Competitive Soccer

Competitive soccer is known by many names:

Travel Soccer
Club Soccer
Elite Soccer
Premier Soccer

These are but a few of the aliases given to what has become known as Competitive Soccer. A multi-million (billion?) dollar industry has sprung up to organize and manage competitive soccer in this country.  A primary consideration seems to be wringing every available dollar of disposable income from parents of players ranging in age from 4 - 18 years of age.

Just who is competing in competitive soccer?

Walk along the parents sidelines at a typical "competitive" match and listen to the what is being yelled at players, referees and coaches.  Sometimes tensions even boil over amongst spectators.  If we really stop and consider things, a strong case could be made the most competitive people in competitive soccer are the adults involved as organizers, managers and spectators. In fact, I feel it safe to say it was adults who came up with the all various names given to the genre of competitive soccer.

For many parents and adults competitive soccer seems to be all about winning, prestige, scholarships and money.  It seems to me something is missing here.

Fun.

Adults seem to be intent on organizing the fun right out of youth sports. Parental self-worth is often times tied to their child's success on the playing field.  A loss is blamed on the referees, the coach and even teammates. Wins are all about how well their child played often times in spite of the referees, the coach or teammates.

What we should see in youth soccer is a lot of laughing and the joy found in playing with friends. Mistakes galore without verbal abuse for having made them. A relaxing environment of exercise, learning and friendly competition where the outcome is secondary to the fun and fellowship enjoyed.

We need to give the game back to our children.

Adults competing against adults through their children is ... dare I say, childish?  This is essentially what competitive soccer has become.  If we were to observe our children behaving in the manner adults behave in during youth soccer activities we would be swift with punishment for them.  I think maybe it's time for the children to place their parents in time out.

And the S.A.Y. organization's Silent Saturday program is essentially a time out for adults.  When I first heard of this I rolled my eyes and thought to myself, "what now?"  After experiencing Silent Saturday a few times I have become a fan.  Namely because the silence of the adults allowed for the sounds of the game to be heard.  I could hear the kids being kids playing the game.

I am strongly considering starting an after school soccer program. There is a block of time between the end of school and when most adults get home from work. It is a time when youth travel from school to home or daycare.  My thought is to have a small group of volunteers set up the fields just prior to school letting out and then allowing the participants to organize and play games. No fees.  No attendance requirements. No rules governing how many on a side. Call your own fouls.  Settle your own disagreements.  No scoreboards. No coaches.  Limited adult supervision.   I have a notion this would be an extremely popular program.  I believe it would be perceived as fun and the fun would stem from the kids receiving the game back from adults. 

What do you think?