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Another hurdle is trying to get young people involved in the sport while fighting the perception that soccer has to be an "elite" sport. In this country (unlike many of the parts of the world where soccer is king), people seem to cultivate the idea that soccer is all about top tier recognition or nothing. I've known a number of young athletes who have been reluctant to join the sport, or have dropped out, because they feel they are not "good enough" to play at the level where their efforts are recognized and appreciated--an image that is often perpetuated by a focus on the top levels only with a lack of recognition for what is going on at the grassroots and middle levels. A significant number of young athletes who could both benefit from and contribute to this sport are sometimes turned away by the idea that they have to go to the "right" clubs or the "right" schools starting at the "right" age, or they might as well not bother.



Coach Chass,Wow,great post you just made. A very impressive observation. While we continue with the original post,can someone tackle this for us and possibly share how they think we can overcome this?Good stuff coach chass!