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What's Killing Youth Soccer in America Is Also Hurting Most Every Other Sport

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    What's Killing Youth Soccer in America Is Also Hurting Most Every Other Sport

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcook.../#1f2c022a1ea8

    #2
    Same story, different place. If pay-to-play is killing youth soccer, and other sports, what's a rational solution to the problem?

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Same story, different place. If pay-to-play is killing youth soccer, and other sports, what's a rational solution to the problem?
      USA is about money, that’s it!! We have to profit off everything!! It’s certainly not about development!! Our kids and parents get ripped off then it’s over and dreams are gone. Just go play ayso

      Comment


        #4
        Bryant gumbel did a real sports segment on this topic. You can’t blame anyone that pays for better facilities for their kids. You can blame local governments, politicians, and ultimately we who elect them for allowing public leagues and facilities to deteriorate across the country. The problem with the USA is not strong private investment; it’s a public sector that has disappeared entirely. We need parks, community centers, plazas. It’s not just about your home in a gated community and to hell with everything else.

        Comment


          #5
          Amen to that. The part no one talks about. When the private sector has to fill the void for public investment in youth and quality of life, profit is the only way it will happen and you get pay-to-play. If there were high quality public parks out there fully supported by the communities, you could have much lower cost options for these things.

          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Bryant gumbel did a real sports segment on this topic. You can’t blame anyone that pays for better facilities for their kids. You can blame local governments, politicians, and ultimately we who elect them for allowing public leagues and facilities to deteriorate across the country. The problem with the USA is not strong private investment; it’s a public sector that has disappeared entirely. We need parks, community centers, plazas. It’s not just about your home in a gated community and to hell with everything else.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            USA is about money, that’s it!! We have to profit off everything!! It’s certainly not about development!! Our kids and parents get ripped off then it’s over and dreams are gone. Just go play ayso
            Your post is crazy. Make a point.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              Bryant gumbel did a real sports segment on this topic. You can’t blame anyone that pays for better facilities for their kids. You can blame local governments, politicians, and ultimately we who elect them for allowing public leagues and facilities to deteriorate across the country. The problem with the USA is not strong private investment; it’s a public sector that has disappeared entirely. We need parks, community centers, plazas. It’s not just about your home in a gated community and to hell with everything else.
              I agree with you. Do most communities offer low cost recreational opportunities in Florida? Are there community based programs for kids to participate in sports? I’m not talking travel sports. I recently moved to FL and it’s light years better than most places in terms of parks and recreation. I came from an area where people seem not to care about investing in parks. Limited places for pick-up games and activities.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Bryant gumbel did a real sports segment on this topic. You can’t blame anyone that pays for better facilities for their kids. You can blame local governments, politicians, and ultimately we who elect them for allowing public leagues and facilities to deteriorate across the country. The problem with the USA is not strong private investment; it’s a public sector that has disappeared entirely. We need parks, community centers, plazas. It’s not just about your home in a gated community and to hell with everything else.

                Two comparison.

                -Poor underdeveloped countries where kids learn their skills barefoot in the streets and fields.

                -European Model where your kid leaves home at an early age, is clothed, fed, educated and trained by the club.

                Don't see the US falling into either of those.

                Comment


                  #9
                  It's not only pay-to-play, it's the system itself which is wrong.

                  1) Kids play sports to go to colleges, not to enjoy them.
                  2) System focused on clubs, and not on players.
                  3) Leagues based on clubs, not on teams.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    It's not only pay-to-play, it's the system itself which is wrong.

                    1) Kids play sports to go to colleges, not to enjoy them.
                    2) System focused on clubs, and not on players.
                    3) Leagues based on clubs, not on teams.
                    Some truth in your statement, but the part your are missing is that we live in a country of instant gratification. Parents want their kids to be on winning team without having to put in the work or dedication. So clubs build teams to win and not develop. Clubs join leagues to get the best exposure for their winning teams. This all costs money. It is a vicious cycle that will be extremely difficult to break.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Two comparison.

                      -Poor underdeveloped countries where kids learn their skills barefoot in the streets and fields.

                      -European Model where your kid leaves home at an early age, is clothed, fed, educated and trained by the club.

