3 Reasons Why The Business of Youth Soccer is Stifling Player Development

[Unregistered]

How sad that a potentially thoughtful post went downhill so fast.

That in itself speaks volumes of those involved with youth soccer.

Thanks to the OP for the post. I don't think we'll see a major change anytime soon. That would involve parents actually getting involved in ways other than writing the check.

Yes, like being smart enough to tell the difference between Kool-aide and wine. Tough to do when you have folks like Fred using this forum to sell his sinking ship by attacking all things NEFC.

[Unregistered]

Yes, like being smart enough to tell the difference between Kool-aide and wine. Tough to do when you have folks like Fred using this forum to sell his sinking ship by attacking all things NEFC.

You're not BTNT, right?

[Unregistered]

Seriously? Back off Jack (I'm NOT the OP...).

The costs are ridiculous. As Bill Veeck once said. It is not the price of the stars that will kill baseball - it's the high price of mediocrity....

True story. Friend has adult son with kids 8 and 10 who are heavily involved in youth sports. Typical crazy sideline parents. D1 dreams dancing in their heads? (The kids actually kind of suck truth be told). Well he and his wife have gotten so deep in debt from home equity loans and credit cards paying for 1 on 1 training camps leagues etc. THEIR parents (retired in their 70's...) had to take out a mortgage to bail out their son and daughter in law. Rather than paying down debt they used THAT money for more camps and training. TOTAL INSANITY.

This is America. We're all allowed to find our own path through life, whether that means spending everything we earn and then some on a dream or hoarding every penny we ever made and dying with a large bank account.

My wife thinks I'm crazy for buying our kids $300 cleats and $200 turf trainers. Guess what? We can afford it and the kids appreciate getting the best footwear available. Feel free to spend whatever you want on your kid's footwear (or anything else) and I promise not to judge.

Besides, that friend's son in your story could have blown all that money on hookers and blow... Would that have been a better or worse outcome? (I think better, but that is a personal preference). Is it any different than spending $250,000 on a private liberal arts degree only to graduate and earn $30k/yr as a teacher?

[Unregistered]

This is America. We're all allowed to find our own path through life, whether that means spending everything we earn and then some on a dream or hoarding every penny we ever made and dying with a large bank account.

My wife thinks I'm crazy for buying our kids $300 cleats and $200 turf trainers. Guess what? We can afford it and the kids appreciate getting the best footwear available. Feel free to spend whatever you want on your kid's footwear (or anything else) and I promise not to judge.

Besides, that friend's son in your story could have blown all that money on hookers and blow... Would that have been a better or worse outcome? (I think better, but that is a personal preference). Is it any different than spending $250,000 on a private liberal arts degree only to graduate and earn $30k/yr as a teacher?

$300 hooker vs. $300 cleats for kid? Man, that's a tough one?

[Unregistered]

Family goes skiing for 3 weekends a month. Mom and Dad, little Bode and Picabo in tow. $75x4 = $300 for lift tickets each visit, $900 for the month.

They hit DD on the way up for some coffee and road snacks ($25 each visit, $75 for the month).

Lunch in the Lodge? Chicken tenders, 2-burgers, wings, fries, couple of cokes and two beers because dad needs it by now; $75, $300 for the month.

Skiing done? Apres ski for a drink and another snack to avoid traffic on the way home, another $50, $150 for the month.

Figure they go 3 months out of the winter, so those trips will run them about $4200.

Everyone need new skis this year? I'll be very conservative, call it $1200/ea. Jacket/pants? $400/ea. So, that's $1600 each to outfit them, $6400 for the group.

I won't even get into vacations, lessons at $100/pop, etc.

Zero expectation on anyone to "become pro". Instead, it's a family spending time together and having fun, meeting new people, making friends, and getting off the coach and exercises.