Youth soccer was demanding, and wearing my family out. My son's coach came up with a surprising solution.
The author spoke with her son's soccer coach, and he now attends fewer practices in favor of spending time at home with his family. Courtesy of Rebecca Nevius After years of club soccer, the pace had worn us all down. It had never crossed my mind that we could set limits on what the club asked of us. One hard conversation taught us that we still had agency as parents. At the end of the last soccer season, something had to give. After years of pouring out time and resources into supporting our middle son's love of soccer, my husband and I decided it was time to quit club sports . We were too tired to keep going with the demanding schedule. Yet, how would I say goodbye to parents who were now lifelong friends ? My 10-year-old also had formed deep bonds with other players, and the idea of starting over at another club was daunting. We'd traveled together, endured games in freezing rain and blazing hot summers. It was a heartwrenching decision, and we agonized over it...
