The "Best Athlete" myth in US Soccer Development

[Unregistered]

Face saving is about is justifying why choices were made (ie. "its all about the education" or "we wanted them to have a life not just play soccer")

Face saving is about attacking other's choices when they are announced (ie. "you know they didn't get athletic money" or "they'll never play there")

Face saving is about elevating the importance of our own choices (ie "its one of the most competitive programs in the division" or "tastes just like chicken")

OK, but I've never said any of those things.

The arguments always seem to be against straw men.

D3 is where our kid was able to play. There was no "coulda gone D1 but picked D3 because of better school" in our house.

And he picked a good school because he was bright enough and had worked hard enough to go for a good school.

There was no jealousy or regrets because we knew what was realistic all along, so there was never any need to change the narrative or engage in "face saving" (although why face saving if and when it does happen sticks in the crawl of some posters remains to be understood).

Pretty mainstream stuff.

[Unregistered]

What is spending 5, 6, 7, 8 years after child finished with youth soccer talking on TS about why your decision to send them to a D3 school is so right called? May not be face saving, but it's certainly something.

I don't spend my time on TS talking about why our decision was a good one. Already stated many, many times that we were not choosing between D3 and anything else. When our kid was 13, 14, 15 and even 16 I wouldn't have guessed he would have even played D3. So we were fortunate to have a much better than expected outcome and therefore nothing to talk our way out of or have to "face save." This will produce BTDT's usual rejoinder about why were you participating and spending good money if you had no particular expectations. That's where he simply refuses to accept that other people do. He can't fathom it and so doesn't actually believe it. The answer is simple...kid was always pretty good, reasonably competitive in higher level non-DAP, wanted to see how far he could, loved the sport, and most importantly, because we love him.

[Unregistered]

So what level team is your kid on? One of the elite level teams that travel the region? Some "B" or "C" team? What league is your kid in? ECNL or NPL?? NEP or MAPLE?? Just wondering how much you personally titrated your support?

Usually one of the top 4-5 non-DAP teams in the state. That was the level. YOU think that's a waste because you have no comprehension or acceptance of the level of play and training that most need to play at a high level of D3.

[Unregistered]

Cujo's admitted his daughter is 27. Perspective's son either graduated from college last year or will graduate this year. Just wondering what their excuse are for pushing their agendas as vehemently as they do? It is not like either one of them have exactly mainstream points of view either.

Oh, now you're going after Cujo, BTDT? He's actually been very helpful to you during his re-emergence, because even though your views could hardly be much different, the targets of your disdain frequently overlap (for very different reasons) and give the illusion of supporting one another. And Perspective's views, with a few wrinkles perhaps here and there, and very much mainstream. And to clarify one point....we don't love the clubs, all of what goes with it, all the coaches and characters, and certainly not some of the clientele one has to tolerate, but we used club soccer for what we needed it for. We had our own individual direction and we made club soccer one piece of the puzzle in getting there.

As for who is allowed to be here and post, I can't speak for Cujo. One could argue, though, that you have even less reason to be posting here than we do.

BTW, I see you are posting yet again today.

[Unregistered]

#233 can stand on its own. Maybe you can answer the content instead of questioning whether it is true. It's all true. Next.

[Unregistered]

Usually one of the top 4-5 non-DAP teams in the state. That was the level. YOU think that's a waste because you have no comprehension or acceptance of the level of play and training that most need to play at a high level of D3.

What you are functionally talking about are B/C teams in this current environment. That seems an appropriate path for a player hoping to play at a D3 level so why are you getting your panties in a bunch about elite teams?

[Unregistered]

What you are functionally talking about are B/C teams in this current environment. That seems an appropriate path for a player hoping to play at a D3 level so why are you getting your panties in a bunch about elite teams?

What? What issues with "elite teams" do you see me having? News to me.

[Unregistered]

Cujo's admitted his daughter is 27. Perspective's son either graduated from college last year or will graduate this year. Just wondering what their excuse are for pushing their agendas as vehemently as they do? It is not like either one of them have exactly mainstream points of view either.

Why? Because I care about the game and direction youth sports are going in. Simple as that.

- Cujo