US Club games in Indiana this weekend

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aaargh!!! why does everything have to be about girls soccer??

While ECNL may be the top league, it is quite likely that the DAP will move ahead of NPL. For the boys, the DAP is #1, but the ECNL might move ahead of NPL in similar fashion.

In fact, I might even put US Youth Soccer with its four regions and national championship (starting today) ahead of NPL. At least the US Youth Soccer tournaments and titles are national and based on regional tournaments, whose winners progress.

http://championships.usyouthsoccer.o...icial_results/

NPL/NEP is fading

All said, aside from the DAP for the boys and the ECNL for the girls, both of which are well attended by college coaches and national team reps I am not sure what the value is of all the other self-claimed national championships....other than for the clubs to advertise

You are entitled to your 2 cents

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The more kids playing, learning and developing a love for the sport the better. Not everyone can or wants to play in the "top" leagues (whatever that league is this month). Everyone bemoans the lack of a soccer culture here. But in other countries there are also multiple levels of participation and leagues that fans follow

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The more kids playing, learning and developing a love for the sport the better. Not everyone can or wants to play in the "top" leagues (whatever that league is this month). Everyone bemoans the lack of a soccer culture here. But in other countries there are also multiple levels of participation and leagues that fans follow

Love this point.

We are still a developing nation when it comes to soccer. Our parents didn't follow it or play it. So, the more that are playing now, will pass it along to later generations. That love is how we will get better. And, it has to be all leagues, not just the top.

[Unregistered]

Love this point.

We are still a developing nation when it comes to soccer. Our parents didn't follow it or play it. So, the more that are playing now, will pass it along to later generations. That love is how we will get better. And, it has to be all leagues, not just the top.

I on the other hand laugh at your point. A developing soccer nation? Really? Soccer has been played in this country almost from the get go so it is hardly new. As far as it developing into something more than it is right now, that's a joke. Just about every young kid in this country plays soccer at some point in their grammar school years and the ones that don't will never care about any sport never mind just soccer. Soccer in this country is a women's game and the men who do play it get laughed at around the world because they are so bad. Some of you should quite plotting the over throw of organized sports and learn to just enjoy the game for what it is, a game.

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I on the other hand laugh at your point. A developing soccer nation? Really? Soccer has been played in this country almost from the get go so it is hardly new. As far as it developing into something more than it is right now, that's a joke. Just about every young kid in this country plays soccer at some point in their grammar school years and the ones that don't will never care about any sport never mind just soccer. Soccer in this country is a women's game and the men who do play it get laughed at around the world because they are so bad. Some of you should quite plotting the over throw of organized sports and learn to just enjoy the game for what it is, a game.

Yes, we've been playing since virtually Day 1. Some, a few of us.

I grew up in a family who's parents had no idea about the game. None. We all played, through college. My kid grows up in a soccer household. It's on TV virtually every day. She will pass that love along to her kids.

How many are the same today? 10% of club participants have parents who played beyond recess? 15%?

We had no club soccer growing up. I didn't really learn the game until I was in college. That's not the case today. Kids are being taught the game "correctly" when they are just getting out of training wheels.

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Yes, we've been playing since virtually Day 1. Some, a few of us.

I grew up in a family who's parents had no idea about the game. None. We all played, through college. My kid grows up in a soccer household. It's on TV virtually every day. She will pass that love along to her kids.

How many are the same today? 10% of club participants have parents who played beyond recess? 15%?

We had no club soccer growing up. I didn't really learn the game until I was in college. That's not the case today. Kids are being taught the game "correctly" when they are just getting out of training wheels.

this has been going on for a couple of decades at this point and yet there still hasn't been a seismic shift in this country's attitude towards the game. On the men's side it ranks about 4 on the list and it will never over take the top spot like in other countries. Until that happens it will remain a niche sport. Best hope for soccer in this country is for women's pro sports to catch on as hot as they are over in Europe. Then maybe people will pay attention to the game.

[Unregistered]

this has been going on for a couple of decades at this point and yet there still hasn't been a seismic shift in this country's attitude towards the game. On the men's side it ranks about 4 on the list and it will never over take the top spot like in other countries. Until that happens it will remain a niche sport. Best hope for soccer in this country is for women's pro sports to catch on as hot as they are over in Europe. Then maybe people will pay attention to the game.

Right....a couple of decades isn't even a generation. We hosted the WC in 1994. That generation is the first to grow up with a professional league (NASL not included). Not that I'm a fan of MLS, but it has it's place. Before that, there was interest every 4 years, and it was really small interest. Shoot, we'd watch WC games and they'd break for freakin' commercials in the middle of the game....if it was being televised at all.

I guess it depends on what you determine a "seismic shift". Two decades ago, we had:

* No league real league
* No real club environment
* No professional youth coaches
* Barely nothing to watch on TV
* National Team made up of college kids
-> Results are mixed, at best, as it's not like the rest of the world just stopped developing. But, it is coming.

So, let's let it run it's course so those kids who grew up with something to follow, unlike what I had, to pass it along.

What I do agree that is difficult to overcome is we have many other interests to take kids away. Some kids' parents, which sound like yourself, won't give it a chance since they grew up playing another sport and don't push them that way. I'm glad my father, who was a football player, didn't care what we played.

