SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP And USYSA's response to USSF league

I firmly believe that we are spiraling out of control

http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/index.php?s...hange_well_id=2

Now we have the emergence of a national league, as if traveling to Jekill island only to find out it has been rained out is not bad enough, now you are expected to charter a plane to take you to California and no guarantee to play?

If this was UK, Italy or Germany maybe .... but this is the US (as large as all of Europe) where travel is 3 time zones and potential air travel of 7, 8 hrs maybe longer... during Holidays, when airlines raise the prices.

THESE PEOPLE HAVE LOST IT!!!!

They are trying to do what the MLS should be doing with academy programs for seeding the future generation. Not payed by parents but paid for by the fans. Of course we know that the fan base is still limited.

Have a good read.

Futbol, It may be their response to USSF, but there are no similarities in their offerings. USSF (from what I understand)is finally trying to offer a true "development program." The 3 day (minimum) intensive trainings per week is exactly what is needed in order for the talented and dedicated player to reach the next level of their play. Would be nice if they could include girls in the future though. Regardless, this type of training & development will ultimately benefit each S C club participating.

I think that futbal has a point. One problem with development in the US is it's a pay to play system. Everyone puts down Rec and HS soccer, the only true venues I am aware of where a kid can play for a nominal cost.

The danger I see is that this wonderful idea for true development gets turned into a rich kids club.

who_me?—

True—the US has turned soccer into an elite sport—worldwide it is the common person's game—

But even in HS where you can play for free or close to it, look at the championships—The smaller divisions (A, AA), all the champions tend to be private schools with affluent players/parents—And even the public schools that win year in and out are the most affluent public schools—As I have posted before, a strong correlation exists between $$$ and soccer in SC—

Red it was a way to bring attention to the subject...although I think it is USYSA's way to try an maintain control.

The only thing that USYSA has to offer is the national championship. US Club has not been able to enter this arena to the level of USYSA. US Club does offer but is more like the US open cup where anyone can enter and if lucky/good come away winners.

USSF comes out with the rgional league which is now in direct competition with USYSA's regional premier leagues. I believe that this is a way to raise the stakes.

In my opinion what this mean is that someone will go bust.

The reality is this, MLS is controled by USSF because it is a means to control the costs that killed the old NASL. To me USSF should then take charge of the feeder system. Basically combine the US Club and USYSA into the entitiy to control the seed. Imagine the purchasing power and the fan base if you can tie it all together.

Who and G&B are correct this can only be workable if you have the $$$... this is ridiculuous as the majority of the clubs would need to have major backers, which quite frankly I am not aware are there....unless of course sale of Land Rovers in the upstate are better than what I think.

Assuming your airline cost is $500/person (HA!!) a group of 20 needs $10,000 times 7 trips = $70k... That is almost $4000/player in a team of 18...imagine being Johnny's parents and paying 4k and Johnny does not even get in the field to play...

It also means that the airline cost is relative to the airport of exit... thus Atlanta will be easier than Columbia or GSP or Charleston. And note that the majority of the games are on high travel times which usually means $$$$$

And BTW we still have not paid for Hotel and food

g&b,

You are correct that as youth players move on to the highest levels, the financial commitment from the parents seems to rise significantly. In Europe and other parts of the world, I suppose that professional clubs cover these costs as they see it as an investment. Hopefully the player will rise through the ranks and play for the top professional team.

I'm curious, how does this work in the US for AAU, or club, basketball? Many of these kids come from tougher situations and don't have the means to travel and pay the dues that cover training & coaching costs. Are there organizations (NBA, Adidas, Nike, NCAA) that cover these costs for these kids because they look at it as an investment as well?

I imagine if the fan base for professional soccer in the US reached the same level as baseball, football & basketball.....we would see a drop in the "development costs" to the players and families.

Again, does anybody know how this works with basketball in the US?

No doubt the costs associated with participation in a National League will be significant. If pro clubs aren't involved financially, then corpoarations certainly should be. Why wouldn't there be an organized effort on the part of USYSA to pursue such financial support for qualified teams?

According to a friend who coaches AAU basketball, sponsorships, both local and national, cover the bulk of the team expenses, and there is no way many of the kids could afford to pay them out of pocket. If USSF doesn't fund this program with an endowment, it will truly become grotesque. We may as well be training the future US Polo team. The team based systems in Europe have big disadvantages too, and would not work well here. Kids are signed at an early age, and the vast majority do not get past the lower divisions, sacrificing educational opportunities along the way. The USSF system appears to be losely modeled on the French academy system. However, the French fund their system. You only have to be talented to play, not wealthy and talented.

Until our top athletes get involved with soccer, (And I am not saying that there aren't any) soccer in the US will always be a rich kids sport. Although US Pro soccer is growing, the pro soccer player must play outside the USA to make any real money. Until the day comes where an awesome pro-bound soccer kid has a decent chance of being drafted by a team playing in the USA with a multi-million dollar deal, it will always be a rich kids sport.

Although US pro soccer is growing, in reality, I can't see this happening in my lifetime. The truly talented athlete will always flock to the sport where the cash is, and they always will.