Its High Time for a Head Shake at the CSA

[Jacko]

I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the U17 WNT parents this past weekend. What they had to say was disconcerting to say the least.

Because of all the time missed attending camps and qualifying games this past year it seems that some of the girls were not able to complete their grade 11 school year and are so short of course credits they will not be able to graduate next year with their school mates. When I asked what resources, tutoring CSA had provided for these girls the answer was zero. When I asked why they didn't hire their own tutors the parents said that hey simply can't afford it. So CSA travels with a entourage that is bloated to say the least and not one educator among them to help the girls during their downtime???? Ridiculous!!!

Don't they realize that these players are still kids going through their formative years. There isn't a lot of money to be made in the Woman's game in the first place with the average WPS salary being 35 K. For many of these girls their most lucrative and immediate payback will be a full ride to a top American university. Why would CSA jeopardize their academic future? Why burn a year or two of NCAA eligibility because of poor planning, poor judgment and a complete lack of forethought by the CSA?

Time for a collective head shake at the CSA!!!

[oc64]

I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the U17 WNT parents this past weekend. What they had to say was disconcerting to say the least.

Because of all the time missed attending camps and qualifying games this past year it seems that some of the girls were not able to complete their grade 11 school year and are so short of course credits they will not be able to graduate next year with their school mates. When I asked what resources, tutoring CSA had provided for these girls the answer was zero. When I asked why they didn't hire their own tutors the parents said that hey simply can't afford it. So CSA travels with a entourage that is bloated to say the least and not one educator among them to help the girls during their downtime???? Ridiculous!!!

Don't they realize that these players are still kids going through their formative years. There isn't a lot of money to be made in the Woman's game in the first place with the average WPS salary being 35 K. For many of these girls their most lucrative and immediate payback will be a full ride to a top American university. Why would CSA jeopardize their academic future? Why burn a year or two of NCAA eligibility because of poor planning, poor judgment and a complete lack of forethought by the CSA?

Time for a collective head shake at the CSA!!!

Embarrassing. It should be illegal.

[mtlfan]

I don't see how they lose any years of ncaa eligibilty.

[The Ref]

It is the CSA, what else can we expect.

[Trillium]

I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the U17 WNT parents this past weekend. What they had to say was disconcerting to say the least.

Because of all the time missed attending camps and qualifying games this past year it seems that some of the girls were not able to complete their grade 11 school year and are so short of course credits they will not be able to graduate next year with their school mates. When I asked what resources, tutoring CSA had provided for these girls the answer was zero. When I asked why they didn't hire their own tutors the parents said that hey simply can't afford it. So CSA travels with a entourage that is bloated to say the least and not one educator among them to help the girls during their downtime???? Ridiculous!!!

Don't they realize that these players are still kids going through their formative years. There isn't a lot of money to be made in the Woman's game in the first place with the average WPS salary being 35 K. For many of these girls their most lucrative and immediate payback will be a full ride to a top American university. Why would CSA jeopardize their academic future? Why burn a year or two of NCAA eligibility because of poor planning, poor judgment and a complete lack of forethought by the CSA?

Time for a collective head shake at the CSA!!!

I am assuming you knew nothing of the elite sport system in Canada.. CSA is no better and no worse then most sports... talk to ski parents, talk to skate parents ... all elite atheletes in Canada take extra time to graduate High School or university if they study in Canada and continue in thier chossen sport.

Parents are expected in Canada to fund the elite athletic system its starts at 20k per year and goes up... so .. frankly as the CSA gives it head shake.. give yourself one and ask your politician friends why the funding is so so thin at the base of the elite system.

I have seen two children through the elite athletic system in Canada... it was a investment in the range of over 400k or more, most family refuse to add up the bills its to scary.

[Jacko]

I don't see how they lose any years of ncaa eligibilty.

From the CollegeSoccer USA website as it pertains to schoalrship athletes attending NCAA Division I schools:

There is an age limit of 26 for players in the NCAA I, which means you must stop competing on the day you turn 25 and any scholarship must finish at the end of that semester.

