[81alum]

[quote author=81alum link=topic=18334.msg217850#msg217850 date=1512965630]
[quote author=FarmBoy link=topic=18334.msg217836#msg217836 date=1512959442]
What mainstream sports in the US have this level of development investment at that same age? The only one I can think of is gymnastics.

My daughter was up to 26 hours a week in gymnastics at level 9 at age 13, having started out at about 6 hours a week at level 4 at age 4.  It goes up a bit more from there for the level 10s and elites (Olympians.)  She was competing nationally but quit due to injury and coaching changes before starting high school. 

Yes, gymnastics probably comes closest to European youth soccer in that it takes very young kids, drills them for very long hours, and produces competitors at a very high level internationally. 

All that said, I don't think we would do it again.  It is simply too imbalanced a lifestyle for a kid.  My daughter got many things out of the experience, but made many sacrifices.  Too many, in retrospect.  And of course there was not going to be a lucrative soccer contract at the end of it!

She took up running in high school and was able to be an athlete while having a much more balanced life.  A very good decision, as it turned out.
[/quote]

This is good perspective to hear. My daughter is training 9 hours a week as a 7 year old at level 3. Apparently her peers at some other gyms are training 15-20! That sounds like madness to me. We're trying to decide how far down the rabbit hole we should go wtih this. She loves it, but it's starting to feel too consuming.
[/quote]
Lots of ex-gymnasts do track or diving.  My daughter became a terrific hurdles runner--vaulting is great training for sprinting.  Her friend became a great pole vaulter.  Gymnastics segues nicely into more reasonable sports.  Not sure if diving is really more reasonable :)

[81alum]

[quote author=81alum link=topic=18334.msg217850#msg217850 date=1512965630]
[quote author=FarmBoy link=topic=18334.msg217836#msg217836 date=1512959442]
What mainstream sports in the US have this level of development investment at that same age? The only one I can think of is gymnastics.

My daughter was up to 26 hours a week in gymnastics at level 9 at age 13, having started out at about 6 hours a week at level 4 at age 4.  It goes up a bit more from there for the level 10s and elites (Olympians.)  She was competing nationally but quit due to injury and coaching changes before starting high school. 

Yes, gymnastics probably comes closest to European youth soccer in that it takes very young kids, drills them for very long hours, and produces competitors at a very high level internationally. 

All that said, I don't think we would do it again.  It is simply too imbalanced a lifestyle for a kid.  My daughter got many things out of the experience, but made many sacrifices.  Too many, in retrospect.  And of course there was not going to be a lucrative soccer contract at the end of it!

She took up running in high school and was able to be an athlete while having a much more balanced life.  A very good decision, as it turned out.
[/quote]

This is good perspective to hear. My daughter is training 9 hours a week as a 7 year old at level 3. Apparently her peers at some other gyms are training 15-20! That sounds like madness to me. We're trying to decide how far down the rabbit hole we should go wtih this. She loves it, but it's starting to feel too consuming.
[/quote]
Lots of ex-gymnasts do track or diving.  My daughter became a terrific hurdles runner--vaulting is great training for sprinting.  Her friend became a great pole vaulter.  Gymnastics segues nicely into more reasonable sports.  Not sure if diving is really more reasonable :)