I would dissolve every soccer organization in the US and replace it with the following structure.
1) National teams residence program (U15, U16, U17, U18/19, U20/21/22/23) ran completely by USSF that had somewhere around 30 players per age group. This would be funded directly by USSF. Teams would play in friendly's and in international competitions.
2) Roughly 30 regional "Premier" leagues administered directly by USSF. Open to all clubs that can field at least one team in every age group (U13, U14, U15, U16, U17) though not limited to one team per age group. Have as many brackets as the region can support with promotion/relegation within it. The purpose of demanding clubs field teams in every age group is to consolidate talent. In addition have a U18/19 and a U20/21/22/23 bracket but do not require every club to field teams in these. Each Region would dedicate one weekend a month for a region wide training camp (could stagger age groups to be on different weekends) for those players with national team talent and aspirations. The camps would be coordinated with USSF but paid for out of the team registration fees for the premier league to spread out the costs.
3) Whatever number of locally run but USSF affiliated "travel" leagues that are appropriate per region (U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17/18/19) that try to avoid having overlapping geography. Clubs can only belong to one travel league. Minimum club size of 3 travel teams but no maximum. Also require an associated U4 through U8 program but the rules can be flexible on how those are organized. For example, there can be traditional intramural play or more of a pure training program that concentrates on friendly's and tournament play. Each league would have to be associated with their specific regions "premier" league for purposes of organization but would otherwise have little to do with the regional league.
The idea is that USSF can concentrate on the national residency program and the regional training camps that feed the national residency program. And by organizing the country to have only one league per region you avoid the majority of the current insanity where teams and clubs are constantly league hopping it will consolidate talent which will improve quality of play and should actually drive down costs when you have such stability.
1) National teams residence program (U15, U16, U17, U18/19, U20/21/22/23) ran completely by USSF that had somewhere around 30 players per age group. This would be funded directly by USSF. Teams would play in friendly's and in international competitions.
2) Roughly 30 regional "Premier" leagues administered directly by USSF. Open to all clubs that can field at least one team in every age group (U13, U14, U15, U16, U17) though not limited to one team per age group. Have as many brackets as the region can support with promotion/relegation within it. The purpose of demanding clubs field teams in every age group is to consolidate talent. In addition have a U18/19 and a U20/21/22/23 bracket but do not require every club to field teams in these. Each Region would dedicate one weekend a month for a region wide training camp (could stagger age groups to be on different weekends) for those players with national team talent and aspirations. The camps would be coordinated with USSF but paid for out of the team registration fees for the premier league to spread out the costs.
3) Whatever number of locally run but USSF affiliated "travel" leagues that are appropriate per region (U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17/18/19) that try to avoid having overlapping geography. Clubs can only belong to one travel league. Minimum club size of 3 travel teams but no maximum. Also require an associated U4 through U8 program but the rules can be flexible on how those are organized. For example, there can be traditional intramural play or more of a pure training program that concentrates on friendly's and tournament play. Each league would have to be associated with their specific regions "premier" league for purposes of organization but would otherwise have little to do with the regional league.
The idea is that USSF can concentrate on the national residency program and the regional training camps that feed the national residency program. And by organizing the country to have only one league per region you avoid the majority of the current insanity where teams and clubs are constantly league hopping it will consolidate talent which will improve quality of play and should actually drive down costs when you have such stability.
Comment