Estimated costs for Elite Soccer - Girls

What is the estimated cost of DA, ECNL and FDL (please don't estimate in the travel) for the girls?

Compared to regular select, the cost isn't much difference without the travel, it is all about the travel. Dues are about the same, maybe a few thousand more due to number of tournaments and/or leagues, but where you get killed is the travel. Even if you don't go to the out of town tournaments, you still are paying to fly your DD there. You are looking at 3 weekend a month, somewhere else. If you are going to travel with her, get your own hotels, bring some siblings, and not miss a game, I'd expect to pay upwards of $20k for ECNL.

From my experience DA the cost was significantly less than that.

The signing fees were reduced significantly and uniform was covered by Adidas.

FC Dallas GDA $1500, including uniform and travel (For players, on bus)

Solar GDA $2500 no travel, don't know if that includes uniform - anyone know for sure?

Texans GDA - ?

We pay on average around $5,000 a year for club fees, uniform and travel. Talked to a friend who participates in DA and they said roughly $7,500 all in. That included a couple trips taking all of the family. I didn't think travel was included in DA, just the training and uniform.

goscore! wrote:FC Dallas GDA  $1500,  including uniform and travel (For players, on bus)

Solar GDA  $2500 no travel, don't know if that includes uniform - anyone know for sure?

Texans GDA - ?

So you had no other out-of-pocket besides food (and hotel if overnight)? $1500 included uniform and all travel?

7500 is dead on that doesn't include additional training most of the kids on these team train almost everyday it's more like 10K after tax to good ole Uncle Sam.

Most coaches recommend side show training . What's compensated by the club for training and uniforms depends on the talent that's a small group. Theres a range. If you take the whole family it's even more.

SickofStupidity wrote:

goscore! wrote:FC Dallas GDA  $1500,  including uniform and travel (For players, on bus)

Solar GDA  $2500 no travel, don't know if that includes uniform - anyone know for sure?

Texans GDA - ?

So you had no other out-of-pocket besides food (and hotel if overnight)?  $1500 included uniform and all travel?

We are exploring our options and have been speaking to the DA coaches & DOCs at those 2 clubs (Texans are next). I am using the numbers they have provided us, not from experience.

FC Dallas has told us the girls will not need hotels, they will travel by bus before the game (s) and head home after. I suppose you will need to send a packed meal/snacks or some cash for food, but I did not get that specific! According to FC Dallas, 1500 is the final number. So to answer your question, correct, there should be no other expenses.

Solar, not so much, you will still pay travel, most likely with hotels since not many families will drive to & from in 1 day, and I forgot to ask about uniform. I bet that's additional as well, because they didn't say it was included like FCD did.
I will venture to guess Texans will be very similar to Solar. If finances are important, as they are for us, FC Dallas is significantly cheaper than the other options (for GDA anyway)

The travel costs killed it for us.
10 out of town tournaments.
It would have been almost $1000 a month for soccer.

Coach wrote:The travel costs killed it for us.
10 out of town tournaments.
It would have been almost $1000 a month for soccer.

Whoa. That is a lot of travel. What club? Was this an ECNL team, or what? See, that's what we need to avoid! Did you know before signing, or was it sprung on you after?

DA club dues are in check with regular dues at least for Texans but the travel adds up. You absolutely need to factor that in unless you own a private jet and if you did you wouldn't be here asking about cost.

goscore! wrote:

SickofStupidity wrote:

goscore! wrote:FC Dallas GDA  $1500,  including uniform and travel (For players, on bus)

Solar GDA  $2500 no travel, don't know if that includes uniform - anyone know for sure?

Texans GDA - ?

So you had no other out-of-pocket besides food (and hotel if overnight)?  $1500 included uniform and all travel?

We are exploring our options and have been speaking to the DA coaches & DOCs at those 2 clubs (Texans are next). I am using the numbers they have provided us, not from experience.

FC Dallas has told us the girls will not need hotels, they will travel by bus before the game (s) and head home after. I suppose you will need to send a packed meal/snacks or some cash for food, but I did not get that specific! According to FC Dallas, 1500 is the final number. So to answer your question, correct, there should be no other expenses.

Solar, not so much, you will still pay travel, most likely with hotels since not many families will drive to & from in 1 day, and I forgot to ask about uniform. I bet that's additional as well, because they didn't say it was included like FCD did.
I will venture to guess Texans will be very similar to Solar. If finances are important, as they are for us, FC Dallas is significantly cheaper than the other options (for GDA anyway)

You might talk with someone who played last year on the team you are looking at.

Spoke to a FCD GDA parent - $1500 was the club dues this past year (including uniform).  That did NOT include travel, additional trainer utilized during the winter when the fields were closed, travel / hotel at showcases, bus costs, etc.  He said his additional costs ran $300-500 per month in the fall as they traveled more then.  Less in the spring.

