It is very sad that we have so few minorities involved in youth soccer. It will be very important that we examine the barriers to entry in the very near future. We are missing out on good athletes of all races.
Agreed.......do you have suggestions as to how to address?
The difference I see today as when I played orgainized sports growing up is costs.I do not remember my parents writing checks left and right...My coaches were not paid.I guess they were giving back to the sport or community that gave so much to them...Maybe they felt a sense of responsibility..The team raised money whenever we made playoffs..the parents were not asked to flip the bill and the coaches would haul the kids that could not find a ride to away games...Soccer professionals have to draw a line somewhere on what they are going to charge for and start giving back to the game that was so good to them..I am sure there are plenty that do this but there are plenty that want to know how much they are going to make..Scholarships to play should be offered to the average kids as well as the good player whose parents do not feel they should pay because their child makes a difference on the team.
>>[coldhardtruth] Scholarships to play should be offered to the average kids as well as the good player whose parents do not feel they should pay because their child makes a difference on the team.<<
Would you give financial assistance based on financial need, gender, race, or some combination thereof?
Scholarships should be for financial needs...Parents that make a low income..Parents that have more than two children playing within a club or a single mom who trying to make ends meet..Race or gender should not matter...low income effects all races and genders...I have just seen in the past kids getting a free ride because of their ability not necessarily the families income
We have outsized and out priced the worlds simpliest game and I am willing to take a portion of the game. Many moons ago I and a coach in the upstate and a coach in the lower state got together and decided that our services were worth something. We each had successful teams and decided that if players wanted our services it was time that they paid for those services as they had recently begun doing in many other states.
That morphed into tryout fees; trainers and training fees; and expensive registrations and uniforms. Suddenly the kid with the biggest pocketbook became the MVP.
Ironically, I can now barely afford to pay for my two kids to play now. With all of the travel involved, if my two kids play at the highest level, and play ODP, and Super Y it would cost me almost $10k before taxes if I include gas to and from practice and games; hotels, registrations, uniforms, food, and other items.
That is not right.
Please help me to understand: at what clubs and on what teams does the kid with the biggest pocketbook become the MVP? I always thought it was the kid that was related to the coach.
More seriously, since you're willing to take part of the "blame" on yourself, I'd like to get your opinion on something. Recently I've thought that perhaps one way of getting more South Carolina youth involved in soccer would be to reward clubs for doing so with small, simplified grants. The club would almost "fill in the blank" for a grant application (a couple of paragraphs would probably be needed in reality -- but nothing over a page) stating what they'd do with an extra thousand dollars (or whatever) in terms of increasing the kids that they served playing recreation soccer in certain age groups (with a focus on the younger age groups).
I realize that in your last post that you're bemoaning the price to play at the highest level -- but what I see as a much bigger threat to the diversity you raised in your opening post is not enough youth of all races and both genders being attracted to the sport at a young age. So I'm trying to figure out how we can incent clubs to "promote and develop" youth soccer earlier.
What do you think? What are alternatives that you see?
A1 - I agree with a lot of what you say, but the piano teacher gets paid, the gymnastics teacher gets paid, etc. Bottom line, professionalism is worth something, but I do agree that youth soccer has become ridiculous as far as $$$ goes.
I wander how many of the great players that we followed during the World Cup had to pay thousands of dollars as youth players in order to get to the highest level of soccer in their country.
I wander how many great players that we followed in South Carolina youth soccer that has paid thousands of dollars are playing professional soccer in MLS or over seas? Don't wonder to hard...
alphaone62/coldhardtruth: Okay...I get it...diversity isn't the issue...the issue is that clubs cost too much. Okay, I'll switch over to that...
What is stopping you guys from pulling together everyone who feels the way you do and creating one or more clubs that offer the highest level of soccer for free?
shut^@play: I know that I wouldn't want to try to do it -- and I wouldn't want my kid to play in it -- but I figure that maybe I'm in the minority and that there are a lot of folks out there who think that they could make this happen and want to do it.
In my mind, however, the real problem is that if you take the tryout and registration and training and kit fees to $0 [in my experience with a child playing in challenge and/or premier league] you've barely scratched the surface of the real costs for the "highest level of soccer."] The gas fees, hotel fees, eating out fees, tournament fees, shoe fees, and the like are the majority of the cost.
Let's face it, it's rare in South Carolina to have two nationally, or even regionally, competitive teams in an age bracket [note: last year's U15B was a pleasant exception...and with the advent of Bridge and CESA it's becoming a bit more common...but these are at this time exceptions.] So you're going to have to travel quite a bit, not including tournaments, to play at the highest level.
