Time Magazine- How kids sports became a $15 Billion industry

Bluesclues said:
They must be some horrible parents for having their daughter on the cover. Shame on them, their daughter having self confidence is also horrible parenting. By the way I think you misread she's 9. We've had the pleasure of playing against this girl multiple times and like other posters have said, she is phenomenal. Quite honestly she does do all the little tricks like Neymar. If you talk to coaches around youth soccer in So Cal they will all tell you she's in the 1% tile. Nice humble kid, not a chest pounder.
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Where did I say they were horrible parents? I feel sorry for them. It sounds like they are making a lot of unnecessary sacrifices for their 9 year old to play.

I don't believe one word of this. To put Neymar and a 9 year old in the same category is ridiculous. Is this what her coach told her parents to justify him spending his weekend driving golf carts at polo fields.
 
chargerfan said:
$300-500 a week? Do you have 8 kids in soccer?
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No but if I did, they would be well off. My kids kids will be well off as well. I'm proud of what I have accomplished in life and my family gets to enjoy everything as well. I have no problem going above and beyond for my children.
 
Soccer43 said:
wonder why she isn't going with the U16's to Germany coming up? Relax everyone and wait and see how she grows and develops. Lots can happen over the next 10 years.

Recently saw a younger that is playing up with one of the DA teams and although she has mad skills she was ineffective on the field because of her size. I wondered what the point was of her playing with these older girls because it just seemed an exercise in trying to remain standing and holding onto the ball, not really about developing her soccer skills or acumen.
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With the exception of 2 05 it's all about parental ego.
All of it and sadly it's allowed.

As for this thread I am speechless. Speechless that a club would promote a clearly horrible article about the pitfalls of elite sports, speechless a unlittle parent whose first post was about quitting a team is lauding this, and speechless that the "proof" is a YouTube video that has replays. Not bashing any kids but basically this uh video, and whatever else is pretty much a solid representation of exactly what is wrong with youth sports.
I agree it's not going away but some of us realize that academics are the golden key. Maybe when your DD gets older you can appreciate that. For the record I am not knocking your AT ALL or a child. I personally found the article to be mortifying and sadly so representative of a horrible change in culture that is clearly harming kids
 
Bluesclues said:
No but if I did, they would be well off. My kids kids will be well off as well. I'm proud of what I have accomplished in life and my family gets to enjoy everything as well. I have no problem going above and beyond for my children.
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If it's that much I hope it's The Bakers or Tad, or TOCA :) .
 
chargerfan said:
Where did I say they were horrible parents? I feel sorry for them. It sounds like they are making a lot of unnecessary sacrifices for their 9 year old to play.

I don't believe one word of this. To put Neymar and a 9 year old in the same category is ridiculous. Is this what her coach told her parents to justify him spending his weekend driving golf carts at polo fields.
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Why would you feel sorry for them? Makes no sense. On a beautiful Sunday if you have nothing better to do then talk down on a 9yr old and her family, something is not right. From the sound of things maybe you don't love your children enough. You should ask what the coach told them if it makes you feel better? Is your little soccer player a bench player or advance soccer player? Usually the bench players parents are the ones that have a hard time watching someone else have success while the other parents can relate and usually share the same thoughts. Almost like two different groups of some sort. When one of my children was playing rec and scoring all the goals. The parents of the other children not scoring any of the goals would have the most to say and usually it was always negative. I'm just trying to comprehend why so much negativity and why this bothers you so much? Is it because she plays for Surf? Is it because your child was not on the cover? Is it because your child is not having success that you have to bash someone else? Maybe your parents did not do enough for you?
 
zebrafish said:
Agreed. We all spend our disposable (adjective is so apropos) income in different ways.

$300-500/week x 50 weeks/yr (hopefully you give your kids Christmas/Thanksgiving week off!) = $15,000 - $25,000 per year for private soccer lessons

Is Messi giving your kid private lessons?!?
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You must have an older. Here is the latest scam:
Clubs saying that the girls just have privates logged and then it had to be the coaches within the club.
100$ an hour.
Another super ethical thing is privates with the coach who will be coaching next years age group "to get ahead".
I don't blame the coaches these parents are suckers.
 
Bluesclues said:
Why would you feel sorry for them? Makes no sense. On a beautiful Sunday if you have nothing better to do then talk down on a 9yr old and her family, something is not right. From the sound of things maybe you don't love your children enough. You should ask what the coach told them if it makes you feel better? Is your little soccer player a bench player or advance soccer player? Usually the bench players parents are the ones that have a hard time watching someone else have success while the other parents can relate and usually share the same thoughts. Almost like two different groups of some sort. When one of my children was playing rec and scoring all the goals. The parents of the other children not scoring any of the goals would have the most to say and usually it was always negative. I'm just trying to comprehend why so much negativity and why this bothers you so much? Is it because she plays for Surf? Is it because your child was not on the cover? Is it because your child is not having success that you have to bash someone else? Maybe your parents did not do enough for you?
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Come on not nice. Don't make something emotional now you sound like a drama daddy.
If you logically think working 12 hours a weekend and missing all family activities for a u9 is "normal" may I suggest "Positive Coaching Alliance" or reviewing any of the cited concerns in the actual time article?
The other poster raised valid points. Sad you can't see them.
I may add you do raise a valid point why do things bother older parents? Good question!
For me this type of display is bothersome because a club is attempting to brush over this in an effort to market their brand. The article was not positive.
I also feel as though the little parents 2005 and below are really marketing their kids. It's scary. I grew up in Florida and guess what I am used to it because of Disney but this new activity on Instagram and etc is in fact scary. It's permeating our culture.
 
