SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP There should be more LowCountry Consolidation

"My guess is that, over time, we (on the boys' side) will move toward a more European model where professional clubs "adopt" and underwrite the elite youth soccer clubs. We are seeing some of that in the Development Academy now. US Soccer recognizes the hinderance that cost represents in the development of our unrealized potential. The answers are not, unfortunately, easy to come by."

......and the parents of female players will continue to write the check, even at the very top level, since no professional club will have a vested interest in funding development.

But $3,500 isn't all bad when you consider other forms of "entertainment". I've seen parents plunk down $3,500 for a pair of Super Bowl tickets and that only lasts one weekend. You get 52 weeks of joy (and vicarious-living ) when you invest $3,500 in your child's competitive soccer season!

Not a bad investment.....if you can swing it.

Dawgs, I without a shadow of a doubt believe that Cainhoy would take care of any player they could. I recently had the chance to play two of their teams in a 3v3 event. Their coaches, parents and players are a class act. I am looking forward to competing with them in the future because of the way they conduct themselves.

As for the folks that are ok with the colleges plucking from the clubs first you will soon be facing the same issues that basketball is having with AAU ball. Kids who belong to clubs and travel leagues should be allowed to play for the schools first. We all get so caught up in the level of competition that at some point we are taking away from a kids high school expierence. I am all for developement and finding the kids with the potential a path to a future but lets not take away from their Jr High and High school years.

That would cost me if all 3 of my kids chose soccer $10,500.00 a year. What's kind of ironic about this scenario is youth basketball, baseball, football, softball are primarily coached and trained by parents, in soccer their trained by a paid club coaching staff. Altough they do travel in the above 4 sports, it's no where close to how much you have to travel in a big club soccer program as my friend told me they've had to travel all over the country. Yet there's more scholarship spots and scholarship dollars in these other sports compared to college soccer. I guess I could be entertained by these other sports at a much more affordable price and maybe give my children a better chance at scholarship money if they chose to go that route.

chase, very kind words and thank you. You clearly didn't run into me on those sidelines Not sure I'm quite as classy an act on the field as I wish I could be (and know a ref or two that would agree with that comment).

I do however know of the guys you met and they are about as good a representative of youth soccer as you will find and we are very lucky to have them represent our club. I talked to one after their tournie and he told me what a great time they had at the Summerville event which made me sad because I was planning on taking a few of my U12G team, but failed to get my act together. He also commented on the Summerville team who similarly represented everything we hope to see in youth sports, so the compliment is returned.

Now back to the topic:

I see a certain amount of consolidation has happened with SCUMP at the high end with top players from several clubs moving in that direction. See a number (I am familiar with in the Academy age groups) from JI, DISA, and even a couple of ours so hopefully this will pay dividends for their teams this fall at higher level competition. Also minutes published by town regarding the SCUMP merger which clears up naming convention. MP Town Rec Dept Minutes Apr 13

Next: Exciting and great news recently regarding new soccer facilities East of the Cooper (within City of Charleston limits) so looking very promising for more soccer in our corner of Berkeley County. Governors Park on Daniel Island (35 acres) is due for construction this year (possibly starting this month) and will be ready next fall (11).

I have seen these plans and they are very impressive (multiple sports supported) and with a location right under the I-526 and next to the Family Circle tennis center will be easily accessible to all. I hope the City takes advantage of this to really develop their soccer programs and/or work with clubs to provide a greater and more reasonable experience for all. We will certainly be making that appeal as this location is very close (one exit away and this park is on the on ramp to 526) to Clements Ferry Road and 10-15 minutes from our HQ.

Between this and our facility, There will be a lot more soccer going on around the Clements Ferry corridor and Daniel Island. A way (catalyst) to unite the City ? I hope so in some fashion that improves opportunity, quality, and lower costs for all families (Rec, Academy, or Challenge).

Still Summer so who knows what will happen next?

Summerville is also planning on getting a some fields together and putting together a rec department. Should be interesting to see how that all pans out. You have a Y program that had almost 1200 kids in the spring and SSC there so I am waiting to see how that could change things. Hopefully this does not spread things to thin.

Dawgs I traveled all over the country to play baseball and I have a friend who played AAU ball and he traveled everywhere as well. It was all done through sponsorship and fund raising. I coached soccer(spring and fall) basketball (two teams) baseball and flag football this year. Most of the kids on my teams play soccer for me. I believe the skills that they learned on the soccer field have carried over to the other sports. We were very successful at everything. At the end of the day, a different parent rotates to help me with each sport. I grew up playing everything but when I started all this I realized I need to hit the books with the soccer. I have spent endless hours researching, coming up with practice plans and putting strategy to the types of players I have. I know that I am not the only parent willing to put this amount of energy towards this. I would not trade any of the time I have spent with my son and his friends over the last 3 years. We will be venturing into our first season in LSYSA this fall and I am sure there will be a learning curve but we will put in the work, get better each week and let it rip every time we take the field.