My DS who is 8 plays goes to football training with the local team. It has only ever been a fun pass time to him he doesn't ever play at home in the garden or much with his friends but he really likes going and wants to go no matter the weather. He is not great at it but has fun. There are definitely 2 groups the little boys running about with their friends and the die hard football fans.
Recently some boys have been picked to go play against proper local football teams youth team and there has been lots of chat (despite a lot of us not being involved or bothered about) . We have also just been asked to spend a lot of money on a training kit for the kids to wear when training but not at matches. The kids will be moving into an older league in the new year as well but I'm not sure what this entails.
They train twice a week and play matches on a Sunday. My son often asks to join other activities but I have said no as with 3 days of football and swimming lessons I feel that's enough (plus his brother does 2 days of football and swimming)
I have chatted with him that we should maybe give football a break as it's all getting a bit serious and I feel more for the 'football mad' kids which I think is a shame. I have said he can try some of the other things he has asked about instead. He says he wants to keep at football (and do the other things !)
Would you inisit we stop the football or keep going and pay for the new kit etc
The only other idea I had was we stop one night at football and try something else for a couple of weeks but if he wants to keep it on we stop football ? (We would still have to pay the full football fees so I wouldn't want to do this long term and not sure the coaches would he happy with that either)