Travel soccer parents - you’re the reason US soccer is failing

[Anonymous]

I'm glad you are not anonymous, because every time I see your name I just skip your posts. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad you are not anonymous, because every time I see your name I just skip your posts. Thank you.

That is just completely uncalled for. He's taking the time to write thoughtful posts on here, and the discussion would be much better if more people did the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Emotionally Over-Invested Parents” should be the title of this thread.

Passion for a sport is a good thing. The over-invested parents are the ones buying into the sh*t and kissing up ruthlessly. The normal ones are the ones fed up with the BS.

And, you have got the premise and message of this thread completely wrong. Parents are tired of the myth. They are tired of the crooks. They are tired of coaches taking the love of sports from kids and shoving it down their throats beginning with mini-kickers at age 3.

Let the coaches and Club officials and US youth soccer crooks come out and start bashing parents. That's the MO.

OMG, it is youth soccer. Get a grip. There is no reason to be "fed up with the BS". It is a game that your kids play nothing more. If your kid chose Piano or dance would be so concerned about the State of American piano playing?

I think you belong on the 'music forum'. This is a soccer forum. And the discussion isn't YOUTH soccer based it's the market for ADULT soccer, the World Cup, etc. Kid activities are hashed around in the 'elementary school' forum, btw.

The title of this thread is "Travel soccer parents - you’re the reason US soccer is failing", the topic is youth based. Let the kids play for the love of the game, find the right training for your kid and what happens happens. Travel soccer is not intended to to develop a "National Team". It is intended for kids to enjoy playing soccer at a competitive level that fits their talent level.

We do not have kids play piano or any other recreational activity with the intention of being a part of a nationalized system of talent collecting. So yes, stop worrying about World Cup, none of our kids will ever play in it. With each generation the game is growing and will do so organically.

Just enjoy watching your kid play and stop worrying about the international game.

Nope. Travel soccer segregates kids whose parents can afford to pay for it. It has little or nothing to do with athletic ability, as proved out by poor kids from marginal countries who put US in the shade.

Are you suggesting that US Soccer should be a Socialist System where travel parents with money have to subsidize the poor so they can play soccer? In other countries, youth soccer is heavily subsidized by Professional Teams with very deep pockets. MLS & NWSL are poor due to low public interest, game attendance and TV deals. Move to Venezuela if your kid has talent and you don’t want to pay for travel soccer. They have a great socialist system.

Actually, MLS/USSF/SUM created a socialist type closed command and control system, which kills investment into soccer in general and youth soccer in particular. If the system were to open and anyone could form a club and work its way up the chain to the top division, there would be meaningful investment in the game and youth soccer. The open market system works in both real life and in sports. The USSF is trying to do something different because it is too cosy with MLS/SUM to the detriment of the rest of the US soccer. Japan opened up its system and it league is only one year older than MLS. Their team looked great at the World Cup, while we could not beat T&T's B team to qualify.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is taught in top european or south american soccer academies is not rocket science and can be taught anywhere.

The difference is that they are starting off with super-advanced U8/U9 players who grow up soaking in a soccer culture 24/7 where social status of being a pro soccer player is the best thing that can happen to you. So parents, friends, family, is all pushing and encouraging them from age 6 to make it into an academy by age 8 or 9. Plus they have to compete against thousands of other kids, but the rewards are there.

Here we have no such environment for soccer. We do for football/baseball/basketball, though.

+10000

[Anonymous]

RantingSoccerDad wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there been any proof whatsoever that underserved communities will have this wealth of untapped talent that will lift US soccer out of this hole? I keep seeing these analyses but what are they based on? Yes, generally widening your talent pool helps bring more talent out but that's just a theory. Is the next Nemar living in DC? I doubt it.

Don't get me wrong, US soccer should widen the pool to underserved communities as much as possible but it sounds like analysts are hanging their hat on this saving US soccer and there is much more to our lack of talent IMO.

Let's flip this around. Where's the proof that the current system that favors those with money is working?

Most of the evidence on underserved communities is anecdotal, but it's compelling. Pros like Kyle Martino will sometimes tell you they knew a kid who was more talented than they were but couldn't afford the time or money to keep up. If there's a player better than Kyle Martino out there, shouldn't we do more to get him in the system?

(I say "him," but this is starting to become an issue on the girls' side as well.)

PP here.The failure of the current system may also have nothing at all to do with lack of access in underserved communities. This is more about the lack of interest in soccer in America. Football, baseball, basketball are all more popular. US soccer is chasing ghosts on this unless they have data to support it.

Most would support expanding access to more communities but to say that will solve the original issue doesn't even seem to be based on an educated guess. Anecdotal evidence is not sufficient. And in 12-24 years we may be right back here again searching for why we didn't make the world cup yet again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Emotionally Over-Invested Parents” should be the title of this thread.

Passion for a sport is a good thing. The over-invested parents are the ones buying into the sh*t and kissing up ruthlessly. The normal ones are the ones fed up with the BS.

And, you have got the premise and message of this thread completely wrong. Parents are tired of the myth. They are tired of the crooks. They are tired of coaches taking the love of sports from kids and shoving it down their throats beginning with mini-kickers at age 3.

Let the coaches and Club officials and US youth soccer crooks come out and start bashing parents. That's the MO.

OMG, it is youth soccer. Get a grip. There is no reason to be "fed up with the BS". It is a game that your kids play nothing more. If your kid chose Piano or dance would be so concerned about the State of American piano playing?

I think you belong on the 'music forum'. This is a soccer forum. And the discussion isn't YOUTH soccer based it's the market for ADULT soccer, the World Cup, etc. Kid activities are hashed around in the 'elementary school' forum, btw.

The title of this thread is "Travel soccer parents - you’re the reason US soccer is failing", the topic is youth based. Let the kids play for the love of the game, find the right training for your kid and what happens happens. Travel soccer is not intended to to develop a "National Team". It is intended for kids to enjoy playing soccer at a competitive level that fits their talent level.

We do not have kids play piano or any other recreational activity with the intention of being a part of a nationalized system of talent collecting. So yes, stop worrying about World Cup, none of our kids will ever play in it. With each generation the game is growing and will do so organically.

Just enjoy watching your kid play and stop worrying about the international game.

Nope. Travel soccer segregates kids whose parents can afford to pay for it. It has little or nothing to do with athletic ability, as proved out by poor kids from marginal countries who put US in the shade.

Are you suggesting that US Soccer should be a Socialist System where travel parents with money have to subsidize the poor so they can play soccer? In other countries, youth soccer is heavily subsidized by Professional Teams with very deep pockets. MLS & NWSL are poor due to low public interest, game attendance and TV deals. Move to Venezuela if your kid has talent and you don’t want to pay for travel soccer. They have a great socialist system.

Actually, MLS/USSF/SUM created a socialist type closed command and control system, which kills investment into soccer in general and youth soccer in particular. If the system were to open and anyone could form a club and work its way up the chain to the top division, there would be meaningful investment in the game and youth soccer. The open market system works in both real life and in sports. The USSF is trying to do something different because it is too cosy with MLS/SUM to the detriment of the rest of the US soccer. Japan opened up its system and it league is only one year older than MLS. Their team looked great at the World Cup, while we could not beat T&T's B team to qualify.

And the NFL has revenue sharing of TV money and salary caps and you are likely fine with that “socialism” when Billionaires seem to agree with it. And that is done in the name of competitive balance that allow small market teams to compete on the same financial footing as teams like Dallas, New England and other “big money” teams.