Beijing Olympics
- Thread starter TooFarTampa
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beach volley ball - make it STOP! Please!
Well, not so fast with that scholarships statement. Those are out there, and if any child in the U.S. sticks with it, they'll have a better chance at getting a scholarship to college playing soccer, than playing football, basketball, or baseball.
Domestically, I am not saying we have the greatest league (but we do have Beckham!). Professionally, we have the MLS, USL (and Atlanta Silverbacks), and many off-shoots of those two, most notably a Professional Development League Club just down US98, playing on Panama City Beach. A few may have heard of them, the Panama City Pirates.
And as far as having no shot at playing Europe, I would estimate the United States having no less than 60-70 Players playing somewhere in Europe, and quite few of them plying their trade in the world's most competitive leagues, such as The Premiership in England, La Liga in Spain, The Bundesliga in Germany, Ligue 1 in France, the Italian League, and many other European Leagues of note. (http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=players)
Giving up has never been part of the American Spirit, and let's hope it never is. The Soccer Evolution has started, in South Walton and many other places in the United States. Our best is yet to come!
I'm with you, STL Don. Go USA Women's Team. Represent!
Dressage is on Oxygen right now.It is so beautiful to watch!
Thank you so much for this reminder, I forget about the alternate channel showings and I love the Equestrian events.
I was so glad Lochtie from Daytona beach won a swimming Gold Medal, his Dad coached him when he was young and he was so proud.
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I guess I never got to where I was headed with my statement...
The money isn't there unless you are one of the very few who do make the bigs in a league anywhere other than the States. Beckham is an anomoly. True, that there are probably some in the MSL who make good money, but they would be the marquis players, and then, it drops off significantly.
My son was offered a soccer scholarship for this year to Mercer but turned it down ( he also received a large academic scholarship) because he wants to concentrate on studies his first year. The scholarships are definitely out there for the players who want them and are committed to 10 months of training for division 1 and 2 schools. For many kids it's a great way to pay for their education. I have seen how the soccer programs have really grown in Atlanta over the last 30 years and the number of talented players is amazing. The clubs here don't have enough field space for the number of kids signing up to play. Soccer has truly exploded onto the scene in the US!
GO USA WOMEN!!!
GO USA WOMEN!!!
I have nothing against soccer, but I am curious about this statement. Aren't there many more college scholarships for football than any of these three other sports? Can you quote stats backing up your statement? I really am curious, because I know that men's soccer has been one of the victims of scholarship cuts in the past decade or so. I would be very surprised if there were indeed more soccer scholarships than either football, baseball, or basketball. Shocked, actually.
Ahhh! But that is not what I said.
To be clear, I don't argue which sports offer more scholarships overall in college. It might be football, or it might not (a lot of schools cut football due to Title IX). My point is rather that after a certain age, the number of kids playing soccer drops off also (as pointed out by someone else earlier), as many of the better athletes defect to more traditional sports like football, basketball, or baseball. This limits not only the pool of players competing for scholarships, but the level of player also.
Also, if you are a very talented soccer player at a young age (even 14 years old in some cases), you don't even go to college and play. This narrows the pool of players looking for scholarships even more.
And finally, unless you are a goalkeeper, you can play nearly any position on the field in soccer. Many times, players who started out in the back move up to a midfield position or forwards move back, etc., etc., unlike many other sports where you learn a position and pretty much are expected to continue your path in that position. This, instead of narrowing the talent pool for soccer, means that as long as you are a good field player anywhere on the pitch, the chances are there is a coach out there that wants you.
So in sum, if a kid sticks with soccer, there may not be as many scholarships in total out there as traditional American sports (football, basketball, baseball), but there will be plenty opportunities to get a chance to help good ol' mom and dad out once it is time to get an advanced education.
Also, you get the fringe benefit of learning to play a sport that you can play outdoors, on grass (usually), with friends (some new, some old, many from all over the world), and continue to play into your 60's.
I think it is a great opportunity for many youth, and I hope they take advantage of it. It is a unique situation in the U.S. right now, but it won't be forever.
Go USA Women's Gymnasts!!!
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Thank you for the clarification on what you were saying. It makes sense but the only caveat I would add is that many scholarships for soccer (and baseball, and other non-football, non-basketball sports) are partial, and often don't add up to even half. So I think it is wise for any parent of any young athlete (in any sport) to avoid assuming a certain amount of help will be there. 
Truly I have nothing against soccer, a few of my favorite athletes play soccer.
And wow, how about those gymnasts?
Truly I have nothing against soccer, a few of my favorite athletes play soccer. And wow, how about those gymnasts?
OK- I have an Olympics confession to make. I think the underage Chinese gymnasts sent me over the edge with the gymnastics. I have always been creeped out by women's gymnastics (ok- be honest- children's gymnatics). It is not just China and Russia- the USA is just as guilty in basically "factory farming" these little girls into gymnastics machines- ruining their bodies and minds at such a young age. Between the eating disorders and injuries that ruin them for life, I can't be a gymnastics fan. It is just a yucky sport.
