Neighborhood and Community Clubs

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't it be nice if like the rest of the world our youth soccer (aside from professional academies) was based on local neighborhood community teams that did selections and participation based on talent and skills?
Affordable to all families.

I'm assuming clubs in DC, Silver Spring, Manassas, Wheaton would be top dogs in the DMV

[Anonymous]

I suppose it’s nice to wonder what if but that’s just not the culture here. Exclusivity and competition are baked into American culture. It’s good and bad for sure. It’s nice to wonder what it would be like if corporate culture don’t favor who you know and only rewarded merit and the good of the community. Or college admissions. Or if exclusive country clubs let everyone in no matter how much money you have. But there is zero chance it happens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if like the rest of the world our youth soccer (aside from professional academies) was based on local neighborhood community teams that did selections and participation based on talent and skills?
Affordable to all families.

I'm assuming clubs in DC, Silver Spring, Manassas, Wheaton would be top dogs in the DMV

Pipedream, but i like where your head is at, we can only wish right...

[Anonymous]

That would be nice but there is too much money to be made in the soccer circuit here.

[Anonymous]

Every story of every international soccer star starts with him/her playing for their neighborhood grassroots team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suppose it’s nice to wonder what if but that’s just not the culture here. Exclusivity and competition are baked into American culture. It’s good and bad for sure. It’s nice to wonder what it would be like if corporate culture don’t favor who you know and only rewarded merit and the good of the community. Or college admissions. Or if exclusive country clubs let everyone in no matter how much money you have. But there is zero chance it happens

Exclusive country clubs are all around the world.
Expensive exclusive elusive pay-to-play soccer is solely and strictly a US phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't it be nice if fields were free, lights were free, coaches were free, referees were free, uniforms were free, leagues were free...

Someone should create a club that offers all these services at a low cost and try to compete! I'm sure it will work just like "the rest of the world" and people will just flock to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose it’s nice to wonder what if but that’s just not the culture here. Exclusivity and competition are baked into American culture. It’s good and bad for sure. It’s nice to wonder what it would be like if corporate culture don’t favor who you know and only rewarded merit and the good of the community. Or college admissions. Or if exclusive country clubs let everyone in no matter how much money you have. But there is zero chance it happens

Exclusive country clubs are all around the world.
Expensive exclusive elusive pay-to-play soccer is solely and strictly a US phenomenon.

Yes, there are lots of things which are a US phenomenon. McMansions, fast food, big box stores, expensive healthcare, dependence on cars. Different cultures drive these things.

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t MSI provide that, at least in early years?

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of Latino clubs in the area that are much more affordable than other clubs and serve this purpose. A lot of those kids end up in MLSNext/ECNL clubs come U13.

[Anonymous]

We don't live in a world like that anymore. If you are a 70s, 80s, or 90s kid you know how life was. Kids just go around and hang out with friends. It was easily to play a pickup game of basketball or whoever. Now, everything is scheduled.

Also, most of the soccer fields are reserved so it's not easy to just walk on with a group and play. There are so many clubs practicing all fields are busy after 4:30pm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if fields were free, lights were free, coaches were free, referees were free, uniforms were free, leagues were free...

Someone should create a club that offers all these services at a low cost and try to compete! I'm sure it will work just like "the rest of the world" and people will just flock to them.

Such defeatist thinking to actually think that because that's the way it's been it should continue to be.
Even though it obviously is a failed model.

The obviously only thing that's causing the richest country in the world to be the only one with unaffordable soccer is mentality.
It can't be resources.

How ignorant is it to think the wrong way is the only way.
Solutions only happen when you remove intellectual dishonesty, acknowledge the root causes and commit to resolve.

[Anonymous]

If it became about neighborhood and community teams affordable to all and teams were formed by talent and skills only, the current big name clubs with big checkbook parents would tumble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be nice if fields were free, lights were free, coaches were free, referees were free, uniforms were free, leagues were free...

Someone should create a club that offers all these services at a low cost and try to compete! I'm sure it will work just like "the rest of the world" and people will just flock to them.

Such defeatist thinking to actually think that because that's the way it's been it should continue to be.
Even though it obviously is a failed model.

The obviously only thing that's causing the richest country in the world to be the only one with unaffordable soccer is mentality.
It can't be resources.

How ignorant is it to think the wrong way is the only way.
Solutions only happen when you remove intellectual dishonesty, acknowledge the root causes and commit to resolve.

I’m not sure you can say it’s a failed model. It’s certainly failed in some aspects but many aspects are doing very well. It is the way it is because that’s what the majority of people want. Market forces (ie parents) drive this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of Latino clubs in the area that are much more affordable than other clubs and serve this purpose. A lot of those kids end up in MLSNext/ECNL clubs come U13.

Is this actually accurate? That hasn't been what I have seen, but if so, I'd be interested in hearing which clubs?