To train at the highest level -- well, see Beezer's posts about the importance of training with the best players and theories and problems on getting South Carolina's best players together. More fuel for more travel.
That's why to me the short-term answer is for better clubs aggregating more kids and the long-term answer is to increase the penetration of youth soccer through recreation [which costs very little.] But that's just my opinion...
[P.S. I'm posting this via a wireless access point I just put out at Lake Murry -- pretty cool -- I think I'll turn off the computer now!]
Never said that club soccer would be better if it was free..
I feel there needs to be a cap on all the expenses that the highest level costs...Chico, you do not believe that costs plays a role in the lack of diversity?
You want diversity....then we better find a club that will train for free...Recreation? 150 dollars to registar with the state and the kit to play is at least 75 more..225 reasons why you will not find diversity in youth soccer
Has anyone considered or argued the cost of AAU sports? Those would definitely be the equivalent to club soccer. It seems like with those teams, I never hear about money being an object. Do they go out and drum up support better than club soccer does?
As far as expensive kits go...do they have to have adidas? Why not score or something else? It seems like we could cut corners to save $ if we really wanted to. Just a thought.
Back in the day, a secondary jersey was always a printed t-shirt.
>>[coldhardtruth] Chico, you do not believe that costs plays a role in the lack of diversity?<<
I think it's tertiary at best. In my experience with an upstate club that gives a lot of money for financial aid, the recreation fees aren't what keep most kids away. A lack of interest/exposure would be the primary reason and a secondary reason would be family support [e.g., the logistics of taking to practice and to games.]
Typical AAU bball is $250-$400 per year in fees, all inclusive. Family expenses related to tournaments are extra but lots of families send their kids with other people and don't end up paying that. More so than in soccer. Also, like soccer there are scholarships for kids who need the help.
My gut feel is that while you have a ton more American kids playing organzied rec basketball, you have far fewer kids actually playing travel basketball. There are probably more kids playing "travel" soccer in York County than "travel" basketball. My guess is that its the same in Greenville or Columbia area.
big daddy: yeah...but there is\also traveling volleyball, baseball, and softball. i wish the schsl would allow us to do what football does with thier summer passing leagues. why restrict us so much?
Quote:
i wish the schsl would allow us to do what football does with thier summer passing leagues.
The SCHSL does allow for the exact same setup as football passing leagues IN the summer months ... Did you mean in the fall season? If so, that's because HS athletic directors and principals will not support a "high school soccer league" or any other sport that would interfere with SCHSL sanctioned "in-season" sports that could affect participation or coaches fighting over players.
As a player in an adult league and a parent of a child playing developmental, I would much rather pay for a quality kit from adidas. The new technology in these materials are great and do make a difference. As a matter of fact, I wish CESA would go to a white Adidas jersey with climacool as opposed to the T-shirts for practice. I would be willing to pay the extra coin for my son to be more comfortable in the sweltering heat of August and September.
None of them are as expensive as soccer, based on what I know.
Everyone assumes that the lack of minority penetration in soccer is a result of costs. That may be a part of it but I think the bigger piece of it is the lack of acceptance as a sport. Its still seen as a lily white European sissy sport.
Until we see young black kids juggling a ball wearing FUBU inspired Henry or Cole or Ronaldinho or even Gooch jersies......we won't be getting the best young American athletes into the game. They'll play basketball, football or run track.
I see young white kids and hispanic kids doing that....but black kids are few and far between and I think its cultural as much as anything.
kdlsc: Wow! Do I agree with you! I personally have been wearing both cotton T-shirts and Climalite/Climacool/Dri-fit doing a bunch of working out this summer and have been absolutely amazed at the difference in the advanced materials. You should get a petition going!
Chico: I will put a bug in both Andrew's and Pearce's ear when I see them.
Kevin,
I am under the impression that the head coach couldn't be out on the field with his team in the off-season, epecially before tryouts. I do feel as though football has an advantage with such long off-season practices and training. They can have their tryouts at the end of soccer season, months before their season starts. They can coach their receivers, DB's, and quarterbacks months before their first game. If you have a link on this summer soccer opportunities that is okayed by the SCHSL, I would be really interested in reading it. Thanks.
I do believe soccer is cultural but I also disagree with it being an overall white European sport. Maybe in US it is seen as that. Until we start having 5000 people show up at a high school stadium on game night, I reckon it will always be seen as an "Olympic sport" instead of giving the proper recognition it deserves for the ability needed to play it well. But I do have to agree with it following affluent school district lines for the most part. If you were to follow Title 1 districts, you would probably find that soccer is not that important, is non-existent, or is not good at those schools. There is always an exception to the rule, but for the most part, the rule holds true. Look at many of the SCISA schools that have respectable soccer programs.
