The real news about a 13-year-old girl giving up any chance at amateur or college soccer so her parents could stroke their egos was over in a week. This thread then became a dump for people with axes to grind.
Turning Pro at 13
- Thread starter sdb
- Start date
The real news about a 13-year-old girl giving up any chance at amateur or college soccer so her parents could stroke their egos was over in a week. This thread then became a dump for people with axes to grind.
SoccerFan4Life
PREMIER
LOL! Love the RIP picture. So how is this Olivia Moultrie doing so far this season at the pro level? I am wondering if other youth players will follow. I believe the salaries are close to $19k for the women's league so not sure why one would want to go pro other than love for the game.
MakeAPlay
DA
She isn’t a pro. She got money to appear in a commercial. At this point she couldn’t even compete at the D1 level. This is all a marketing ploy by Nike that is pretty much a Hail Mary. If she succeeds then great they get some publicity. If not they didn’t invest much and they generated some buzz.
I hope that she succeeds.
She is playing in the DA with the Portland Thorns U16/17 team. I would think she would at least want to try her hand in the WPSL this season - they don’t have an age restriction as I know 15 and 16 year olds that have been rostered. It is unfortunate that she gave up her college scholarship and left so Cal to play on a lower ranked team in the DA. Not sure that provides a better training atmosphere than Beach in the Southwest division
MakeAPlay
DA
Marketing. Beach has some excellent coaches so it is definitely confusing. It will really suck for her if LAFC gets an NWSL team.
They had enough money to build a practice field in their back yard and hire an every-day personal coach, so what was left?
I hope for the girl's sake that they didn't just do this for publicity to boost their home-based business.
oh canada
GOLD
13yr old is old news...i don't care nor need to follow her month to month progress. Nike will guarantee she gets a shot at the USWNT, even if not deserved by her play. That book is already written. Frankly, the kids I know would never consider a home-schooled girl with a private coach on salary since 6yrs old, a $100K practice field in her yard, and parents who promote/manage her full-time, an inspiring role model. Crystal Dunn/Carli Lloyd she is not.
As for the other topic in this thread. Despite the awful history of how it became so, USA now at least deserves credit for being the Diversity Experiment of the World. No other country on this planet (Canada not even close) has such a diverse group of citizens (and non-citizens) living together and progressing together. And, I do think most Americans are interested in trying to make things better for all. Since the majority of Americans don't even have a passport, it's unlikely they have personal experience with the homogeny in other countries around the globe.
In the daily headlines I read about the worst racists in this country, but when I'm sitting on the soccer sideline, I know this is the only place in the world where kids and adults with family lineages from all over the world enjoy playing together and supporting one another. And that should count for something.
As for the other topic in this thread. Despite the awful history of how it became so, USA now at least deserves credit for being the Diversity Experiment of the World. No other country on this planet (Canada not even close) has such a diverse group of citizens (and non-citizens) living together and progressing together. And, I do think most Americans are interested in trying to make things better for all. Since the majority of Americans don't even have a passport, it's unlikely they have personal experience with the homogeny in other countries around the globe.
In the daily headlines I read about the worst racists in this country, but when I'm sitting on the soccer sideline, I know this is the only place in the world where kids and adults with family lineages from all over the world enjoy playing together and supporting one another. And that should count for something.
MakeAPlay
DA
I have yet to meet a close minded Canadian. I meet close minded Americans every day. Most European countries are no cup of tea when it comes to immigration. Believe it or not a lot of the liberal European democracies are actually Constitutional Monarchies. I would choose the USA over anywhere (especially Hawaii) but we are far from an idyllic place. My wife’s grandmother who is 94 has a sign in her guest bathroom that reminds me of that every time I go to her house.
The sign reads “Coloreds only.” It is a stark reminder of how far we have come yet how much farther we have yet to go.
MakeAPlay
DA
Sports in general bring us together as Americans. I know that there is very little I agree with @Sheriff Joe on but we can both cheer for the Dodgers/Angels.
My best friend’s dad used to be the CEO of Matson Shipping my dad was a Marine. Two very different backgrounds but we were teammates in college and have been best friends since we were both 19.
Sports are awesome for bringing us all together.
Just A Dad
SILVER ELITE
I think sports in general does that
Supermodel56
SILVER ELITE
Agreed and hoping we can all start to align on our own culture so we can thrive and unify to make progress. The fighting, arguing, name calling, hate, agendas, etc... just tired of it. We need to align on something and there’s going to need to be give and take. Appreciate the post.
Chalklines
GOLD
Here's some curve balls for argument sake.
Are we being more critical because she's not a boy? Why arnt we trashing all the boys in Europe for signing with professional clubs and academys at a young age?
Personally I think OM path looks screwed up from the outside because here in the states we really don't have a proven blueprint for our male/female players. She's a trailblazer right now just like Pulisic was.
Are we being more critical because she's not a boy? Why arnt we trashing all the boys in Europe for signing with professional clubs and academys at a young age?
Personally I think OM path looks screwed up from the outside because here in the states we really don't have a proven blueprint for our male/female players. She's a trailblazer right now just like Pulisic was.
The Outlaw *BANNED*
PREMIER
I would tend to agree with this, 43, but honestly... I'm not aware of a single soccer player (in the U.S.) that's chasing it for the money. I think the sport still has some "purity" left in that respect.
dk_b
GOLD
I think that is a fair question to ask and one we should all consider. That said, I think the answer is "no, sort of" because even if we are critical of a 13yo boy signing a pro deal (I can certainly get into my issues with the European academy model), a career as a soccer player is far more possible for that boy than for any 13yo girl. If a boy is good enough to play professionally even in the 2d or 3d divisions in Europe, he can earn a living (10 years ago (the first article I found in a recent search), 2d to 4th tier English players make, on average: "£195,750, League One players £67,850 and League Two £49,600"; premier league players averaged more than 3x; my guess is that those #s are higher - considerably? - today). The top women players can't touch that unless they are in the elite among the elite category, in a WC year (add in a substantial sum if they have the intangibles to ink endorsement deals).
Until the economics change, it seems that the dream that even the best 13yo will be the best 24yo with intangibles for endorsements is still a risky dream and, at 13yo, one gives up a TON to be on those very few players.
dk_b
GOLD
that may be true - I'd like to think it is - but it IS b/c of the huge money that US teens are being signed and moved to European academies. It is not because those academies are interested in the kid's love of the sport - they want to have kids there who can help them lift a Cup or two or many and allow them to make $$$ (directly or through the ensuing transfers). But for the huge money involved, the monied academies would not be scouting in far flung lands.
outside!
DA
My understanding is that the Nike deal is for more than enough money to pay for a college.