I avoided club sports because of the cost and time commitment. Now I wish I'd started sooner.

I avoided club sports because of the cost and time commitment. Now I wish I'd started sooner. The author didn't prioritize club sports for the first three of her children. Now her fourth is thriving on a soccer team, and she said she regrets not considering them more seriously in the past. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. Growing up, I dabbled in gymnastics and ice skating but never joined a team or had formal training. When I had children, I wasn't opposed to any of the four of them playing sports if they wanted to, but it wasn't a priority.My oldest three showed a fleeting interest in athletics, but nothing ever stuck. We tried soccer for tots, tennis in early elementary school, a rec basketball team that anyone could walk on to, and Girls on the Run, a non-competitive program for young girls. However, none of my younger kids showed much interest in playing at a higher level in a club.I briefly looked into club sports, but lost all interest once I discovered they cost thousands of dollars and require an extensive time commitment from the entire family on weeknights and weekends. That's particularly true for travel teams, which involve more serious coaching and play than rec teams.I never regretted not signing my kids up for tryouts until my youngest son developed a passion for soccer and dove headlong into the sport. Now I see what my older kids were missing, and I regret not encouraging them to try club sports, too. I reluctantly signed my son up for a club teamMy son started playing soccer during recess at school. Before long, he was taking a skills class and playing soccer after school, too. Then came a rec team. He had fun, but I didn't feel like the parent leading the team had enough coaching experience to help him improve. My son trained hard in our backyard and at school, and his skills soon surpassed his teammates. In fourth grade, he asked to try out for a club with an advanced travel team. He already had a passion for the sport and showed talent, but I still hesitated before saying yes.The cost and grueling schedule gave me pause, and I wasn't sure I wanted him to focus heavily on one activity while he was still so young. Nevertheless, I begrudgingly filled out the necessary paperwork and drove him to multiple rounds of tryouts. Part of me hoped he wouldn't get a spot, but I wanted to give him the chance to shine. The author said her son is learning more than just the game while playing in his new club. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. When the email offering my son a place on the team arrived, I surprised myself by being thrilled. After getting over my sticker shock and confusion about how club sports actually work, I handed over my credit card and, just like that, we were all in. I bought my son multiple uniforms and worked out a complex schedule with my husband to get our son to practices and games near and far.I learned that club sports offer benefits that go far beyond better trainingSince joining a club team over a year ago, my son has improved tremendously in soccer, as expected. While he may never achieve his goal of playing in the World Cup, he now passes with precision and defends the ball admirably.In a short time, I've also noticed how the benefits of a club sport go far beyond better coaching. At least three times a week, I watch from the sidelines as my son takes direction and correction with grace. Being open to suggestions for improvement is a new skill I see spilling over into other parts of life, whether it's ideas about keeping his homework organized or a better approach to keeping his room clean. Additionally, although I love seeing my son's joy when his team wins, he is slowly but surely learning to handle losses better, too. Instead of getting upset immediately as he used to, he now talks through what he could have done differently. Sometimes, he accepts that his team simply had bad luck or that an unfair referee made a win more difficult than it should have been. I see these skills spilling over into other parts of his life when things don't go his way. More on youth sports He has also dealt with adversity, playing in the cold and rain, dealing with aches and pains, and sometimes playing with teammates he doesn't like very much. This has taught him the importance of pushing through unpleasant circumstances and finding a way to get along with everyone. I've also seen my son shift from wanting to be the team's star player to wanting to be a part of something bigger than himself through cooperation and teamwork. Plus, being part of a team has given a whole new group of friends outside of school.Club sports are a sacrifice, but it's one I wish I had made for my older kids, tooMore than a year into our club sports journey, my only regrets are not starting sooner and not giving my older children the same opportunities my youngest has now. I recognize what a privilege it is to offer my son this experience, something many families can't afford because of the cost and time commitment.Sometimes I lament having to plan my family's entire weekend around soccer matches and feeling rushed on so many weeknights, but I have no plans to stop and would do it again in a heartbeat. I've surprised myself by feeling disappointment when a weekend goes by and I can't watch my son play. I'm excited to see where my son's club sports journey takes him next, and what other lessons he will learn along the way. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Jamie Davis Smith is a writer, attorney, and storyteller who shares insight about parenting, adventure, and everyday life. Whether navigating cobblestone streets of European cities or trying to solve her latest parenting challenge, Jamie is happiest with a coffee in her hand. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, Fodor's Travel, Afar, The Washington Post, and several other publications. When she’s not on the road, Jamie is based in Washington, D.C., planning her next adventure with her four children in tow. Follow her on Instagram. Essay Parenting Family More