April Heinrichs canned

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That’s a good question, but I guess I’d start with finding the top college and club coaches instead of the ones who have washed out. Who are at the top programs? Stanford. UCLA. FSU. Duke. UVA. Georgetown. Club coaches like JD from Stars or the DOC of Slammers or PR from Albertson. That’s where I’d start.

Good luck getting them to leave those jobs. They pay well and they're busy actually coaching. Being a youth NT coach isn't a glamor job and doesn't involve all that much coaching.

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That’s a weak excuse. Players today are infitely better and more technical than they were 20 years ago. The issue is as someone else posted, the ID system is flawed, the players don’t train together enough as a team, and most importantly, the NS is not good enough to overcome the first two issues. Look at the staff. They are clearly not the best we have to offer.

All other players are better than they were 20 year ago too. Without a sound foundation at the early years we will forever being playing catchup with the rest of the world. Our youngest players are taught by well meaning but unqualified parent coaches or some college kid with a low level license.

In addition, starting at about 16 most international players commit full time to playing. They're training with professional clubs while our kids are in school (crazy I know!) and training with variable quality coaches. The gaps between us and the rest of the world start to widen with each successive year.

And yes, USSF is incompetent.

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Sounds like there is an agreement that they aren't training enough together.

Unless kids want to up and move, that's going to happen with a country this size.

Maybe what we should do is to put a program in, where these players can be identified from where they are. This program can reach throughout all corners of the country. To make it manageable, they will train with their clubs and compete against like-minded clubs. They will try to use the same philosophy, and invite the top tier in periodically to train together. This way, when they are invited in, they won't have to "recreate the wheel", and can hit the ground running.

The national club organization will retain the oversight of the training; from the physical to the tactical. They will implement training plans and philosophy to follow. They will monitor the progress of each player to measure the plans effectiveness. As with any program, constant checks and balances should be in place. Realistically, the program needs a 4-year cycle to be graded.

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The only team that matters is the senior team. The USWNT has been underperforming at the younger ages for a while now, and yet the senior team is always kicking butt. Which is direct opposite of men’s side which give tantalizing glimpses of talent at u17 and U20 and then is abysmal at the senior level. The 3-0 thrashing by England was laughable.

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Sounds like there is an agreement that they aren't training enough together.

Unless kids want to up and move, that's going to happen with a country this size.

Maybe what we should do is to put a program in, where these players can be identified from where they are. This program can reach throughout all corners of the country. To make it manageable, they will train with their clubs and compete against like-minded clubs. They will try to use the same philosophy, and invite the top tier in periodically to train together. This way, when they are invited in, they won't have to "recreate the wheel", and can hit the ground running.

The national club organization will retain the oversight of the training; from the physical to the tactical. They will implement training plans and philosophy to follow. They will monitor the progress of each player to measure the plans effectiveness. As with any program, constant checks and balances should be in place. Realistically, the program needs a 4-year cycle to be graded.

No matter where you live, you can play extremely high level soccer or you can not. Pick the right kids and be willing to reverse your decisions until you find a team with skill and chemistry. The top pro teams in the world have assembled players learned the game on hot desert plains, paved or cobbled back alleys, muddy fields and playgrounds and where ever else ...... stop trying to formalize their education so much and just let them play and get them to play more (semi-organized or freeplay). Sorry, you can't teach the average kid to be an all-time great no matter how much time, effort, money and oversight you put into them. Let each kid figure it out on their own and then spend the energy to find and refine them later. A blend of many players with different styles and strengths ensures that no single style of any opponent will be a dagger every time for your team.

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No matter where you live, you can play extremely high level soccer or you can not. Pick the right kids and be willing to reverse your decisions until you find a team with skill and chemistry. The top pro teams in the world have assembled players learned the game on hot desert plains, paved or cobbled back alleys, muddy fields and playgrounds and where ever else ...... stop trying to formalize their education so much and just let them play and get them to play more (semi-organized or freeplay). Sorry, you can't teach the average kid to be an all-time great no matter how much time, effort, money and oversight you put into them. Let each kid figure it out on their own and then spend the energy to find and refine them later. A blend of many players with different styles and strengths ensures that no single style of any opponent will be a dagger every time for your team.

Sounds like you have a beef with the prior posts, which I responded to. Those posts are advocating "In addition, starting at about 16 most international players commit full time to playing. They're training with professional clubs while our kids are in school (crazy I know!)" and " the ID system is flawed, the players don’t train together enough as a team".


