Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we are a very long way from home-grown American FIFA players.

Pulisic was trained by his father and father's friend. He left for Europe at a young age.

Playing for Loudoun or Arlington or the likes is not going to make a World Class $200 million player. The training and coaching is inadequate.

Because the best athletes do not play soccer in the US. It unusually happens this way. A kid is a great athlete and has to decide between soccer and another sport. A pro prospect for soccer has the choice of playing for a club here(with the promise of maybe a college scholarship) or leave home and go to Europe at 14. He will not be a big shot in highschool(club don't like their players playing highschool) and espn will not be holding a news conference for him if he picks a school. In other sports the kid can stay with his family, be a big shot on campus, be on TV, have a chance at college scholarship and a pro career.

Anonymous wrote:I think we are a very long way from home-grown American FIFA players.

Pulisic was trained by his father and father's friend. He left for Europe at a young age.

Playing for Loudoun or Arlington or the likes is not going to make a World Class $200 million player. The training and coaching is inadequate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's telling that these posts almost always end up talking about super star - which let's face it, nearly all of our travel team kids won't even be playing in college.

Travel team travel team travel team It's about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order as if you and they are doing something special (reliving the pecking orders of jock culture adulation that passes down from generation to generation).

No. For most people, it's NOT about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order. It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games. It's about learning time management skills, the value of discipline, how to deal with victory and defeat, how to make a commitment and stick with it, all while doing something that you love. Most parents from club soccer that I know are realistic about their kids' abilities and what their soccer futures look like. Parents are on the sidelines to support their kids, not because they're living vicariously through their kids. That's an urban legend that you haters love to perpetuate. There's a different value proposition in club soccer than in rec, even for the B and C team players. It's not for everyone, so choose what's best for your kid but don't knock others' choices and stop stereotyping their motives. I don't look down on your kid's decision to NOT play club soccer, so don't look down on my kid's decision to play and my decision to support him. Grr. Just sick of this drivel.

It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games.


Ugh, not the person you are responding to, but are you seriously suggesting that everyone who doesn't spend "hours each week" on a field is spending "hours in the basement" playing video games? My son plays rec soccer, and also plays an instrument, does martial arts and is a competitive chess player. He likes soccer, but he likes doing other things as well. He's not spending "hours in the basement" playing video games instead of doing travel soccer.

PP here. No, sorry - that wasn't what I meant. I would rather my kid be playing soccer 4 or 5 days a week than playing video games (i.e., being inactive) period. I didn't mean to suggest that rec soccer players would be doing so. As I said, club soccer isn't for everyone. If your kid is a multi-sport athlete, has other interests such as music or drama, or simply likes more down time, then rec soccer is a great solution for you. And I fully respect that. I am just glad that my kid has something that keeps him active and out of trouble - he chooses to play soccer. I'm sorry if I offended you. That wasn't my intent. Quite the opposite - I meant to say that no one should be questioning others' motives or decisions and I just think it's wrong to say that all club soccer parents are living vicariously through their kids' involvement in a sport.

Signing off this thread. Again, sorry if I offended - wasn't my intent.

Anonymous[b wrote:]I think they are so boring to watch! [/b]ANd swim meets are sooo long. Also hate baseball and softball and tee ball.

Sports our kids have tried that were fun to watch: Basketball, flag football, diving, lacrosse.

We are only a rec sports family, so maybe its more exciting when your kids are *elite*.

Anonymous wrote:

It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games.

Ugh, not the person you are responding to, but are you seriously suggesting that everyone who doesn't spend "hours each week" on a field is spending "hours in the basement" playing video games? My son plays rec soccer, and also plays an instrument, does martial arts and is a competitive chess player. He likes soccer, but he likes doing other things as well. He's not spending "hours in the basement" playing video games instead of doing travel soccer.

It's about teaching your kids that there's value in working hard to get better at something. It's about being physically active 4-5 days a week. It's about making friends who share a common passion for a game. It's about spending hours each week on a field instead of hours in the basement playing video games.

Anonymous wrote:I think it's telling that these posts almost always end up talking about super star - which let's face it, nearly all of our travel team kids won't even be playing in college.

Travel team travel team travel team It's about trying to vicariously dream/feel hero glory through your children and about status/pecking order as if you and they are doing something special (reliving the pecking orders of jock culture adulation that passes down from generation to generation).