A new study from the University of Georgia argues that linking youth sports to the American school system helped create an expensive and unequal market for athletic development. The research team, based at UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, interviewed executive directors and heads of coaching at four elite Georgia clubs as well as officials at Georgia Soccer’s state office. Gabriella Etienne, a senior at the university, contributed material from her time on a club soccer team in Cherokee County.
The authors say the club system developed as a market response to unequal school funding. Elite, privatized clubs grew to fill gaps by offering higher-level coaching and more competitive schedules, but they charge significant fees. Playing for a private club can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 annually once league registration and other costs are included. The researchers argue that this pay-to-play model prevents many talented players from low-income families from entering development pathways.
Key barriers include time—families may not be able to travel long distances on weekends—unreliable transportation and communications such as tryout notices posted only in English. Some clubs offer scholarships for talented players from underserved communities, but those efforts are limited. Welch Suggs, coauthor of the paper and associate director of the Carmical Sports Media Institute, says programs are "wired to battle against each other" for players and resources; he suggests collaborative scholarships and agreed pathways as possible steps. Etienne adds that a shared pathway could let more people take part in the game.
The study appears in the Journal of Policy History and is part of a broader research project on soccer in Georgia. Suggs plans to include the work in a book tentatively titled Georgia and the Beautiful Game, under contract with the University of Georgia Press.
Difficult words
- privatize — make public services into private businessesprivatized
- development — process of improving skills or ability
- pathway — a route or series of steps for progresspathways
- underserved — not receiving enough services or support
- scholarship — money given to help pay for participationscholarships
- barrier — something that blocks or makes difficultiesbarriers
- pay-to-play — system where players must pay to participate
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What effects might a pay-to-play system have on the diversity of youth sports teams in your area? Give reasons and examples.
- What practical steps could clubs and schools take to reduce the travel and communication barriers described in the study?
- How might collaborative scholarships and agreed pathways change access to competitive soccer for talented players?
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