Are you a racist if your Girls play soccer?

[Unregistered]

I think this is a complicated issue that's not specific to girls' soccer. Yes, there are more whites in the population so in a way it does make sense for there to be more whites playing in youth sports, but I think there are other factors and you are right in that finding a way to pay is a big part of it.

As someone else posted, all of these extracurricular sporting activities require a comfortable amount of discretionary income. Yet, there is a racial wealth gap, nicely summarized in this Forbes article (which also proposes many reasons why the gap exists and why it perpetuates): http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashi.../#3366c1e96c5b.

I'm sure all the experienced soccer parents on this site are familiar with the number of hours of playing and amount of time devoted to specialized coaching that is needed to reach a certain level of excellence. All of which over time adds up to a lot of money. Given the kinds of economic disparities that exist between whites and blacks & Latinos, it's much less common for black and Latino famiies to "find a way to pay for it."

Someone else brought up the point that professional women's soccer does not offer high incomes. Agreed. Women's sports in general have very poor return on investment, which further diminishes the likelihood that significant time/money will be dedicated by black and Latino families to these activities, unless of course your wealth affords it.

As to the idea that players who are "good enough" will rise to the top and be plucked out of obscurity regardless of resources, I'm not sure how realistic that is. I think it might be more akin to the odds to winning some kind of lottery, like Sueño MLS.

A lot of white girls can't play POLO because of the money. So give it up on the econo level. There are some things all people can't do because of money.

[Unregistered]

The big Companies don't hire Blacks or Hispanics...It's just the way it is in this country, the Land of the FREE...

That is a incorrect. Black men with college degrees earn similar salaries to white men with comparable education. Women, now that is a whole different story...

[Unregistered]

That is a incorrect. Black men with college degrees earn similar salaries to white men with comparable education. Women, now that is a whole different story...

"Most important, blacks who complete a four-year college education have a median income that is near parity with similarly educated whites." That's from the Journal of Blacks In Higher Education".

http://www.jbhe.com/features/50_blac...gradrates.html

[Unregistered]

According to one writer, you may be.

"America's youth soccer system wasn't established with racist or elitist intent, but it's been allowed to evolve in that direction without meaningful efforts at course correction."

Read it for yourself http://www.tampabay.com/sports/i-wor...-girls/2293791

BTW your daughter just started her high school soccer season in Tampa? I call BS. It is not Soccer season..."My oldest daughter, 15, adopted from India, has just begun her first season of high school ball."

A little fact checking lol...

[Unregistered]

I think this is a complicated issue that's not specific to girls' soccer. Yes, there are more whites in the population so in a way it does make sense for there to be more whites playing in youth sports, but I think there are other factors and you are right in that finding a way to pay is a big part of it.

As someone else posted, all of these extracurricular sporting activities require a comfortable amount of discretionary income. Yet, there is a racial wealth gap, nicely summarized in this Forbes article (which also proposes many reasons why the gap exists and why it perpetuates): http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashi.../#3366c1e96c5b.

I'm sure all the experienced soccer parents on this site are familiar with the number of hours of playing and amount of time devoted to specialized coaching that is needed to reach a certain level of excellence. All of which over time adds up to a lot of money. Given the kinds of economic disparities that exist between whites and blacks & Latinos, it's much less common for black and Latino famiies to "find a way to pay for it."

Someone else brought up the point that professional women's soccer does not offer high incomes. Agreed. Women's sports in general have very poor return on investment, which further diminishes the likelihood that significant time/money will be dedicated by black and Latino families to these activities, unless of course your wealth affords it.

As to the idea that players who are "good enough" will rise to the top and be plucked out of obscurity regardless of resources, I'm not sure how realistic that is. I think it might be more akin to the odds to winning some kind of lottery, like Sueño MLS.

A lot of white girls can't play POLO because of the money. So give it up on the econo level. There are some things all people can't do because of money.

Yes, there are things many people can't do because of money, like play polo or fly in a private jet. You're exactly right. Economics.

For example, this article from Money magazine "How Soccer Bills Devoured This Family's Budget" (http://time.com/money/4037391/soccer...family-budget/), is about a family with 4 boys, all playing travel soccer, and parent's with a combined annual income of $146,000. The fact that their children's completely optional activity was "devouring" their income of $146,000 really tells you how out-of-reach such things are for many people.

When a typical white family has 16 times the wealth of a typical black family (see link to Forbes article above) there are naturally more things that a typical white family can afford to do that a typical black family can't.

