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Should my daughter play travel soccer?
My daughter plays soccer and has been doing very well. In fact, she has been asked to play on several different travel teams in the area. How should we decide if it is a good idea and which coach and team to play for?
Congratulations—it sounds like your daughter has gotten off to a great start in soccer and is talented if she is being recruited for travel teams. I also want to compliment you for taking the time to assess the situation before signing her up for a travel team.There are several things to consider in deciding whether to sign your daughter up for a travel team and which team to sign her up for. First, check with your daughter to make sure she is ready for a more intense travel program. She needs to understand that there will be more practices, a lot of weekends spent on the road at tournaments and a higher intensity of play. It will be a lot of fun, but also involves more commitment then the local program that she is now involved.
If your daughter indicates she wants to play, you and your spouse (if your are married) must also want to do it. Travel soccer can be a great experience, but will require increased commitment by the entire family in terms of cost and time.You should also check out the coaches of the teams who want your daughter to play for them. If possible, meet with the coach and find out if he or she played, how long they have coached, whether he or she has coached girls before, and what coaching education he or she has (soccer has nice coaching education system where coaches not only learn more about the game but child development and principles of training). You also want to ask the coach his or her philosophy. Winning will be more important with travel teams but should never be at the expense of player health and development. A good coach should also talk a good deal about optimal physical training and maximizing the teaching of soccer skills.
It is also a good idea to watch a practice session. Carefully observe how the coach interacts with the players. Does he or she provide a good deal of instructional feedback to all players—not just the stars? Is practice well run and organized? Finally, is the coach enthusiastic and encouraging. Does he or she not only work the players hard, but make it fun?
Having your daughter talk to some of the players on the team is a good idea as well. She won’t enjoy the experience unless she likes her teammates. You will also find it useful to talk to some of the others players parents. They can verify what the coach told you and provide a parents perspective. You better like them as well, as you will be spending a considerable amount of time on the sidelines with them.
This all sounds more daunting than it actually is. It won’t take that much time. You just want to “look before you leap” into a higher intensity program. Travel soccer can be a wonderful experience and a great place for your daughter to maximize her athletic talent and learn some important life lessons. However, you want to make sure she is ready for the experience and that you find the right program for her. A program with good coaching, teammates she likes, and an instructional atmosphere that takes place in a safe environment.
Good luck with your decision.
Daniel Gould, Ph.D.
Director, Institute for the Study of Youth Sports
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