Helping Parents Navigate the Roadmap of Travel Soccer
Tips for
Read Part II of Mike Barr answer to questions like “Is it a smart decision to move my child from his local or community club to a so-called premier or larger club?” Click on MOVING YOUR CHILD FROM COMMUNITY CLUB TO PREMIER SOCCER … The Questions to Ask
Parents with huge smiles on their faces intently observe their young son or daughter as they play what appears to be soccer in the tiny tyke soccer program within their local community.
A sense of pride and wonder encompasses their thoughts as they begin to formulate plans for their child’s future.
So many of us can relate to this experience.
Soccer is unique to other sports in its simplicity.
It would be difficult to recreate any other sport at such a young age and yet incredibly within this small-sided soccer game there is movement, scoring, attacking and even in some instances what appears to be defending. Any perceived effort, a touch on the ball brings shouts of encouragement from parents, as they begin to visualize their child’s future around the world’s game.
This is the beauty and
the craziness about youth soccer.
Some parents simply appreciate seeing their child enjoying the game and experiencing the opportunity to play with others. Other parents see a prodigy in their child and start to determine how can they assure he or she gets off to a good start or better yet begins to surpass the play of the other children. They soon realize there is no shortage of adults willing to sell them on the dream. Surprisingly this brings into play a subtle competition between parents as they race to find the best club, with the best instructors, with the best facilities, with the best guarantees for the future though there are no guarantees attached.
Initially, soccer moms and soccer dads decide on their local community club to participate as they determine how to launch their child’s adventure.
At under six, (referred to in youth soccer as U6) many children are working with a volunteer/parent coach. Some of the novice coaches may have some playing experience as a travel player, high school player or even playing in college. Training may be one or two days a week and a game on the weekend. Some youth soccer clubs only have a fall season for their younger recreation players, others may have fall, indoor and spring seasons with optional summer camp. Parents of children as young as eight or even seven are forced with deciding on limiting the number of sports their child may play, have them focus on only one sport, pay for professional training or limiting the amount of time dedicated to after-school activities.
As your child hits the age where travel soccer may be an option, I am urging parents to take a long look at their decisions, because at this really young age you are making choices that will impact your child’s future and, in some cases, straight through adulthood.
As the technical director of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and an instructor for U.S. Soccer, I feel comfortable in attempting to guide parents through the array of choices they will face with honest answers. Here are questions for parents of children from U6 through adolescence from a player, coach, dad, and now grandfather; who made many mistakes but found answers by his observations, his failures and long periods of reflecting.
- My club has tryouts in the spring for 8-year-old players for the upcoming U9 fall season. Should my child try out or continue playing recreation soccer?
Answer: Your child may have conflicts due to the commitments of playing travel. Do not be afraid to ask your child’s opinion even at this early age but provide the scenarios that may occur based on playing travel.
Examine the conflicts with your child and ask the travel team coach for the guidelines he or she has when a player misses a practice or a game. A strong, organized coach will provide this information when your son or daughter is selected or at a pre-season team meeting with parents or players months in advance of the regular season.
This may be the first time you are faced with a coach or club making demands.
Keep in mind no one person should dictate to you what is best for your child.
If your child is happy playing recreation, has a coach who seems to understand child development, still has friends participating, and enjoyed the previous season allow him or her to continue playing. If it appears most of his or her friends are trying out for travel make sure you make him or her aware.
Keep in my mind you are your child’s best advocate.
Do not allow a coach or club to interfere
The period between birth and age 8, is the foundation of a child’s future health, growth, development and achievement at school and throughout life. Experiences during these early years shape brain architecture and have a direct impact on social, emotional and learning skills.
- How often and how long should training sessions be for my 9-year-old child who is now playing travel?
Answer: Training sessions should be held no more than two times a week. Sessions should be about an hour and a half long. One game is normally played on the weekend. There are teams that train three nights a week or even four. Keep in mind that providing new experiences and new opportunities are part of raising a child.
- What should I look for in a coach, as my son or daughter embarks on this travel soccer journey and should they have any type of coaching qualifications?
Answer: U.S. Soccer will be taking a more active role with all youth soccer clubs throughout the United States and has shifted their focus away from developmental academies to the youth soccer clubs where most of their membership players compete. They believe every player has the right to be developed by a U.S. Soccer instructed coach. Within this shift, U.S. Soccer is looking to increase the number of United States educational instructors to 1,000 and have at least 300,000 licensed coaches throughout the United States by 2025 and make soccer the pre-eminent sport in the United States.
U.S. Soccer now has National Licenses for 4V4, 7V7, 9V9 and 11V11 coaches. Each on-site course is 4 hours and they also offer the same licenses on line. If a coach decides to take one on-line course and two on-site (one of the on-site must be 11V11), they qualify to take the D License.
