SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Isn't competition good?

>>[Big Daddy] Where is the depth?<<

Without blaming anyone or any organization, the fundamental problem is that South Carolina does not have enough youth soccer players, and the numbers over the last few years are not promising.

According to the SCYSA (kudos to them for publishing this information), its total number of players from 2005-2006 dropped by 2.3%. The upstate was the only district that grew at a rather small 1.8%; the midstate lost players at a 3.41% clip while the lower state lost players at a 7.35% clip.

According to the SCYSA board reports I've seen over the last few years, the number of SCYSA-affiliated players has dropped from north of 18,000 to approximately 14,400.

Kids, Familes, AMERICANS, love competition. Take away that element too much in place of "Development" and you'll start to loose interest and players. Keep the competitive nature high and winners will come and stay. It's really very simple!

Gotta be more specific Chico. I don't think any of the rec leagues around here register their kids with AYSO or SCYSA or anyone.

The problem isn't getting 4-7 year olds playing, because they are.....by the bushel basket. The problem is in keeping 8-11 year olds playing. Particularly the talented ones.

An example for solving the problem is the CESA Academy program. You want to increase your U13 challenge teams by 50%? You better find a way to keep U8-U9 kids playing at an appropriate competitive level. Good training, good competition, etc.

Instead of SCYSA worrying about fields.....they need to figure out how to FIELD teams outside of Greenville, Charleston, and Columbia.

Otherwise.......not sure exactly what it is that the rest of the state offers Bridge and CESA. Looking at the creativity of the CESA folks.......if I were SCYSA I'd be worried about them developing an alternate competitive model outside of the status quo. Then what?

Can we all say Sandlapper?

>>[Big Daddy] Gotta be more specific Chico.<<

I'm going to let you and others carry the torch on this for a while.

I'm getting bored with myself for endlessly talking about the shortcomings of some of the organizations responsible for promoting and developing youth soccer; thus, after a few postings tonight to clean things up I'm going to take a sabbatical from that subject for a while. I'd rather put more time and energy into helping the organizations making a positive difference.

Don't disagree with anything you said above, however.