                      Don't see the US falling into either of those.
                      you are looking at soccer, of course, this is a soccer forum. but the problem cuts across all sports. it shouldn't create anti-business or anti-pay to play sentiments. those that can comfortably afford the extras, if that's their priority, then there's nothing wrong with doing what you think is best for your kid. the problem is that there's nothing else in many places. no parks, no city leagues, no spaces for kids to play. that's not the case everywhere. there are some exceptions where strong municipal leadership bucked the trend. but in places where municipal leadership is weak or just average, there are (nationwide) no places for kids to enjoy sports, and schools no longer require gym. it's become sports for those that can afford it only. the problem sometimes is a lack of imagination. how much does it cost a parks department to buy a park, install a state of the art baseball field or soccer field with night lights. A lot. How much does it cost to build a simple small sided soccer field close to public transportation? close to nothing. but our leaders do not think outside the box and those with initiative and creativity are all in the private sector.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Two comparison.

                        -Poor underdeveloped countries where kids learn their skills barefoot in the streets and fields.

                        -European Model where your kid leaves home at an early age, is clothed, fed, educated and trained by the club.

                        Don't see the US falling into either of those.
                        Soccer (futbol) is a sport for the poor masses. No different than the coliseum games in the Roman Empire. It keeps the people at bay and distracted.

                        The USA standard of living is well above the rest of the world. Even our "poor" are better off than most middle class in other countries.

                        The European model cannot work for Americans. A typical middle class American child goes to an excellent public (or private) school, has his/her own room, unlimited food, clothes, etc. It would be a sideways or downward move for the child to join a club.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Some truth in your statement, but the part your are missing is that we live in a country of instant gratification. Parents want their kids to be on winning team without having to put in the work or dedication. So clubs build teams to win and not develop. Clubs join leagues to get the best exposure for their winning teams. This all costs money. It is a vicious cycle that will be extremely difficult to break.
                          We left a big club a few years ago to join a start up because of the coaching and commitment that the club had and still has. It was a huge leap of faith because we had been raised by a big club were used to being in good leagues having good results etc. The first year was brutal as we struggled to have numbers but, the effort that the club put into the teams was mindblowing compared to the big box club we had left.

                          Now in the third year we have what seems to be a very good team that is built upon a foundation of great training/coaching. The kids work hard but, still have a lot of fun. High hopes for this year.

                          Not sure if I paid 1 night of hotel for this team as we found good competition locally and did not need to spend thousands a year in additional travel.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            Soccer (futbol) is a sport for the poor masses. No different than the coliseum games in the Roman Empire. It keeps the people at bay and distracted.

                            The USA standard of living is well above the rest of the world. Even our "poor" are better off than most middle class in other countries.

                            The European model cannot work for Americans. A typical middle class American child goes to an excellent public (or private) school, has his/her own room, unlimited food, clothes, etc. It would be a sideways or downward move for the child to join a club.
                            worldwide futbol is not a sport for the suburban elites that can afford $3,000 per year or more for their kid to dress up and pretend they are elite soccer players. it is a sport of the poor, of kids that leave their homes and put everything into one basket and take enormous risks with no safety net. even in european countries, the standard of living is not what we have here. kids take public transportation, 1 hour to get to practice, head back on their own at 9-10 pm on the metro. kids live 3-4 in a small dorm room. soccer becomes everything. i'm not saying soccer in the US is doomed, but if we continue to view soccer as a sport for suburban elites that don't want their kids getting concussions playing tackle football, we're never competing internationally.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              you are looking at soccer, of course, this is a soccer forum. but the problem cuts across all sports. it shouldn't create anti-business or anti-pay to play sentiments. those that can comfortably afford the extras, if that's their priority, then there's nothing wrong with doing what you think is best for your kid. the problem is that there's nothing else in many places. no parks, no city leagues, no spaces for kids to play. that's not the case everywhere. there are some exceptions where strong municipal leadership bucked the trend. but in places where municipal leadership is weak or just average, there are (nationwide) no places for kids to enjoy sports, and schools no longer require gym. it's become sports for those that can afford it only. the problem sometimes is a lack of imagination. how much does it cost a parks department to buy a park, install a state of the art baseball field or soccer field with night lights. A lot. How much does it cost to build a simple small sided soccer field close to public transportation? close to nothing. but our leaders do not think outside the box and those with initiative and creativity are all in the private sector.
                              The big, fancy facility attracts tournaments and that is a lot of cash flow, while the pick-up field attracts those who want to play. The goal of the system is not to develop players, at all .The goal of the system is to generate cash flow.

                              Comment

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