Club Sports 101: What Parents Need to Know Before Leaving Rec League (with Karen Scholl)

A lot of families hit a point where rec league doesn’t feel like enough anymore, and the next step seems obvious: move to club (travel) sports where kids will get more games, more training, and more opportunity.

But before making that jump, it’s worth slowing down and understanding what actually changes when you leave rec behind.

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by author Karen Scholl – a mom who navigated the club sports journey with both her sons and wrote a book about it called Surving Soccer.

In the conversation, they walk through what club sports really are, why so many families feel pulled in that direction, and what parents should be thinking about before committing. They talk about the time, the cost, the pressure, and the tradeoffs that don’t always get talked about upfront.

This isn’t about saying club sports are good or bad. For some kids and families, they can be a great fit.

But club sports are not the only path, and it’s not always the right next step just because it feels like the natural one.

If your family is starting to wrestle with the rec vs. club decision, this conversation will help you take a step back, think it through, and make a choice that actually fits your kid and your life.

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