By Spencer Collum, Partnership Advisor at FTL United FC
Every season, I meet parents who are excited—and nervous—about stepping into the world of travel sports for club soccer. And they’re right, it’s a big commitment for their kid(s) and for themselves. Club sports come with real challenges in time dedication, travel, costs, etc. There can also be burnout, additional stress and injury set-backs.
But once parents and players start to experience “Club Soccer Life” it becomes something very powerful and meaningful. The growth of these kids as athletes but also as people is exponential. Sports teach kids so much about team mentality, provide confidence through athletic identity and hopefully also provide a fun social construct for the kids who build life-long bonds with their teammates. And if done right, the parents have a great time too supporting the kids on their team.
Development > Trophies
At our club, winning isn’t the metric. Development is. College coaches don’t call and ask how many tournaments we won—they ask about players. They want kids who can play with technical skill, tactical awareness, and resilience. If you’re evaluating a club, look at their development philosophy. Are they building players for the long run, or chasing trophies for the short term?
Ask the Money Question (and the Time One, Too)
The posted tuition is never the whole story. Families need to ask: What’s the annual cost once you add uniforms, travel, and tournaments? Some teams may travel regionally, others across the country. That difference can mean thousands of dollars and dozens of missed workdays. The most frustrated families I’ve seen are the ones who didn’t know the full calendar or the financial reality up front.
Exposure Happens Off the Scoreboard
Another misconception: your kid won’t get recruited just because they’re on a “good team.” Exposure comes from showcases, ID camps, and relationships. The club’s role is to put players in the right environments and advocate for them but athletes still need to show the hunger. Parents should ask: What is your club’s pathway to college recruiting? How do you help kids connect with the right opportunities?
Burnout Is Real (and Preventable)
Inside the club, we see it every year: kids who love the game at 12 but are done by 16. Sometimes it’s because the schedule is relentless; sometimes it’s because all the joy got replaced by pressure. The best families have a plan. They build in breaks, they monitor academics, and they keep checking in with their kids about whether the dream still feels like theirs.
Parents Shape the Culture, Too
I’ll say it plainly: the parents matter as much as the players. Sideline behavior, how you talk about coaches, how you treat other kids—it all creates the environment your child plays in. The families who thrive are the ones who build community, keep perspective, and remember that every kid on the field is somebody’s child. Remember that every game, win or lose, is another step forward in their development.
The Bottom Line
The lessons kids learn in travel sports—discipline, resilience, leadership—are the same ones that will serve them in school, in their future careers, and in life. From inside the club, here’s what I can tell you: travel sports are not the right fit for every family. And that’s okay. But for the ones who prepare, ask the right questions, and commit to the journey, it can be one of the most transformative experiences of a child’s life. Joining a travel team is more than a sport; it’s an opportunity to be part of a community, to watch your child grow, and to create memories you’ll talk about for years.
Our role as a club is to keep development at the center, to support families through the ups and downs, and to make sure that when the season ends, kids still love the game enough to come back for more.
About the Author
Spencer Collum
Partnership Advisor at FTL United FC, a professional football club. He brings the club-level perspective on what really matters when it comes to youth development.
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