soccer year-round on indoor turf - questions

[CloudBee]

DS (8) is looking to make the change from martial arts to soccer. We've got a connection (through an organization partnered with our children's hospital) that will allow him to be a developmental player on a local premier team. They play inside on turf most of the year, which is appealing to us as DS is sensitive to heat. This is a year-round opportunity, with a short break in the summer that we can fill with camps at the same facility. 

Tomorrow he's trying out the field for the first time by dropping into one of their summer camp sessions. He has all the gear (cleats, socks, shinguards) for outside. Does all of that transfer inside for turf at his age? I don't need to run out and grab anything else for him tonight, do I? This is all very last minute notice.

Also - if your child has played on a premier league, did they have developmental players on the team? What did that look like? (ETA: Do you think DS will feel left out, or is this really common and flows naturally? Still unsure if he will attend all games, or only games the coach wants him to play in.) They said that this is how they approach entrance for kids who are new to the sport but want the change to play year-round. They learn the ropes during practices, and are very slowly thrown into games as the coaches think they're ready.

I know in our area some view premier leagues as a money grab. The facility isn't after us for the money. They're making accommodations due to some of our son's medical needs. I've already had one local friend in the soccer world tell me they're after your money if your kid isn't good. For us, it's not about the money (and we're getting a break from the facility from the get go this year), it's about giving DS exposure to see if soccer is the sport for him, in a safe environment. (Inside, with coaches who know his backstory, etc.)

Please share your experiences and/or tips for tomorrow! Right now I just plan on sending him in one of his soccer jerseys, outdoor cleats, shinguards, and socks.

Thanks  

[osulori]

The only thing I can think of that you may need is indoor soccer shoes which are different from cleats. It depends on how strict the facility is though-AJ did some indoor clinics at a place that said cleats were prohibited but we didn't know (we were new to indoor soccer at the time). They didn't say anything the first session and we picked up a pair of indoor soccer shoes after that. I know some places absolutely will not let anyone on the turf with regular cleats though.

ETA: since he's trying it out tomorrow he could likely get away with either outdoor cleats or regular gym shoes.  Is there a contact person from the team that you could check with? 

[CloudBee]

Aug 4, 2021 13:28:14 GMT -5 osulori said:

The only thing I can think of that you may need is indoor soccer shoes which are different from cleats. It depends on how strict the facility is though-AJ did some indoor clinics at a place that said cleats were prohibited but we didn't know (we were new to indoor soccer at the time). They didn't say anything the first session and we picked up a pair of indoor soccer shoes after that. I know some places absolutely will not let anyone on the turf with regular cleats though.

Good to know! I will pack his regular sneakers in his backpack in case he can't wear cleats.

Do big box sporting goods stores usually carry indoor soccer shoes, or did you have to order them online?

[osulori]

Aug 4, 2021 13:30:14 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Aug 4, 2021 13:28:14 GMT -5 osulori said:

The only thing I can think of that you may need is indoor soccer shoes which are different from cleats. It depends on how strict the facility is though-AJ did some indoor clinics at a place that said cleats were prohibited but we didn't know (we were new to indoor soccer at the time). They didn't say anything the first session and we picked up a pair of indoor soccer shoes after that. I know some places absolutely will not let anyone on the turf with regular cleats though.

Good to know! I will pack his regular sneakers in his backpack in case he can't wear cleats.

Do big box sporting goods stores usually carry indoor soccer shoes, or did you have to order them online?

You should be fine at any big box store-we picked some up at the one closest to us and they had a decent variety of brands/styles and sizes. 

[pinkly]

My girls have played club soccer for several years now. Our teams have occasionally had “practice players”, which is basically the same as what you are talking about.

In my experience (I’ve been the team manager), this usually went pretty well. It likely depends on how the coach handles the situation though. The way you are describing it, this sounds like something the organization is used to doing, so I’d guess it should be pretty smooth.

I always loved that our organization gave folks this opportunity before making such a huge commitment time and cost-wise.

Best of luck to your son. I hope he loves it!

