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| PA SPORTS TRAINING |
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WHAT IS COMPETITIVE SOCCER ?
Unlike recreational or intramural programs, a competitive soccer club provides young players with an opportunity to refine their soccer skills in the company of other youngsters seeking similar development. Consequently, the environment of competitive soccer is best suited to those children who have more than a "passing interest" in the game. We provide a developmental opportunity for the more serious player who is ready to test himself or herself at a higher level. All players must tryout to earn a place on the roster and, unlike recreational soccer, placement on a team is not guaranteed. Once they have gained a spot on a team, all players are expected to show their commitment to that team through regular attendance at twice-weekly practices and at games.
Competitive soccer has sometimes been called "travel" soccer. This is because competitve soccer teams travel to the home fields of other soccer clubs to play "away" matches. However, there are at least two senses in which the use of the word "travel" provides a misleading representation of competitive soccer:
The first misconception is that we travel to far away places. Our younger teams usually do not travel more than 35-40 minutes to an away game. Some of our older teams may travel a little farther away. Most importantly, all of our teams play fully half of their league games at home in Clarks Summit. Our teams may also play anywhere from 1 to 3 tournaments in each of the fall and spring seasons. Our youngest teams (in their first and second seasons) tend to participate in fewer tournaments than do our more established teams. Sometimes particpation in the larger tournaments might necessitate an overnight stay. However, even these overnight trips do not usually require more than 2-3 travel hours. Plus, these tournament trips are invariably popular with parents and players alike because (1) they offer a fun soccer festival environment, (2) they generate exposure to interesting new teams (sometimes from other states), and (3) they provide an exciting "hotel-stay" experience that helps nurture the family atmosphere we try to create within our teams.
The second reason the term "travel" might be a confusing synonym for competitive soccer is the fact that some recreational and quasi-recreational organizations designate certain teams as "travel" because these teams travel to other townships and towns to play a lot of their games. These travel teams participate in very worthwhile programs that play an important role in the youth soccer world. However, these teams should not be confused with what we are. In both tournament play and regular season action, Abington plays teams only from leagues formally recognized by their state soccer association as member travel leagues. These state-designated "travel" leagues are developed expressly for competitive play and serious soccer education.
As a bonus, competitive soccer tends to foster significant and lasting friendships. The players on a given team are generally kept together year-after-year; they learn to function as a group and help each other grow as soccer players.
Many people ask if "winning" is important in the Abington program. We think that everyone should recognize the fact that even the best of soccer teams will lose games. So, our players are always accorded the privilege of losing while maintaining their dignity and self-respect. We will not subject our players to the "pressure cooker" environment that some "winning" soccer programs create. Nevertheless, we realize that it can be difficult for a young person to sustain her or his interest in an activity if he or she rarely tastes success. No matter how much the players might learn from the experience, it is extremely tough to face losing all of the time. We therefore aim to create winning teams. And, if past history is any indicator, most of our players are likely to experience some wonderful winning moments on the field and thus enjoy that unique sense of self-esteem that accompanies such satisfying achievement. In fact, we note with pride our formidable legacy of league and tournament championships.
Is your child ready for Abington club soccer?
This is something each family must determine for itself. However, a good way to decide if your child is ready for our program would be to answer the following questions:
Does your child display a noticable love for soccer?
Does he/she get excited about the game?
Would she/he like to meet others who share such a love for the game?
Does your child often wish that he/she could play more soccer?
Does your child feel somewhat unchallenged in his/her present soccer environment?
Do you wish your child could learn more about the game than recreational programs seem to provide?
Is your family willing to make an earnest commitment?
If you answered "yes" to these questions, then please contact us to see if we can provide the type of soccer experience you seek.
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ABINGTON SOCCER CLUB
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