Re: Reality Check: What You're Paying For

by happyfeet 3/31/2011, 7:24 am

WRG wrote:
crfan wrote:
chriswhit wrote:I think we have to assume there are higher numbers of quality players, simply because there are many more kids playing soccer now. "Quality" is relative of course, but as I have heard it, in the past, you would have most of the best players on a small number of teams. So if you compare the top teams now vs. the top teams of old...may/may not be better, but the overall level of play, top to bottom, has to be improved based on sheer numbers.

Boycott the clubs? Riiiggghhhtttt. I am pretty sure most of us don't like paying $150 for good seats to the Cowboys, Mavs,etc., but I sure haven't seen a boycott against Jerry Jones or Mark Cuban...have you? Why? SOMEONE WILL PAY FOR THE EXPERIENCE.

The article that was posted is an "oldie, but a goodie". It is a great reminder to all, that soccer is no different than other sports, a very select few are able to play beyond high school. It's a fact. But...who cares? We should not even be thinking about this kind of junk! Let your kid dream, support them in their efforts, but quietly, keep putting those pennies away....you will need them!

Save for college...enjoy the ride....the memories...the life lessons your kids are learning through sports. For those of you lucky enough to get some sort of college money (however your kids do it...soccer, academics, etc)? BONUS. 1-2 out of 100...those are the odds. Deal with it. If you deem the ROI on select soccer is not good enough? Find another sport. Actions are louder than words.

Thanks for the feedback but according to what I am hearing a pre-academy team can cost up to $10K a year with fees, uniforms, travel, hotels, tournaments, gas, toll tags, car expenses, etc, etc... With that amount being paid out solely for a 12-13 year olds sport, how are we expected to save anything for college??? I know know about anyone else, but that is a lot of money for most. And that assumes you have only ONE kid playing. Sounds like the big clubs have themselves a nice little setup in North Texas.

I would be willing to bet the average household income of kids on select soccer teams is over 135K a year. It is definately a "select" sport in more ways than one. On the other hand, I do hear about some teams giving scholarships to play for a certain club. I wonder how many kids on a given select team are getting scholorship from the club.

And your basis for picking this magic number is what?

by chriswhit 3/31/2011, 7:36 am

Thanks for the feedback but according to what I am hearing a pre-academy team can cost up to $10K a year with fees, uniforms, travel, hotels, tournaments, gas, toll tags, car expenses, etc, etc... With that amount being paid out solely for a 12-13 year olds sport, how are we expected to save anything for college??? I know know about anyone else, but that is a lot of money for most. And that assumes you have only ONE kid playing. Sounds like the big clubs have themselves a nice little setup in North Texas.\

Where there is a will, there is a way.
1. Clueless is right... $10K is overstating it a bit, unless your team is going to an out of state tournament that may require airfare.
2. We have learned to carpool to practices, for Premier League out of town, the dads would go one weekend and share hotel rooms, another weekend the moms would go and share hotel rooms. (I refused to pay another dime to board two dogs in a pet hotel for the weekend). Out of town tourneys...we usually have 4-5 chaperones go, everyone else sends only their kids. Not ideal...but it does work.

I am not debating that soccer is an expensive sport, no doubt, it is. As is AAU basketball, traveling select baseball teams, etc. But it is what it is... there will be no "lock out" of select youth soccer...no boycotts. As with anything else, there are various options available. Some clubs are less than others, rec, etc...each family can decide what their goals are, and if it's worth the investment.

My point is...if anyone is doing it for a scholarship...recalibrate...odds are simply not in our favor. Best of luck.

by WRG 3/31/2011, 9:38 am

happyfeet wrote:
WRG wrote:
crfan wrote:
chriswhit wrote:I think we have to assume there are higher numbers of quality players, simply because there are many more kids playing soccer now. "Quality" is relative of course, but as I have heard it, in the past, you would have most of the best players on a small number of teams. So if you compare the top teams now vs. the top teams of old...may/may not be better, but the overall level of play, top to bottom, has to be improved based on sheer numbers.

Boycott the clubs? Riiiggghhhtttt. I am pretty sure most of us don't like paying $150 for good seats to the Cowboys, Mavs,etc., but I sure haven't seen a boycott against Jerry Jones or Mark Cuban...have you? Why? SOMEONE WILL PAY FOR THE EXPERIENCE.

The article that was posted is an "oldie, but a goodie". It is a great reminder to all, that soccer is no different than other sports, a very select few are able to play beyond high school. It's a fact. But...who cares? We should not even be thinking about this kind of junk! Let your kid dream, support them in their efforts, but quietly, keep putting those pennies away....you will need them!

Save for college...enjoy the ride....the memories...the life lessons your kids are learning through sports. For those of you lucky enough to get some sort of college money (however your kids do it...soccer, academics, etc)? BONUS. 1-2 out of 100...those are the odds. Deal with it. If you deem the ROI on select soccer is not good enough? Find another sport. Actions are louder than words.

Thanks for the feedback but according to what I am hearing a pre-academy team can cost up to $10K a year with fees, uniforms, travel, hotels, tournaments, gas, toll tags, car expenses, etc, etc... With that amount being paid out solely for a 12-13 year olds sport, how are we expected to save anything for college??? I know know about anyone else, but that is a lot of money for most. And that assumes you have only ONE kid playing. Sounds like the big clubs have themselves a nice little setup in North Texas.

I would be willing to bet the average household income of kids on select soccer teams is over 135K a year. It is definately a "select" sport in more ways than one. On the other hand, I do hear about some teams giving scholarships to play for a certain club. I wonder how many kids on a given select team are getting scholorship from the club.
And your basis for picking this magic number is what?

Absolutely no basis whatsoever and just pulled it out of thin air. However, with the apparent costs involved, I would think most folks would not to spend more than a certain percentage of their income on a kids sport that will probably not lead to much. I could be totally wrong.

I do know parents of kids on club volleyball teams that claim they pay over 15k a year due to all the travel and tournaments for their daughter. However, she just received a full ride to a division one school that is worth over 200K. A pretty good trade off. Unfortunately, and the main point of this article, is that will not happen in boys soccer.

by soccerrus2 3/31/2011, 9:50 am

WRG wrote:
I do know parents of kids on club volleyball teams that claim they pay over 15k a year due to all the travel and tournaments for their daughter. However, she just received a full ride to a division one school that is worth over 200K. A pretty good trade off. Unfortunately, and the main point of this article, is that will not happen in boys soccer.

Scholarships are year by year so I doubt it's worth over 200K even Ivy league.

by WRG 3/31/2011, 10:19 am

soccerrus2 wrote:
WRG wrote:
I do know parents of kids on club volleyball teams that claim they pay over 15k a year due to all the travel and tournaments for their daughter. However, she just received a full ride to a division one school that is worth over 200K. A pretty good trade off. Unfortunately, and the main point of this article, is that will not happen in boys soccer.

Scholarships are year by year so I doubt it's worth over 200K even Ivy league.

I can't say for sure, that is just what the mother claimed. I understand they have to be renewed each year and I guess she assumed that would be case. IF so, an out of state ACC School with 4 years of room and board and a dgree would not be that bad. The costs could be much less.

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