Looking for some input.. I have a 6 yr old that started playing academy soccer this last fall. Everything is going great so far, although in speaking w/other parents, I’ve noticed we are one of the few that doesn’t have our daughter playing on multiple teams. We’ve been asked on more than one occasion to play on other teams as well, but to date I’ve politely declined. My fear is that it will burn out my daughter in the long run. Practicing 3-4 nights a week and playing 2+ games a weekend just seems a bit much at this age. I’m all for getting my daughter as many touches/playing time as possible, but can’t help feeling playing on multiple teams will wear her down over time. Ultimately, I know at this age it’s a crap shoot & every player is different.. but again just looking for varying thoughts/observations. In the end, being one of the few that doesn’t play on multiple teams doesn’t bother me.. I will do what is best for her & not worry about the group. It did get me thinking though. Are there more over-zealous parents out there who aren’t looking years down the road than I realize or is this now simply the norm? Growing up playing club soccer, I knew players that grew to hate the sport.. and speaking w/them in the later years the most common cause was simply over-saturation.
" I have a 6 yr old that started playing academy soccer this last fall. Everything is going great so far, although in speaking w/other parents, I’ve noticed we are one of the few that doesn’t have our daughter playing on multiple teams. We’ve been asked on more than one occasion to play on other teams as well, but to date I’ve politely declined. My fear is that it will burn out my daughter in the long run. Practicing 3-4 nights a week and playing 2+ games a weekend just seems a bit much at this age" Go by your instincts it seems right to me. But I am an old guy, and maybe I have lived too long. I remember in the old days when 6 yr olds on average had an attention span of about an hour. I think practicing 2 times or maybe 3 times a week for an hour is enough for a 6 year old. I remember when they played for a club even at 6 like everyone else and not an "Academy" Plus charging over 60 dollars for a season fall/spring here in Brooklyn would be unheard of then. "I’m all for getting my daughter as many touches" You can do that yourself with your daught and have fun for you and her at the same time. Don't forget to teach her a cool goal scoring celebration. "playing time as possible," On game a week should be enough for her at that age. "but can’t help feeling playing on multiple teams will wear her down over time." How many kids do you have? How many sports do each child play? Just getting them all around to those, and to dancing school, and to gymnastics, music. I told you I am an old fashion type an old man now been in my head I am still a 20 yr old. Just love your kids. Not every kid is loved that is your main job.
that was my thought too.. I have 2 kids and she is the athlete where the other is the musician. So yes, we have enought activities throughout the week, not to mention school. Like I said, just made me think.. am I the only one that is concerned about burn out or and I just old fashioned. Part of me thinks how many of those kids, that play on multiple teams, will still be playing 5-6 yrs from now? I loved soccer growing up, but I'm not I would have played as long as I did if I was practicing 4 days a week and playing multiple games each weekend. Any other thoughts?
How long they play depends on the coaching they get. By that I only mean does the coach love the game and loves working with kids. Does he wear his love of the game on his sleeve so anyone can see it. That love of game is contagious to his payers. They love the game they will always want to play it even if they are not playing at the highest levels. Those are also going to be future coaches.
Personally I think that's way to much soccer for 6 years old. They need to do other things as well and I don't see a lot of time in there to do that. I had my 6 year old in rec (2 days a week - 1 hour per) and club which is an hour away from our home and that is 2 days for practice (1.5 hrs) and 2 games on Sundays. Plus they are in tournaments. I pulled her out of one day in rec but last night after club practice she said she wanted to quit rec altogether and just play for her club - they are very strict and I think the kids like the structured environment more so. So it looks like she is sticking with club only - but it's one of the best in the nation so 3 days a week is good enough for me. For me I worried about not only burning them out but turning them off from the sport from too much play and no social time with kids their age away from soccer - you know on the playground and stuff They are only a kid once and they will never get that time back.
How do you define "free play" Rec at this age is nothing more then recess part II in beehive fashion. Looking at u6-u8 in a structured environment is pretty impressive and kids like it. But how many are actually doing just that? There are a ton of Academies out there with USSF coaches. Some of these are also called "Advanced Rec". They are good as well IMO.
6 years old seems much too young to play on two soccer teams. Keeping her active and involved in life is certainly fine. But at this age I'd rather see some variety, and some down time, too (summer or winter off, for example). Sign her up for swimming classes or some other fun, different activity. Swimming, for example, will still train her physically, but maybe in some beneficial, different ways. Cross-training, so to speak. The "burn out" worry may or may not be real. I suspect that it really depends on how intensely the sport is "worked" -- if it becomes more work than healthy play and physical challenge -- and will also depend on the personality of each child and the personalities/behavior of the adults involved. I've known some children who (at older ages than 6) were heavily involved in premier-level soccer 12-months per year, traveling all over the state and region. Some of those kids still loved the game in their late teens and went on to play college soccer. But a couple of kids definitely became tired of the rat-race and lost interest. One of the most talented girls in my middle child's age group did get burned out, and to her parents' surprize, recently announced she wasn't interested in playing college soccer (and she definitely had the ability to play Div 2 or Div 3, and maybe lower-level Div 1). Burn out is something to be aware of and monitor, but not something to fear. For girls entering their teen years, I'd be more worried about excessive sports leading to over-use injuries, especially to the knees. There is a lot of recent literature out there about girls and sports injuries.
I could not be happier with 2 days of practice, 2 games per week and 2 tourneys that my 6 year old is involved with. Get into the right club with the right coaches and there is no need to overload. Again - kids need time to do other things as well at this age.
