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Kristin Schnurr: A minor setback for a major comeback
Are players being lured away from their “home” teams to play for higher profile teams in hopes of increasing exposure and securing a slot on a top college roster? Is it a matter of shallow loyalty and get-the-next-best-thing thinking? Or do the top tier teams offer coaching and support and a style of play that naturally attracts the best talent? One player who made a last-minute team-change decision has me rethinking these questions.
LeBolt: The high cost of loyalty in today’s youth soccer culture
Academy programs with multi-tiered systems and elite leagues with vast reaches are supplying top notch competition, offering professional coaching and more flexible opportunities, but at a much greater expense to families. Change is here, but opportunity doesn’t come free. The question is, is it worth it?
Players exposed on Twitter may find college coaches passing them by
What harm could a few tweets do? It doesn’t take long on Twitter (or any social media these days) to find out. Dr. Wendy LeBolt takes an eye-opening look at the growing tendency of college recruiters to investigate young players' social media presences for insights into their character and judgment.
George Mason’s Brenna Connell plays with a disability that is anything but disabling
The first time I saw Brenna Connell, she was sticking her head in the doorway of George Mason University head women's soccer coach Diane Drake's office. There was something different about this young lady, and it was more than a bit of extra dedication. I’ll admit, I did a double take and probably a triple take, trying to figure out what it was.
O’Sullivan: Youth sports coaching is not a job, but a calling!
Featured columnist John O'Sullivan explains what it really takes to be a youth sports coach.
Synthetic turf cancer risk tiny compared to more sedentary lifestyle alternative
With near panic setting in around the issue of synthetic turf's potential role in cancer reports following a major report by NBC News, our Dr. Wendy LeBolt digs in deeper with some great points about how much real science is still needed.
Women’s World Cup TurfGate: FIFA, listen up!
What if Canada threw a World Cup and no one showed up? That might be what's needed to get FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association to give serious consideration to the lawsuit brought against them by Abby Wambach and dozens of other professional women's soccer players alleging gender discrimination in the decision to play the 2015 Women's World Cup on artificial turf. Do these pros have a point?
Hummer: Quick thoughts on USWNT’s win over Haiti in CONCACAF Championships at RFK
Watching the United States Women’s National Team play lately is frequently one of the most frustrating things I do… So frustrating is their constant reliance on overly direct play out of the back, turnovers out of the midfield, and poorly aimed floating crosses, that getting through 90 minutes is basically impossible for me unless there is something on the line. I would have missed tonight's second half if World Cup qualifying wasn't on the line, and I'm glad I didn't because the soccer was better in the second 45.
