What Must Change With USA Youth Soccer Culture

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also find that the constant moving between Club teams creates a terrible team environment. Everyone is out for themselves and making varsity, then playing on college.

No one plays for their team anymore, it’s all about themselves. That’s disheartening and not fun to watch. Parents are the worst, trash talking other kids and snow plowing their kid into teams and into starting positions. Very self centered.

If we could start anywhere, it would be with creating teams that stay together, win or lose together - not those that are looking out only for the individual players. Also that’s not how you win games.

There is no team without I. What is in it for the player to do what you suggest? Why would someone do that? Same in basketball, baseball.

Wow. How far we have sunk.

Did you see Steph Curry pass the ball in the Olympics to his rivals instead of taking the shots himself? That was beautiful to watch. (Sorry to switch over to basketball on you.)

Have you watched Messi play? Have you seen him try to decline the captains band? Beautiful.

All I see is ugly most of the time with Club soccer and Varsity soccer. Just sickening to watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also find that the constant moving between Club teams creates a terrible team environment. Everyone is out for themselves and making varsity, then playing on college.

No one plays for their team anymore, it’s all about themselves. That’s disheartening and not fun to watch. Parents are the worst, trash talking other kids and snow plowing their kid into teams and into starting positions. Very self centered.

If we could start anywhere, it would be with creating teams that stay together, win or lose together - not those that are looking out only for the individual players. Also that’s not how you win games.

There is no team without I. What is in it for the player to do what you suggest? Why would someone do that? Same in basketball, baseball.

Wow. How far we have sunk.

Did you see Steph Curry pass the ball in the Olympics to his rivals instead of taking the shots himself? That was beautiful to watch. (Sorry to switch over to basketball on you.)

Have you watched Messi play? Have you seen him try to decline the captains band? Beautiful.

All I see is ugly most of the time with Club soccer and Varsity soccer. Just sickening to watch.

It’s become a really ugly culture. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything comes from the culture but unfortunately culture is not something you can just change the way you want. It evolves organically. US does not have a strong soccer culture like in other parts of the world, especially on the mens side. It's not a numbers thing, it's a fabric of society thing. All the points people are making stem from having a soccer culture. More money coming in brings incentives for better quality coaching, better quality players, better systems, and so on. How do we make the US have a strong soccer culture? Good luck with that one.

We have a strong soccer culture.
It's just a bad soccer culture.

A lot of our soccer culture is an attempt to replicate or Frankenstein football, basketball, baseball, hockey cultures.
Can't work. Won't work. Doesn't work.

How many people in DCUM can tell stories of playing pickup and unofficial community soccer almost every day of their young lives with friends?

How many people with kids playing soccer in the DMV can name the DC United starting lineup?
Can the kids in the DMV playing soccer name the DCU starting lineup?

No.

Because we don't have the right soccer culture to be top tier.

The girls can name the Spirit starting lineup.

No they can’t. They know Trinity. That’s it.

Wrong. Have you been to a Spirit match? They not only know the lineup, they've met them and gotten selfies and autographs from them afterwards.

Love the Spirit, been to many games and my girls have done multiple on field experiences.

Do they know the line up? No.

Also - they change the line up /roster often (tell me you don’t know anything about soccer without telling me you don’t anything about soccer).

Uh, my kid (and her friends) could tell you who's injured, besides Rodman, and not playing tonight against AC. So yes, people do in fact know the lineup. And even that it's not static! But thank you for the condescension.

Sure. Or they saw the starting lineup on Insta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ask any kid before 15 and they tell you they want to be pro. at 15 they understand reality and how their talent have been wasted by clubs(poor training quality and money grab culture) and agree for college. this can be changed

This is BS. Kid who wants to go pro also wants to be fire fighter, police, Navy SEAL. 15 is whent hey grow up and see that soccer is not right for them. Also 15 is when they see college as their future. Only a very very few should be thinking pro.

Or 15 is when because you weren't doing the right things from U6 to U14 you step on the field every weekend and realize you're out of your depth against high quality players

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also find that the constant moving between Club teams creates a terrible team environment. Everyone is out for themselves and making varsity, then playing on college.

No one plays for their team anymore, it’s all about themselves. That’s disheartening and not fun to watch. Parents are the worst, trash talking other kids and snow plowing their kid into teams and into starting positions. Very self centered.

If we could start anywhere, it would be with creating teams that stay together, win or lose together - not those that are looking out only for the individual players. Also that’s not how you win games.

There is no team without I. What is in it for the player to do what you suggest? Why would someone do that? Same in basketball, baseball.

Wow. How far we have sunk.

Did you see Steph Curry pass the ball in the Olympics to his rivals instead of taking the shots himself? That was beautiful to watch. (Sorry to switch over to basketball on you.)

