Soccer has become one of the most popular youth sports in recent years, but with popularity has come more competition:
the number of youth soccer teams in the United States has increased by about 90 percent since 1990, to almost 3.1 million players.1
the number of high school players has more than doubled to 730,106 athletes since 1990, the fastest growth rate of any major sport.2
Pros:
1. Easy to learn
2. Inclusive
Gender neutral: played by both boys and girls in equal numbers
Abundant programs
3. Provides good exercise
4. Is relatively safe [2] (as compared to other popular youth sports, like football and basketball)
5. Teaches teamwork & mental focus
6. Is relatively inexpensive (shoes & equipment [3]costs are relatively low)
7. Can be played year-round (which can also be a negative, because year-round play can lead to overuse injuries); and
8. Can be played as an adult
Cons:
Ironically, some of the reasons youth soccer is a good choice for your child can also be drawbacks:
1. Popularity leads to:
2. Politics can rear its ugly head because team selection [5] and playing time [6]are based on subjective factors.
3. Tension between recreational and competitive (i.e. "travel") soccer can create problems:
1. United States Soccer Federation
2. Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association
3. National Collegiate Athletic Association
Updated September 19, 2010
Links:
[1] https://momsteam.com/node/1525
[2] https://momsteam.com/node/525
[3] https://momsteam.com/node/578
[4] https://momsteam.com/node/531
[5] https://momsteam.com/node/1298
[6] https://momsteam.com/node/730
[7] https://momsteam.com/node/1167
[8] https://momsteam.com/node/1049
[9] https://momsteam.com/sports/soccer/general/youth-sports-politics-one-moms-fight-to-make-a-travel-soccer-program-more-incl
[10] https://momsteam.com/sports/soccer/safety/study-finds-youth-soccer-relatively-safe-sport
[11] https://momsteam.com/sports/soccer/general/parents-and-beginners-guide-to-soccer
[12] https://momsteam.com/sports/soccer/equipment/buying-soccer-equipment
[13] https://momsteam.com/sports/soccer/general/youth-soccer-a-great-way-to-start-your-child-out-in-organized-sports