Athletes may not think about the pros and cons every time they put their time towards a sport. Sports clubs, for example, affect athletes in so many way because of these positive and negative aspects. Pros: the club will improve your skills, it’s also an opportunity to stay in shape, the team may travel around the country for games or tournaments, and it’s a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Cons: it may be too expensive, or the team may travel around the country for games or tournaments.

“It depends [cost of clubs] because we pay for most of the stuff ourselves, but it can get expensive,” senior Jo Jones said.

Traveling with a sports team, such as soccer, junior Taylor Christie explains that the club and equipment may be expensive but the payoff is priceless.

Sporting Blue Valley is a soccer club that developed out of two separate clubs that combined into one. Jones has belonged to this club since her sophomore year, and Christie has played on Sporting for two years also.

“The people on it [Sporting] are my best friends. We play together almost every single day and we travel together…we get really close,” Christie said.

Both girls say they share strong feelings about the other girls who are a part of this team.

“I did miss a lot of school events… basketball games, dances… but I think I benefitted from traveling,” Jones said.

Christie and Jones have traveled with Sporting to places such as Denver, Colorado, St. Louis, Missouri, Phoenix, Arizona, Florida, Virginia, and Texas.

“Its fun to get to go to these places…You get to see different people than you normally would and if you want to play in college it kind of gets you ready for traveling all the time and being busy all the time,” Christie said.

This summer, Sporting has the opportunity to go to Seattle, Washington for Nationals.

“You see how other people play [in other places], and some of the girls on my new college team I know because of that,” Jones said. 

According to the Berkshire Soccer Academy for Girls, as of 2008, on average, there were more than 209,000 girls playing high school soccer; there are 37,620 girls who were seniors, played soccer and graduated, 4416 spots are available for the girls to play soccer in the NCAA; there were playing opportunities for fewer than eight percent of graduating seniors.

Jones received an opportunity and has committed to playing soccer at the University of Arkansas in February.

“This team really influenced my decision to go on and play in college, like it really made me want to play and want to keep playing,” Christie said.

Christie plans to continue playing soccer in college, and as a junior, she has the time to experience the feeling of doing work on the road, missing school, and the other hassles that come with traveling.

Both girls say that the difference between club season to school soccer can be difficult; difficulties involving a change in tempo from club to school.

“It’s a transition because it’s a little more laid back [at school]…because it gets so competitive [with Sporting],” Christie said.

The amount of effort athletes like Christie, Jones, and hundreds of other students, put into their careers in club or school soccer, is beyond belief. The amount of time and money, is unbelievable. All of that is set aside when these girls step on the field, the passion, dedication, and love of the sport really shows.