Have you watched Messi play? Have you seen him try to decline the captains band? Beautiful.

All I see is ugly most of the time with Club soccer and Varsity soccer. Just sickening to watch.

It’s become a really ugly culture. Sad.

I think it comes from players who are afraid to make mistakes and are afraid to get cut (sorry, not selected). So they yell at other players and blame them for their own mistakes. No ownership. But why would anyone own mistakes if the coach is going to yell at them? And parents are going to trash talk them on the side lines. So much toxicity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything comes from the culture but unfortunately culture is not something you can just change the way you want. It evolves organically. US does not have a strong soccer culture like in other parts of the world, especially on the mens side. It's not a numbers thing, it's a fabric of society thing. All the points people are making stem from having a soccer culture. More money coming in brings incentives for better quality coaching, better quality players, better systems, and so on. How do we make the US have a strong soccer culture? Good luck with that one.

We have a strong soccer culture.
It's just a bad soccer culture.

A lot of our soccer culture is an attempt to replicate or Frankenstein football, basketball, baseball, hockey cultures.
Can't work. Won't work. Doesn't work.

How many people in DCUM can tell stories of playing pickup and unofficial community soccer almost every day of their young lives with friends?

How many people with kids playing soccer in the DMV can name the DC United starting lineup?
Can the kids in the DMV playing soccer name the DCU starting lineup?

No.

Because we don't have the right soccer culture to be top tier.

The girls can name the Spirit starting lineup.

No they can’t. They know Trinity. That’s it.

Wrong. Have you been to a Spirit match? They not only know the lineup, they've met them and gotten selfies and autographs from them afterwards.

Love the Spirit, been to many games and my girls have done multiple on field experiences.

Do they know the line up? No.

Also - they change the line up /roster often (tell me you don’t know anything about soccer without telling me you don’t anything about soccer).

Uh, my kid (and her friends) could tell you who's injured, besides Rodman, and not playing tonight against AC. So yes, people do in fact know the lineup. And even that it's not static! But thank you for the condescension.

Sure. Or they saw the starting lineup on Insta.

Weird hill to die on, but okay, you must be right. Congrats on being the one true Spirit fan who knows soccer more than anyone! Perhaps they'll let you hold hands and walk the players out someday, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everything comes from the culture but unfortunately culture is not something you can just change the way you want. It evolves organically. US does not have a strong soccer culture like in other parts of the world, especially on the mens side. It's not a numbers thing, it's a fabric of society thing. All the points people are making stem from having a soccer culture. More money coming in brings incentives for better quality coaching, better quality players, better systems, and so on. How do we make the US have a strong soccer culture? Good luck with that one.

We have a strong soccer culture.
It's just a bad soccer culture.

A lot of our soccer culture is an attempt to replicate or Frankenstein football, basketball, baseball, hockey cultures.
Can't work. Won't work. Doesn't work.

How many people in DCUM can tell stories of playing pickup and unofficial community soccer almost every day of their young lives with friends?

How many people with kids playing soccer in the DMV can name the DC United starting lineup?
Can the kids in the DMV playing soccer name the DCU starting lineup?

No.

Because we don't have the right soccer culture to be top tier.

The girls can name the Spirit starting lineup.

No they can’t. They know Trinity. That’s it.

Wrong. Have you been to a Spirit match? They not only know the lineup, they've met them and gotten selfies and autographs from them afterwards.

Love the Spirit, been to many games and my girls have done multiple on field experiences.

Do they know the line up? No.

Also - they change the line up /roster often (tell me you don’t know anything about soccer without telling me you don’t anything about soccer).

Uh, my kid (and her friends) could tell you who's injured, besides Rodman, and not playing tonight against AC. So yes, people do in fact know the lineup. And even that it's not static! But thank you for the condescension.

Sure. Or they saw the starting lineup on Insta.

Weird hill to die on, but okay, you must be right. Congrats on being the one true Spirit fan who knows soccer more than anyone! Perhaps they'll let you hold hands and walk the players out someday, too.

And here’s that culture we are talking about, alive and well right here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also find that the constant moving between Club teams creates a terrible team environment. Everyone is out for themselves and making varsity, then playing on college.

No one plays for their team anymore, it’s all about themselves. That’s disheartening and not fun to watch. Parents are the worst, trash talking other kids and snow plowing their kid into teams and into starting positions. Very self centered.

If we could start anywhere, it would be with creating teams that stay together, win or lose together - not those that are looking out only for the individual players. Also that’s not how you win games.

There is no team without I. What is in it for the player to do what you suggest? Why would someone do that? Same in basketball, baseball.

Wow. How far we have sunk.

