The DU Lounge

Ours sons, now 35 and 33, each started playing when they were 5, and still play in men's leagues now.

I finished high school in 1969, well before Title 9, and there were no girls' sports teams, so I never played any team sorts. My husband played football in high school, and then lacrosse at the Air Force Academy, and later returned to coach there for a few seasons.

One of the things we found that we liked about soccer when ours sons first started playing was that there is always something going on out on the field, and the time goes by quickly. I've heard horror stories about how long T-ball games can drag on, and on, and on.

There are 5 levels of professional soccer in the UK, and every season, the bottom and top teams in each division are either promoted or relegated to the levels above and below them.

I would encourage people to watch a program called Welcome To Wrexham, even if one is not a soccer fan. Wrexham is a working class town in Wales which is the home to a team called The Red Dragons. The team was purchased in 2022, by Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Jim McElhenney (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia). Despite knowing nothing about soccer, they throw themselves wholeheartedly into this endeavor, taking advice from those with expertise, and win the affection and respect of the team and their passionately devoted fans. The team thrives, and moves up in the rankings in 3 successive season. It's one of the most heartwarming stories I have ever watched.

There are 4 seasons.

Here is a brief description from Wikipedia - The series is based on the Hollywood pair's attempts to revive the third-oldest professional association football team in the world, founded in 1864, and how the team has performed under the pair's ownership.[18] The pair had no prior experience in managing a sports team.[8] The series also highlights the pair's hopes of improving the team and bringing positive change to the local Wrexham community.[8][19] The style of the series is irreverent and from time to time it is openly critical of the two Co-Chairmen and their team, presenting them struggling with the Welsh language, and making mistakes.