Reasons soccer is kinda lame

[CNS]

Guys, you can get on rec leagues, competitive non-travel teams, and competitive travel teams pretty much anywhere now if you are near a metro/sprawl area for pretty much any sport.  It isn't like it was 10-15yrs ago.  Our kid played on a competitive softball team last fall and it was cheaper than the city league she played that summer and we only had to drive an extra ten min to get to her games, which were all on the exact same field all fall.

[Institutional Control]

I think soccer and basketball are the cheapest sports to play regardless of money sense.  I mean compared to baseball and football the equipment expense is very minimal

Do they have travelling football teams?  Getting on a plane every weekend with your entire family all summer is more expensive than a few pads and a helmet.

Travel teams are less common in football than other sports like soccer and basketball.

But if you're playing in a recreational league, soccer is by far the least expensive to play.

Rec basketball should be just as if not cheaper I would think.

Down here, registrations for rec basketball leagues tend to be higher.  They gyms are usually owned by schools, YMCAs or private companies and they charge the leagues to use the gyms.  Soccer fields are usually owned by the cities and they don't charge to use them.

[The Big Train]

You guys thinking is way to confined, soccer is the worlds sport because as long as you have a ball, even a shitty one, you can play on dirt, grass, concrete, broken cobblestone, or even sand. It is the worlds sport because it is the cheapest and most accessible.

[michigancat]

how is soccer expensive (relative to other sports kids play)? a pair of shin guards and cleats and a soccer ball and a water bottle and then like a giant cooler full of capri sun once a month and maybe a huge container of sliced oranges once a month, and boom there you have it. soccer for 8 years

My guess would be all the tournaments and traveling.  If it was just a ymca league it should be dirt cheap.

Yeah, around here lots of local clubs have paid coaches for "traveling" available starting at U9 (or sooner). So the parents that pay for the paid coaches can separate themselves from the pack pretty early.

[CNS]

Those parents are insane.  My kid was 8 last season and we played against an invite inly tryout club team. They had practice five days a week, games twice a week, a full time head coach for the club they played under, a full tume coach that was strictly a hitting coach for the club, and and no fewer than three assistants in the dugout as well.  8years old.

They smoked everyone.

I don't get why parents don't understand that if they just invest the money they pay their coaches and for travel expenses, their kid could go to any college they wanted rather than paying all that money and still only being good enough to get a scholly from a DII.

[wetwillie]

The little league/youth sports arms race is really a spectacular American phenomenon.   

[Tobias]

we had a paid brazilian coach come in for a season when I lived in phoenix.  no idea what his fee was

[michigancat]

we had a paid brazilian coach come in for a season when I lived in phoenix.  no idea what his fee was

We actually have a couple British coaches in our club, but they are college dropouts (I think) that live on couches of families and get paid crap and go back home in a couple months. They actually coached younger kids and it was really cheap.

[Tobias]

We actually have a couple British coaches in our club, but they are college dropouts (I think) that live on couches of families and get paid crap and go back home in a couple months. They actually coached younger kids and it was really cheap.

that would be much better than what we had - i'm sure parents got fleeced pretty good.  finally remembered the guy's name (i was like 9 when he was hired on)

http://www.azsantosfc.com/component/content/article/46-home.html

[Institutional Control]

Most club coaches don't make enough money to only coach for a living.  A coworker is a club volleyball coach. He said he makes about $5K season.  Usually 3 seasons a year.

[CNS]

I know someone who does it fully time for basketball.  He runs three guys teams and two girls teams and sells it as college prep.  It's basically AAU.  He is the primary breadwinner for his family and lives close to how I do.   

[Belvis Noland]

You guys thinking is way to confined, soccer is the worlds sport because as long as you have a ball, even a shitty one, you can play on dirt, grass, concrete, broken cobblestone, or even sand. It is the worlds sport because it is the cheapest and most accessible.

I agree.  But, I'm talking about America, specifically.  Not the world.  In America, the most accessible sports, played in urban and suburban areas alike, are basketball and football.  both sports are as cheap as soccer.   

I know it's different across the country, but here in the midwest and specifically kansas city, you're more likely to find socioeconomic diversity in sports like basketball and football than you are in soccer.  IMO, soccer is the sport that a lot of families feel "safe" putting their kids into at a young age because it's great exercise on saturdays and injuries are less likely.  ever been to a youth soccer tournament in the kc metro?  it's about as white bread as you'll find.  not the case with a metro basketball tourny or 7-on-7 tourny.   

[Belvis Noland]

FWIW, I don't think soccer is lame.  I hope the MLS keeps growing and we get better talent in the league.  I wish our national team was relevant.  to me, the problem with our national team is that our best athletes aren't playing soccer, they're playing basketball and football.  IMO, they're choosing to play these sports because soccer in America has been more of a "rich kid" sport for a long time.  Maybe this is changing.  I dunno. 

[CNS]

Our best athletes are playing where the biggest paycheck is. 

[scottwildcat]

Our best athletes are playing where the biggest paycheck is.

This


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[Spaces]

BREAKING: Soccer isn't lame, not even a little lame.

[sunny_cat]

BREAKING: Soccer isn't lame, not even a little lame.

CASE CLOSED

[star seed 7]

BREAKING: Soccer isn't lame, not even a little lame.

CASE CLOSED

lol, alright, sure.... 

[star seed 7]

most soccer fans hate jake pullen, pretty lame

[scottwildcat]

most soccer fans hate jake pullen, pretty lame

This is not even a little bit true.


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[sunny_cat]

most soccer fans hate jake pullen, pretty lame

Oh man. Hilarious post. Nice one.

[Belvis Noland]

Our best athletes are playing where the biggest paycheck is.

Chicken and egg.  The biggest paycheck is where the best talent is. 

[CNS]

Our best athletes are playing where the biggest paycheck is.

Chicken and egg.  The biggest paycheck is where the best talent is.

Nope.  Both are where the most fan and marketing interest are.  Ochocinco is a good example.   Was able to chose soccer or football scholly for college.  He chose football because of the ceiling height difference for a possible career.

[CNS]

Soccer paychecks will get bigger in the USA over time as the sport continues to gain popularity.   If that happens past a certain point, more and more of the higher rated talent will eventually play here.

[MakeItRain]

Our best athletes are playing where the biggest paycheck is.

Chicken and egg.  The biggest paycheck is where the best talent is.

Well I suppose the best talent is playing soccer

http://espn.go.com/espn/notebook/_/id/10761701/25-highest-paid-athletes-worldwide-espn-magazine

Of course none of us think that this is true, kids aren't considering what sport has the highest salary when considering what sport they want to play. Once you become cognizant of such things and have the capability of making the decision of what you want to do and that decision isn't solely comprised of what is the most fun for you it's going to be to late to become a world class athlete in that sport.