Did you see Steph Curry pass the ball in the Olympics to his rivals instead of taking the shots himself? That was beautiful to watch. (Sorry to switch over to basketball on you.)

Have you watched Messi play? Have you seen him try to decline the captains band? Beautiful.

All I see is ugly most of the time with Club soccer and Varsity soccer. Just sickening to watch.

That is not what I am talking about. Passing is part of the game. Of course you pass. But you don't stay on a team that no longer is developing you. You don't stay on a team and win or lose together if that is not what is best for your development.

[Anonymous]

Your player develops outside the game. Watch the video in the first post. The games are part of what hurts development, according to the podcast.

[Anonymous]

In other words, you can spend every weekend driving up and down the east coast (maybe even sit the bench), or your kid could play 3v3 and play all weekend with friends and family.

[Anonymous]

Too many games is just like overtesting in the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too many games is just like overtesting in the schools.

All these games between bad training is just to reiterate you have a failing grade 😄

My touch was bad last week and I needed 3 touches to bring the ball under control

This week it also took me 3 touches to bring the bouncing ball under control.

Next week will be the same, because I'm not working on my 1st touch under pressure.

[Anonymous]

Players who play, but never watch. Players who play, but don’t have a favorite player or team. Not loving soccer/football. Using the sport and travel to mess around and kick around with your friends. American football parents who will criticize their soccer coaches, “these kids don’t play hard enough.” Not having the mentality. Most clubs not having a methodology. But hey glad your kid can run pretty fast….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem (that won't be fixed) is that youth soccer is a huge business with lots of money to be made. So, the focus is on winning. Not the slow-burn developmental process that they embrace in Europe. No, we can't waste time doing small-sided games and 5v5 matches to build our soccer IQ...we need to scrimmage ASAP because we have super important tournaments coming up!

It's all to build the profile of the club and never about the players. Win tournaments now! Because money is there to be made. Its only and always about the money here. So you gotta find a way to deal with the system and make it work in your advantage...focus on what you can control.

The goal of that slow burn is to sell a player to another club. The US gets lots of things wrong, but at least our kids aren't binding themselves to clubs in a way to allows the club to control their rights. We also value participation over a focus on the elite. Our incentives are different, but don't pretend European clubs care about what is best for kids

They are certainly about developing better soccer players. And yes...the top academies in Europe are openly trying to develop players to make their 1st team as a pro or sell them at a later date. I don't see how that negates that they are still trying to develop players in a proper way. The point is we aren't...we are just trying to win so the club can get bigger. Those aren't the same things. We don't really get anything right.

That's the difference. European clubs want quality and will cull their teams every year because kids without potential are not worth wasting resources. Pay to play lets more kids, including those who don't have a hope of playing in college let alone pro. If you care about producing professional players, Europe is better. If you don't and you just want your kid to enjoy playing, the US is better. I'd be willing to bet that most people would prefer their kid be allowed to continue playing even if it means the national team can't be as talented as it would be under a European system because most people, even those with kids in ECNL or MLSnext, do not actually care about professional soccer or the national teams

This is uninformed...by a lot. I don't think you understand how many teams exist in Europe at the youth and adult level. You are talking about the top academies only like that's it. They have so many more options for kids at all levels in Europe than here for cheaper, less travel, better development, and better competition. I lived in the UK for a long time and this isn't "trust me bro". We are not doing anything better in the US when it comes to soccer...and we are paying so much money for it.

9% of kids who are part of team's academy in the UK play professionally at any level there. That is less than one in ten. And by professionally, I don't just mean the Premier League. This includes, The Championship, League One, and Two in England as well as the full time professional leagues/teams in Scotland, Wales and NI.

This is fact and it is not only about the "top academies." Kids will be accepted at a young age and possibly/dropped within a year. Maybe another club will pick them up. Maybe they won't.

After pre-academy, kids sign 2 or 3 year contracts
So you’re making up stories with the one year dropping scenario unless it's extreme cases.

There are 1,100 leagues and approximately 18,000 teams across England outside of the professional game. This includes every league and team playing in the Men's National League System from steps 1 to 6, the Women's National League tiers 3 and 4, as well as the grassroots levels.

The academies are made up of the 20 Premier League clubs and 72 EFL clubs

https://thefootballscholar.com/academy-classification/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your player develops outside the game. Watch the video in the first post. The games are part of what hurts development, according to the podcast.

Every top academy in Europe uses match play as a significant portion of the daily and weekly development. Both in practice and in competition. Soccer is learning in completion, not against cones.

What the podcast / YouTube was critiquing is that in the US we make the games mean more for the individual player than they should. We fail to make matches and games a development environment opposed to a permanent “tryout” environment. In short, we suck the joy out of a sport and replace it with added pressure.