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The Downsides of America’s Hyper-Competitive Youth-Soccer Industry

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    The Downsides of America’s Hyper-Competitive Youth-Soccer Industry

    https://www.theatlantic.com/family/a...dustry/565109/

    #2
    One thing that gets me with the whole "don't specialize early" and "play multiple sports" philosophy is that it rarely takes into account what the actual child wants to do. My daughter never wanted to do anything but play soccer. From age 7 it has been the only activity we could get her to do. She likes swimming and basketball but she doesn't want to join teams, as much as we have tried. How are other people getting their kids to diversify when they dont want to and are obsessed with competing at one thing?

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      #3
      Meh. People who write such articles are pretty clueless. OW will bench you if you play other sports (and are not top 5). FSA will, too. Clubs actively discourage playing more than one sport. That said, do what the kid wants. Mine was a four sport varsity letterman during high school, but was fortunate to be able to skip ECNL practices and a few games without punishment (top 5). Playing more sports is definitely better and, at the end of the day, your kid will get to play at least D3 in whatever sport your kid prefers, if that is important.

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        #4
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        Meh. People who write such articles are pretty clueless. OW will bench you if you play other sports (and are not top 5). FSA will, too. Clubs actively discourage playing more than one sport. That said, do what the kid wants. Mine was a four sport varsity letterman during high school, but was fortunate to be able to skip ECNL practices and a few games without punishment (top 5). Playing more sports is definitely better and, at the end of the day, your kid will get to play at least D3 in whatever sport your kid prefers, if that is important.
        Aren't there only 3 CIAC Seasons? Fall, Winter & Spring that why everybody references "3 sport athletes" I have never heard of a 4 sport letterman

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          #5
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Aren't there only 3 CIAC Seasons? Fall, Winter & Spring that why everybody references "3 sport athletes" I have never heard of a 4 sport letterman
          I have a five sport letterman.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Aren't there only 3 CIAC Seasons? Fall, Winter & Spring that why everybody references "3 sport athletes" I have never heard of a 4 sport letterman
            Not the OP, but a 4 sport letterman might do basketball one winter and indoor track in another...or soccer one fall but field hockey in another.

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              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              One thing that gets me with the whole "don't specialize early" and "play multiple sports" philosophy is that it rarely takes into account what the actual child wants to do. My daughter never wanted to do anything but play soccer. From age 7 it has been the only activity we could get her to do. She likes swimming and basketball but she doesn't want to join teams, as much as we have tried. How are other people getting their kids to diversify when they dont want to and are obsessed with competing at one thing?
              Your kid isn't all kids. Many kidd enjoy lots of difgernt sports but thwre is simply one they gravitate to morr often or are better at. Mine manages to squeeze in basketball in the winter because it kind of works with soccer, but had to give up horseback riding (believe me my wallet is happier for it). She never had time to ride or compete fall or spring. She wanted to do jv lax but with club soccer in the spring is too much. Her older bother also fit in basketball but didn't have time for spring volleyball

              The other problem is that many sports are now all year, not just seasonal like it used to be. Fall baseballand lax, all year hockey. Kids and families are pressed to chose because of time and financial pressures. It's happens at younger and younger ages now, when they're still trying to figure it out. The a few years later maybe they decide it isn't the sport for them and they can't break into another

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                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                I have a five sport letterman.
                5 letters in 4 years of HS ... not bad.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Aren't there only 3 CIAC Seasons? Fall, Winter & Spring that why everybody references "3 sport athletes" I have never heard of a 4 sport letterman
                  There are three seasons and four years.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Your kid isn't all kids. Many kidd enjoy lots of difgernt sports but thwre is simply one they gravitate to morr often or are better at. Mine manages to squeeze in basketball in the winter because it kind of works with soccer, but had to give up horseback riding (believe me my wallet is happier for it). She never had time to ride or compete fall or spring. She wanted to do jv lax but with club soccer in the spring is too much. Her older bother also fit in basketball but didn't have time for spring volleyball

                    The other problem is that many sports are now all year, not just seasonal like it used to be. Fall baseballand lax, all year hockey. Kids and families are pressed to chose because of time and financial pressures. It's happens at younger and younger ages now, when they're still trying to figure it out. The a few years later maybe they decide it isn't the sport for them and they can't break into another
                    Yes, I know my kid is not all kids but she's not that unique, either. I am actually sort of jealous of people whose kids want to play multiple sports, especially when theyre young. If your kid wants to do that then that is good because you dont need to sell it to them.

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                      #11
                      these thread quickly become parents telling us how great their kids are. Thats not the point. The point is have they realized some unique athletic benefits by diversification?

                      Hard to prove like all this stuff is. There is no "control" environment. Kids are unique.

                      There are many elite level soccer players who specialized.

                      Do what you think works best for your kids situation.

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                        #12
                        Lots of ECNL soccer kids run track. A few play hoops as well but that's challenging to manage. With two games on the weekends all spring, playing a high school sport besides track and field is very tough.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Lots of ECNL soccer kids run track. A few play hoops as well but that's challenging to manage. With two games on the weekends all spring, playing a high school sport besides track and field is very tough.
                          Look, you're not thinking this through. There's no way your kid is getting onto the national team if she doesn't focus only on soccer as one sport. Period.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            Look, you're not thinking this through. There's no way your kid is getting onto the national team if she doesn't focus only on soccer as one sport. Period.
                            All of this BS is a sign of the times. What used to be activities that kids just did as part of playing outside are now institutionalized revenue generating activities. From a muscle variety standpoint, what is the difference between playing an hour of pick up basketball 2x per week and being on a team? or running laps of a track vs being on a track team ?

                            Experts make money using stats to make points that are pretty obvious.

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              Look, you're not thinking this through. There's no way your kid is getting onto the national team if she doesn't focus only on soccer as one sport. Period.

                              Signed, USSF
                              Better

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