Competition vs. Development in US Youth Soccer | Youth Inc. | Greg Olsen

[@gregorybiestek3431]

I have lived for almost two decades across the street from a large playfield and except for the few times when teachers from a nearby school forced their kids play, never once did any kids in the area use any of the field for a game. By the way, I live 1-kilometer from the border with a major inner city and about 100-meters from a bus stop. Unfortunately, in the USA there is very little interest in the sport outside of organized suburban pay -to-play leagues.

[@alivenumber5]

This is the real issue. Kids don't play pickup sports other than maybe a little neighborhood American football and basketball. On occasion wiffle ball.

[@DJCobb-74]

You're not wrong. Kids with iPads will chose an iPad all day long over going outside to play. Now, ipads and streaming TV options for kids are everywhere. We have plenty of kids in our neighborhood who never come outside, much less go and play pickup sports. It's a real problem.

[@gregorybiestek3431]

@@DJCobb-74 I agree! Since the dawn of social media and internet everything, two whole generations of USA children no longer play outside unless forced to do so by teachers & parents. And once they become adults it is even worse. My own 30-year-old son and his friends never get together to do anything but play indoor games. They never even go to sports pubs or even watch any sports of any kind. It is what it is these days in America.

[@str8fromthetrainingground]

Great stuff!

[@UHollis]

there are so few options for older teenagers to play rec/pickup soccer in country. so few. and high school soccer seems like a joke compared to decent club teams.

[@liceafilms]

I think it depends on the high school you play for

[@bans5]

@@liceafilms The skill level of high school vs club is very drastic. Makes high school soccer look like a joke. Sure maybe some outliers but I'd bet that those high level soccer schools are kids that play club together.

[@liceafilms]

@@bans5 yes that’s exactly why I said it depends what school you play for. Because I know of clubs that directly feed schools their players

[@rcdegruttola5089]

Clubs design teams based off of economics not the best players