My DD couldn’t do soccer. The games and practices weren’t always near mass transit and there would have been no way for us to consistently get there. They were all far from where we lived so it would have taken at least an hour with buses and walking. Each way.

Ha, the point she’s implicitly making p is that far better athletes than suburban white kids are missing out. That’s what hey US men’s soccer sucks beyond human comprehension.

Soccer is different than football or basketball where genetics really dictate outcome combined with skill. Soccer is the only technical sport a 5’7” male can play; other than individual sports like wrestling or gymnastics or whatever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NFL MLB NFL not packed exclusively with rich white kids who did travel football and camps.

American born kids who make it to the majors now a days do not come from poor backgrounds.

the system is different for latin players.

it's partly why you see a massive drop off of american blacks in mlb compared to the 60's and 70s

+1000 Just look at "perfect game" that does a lot in Florida and Georgia and is one of the major "showcase" systems and has nearly doubled in size in the last decade Parents spend a fortune on club teams and travel.

agree - so far system is very different for Latin american players.

https://www.news-press.com/story/sports/2016/06/17/perfect-game-generates-earns-millions/85920274/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's correct. Soccer in the US is pay to play, it doesn't have the same culture as in less developed countries. $15,000 doesn't surprise me, and it sucks every moment of free time as well, and not all of these girls even make it to D1 play, much less pro.

But again, this is true of every sport at a high level.

Not sure but it is definitely true for soccer around me. Not every family is loaded but I don't think there is even one low income or even lower middle income kid on out team. It is way too expensive.

We have several, but our Club has a very good scholarship program.

I really can't stand Hope Solo. She has major issues.

She beats up family members, abuses alcohol and is a sore/bad loser. She insulted Sweden after her team lost to them in the Olympics. Disgusting and disgraceful.

I wouldn't listen to anything she has to say.

Anonymous wrote:NFL MLB NFL not packed exclusively with rich white kids who did travel football and camps.

American born kids who make it to the majors now a days do not come from poor backgrounds.

the system is different for latin players.

it's partly why you see a massive drop off of american blacks in mlb compared to the 60's and 70s

you need solidarity payments. crossfire is fighting this over yedlin.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-fifa/story/3172265/deandre-yedlin-youth-club-solidarity-payments-case-added-to-fifa-docket

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NFL MLB NFL not packed exclusively with rich white kids who did travel football and camps.

Seriously. NBA, in particular. Come on!

There are a lot of club scholarships and private school scholarships at the high school level for top players.

Basketball is interesting because at the high school and college level, it's actually much more profitable (or close to profitable) for the school than football in most cases...You just need a gym, basketballs, and shoes, and there is less coaching staff than football. Also less insurance than football since kids are less likely to have major injuries.

How do you think they get to be “top players?” Years of expensive coaching and playing time on travel teams. $$$$

And with expensive private schools recruiting and admitting students based on their athletics rather than their academics - even at the middle school level - not being able to afford the coaching and the travel puts the non-rich kids at an even greater disadvantage for educational opportunities as well as athletics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NFL MLB NFL not packed exclusively with rich white kids who did travel football and camps.

Seriously. NBA, in particular. Come on!

There are a lot of club scholarships and private school scholarships at the high school level for top players.

Basketball is interesting because at the high school and college level, it's actually much more profitable (or close to profitable) for the school than football in most cases...You just need a gym, basketballs, and shoes, and there is less coaching staff than football. Also less insurance than football since kids are less likely to have major injuries.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this true of EVERY sport once you get to a certain level? Yes, some sports have more "scholarships" for leagues, camps, etc. (basketball) but the fundamental costs are always high once you get to the level where you need paid coaches, travel, etc.

No, I'm no expert but I think there are lots more grass roots kids in basketball, baseball and football. Maybe hockey.

And you are wrong. There is no such thing as "grass roots kids" in any of these sports, past about age 10- 12.

Really? Street kids who make it to pro basketball? Dominican kids who make it to MLB? Is that all history?

Basketball: Yes, there are "street kids" as you call them but they are usually recruited at an early age to play for clubs, and most players play for a club either on "scholarship" or pay to play.

MLB: *American* kids who make it to the MLB by and large played Little League starting well before high school and continue with clubs while playing for their high school. There are very few "grass roots" kids if you are looking at the American born kids. Scouting starts early in the US but it's through clubs--Little League, then Babe Ruth, etc.

Football: This one's a little different because, physically, the body can't really take playing at a top high school while also playing with a club. But usually the best players do clubs BEFORE high school, do a lot of extra camps to prep, etc. in order to make the team at a top high school. And playing for a top high school program increases your chances of playing for a top college. High school football is insanely expensive (big coaching staff, fields, equipment, travel) but in this case, the good schools have booster clubs, sell tickets for cash, etc.

NHL: Hockey is insanely expensive to play and you need to play for a club team. Not to mention a lot of the best hockey high schools are prep schools and boarding schools.

Anonymous wrote:NFL MLB NFL not packed exclusively with rich white kids who did travel football and camps.

Seriously. NBA, in particular. Come on!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's correct. Soccer in the US is pay to play, it doesn't have the same culture as in less developed countries. $15,000 doesn't surprise me, and it sucks every moment of free time as well, and not all of these girls even make it to D1 play, much less pro.

But again, this is true of every sport at a high level.

Not sure but it is definitely true for soccer around me. Not every family is loaded but I don't think there is even one low income or even lower middle income kid on out team. It is way too expensive.

NFL MLB NFL not packed exclusively with rich white kids who did travel football and camps.