If your kid is stuck between rec and club soccer, you're not the only family in that spot. I sat down with Josh Meadows, founder of Good Sport Initiative (GSI) in Denton, Texas, on Chat By The Pitch, and he's built his whole program around that gap.
The gap between rec and club soccer
Josh says his city has over a thousand kids in the rec league, and that's a great thing. But after a couple of seasons a lot of those kids want to be around more developed players. The answer families usually hear is "go find a club." Then the kid lands on a reserve team, barely plays, and the coach expects the development to happen somewhere else.
So Josh started collecting the kids who wanted more. First at a playground, for free. Today his fall program is $150, and that covers full-time training plus a local development league fee at Crossbar in Denton. When a family wants to add a tournament, the parents split that cost evenly. Nothing is mandatory.
Development first
When parents ask him if GSI is rec or club, his answer is that he's development. He's happy to send kids on to a club when they're ready. He told me he won't play gatekeeper, and that a club coaching one of his development teams can take those kids to their own club when they're ready.
He also told me about his daughter's old club team. One bad tournament, a drop in the rankings, and the club came down on the coach. The coach's whole demeanor changed. That's the kind of pressure Josh is trying to keep away from younger kids.
What I'm taking from it as a dad
Josh's advice for parents is simple: find what works for your kid and your family. Some kids thrive on pressure and love the big club scene. Plenty don't. And a kid between 10 and 20 goes by fast. If the environment drives them out of the game, they may never come back to it.
If you're a parent in North Texas trying to figure out your next step, give this episode a listen. And if you know a family on a rec wait list, send it to them.
Listen on Spotify:
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRx4X1_JZ1A
Apple Podcasts: Listen on Apple Podcasts
