Many times we find ourselves with the decision of what activities and sports should we sign up our kids?

As parents sometimes we use our own background and experiences to reach a decision, other times we ask our friends, families, or the internet to find an answer. My opinion is that as parents we should facilitate the opportunities we give our kids. Forcing a sport on them no matter how passionate or how much anyone recommends it to you, should be only introduced after taking your son to see the sport first hand. So for Example if you would like to introduce your son to soccer, then go ahead and take him to the games and or practices, maybe someone you know already takes his/her kids to soccer so taking them there is a great idea for them to see if it would interest them.

Soccer is a great sport; more than just getting physically fit it also encourages a lot of teamwork and most importantly is the friendships that are made. Unfortunately a large percentage of kids will quit the sport in a couple of years. The reasons are many, but the main ones are:

1. Lack of playing time: coach is interested in winning and decides to only play his most experienced and best players, while at the same time discouraging the less skilled and experienced players.

2. Look up part 1, as the years go by your son realizes he’s not good enough to play at a higher level and decides to quit.

If you are reading this congratulations!!! Your son or daughter enjoys the game of soccer so much that they reached a skill level higher than most kids his/her age. Making the jump from a Rec team to a traveling competitive squad can be an exciting transition, but is not without it’s pitfalls.

Most youth soccer organizations have rec and traveling teams.  Many times coaches from these traveling teams watch the rec games to scout for talent for their own teams, other times is the rec coach himself who recommends a parent that his/her son/daughter should try out for the traveling team. If your son is good enough that he’s dominating the rec league it may seem like an obvious answer, but not all traveling teams are made the same, much like the rec teams their mission goals may not resonate with you.

1.Traveling teams cost more money- Yes they do, from the simple cost of traveling to different parks each week, to joining different weekend tournaments. Your personal time will shrink as the demands of your son’s or Daughter's new team requires more practices, games and involvement from parents.

2.Playing time is not guaranteed-The star rec player may now find himself fighting other kids of similar and probably higher skill level for playing time. He may quickly become discouraged if he spends most of his time on game day on the bench watching the game.

3.Making new friends-When joining an existing team it means having to make new friends all over again, it may take some time for your son to feel welcomed by some of the veterans on the team.

If you son feels ready to try out for a traveling squad, don’t just settle with the one in your current organization. If you live in a city, there are probably dozens of youth soccer organizations in the area. My suggestion, again talk to the directors, get a feel for what their goals are, take your son to several try outs to see which clubs your son liked. He may find a traveling team that might not be very good but would love to have your son as their starting midfielder. All things been equal, playing time should be the deciding factor. Another good option is a soccer academy, Soccer academies usually have fixed monthly expenses, but if your son can get admitted the quality of coaching and player development could greatly benefit your son’s soccer game.

Finally, this should be a family decision with your son’s vote carrying the most weight. I’ve coached rec teams with players that were ready for the jump but preferred to stay because they had so many friends and enjoyed the atmosphere. Sometimes is best to wait until your son feels ready, don’t feel pressured by a coach, friend or family member to join a traveling team if your son does not want to. Soccer is a great sport where great memories are forged, let your son control those wonderful moments.