Soccer

[Bighurt]

  Then that sounds like a TSSAA issue........I know the college coaches are sick and tired of AAU programs. . . .

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ksgvols,

This is my last post on this topic. I thought your post was very good. I just could not resist posting my opinion on AAU basketball

 

I am sure that many young men and women have benefited from AAU basketball programs. However - please envision my words sounding like Stephen A. Smith on ESPN - However, AAU basketball at its highest level does nothing to benefit high school basketball. Players are there for no other reason than to showcase their individual talent. Coaches - aka street agents - are unregulated and often have their own self interest at heart rather than their players. Basketball fundamentals are thrown out the window. 20 years of AAU basketball has resulted in the NBA being what it is today - a league that fewer and fewer fans care to watch.

 

My rant. My opinion . . . and this has nothing to do with the original point of this topic - Soccer. I'm done.

[ksgovols]

Agreed bighurt! Sorry , I'm guilty of getting this thread off topic. The relevancy is that from my perspective.......alot of kids have gravitated towards one sport only......soccer being one of them, instead of allowing the kids to pursue athletics from a multi-faceted aspect. Let 'em play as many sports as they can! You only get to do it for a very short while!

[lazarus]

dont lose any sleep over my "attitude" biggie.

when soccer was first infecting the high schools, a soccer coach (whose ahtletic background began with his kid's soccer) told me "soccer isnt like those other sports. it teaches lessons that are valuable your whole life".

being how i am, the best answer seemed to be "soccer is an abomination."

it stuck.

 

my daughter played soccer in high school.

[muffin]

Soccer,yuk.

[OnlineLC]

I do absolutely support balance for the majority of the kids, however one vital piece of the puzzle for soccer is the fact that if you ever want to have even the remotest chance of making it the professional level, you basically have to concentrate on it exclusively from about seven years of age on.

 

I grew up in Europe where we basically played soccer from late August till Mid May and practised 2 to 3 hours each day during the season. From all that practice, I am not aware of any of my team mates ever being approached by a professional club (note there are 96 professional soccer clubs in England so there is no shortage of employment if you are good). These kinds of practice hours are duplicated throughout most of the world. The bottom line is the fact that if somebody does think they want to ever play at the professional level here, they really do have to forsake all other sports and play soccer for 9-10 months just to have any chance at being as competitive as kids who grew up in a 100% soccer culture. If you get lucky and make it big, you get to marry one of the Spice Girls.

[ksgovols]

I think our next professional soccer player from Tennessee will be our first one. Soccer scholarships for men's college soccer aren't all that plentiful either. Maybe that plays in Europe, but I don't see delusions of professional soccer as a compelling reason to forsake all other sports. JMO

[BigG]

dont lose any sleep over my "attitude" biggie.

when soccer was first infecting the high schools, a soccer coach (whose ahtletic background began with his kid's soccer) told me "soccer isnt like those other sports. it teaches lessons that are valuable your whole life".

being how i am, the best answer seemed to be "soccer is an abomination."

it stuck.

 

my daughter played soccer in high school.

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No worries, Laz. You are entitled to your opinion. I happen to not care too much for cheerleading myself, and my daughter will most likely grow up to be one!

 

As far as the professional level players, soccer or all sports, your chances are pretty slim. It is possible, though. We have a kid here in Knoxville who made the u-16 national team. Though that is pretty rare. Not may kids (at least from Knoxville) go on to big D-1 schools. Most go to smaller D-1, D-2, or NAIA. I haven't heard of anyone going pro from here (besides USISL, or semi pro teams)

[ksgovols]

Agreed BigG. Parents that are looking for the best route for their kid to go professional have a laundry list of issues to begin with. Youth sports, including the high school level are not about that. I tell the coaches in our youth league that a successful youth league coach is the one who doesn't lose any kids the next season! If they quit, they can't go to the next level whether it be the next division in their youth league, middle school or high school. Everything above high school is usually based on God given talent. If you could 'make' a pro.......everybody would be doing it!

[mjuhb]

    I think our next professional soccer player from Tennessee will be our first one.  Soccer scholarships for men's college soccer aren't all that plentiful either.  Maybe that plays in Europe, but I don't see delusions of professional soccer as a compelling reason to forsake all other sports.  JMO

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3 that i know of henry ring from brentwood plays at chicago

jonny walker and richard mulrooney have caps for the national team

[ksgovols]

3 that i know of henry ring from brentwood plays at chicago

jonny walker and richard mulrooney have caps for the national team

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I knew I was leaving myself open on that one! It's safe to say I've never heard of them, unlike Todd Helton, Marcus Haislip or Troy Fleming. Do the national team players get paid?

 

My point is that noone can make themselves a professional athlete just by concentrating on one sport. Sure, any athlete needs to work on his skills, but youth league and middle school is way too early to start concentrating on one sport. I'd say high school is as well until you start getting recruiting letters from colleges or pro scouts are hanging out at all your games.

[mjuhb]

200,000 for 5 games work during world cup 2002

40,000 a game is awesome no wonder they did so well

in mls top 20 players only make about 450,000 for 30 games

[ksgovols]

Cool. If you can get paid to play the sport you love......kudos!