My daughter was playing rec and doing well at it. One year her coach stated that she should tryout for local competitive clubs. I thought what a nice compliment. Didn't really think anything more of it until she played the next year and got the same comment from a different coach. She tried out and made the team and is now playing her second yr. My personal exp. has been that many parents put kids in rec for fun and exercise. The commitment isn't the same as rec soccer, having been a coach, kids don't have to show up, and teamwork is much more empasized in competitive level. Even my daughter says that she feels like she is much better player because of the competitive teams. I think some of lessons for when she is older occur this way. They learn to handle critique of themselves and adversity because they have already had to deal with it. Do I expect her to make a college team? That depends some on genes and some on skill, so not so much. But this is something that will be determined later on, for now I told her as long as she shows dedication and wants to play we will make it happen. The other kids go to her games and I have seen her younger sister do a 180 in the way she plays from last year to this year in rec. Something critical I see also is her developing more self confidence in herself and knowing she can do things that are new or different.