Recent comments in /f/sports

SeriousPuppet t1_j21maxl wrote

Reply to The next youth sports arms race by eddytony96

The article was too long to read in full. But if I get the gist - lots of massive sports parks is the new "arms race".

I guess that's not a horrible thing.

But for soccer, kids need futsal courts and indoor and public spaces for pickup soccer.

As they get older they do more regimented training at a club typically.

Baseball I don't know much about, but there are many public baseball diamonds near me. More baseball diamonds than soccer fields, way more, at least near me.

But there are a few big "sports complexes" with a lot of soccer fields, they're just a hike to get to.

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IIIllllIIlllIIlllIIl t1_j21lvns wrote

Reply to comment by getofftheirlawn in The next youth sports arms race by eddytony96

The problem with soccer in particular in the US is the lack of a real gradient in price and skill at the 12-16 ages. Below that most people are in rec anyways. But then there's either cheap rec leagues with hardly anyone playing, or $4000-$6000/yr with the skilled players. A pretty big contrast.

In other countries there's more options and all of them are cheaper. Some players do actually go off to academy after playing only locally at around the 14 age range. Part of that is due to having more options.

I still don't recommend anyone spend the $4-6k at age 12 here in the US. The likelihood of going pro or getting a scholarship are pretty low for those kids sitting in the back of SUV's for all that time. Travel ball needs to be phased out in most leagues. It drains local talent and keeps neighborhood kids away from their friends. Any league that pushes it is something I'll keep my kids far away from. There's just too much money in it though. Parents are easily duped.

There isn't any substitute for actually playing the game.

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