My solution was in response to easing those types of concerns.

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Sounds like you have a beef with the prior posts, which I responded to. Those posts are advocating "In addition, starting at about 16 most international players commit full time to playing. They're training with professional clubs while our kids are in school (crazy I know!)" and " the ID system is flawed, the players don’t train together enough as a team".


My solution was in response to easing those types of concerns.

I just think it is ironic that people think that truly special athletes can be trained to that level. They come that way in terms of mind, body, ability ....... so many of the NBA greats of today learned their craft in schoolyard playgrounds and THEN got picked up by prep schools or AAU programs. These leagues or teams did not make them anything, they just take credit for what the athlete did on their own. It's no different in soccer. The kid has to love it so much they play every day all day and make plenty of mistakes along the way .... but they play so much they figure out what works and what does not and they practice fixing stuff that hasn't worked (but still might) in freeplay and in their games.

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I just think it is ironic that people think that truly special athletes can be trained to that level. They come that way in terms of mind, body, ability ....... so many of the NBA greats of today learned their craft in schoolyard playgrounds and THEN got picked up by prep schools or AAU programs. These leagues or teams did not make them anything, they just take credit for what the athlete did on their own. It's no different in soccer. The kid has to love it so much they play every day all day and make plenty of mistakes along the way .... but they play so much they figure out what works and what does not and they practice fixing stuff that hasn't worked (but still might) in freeplay and in their games.

I thought this was a soccer discussion? Basketball is the ultimate individual sport so it doesn't compare.

The rest is all more relevant. An organization that encourages practice time vs. results will always put in better players. With many sports, though, you can't have disparate playing tendencies on the same team and expect great results.

You wouldn't want Xavi playing with Peter Crouch. You put a vision in, and then find players who fit the vision. Many great players didn't shine for the NT because they were redundant (Lampard/Gerrard) or didn't fit the style of play. You just don't always roll out your best individual players and expect great results.

[Unregistered]

Sounds like there is an agreement that they aren't training enough together.

Unless kids want to up and move, that's going to happen with a country this size.

Maybe what we should do is to put a program in, where these players can be identified from where they are. This program can reach throughout all corners of the country. To make it manageable, they will train with their clubs and compete against like-minded clubs. They will try to use the same philosophy, and invite the top tier in periodically to train together. This way, when they are invited in, they won't have to "recreate the wheel", and can hit the ground running.

The national club organization will retain the oversight of the training; from the physical to the tactical. They will implement training plans and philosophy to follow. They will monitor the progress of each player to measure the plans effectiveness. As with any program, constant checks and balances should be in place. Realistically, the program needs a 4-year cycle to be graded.

Did you cut and paste that from the Academy website? That's exactly what the Academy is supposed to do.

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Did you cut and paste that from the Academy website? That's exactly what the Academy is supposed to do.

Bingo. So, every complaint I am reading has a solution already in place. Sorry people don't like it because, well, pride. But, it's already implemented.

[Unregistered]

I thought this was a soccer discussion? Basketball is the ultimate individual sport so it doesn't compare.

The rest is all more relevant. An organization that encourages practice time vs. results will always put in better players. With many sports, though, you can't have disparate playing tendencies on the same team and expect great results.

You wouldn't want Xavi playing with Peter Crouch. You put a vision in, and then find players who fit the vision. Many great players didn't shine for the NT because they were redundant (Lampard/Gerrard) or didn't fit the style of play. You just don't always roll out your best individual players and expect great results.

This country is too results focused from very young ages. Results are way more important to the paying customer than the process of learning the game.

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This country is too results focused from very young ages. Results are way more important to the paying customer than the process of learning the game.

Agreed. Which is why signing up for a club as you get past 12-13 the prioritizes tournaments, sacrifices playing time for all, GotSoccer points, and pushes for results vs. development will always be a problem.

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Agreed. Which is why signing up for a club as you get past 12-13 the prioritizes tournaments, sacrifices playing time for all, GotSoccer points, and pushes for results vs. development will always be a problem.

None of the top level teams at any club in CT (boys or girls) gives a rats aśś about for soccer points.

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None of the top level teams at any club in CT (boys or girls) gives a rats aśś about for soccer points.

Sorry autocorrect, meant Got soccer points.

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So why all the dlck-measuring on here about which club is "better"?