My son keeps asking to play soccer (probably because all his friends do lol). He's never done organized sports before. Looking at summer camps but there are SO MANY options and price varies wildly. Do you get what you pay for or is $150 basically the same as $400? Should I just start with a cheap camp to see if he actually likes it?
Look for camps that specifically say 'beginner focused' or 'no experience needed.' Some of the fancy ones assume your kid already knows how to play and your 7yo will feel lost. The rec programs always take everyone.
Price varies because some places actually know what they're doing and some are just kids kicking a ball around for 2 hours. Check if the coach is certified and ask how many kids per coach - under 10 is key for beginners.
Summer rec league is way cheaper than specialized camps and honestly perfect for a beginner. My son did the Parks & Rec u8 league for like $60 and the coaches just teach basics without pressure. Camps are cool but they're overkill for year 1.
Summer camps are a trap for 7yo beginners - too much money for kids who might hate it. Start with a 4-week weekly thing at a park district or rec league. Way cheaper, less commitment, easier to bail if he loses interest.
Pro tip: ask the instructors which kids struggle most and which ones love it naturally. Your son will prob fall somewhere in between. Some kids just aren't soccer kids and that's okay too.
Friends doing it is legit half the reason kids actually care about sports at that age. Once he's with his buddies he'll be way more into it regardless of how good the camp is.
Real talk the 'price varies wildly' thing is because some camps are actual coaching and others are just glorified daycare lol. Call and ask how many touches on the ball per kid per session - that tells you everything.
Our parks dept does 6-week sessions for like $80. Way better entry point than full summer camps which run $300+. And you get to assess whether he actually likes it without dropping cash.
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Yeah your kid probably just wants to do what his friends are doing rn. That's fine and normal. Look for recreational leagues, not competitive camps. Check your local parks dept - they usually have beginner sessions.