Official FIFA 2018 Russia World Cup

[falafel]

Yes, and I know that can be expensive. But there are a variety of options for bb players to keep playing competitively, including no AAU at all. And the very best players are going to get identified from the free/lower cost competitive teams to join the travel teams with scholarship or reduced rate. My son played on a team that played 70 games in a year and practiced all year round and we probably paid less than $500 total.

Isn't that that similar to what we're talking about with soccer? There's no way that the costs of playing 70 games a year, plus travel, plus coaching, etc. is only $500/kid. Someone else was footing the bill, right? Sponsors or someone, and it likely wasn't just out of the goodness of their hearts.

[jay santos]

Isn't that that similar to what we're talking about with soccer? There's no way that the costs of playing 70 games a year, plus travel, plus coaching, etc. is only $500/kid. Someone else was footing the bill, right? Sponsors or someone, and it likely wasn't just out of the goodness of their hearts.

No, it doesn't need to be expensive. At least in my community, soccer is the only sport that I know of where the coach gets paid. They throw around a lot of marketing phrases about "professional training" and all that, but the reality is, it's no different than any other sport. In baseball, basketball, football, the assistant coaches of the high school program and/or a dad steps in and coaches for free. Sometimes they have to pay for facilities, but usually the school district is involved with the league, so that is done at a reduced rate. No need for travel. When you're 10, 11, 12 Orem can play Lone Peak and your kids will develop as well as if they travel to California and play. Developing youth sports is not nuclear physics. You have them run some drills, scrimmage, work on skill development. Put them in leagues against other teams. You don't need professionals involved.

[falafel]

No, it doesn't need to be expensive. At least in my community, soccer is the only sport that I know of where the coach gets paid. They throw around a lot of marketing phrases about "professional training" and all that, but the reality is, it's no different than any other sport. In baseball, basketball, football, the assistant coaches of the high school program and/or a dad steps in and coaches for free. Sometimes they have to pay for facilities, but usually the school district is involved with the league, so that is done at a reduced rate. No need for travel. When you're 10, 11, 12 Orem can play Lone Peak and your kids will develop as well as if they travel to California and play. Developing youth sports is not nuclear physics. You have them run some drills, scrimmage, work on skill development. Put them in leagues against other teams. You don't need professionals involved.

I agree with a lot of that, but how many dads are really able to develop soccer skills, vs. dads that can develop baseball and basketball skills? Did you play soccer at a high level as a kid Jay? I think its easier to get higher level coaching in sports other than soccer for free.

Also, didn't you say that kids get scholarships to AAU and other competitive teams? So there you go - money is involved, its just coming from different places.

[jay santos]

I think this is the main difference between soccer and say baseball or basketball, at least in my community. There are entrepreneurs or people trying to make some $ on youth sports in basketball and baseball, and there are clubs that charge exorbitant fees. But in basketball and baseball, there are a lot of alternatives, and a kid that loves the sport but has no money is going to play on teams for free or low cost long enough and with good enough coaching and competition, that you'll be identified as a stud and the high school coaches will take care of you at that point. In soccer, there is no structure. You either join the expensive club route at young age or quit the sport.

[falafel]

I think this is the main difference between soccer and say baseball or basketball, at least in my community. There are entrepreneurs or people trying to make some $ on youth sports in basketball and baseball, and there are clubs that charge exorbitant fees. But in basketball and baseball, there are a lot of alternatives, and a kid that loves the sport but has no money is going to play on teams for free or low cost long enough and with good enough coaching and competition, that you'll be identified as a stud and the high school coaches will take care of you at that point. In soccer, there is no structure. You either join the expensive club route at young age or quit the sport.

Yes. That part really sucks. There used to be a spot for kids who were competitive and liked to play, but were not going to be on the ODP team. I was one of those kids. There is no spot like that any more. Its either AYSO or mega club.

[jay santos]

I agree with a lot of that, but how many dads are really able to develop soccer skills, vs. dads that can develop baseball and basketball skills? Did you play soccer at a high level as a kid Jay? I think its easier to get higher level coaching in sports other than soccer for free.

Also, didn't you say that kids get scholarships to AAU and other competitive teams? So there you go - money is involved, its just coming from different places.

