If your daughter really, really loves soccer, maybe she would be willing to give up some other things. I have offered to give up all of my birthday presents, birthday parties, Christmas presents for soccer. When grandparents and aunts and uncles ask what she wants for gifts, maybe she could ask for money for soccer. And, maybe you could find a local sponsor. Some girls on my team have sponsors that pay for them to play. You could ask car dealerships, restaurants, stores. If your daughter really loves soccer, she would be willing to give up some other things. Also, maybe if she is in other things that cost money, she could quit those. Like dance or music lessons, or art classes or Girl Scouts. I would do anything to play, give up everything else if I had to. I would have at U8 or U9. I guess what you are willing to spend should depend on how much she wants to play. If it is her LIFE then it is worth the money. I think I would die if I could not play!!!! If not, and she would rather do something else sometimes, then maybe you could just have her play rec or something cheap. Good Luck!
I pay the money because I cannot stand to deal with rec coaches or have my kid play with misfits who are only playing because mommy and daddy forced them to. So long as the kids love to play and put in the effort and compete I will continue to pay the bill. I am under no illusions that soccer will pay for my kids' college but it could help them get accepted to school they would not have if they play high level soccer. Straight A's will generate more scholarship money than soccer ever will.
I don't know. The professionalism of youth sports appalls me for many reasons, not the least of which is that it seems to demand that children focus on one sport to the exclusion of many other things. As a parent of young children, that disturbs me. On the other hand, soccer taught me discipline, commitment, sportsmanship, an appreciation for the beauty of graceful human movement, appreciation for other cultures. It has, literally, been a passport to other cultures and countries. Nothing would please me more than for my children to have a similar experience. Finally, I pay a high and daily price for my love and commitment to the sport. I would encourage anyone, no matter how they love soccer (and I love it with a deep and abiding passion), to explore and develop other interests as well.
Too many surgeries, the gift that keeps on giving (half of them post-retirement). I don't regret the choice to keep playing...and I have still remained an athlete (scuba, cycling, mountain hiking). It would be nice to be able to run again, though, so my fingers are crossed for improving med-tech. Make sure your life includes something else, against that day you can no longer play.
Quote from my paternal grandfather (still living); "Getting old is not for sissies". I love that man.
thats true the bit about the financially well off parents though but its ur fault for living in america and everything being so far apart meh