Coach P: I think you have some really good points here. Starting with #10, obviously, you're absolutely right that a USYSA fee increase isn't the fault of the SCYSA. However, what would be interesting would be to see some kind of internal insight at the SCYSA regarding the impact of this fee increase -- do they believe that their market is inelastic and that fees don't impact the number of players, or that it's elastic and that this will hurt their registration numbers? You don't get the feeling that there is a lot of insight into this. It's only in the last President's letter than there's been any discussion (and this was notably brief) regarding registration number growth (or lack thereof) -- and you get the feeling that this may have been motivated more by their reading message board chatter than some drive toward a vision of promoting and growing youth soccer in South Carolina.
If I'm at the SCYSA, I'd at least make the argument to the USYSA that South Carolina is a relatively poor state and that fees should be based on the relative income levels in the state. It might not fly -- and probably wouldn't -- but at least in preparing to make the argument you'd show the USYSA that you're serious about growing the sport and might pave the way for future concessions, particularly with respect to grants, that you request in order to grow youth soccer.
