Hypothetical optimal path to the pros for boys

[Anonymous]

Assume that you have a super talented 9 or 10 year old boy and you can move anywhere in the US or do anything within reason in the US to maximize his chances of playing pro-soccer. Also assume that this kid doesn't have access to a European passport. What can you do to maximize his chances?

This is a hypothetical question. I know that the chance of a boy playing pro-soccer is miniscule and I don't have a kid with extraordinary talent. I'm just curious about what this path looks like in the US. In Europe, a talented kid as young as 7 or 8 could join an Academy and move up its ranks based on his talent and/or eventually move to a better academy. What is the equivalent path for a young kid with great talent in the US? Would it be to join an MLS academy - how do they compare to European academies? Is it to play the highest level travel until he is 12 or 13 and then join an academy? what would be the optimal development path for such a kid to maximize his soccer potential?

[Anonymous]

There is no single best path. You are trying to find a systemic solution to something that is akin to finding unicorns. The change of being a unicorn is so small that there is no single pattern to finding them. And if you are a unicorn then it probably doesn't matter which path you take because they will all work for you, because you are a unicorn.

[Anonymous]

It would be joining an MLS next team that's under the umbrella of an MLS team, probably being good enough to make the u15 boys national team or u17 boys national team, then getting signed to the USL-2 side like Loudon United for example or you would be signed as a homegrown player.

[Anonymous]

Get him in any system that puts him against the top talent. Good players get better by doing the work against the best. That comes in many different formations. There are plenty of avenues in the DC area. Alexandria and Bethesda would be good starting points. But, let's be honest...less than one percent have the athleticism to be at pro level. And then far less than one percent of that one percent come close to cultivating pro talent. My advice: Have fun. Your chances of developing a pro player are slim to none. Your chance of developing a kid who loves soccer are much better.

[Anonymous]

1) Move to a metro area with a top MLS academy, preferably one that has a history of producing homegrown pros and/or selling to European clubs. Sadly, DC United (and therefore the DMV) does not count (and my son plays for DCU academy). Philadelphia Union is probably the best example on the east coast.
2) Live close to the MLS academy training ground, if possible. Logistics is the #1 barrier to overcome -- you are just driving your kid ALL THE TIME.
3) Find and play for a top local club that has ties to that MLS academy (e.g. top players regularly matriculating there, coaches moving there). In Philly, a good example would be FC Delco -- lots of connections to the Union academy. Err on the side of a club that trains closer to the MLS academy training grounds (see #2 above).
4) Be active and involved with that club. Talk to the experienced parents; talk to the coaches; be helpful; don't be a dick or a helicopter parent.
5) Train on your own, especially technical training. You can't teach touch, but it is the top thing MLS academies are looking for in a young player. You'll get bigger, you'll get stronger, you can be taught tactics or even how to defend better. But they can't teach you touch, and if you don't have it by ~U13 it probably ain't happening.
6) Move to the MLS academy by U15. If you can move earlier, that's OK, but not necessary. They rosters turn over a lot in the younger ages. But best to be there by U15.
7) Now, there is much less a parent can do. You can be supportive, but you can't do all the stuff you can at a regular club to help pave the way for them. It's really up to your son now.
8) Your son should probably be getting regular looks by the US Soccer scouts and getting invited to YNT ID Centers (these are local invite-only "tryouts" by the national team scouts and coaches). Even better if you are going to the next level of regional YNT training camps. If this isn't happening, being a pro is getting less likely.
9) By U17, you need to be a regular starter, and one of the best, say, 10 players on a good MLS academy team. At this level you are still in the mix. All the better if that is top 5.
10) By U17, the club should start to have conversations with you about next steps. Best is just signing a homegrown contract, but more likely it's that you start to train with the reserve team (their USL team or team in the new "MLS Next Pro" league); or, even better, train some with the first team (actual Philadelphia Union in this example). If this isn't happening by now...not a good sign.
11) You should still have at least a "backup plan" of going to a top soccer college (like an ACC team). There is still a chance your MLS club will offer you a homegrown contract after a year or two of top flight college soccer.
12) If now, you could still get taken in the MLS Draft after you graduate, but fewer and fewer MLS players come through this route every year. Or by then you are old enough to go to Europe and try to keep the dream alive there.

See...easy! Anyone can become a pro.