IMHO, this thread highlights some common misconceptions:

1) Spending money on your kid means you love them. More $$$ = more love.

2) Your kid's success on the sports field makes you a better person

I grew up playing competitive tennis. You can spend more money doing this than soccer (but maybe not $300-500/wk unless you really try). You could tell the rich kids whose parents poured money into them chasing success. Often, they brought their coach with them. Boy, I loved kicking their a$$es.

I'm not surprised at all that soccer clubs would promote-- even embrace-- this article and the exposure it brings.
 
Bluesclues said:
Why would you feel sorry for them? Makes no sense. On a beautiful Sunday if you have nothing better to do then talk down on a 9yr old and her family, something is not right. From the sound of things maybe you don't love your children enough. You should ask what the coach told them if it makes you feel better? Is your little soccer player a bench player or advance soccer player? Usually the bench players parents are the ones that have a hard time watching someone else have success while the other parents can relate and usually share the same thoughts. Almost like two different groups of some sort. When one of my children was playing rec and scoring all the goals. The parents of the other children not scoring any of the goals would have the most to say and usually it was always negative. I'm just trying to comprehend why so much negativity and why this bothers you so much? Is it because she plays for Surf? Is it because your child was not on the cover? Is it because your child is not having success that you have to bash someone else? Maybe your parents did not do enough for you?
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This is almost too ridiculous to reply to, but here you go:

I love my children enough to spend my weekend doing things with them, not collecting parking tickets all day to pay for an overpriced club.

My daughter is, and has always been, a starter. I'm just not crazy enough, and neither is she, to compare her to Neymar, Pugh, etc.

It's because we have been involved for the past 6 plus years in and around the top clubs and players that I can see this for what it is. I know salesman coaches who will say your child is a future nt player to keep the money rolling in, and parents insane enough to believe it. I have seen more than my share of parents and kids dedicating their life and income to chasing a dream that will most likely never happen.

You're making a lot of assumptions just because I called out how dumb it is for a club to allow a player to be involved in an article like this.

It sounds like you are the parent of a u8-9 player who thinks that the expensive privates and the high cost and promises of surf will make your child the next big thing. Ive just been around the block enough to know better.
 
zebrafish said:
IMHO, this thread highlights some common misconceptions:

1) Spending money on your kid means you love them. More $$$ = more love.

2) Your kid's success on the sports field makes you a better person

I grew up playing competitive tennis. You can spend more money doing this than soccer (but maybe not $300-500/wk unless you really try). You could tell the rich kids whose parents poured money into them chasing success. Often, they brought their coach with them. Boy, I loved kicking their a$$es.

I'm not surprised at all that soccer clubs would promote-- even embrace-- this article and the exposure it brings.
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If you don't spent $600 on overpriced private lessons for your 9 year old, you obviously hate them. Only rich people love their children, of course.
 
Striker17 critizing Surf? That was super unexpected. Can't you people see they have middle schoolers!!! They have been through it all. Old hat, been there done that. Perfect parents. The fact that these people rush to criticize in no way reflects how they act on the sidelines and for sure has not rubbed off on their kids and made them unbearable as well. Reminds me of a George Strait song. Something about thinking you were a king on a mountain but turned out a fool on a hill. Or better yet, Taylor Swift...haters gonna hate..shake it off..something like that.
 
Sorry to see all the trolls with fake aliases on this forum now and all of them from the same club too. Good discussion going on here until this guy came along. Blocked.
 
allstarsoccer310 said:
Sorry to see all the trolls with fake aliases on this forum now and all of them from the same club too. Good discussion going on here until this guy came along. Blocked.
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Fake aliases? So your legal name is allstarsoccer310? Trolls? is that like people who criticize others online? That surely does not define you or your blocked profile.
 
fantasyfutbol said:
Fake aliases? So your legal name is allstarsoccer310? Trolls? is that like people who criticize others online? That surely does not define you or your blocked profile.
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I believe they are referencing coaches who pretend that they are not coaches that seem to pipe up whenever a certain club is mentioned
 
chargerfan said:
I believe they are referencing coaches who pretend that they are not coaches that seem to pipe up whenever a certain club is mentioned
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Some people support clubs and defend kids...some people crap on clubs and criticize children...What side of the spectrum are you on?
 
And as for anyone worrying about what this family does or what this kid says........SO WHAT.....thats their buisness..........work ethic, dedication, believing in something, having goals and dreams, sacrificing time and money, and most of all courage!!!!..............im sure all of you adults have been guilty of these qualities in college...your work places....or in some cases your marriages or relationships. But with out putting forward your best and the best that you know how like these folks, I'm sure each of you knocking them have failed in one way or another! Be honest....and think if only you would have put more effort towards goals, got better grades, made different decisions, worked harder, been employee of the month, really knocked the socks off your spouse. Im SURE ALL YOU have something you wish you could have done better in life, and Im sure this family is gonna leave it all on the table givin their situation in life to give their daughter a chance......Im doing the same for my kids, and if that is something your guys are gonna knock or talk trash on, then your and ASSHOLE and you can P.M. me and we can have a 1v1 training session for FREE on how to have some RESPECT..........


PEACE
 
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