Anonymous wrote:RantingSoccerDad wrote:Generally, youth soccer in the rest of the world has two levels:
1. Pro academy with costs paid by the club
2. Youth program with minimal costs, like rec soccer here
Here, we have this:
1. Pro academy with costs paid by the club
2. "Travel" soccer in which we all pay $2K-$gazillionK
3. Rec soccer with minimal costs
So when people campaign on an "end pay-to-play" platform, it's actually a little complicated. What you'd have to do is eliminate that middle tier. And it's going to be awfully difficult to do that -- imagine telling parents, "No, you can't spend $5K so little Suzie can be on a team that's better than your rec teams."
Incidentally, I'm starting to do some research on national team pay. What I'm finding so far is that U.S. teams get a good bit more than overseas teams. Does that leave the federation with more money to spend on youth programs? I'm trying to find out.
When people campaign on an "end pay to play" platform, they aren't taking about the middle and lower tiers, they are talking about ther top tier - aspiring professionals.
The difference is that while our entire country has less than 25 funded pro academies, other countries whose entire population is less than the number of youth soccer players in this country, have 3-4 times that number.
Independent clubs competing in an open market (promotion/relegation).
Training Compensation.
Solidarity Payments.
Federation involvement to mandate youth academies at pro clubs, and set standards.
Federation involvement to provide quality and accessible coaching education.
That's what it takes.
RantingSoccerDad wrote:Generally, youth soccer in the rest of the world has two levels:
1. Pro academy with costs paid by the club
2. Youth program with minimal costs, like rec soccer here
Here, we have this:
1. Pro academy with costs paid by the club
2. "Travel" soccer in which we all pay $2K-$gazillionK
3. Rec soccer with minimal costs
So when people campaign on an "end pay-to-play" platform, it's actually a little complicated. What you'd have to do is eliminate that middle tier. And it's going to be awfully difficult to do that -- imagine telling parents, "No, you can't spend $5K so little Suzie can be on a team that's better than your rec teams."
Incidentally, I'm starting to do some research on national team pay. What I'm finding so far is that U.S. teams get a good bit more than overseas teams. Does that leave the federation with more money to spend on youth programs? I'm trying to find out.
RantingSoccerDad wrote:Generally, youth soccer in the rest of the world has two levels:
1. Pro academy with costs paid by the club
2. Youth program with minimal costs, like rec soccer here
Here, we have this:
1. Pro academy with costs paid by the club
2. "Travel" soccer in which we all pay $2K-$gazillionK
3. Rec soccer with minimal costs
So when people campaign on an "end pay-to-play" platform, it's actually a little complicated. What you'd have to do is eliminate that middle tier. And it's going to be awfully difficult to do that -- imagine telling parents, "No, you can't spend $5K so little Suzie can be on a team that's better than your rec teams."
Incidentally, I'm starting to do some research on national team pay. What I'm finding so far is that U.S. teams get a good bit more than overseas teams. Does that leave the federation with more money to spend on youth programs? I'm trying to find out.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:yep. no government funded soccer here except in the public school system for HS and college soccer.
Oh stop. Necessary things like health care triggers people into acting like we will become a socialistic nightmare and you think free soccer is gonna happen?
In Europe, national associations. which are non-government entities, sponsor/invest in youth soccer. They also have independently run professional clubs that compete in open league. The clubs invest in youth soccer through their academies and transfer fees to smaller clubs. There 's no socialistic nightmare with the soccer there.
Free things in America are Socialism!
There's nothing free. Even "free" breakfast at a hotel is hidden in the higher cost you pay for your hotel room. Someone has to pay for free things either through paying higher taxes or higher cost of other items.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:yep. no government funded soccer here except in the public school system for HS and college soccer.
Oh stop. Necessary things like health care triggers people into acting like we will become a socialistic nightmare and you think free soccer is gonna happen?
In Europe, national associations. which are non-government entities, sponsor/invest in youth soccer. They also have independently run professional clubs that compete in open league. The clubs invest in youth soccer through their academies and transfer fees to smaller clubs. There 's no socialistic nightmare with the soccer there.
Free things in America are Socialism!
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:yep. no government funded soccer here except in the public school system for HS and college soccer.
Oh stop. Necessary things like health care triggers people into acting like we will become a socialistic nightmare and you think free soccer is gonna happen?
In Europe, national associations. which are non-government entities, sponsor/invest in youth soccer. They also have independently run professional clubs that compete in open league. The clubs invest in youth soccer through their academies and transfer fees to smaller clubs. There 's no socialistic nightmare with the soccer there.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:yep. no government funded soccer here except in the public school system for HS and college soccer.
Oh stop. Necessary things like health care triggers people into acting like we will become a socialistic nightmare and you think free soccer is gonna happen?
Anonymous wrote:yep. no government funded soccer here except in the public school system for HS and college soccer.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What did it cost to play where you were in Europe as opposed to the clubs here? What age child or children?
U12 and U10. I think we paid $150 USD per kid per year, but we also chipped in some money for an overnight tournament which was like $100 (I think we paid for the coach's hotel). There were some other incidental birthday gifts, Christmas present, pizza night kind of things, but generally not very much.
The overall club (600 players) was subsidized by the FA, the state and the local community. There was a stipend based on the number of players we had and number of licensed coaches. We also had a local sponsor that helped with the kit costs and the field was provided by our local recreation department.
Anonymous wrote:What did it cost to play where you were in Europe as opposed to the clubs here? What age child or children?