Reply to What do you think of the kids on Scholarship?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]A couple points, there are sponsors that earmark their contributions to scholarship kids, so no money out of your pocket, who would have an issue with that?  Also, no doubt scholarship parents tend to have more issues with punctuality and communication for sure, but mostly harmless.  But this thread asked about the scholarship kids themselves, and they in my experienced have been great, certainly better for the most part than some of the hyper never-disciplined yuppie kids.  [/quote]

"Scholarship kids" are not all built the same.  There are definitely some who are pretty much wards of the team - literally no transportation, food, or anything else associated with their existence when with the team happens without a parent, manager, or coach arranging it and someone paying for it.  I'm not saying that is every scholarship kid, but from my experience it's a good 1/3 of them.[/quote]

So, you don't see the social benefit of helping a kid out? [/quote]

Well I didn’t say that at all.  I wasn’t making any comment on social benefit. I think there are good arguments both ways on that.  Fundamentally, travel club sports are a luxury good, and I don’t think anyone is owed a subsidy to be able to afford a luxury.

To the behavior question, the scholarship kids that had parents engaged - they were fine on behavior.  The scholarship kids that had little or no parent involvement were a challenge as far as behavior was concerned - both on and off the field.  Red cards and fights on the field, problems at hotels and on trips off the field.  Pretty much uncontrollable.

Again, our experience at our club. [/quote]

Most soccer clubs are community organizations. They are non-profits. Their purpose is not to be a luxury or exclusive. There are real world costs associated with running a soccer club but a soccer club is not a Country Club. If you want exclusivity based solely on what your wallet can afford then I suggest you get out of sports. If a club is able to help out with families regarding expenses that might be prohibitive I really don't see how that should bother you. Again, they are a community organization first and foremost. And if a scholarship can keep some potential troubled teens engaged in something positive then that is a win/win.

I love how in many of the threads regarding our national teams and why our men's team is so bad always point to a couple of common arguments. 
1. We lack a true national soccer culture
2. We lack street soccer
3. We are pay to play.

Well this thread is full of why we suck not only as a soccer nation but also suck as empathetic human beings. [/quote]

Every time I'm about to give up on this board,  I read a post like this.

Very well said,  and thank you.

Youth soccer clubs are nonprofits.  Their purpose is supposed to be for the benefit of the community as a whole.   It is the clubs who don't offer scholarships that really have some explaining to do.

And for all of you who complain about "scholarship kids" taking your kid's spot,  because even though they are a better player their parents aren't as rich as you and so somehow that makes it unfair, there's always rec. [/quote]

Travel soccer at the higher levels cost easily 10K a year by the time you include the family travel that goes with it, meals, etc.  It is a luxury good.  There are always rec leagues and HS for anyone that does not want or cannot afford to pay for that.  The nonprofits do offer scholarships that from what I have seen are pretty generous.  But no non profit can afford to take on the entire costs of 10K/year per player to fund scholarship players.  [/quote]

I know our club sponsors some players to cover club fees and some of the travel costs are paid for by the DA. They offer a scholarship program as well.[/quote]

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