I’ve mostly posted here about S1 who has Asperger Syndrome and is a very challenging child.
This post is about S2. S2 is a soccer-nutty 5.5yo. Last year, friends recommended a soccer academy. They are big enthusiasts. I kinda went with it, not really over-thinking it. Suddenly I find myself in this crazy elite soccer world. His development has been amazing. But I feel like… Alice in Wonderland.
Here is the fork in the road I face.
Next week we will find out if he was selected for his school’s soccer team. If he gets a spot, we have to pick one.
Side-by-side
School team:
Selective
Time commitment is 2 practices per week, one after school (0 commute), one weekend nearby.
Program is brand new as of last year.
School is K-12 (so could be on the team till high school).
Development academy:
Highly selective
Big time commitment (4 x 1.5h practice per week)
45 min subway ride each way
Insane, right? Yes. Insane. AND the boy love it.
Training program is apparently a feeder program for high school level elite academies (about which I know zero).
He’s 5.5 years old. Go with the school team. At this point, it should be about having fun and keeping him interested. If he remains interested, there’s PLENTY of time down the road to make a switch to a more serious team, with no loss of opportunity.
If the kid is athletic and has talent, he’ll be successful down the road.
I’m a long time soccer mom. Very few of the stellar kids at 5 or 6 were still talented or playing by middle school. It’s all about a “slow boil” in my opinion. Get him involved in other sports, too. Tennis is a good pairing with soccer, for example, but any sport will do. The things to avoid are pressure, losing the love of the game, burnout, and overuse. Parents get hyped up about all the “prestige” of academies at too young of an age for their little Messis. It’s not needed, and I’d even argue, it’s not advantageous at such a young age.
Also, take that money you’d save in these early years on an academy and put it in a college fund. And focus on academics. There’s a lot more $ out there for academic scholarships than soccer scholarships.
I would wait until he is older for the elite program. Maybe when he is older you can find a buddy that will be going on the same subway and the parents can take turns going along. I used to worry when my kids were young about the effects of not being “all in” (e.g., year round hockey instead of just winter hockey) but now I realize that the most important thing is to have fun and the kids will be more likely to stick with it.
I am speaking as a parent of an athlete that started at a young age. School soccer. Without a doubt. He is way too young and and it is too much of a time commitment. I presume that he gets out of school around 3pm and goes to bed around 9pm. I am also assuming that one of the four practices is on Saturday or Sunday. So, three weekdays evenings he will spend three hours traveling and playing soccer. Save the money. Step away. Don’t drink the koolaid.
Agree with the others. I have a 15yo whose life revolves around basketball. All year. She has had periods of time when we are regulars at the ortho doc. Go out for the school team, have fun with other kids from school, make friends and have some down time. Play other sports. Especially with kids so young, it is easy to overuse and stress the same muscles, ligaments, etc when they don’t rotate through other sports during the year.
I agree with going with the school route for now. If in a couple of years he is still into soccer and getting better consider the development academy route. I am assuming the club has a USSF Development Academy Program at the older ages. I believe that now starts around the U-14 age group but soon will start at U-12. My son spent his whole career at one club, starting at U-10 and spending 3 years on a DAP team. He now plays in college. It is easier to get on a DAP team if you have been with the club at younger ages, but there is no need to be there at U-6. The whole club soccer path can be very expensive (tens of thousands over the years) and time consuming (thousands of hours). No need to rush into it now.
My older D was on a national team (top 8 in the US). She started her sport in elementary school but didnt do serious training until she was in 8th grade.
I think a 5 or 6 year old is too young for the training schedule above. You can nurture your son’s athletic abilities on the school team. Traveling and training four times a week will mostly result in burnout and injury. I would wait until your son is much older before starting on a program like this.
Another vote for school team. Don’t burn him out too young. If he still loves it in a couple of years, and appears to be very good at it, then consider more elite teams.
Five is just too young. I have a talented athlete and probably erred on the too conservative side, chose academics and family commitments over sport. My kid is playing in college. I think it is because he is still improving and interested in his sport.
Another vote for the school team and putting the savings in a college fund. Overuse injuries are a real risk. I only know 1 kid that was a standout at 5 that still is and he is so burnt out that he may choose not to play in college. The good news is he is also a likely NMF so he has other options. He did make soccer bus only sport until 9th grade.
“Elite” and “.5 years old” should not be in the same sentence. It is all about fun in any sport. Thee is plenty of time and space between fun and elite.
Ladies and gentlemen thanks for your replies! We have a consensus! If he gets that school team spot next week I (now) have full confidence we will TAKE!
Just to close out the thread… Just found out this morning that he got a spot on the school team!! School is K-12 (he’s in 1st) and while new, program is being run by director who was poached by the very development academy we will leave and from what I’ve heard from current parents is very high quality.
And focus on academics. There’s a lot more $ out there for academic scholarships than soccer scholarships.
team spot next week I (now) have full confidence we will TAKE!