I agree with all of you regarding the commitment of girls to sports in general. When they are serious about a sport they often do what it takes to rise to the top. My son, on the other hand, would not have even considered exerting himself beyond just what it took to get by in soccer or any other sport. This was especially true if doing so would have interfered with his social life. I have heard the same thing from several friends with both boys and girls. My son is grown now, but was shocked to hear that his sister wanted to go to "soccer boot camp" for her senior year - just couldn't fathom what would make someone want to do that. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but in general I think girls that are really into soccer tend to be deadly serious about the sport. As I overheard my daughter say to a friend recently "I've played since I was 5 - I can't imagine my life without soccer." The commitment of the girls in this age group bodes well for Women's soccer in the U.S. in the years to come.
