Ny gda

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I am sure if a boy or girl gets financial aid for tuition, they get travel expense as well or at least a portion. Why would you pay for a kid to train and not get them to the events with the team; unless the kid is overmatched as far as level and just filling a spot.

Actually they usually don't. Adding an extra kid doesn't really cost the club anything because their costs are fixed - salaries, field rentals. Most clubs build the cost of a few scholarships into the player fees to cover their margins. Travel costs them real money. This is another reason why some families are shut out of club soccer. Travel costing $3K just isn't realistic for some. Some clubs are good about trying to help match a kid in need with other families willing to adopt them for the weekend (so a parent doesn't have to travel with them) but they still have to pitch in something for sharing a room plus pay for their own airfare if needed. Some families in need aren't comfortable asking; some also aren't comfortable sending their kids off with other families.

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Funny that you should say that, because we were discussing that at PF this weekend. There was a staggering absence of girls of color. I saw 2 the entire weekend, and I walked around a lot. It pretty obvious to me that around here, this game is for rich white girls.

It a game for rich girls and in the USA, many more well off families are white as apposed to minority.

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It a game for rich girls and in the USA, many more well off families are white as apposed to minority.

Let’s take FC Virginia, cracker-heaven....

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Actually they usually don't. Adding an extra kid doesn't really cost the club anything because their costs are fixed - salaries, field rentals. Most clubs build the cost of a few scholarships into the player fees to cover their margins. Travel costs them real money. This is another reason why some families are shut out of club soccer. Travel costing $3K just isn't realistic for some. Some clubs are good about trying to help match a kid in need with other families willing to adopt them for the weekend (so a parent doesn't have to travel with them) but they still have to pitch in something for sharing a room plus pay for their own airfare if needed. Some families in need aren't comfortable asking; some also aren't comfortable sending their kids off with other families.

True. But no one "needs" fancy youth soccer. Food, housing, healthcare, education - all basic. Deluxe youth soccer is a luxury item. No one is fundamentally deprived if they dont have it.

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Funny that you should say that, because we were discussing that at PF this weekend. There was a staggering absence of girls of color. I saw 2 the entire weekend, and I walked around a lot. It pretty obvious to me that around here, this game is for rich white girls.

And that's for an event that doesn't require airfare. Diversity in BDA is more common because 1) clubs are mandated by USSF to lower their fees, making it a little more affordable (but still not cheap) and 2) MLS clubs are by and large free to play; there it's all about skill, not the ability to pay.

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What club?

An East Coast one (since they were traveling to west coast).

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Let’s take FC Virginia, cracker-heaven....

No idea the racial make up of that club but having been at this for a while - it is fair to say that the vast majority of players are white.

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True. But no one "needs" fancy youth soccer. Food, housing, healthcare, education - all basic. Deluxe youth soccer is a luxury item. No one is fundamentally deprived if they dont have it.

I don't think anyone is saying that. But are we improving the level of soccer when a portion of players can't afford to play it? Its part of a broader issue with SU soccer - pay to play unfortunately is here to stay.

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And that's for an event that doesn't require airfare. Diversity in BDA is more common because 1) clubs are mandated by USSF to lower their fees, making it a little more affordable (but still not cheap) and 2) MLS clubs are by and large free to play; there it's all about skill, not the ability to pay.

if there were as many free academies for girls as there are for boys - you would absolutely see the same larger demographic pool participating.

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I don't think anyone is saying that. But are we improving the level of soccer when a portion of players can't afford to play it? Its part of a broader issue with SU soccer - pay to play unfortunately is here to stay.

This is business, not "improving the level of soccer".

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An East Coast one (since they were traveling to west coast).

Thanks, that clears it up.

[Unregistered]

Funny that you should say that, because we were discussing that at PF this weekend. There was a staggering absence of girls of color. I saw 2 the entire weekend, and I walked around a lot. It pretty obvious to me that around here, this game is for rich white girls.

Wow. Hopefully you don't count money for a living.
I know the teams that participated and I know girls "of color" (more than two) on the teams and GDA, ECNL and USYS teams participated. It was a showcase, maybe some kids weren't traveling because they are already committed. Maybe some teams sent teams to other events as well.

Money is green. That is the color of soccer. All races need it or availability to it. No one cares what race you are if you can pay and play. Fact. This isn't squash.

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Wow. Hopefully you don't count money for a living.
I know the teams that participated and I know girls "of color" (more than two) on the teams and GDA, ECNL and USYS teams participated. It was a showcase, maybe some kids weren't traveling because they are already committed. Maybe some teams sent teams to other events as well.

Money is green. That is the color of soccer. All races need it or availability to it. No one cares what race you are if you can pay and play. Fact. This isn't squash.

True. Statistically there are more well off white families in the US and that is represented in the world of high end youth girls soccer. It is not exclusively white.

[Unregistered]

Wow. Hopefully you don't count money for a living.
I know the teams that participated and I know girls "of color" (more than two) on the teams and GDA, ECNL and USYS teams participated. It was a showcase, maybe some kids weren't traveling because they are already committed. Maybe some teams sent teams to other events as well.

Money is green. That is the color of soccer. All races need it or availability to it. No one cares what race you are if you can pay and play. Fact. This isn't squash.

OR, maybe they don't like the cold??

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OR, maybe they don't like the cold??

who does not like the cold?