Cost to take courses is minimal and often a club will pick up the cost for coaches. Every coach involved with travel should have at least his or her D License.
Every coach, whether volunteer or paid, travel or recreation, must have all Pennsylvania Child Protection Laws and Clearances completed. This includes parent volunteer assistant coaches as well as any adult active within the club.
- What about soccer tournaments? Is there value to participating?
Answer: At the younger ages, tournaments should be minimal; maybe one or two a year. They should be local and reflect the ability level of the team.
Do not get caught up in team rankings!
Often travel teams enter tournaments to not only compete but receive points just for entering in order to advance in the state, region and national rankings. Examining team rankings at the younger ages only feeds into the egos of parents and coaches.
With younger teams, a festival type of atmosphere with no
As travel players age, coaches should look for competitive tournaments for their team and strong college showcase tournaments at 15, 16 and 17. In pay to play youth soccer clubs, sometimes the costs of tournaments are built into the overall costs but not transportation or housing. This varies depending upon where you live in the USA. For example, in Southern California, fees for tournaments and travel are usually not part of the dues paid to youth soccer clubs.
- Why is the cost to play soccer so different between various clubs?
Answer: In the last ten years, many larger clubs have gone to the pay to play model. There are various reasons for the increased cost for children to play soccer. The need for fields, maintenance of the fields, equipment, paid coaches, referee fees, player registration costs, indoor facility use, tournament registration, insurance and administrative fees are contributing to these costs. Paid coaches may have had the biggest impact on costs.
READ: MICHAEL BARR ON THE MLS NEEDS TO DO MORE TO DEVELOP OUR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
The paid coaching picture is different within clubs. Some clubs pay coaches for strictly training sessions but still use volunteer coaches, usually parents, to coach the games. The coach involved with just training is usually paid by the hour and rarely attends the games. He may work with as many as four teams per week or in some instances demonstrates a training exercise for volunteer coaches to model.
Many pay for play clubs now hire coaches for all aspects of the coaching environment. Selecting the team at try-outs, training sessions, team meetings, parent meetings, league games and tournaments are all part of a paid coach’s responsibilities. They are usually salaried and may coach two teams or be head coach for one and an assistant for another.
- Will my child have better instructors within a club that pays their coaches?
Answer: No assurances are attached to your son’s or daughter’s development playing for a club who pays their coaches.
Most clubs with paid coaches do have
Read Part II of Mike Barr answer to questions like “Is it a smart decision to move my child from his local or community club to a so-called premier or larger club?” Click on MOVING YOUR CHILD FROM COMMUNITY CLUB TO PREMIER SOCCER … The Questions to Ask
U.S. Soccer’s Grassroots’ Licensing will provide all clubs with qualified trainers from U6 to 13 and above. This pathway is different than previous US licenses as it wants the coach to have the following qualities:
- An understanding of the game
- A realistic, fun and game-like approach to instruction
- A holistic approach to coaching
- A self-reflective and active learner
- A role model for players and parents
- A real interest in every player
U.S. Soccer’s Grassroot’s coaching model is attaching accountability to the role of a coach much like parents have for teachers. If coaches within a club go through Grassroot’s Coaching Licenses, parents can be assured their son or daughter is receiving quality training at a lesser cost than the larger pay to play clubs.
Parents should take an active role with the club and team their child plays. Observing and assisting the volunteer coach provides parents with a knowledge of their child’s progress and how well the coach interacts with the players in practice and games.
If your community club is a pay-to-play, parents cannot never really assume that the quality of coaching is strong because the coach is paid.
I suggest that parents observe the paid coach in training and games to determine his or her expertise.
From U6 to U12, including recreation or travel, players should have equal playing time, be placed in different positions on the field, and have fun.
A volunteer coach could have the same positive impact on a player’s development and future as a paid coach.
All soccer coaches within a club should have the following: Awareness of tactics and skills involved in the game, CPR and first aid training (including a club action plan for serious injuries), awareness of physical training, positive motivational techniques. U.S. soccer licenses do not cover CPR and first aid training.
Coaches must reinforce behaviors that are not directed to contest outcomes but reward effort, technique, being on time for practice and games, supporting teammates, and respecting officials and opponents.
It is important that all clubs require a resume’ and make sure each coach is properly vetted. With opportunities to make decent salaries within pay to play clubs, it is not uncommon to have coaches enhance their past experiences as a player or coach.
Read Part II of Mike Barr answer to questions like “Is it a smart decision to move my child from his local or community club to a so-called premier or larger club?” Click on MOVING YOUR CHILD FROM COMMUNITY CLUB TO PREMIER SOCCER … The Questions to Ask
ALSO READ: MICHAEL BARR ON THE MLS NEEDS TO DO MORE TO DEVELOP OUR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS