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Step 1
Find the governing American association for your child's sport to locate an accredited training facility. Many team and individual sports like soccer, baseball and basketball operate under the Amateur Athletic Union, whereas other individual sports, like swimming, operate under USA sports programs like USA Swimming. Some sports operate under both, like diving, skating and gymnastics.
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Step 2
Search your sport's association site for the zip code or city locator, and enter yours. You'll get a list of accredited facilities to visit that are near you.
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Step 3
Narrow down your list by searching out the team record (or scores) and times from some recent competitions to determine if the competition level is appropriate for your child. Very competitive programs are very different from programs that are just recreational, and there are some that are in between. The scores should give you an indication.
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Step 4
Call up the facility to find out the training schedule and prices for your child's skill level and to get the coach's names.
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Step 5
Plan an unscheduled visit to the facility, with or without your child, during your child's training time to observe safety issues and get a feel for the program.
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Step 6
Schedule a day to bring your child for a trial week at the program that best seems to fit your child's needs. Don't be pressured to sign up on the spot. Your child will be spending a lot of time at this facility, so be sure to get feedback from them as to the equipment, layout, program, other team members and coaches to be sure it's a good fit for your child.
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Step 7
Let your child make the final choice, unless location, budget or timing is a serious issue!