[Anonymous]

The US does not have an actual system, just a hodgepodge of competing interests. Best thing for a young player with pro potential is to secure a European passport as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) Move to a metro area with a top MLS academy, preferably one that has a history of producing homegrown pros and/or selling to European clubs. Sadly, DC United (and therefore the DMV) does not count (and my son plays for DCU academy). Philadelphia Union is probably the best example on the east coast.
2) Live close to the MLS academy training ground, if possible. Logistics is the #1 barrier to overcome -- you are just driving your kid ALL THE TIME.
3) Find and play for a top local club that has ties to that MLS academy (e.g. top players regularly matriculating there, coaches moving there). In Philly, a good example would be FC Delco -- lots of connections to the Union academy. Err on the side of a club that trains closer to the MLS academy training grounds (see #2 above).
4) Be active and involved with that club. Talk to the experienced parents; talk to the coaches; be helpful; don't be a dick or a helicopter parent.
5) Train on your own, especially technical training. You can't teach touch, but it is the top thing MLS academies are looking for in a young player. You'll get bigger, you'll get stronger, you can be taught tactics or even how to defend better. But they can't teach you touch, and if you don't have it by ~U13 it probably ain't happening.
6) Move to the MLS academy by U15. If you can move earlier, that's OK, but not necessary. They rosters turn over a lot in the younger ages. But best to be there by U15.
7) Now, there is much less a parent can do. You can be supportive, but you can't do all the stuff you can at a regular club to help pave the way for them. It's really up to your son now.
8) Your son should probably be getting regular looks by the US Soccer scouts and getting invited to YNT ID Centers (these are local invite-only "tryouts" by the national team scouts and coaches). Even better if you are going to the next level of regional YNT training camps. If this isn't happening, being a pro is getting less likely.
9) By U17, you need to be a regular starter, and one of the best, say, 10 players on a good MLS academy team. At this level you are still in the mix. All the better if that is top 5.
10) By U17, the club should start to have conversations with you about next steps. Best is just signing a homegrown contract, but more likely it's that you start to train with the reserve team (their USL team or team in the new "MLS Next Pro" league); or, even better, train some with the first team (actual Philadelphia Union in this example). If this isn't happening by now...not a good sign.
11) You should still have at least a "backup plan" of going to a top soccer college (like an ACC team). There is still a chance your MLS club will offer you a homegrown contract after a year or two of top flight college soccer.
12) If now, you could still get taken in the MLS Draft after you graduate, but fewer and fewer MLS players come through this route every year. Or by then you are old enough to go to Europe and try to keep the dream alive there.

See...easy! Anyone can become a pro.

Great summary! Thanks

[Anonymous]

If you had, hypothetically, asked many years ago I would have said make sure your kid is playing in a CCL league...if you asked me a few of years ago I would have said make sure you kid is playing in a DA team, if you asked me a couple of years ago I would have said make sure your kid is in a good ECNL team....if you ask me today, make sure your kid is in a good MLS Next team.

My point, there is no path in the USA. Your kid will have to go with what's "in" at the moment.

[Anonymous]

The cream always rises to the top

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The cream always rises to the top

Maybe for the superstars but not for the role players and backups on MLS teams. These players had the commitment and resources to make it through, but there were plenty of others with similar abilities that didn't have the resources or good fortune to continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The US does not have an actual system, just a hodgepodge of competing interests. Best thing for a young player with pro potential is to secure a European passport as soon as possible.

This. Of course, Larlo will probably learn he isn’t as talented as he thinks he is when faced with real academy players

[Anonymous]

Do not worry about it till u16. At that time your kid would have to be a great athlete(like top 1-2% of the kids still playing at 15-16) and have a lot of luck(no injuries, no bad coaches, in the right system of play, etc).

Before puberty it just does not matter. I think there is this belief that a great coach, the right trainer and/or great club make the pro player. It’s not true. The kids who make it to pros are just head and shoulders above all the players in their age group. The really technical ones will master ball skills in a 1/4 of the time other do.

[Anonymous]

If you can't go to Europe, go to Brazil

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The US does not have an actual system, just a hodgepodge of competing interests. Best thing for a young player with pro potential is to secure a European passport as soon as possible.

+2

[Anonymous]

Hope to be good enough to get into the FC Dallas system as a youth and be one of their top players at age level.