Soccer

I've never really had a thing for David Beckham, (so Vicky should seriously back off - I'm not interested in your man, k?) but I don't question that he is the epitome of a British footballer (fine - soccer player - whatevs - pretty sure we invented it, but don't let that stop you from 'correcting' me). 

I was chatting to some lovely peeps in a bar in California and, to detract from the fact that my sporting banter is very limited, I started talking about the differences between the college system in the States and the football academies in the UK. In the UK we groom our future footballers from a really young age - they are spotted as little boys (yes, boys, a combination of factors means that women's football is not televised, and young female footballers are not in demand like their male counterparts. It's a fact, despite what personal irritation this may cause) and go to a succession of academies that train them to be top notch, but don't really focus on any backup plan. If you don't become David Beckham #2 then what do you do? The focus has been on the sport, so unless you've got an epic support network who can steer you towards education/qualifications/apprenticeships etc then you get a bit lost and end up working in a supermarket, trading on an old dream, telling people you once had a try-out for Arsenal. Surely the American system of highly-regarded college football is better?

So, you're the high school track star, you get a sports scholarship to an amazing university, but throughout your sports training you have to maintain an average grade to ensure you don't lose sight of your education, just in case, ya know, Miami Heat don't come calling. Fab idea, shame that's not always how it works.

The peeps I was chatting to were quick to correct me. Apparently colleges stand to gain quite a lot financially from having sporting stars play for them. Brits may be surprised to hear that college football is televised in the US, and not in a Transworld Sport, 6am on a Sunday morning way. It is properly important. This country thrives on competition, and if your old college is playing you really care if they win. Damn - Brits can be so dismissive - I know I don't give a crap if Warwick beat Manchester in a crappy soccer game.

So, your college team is pretty good, you get a lot of tv coverage, people see your college as superior, they go there, your college gets money. Easy.

Now comes the part that my lovely bar peeps explained - if you are a potential money-spinner your high

school/college will do whatever they can to keep your grades up, like hire a tutor. A tutor who might be able to do the really hard stuff for you if you're too busy running around?

Now, I know nothing about this approach, except what I've been told, so don't get your panties in a twist if your college really did focus on education. Blah blah. My point is that the British system and US system of grooming young sporting stars is ostensibly the same. If you become a star then you're sorted. If you don't then you may well end up out in the cold world with dashed dreams, the faded glory of being the next big thing and no idea what to do next. In the US you'll have a college degree, but it may be worth sod all because you didn't actually do the work.

I know there are plenty of people who go on to have amazing careers in other areas, but the systems aren't

foolproof, and the more money that's at stake the more people stop seeing the kids and start seeing cash cows.

I don't pretend to have a solution. Maybe stop paying sports people in the most popular sports so much money? Unlikely. Anyway, I'm not about solving problems, I'm about exploring perspectives. And talking. Constantly. Most importantly my Cali bar trip has been an education as always - everyone was charming, interesting and educated. Might try and have this discussion in Aquum in Clapham, see how far I get.