“I’m not sure we are talking about the same thing here. No one’s talking about good athletes or “youth soccer” generically. TS is littered with posts about using highly selective leagues like ECNL/DA as college pathways and, in fact, college and NT rosters are stacked with these players. Hard to imagine getting a roster spot on a top D1 program without it so it’s not just A pathway, it can be seen as the ONLY pathway for most. Many TS posts are about using club coaches as conduits or go-betweens with college coaches to skirt NCAA recruiting rules that don’t allow direct contact with players or parents. Not saying it happens frequently, but it’s not a hard mental leap to guess that some coaches or clubs do unethical, if not illegal, stuff to dole out those coveted spots and provide that college access. People are asking why these rich parents didn’t just take the bribe money and use it pay the tuition at Yale instead, but then Yale only accepts 5% of applicants so what they were really paying the bribe for was that access. Same thing for high-level club soccer, it’s really about access for some.
In this case, the USC coach felt comfortable to funnel $350k of bribe money thru his private soccer club. Obviously that’s the only instance disclosed, but you can imagine that if he didn’t think that would throw up any red flags that it wasn’t the first time large amounts were funneled thru his club. And if he felt comfortable accepted bribes and bringing unqualified players to his university program, it’s not a hard mental leap to guess he would do that with his own club players or those at other clubs. Also, remember this USC, which is a top program that nobody thought would be doing this stuff. Now imagine what other club owners would do and what sorts of shenagins go on at less college programs that are outside the limelight.”
The above is from another state. We have the Little DA scandal here and most likely unethical practices on the girls side as well. Considering the current national scandal, now is the time of scrutiny across the youth soccer scene and the time to demand ethical and equal treatment in youth soccer. I personally know of three local teams that are guilty of unethical favoritism (bought or not, I don’t know). Is this on every team? I don’t know but I suspect most. It is plain to see that access to the recruitment pathways and even high school play are being greased by favors/influence/friends/politics. Oregon soccer is such a low level nationally that it matters to no one else but it should matter to us Oregonian soccer parents. For example, missing a chance to play at a local d2/d3 because a boardmember’s child was played and marketed instead, is still a big deal to the other better players that missed that opportunity. We all lose when playing time & opportunities aren’t earned but are given or bought. Coaches, directors, & club board members & staff, now is the time to reassess and move forward in a fair and equitable way. Parents, particularly the wealthy and/or influential ones, now is the time to reassess and stop asking or demanding special treatment for your child. Parents, encourage your children to EARN their own accomplishments. Coaches and directors, please stop gifting away to the undeserved, what others have earned. Parents will stop asking for favors if they simply never given. We will ALL be better from it in the end.
In this case, the USC coach felt comfortable to funnel $350k of bribe money thru his private soccer club. Obviously that’s the only instance disclosed, but you can imagine that if he didn’t think that would throw up any red flags that it wasn’t the first time large amounts were funneled thru his club. And if he felt comfortable accepted bribes and bringing unqualified players to his university program, it’s not a hard mental leap to guess he would do that with his own club players or those at other clubs. Also, remember this USC, which is a top program that nobody thought would be doing this stuff. Now imagine what other club owners would do and what sorts of shenagins go on at less college programs that are outside the limelight.”
The above is from another state. We have the Little DA scandal here and most likely unethical practices on the girls side as well. Considering the current national scandal, now is the time of scrutiny across the youth soccer scene and the time to demand ethical and equal treatment in youth soccer. I personally know of three local teams that are guilty of unethical favoritism (bought or not, I don’t know). Is this on every team? I don’t know but I suspect most. It is plain to see that access to the recruitment pathways and even high school play are being greased by favors/influence/friends/politics. Oregon soccer is such a low level nationally that it matters to no one else but it should matter to us Oregonian soccer parents. For example, missing a chance to play at a local d2/d3 because a boardmember’s child was played and marketed instead, is still a big deal to the other better players that missed that opportunity. We all lose when playing time & opportunities aren’t earned but are given or bought. Coaches, directors, & club board members & staff, now is the time to reassess and move forward in a fair and equitable way. Parents, particularly the wealthy and/or influential ones, now is the time to reassess and stop asking or demanding special treatment for your child. Parents, encourage your children to EARN their own accomplishments. Coaches and directors, please stop gifting away to the undeserved, what others have earned. Parents will stop asking for favors if they simply never given. We will ALL be better from it in the end.
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