Son (7) just joined a football team - how do we get to away matches?

Taucher

Elder son is football mad. We found a team nearby linked to my city’s professional team. He started practice last week and loves it. Matches start in September. I thought they’d be in different parts of the city but some are in towns fifteen or twenty miles away. 

This may be a hopelessly naive question but do the players get a minibus all together to games from where they train or are parents expected to take them? I can’t find any info on this at all. Any/all experiences welcome. 

strawb_shortcake

If it's like our area the parents take the children or car share. A minibus for lots of groups is an expense that's unaffordable.

baser999

Have you asked his club how they get there? Common sense would suggest that would be the first option

Taucher

annabanana82 said:

If it's like our area the parents take the children or car share. A minibus for lots of groups is an expense that's unaffordable.

That makes sense and is what my husband suspected. Thanks. 

Taucher

baser999 said:

Have you asked his club how they get there? Common sense would suggest that would be the first option

Yes. The fixture list came out on Sunday. I emailed the club immediately and have had no response. I have asked on the app that the club uses to communicate with parents also with no response. We are away for the next two Sunday training sessions (so can’t ask in person) and we are back in time for the first match. My father in law has offered to take my son but has his own event to attend on the same day and for logistical reasons would like to know asap so he can plan that day. Just keen to know. My common sense is fine. 

pramsay13

Almost all teams I've been involved in it's up to you to get your child there, either by yourself or as a car share group with other parents. 
If the game is much further away there's a chance they will borrow a bus but it's usually the exception.
If you're not getting a response from the coaches you could try asking a parent that has been there for the previous year. 

Savvy_Sue

pramsay13 said:
If you're not getting a response from the coaches you could try asking a parent that has been there for the previous year. 

To be fair, if this is the lad's first exposure to the club, the OP may not yet have that kind of relationship with other parents. 

warby68

I know he's young but will he be picked for the away match if he misses the two training sessions immediately prior?

My sons had a variety of rules applied where there were more players than places.

It might help if he wasn't picked in this instance to give you chance to turn up a few more times and get chatting to people and see what options you have if you are not drivers yourselves. Parents driving and also taking other kids is very common.