I have daughters that play. 16 and 14. When they were little they asked to start playing. They first played rec until they were old enough to play travel. I got them involved in travel because when playing rec they loved to run all over the field chasing the ball and showed an aptitude for the game. To get their skill level up, we would spend 15-20 mins three or four days a week on the driveway passing the ball back and forth and juggling the ball two or three times and then passing it on. We never talked about how to juggle or what they should do. You don't need to have any skill to start doing this (however I would recommend watching some simple juggling to make sure your form is somewhat correct, if youv'e never done it before). Even if you are a begginer you can learn with your kids, and if they enjoy it they will start doing it themselves. It worked for us.
My daughter started out at age 5 in a rec league so from my own personal experience I would say she is old enough to start playing on a rec team good luck and enjoy the early years.
The great thing about our game is the ball is on the ground, and is played mostly with your feet. So any age is a good time to start. You don't have to be big to play. I once told my daughter when she was with child to practice now. She said why, i told her the baby should train from the womb
Why is there a "time" for kids to start - I am assuming, travel soccer? I mean when we pick a school do we look for one that's just "fun?" I think that Rec soccer in the US is very poorly managed. IMO It needs to change so as to make it more easier for the volunteer parents to train and the kids to catch a love of the game - not for it to be just another play-time recess with their friends. We fail horribly at this level and thusly lose many players at the u10 levels to other sports because kids do not grow to love the sport. As far as I am concerned - unless you have a unique situation with a great rec coach, it's never to early to get your player to the right environment where they will firstly develop a personality, build confidence through understanding the game, make friends and finally have a passion for the sport. If they have that passion - they will want to play - even on their own in the back yard. If that love is genuine the parents are less likely to push and thus will reduce potential burn out.
I think almost every kid starts off playing rec soccer there is no Premier teams for 5 and 6 years old well at least not in Seattle. I do agree with you though, the faster you can get them on a Premier team the better for their soccer development my daughter started playing Premier when she was 7 she wanted to play against more competitive teams and she's loved it ever since.
We started in Rec from 4-6. Just before she turned 7 we went to club. She's still 7 and wants to play more (thanks to her club coaches which developed that pasion). So she just jumped in mid-season to our local rec program to just have fun. I see it as more time on the ball and being around her school friends - which is different then her club friends. So building relationships on top of soccer - instead of the other way around which is typical of a recreational environment - unless you have a good coach.
