Reply to youth soccer participation down 23.5% in key 6-12 year age group...

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My son (9 yo/3rd grade) decided to quit soccer after this fall. He didn't want the competitive pressure of a travel program (which I agree on, I think these programs are incredibly developmentally inappropriate at this age), but since the program has pulled off so much of the talent on his rec team, he's not having fun being the only kid out there working. I'm sad that he's giving up something he used to love, but I really can't blame him given what I've seen out on the field.

I tend to agree that lack of skilled coaching may be a part of it as well. My son's team has had a series of parent coaches who never coach more than a single season and who don't have much (if any) of a soccer background, so they basically just herd cats rather than actually teaching soccer skills (that's not a knock on them, I appreciate them stepping up so we could have a team at all). For those kids on the team who got outside coaching (either from a private coach or from a parent who knows the game), they were able to play at a higher level despite the lack of coach instruction at their practices, but for kids more in the middle who have potential but need to be taught the skills, they just haven't progressed much since the beginning.[/quote]

Not to pile on a 9 year old but something seems odd regarding the logic that you are using. He doesn't want the competitive pressure of travel but bemoans being the "only kid working" at the rec level. What is killing youth soccer is people constantly looking for these "Goldilocks" [/quote]

Not the pp....but WTF are you talking about???

Our County destroyed the Rec soccer program by making everything pay-to-play.  They were taking just about every kid that showed up at travel tryouts---with their 6 teams.  Then--for the few that didn't make it--they ushered them into the Development program which was another 'tryout/paid program".  The indoor Rec soccer program used to be a blast--but now since most 2nd/3rd graders are travel--you don't have these neighborhood teams anymore.  Then---they had to make it so Developmental kid  #s were unlimited. So now you have whole teams of developmental players with professional training going up against Rec players that are at much lower level.  It's a disaster.

When my firstborn started the Rec program was boisterous and without the Developmental program there was still a high number of talented kids in the Rec program.  Kids really forged school/neighborhood bonds and there were many talented parents filling into coach.

I am so glad my kids started prior to the birth year change which had FIRST graders trying out for travel.  That is shameful.  The amount of burnout I've seen by 10 is massive.  It is way too formalized at such a young age.  These Clubs also don't make it 'fun' age-appropriate.[/quote]

13:24/15:24 here, it sounds like we are/were in the same league, but unfortunately we're getting the brunt of the developmental disaster. At least I hope were are and there aren't multiple soccer leagues in the region that are this messed up.[/quote]

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