U14 Girls U.S. Soccer Talent ID Center

[Anonymous]

The invites to the U14 Girls U.S. Soccer Talent ID Center that just went out to local club players:

What are these based on? Club coach recommendations based on last season performance?
Have the players already been ID's by US Soccer or is this the beginning of the process?
How about other good players who are not on the list?

Would appreciate some insight to help understand the process since there is zero transparency. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The invites to the U14 Girls U.S. Soccer Talent ID Center that just went out to local club players:

What are these based on? Club coach recommendations based on last season performance?
Have the players already been ID's by US Soccer or is this the beginning of the process?
How about other good players who are not on the list?

Would appreciate some insight to help understand the process since there is zero transparency. Thank you!

Almost exclusively coach recommendation at the first one for U14. Then it gets narrowed down by US Soccer from there, and you will start seeing scouts at games to track players they liked. When that happens, they may also identify other players.

[Anonymous]

Many parents and players will get caught up in what these U14 talent id invites mean. The truth is they don't mean much. Players are recommended by their club coaches. We'd like to think it means these players are special, but in reality, each major club gets a few spots, so it really just means these are the coach's picks for that team. Coaches often use them strategically to keep parents happy and not want to leave the club. Clubs use them as marketing material. Follow the names for a few years and most of these U14 talent id players will not be going to US camps (earned spots) in a couple of years.

[Anonymous]

Coaches recommend, but players have to be scouted by US soccer to be invited.

True that the vast majority at U14 ID sessions will never see a real YNT national camp, but ID sessions are what gives the opportunity. The pool is probably 600-800 at this point, and you are ultimately going down to 24. New players will join in future sessions (and existing ones will be dropped), so it's not the end if your child isn't at this one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coaches recommend, but players have to be scouted by US soccer to be invited.

True that the vast majority at U14 ID sessions will never see a real YNT national camp, but ID sessions are what gives the opportunity. The pool is probably 600-800 at this point, and you are ultimately going down to 24. New players will join in future sessions (and existing ones will be dropped), so it's not the end if your child isn't at this one.

“Scouted”? Lol. I suppose it’s just coincidence that the same clubs just happen to have the same number of “scouted” players every year. Surely if these were real “scouted” players they would come from different clubs some years, or some years a clubs would have significantly more or none. You are naive. Coaches provide a short list for invites.

[Anonymous]

Coach recommendation but the reality is that some coaches just have more pull than others unfortunately. Not as transparent and/or fully merit based as many would think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coach recommendation but the reality is that some coaches just have more pull than others unfortunately. Not as transparent and/or fully merit based as many would think.

All true but these girls are all players so congrats to those selected; and to those who believe they were wronged, grab a ball, find a wall, and put in worl. Let it fuel you for three years becasue U17 NTs are where professionals are made. Or you can go to college cause soccer there is top notch!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coach recommendation but the reality is that some coaches just have more pull than others unfortunately. Not as transparent and/or fully merit based as many would think.

+1 I completed a scouting course last year and coaching/ club recommendations are the biggest leads. I do not have any direct USNT scouting experience nor have I spoke with any scouts personally, so there could be more to it. Personal connections area big factor. And unfortunately, there is no one good way to to evaluate all players equally. But if your club is not even recommending you, it's unlikely you will get picked up otherwise.

[Anonymous]

it's all politics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coach recommendation but the reality is that some coaches just have more pull than others unfortunately. Not as transparent and/or fully merit based as many would think.

This is right. A lot of coaches’s kids at these ID events.

One always wonders why the US, with the youth soccer bench we have, always seems to be lacking specific talents on the national teams. This system of “coaches’ pick two” is one of the biggest contributors.

The pool gets tainted. At 600-800 kids, you’ve got, at best, 1/2 that in merit. And they have to compete with a ton of kids that shouldn’t be there, in an environment where it’s all about getting looks. Sounds like a recipe for poor behavior.

As for kids rolling off and new kids coming in. One thing that seems to happen a lot, year to year, is the kids who are nepotism based keep going back even though they won’t make a YNY camp. It’s the non-nepotism kids / more merit based that often only get 1 shot. Unless the NT coaches ask for specific player types, the clubs will rotate in their flavor of the month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it's all politics

THIS.

[Anonymous]

The other thing that's changed is social media presence. It's a factor for some as much as some may agree or disagree.

[Anonymous]

There’s a good thread on TS about this in our area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a good thread on TS about this in our area.

Can you please post the link?

[Anonymous]

Time to start paying coach for those extra lessons, if you catch my drift.

There is a reason why there is not a how to get scouted 101 for dummies.