How do I find the right club or team for my daughter?
For the "New Kid in Town", players new to the game, or player's who are looking for a new team, locating a new team for your daughter can be confusing and stressful. We will try to answer this question so that everyone (whether you are experienced with soccer in your area, or if your child has never played before) will hopefully find some guidance.
Before you begin looking for a Soccer Club, answer these questions first:
Has my child ever played before? If not, they may be best served at first by locating a recreational program in your area. Many soccer clubs have both a recreational and competitive soccer program. Recreational Soccer is a low stress alternative, which caters to beginning players and players not interested in the intense level of play in a competitive program. Competitive soccer is for experienced, dedicated players who intend to keep playing the game, and desire improving their skills for the next level of play. If your daughter has never played the game before, a recreational program will give them a taste of the game, and allow you the opportunity to see if they are interested, and have the ability level to progress to a higher level of play.
How far am I willing to travel for my child's soccer? Unless your daughter is over 16 and has a car, you will be the one expected to transport them to practices, games, tournaments, fundraisers, etc. etc. etc. For this reason, many players suffer. If you do not provide the dedication to make sure child is at all required events, they will either lose interest, or will suffer (if they are not at practice, you can not expect their skill level to progress). Many parent's simply choose the closest club they can find for this reason. This is not always the best choice. Investigate other options available, and weigh the pros and cons before making a choice solely to save a few minutes of driving. In many larger areas, their are dozens of clubs within a few miles of each other.
Locate all potential clubs within a reasonable distance to you. You may search the internet for clubs in your area (our links page includes many clubs and teams). Also, we suggest you contact your state Association, or visit their website, as they will be able to provide a list of all soccer clubs in the region. Talk with neighbors, school teachers, school coaches, and others who know children your child's age - they may know about local clubs and can give suggestions (Or Warnings!) about them. Remember do not narrow down your list too early.