Hudson is a very close community, so there’s no surprise that there is a decent amount of support for our school teams. Hudson High School’s football team is a good example of just how much our community comes together to support Explorer Pride. Usually the stands at Memorial Stadium are filled with Hudson community members, young and old. There is, however, a big bias due to the fact that it is an American sport. Hudson soccer teams (boy and girl) have been successful for multiple years in a row, competing with top teams in Ohio. We have played Saint Ignatius High School twice, and they are ranked number 1 nationally and are a D1 team, and we have won a national championship.
Soccer in general has the biggest pro-turnout rate out of any sport, with over 120 thousand pro-soccer players recorded just this year. In comparison, only 1600 pro-football players have been recorded this year.
This is important because young players have a much better chance of making a mark in the soccer world with the proper care and training.
Many big soccer clubs have youth academies that look for young talent all the time, and it’s imperative to give kids the support they need to develop into the best players they can be. The United States is one of the most underrepresented countries in the world when it comes to successful soccer clubs, which is due in part to our lack of training for young players. Many kids are already on the reserve or B teams for big clubs by the time they are 17 and up, whereas in the USA, soccer clubs mostly do not utilize these players.
The lack of representation in soccer comes from the focus on American sports. In almost all European countries, soccer is the most popular sport, whereas here, we have basketball, football, baseball, hockey and others. Some of the athletes in these sports may have been great soccer players if there was not a bias against playing soccer.
Another benefit to soccer is that it is inexpensive and can be practiced anywhere. The two most expensive items in soccer are cleats and a ball (other requirements are a jersey, shorts, socks and shin guards for protection) but these are nowhere near as expensive as the items needed in other sports. All it takes for you to practice is a small space to kick the ball and juggle it; you do not need a big field (like football or baseball) or a specialized place for sports, like hockey. Soccer is very easy to learn and most people end up learning how to play on the streets. This is essential for aspiring soccer players that live in lower income areas.
The physical requirements and injury rates also seem to favor soccer. Players do not need the physical strength required in some sports like football and rugby. Fitness levels and competitiveness is important, but you do not need to be physically imposing.
One of the best players in the world, Lionel Messi, relies only on his ball skills and knowledge of the game in order to win. This makes it easier for more people to play, even players with some disadvantages.
Soccer players also have a lower injury rate than most sports. According to the 2006 High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the one-year study found that football players had the highest injury rate, with 4.36 injuries every 1,000 players in one game played. Male and female soccer players had a rate of 2.43 and 2.36, respectively.
Some would argue that because the United States doesn’t have a lot of success in the international aspect of soccer, it isn’t something that young atheletes should get into. This can be easily remedied by training young people and developing them to grow the international teams prospects. It should also be noted that the United States international women’s soccer team is the best women’s national team in the world. The girl youth development is a testament to the fact that we should focus on youth training, as they turn out the most prospects in the US.
