Just let the kids have fun

[Guest]

I grew up playing soccer in Oregon. I had multiple college offers then got a pro trial from a club in Central America. I got cut though. I am now back in Oregon working a nice job and also coaching some soccer. I am witnessing some outrageous behavior by parents attempting to live vicariously through their child who they are wanting to go pro. You kid is not going pro. Let's go back to just playing soccer for fun. By all reasonable logic unless your kid is Sawyer Jura or one of the other top Timbers Academy / T2 players, I was two times the player that your kid is, and there is no chance I could make a living playing soccer. The paying for private trainers, screaming at 12 year old referees, and political maneuvers to get kids on supposedly better club teams is wild. I love the sport of soccer, I love to still play pickup with the Univ Portland players and T2 guys. I worry that the kids will not love soccer growing up in this environment. Make Oregon Soccer Fun Again!

[Guest]

You are right.

But I’m willing to bet you that you don’t know kids as much as the developmental path you perceive they won’t be.

Dont run the mistake of doing what every semi good or ex pro player does. No one cares about your background if you don’t know kids or treasure your ego over them.

[Guest]

I grew up playing soccer in Oregon. I had multiple college offers then got a pro trial from a club in Central America. I got cut though. I am now back in Oregon working a nice job and also coaching some soccer. I am witnessing some outrageous behavior by parents attempting to live vicariously through their child who they are wanting to go pro. You kid is not going pro. Let's go back to just playing soccer for fun. By all reasonable logic unless your kid is Sawyer Jura or one of the other top Timbers Academy / T2 players, I was two times the player that your kid is, and there is no chance I could make a living playing soccer. The paying for private trainers, screaming at 12 year old referees, and political maneuvers to get kids on supposedly better club teams is wild. I love the sport of soccer, I love to still play pickup with the Univ Portland players and T2 guys. I worry that the kids will not love soccer growing up in this environment. Make Oregon Soccer Fun Again!

I agree. Let the kids have fun. But my kids different.

[Guest]

I grew up playing soccer in Oregon. I had multiple college offers then got a pro trial from a club in Central America. I got cut though. I am now back in Oregon working a nice job and also coaching some soccer. I am witnessing some outrageous behavior by parents attempting to live vicariously through their child who they are wanting to go pro. You kid is not going pro. Let's go back to just playing soccer for fun. By all reasonable logic unless your kid is Sawyer Jura or one of the other top Timbers Academy / T2 players, I was two times the player that your kid is, and there is no chance I could make a living playing soccer. The paying for private trainers, screaming at 12 year old referees, and political maneuvers to get kids on supposedly better club teams is wild. I love the sport of soccer, I love to still play pickup with the Univ Portland players and T2 guys. I worry that the kids will not love soccer growing up in this environment. Make Oregon Soccer Fun Again!

Sounds like soccer might not have been much fun for you either. You are still comparing yourself to others, moaning about being cut, and living in the past about all your successes. No one cares, go away. Let kids play and go away.

[Guest]

Here is my take. I played locally and had a nice college and pro career. Nearly every domestic pro player will need to work after MLS and especially after USL. Your kid isn't good enough for D1, or even D2. If they are they will be identified no matter what club they are at. Have fun fun playing soccer. Go D3, NAIA or JuCo. Find your path to happiness.

I

[Guest]

You are right.

But I’m willing to bet you that you don’t know kids as much as the developmental path you perceive they won’t be.

Dont run the mistake of doing what every semi good or ex pro player does. No one cares about your background if you don’t know kids or treasure your ego over them.

I agree player background means very little when it comes to youth coaching (it can definitely be helpful for professional coaching though) I just find it sad seeing these coaches and parents lying to their kids and trying to make them a much bigger star than they will ever be. I have a lot more fun coaching b and c teams where the kids are just in it for the fun rather than some pro dream.

[Guest]

Sounds like soccer might not have been much fun for you either. You are still comparing yourself to others, moaning about being cut, and living in the past about all your successes. No one cares, go away. Let kids play and go away.

Not sure how that was your conclusion but you are entitled to your opinion. Soccer has always been a lot of fun for me. I would love to see the kids I am around go on to be a much better players than I was. I just don’t think it is a good environment to be pretending like every kid has a shot at the pros. Realistically about .000001% of players will go pro. And if youth soccer is not fun, the one kid out of a couple million talented enough to go pro may quit before they are even 16. I think the goal should be to create an environment of as much fun as possible which will help player development as more kids will want to keep playing.

[Guest]

Here is my take. I played locally and had a nice college and pro career. Nearly every domestic pro player will need to work after MLS and especially after USL. Your kid isn't good enough for D1, or even D2. If they are they will be identified no matter what club they are at. Have fun fun playing soccer. Go D3, NAIA or JuCo. Find your path to happiness.

I

This is pretty much the take of every former MLS player I know.