Hi Everyone,
After receiving a tremendous amount of feedback on my last article, “SOCCERevolutions’ Bold Fee Strategy,” I’ve gathered some essential highlights—and I’m excited to share them with you!
First off, a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. It’s clear that there’s a lot of passion for making youth soccer the best it can be!
Here’s what stood out …
Accessibility and Affordability:
Soccer’s simplicity is its beauty. As many of you agreed, all it takes is a ball, a safe open space, and some markers for goals. This keeps it accessible to communities with limited resources.
“Who doesn’t love a game that can be played anywhere and in a festive environment?”
Fun and Camaraderie:
It’s FUNtastic to see that so many of you value fun and friendship as the core of youth soccer.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about kids having a blast and making memories!”
Where We Can Improve:
Initial Focus:
Everyone agreed that kids from U-6 to U-12 should focus on falling in love with the game. Let them be the carefree, mud-covered soccer enthusiasts they want to be!
“Competitive play, often more adult-oriented, can wait until they’re older—definitely after U-12!”
Inclusive Language:
The idea of dropping the ‘recreational’ label and calling everyone a ‘soccer player’ was a hit. You all felt it was simple yet powerful because, once that whistle blows, every kid out there is part of the game, enjoying the competition and having fun.
“After all, who needs labels? They’re for canned food, not kids.”
Invite-Ins Instead of Tryouts:
This was a hot topic in your comments. Let’s switch to ‘Invite-Ins’ instead of putting kids through the stress of tryouts. It’s a more welcoming approach that helps families from all backgrounds feel like they belong. And let’s be honest, who enjoys the pressure of tryouts anyway?
“It’s like a job interview for kids—No Thanks!”
Fair Fees:
Everyone agreed that the fee structure should reflect what’s really going on, with reasonably lower costs for the U-6 to U-12 age groups. There was total agreement that as players get older and seek more advanced training and competition, the fees would increase to support that.
“It’s all about balance!”
Karl’s Komments:
There’s universal agreement: “It should be about keeping soccer accessible and fun for all kids!” We’re on the right track if we can create an environment where kids are excited to play, feel included, and aren’t stressed about labels or financial pressures. After all, soccer should be a game where no one feels burdened by costs or tempted to quit during their teen years.
Thanks again for all your feedback and support of the SOCCERevolution. Let’s keep the conversation going and work together to make youth soccer the best it can be.
If you have more ideas, don’t hesitate to share them. It takes motivated and caring adults to improve the environment and keep these kids playing beyond their teen years!
