4 Year Old Wants to Play Soccer?

Believe it or not, I remember having a very similar experience as a kid at around 4/5-ish. My dad wanted me to play a sport, and I choose Basketball. The 1st day I went, and for some reason it scared the daylights out of me. I cried. Went home when it was 1/2 way over, begged them never to take me back. It was bad. A little while later all my friends were playing soccer, and so next season I ask my parents to play soccer. I did, and LOVED it. I then played soccer all through life. I played middle school, high school, and some college. I even played on a traveling team for awhile. It was my passion. So I say yes, you should definitely give it another try!!!!

Sign him up, but if he gives up in the midst of it (I'd make him go a time or two more before throwing in the towel, you have to teach them endurance for their decisions). But I'm all for signing kids up for everything they have an inkling of interest in, that way you know you've exposed them.... that is your job, give them as many options as you can while you can.

It's worth a try. No one knows if they like something until they try it.

Well, you know your child! I have a 4 year old boy who is very active and loves racing around, kicking the ball, etc., but soccer did NOT work for us. It was a complete disaster. A number of his buddies also played on different teams and some liked it -some didn't. While my son was still playing, I witnessed a lot of tears and confusion among his age group. If I were you, I would go into it expecting nothing and knowing he may love it one day and hate it the next or start out loving it and then hate it. It's hard to tell at that age. After our disaster a few people on here and in some research I did said "experts" usually don't recommend organized sports until age 6 or so, but a lot of kids DO enjoy them at 4. Just go in with no expectations.

If he is interested, I say sign him up, with the expectation that he knows he has to see it through. When my son was 3 he had a soccer program come to his school each week and he loved it. He can't wait for the chance to play through the rec league this fall. If it makes you feel any better, he is 4, and my husband signed him up for lacrosse this spring. 3 and 4 year olds waving sticks, hmmm. But he is interested and he has watched his sister in her activities for a while and it is his turn. For soccer, even in the 5 to 6 yo league, it was mostly a bunch of kids running back and forth with the ball with some drills mixed in. So please keep your expectation in check. Just tell him to listen to the coach and to have fun. He might have been too young before, but you won't know until you keep trying.

If he is gung ho then I wouldn't hold him back. You said it yourself he is another year older and more mature. I say go for it.

Check out SCCYSA it's pretty affordable. That's where my daughter started at 6yrs. old and loved it so much she now plays select. Also check out Vetta by the Community college they may be able to give you more ideas.

We had the same issues w/ my son (now 7 yrs old). He wanted to try soccer but hated it. We made him play and complete his commitment to teach him that he can't quit just because he doesn't like it. He is now playing floor hockey and loves it - never any crying or anything. I would say don't give up - if he shows an interest in something try it out and explain to him before he starts that you have PAID for this and he must complete it even if he doesn't like it. It might be rough on you but I think in the end it will teach him a good lesson - we can't just quit things because we don't like them. Good luck.

I always let my kids sign up for sports. They loved it the first few weeks of practice but once the games started they weren't excited to go anymore and wanted to quit but I told them once I sign them up they are there until the end because the team is expecting them and most of the time there were only 1 or 2 extra players so the team really needed them especially in soccer. If there aren't any extra players the kids on the field do not get a break and coaches like to switch them out every few minutes especially when they are little because they get tired fast. I never let them quit and that teaches them responsibility that when you commit yourself to something you need to fulfill that commitment until the end. If they didn't want to play the next season that was fine but they had to finish the one they were currently signed up for if possible. there were a few times the coaches got disqualified the last few games so the team was disqualified as well which wasn't fair to the kids that worked so hard that season but sometimes things like that happen and hope for a better coach the next time. I also let the kids know that every coach is different and you may not like this one but next season we will request for a different one and can try again. Good coaches do make a difference in how much your child will enjoy sports. Don't start on a competitive team to begin with. Start with a local recreation league and if your child seems to really like the sport and be aggressive at it then you may want to change later to a competitive level. I do not recommend competitive levels under age 9. The kids I see that start too young end up with thinking they are better than everyone else and have attitude issues because they are all about winning and lose the "just play for fun" attitude and don't know how to lose and are usually h*** o* themselves when their team loses.

I say if you can give it a try, it's always good to let the kids try something different, especially since he was so young the first time and alot has changed sine then (it sounds like). My youngest never stuck with much. He would want to sign up & then after a while he had had enough. I always had him give it a try & we usually finished the season, with the exception of baseball. He got a coach with little league baseball & the coach burnt him for good & my son won't touch a team sport. My oldest has played soccer since he was three. The first year he ran off the field most of the time, but he always wanted to go back & by the time he was eight you couldn't pull him from the sport.
The key is to find something he likes & soccer may be it..IDK He's a little older, now & if he doesn't want to go or do something maybe he can communicate to you better as to why. Also, I would let him to the coach. If they will let you leave (after he is settled), I would maybe even try that, so you're not reliving the tumbling thing. Kids always behave differently for other people & the coach should be used to kids & be able to redirect him if he starts wanting you. As far as being crazy...nope...you've got to give them the chance...I hope it works out for you & him!

Most soccer leagues don't let kids be on teams until they are 4 1/2 years old. If you are talking about a YMCA soccer clinic/class then they are fun and short. Maybe 1 time a week for just a couple of months. He could really benefit from this type of thing due to it being short, not lots of practice's throughout the week, no games every Saturday and sometimes Sunday too. It sounds just right for him to "get his toes wet". If it's not longer than a couple of months I'd go for it and see what happens.