I know that this has been discussed to death, but here's another article that says what I've thought about and heard about on this board many times:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=364126&root=us&cc=5901

Now, the $64,000 question: How exactly do we get more kids in the housing projects, barrios and trailer parks playing soccer? And then how do we identify the sandlot superstars, and encourage them to follow a development path to the professional / nation team level?

There's a vacant lot next to the always-crowded basketball court in the "economically challenged" section of town. If in the middle of the night, someone were to paint some lines, put up some goals, and leave a few balls laying around, do you think they would get some use? Obviously coaches and administrators are not needed to ensure a good level of competition on the basketball courts.

So where do we start?

quote:

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Originally posted by lurker:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=364126&root=us&cc=5901

Now, the $64,000 question: How exactly do we get more kids in the housing projects, barrios and trailer parks playing soccer? And then how do we identify the sandlot superstars, and encourage them to follow a development path to the professional / nation team level?

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When their heroes aren't Kobe Bryant, Terrell Ownes, Dwayne Wade, Shaq, Michael Vick, Michael Jordan, Reggie Bush, ETC and instead are Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Totti, Zidane, Beckham, Rooney, ETC

then you'll get them to follow a development path. To watch the latter you have to have a cable subscription. To watch the NFL and NBA you need a makeshift antenna and a 20 dollar tv. Also there is no money market for soccer in the US. No one can become an instant millionaire right out of high school or college. Soccer players are not celebrities in the US. There is no dream for someone to rise up out of the projects and become a great soccer star playing in the mls for 60k a year. This simply does not happen and until it does, the US will always stumble behind those whose homeland embraces soccer as its only game.