I’m biased as I coach in the centennial club and live in that district as well
. I think they may have added 2nd grade in this last year but the hawks club was always a year younger. We’ve had good experience with ACBC and I would recommend it.
Youth Sports Costs
- Thread starter spierceisu
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. I think they may have added 2nd grade in this last year but the hawks club was always a year younger. We’ve had good experience with ACBC and I would recommend it.
Teach your kids to enjoy trying lots of different activities while they're as young as yours currently are. They should be able to play a variety of sports at that age without the pressure or stress of real "competition". Stick to Ankeny's rec leagues. IMO parents who get their 6, 7, 8 year olds into traveling or highly competitive club sports are living vicariously through their kids more than they're actually doing it *for* their kid. Once your kids really gain an affinity for one or two sports and have the desire to really commit time to it, then its time to start exploring clubs. But even then - set real family boundaries. Childhood is a unique time that they won't get back. Weekends together will someday be gone. Teach your kids to live with balance.
The main advantage is they would play with the kids they will be going to school with. I know the Hawks one works in tandem with the high school coaches at AHS but I can't speak to the Centennial one especially after the coaching change.
I used to feel this way, but don't any longer. We've never done travel ball.... my kids like the $60 Y-Leagues in town. But one year, one of those Y-League teams was filled with a bunch of other boys that did do travel ball separately. They dominated, but were also incredibly nice kids & families. Did not at all fit my stereotype.
The stereotype exists for a reason, but some kids just like it. Some families can afford it. And these travels are their weekends together.
So... at the end of the day... whatever floats your boat.
If they are girls steer them clear of dance that is a racket money wise.
It all depends on if your kids are good athletes or not to be honest. I had my son in Little league until the it was so watered down and the other players were just terrible. So we made the decision to move him up to USSSA to one of the lower leagues. I think it was 2A.
My daughter was a rock star right away and we moved her to academy soccer because she was blowing the doors off other kids and she wanted more competition.
There is nothing wrong with the little league and normal soccer stuff. However, the Academy in soccer and USSSA in baseball made the parks and rec type league so bad if you had a really good player it basically forced you to move them up to something better, which means more expensive and a lot more travel.
Best day of my life "Dad, I dont think I wanna do dance anymore"
This is a good thought but you’re basically dooming your kid to be JV or lower their entire life unless they are an insanely gifted athlete naturally.
The coaching and skill development in those leagues are night and day. I played travel soccer and baseball from a young age and never once felt behind. I moved to AAU for one year in high school as I was doing well in the local league and I couldn’t even stay on the floor from a skill and positioning perspective.
I get the tendency to want to save money and wait if the kid shows a gift or really strong desire to play but at that point your playing catchup for those kids that skipped rec and played travel. Our high school varsity soccer, basketball and baseball teams only had one guy who didn’t play travel and that’s because he was an insane athlete that focused on soccer above all else outside of HS.
We have friends in Johnston and all the boys up there play little league as well as travel ball. We live in West Des Moines and outside football and soccer, the youth programs are awful. Sportsplex West does an "open" league for baseball but by the time the boys are in 2nd grade there are maybe enough players for like 3 teams. West Des Moines and the school system have basically thrown their hands up in the air and kicked youth sports to the clubs. The only exception is football, Valley has a really good youth program.
My son plays club soccer and he will be in high school this coming year. If you haven't been playing club soccer, you might not even make a roster.
Also the club guys are used to playing together so for tryouts and practice there is an innate familiarity that the other guys just won’t have. Might not like it but it’s reality at any good sized school
I'm nervous about this with my son. I grew up in a small community and was able to play everything. My son is a good athlete, but likes doing lots of things. He wouldn't have fun playing one sport longer than the given season. Which is appropriate for a kid his age. I'm just curious what it means for his athletic career come high school.
Youth sports are fine. Club sports are basically evil.
It's really too bad high school athletic associations couldn't or can't set up a system that keeps kids together in a district playing together year round or at least longer than a few months.
It's really too bad high school athletic associations couldn't or can't set up a system that keeps kids together in a district playing together year round or at least longer than a few months.
I don't think that's fair to say. It honestly depends on the sport and the how certain clubs operate.
It depends on the sport honestly. Football he won’t have any issues. Baseball, soccer, and basketball are the big ones. Track is always a fall back and chances are as he grows up he will gravitate to a sport or two that he really likes or that most of his best friends are playing.
We've had good experiences in i9, Ankeny Rec, and ACBC for all of our sports. i9 typically has games on Sundays which is why we went with them so we wouldn't be missing any Cyclone home games for a 1st grade soccer game....
Strong disagree on this. Those kids in the district do play together, the ones that are serious about it play club, the ones looking just to run around play rec. One group has actual coaches with experience in the sport, the other has whatever dad or mom has free time and focuses on participation not competition
This I mentioned it in my post but there is a significant coaching difference between rec and the mid to upper level club teams.
My grandson, who was 2nd grade last year, played in the Ankeny Centennial basketball club and I'd say it was a good experience overall.
However, I was really ticked off about the expense. In addition to having to pay the $325 participation fee, I believe adults (includes parents, grandparents, etc) had to pay $8 each and children $4 each for admission to watch his games on the weekends. So that meant my wife and my son's family had to fork out another $40 each weekend to watch our grandson play a couple of 45 minute games.
The participation fee goes up to $425 next year and $500 the year after that.
Helps you understand how the more affluent Des Moines suburbs have such better basketball programs than the other communities. I think that's sad.
However, I was really ticked off about the expense. In addition to having to pay the $325 participation fee, I believe adults (includes parents, grandparents, etc) had to pay $8 each and children $4 each for admission to watch his games on the weekends. So that meant my wife and my son's family had to fork out another $40 each weekend to watch our grandson play a couple of 45 minute games.
The participation fee goes up to $425 next year and $500 the year after that.
Helps you understand how the more affluent Des Moines suburbs have such better basketball programs than the other communities. I think that's sad.
Maybe because it’s elementary school but that’s honestly a steal of a fee. I don’t remember what my travel/club fees were that young but for middle and HS throw a zero on that number and add some change. That was like 20 years ago too.
