They have a strong Social Media Game. They make player cards for sharing on social media... it makes the kids excited. Our extended family is excited, grandma is excited.

It's a fun experience, there are some really talented and serious players there. And there are buckets of average player also. No one is under any illusions that this is a real talent ID program of any kind... well most reasonable parents aren't anyway.

It’s fine for people who understand what it is. It’s like the “competitive” program DS was identified for in Spain. I knew that I was paying for a fun travel experience and nobody was being identified for a professional pathway. Anybody who could pay would be accepted. Ultimately we didn’t send him, but I didn’t see how it differed from spending money for a class trip or a soccer camp. The issue is these companies aren’t transparent and parents often don’t know. I’m in a parents group on FB and parents announce that their child was chosen for All-American as though it is meaningful. The post will for example be Congrats to Colton for being identified or someone asking for advice about ECNL/MLSN pathways and using All-American as evidence of their talent. I think these businesses are pretty shady.

We did it, its a fun soccer vacation with some of our friends to Myrtle Beach and Naples, FL for new years. We don't have an instagram, but a lot of parents do. We told our kid this is just for fun at the little level. She likes the hype.

Most kids are selected. I do like their skills format through.

It's cheaper than Disney by a long shot, does that make Disney parents crazier? Not really, it's just something people like to do with their money.

See, your argument is no stronger than wet toilet paper.

Is anyone going to break to parents of U Littles that your kid was not selected, you just paid for it?

Hot Take: The same people who put their kids in that series are the parents who have an Instagram page for their U8-U11 year old.

Soccer parents are crazy. All parents are crazy.