The scholarships come in the form of charging the B team parents of the prestigious AAU club team twice as much as it really costs. Under Armor and Nike money come into play but only for one or two teams in the state and only at the high school age level.

[jay santos]

I agree with a lot of that, but how many dads are really able to develop soccer skills, vs. dads that can develop baseball and basketball skills? Did you play soccer at a high level as a kid Jay? I think its easier to get higher level coaching in sports other than soccer for free.

Also, didn't you say that kids get scholarships to AAU and other competitive teams? So there you go - money is involved, its just coming from different places.

I think this is an issue but not sure how big of a deal it is. I smh at the stuff I see youth bb coaches doing. Sagging 2-3 zones standing straight up with both hands above your head all packed in the key. Very effective if you want to win the game. Not very effective if you want to develop bb players. And I'm sure this is happening all over the country, yet somehow we develop the best bb players in the world.

[jay santos]

Youth soccer clubs piss me off so much, I want to rant some more. The kids shake hands before the game and don't shake hands but run and give a clap to the fans on both sides after the game. Like, are you intentionally trying to create a non-US atmosphere as hard as you possibly can? Every other gd sport we do, we shake hands after the game, and we don't do a running clap to the fans. Americanize the sport.

[creekster]

Youth soccer clubs piss me off so much, I want to rant some more. The kids shake hands before the game and don't shake hands but run and give a clap to the fans on both sides after the game. Like, are you intentionally trying to create a non-US atmosphere as hard as you possibly can? Every other gd sport we do, we shake hands after the game, and we don't do a running clap to the fans. Americanize the sport.

Its been a few years since I had a kid playing soccer, but we never did that. We always lined up and shook hands with the other squad after the game.

[jay santos]

Its been a few years since I had a kid playing soccer, but we never did that. We always lined up and shook hands with the other squad after the game.

That's how we do it in Utah.

[creekster]

That's how we do it in Utah.

It's all those phony nice mormons.

[jay santos]

It's all those phony nice mormons.

Someone decided we're going to copy European soccer in everything. We even changed the team ages to go from school year, which is how we do everything here, to calendar dates, so we can do a U-17 team that matches up with the actual team that will play in international soccer. So, that trickles down into a 10 year old kid trying to decide whether to play soccer or not, and his team is a mixed grade team, so he's not playing with his buddies, he's playing with half the kids either a grade older or a grade younger. One more reason not to choose soccer. One more dumb thing to screw youth soccer over with.

[BigPiney]

Someone decided we're going to copy European soccer in everything. We even changed the team ages to go from school year, which is how we do everything here, to calendar dates, so we can do a U-17 team that matches up with the actual team that will play in international soccer. So, that trickles down into a 10 year old kid trying to decide whether to play soccer or not, and his team is a mixed grade team, so he's not playing with his buddies, he's playing with half the kids either a grade older or a grade younger. One more reason not to choose soccer. One more dumb thing to screw youth soccer over with.

Soccer has done that forever. Youth football around here is the same. Based on age not grade.

[falafel]

Someone decided we're going to copy European soccer in everything. We even changed the team ages to go from school year, which is how we do everything here, to calendar dates, so we can do a U-17 team that matches up with the actual team that will play in international soccer. So, that trickles down into a 10 year old kid trying to decide whether to play soccer or not, and his team is a mixed grade team, so he's not playing with his buddies, he's playing with half the kids either a grade older or a grade younger. One more reason not to choose soccer. One more dumb thing to screw youth soccer over with.

Been doing that since the 90s in Utah, probably longer.

[Flystripper]

Someone decided we're going to copy European soccer in everything. We even changed the team ages to go from school year, which is how we do everything here, to calendar dates, so we can do a U-17 team that matches up with the actual team that will play in international soccer. So, that trickles down into a 10 year old kid trying to decide whether to play soccer or not, and his team is a mixed grade team, so he's not playing with his buddies, he's playing with half the kids either a grade older or a grade younger. One more reason not to choose soccer. One more dumb thing to screw youth soccer over with.

Everything is age until you get to high school. It has been that way for as long as I can remember and I am old.