[Unregistered]

this has been going on for a couple of decades at this point and yet there still hasn't been a seismic shift in this country's attitude towards the game. On the men's side it ranks about 4 on the list and it will never over take the top spot like in other countries. Until that happens it will remain a niche sport. Best hope for soccer in this country is for women's pro sports to catch on as hot as they are over in Europe. Then maybe people will pay attention to the game.

While the woman's national team brought soccer to the attention of the average American, it will only be with success from the men's side that will change our culture with soccer. It would be foolish to expect a seismic shift, or for soccer to become the top sport in this country. However it is becoming more popular every year and the talent pool keeps getting stronger. When I was growing up, virtually no one followed or played soccer, now there are more kids playing soccer in the US than in Brazil. Our U20 team's are some of the best in the world. With changing demographics, I see soccer becoming the #3 men's sport in the US in my lifetime.

[Unregistered]

It may get there someday - interest in baseball is waning (boring for today's ADHD society) and football participation is dropping like a lead weight with all the concussion info. The other sports have been around for over 100 years and you can't change society over night. Better performance by the men's team would help rally some fans also, but as we know...

[Unregistered]

It may get there someday - interest in baseball is waning (boring for today's ADHD society) and football participation is dropping like a lead weight with all the concussion info. The other sports have been around for over 100 years and you can't change society over night. Better performance by the men's team would help rally some fans also, but as we know...

Anybody watching the Gold Cup?
Probably not!!

[Unregistered]

Right....a couple of decades isn't even a generation. We hosted the WC in 1994. That generation is the first to grow up with a professional league (NASL not included). Not that I'm a fan of MLS, but it has it's place. Before that, there was interest every 4 years, and it was really small interest. Shoot, we'd watch WC games and they'd break for freakin' commercials in the middle of the game....if it was being televised at all.

I guess it depends on what you determine a "seismic shift". Two decades ago, we had:

* No league real league
* No real club environment
* No professional youth coaches
* Barely nothing to watch on TV
* National Team made up of college kids
-> Results are mixed, at best, as it's not like the rest of the world just stopped developing. But, it is coming.

So, let's let it run it's course so those kids who grew up with something to follow, unlike what I had, to pass it along.

What I do agree that is difficult to overcome is we have many other interests to take kids away. Some kids' parents, which sound like yourself, won't give it a chance since they grew up playing another sport and don't push them that way. I'm glad my father, who was a football player, didn't care what we played.

Actually, even though I was a college football player, we are very much a soccer family having had 2 kids play in college. What I see happening with youth soccer is it has become sort of a rite of passage for many kids and in many ways that has carried into the club level. Way too many half hearted participants who haven't any clue what it takes to follow the road that they have put their kids on.

[Unregistered]

While the woman's national team brought soccer to the attention of the average American, it will only be with success from the men's side that will change our culture with soccer. It would be foolish to expect a seismic shift, or for soccer to become the top sport in this country. However it is becoming more popular every year and the talent pool keeps getting stronger. When I was growing up, virtually no one followed or played soccer, now there are more kids playing soccer in the US than in Brazil. Our U20 team's are some of the best in the world. With changing demographics, I see soccer becoming the #3 men's sport in the US in my lifetime.

How much longer do you have??
Americans would have to change how they actually watch sports if they are going to move up.
Currently, regarding all sports, Basketball, Baseball, Football, and Hockey are dominant top four. After that, for all sports, tennis and golf are still more popular and worthwhile. Lacrosse has moved up quickly.
Soccer has a long way to go.....needs more statistics.

[Unregistered]

How much longer do you have??
Americans would have to change how they actually watch sports if they are going to move up.
Currently, regarding all sports, Basketball, Baseball, Football, and Hockey are dominant top four. After that, for all sports, tennis and golf are still more popular and worthwhile. Lacrosse has moved up quickly.
Soccer has a long way to go.....needs more statistics.

The other sports have been deep part of our culture for like, oh, a century. You want it to catch up in the the time it takes to put a kid through college. Relax.

No, tennis and golf are not more popular...where did you make that up from? Worthwhile? Golf is the most useless "sport" going. yay...let's drop a $100 to walk around.

Needs more stats? Same stats you can get in hockey you can get in soccer.

Isn't there a NASCAR page you are supposed to be on?

[Unregistered]

How much longer do you have??
Americans would have to change how they actually watch sports if they are going to move up.
Currently, regarding all sports, Basketball, Baseball, Football, and Hockey are dominant top four. After that, for all sports, tennis and golf are still more popular and worthwhile. Lacrosse has moved up quickly.
Soccer has a long way to go.....needs more statistics.

I think soccer is close to moving in on the top four sports. the sheer numbers of kids, soon to be parents, that were involved in soccer is exponentially greater than when we were kids.i came from a big town and I didn't know anyone that played soccer. That's not the case anymore. Still, I think they are one rule change away from making a big leap in market share. 0-0 ties won't cut it in the US. Something that can open up the offense and even create a fantasy buzz is all it takes. I really think a tweek of the offside rule would do it. Get to a are where 4-3 games are common and you have a product people will watch. 7 goals, and at least that many good scoring opportunities, will definitely find a market in America

[Unregistered]

Way too many half hearted participants who haven't any clue what it takes to follow the road that they have put their kids on.

Pay to play will do that. A lot kids stay in the sport long after they don't enjoy playing and for some it was never really there.