Excellent insight P&Y, but do you think that the problem transcends mere economics? Your post brings to the forefront the issue of “nature vs. nurture” to the soccer scene in a brilliant insight that goes beyond the physical attributes of successful players and teams. And while it’s interesting to see the correlation between higher income schools with successful soccer programs, I find it more interesting to postulate why there is a lack of black players in the game.

First a disclaimer, I have absolutely no data to back this up… this is simply my personal observations. With that said, I’ve noticed that even economically disadvantaged schools with high percentages of blacks, still field teams that are lacking black players. And the majority of blacks that do play the game seem as though they come from area’s outside of South Carolina.

The game of soccer doesn’t have to be an expensive sport. It is the world’s most popular game, especially in economically disadvantaged regions. I believe the problem we have is more of a social issue rather than an economic issue.