[Unregistered]

According to one writer, you may be.

"America's youth soccer system wasn't established with racist or elitist intent, but it's been allowed to evolve in that direction without meaningful efforts at course correction."

Read it for yourself http://www.tampabay.com/sports/i-wor...-girls/2293791

Ok I completely agree that soccer needs more economic diversity. Note I'm not saying just ethnic diversity - there a plenty of poor whites not playing the sport either. Economics and race are intertwined but they don't always go hand in hand (unlike Trump I know that not all African Americans are living in dire poverty lol). But how does that make ME a racist? It doesn't. I don't "run the system." I didn't let it evolve the way it did. In fact I work on a town board that works hard to offer scholarships to anyone who needs one. But see that's a town program with budgets that have to be available to anyone who asks to see them, different cost structures and objectives. Clubs are (mostly) private entities with profit motives. Even the so called non-profits ones are mostly in name only (they're hardly saints). So yes they will set up shop where they are most likely to make money - in and around towns with money.

It's a pay to play system. Do I like it? Absolutely not. But what can I do? I can can't offer thousands of scholarships to kids in need (if I could I would). Without broad reach efforts like those undertaken by governing bodies in swimming, gymnastics etc to reach all areas of the country, little will change. MLS DA teams are much more diverse because they're free and based on abilty to PLAY not PAY. Non MLS teams are better but not nearly as diverse because it's still pay to play and run by for profit clubs. GDA will be the same - a little bit less $ to play but still out of reach financially and geographically for many families. Even if it were free, you need to have been playing at a high level to be good enough for GDA consideration. Not many players will be able to consistently get scholarships from local clubs along the way. The average for profit club gives maybe one scholarship per team.

[Unregistered]

Yes, there are things many people can't do because of money, like play polo or fly in a private jet. You're exactly right. Economics.

For example, this article from Money magazine "How Soccer Bills Devoured This Family's Budget" (http://time.com/money/4037391/soccer...family-budget/), is about a family with 4 boys, all playing travel soccer, and parent's with a combined annual income of $146,000. The fact that their children's completely optional activity was "devouring" their income of $146,000 really tells you how out-of-reach such things are for many people.

When a typical white family has 16 times the wealth of a typical black family (see link to Forbes article above) there are naturally more things that a typical white family can afford to do that a typical black family can't.

That family lives in California triple the income rate in the country. I read this article. So get up off your ass and go do 3 jobs if you want to get your kids in soccer. Or stay at home your choice. Have them go run track or basketball. You don't have to play the POLO sport in your eyes. But if you want them to play you have to pay. There are lots of black families who work hard and have their kid in soccer. The percentage is about right with the country. Most black families like track and basketball better. Thats where they are if you want to know they don't like soccer. But the ones that do are there to pay to play like the white people.

[Unregistered]

Really? This pussification of America at its finest.

[Unregistered]

That family lives in California triple the income rate in the country. I read this article. So get up off your ass and go do 3 jobs if you want to get your kids in soccer. Or stay at home your choice. Have them go run track or basketball. You don't have to play the POLO sport in your eyes. But if you want them to play you have to pay. There are lots of black families who work hard and have their kid in soccer. The percentage is about right with the country. Most black families like track and basketball better. Thats where they are if you want to know they don't like soccer. But the ones that do are there to pay to play like the white people.

Yes, that family lives in Folsom, California. I think you mean to say that cost of living is triple, not income rate. It is expensive but not triple, about 1.6 times the U.S. average, where Miami is 1.2 times.

Exactly as you say, if you want to play, you have to pay. The article says that for their 4 kids, they pay $675/month for club fees and spent $17,400 for all soccer related expenses (travel, cleats, coaching, tournament fees, etc.) Wherever you live, club soccer is an expensive activity that by its pay-to-play nature, discriminates against lower income families and because of the racial wealth gap, also happens to discriminate along racial lines.

If as you say, you need to get 3 jobs to have your kids play in club soccer, how likely is it that those kids will get to play?

I agree with you that soccer isn't as popular a sport among black families as say basketball or football, but then, elite football and basketball players don't arise from pay-to-play clubs and are in part a byproduct of our public education system. So, this is also a chicken versus egg question.

And soccer IS very popular with Latinos, much more so than with whites, yet they are grossly underrepresented in the US soccer scene. As I previously mentioned, Latinos also suffer from the racial wealth inequalities that are prohibitive to participation in the current youth soccer system.