I don't even think BigE would confirm $1500 all-in at FCD

Exactly why this thread is useful. I don't know, and I tend to believe people when they tell me things, especially if they are supposed to be in charge. I am glad to get other people's insight and information, so I know what questions to ask.

$1,500 is the number and I believe the bus trips are approximately $50 and include a meal. Don't worry about SOS, he obviously has an anti-FCD axe to grind and has an optimistic outlook on life!

I was told in my conversations without FCD it was 1500 to sign with the team and ~300 per month after that.

NotNewHere wrote:You might talk with someone who played last year on the team you are looking at.

Spoke to a FCD GDA parent - $1500 was the club dues this past year (including uniform).  That did NOT include travel, additional trainer utilized during the winter when the fields were closed, travel / hotel at showcases, bus costs, etc.  He said his additional costs ran $300-500 per month in the fall as they traveled more then.  Less in the spring.

This is pretty much correct except $300-500 per month. More like $250-270 per month.

FriscoSoccer2004 wrote:I was told in my conversations without FCD it was 1500 to sign with the team and ~300 per month after that.  

Yessir -- very accurate ^

$1500 dues (kits included).  ~$200/month travel costs include charter bus for day trips to Houston/Austin 2x/year, overnight bus trip to KC 1x/year, hotels at overnight trips, and 1-2 meal(s)/day for all trips.  Have to pay extra for flight to Denver 1x/year, and to the 3 Showcases flights (and playoffs for U15+ if they advance).

More accurate

goscore! wrote:FC Dallas GDA  $1500 + bus costs ~50/trip league games and your own travel/hotels for showcases

Solar GDA  $2500 + your own travel/hotels for league games and showcases (and uniform?)

Texans GDA - ?

Big Ern wrote:

FriscoSoccer2004 wrote:I was told in my conversations without FCD it was 1500 to sign with the team and ~300 per month after that.  

Yessir -- very accurate ^

$1500 dues (kits included).  ~$200/month travel costs include charter bus for day trips to Houston/Austin 2x/year, overnight bus trip to KC 1x/year, hotels at overnight trips, and 1-2 meal(s)/day for all trips.  Have to pay extra for flight to Denver 1x/year, and to the 3 Showcases flights (and playoffs for U15+ if they advance).

They specifically told me in the past they used hotels for league games but found it didn't affect performance so they won't be staying overnight for league games now. Only hotels should be for the showcases.

goscore! wrote:

Big Ern wrote:

FriscoSoccer2004 wrote:I was told in my conversations without FCD it was 1500 to sign with the team and ~300 per month after that.  

Yessir -- very accurate ^

$1500 dues (kits included).  ~$200/month travel costs include charter bus for day trips to Houston/Austin 2x/year, overnight bus trip to KC 1x/year, hotels at overnight trips, and 1-2 meal(s)/day for all trips.  Have to pay extra for flight to Denver 1x/year, and to the 3 Showcases flights (and playoffs for U15+ if they advance).

They specifically told me in the past they used hotels for league games but found it didn't affect performance so they won't be staying overnight for league games now. Only hotels should be for the showcases.

Indeed.  But given that there are league games in Denver, Omaha, and Kansas City, unless they plan on the kids tent camping, there will be hotel room stays --

Listen, as a good friend told me "if you want to remain financially stable and have your kid in Select Soccer, get used to selling plasma...a lot..."

The floor is....still Lava.

Son_ofa_Pitch wrote:

NotNewHere wrote:You might talk with someone who played last year on the team you are looking at.

Spoke to a FCD GDA parent - $1500 was the club dues this past year (including uniform).  That did NOT include travel, additional trainer utilized during the winter when the fields were closed, travel / hotel at showcases, bus costs, etc.  He said his additional costs ran $300-500 per month in the fall as they traveled more then.  Less in the spring.

This is pretty much correct except $300-500 per month. More like $250-270 per month.

I said $300-500 per month in the fall because they traveled more then.  Less in the spring.  So $300-500 in the fall, say $200 in the spring . . . might average to $250-270 per month.

Not sure why you crossed that out.  THEIR team hired a trainer during the winter while the fields were closed.  He provided the name of the trainer (not associated with FCD) and said that some of the girls still work with him.

Zizou loves this post. Money Money Money. Hes depositing his check right now.

goscore! wrote:

Coach wrote:The travel costs killed it for us.
10 out of town tournaments.
It would have been almost $1000 a month for soccer.

Whoa. That is a lot of travel. What club? Was this an ECNL team, or what? See, that's what we need to avoid! Did you know before signing, or was it sprung on you after?

It was an ECNL club and we didn't sign.
They told us about the trips ahead of time.
Florida, Denver, Midwest, Oklahoma x3, Austin x3, and 1 more.
They didn't mention buses and no hotels.
Add in club and uniform fees = $OCCER.