A parent details spending $50,000 to $75,000 on club soccer over 18 years, including fees, travel, and training. The payoff: a full-ride college scholarship worth roughly $250,000. Success requires total parental commitment, but the math can work out.
I spent over $15,000 on club soccer. I thought, wow, it's a lot of money. That should cover this, get him into college, get a scholarship, he's going to go pro, blah blah blah. Guess what? That's just the beginning of the path that you're going down. There's going to be traveling to ID camps, there's going to be personal training, there's going to be equipment, there's going to be injuries, there's going to be things. If you're committed to doing this, you kind of have to go all in or find your way to go all in. But do not think just joining a club is going to be the answer to your problems and it's all over. Besides driving, you're going to be traveling, you're making a big commitment, and that's what it takes. Now, in our case, it worked out. Besides getting a full ride, which of course was fantastic, it was also the experience and what it did for him as a, as my son. And that's really what you're trying to do as a parent, is to give your kid the best possible life, and college soccer is a big part of that.
How much did you spend, do you think, if you had to guess a number? From 0 years old until 18. Mind you, my full-ride scholarship was worth a quarter of a million dollars. Do you think you spent more or less than that from 0 until I was 18?
I would say probably less than a quarter million dollars. If I was going to guess, and it'd be a guess, $50,000 to $75,000. Not to mention my weekend staying in a Marriott Hotel in Riverside and driving to San Diego when I would have rather been maybe shooting basketball. Pool, going surfing, sleeping in. I was on the road for those 7 AM, 8 AM games in hotels and motels and Mexican restaurants with teams full of people. So it's a big commitment, but in the end, if you're a parent, it pays off.
So he spent X, and in my case, I got a scholarship that was worth the money. But on top of that, and I think he'll tell you himself, I had an experience that I, you know, am forever grateful for. I play soccer to this day. It's super fun. My brother got to play college soccer too. He got nearly a full-ride scholarship, and that enables us to get play together. So if you want more help, comment dad.
