Julia Kato, women’s soccer goalkeeper for American University, grew up playing for one of the best club soccer teams in Florida: Jacksonville FC. The standard of soccer was so high that some of her teammates drove three hours just to practice with the team.
Youth soccer, with an average annual cost of $1,188 per child in the United States, limits access for many children whose families cannot afford to “pay to play.”
Wealthier families can afford to go to greater lengths for their children to receive the highest level of training. The costs translate into a lack of financial diversity that can be felt in American University locker rooms.
Of the 30 American-born women who played AU soccer this past season, the median household income in their home county was $97,615 — significantly higher than the median household income in the U.S., which is $74,580. Jordan Mahony, an American University women’s soccer player who grew up playing for FC Delco, said that her family paid around $10,000 per year for travel soccer.
Club fees themselves can be expensive, along with costs for equipment and travel.
“Transportation can be a really significant barrier, particularly if you're from a lower-income family,” said Jon Solomon, the community impact director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program. “You may have parents who are working multiple jobs or they're working later hours … so how are you able to be transported to and from practices and games?”
The costs of youth soccer tend to leave children behind, notably Black and brown children from lower-income families or rural areas, according to Solomon.
Mahony said that if someone was in a different financial situation from their teammates, it stood out. Whether that player stayed in a teammate’s hotel room while traveling, or other parents were chipping in to pay for fees, it was obvious that they could not afford the costs of club soccer.
“You don’t fit in and that’s terrible,” Mahony said.
Mahony emphasized that while accessibility poses huge problems in youth soccer, the issue transcends far beyond the sport. To her, it is representative of a larger systemic issue, where lower-income families lack access to resources.
“With the economic juggernaut that the United States is, soccer inevitably has turned into a business,” said Jeff Rohrman, an experienced coach at Bethesda Soccer Club and former Division I coach. “There’s a reason that the best leagues are overseas.”
In many other countries — where soccer is more accessible — the sport provides children from lower-income families a means of social mobility.
“It’s the world’s game, and it's a fairly accessible sport to play … you just need a ball,” said Solomon.
Internationally, clubs and academies often cover all expenses for their players. They focus on providing high-quality programs for their players, and without financial barriers, they can scout top talent from diverse backgrounds.
The business model surrounding soccer still exists internationally — but money is not a limiting factor from a player’s perspective. While costs are covered, clubs own the rights to these players who will eventually transition into their first teams, or they can sell them for profit.
Top coaches often receive financial offers to join clubs, which is one of the reasons fees can be so expensive. This draws in families who will do anything for their child to succeed in the sport.
“It creates a cycle,” said Marsha Harper, head coach of American University’s women’s soccer team. “The best coaches, in theory, create the best training. The best training creates the best teams and players, and those players get recruited at the highest level.”
Harper said her coaching staff recruits from the top leagues in the country, which are often the most expensive ones. She travels to watch higher-level clubs and tournaments because that’s where the most talent is concentrated.
For young players who aspire to play at the professional or collegiate level, exposure is critical. Coaches rarely visit lower-level clubs — despite the talent they may have — so low-cost, entry-level clubs are not sustainable. Players need to be trained by top coaches, face the strongest competition and attend major tournaments to be recognized.
Harper was a product of this dynamic. From age four to her sophomore year of high school, Harper played for Denver Soccer Club — a smaller, recreational club. Her team rarely traveled out of state to major tournaments. If they did, it was only to surrounding states — Arizona was the farthest she had gone.
Harper’s big break happened when Lorne Donaldson, executive director of coaching at the prominent club Real Colorado, noticed her walking across a field and asked her to guest-play with them.
“The list of schools I was getting recruited by dramatically increased tenfold,” said Harper.
Harper then connected with her future coach at the University of Florida, where she committed to play Division I soccer. She said she had the talent and ability to play at the highest level, but it was the unlikely connection she made that helped her get there.
Harper said that recently, she spoke with her coaching staff about “trying to find the diamonds in the rough,” and exposing themselves to other leagues that might not be considered the best.
“There are absolutely players across the country that can play at this level,” she said. “It just requires them to be in the right environment.”
D.C. Efforts to Combat ‘Pay to Play’
Grassroots and inner-city programs offer children in underprivileged communities an opportunity to play soccer for lower costs.
The Open Goal Project, founded by former professional soccer player Amir Lowrey and volunteer coach Simon Landau, provides camps, clinics, free play sessions and travel soccer opportunities to low-income families in Washington, D.C.
They offer “completely free programs within walking distance of public transportation, as well as professional coaches, community mentors, and bilingual leaders,” according to their website.
Their fully-funded District of Columbia Football Club is adding four additional teams this year, expanding to 12 travel soccer teams total.
As of 2021, about a dozen participants in the Open Goal Project attended college and played soccer.
Kato, who coaches toddlers in DC Soccer Club’s Tots program, also leads programs through the more affordable Department of Parks and Recreation.
Still, there is a huge gap to bridge between these programs and more elite ones. Better funding could help reduce club fees and provide scholarships to more players, allowing smaller, lower-cost clubs to attain higher-quality resources.
Harper suggested that smaller clubs even create their own high-quality tournaments to attract attention.
Many coaches and players — like Jordan Mahony — are calling for soccer to become a more accessible game overall.
“Everyone can compete at the same level,” said Mahony. “Sports are supposed to be based on who plays the game better, not who can talk their way or pay their way into being included.”
This article was edited by Penelope Jennings, Delaney Hoke and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks.
