Attendance at practices should also be considered mandatory. All coaches, regardless of experience and proficiency, will do their best to teach the techniques and tactics of the game. Players and parents should recognize that select soccer is not unlike a school classroom, piano lesson, karate class, dance class or any other learning environment that promotes skill and discipline. The difference is that poor skill development due to low attendance at soccer training sessions could adversely affect the performance and enjoyment of the rest of the team. Select soccer teams typically practice two or three times per week before and during the season for approximately two hours per session.
Some teams reduce playing time for players who miss practices or are consistently late.
Ask about practice schedules before committing to a team. Travel teams do not guarantee playing time. Recreation All-Star teams guarantee a half game. Players concerned about a reduction in playing time should ask for an objective evaluation of their performance and should reconsider their choice of teams if playing time continues to be inadequate. Learning and enjoying soccer means playing, not merely being on a team, even if it means leaving old friends or playing in a less prestigious environment.