Hope Solo nails the state of American soccer "rich kids sport"

[underpants]

I had a discussion about this with a father (who played D1 scholarship soccer) and said the same thing. The spots are reserved for parents who can pay and travel which keeps their quest for a scholarship away from other families.


"My family would not have been able to afford to put me in soccer if I was a young kid today," Solo said at the Hashtag Sports conference in New York.

"That obviously alienates so many communities, including Hispanic communities, the black communities, the rural communities and under-represented communities. Soccer, right now, has become a rich, white kid sport."

The two-time Olympic gold medalist also pointed blame at the high cost in the youth system as to why the U.S. men's national soccer team failed to qualify for this summer's World Cup in Russia.

"You have to look at why have our U.S. men not qualified for the World Cup? And it goes back to our youth system," Solo said. "And it's because we are alienating so much talent in the youth system, and it breaks my heart because these kids are passionate about the game and they are filled with great skill, yet they're being told if you don't have the money, you can't represent your country."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2018/06/28/hope-solo-youth-soccer-united-states-cost/741378002/

[nycbos]

1. The irony is that in the rest of the world it's considered a blue collar sport.

[Yavin4]

5. More a poor people's sport

You don't need much other than a ball and some space.

[MontanaMama]

2. Hope is right on point.

Soccer in our city is a rich kid sport. Sure some kids play YMCA soccer but that doesn’t go anywhere. If you want to get somewhere in the sport (high school Varsity or a college scholarship), you have to get your kiddo on a travel team and that’s big bucks. My son doesn’t play soccer but he plays baseball and the same rule applies...to move up meaningfully in the sport he had to look beyond Little League which means a travel ball club. The season goes from March through August and it is expensive. A weekend tournament away from home requires two travel days (we are 5 hours from home at the moment), motel, meals, gas, days off work etc. I don’t like it but it’s just the way it is right now. When your kid loves something, works his ass off and is talented, it is hard to say no. I don’t know how long he will be able to play or how long he can move up but as long as he is willing to work, I’m willing to help him. It is not lost on me, however, that many kids won’t have the same chances and may be just as good as anyone on our travel team. These kids are beyond fortunate.

[underpants]

3. Yeah we know people in it and one weird case

Relatives in BumF Georgia had a daughter playing softball. The junior high JUNIOR HIGH coach let it be known "if you aren't on a traveling team don't bother trying out". That sucks for families who can't do the travel thing and who paid for these activities in taxes.

Our other friends are all in on soccer for their boy. On the second tier elite squad at one of the many soccer operations around here. 6 hours a week mandatory practice with 2 more optional (it's really required) AND clinics and special training on off nights. Travel isn't that bad in Richmond due to all the organizations nearby but they are traveling this summer to Kansas City and Spain.

[Yavin4]

4. The poor male kids get pushed into American football as well.

I was thinking about Rickey Henderson. If he were 18 today, no way would he play baseball. With his size and speed, he would have been pressured into playing football.

[madinmaryland]

6. You could say that about a lot of sports...

Golf, tennis, lacrosse, etc.

[hughee99]

7. This has really become true of most sports.

You have something kids want to do, and people looking to offer an advantage for money. You can get better coaches, better training, better competition, but it's going to cost you time and a lot of money. In the end, you'll get more exposure to opportunities. Sure, the truly unique talents can always shine through and many of these programs are willing to help a family out financially in special cases, but for a kid that doesn't already have it together and doesn't have the money, they get shut out of a lot of opportunities.

[Yavin4]

8. Explains why we haven't had a star men's tennis player for years now. n/t