[Jacko]

I am assuming you knew nothing of the elite sport system in Canada.. CSA is no better and no worse then most sports... talk to ski parents, talk to skate parents ... all elite atheletes in Canada take extra time to graduate High School or university if they study in Canada and continue in thier chossen sport.

Sidney Crosby born in 1987 graduated high school in his 18th year ( 2005 ) as did Johnathon Toews. Two fairly elite athletes I would say. In any case multiple wrongs by Sport Canada don't make a right and nobody would disagree that all programs are underfunded in Canada. My point is CSA should get their heads out of their collective butts and come up for some fresh air once in a while.

[Richard]

I have a son who was a carded elite athlete from age 16 and part of the national team development program starting in Ontario then in BC, a member of the U-17, U-20 and U-23 player pools with all the training, camps and travel that involves. He graduated from highschool a year ahead of his peers with a full International Baccalaureate diploma, turned down multiple scholarship offers from US schools and completed a four year degree with a double major at Simon Fraser University while starting every game the Clan played during that period. He finished university with a positive bank balance and paid his own way on scholarships for both tuition and residence, yes, at a Canadian university. I acknowledge that this is a little unusual - he is an exceptionally bright lad - but nevertheless the incremental cost to his parents for his participation in the provincial allstar in both provinces and national team programs over what we would have spent anyway for the highest level of recreational competitive soccer was relatively trivial, never mind $400,000.

Shake your head, you would have been better off in the long run investing even a fraction of that money in an RESP to pay for university and buying a few lottery tickets. Most Canadian kids who go to US colleges on scholarship offers don't finish the program then often find what credits they do get are not accepted by Canadian universities. Only a tiny fraction of kids end up playing professionally, far fewer women than men, and most of those are scouted in their early teens. Even then most of those who do make the pros only manage to scrape a living at it for a few years anyway. Nobody can live on hope alone.

[socceronly]

Richard, regarding the 'stat' that many kids don't complete US degrees on US scholarships... any info on that? I am curious, never heard of that before.

I would like to know more about it.

Thanks,
JM

[Trillium]

I have a son who was a carded elite athlete from age 16 and part of the national team development program starting in Ontario then in BC, a member of the U-17, U-20 and U-23 player pools with all the training, camps and travel that involves. He graduated from highschool a year ahead of his peers with a full International Baccalaureate diploma, turned down multiple scholarship offers from US schools and completed a four year degree with a double major at Simon Fraser University while starting every game the Clan played during that period. He finished university with a positive bank balance and paid his own way on scholarships for both tuition and residence, yes, at a Canadian university. I acknowledge that this is a little unusual - he is an exceptionally bright lad - but nevertheless the incremental cost to his parents for his participation in the provincial allstar in both provinces and national team programs over what we would have spent anyway for the highest level of recreational competitive soccer was relatively trivial, never mind $400,000.

Shake your head, you would have been better off in the long run investing even a fraction of that money in an RESP to pay for university and buying a few lottery tickets. Most Canadian kids who go to US colleges on scholarship offers don't finish the program then often find what credits they do get are not accepted by Canadian universities. Only a tiny fraction of kids end up playing professionally, far fewer women than men, and most of those are scouted in their early teens. Even then most of those who do make the pros only manage to scrape a living at it for a few years anyway. Nobody can live on hope alone.

I will not quibble about the investing your right.. but i will suggest from u16 on you did not pay a single coaching fee, some sports dont work that way... two words Figure Skating .. training lesson at 15 minutes minimum cost 12 bucks ... requirement at least two per day five days a week, and thats for a Level 2 coach .. go up the food chain and it gets more expensive, and yes both mine graduated from bachelors degrees with positive bank balances and indeed will both soon have Masters degrees.. much in part to their athletic involvement and no Richard there are no scholarships for figure skating and damn few carded athletes and you lose your carding once your off the national team....

Props to your son, but my comment was directed at our national sport system which is designed on family pay basis... again go ask the ski types or those in swimming etc... the cost over ten to fifteen years add up... its not like paying 1000 bucks to your local soccer club and ... thinking your paying for elite sport development... your not .