US Youth Soccer experienced significant growth in 2014
US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in the country, has reported a 9 percent increase in its membership over the past year — a figure the association believes is indicative of the growing interest in soccer across the United States and the excitement generated by the 2014 FIFA World Cup in addition to improved programs for associations.
In 2014, US Youth Soccer saw its annual registration grow to 3,055,148, meaning that more than 4 percent of the U.S. population 18 years old and younger played US Youth Soccer. The growth included new players and players returning to the association. The year featured added awareness of the game through a highly talked about FIFA World Cup, the continued expansion of MLS and 82 live broadcasts from the US Youth Soccer National Championships.
“More parents are seeing the game of soccer, along with the teamwork and fitness involved, and kids see the fun, which translates into more active youth,” said US Youth Soccer Director of Marketing and Communications Todd Roby. “Last year marked our 40th Anniversary, and we are obviously delighted with the growth seen by our strong national association, which continues to feature best-in-class events, programs and educational opportunities for our membership. As we begin 2015, we expect it will be another exciting year for our game.”
US Youth Soccer is proud to be the “Game for ALL Kids,” and it offers several programs to meet the needs of any youth player — from beginners to recreational players to competitive players looking to continue their careers at the college, professional and National Team levels.
Sixteen US Youth Soccer alumni were on the U.S. Men’s National Team that helped bring soccer to the forefront of the nation’s attention while playing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Their play and the attention it drew helped inspire a new generation of players to start their careers where much of the Men’s National Team did — with US Youth Soccer.
US Youth Soccer consists of 55 member State Associations and more than 3 million players, 900,000 volunteers and 5,000 youth soccer clubs in the United States. Through various programs at all levels of the game, US Youth Soccer impacts the American soccer landscape from earliest days of play through the collegiate, professional ant National Team ranks. As U.S. Soccer prepares for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer in Canada, US Youth Soccer is sure to be well represented on the field with alumni.
Learn more about US Youth Soccer at USYouthSoccer.org.
