Chasing the Game - Youth Soccer in America

Is Youth Club Soccer Worth the Cost?

July 8, 2026·27 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

For parents, that question is not only about fees. It is about sacrifice, access, pressure, private training, travel, college hopes, and whether the money is actually helping the player.In this Best Of episode, Liron and Matt revisit the cost conversation through clips from Peguy Luyindula, Danny Buttita, Evan Rosenthal, Dr. Chris Platz, Justin Phelps, Tom Bowen, Ryan Farr, Phil Gordon, and Alex Rando.The episode moves past the easy complaint that youth soccer is expensive. It asks a better question: what are parents buying, what are they not buying, and does the spending match the child’s why?Chasing the Game is a weekly show for parents trying to navigate youth soccer in America: the money, the leagues, the pressure, and what actually develops a player.(00:00) - The Cost Question (02:06) - Why Soccer Costs More Here (05:05) - Pay-to-Play and Access (08:06) - Scholarships Inside Clubs (10:20) - Start With Why (14:38) - When Sacrifice Becomes Pressure (17:08) - The Scholarship Reality (18:26) - Academics and the College Path (20:50) - College or Contract (23:12) - Ask Better Questions (25:10) - Never Spend Blindly Click here to view the episode transcript.

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