rantingsoccerdad - this is quality stuff right here!!
first paragraph tells it all --
We are part of The Trust ProjectWhat is it?
“Promote a more unified Youth Soccer landscape where our members—rather than fighting each other for players—work together to bring more young people into our ranks as registered players and where we focus on Youth Soccer less as a business and more as a way to develop talent on the field and nurture our next generation of young adults.”
I also feel like the new academy structure that I just posted will negatively effect the non-mls clubs with less resources for traveling for friendlies etc. Atlanta is a microcosm of what is wrong with youth soccer for sure. Top teams in same age groups don't play each other in any formal structure. We need more Atlanta Uniteds, not just one in this community. Sounds like concorde is starting to throw $$ at kids to come play, which I think is a great thing. Its not just about the cost to play, its the accessibility to play.
I feel at u12 now we turn our back on too many players, pooling at u12 DA helps, but many clubs tiered a top and second team all year, which kind of defeats the purpose.
We have a player pathway that for the most part to be considered a top tier talent, you have to be at Atlanta United (besides Carlson at UFA) - yet there are loads of talented players in this community -- UFA, Concorde, KSA, GSA, Ambush, AFU, Dalton.
Without a huge corporate investment or private benefactor I don't see much changing in the future, and I see thinks continuing to get worse --
I remember always hearing the dutch didnt' play kids up an age group regardless of age or size. Its now a part of our eco system, and for the most part to be considered a top talent you have to be playing up -- its almost a right of passage now. We are so eager to play kids up an age group, have kids play USL, have 14s play with 15s to further highlight how great we are doing at developing players.
Its an arms race to sign the u15 home grown. A late bloomer in soccer really has no chance in this system --
I watched a few of the u19 streams in San Diego, yes, some crazy special players, and then you know what, some other kids, you just scratch your head.
I dont' think the the US youth culture embraces players like in other sports -- other sports a community embraces their top talents and become legends - especially the small town kids. the rural areas of america etc. We have too many coaches that feel that coaching is a power trip where they prefer to ruin a kid vs make him better. I think that is what makes Carleton so special in this community -- he played at handful of clubs and many different coaches and trainers were a part of his player pathway and maturity.
I always love it when you hear stories of why a kid was cut from a team in June --- Then the question back to the coach, hum, well did you ever say anything to the kid since September about his short comings? Did you ever help individually or have another coach come to training to assist with some specialized training for certain players? Usually the answer is no......