For parents of girls who play soccer
The flyer price is only the first bill for club soccer.
Club fees, tournaments, extra training, new kits every year. Everybody tells you what your daughter needs. Nobody tells you what it costs, or what's actually worth it.
From the first youth season through high school, recruiting and eligibility.
Sound familiar?
Everybody has advice. Get the whole bill before you pay.
Before long you've paid the club fee, bought a new kit, booked a hotel you didn't pick, and added extra training, and you still don't know if any of it is helping her get better or keeping her excited to play.
Maybe you haven't signed with a club yet. Maybe you already have. Either way, you deserve straight answers before the next check goes out.
I'm not here to tell you what to do. I'm here to show you what to look at.
Inside the book
A few things you'll learn
Why this isn't the boys' book with "she" swapped in
Her own leagues, like ECNL Girls and Girls Academy, recruiting rules checked by division and calendar, and injuries that get real attention.
When a club pressures her to skip high school soccer
The exact words to use with the club, and what their answer tells you.
What to say in the car after a bad game
Give her space, ask if she wants to talk, and start with a question.
Knee-injury risk reduction
Why it deserves attention, and what to ask about an age-appropriate, multi-part injury-prevention warm-up taught by someone trained in it.
Basic safeguarding every parent should know
The adult-and-child boundaries worth naming plainly, even if you think they don’t apply to your club.
How college recruiting actually runs
The timeline grade by grade, what differs between D1, D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO, and questions to ask a college coach.
Included
In the back of the book
Causes and Solutions Matrix
At-Home Drills
The Plan
Questions Parents Ask
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Plain answers for sports parents, camps worth knowing about, and new books when they come out. Free, and you can leave any time.
About the author
I've been the parent who didn't know what to ask
I'm Sam Duffey, founder of Prime Path Athletics. I'm a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 3. I coached youth football and basketball for 15 years and helped start a youth athletics program. I played junior college basketball at Navarro College and Cisco Junior College before I left school to enlist after September 11th.
My oldest son wanted to keep playing past high school. He didn't get to, and at the time I didn't know how to help him. That's a big part of why Prime Path Athletics exists.
My measure of a good season was never the record. It was whether kids kept coming back and parents trusted what I told them.
Before you buy
Is this book for you?
This is for you if
- Your daughter plays soccer and you're thinking about club or travel teams
- You've already joined a club and the costs keep surprising you
- You want her to stay healthy and still love the game in high school
- You've heard "she'll fall behind" and want a straight answer
This is not for you if
- You want a coaching manual. There's an at-home drill chapter, but this book is about decisions.
- You want someone to pick a club for you
- You want someone to promise a scholarship. Nobody honest can.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I get?
A 190-page book with 16 chapters and four appendices: a causes-and-solutions matrix, at-home drills, a year-round plan, and an index of the parent questions answered in the book. Get it as an EPUB ebook ($14.99) or as a 6x9 paperback that includes the PDF ($19.99).
What ages is it for?
It starts with the first youth season and runs through high school, recruiting and eligibility. Most families get the most from it in elementary and middle school, before the big money decisions.
Is this just the boys' book with the names changed?
No. It's written for parents of daughters, from knee health to college odds to keeping her in the game.
Are you telling me to skip club soccer?
No. Club soccer can be right for the right kid on the right team. I just want you to know what you're paying for, and what it's actually buying, before you pay it.
The Real Cost of Girls Youth Soccer
A Parent's Guide to Club Soccer, Recruiting, and What's Worth Paying For
- 190 pages, 16 chapters, 4 appendices
- Exact questions to ask, and who to ask
- Plain language, no fluff
One last thing
You can make the money back. You can't get the days back.
Don't let somebody else's calendar or sales pitch make this call for you. Get the questions and the numbers first. Then decide.
P.S. Before her next practice, ask the coach one thing: "What injury-prevention warm-up do you run, and how often?" The answer tells you a lot. This book gives you the rest of the questions.
Good luck this season.
Sam Duffey, Prime Path Athletics
