Dramatic rise in kids in soccer
By Medicine Hat News on July 15, 2017.
Metro Editorial Statistics from U.S. Youth Soccer indicate that millions of children across the country are taking to the sport that was once primarily associated with Europe and other parts of the world beyond the United States. According to U.S. Youth Soccer, more than three million youth players were registered to play soccer in 2014. That marks an amazing increase from just 40 years earlier, when barely more than 100,000 youths registered to play soccer. While the reasons behind the growing popularity of soccer within the United States are not officially known, one might reasonably trace American youths’ embrace of the sport to the U.S. Men’s National Team’s appearance in the 1990 World Cup. Though the team was defeated in each of its three matches in the 1990 World Cup, the appearance marked the United States’ first since 1950. In fact, participation in youth soccer in the United States in 2014 marked an 89 percent increase since 1990. In addition, the United States hosted the 1994World Cup, likely generating even more interest in soccer, which many American youths now consider their favourite sport. 5-4
