Reply to Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss Part II

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I agree 16-18 is a crucial age for development but it can get brushed off here, a lot of the attention lies with the younger ages because there's more money there. [/quote]

By 16-18, 98% of US youth soccer players have given up playing....just when it is starting to get serious in every other country.  27-29 is a peak soccer player’s age.  Almost no US soccer players are still playing then.

We have the wrong focus with competitions/games/tournaments at age 8 vs development.

Our kids are burned out early by playing 4 tournament games per weekend 6-10 times per year, regular season , shitty Y, etc.  No true off-season.

We hype up 7 and 8 year olds and their parents think they are destined for greatness because they won the Bethesda Cup.

[/quote]

How many people over 18 years of age do you honestly expect to keep playing competitive soccer?  [/quote]

You took the bait.  Very good. AND this, my friends, is why the US can never expect to be a major player on the World scene.[/quote]

The same could be asked anywhere in the world and the percentage would be the same. One needs to be a professional to keep playing. It could be argued that because of college soccer we actually have a higher percentage of people playing soccer. The problem is College is NOT developmental. We need a more professional pathway with a minor league system similar to baseball and hockey. Without promotion/relegation in the MLS a proper farm system would need to be developed over time.

Most of our talent plays in college where local club stars go to sit far more than they play. They also practice on Soccer far less than their professional counterparts. So yes, this is a lost developmental opportunity. However, it does not diminish the technical development phase from 7-12 years old. Without the important footskills not much else afterwards matters. In short EVERY phase is crucial. Currently our biggest gap is the 17-24 year age group. But until people are willing to pay to watch a third division/MLS Farm club play soccer in Richmond or Hershey we won’t catch Europe or the world.

So until then support DC United and the Washington Spirit. These clubs and their leagues need to be fiscally successful. [/quote]

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