Fan,
I wouldn't cry too much about football's preseason advantage over soccer. Although the HS soccer coaches only have access to their kids from mid-January to mid-May (if you are fortunate to go that far), these players are not sitting around eating chocolate on the couch during their down time. The other seven months of the year their club coach (who often is a professional, and widely believed to be more qualified than the HS coach) has them conditioning, training, playing league games, tournaments, ODP, State Cup, Super Y, college showcases, etc.
I have to believe that when most HS kids show up in January, they are relatively prepared for the upcoming season.
I have to disagree with some of the statements... Maybe in SC the majority are white, But I can tell you at Score at the Shore there was a very good mix of races (very skilled players). Saw Benp there he may corroborate my statement.
I think it is basically a numbers game...i.e number of players choosing the sport at a high level. Nobody seems to be troubled by the lack of white players in Football and Basketball. The truth is there is a belief that the lower income kid will work harder at the sport he loves as a way out. But soccer in this country does not have a way out "YET". Right now it is arequirement that education is the way out if you play the non $$$ sports... You could not have a college program in the non$$ sports with a GPA less than 2, It would not be accepted.
Therfore you will se a little step toddler like walk for the sport in the US, which I believe will eventually capture the masses.
The only stumbling block is HS and college $$$ sports, but there I go again poking at the 800 lb gorilla.
Benp must be getting some great Ref experience - Regionals and Score, among other tournaments. Great way to make some good summer money at these tournaments. All you guys going away to college should continue your involvement in soccer by getting certified.
Quote:
I am under the impression that the head coach couldn't be out on the field with his team in the off-season, epecially before tryouts. I do feel as though football has an advantage with such long off-season practices and training. They can have their tryouts at the end of soccer season, months before their season starts. They can coach their receivers, DB's, and quarterbacks months before their first game. If you have a link on this summer soccer opportunities that is okayed by the SCHSL, I would be really interested in reading it. Thanks.
The Fan -- once again, this information is in the HSL Handbook at SCHSL.
This is the same rule that allows for high school basketball, baseball, volleyball, and football teams to practice against each other. You have 10 dates that you can scrimmage other prep teams.
This is along the same line as the Summer 6v6 High School League that we fielded in 2003-04 and attempted to do so this summer, albeit unsuccessfully.
How many coaches would like to stage a 2007 Summer League next year?
As stated, it's not just soccer. That along with club coaches 'forcing' kids to go one direction when young versus giving them their due time to let the cream rise to the top! Just as a note, the West Coast does not charge for tryouts! That could be a small step in the right direction. Does anyone know how it is structured in Europe or the other Americas?
BB&T of South Carolina announced today it will be the major corporate sponsor of Columbia United FC, one of South Carolina’s largest youth soccer clubs. Created through merger of the Columbia Soccer Club (CSC) and Northeast Columbia Soccer Association (NECSA), Columbia United FC provides recreational and advanced soccer opportunities to over 2,600 children ages 3 to 18 years residing throughout the Greater Columbia area and surrounding counties. “BB&T is proud to announce its support for the players, parents, coaches and leadership of Columbia United FC. Becoming Columbia United’s major corporate sponsor is our way of ‘giving back’ to Midlands area communities which have been so good to us,” said Mike Brenan, president of BB&T of South Carolina. As part of the sponsorship package, BB&T will contribute monies to the Club’s general scholarship fund to enable famili es with children who do not otherwise have the financial means to participate to register their children and get them involved playing organized youth soccer. In addition, BB&T will hold one of ten seats on the Club’s Community Advisory Council, which will be comprised of Columbia area business, civic and educational leaders who will assist in providing guidance to the Club to better enable all children of the community an opportunity to participate in soccer at a level commensurate with their abilities.
As stated by Ron Tryon, a Columbia attorney who gives of his time to serve as President of Columbia United FC, “With today’s announcement, we are another step closer to fulfilling our Club’s mission of making organized youth soccer accessible to any and all children regardless of race, religion, gender, creed, nationality or socio-economic background. Obviously, our Board is delighted that BB&T stands firmly united with us in serving the area’s youth. Based upon BB&T’s prior support of CSC and its future commitment to Columbia United FC, it is fitting that our six field youth soccer complex located in Ballentine be renamed The BB&T Soccer Complex as a reminder to all that BB&T is indeed an excellent corporate citizen.”
BB&T, a provider of banking, insurance, investment and other financial services, has 24 financial centers throughout the Midlands region of South Carolina and employs approximately 300 area residents. Visit
www.BBT.com for more information. Columbia United FC is a charitable nonprofit organization existing to serve youth in the community.