This is why we lose (top 5 academy goals from Barca)

db10 wrote:It's about dedication, dedication to the point of survival. That's why other countries are better at the game. One ball, no PS4, no ponies, no orange slices. Play soccer all the time. Becks was 12 when his parents turned him over to SAF and Co. and it worked...then on the other hand I don't know if I'd give him a TAKS test anytime soon ;-)

I love it. Finally someone on here gets it.

All the whining and moaning about US Soccer can't compete but 99% aren't willing to truly dedicate to it.

I for one am pushing for my DD to go to college on her academic abilities and hopefully a few scholarships will follow. No way would I be willing to ship her off to another country to live and train for a career that will most likely end by the time she 30.

We seem to do fine with gymnasts and ice skaters that have much shorter careers and often less money. I don't think its my path to choose I think its my dd's

go99 wrote:We seem to do fine with gymnasts and ice skaters that have much shorter careers and often less money. I don't think its my path to choose I think its my dd's

I'd say those two examples differ from soccer because performance is solo and absolute. When my 12 year old skater does well she's given a good score. But my 12 year old CM may be great on the ball, great vision, great passes, etc but when she's tackled from behind 32 times a game by some 6'-0" girl she's tagged as "not physical enough". God forbid if she's a short GK That can never work, just read past topics on this board. Nevermind that the current Women's World Cup holder's GK is only 5'-5". American sports does that all the time, we place too much emphasis on physical measurables. Ask yourselves this question, "were our past victories in women's soccer due to our quality, our size, or the fact that we were just the first"

db10 wrote:

go99 wrote:We seem to do fine with gymnasts and ice skaters that have much shorter careers and often less money. I don't think its my path to choose I think its my dd's

I'd say those two examples differ from soccer because performance is solo and absolute. When my 12 year old skater does well she's given a good score. But my 12 year old CM may be great on the ball, great vision, great passes, etc but when she's tackled from behind 32 times a game by some 6'-0" girl she's tagged as "not physical enough". God forbid if she's a short GK That can never work, just read past topics on this board. Nevermind that the current Women's World Cup holder's GK is only 5'-5". American sports does that all the time, we place too much emphasis on physical measurables. Ask yourselves this question, "were our past victories in women's soccer due to our quality, our size, or the fact that we were just the first"

Seems due to the number of superior athletes with size relative to rest of the women's teams to date.  It remains to be seen if that approach will continue to be successful going forward.

The men's team history speaks for itself.

In regards to dedication, as one foreign coach told my DD's team who he was coaching, "Kids who are desperate and view soccer as a way to change their future make the best soccer players, just look at the rest of the world."