Cost of Youth Soccer
The cost of youth soccer continues to be a challenge for soccer clubs and families across the country. GSA is no exception.
What are the true costs and how do we navigate this together?
Typical club fees are $1800+/- per year depending on the level of the team and program ($150/month, $35/wk., $5/day) for 12 month programming.
What do the fees cover?
Staff, Administration, Tech., Registration Fees, League Fees, Facilities, Scholarships, and Equipment.
What is the cost of travel?
Average cost of sending a player to a travel tournament? $300 + flight = $700-$1500.
What does this cost include?
Tournament entry fee, coaches travel, hotel (depending on age group/player rooms), food/entertainment, flight.
*This does not include a parent traveling with their child.
So what’s the solution you ask? First understand the challenge.
The challenge is quality of games, pathways to championships, “elite leagues” v local play, college showcase events. Clubs that provide elite pathways for players with ambition to compete on the college and professional stage create calendars and programming to facilitate opportunities for players to advance. This requires travel to compete and showcase against the best, in front of the appropriate audience: US Youth National Team, Pro Academies, College Programs.
For players not interested in playing at the higher levels, travel should be minimized, or localized to state and region. For the more ambitious, travel demands are regional, national, and in some instances international.
The Solution.
Balance! For the top players and teams, we maximize the local competitive environment, we identify the closest and most beneficial competition and showcase platforms to challenge our players appropriately for maximum development and showcase opportunities. Fundraising/Raffles to keep club fees down, create a large scholarship budget, and support players with ability and ambition both financially and developmentally. Reduce or eliminate the financial barriers. There is no easy solution. But we know when you help one player realize their potential and dreams, it creates additional opportunities for others in their community. It ruly is a we thing! This is the GSA Way!!