I don't buy that anymore

by HullieAndMikes, Yelling at Sam Cane, Dunedin, Tuesday, July 07, 2026, 07:45 (15 days ago) @ Mike (bart)

Firstly, sports pick players as much as players pick sports. You look at something like arm length and body composition, and certain sports just are off the table unless a kid is just truly one of one. For example, studies have shown you can make a fast kid faster, but a slow kid is not gonna catch up.

Second, the general story is a decline in total youth sports participation, particularly in contact sports and when you reach high school. There's concussion and CTE fears, which soccer should be poised to capitalize on, and although I bemoan the specialization push for the general populace, it is not clear to me that Euro soccer elite have a different story to tell there.

What I see, personally, is not a lack of athleticism but a lack of game knowledge, vision and technique that I have to attribute to a failure in coaching and development, or maybe just interest. Every summer weekend I see very good athletes get absolutely smoked by kids who are years younger but understand a game better even though they are four inches shorter and a step or two slower.