Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

What highly competitive organized sport or activity is inexpensive?

Not sure what point is? Assuming this is true (which may be the case), the question is whether they should be expensive and effectively exclude many kids from participating at all.

Because some things cost money. There are other lower cost options but "Elite" soccer is not a birthright.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

What highly competitive organized sport or activity is inexpensive?

Not sure what point is? Assuming this is true (which may be the case), the question is whether they should be expensive and effectively exclude many kids from participating at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

You don't need to. There are lots of clubs with lots of teams that play. Pick what works for your family and lifestyle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

What highly competitive organized sport or activity is inexpensive?

Around me, HS track or cross country and HS basketball to some extent. They obviously cost money from the school budget but anyone is the school community can participate, regardless of income and many of the kids are not spending a fortune on private teams and training to make these teams.

They may be the last ones standing as best I can tell. Others are mostly for affluent kids now and probably going forward. Only other exception is boys soccer for boys with access to a funded MLS academy. In some parts of the world, soccer is very cheap for youth players and the money comes from transfer fees paid for the elite talent developed by the youth clubs. But not here. Here it is for well off kids with a few exceptions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

What highly competitive organized sport or activity is inexpensive?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

At older ages, you go where the college coaches are. What tournaments are in the Midwest?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

With all the good clubs in this “hotbed” of soccer, why does anyone feel the need to join a league that plays games in North Carolina and asks for commitments to tournaments in the Midwest?

PP is right: Youth soccer in America is only for wealthy suburbanites who can afford it, a model used nowhere else in the world.

I can see that some clubs charge a tryout fee to ensure kids show up to tryouts after registrating. When a parent pays, they will be more committed and remember to have their child attend tryouts. Paying $10 is fair but charging $25 or more is a little ridiculous.

PWSI has always charged a $10 tryout fee for which you get a 'tryout shirt" with the number corresponding to you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

The biggest issue is all the silly travel. As expensive as the fees and also requiring a huge time budget. Not aware of clubs that cover travel costs outside of the boys MLS academy teams.

Soccer is not a good activity choice for any family without a very comfortable income.

I believe even some of the smaller clubs charge...such as Burke.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Clubs offer aid and scholarships. Why not apply? Tryout fees do seem silly though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think [/b]the DA requires [b]$50 to register for try outs.

False

DC United is $25.

The DA does not require a tryout fee.

Well here is the quote from their website:

Academy Programs
D.C. United Academy Tryouts June 8th (2005-2006) - Program Details
Cost: $25.00
D.C. United Academy Tryouts June 8th (2007-2009) - Program Details
Cost: $25.00
D.C. United Academy Tryouts June 9th (2001-2002) - Program Details
Cost: $25.00
D.C. United Academy Tryouts June 9th (2003-2004) - Program Details
Cost: $25.00

The DA does not require a tryout fee. That statement was false.

DC United chooses to charge a $25 tryout fee. That is correct.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.

+1. It isn’t about the best players. It is about the ones who can afford to play.

Anonymous wrote:How sad. Poor kids don’t even have the ability to try out for a team.

If they could try out for free, they still couldn't afford thousands of dollars to be on the team.