[Unregistered]

Yes, that family lives in Folsom, California. I think you mean to say that cost of living is triple, not income rate. It is expensive but not triple, about 1.6 times the U.S. average, where Miami is 1.2 times.

Exactly as you say, if you want to play, you have to pay. The article says that for their 4 kids, they pay $675/month for club fees and spent $17,400 for all soccer related expenses (travel, cleats, coaching, tournament fees, etc.) Wherever you live, club soccer is an expensive activity that by its pay-to-play nature, discriminates against lower income families and because of the racial wealth gap, also happens to discriminate along racial lines.

If as you say, you need to get 3 jobs to have your kids play in club soccer, how likely is it that those kids will get to play?

I agree with you that soccer isn't as popular a sport among black families as say basketball or football, but then, elite football and basketball players don't arise from pay-to-play clubs and are in part a byproduct of our public education system. So, this is also a chicken versus egg question.

And soccer IS very popular with Latinos, much more so than with whites, yet they are grossly underrepresented in the US soccer scene. As I previously mentioned, Latinos also suffer from the racial wealth inequalities that are prohibitive to participation in the current youth soccer system.

Kids can play recreation and in their backyards with video private soccer trainers. The problem is when they take the next step to travel and their club league or coach books them to play in California. The Florida kids could benefit more from a local Florida tournament.

[Unregistered]

Are we as parents racist for letting our children play soccer? No.

Are we certifiably crazy for spending the amount of time and money that we do for soccer? Absolutely.

[Unregistered]

How do these numbers play out if you factor in family status, as in single parent vs married?

[Unregistered]

Are we as parents racist for letting our children play soccer? No.

Are we certifiably crazy for spending the amount of time and money that we do for soccer? Absolutely.

Best answer!

[Unregistered]

Ok I completely agree that soccer needs more economic diversity. Note I'm not saying just ethnic diversity - there a plenty of poor whites not playing the sport either. Economics and race are intertwined but they don't always go hand in hand (unlike Trump I know that not all African Americans are living in dire poverty lol). But how does that make ME a racist? It doesn't. I don't "run the system." I didn't let it evolve the way it did. In fact I work on a town board that works hard to offer scholarships to anyone who needs one. But see that's a town program with budgets that have to be available to anyone who asks to see them, different cost structures and objectives. Clubs are (mostly) private entities with profit motives. Even the so called non-profits ones are mostly in name only (they're hardly saints). So yes they will set up shop where they are most likely to make money - in and around towns with money.

It's a pay to play system. Do I like it? Absolutely not. But what can I do? I can can't offer thousands of scholarships to kids in need (if I could I would). Without broad reach efforts like those undertaken by governing bodies in swimming, gymnastics etc to reach all areas of the country, little will change. MLS DA teams are much more diverse because they're free and based on abilty to PLAY not PAY. Non MLS teams are better but not nearly as diverse because it's still pay to play and run by for profit clubs. GDA will be the same - a little bit less $ to play but still out of reach financially and geographically for many families. Even if it were free, you need to have been playing at a high level to be good enough for GDA consideration. Not many players will be able to consistently get scholarships from local clubs along the way. The average for profit club gives maybe one scholarship per team.

How much do you think non-MLS DA costs?

[Unregistered]

Yes, that family lives in Folsom, California. I think you mean to say that cost of living is triple, not income rate. It is expensive but not triple, about 1.6 times the U.S. average, where Miami is 1.2 times.

Exactly as you say, if you want to play, you have to pay. The article says that for their 4 kids, they pay $675/month for club fees and spent $17,400 for all soccer related expenses (travel, cleats, coaching, tournament fees, etc.) Wherever you live, club soccer is an expensive activity that by its pay-to-play nature, discriminates against lower income families and because of the racial wealth gap, also happens to discriminate along racial lines.

If as you say, you need to get 3 jobs to have your kids play in club soccer, how likely is it that those kids will get to play?

I agree with you that soccer isn't as popular a sport among black families as say basketball or football, but then, elite football and basketball players don't arise from pay-to-play clubs and are in part a byproduct of our public education system. So, this is also a chicken versus egg question.

And soccer IS very popular with Latinos, much more so than with whites, yet they are grossly underrepresented in the US soccer scene. As I previously mentioned, Latinos also suffer from the racial wealth inequalities that are prohibitive to participation in the current youth soccer system.

Cry me a river doucheface.