compelling reason when your kid is 12-13 years old to invest all of the time and now considerable money chasing a soccer career, you might just want to modulate your expectations. There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing soccer in a venue with much lower expectations and using all of the resources you would have spent on club soccer to support or otherwise build up other parts of your kid's life and then take a killer family vacation not built around soccer. Believe it or not you (and your kids) will end up so far ahead of the fools who follow the sort of advice put forth in the above post it will be almost laughable.

Rant on, as you certainly will. Sad.

[Unregistered]

Classic club soccer sales pitch. Then a parent realizes after the U16 season is over that they have spent a small fortune chasing a dream that has no happy ending. It has nothing to do with nay sayers and everything to do with your kid (not you) waking up in their sophomore-junior year and realizing that they have neither the talent (few do) nor the actual ambition to make soccer anything more than an extra curricular in their life. That realization is not some evil spin put forth by nasty nay sayers, it's real life for 99% of all youth athletes. For some strange reason there are elements (could it be they make there living through club soccer) here that want every youth soccer family to charge hard to the finish line like it is some red badge of courage to finish the race. Well club soccer aint the Boston Marathon with a moral victory at the end so unless you see some compelling reason when your kid is 12-13 years old to invest all of the time and now considerable money chasing a soccer career, you might just want to modulate your expectations. There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing soccer in a venue with much lower expectations and using all of the resources you would have spent on club soccer to support or otherwise build up other parts of your kid's life and then take a killer family vacation not built around soccer. Believe it or not you (and your kids) will end up so far ahead of the fools who follow the sort of advice put forth in the above post it will be almost laughable.

Exactly. Just the way you did it. Now, if only there was a way to limit the hundreds of threads here about crushing disappointment and bitter regrets.