ATL: The Black Soccer Culture No One Knew Existed

[Kabalega]

WATCH OUT, WORLD, WHEN...


...Black America adopts soccer as a mainstream sport. They'll have a lot to add on and off the field. Meanwhile, MLS & USSF would do themselves a ton of good if they create a special initiative to the black community.
Bell

There's racism inherent in how the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association -- the body that oversees college athletics in the States) runs it's college soccer programs. Coaches avoid recruiting black players and foreign-born (latino and African players) in large numbers. It is like what used to happen in NCCA Basketball until 1966 when UTEP beat Kentucky. Howard University used to have a very strong soccer program (70's to the late 80's) but like all things at Howard, has gone south. I think they stopped recruiting foreign-born black players or somn.

But until MLS and USSF invest in NCAA soccer programs they won't be able to attract the best athletes towards soccer.

Inner City Schools don't have the coaches or facilities either.

What ends up happening is that you have children who play soccer as Physical Education (Rec) activity... and the 'best' student/athlete go to the suburban schools where soccer is taken a little bit more seriously.

I wish more African immigrants will volunteer their time to coach inner-city school soccer programs.

USSF seems to be bypassing the NCAA and banking on MLS academies to produce elite players.
Also, the NCAA soccer does a poor job in preparing students for the pros.

But where does that leave the lower leagues?

Inner city soccer faces a myriad of problems besides the facilities and coaches.
I know black coaches who tried but were frustrated.
So they resorted to offering free training to inner city kids but that had its challenges too.
Apparently, you don't just offer free time to inner city kids, you may have to adopt them too, because parents are hustling 2-3 jobs.

[Enugu II]

WATCH OUT, WORLD, WHEN...


...Black America adopts soccer as a mainstream sport. They'll have a lot to add on and off the field. Meanwhile, MLS & USSF would do themselves a ton of good if they create a special initiative to the black community.
Bell

There's racism inherent in how the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association -- the body that oversees college athletics in the States) runs it's college soccer programs. Coaches avoid recruiting black players and foreign-born (latino and African players) in large numbers. It is like what used to happen in NCCA Basketball until 1966 when UTEP beat Kentucky. Howard University used to have a very strong soccer program (70's to the late 80's) but like all things at Howard, has gone south. I think they stopped recruiting foreign-born black players or somn.

But until MLS and USSF invest in NCAA soccer programs they won't be able to attract the best athletes towards soccer.

Inner City Schools don't have the coaches or facilities either.

What ends up happening is that you have children who play soccer as Physical Education (Rec) activity... and the 'best' student/athlete go to the suburban schools where soccer is taken a little bit more seriously.

I wish more African immigrants will volunteer their time to coach inner-city school soccer programs.

Cell,

Actually, Howard continues to recruit foreign players but they are not from Africa. Most of the foreign recruits are from the Islands. The team is quite weak and cannot compete because unlike the early 1970s there is a far larger pool of competent players that come from the academies and they are grabbed by programs in D1 with better facilities e.g. Virginia, Maryland, UNC, etc.

The claim that black players are absent is not accurate. They are infact plentiful especially the children of immigrants and those are indeed going to D1 schools. However, be aware that because of Title IX, soccer scholarships are not always 100% because the law requires that same number of scholarships given to male students must be available to females. Because scholarships go first to the high revenue-generating sports for males (i.e. football & basketball) there are fewer scholarships for male soccer considering close to 60 or so that go just to football. On the female side, 100% scholarship can be given to female soccer players in order to match male football as required by Title IX.

There are more that can be said on this but I am in a hurry to catch a meeting.

[Bell]

WATCH OUT, WORLD, WHEN...


...Black America adopts soccer as a mainstream sport. They'll have a lot to add on and off the field. Meanwhile, MLS & USSF would do themselves a ton of good if they create a special initiative to the black community.
Bell

There's racism inherent in how the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association -- the body that oversees college athletics in the States) runs it's college soccer programs. Coaches avoid recruiting black players and foreign-born (latino and African players) in large numbers. It is like what used to happen in NCCA Basketball until 1966 when UTEP beat Kentucky. Howard University used to have a very strong soccer program (70's to the late 80's) but like all things at Howard, has gone south. I think they stopped recruiting foreign-born black players or somn.

But until MLS and USSF invest in NCAA soccer programs they won't be able to attract the best athletes towards soccer.

Inner City Schools don't have the coaches or facilities either.

What ends up happening is that you have children who play soccer as Physical Education (Rec) activity... and the 'best' student/athlete go to the suburban schools where soccer is taken a little bit more seriously.

I wish more African immigrants will volunteer their time to coach inner-city school soccer programs.

I'M SORRY, BUT...


...I'd have to disagree here - racism, inherent or imposed, has little to with the relatively small participation of African Americans in soccer. BTW, that is changing. Even the MLS and the US NT boast some African Americans. For me, the main reason was that soccer was seen as a foreign sport and the rich are likely to be aware of it before the lower class. More importantly, colleges did not offer lots of scholarships. What's more, when pitted against traditional American sports (baseball, football, basketball) and the lucrative contracts which soccer didn't have, many African Americans didn't have difficulty ignoring soccer. These days, college coaches would kill for any players that would bring them wins and maybe a national championship. But it's only a matter of time before the evolution becomes obvious. This is being aided by college scholarship availability, television and growing soccer player contracts. And, unfortunately, concerns over oncussion in American football.
Bell

[Bell]

I think the significance of results at the World Cup and the rise of the MLS (which is still improving, one of the few leagues actually doing so) is going to make the sport grow in black communities in the US. The big thing with soccer in the US isn't that it is a white sport but that it's a Women's sport, because most white guys don't want to be Soccer players in the US. It's a rich white guy/girl and foreigner sport in the US.

EXCUSE ME, BUT...


...how do fictions like this start? AYSO (American Youth Soccer Org) has as many boys as girls, many of whom (these days) play it thru high school and college, Check college rosters and see.
Bell