[CloudBee]

Aug 4, 2021 13:42:47 GMT -5 pinkly said:

My girls have played club soccer for several years now. Our teams have occasionally had “practice players”, which is basically the same as what you are talking about.

In my experience (I’ve been the team manager), this usually went pretty well. It likely depends on how the coach handles the situation though. The way you are describing it, this sounds like something the organization is used to doing, so I’d guess it should be pretty smooth.

I always loved that our organization gave folks this opportunity before making such a huge commitment time and cost-wise.

Best of luck to your son. I hope he loves it!

How long did it usually take practice players to join in on an actual game? A full year? Months? I'm sure it's different for anyone, but for a kid who's fairly athletic and determined, did they get thrown in by year-end?

We hope he loves it, too! He's been asking to play soccer for ages, and has most of the European jerseys. We can't get him to wear anything else. LOL.

[ssmjlm]

No cleats for indoors. Also, none of the indoor facilities near me are great at temperature control. So it's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It's better than outside, but they're huge metal style buildings, so there's only so much they can do.

[abs]

I guess this is dependent on the facility.

DD played soccer for 5 years. They were either inside or out depending on the season. Cleats were always recommended inside. I liked soccer because there wasn't that much equipment needed. Cleats, shin guards, and that's it. Shin guards get nasty so be prepared.

As far as playing time DD only did rec so no advice there.

[pinkly]

Aug 4, 2021 13:53:09 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Aug 4, 2021 13:42:47 GMT -5 pinkly said:

My girls have played club soccer for several years now. Our teams have occasionally had “practice players”, which is basically the same as what you are talking about.

In my experience (I’ve been the team manager), this usually went pretty well. It likely depends on how the coach handles the situation though. The way you are describing it, this sounds like something the organization is used to doing, so I’d guess it should be pretty smooth.

I always loved that our organization gave folks this opportunity before making such a huge commitment time and cost-wise.

Best of luck to your son. I hope he loves it!

How long did it usually take practice players to join in on an actual game? A full year? Months? I'm sure it's different for anyone, but for a kid who's fairly athletic and determined, did they get thrown in by year-end?

We hope he loves it, too! He's been asking to play soccer for ages, and has most of the European jerseys. We can't get him to wear anything else. LOL.

That’s adorable, lol.

Honestly, it depended on the kid, how quickly they took to the game and learned the mechanics. But if he shows a genuine happiness to be there and willingness to learn, that’s a great start. It’s not always the most athletic kids you want out there - it’s kids who are coachable. And even some of the most athletic kids just aren’t.

[pinkly]

Aug 4, 2021 14:08:15 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

No cleats for indoors. Also, none of the indoor facilities near me are great at temperature control. So it's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It's better than outside, but they're huge metal style buildings, so there's only so much they can do.

I’m wondering if this depends on location. Where I am, completely agree with you. But where the OP is, since they do indoor year round, I’m wondering if it will be better regulated.

[CloudBee]

Thanks for all of the tips! It sounds like they will require turf shoes if we sign him up. Today we were told to bring cleats and his regular sneakers.

The facility is massive, and one coach said the place tends to be freezing.

I'll keep you posted once we see what he thinks after his trial day today. I hope it's a good fit.

[egishere]

If he likes it definitely get indoor soccer shoes- sporting goods stores should have them.

Hope he loves it! I just love watching my kids play soccer- my DS is very good/was on a select team but he doesn't love it as much as other sports like football ugh My DD plays too.

[CloudBee]

They let him wear cleats today. Constructive criticism, which I appreciate. They suggest we tap into their pre-season practice and consider a few clinics or private lessons to brush him on up skills. He's motivated, but didn't know all of the lingo / drills. I've posted on a few local FB pages looking to see if anyone has a teen looking to make cash. If we don't find a good fit with that route, we'll grit our teeth and pay for a couple of privates. The coach said that it's obvious he's passionate and willing to fight for the ball, but he really needs more experience with the ball and the game itself.

I don't see a single soccer camp running for a single week from now through the end of our summer. (End of August.) I'm going to email a few places that have multi week sessions and see if they would accept a kid for the remaining week(s).