As we all know, the US has a serious problem with obesity, and a growing problem with childhood obesity. As children advance through the age groups, and football pitches get bigger, players are required to get more mobile. They need a higher level of endurance and physicality, especially at performance level football. At the younger end of the youth football spectrum, little fatties can get away with a sedentary lifestyle, munching into McDonalds morning, noon and night, and generally turning a blind eye to the fitness commitments to the game. Kids, good technically gifted players, around 12/13 years of age are being lost to the games due to a lack of mobility. So, at what age do we introduce a sports specific diet to youngsters? At what age do we get tough with little fatties and take that Butterfinger from their grubby little mitts. At what age do we feel it's appropriate to broach the delicate subject of "the fat kid" with a sensitive parent? The US has already ballooned out of all proportion and the UK is following suit. So, what are the answers? Enlighten me America.
Skipping processed foods and not overeating would help. What would consider sports specific diet for youngsters?
American portions are too big, and part of the problem is that processed food often isn't as filling--lacks enough fiber.
I hope you don't think that's the only reason, or the primary reason. How about talking to the kids/parents and find out why they're dropping out?
Of course it's not the only reason. I'm talking about children too fat to see their toes dropping out of the game due to lack of mobility. I thought that was clear.
I rarely see fat children with fit parents. Fat kids come from fat parents. Parents are not cooking at home. Processed meals and fast food is the norm in our busy lives. Both parents work as we need to keep up with the Jones's. We as Americans, need a real wakeup call. If you dare say anything about someone being overweight, it's considered fat shaming. There are excuses about loving the body you are in, body types, etc. All BS in my opinion.
Those kids have probably dropped out before 12/13 years of age. While you see many obese kids, I don't recall seeing any on the soccer field.
So there are kids that are too fat to see their toes, but have been playing soccer for years (presumably, since you indicated they were "good technically gifted players"). THAT'S where my disconnect is. Are we really losing so many kids because they're out of shape? How about we do something about the kids getting out of soccer because coaches don't make it "fun"? Getting out of soccer because they don't like the pressure parents are putting on them? Getting out of soccer because they want to play baseball? Losing overweight kids seems like a strange thing to focus on because it's probably such a small percentage.
I see more drop out or drop down from parental pressure and expectations. Kids that never pick their head up, because Daddy told them they are a striker and strikers score goals. Now that they're older and can't dribble the whole team they're playing against, the deficiencies in their game show. The kids just can't bring them themselves to give the ball up on a regular basis (aka pass the effing ball), because it is seen as a weakness.
More broadly, I think kids get the message that if they're not exceptional at something--if they're not the star--it isn't worth doing at all.
Probably not unrelated to this topic. https://www.theatlantic.com/educati...-lost-when-only-rich-kids-play-sports/541317/
Do we have a general obesity problem in America? Yes… Do we have an obesity problem in youth soccer in America? Not really… Youth soccer, most youth sports, is one solution to our obesity problem….you just don’t see too many overweight/unhealthy kids playing soccer after 10 or so…maybe if you ever get across the pond you will see that for yourself… There is a lot of gray area between Performance level football and being obese…
Does soccer lose more kids at this age than other sports? It seems to be a time when kids would winnow down from 3 to 2 or 2 to 1 sports so I'd expect to see a decline in numbers across the board. Not that they're giving up playing sports, only that they're focusing on 1 or 2.
I don't know, but I was under the impression that many kids quite playing a sport around that age, period.
Well, if we're talking the kids playing Club/travel, then yes--most end up moving on to or focusing on another sport. But the rec leagues take a huge hit around that age, I believe.
Gotcha. Yes, I was thinking of the kids playing club/travel. Seems to me like 5th/6th grade is when a lot of those kids give something up and some stay in soccer while others migrate elsewhere. Just don't know if soccer tends to lose more of those kids than the other sports going through the same thing
They leave soccer, because it is a skill sport. If they don't have the skills, they won't cut it at a high level even if they are big, fast, and strong. It's like golf, another skill sport. You're not going to roll up to a high school golf coach at age 15 and have him put you on the team if you've never played golf before. You might get on a football team though, or track, or lacrosse having very little experience, but just by being a good athlete.
I'm not sure about lacrosse, but generally in HS, there's not really a limit to the amount of players on a football or track team. Sure, on FB, there's 11 kids on the field (like soccer), but you can have 30-40 on the team and give them plenty of playing time (offense, defense, special teams). Track can have multiple (even non skilled) kids in various events. Soccer is different though in the amount that any given team can support. IMO, much more than 20-25 is too many. There are MANY reasons why kids drop soccer as they enter their teen years, I just don't think being obese is one of the top ones.
True of some but not all. Skilled soccer players also leave to focus on another sport, same as skilled baseball, basketball, lacrosse, etc. players leaving those sports to focus on soccer. I'm curious as to whether soccer is a net gainer or loser when these kids start making choices. Don't think I've ever seen data one way or the other.
Anecdotally, I would tend to think soccer loses more kids on average…mostly because kids tend to start playing soccer at a very early age, it tends to be the first organized sport kids play…I’ve seen kids leave soccer to play football, basketball, baseball, golf and tennis…I honestly can’t recall a kid coming the other direction…as in, little johnny/sally has been playing basketball since 4, and now at 12, wants to give soccer a try…ymmv…