|
|
Post by RedDevil10 on May 19, 2018 13:21:05 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by soccerfan30 on May 19, 2018 13:49:03 GMT -5
Need to have technical ability and soccer IQ to go with it, no one is faster than the ball.
|
|
|
|
Post by mistergrinch on May 19, 2018 18:07:31 GMT -5
I've said this for years. The US could absolutely dominate if our best athletes played soccer, but they don't.
Why? Money.
If you're a kid - and you're growing up and dreaming of being a pro.. there aren't a lot of big name pro soccer players in the US, you look at the Messis and Ronaldos of the world. They're playing in Spain, and they're not American. Oh, and the soccer players in MLS generally make a fraction of what NBA, MLB, NFL guys make.
For now - in the US - soccer is still fairly low on the 'pathway to pro' hierarchy.
Personally - I think the concussion issue will push more people to soccer. I know a lot of people who won't let their kids play football at a young age. Soccer should take up some of that slack.
|
|
|
|
Post by oraclesfriend on May 19, 2018 18:33:12 GMT -5
It is not just money...historically it has been an exposure issue. Kids didn't see it on TV or in person in many areas. I think having the European leagues on TV more often and having better and more fun to watch MLS teams like AU also helps
|
|
|
|
Post by oraclesfriend on May 19, 2018 18:50:08 GMT -5
All 3 of your replies have nothing to do with the article in the original post. The point of the piece is that playing soccer early “through 8th grade” makes for a better elite athlete in whatever sport they end up committing to. I read the article. My reply was to the previous reply. I think most of us think and hope that if more athletes played as children prior to high school they would stick with it and that would help us in the pro and national team ranks. If they are encouraged to play it, they will grow to love it. It is good to hear that pro football players are encouraging soccer in young athletes though I am not convinced that his conclusion that it helps footwork is true if you are just playing it casually. I have not seen much good footwork out of casual soccer players |
|
|
|
Post by oraclesfriend on May 19, 2018 18:52:21 GMT -5
It is poor journalism though that the title of the article has nothing to do with his actual point. The title may have been what the other posters were replying to...
|
|
|
|
Post by guest on May 19, 2018 19:39:33 GMT -5
To flip it around. I was talking with an ex soccer player from Africa about the fastest growing sport in America; Lacrosse. He said as fun as that sport is and no matter how much money you throw at it, it would never catch on in Africa because there’s no money in it. Young boys there (not girls) will only play soccer because that’s the only sport that offers big bucks if ‘you make it’.
Seems athletes around the world play sports in part because of the promise of big money. In the US though, there are multiple sports that have much more money in it than Soccer.
|
|
