You all think it’s all about playing soccer for the sake of enjoyment

[Unregistered]

Read this article and look at yourself in the mirror.

https://apple.news/AaHpMf7UrS6u1pivfOXrspA

And then the kid smokes a joint or posts nudies on facebook.
No more lower tier sports after covid budget slashes...more focus on education...it isxa good thing.

[Unregistered]

I don't doubt that you know soccer parents that do this. I think we all know someone who does a few "shady" things to get an advantage, but to the extent of what is described in this article, I would quantify those parents as a minority.... let's say less than 5%.

Where have you been? Granted the percentage may be that low in some of the clubs that pull mostly from "less affluent" towns but once you hit the middle school years and start rubbing elbows on the sidelines with the parents from the elite suburban towns that number may represent upwards of half of team. Just start with the parents who have their kids in prep and other elite private schools, that is usually at the very least a quarter of the team. If you don't think parents who are willing to spend $25-50 a year for a high school education aren't full in on their children's success and are just laissez faire about their approach to it you are just in another reality. Private tutors and coaches are now the norm, not the exception. Take that as your baseline and then realize that there are always extremists that are willing to go to greater lengths.

[Unregistered]

This was posted in the recruiting thread ...

We hired a recruiter to help us. One piece of advice he gave our 2022 player is to look at rosters for insight into how many spots will be available a year ahead. So instead of looking at college juniors, look at college sophomores to get an idea of spots, then deduct half. He said many current players will stay one extra Fall semester if they can, but more like half.

Because I know someone will ask - One benefit of hiring an established recruiter (Not those big scammy services) is not because we can’t reach out ourselves but fir them to tap into their network of coaches they know. He’s helped connect us to a handful of schools that weren’t aren’t our radar but are now.

this sort of advice is so commonplace on the sidelines that it is now the ones who aren't treating college admissions like a full contact endeavor that are seen as the extremists

[Unregistered]

Where have you been? Granted the percentage may be that low in some of the clubs that pull mostly from "less affluent" towns but once you hit the middle school years and start rubbing elbows on the sidelines with the parents from the elite suburban towns that number may represent upwards of half of team. Just start with the parents who have their kids in prep and other elite private schools, that is usually at the very least a quarter of the team. If you don't think parents who are willing to spend $25-50 a year for a high school education aren't full in on their children's success and are just laissez faire about their approach to it you are just in another reality. Private tutors and coaches are now the norm, not the exception. Take that as your baseline and then realize that there are always extremists that are willing to go to greater lengths.

You’re right. The affluence is the theme of the article, not sports. Those parents could easily pay full boat and then some for college tuition, but it’s getting a spot at the elite school that they are after. It wouldn’t matter how they get that spot whether it’s squash, soccer, chess, debate, or jabbing needles in their eyes. It’s just for bragging rights when you are that wealthy. If you are think of who typical goes to Ivies or Ivy-like schools, this is the rule more than the exception. The further you get outside those tippy top schools, then they do fall into that 5% category.

[Unregistered]

I have friends that put their kids in fencing because they are not as athletic as required by most other sports and the number of competitors are less. Basically playing a numbers game as far as admissions supported through sports. So far it worked for them. Kids were very smart in top private school too. In outlier sport, that is a must.

Those affluent sports are getting cut at the college level. Glad my kids had no interest in rowing lol. The bigger, more popular, more economically diverse ones will remain - football, basketballs, soccer, track, baseball

[Unregistered]

You’re right. The affluence is the theme of the article, not sports. Those parents could easily pay full boat and then some for college tuition, but it’s getting a spot at the elite school that they are after. It wouldn’t matter how they get that spot whether it’s squash, soccer, chess, debate, or jabbing needles in their eyes. It’s just for bragging rights when you are that wealthy. If you are think of who typical goes to Ivies or Ivy-like schools, this is the rule more than the exception. The further you get outside those tippy top schools, then they do fall into that 5% category.

The piece is also targeted at the CT gold coast where parents have far more money than common sense, and the social competition to get your kids into "the right school" is off the charts.

[Unregistered]

You’re right. The affluence is the theme of the article, not sports. Those parents could easily pay full boat and then some for college tuition, but it’s getting a spot at the elite school that they are after. It wouldn’t matter how they get that spot whether it’s squash, soccer, chess, debate, or jabbing needles in their eyes. It’s just for bragging rights when you are that wealthy. If you are think of who typical goes to Ivies or Ivy-like schools, this is the rule more than the exception. The further you get outside those tippy top schools, then they do fall into that 5% category.

I wish more people would realize that an Ivy league education helps you get your first job. After that it's pretty much what you've done recently that matters. It's definitely not worth all the crap some parents go through to try to make it happen. There's plenty of good schools where you can get a solid education and build a meaningful network.