Where is our talent?

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Yes the air is rarified but that still doesn't explain why after all of the money spent in this region on elite soccer when you go up and down the WYNT rosters there isn't a whole lot of names from anywhere in all of New England on those rosters. It's not the weather because there are more players from other cold climates like Michigan on those rosters than here. It is time to take a critical look at the environment around here.

Yes it is. And I believe the difference is before all of this, almost all athletes competed in just the scholastic environment, where the cream of the crop emerged . Now parents are trying to " manufacture" top athletes by their meddling and their checkbooks. They don't mind this because this current system locks out potentially better athltes from lower economic strata, again, similar to higher education.And within the non-scholastic enviroment , we continue to see segregation, discrimination, expansion after expansion.

How many National Champions do we have these days ?

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Then why are they/you charging such huge money? If you are being honest, then you realize that 99.9% of the kids in your programs are not going to qualify for whatever it is they hope to achieve. What are you offering them: better coaching? And if so, what purpose does that serve?
Why aren't you coaching in town leagues? Do they not deserve your level of quality? No, my friend, it is all about the money, either at your end or theirs.

I am with you on this. If people are paying professional coaches to coach their kids ..why aren't we seeing professional players??
All these coaches are doing is showing uneducated soccer patents how to play soccer. Anyone can do that. Germany and Holland thrive on volunteer grassroots coaches to help their kids.once your kid is tapped out at grassroots level then you find a club. Here the clubs tap you out begone the kid can even put a couple of moves together

[Unregistered]

The cost of club soccer is equivalent to gymnastics or dance. If your kid loves and soccer and you can afford it, why not?

My two cents is I would say that this all goes well beyond the cost. The real issue is there are some people who don't actually understand what the price to be paid is and just throw money at soccer because they can. The problem we have, at least in this part of the country, is what they are throwing their our money at doesn't really do anything special to produce true high level soccer players which these rosters should make apparent. From your perspective it very well could just as well be another sport like gymnastics but that sort of laissez faire thinking, while very appropriate for most youth soccer players out there, is not appropriate at all when you are talking about producing national level players. We are talking about producing the best of the best and that is a whole different scenario.

[Unregistered]

The U20 WNT for next years world cup has been announced.

Where is all the talent from MA? You hear so much about ECNL and NPL and next level, but this is the real test of quality and we have fallen short in comparison to other states.

Congratulations to McKenzie Meehan from RI who has made the team!

I had the pleasure of seeing MM play a few times this summer. Great player and goal scorer.
Any idea why Morgan Andrews isn't on the team?

[Unregistered]

I had the pleasure of seeing MM play a few times this summer. Great player and goal scorer.
Any idea why Morgan Andrews isn't on the team?

My guess would be fitness and skill. Being physically huge at the youth level is so distracting from the actual player ability. You have to look through the superficial results to get a sense of how the player will perform when he or she is among physically equal teammates and opponents.

[Unregistered]

Ignorance, maybe. But the sales job of Stars, Nefc et all, would have you believe that level of play or even high div 1 with scholarship is within your grasp, if only you trust them and spend lots of money with their superstar coaches. And by population, 1/50th is incorrect, 1/14 is where we stand.
The point, however, is correctly stated about the "rarified air". We are sorely lacking at the top level, which is not a condemnation of our athletes or even the training of the clubs.
It is condemnation of the complete hysteria that surrounds and is propagated by the devout followers and snake oil salesmen of youth soccer, particularly on the girl's side of the equation.
We just don't have the thoroughbreds, minus an exception or two.

I don't know how you can make that statement considering the numbers of players that have played for both the Stars and the Scorpions that have made national youth teams. And now I guess we can add NEFC to the mix. The issue seems to be state boundaries of where several of those players actually live (RI, NH), but that is a ridiculous argument to make when you consider the size of states like Texas and California and so on.

[Unregistered]

I had the pleasure of seeing MM play a few times this summer. Great player and goal scorer.
Any idea why Morgan Andrews isn't on the team?

Because she's on the U23 team? I'm just guessing, but at one time she was training with them.

[Unregistered]

Then why are they/you charging such huge money? If you are being honest, then you realize that 99.9% of the kids in your programs are not going to qualify for whatever it is they hope to achieve. What are you offering them: better coaching? And if so, what purpose does that serve?
Why aren't you coaching in town leagues? Do they not deserve your level of quality? No, my friend, it is all about the money, either at your end or theirs.

What? 99.9% won't qualify for what? Hope it's not playing in College, because of the U16 and above. Whether 1st, 2nd and sometime a 3rd team that I've coached, in Mass and roughly 150 players, 90%(approx)played at least 1 season in college. I do coach town players for nothing, but only the U12 and younger, because I think I make more of a difference in developing them properly, so they have the option at U14 without having to drop 3 grand a year. At 14, if your playing town only, you don't want me as a coach. They want the fun of playing, but dont want the pressure of competing constantly. If your talking about the U13s and younger, I would see your point, but still not 99%. More like 25-30% at the U13 and younger will stay with, and play at the college level. I know I'm wasting my time, and you're against anyone making a living coaching. Ok! But that's a you problem, and please stop painting us all as lying, money grubbing opportunists. We are not all in it for personal wealth accumulation.

PS- I may be giving myself away here, but I don't give a crap about money. I coach because I love the game, and the positive difference I can make in a kids life, and growing the game That did so much for me! If I did care about money, as much as you have implied, I would have stayed in the industry I left 15yrs ago, making so much I forgot to deposit pay checks.

[Unregistered]

What? 99.9% won't qualify for what? Hope it's not playing in College, because of the U16 and above. Whether 1st, 2nd and sometime a 3rd team that I've coached, in Mass and roughly 150 players, 90%(approx)played at least 1 season in college. I do coach town players for nothing, but only the U12 and younger, because I think I make more of a difference in developing them properly, so they have the option at U14 without having to drop 3 grand a year. At 14, if your playing town only, you don't want me as a coach. They want the fun of playing, but dont want the pressure of competing constantly. If your talking about the U13s and younger, I would see your point, but still not 99%. More like 25-30% at the U13 and younger will stay with, and play at the college level. I know I'm wasting my time, and you're against anyone making a living coaching. Ok! But that's a you problem, and please stop painting us all as lying, money grubbing opportunists. We are not all in it for personal wealth accumulation.

PS- I may be giving myself away here, but I don't give a crap about money. I coach because I love the game, and the positive difference I can make in a kids life, and growing the game That did so much for me! If I did care about money, as much as you have implied, I would have stayed in the industry I left 15yrs ago, making so much I forgot to deposit pay checks.

We are not stupid.. You coach u12 and younger for free so you can fool them into joining your club. Each year the clubs start recruiting at younger and younger ages. Many of the big clubs (won't mention names) start offering FREE clinics . The first thing they ask for is your e-mail so they can bomb you with their marketing material.
It used be 10 years ago that a child could play up to U12 possibly U11 before the clubs would start offering clinics and scouting town games. Now they target 4year old with their academies. They say the can do a better job of training them than your town. It funny to see these coaches with their accents running around playing batman,sponge bob etc.

You guys are regular mother Teresa's

Keep up gods work!!!

[Unregistered]

Wow! You are one cynical SOB! Nope! Don't ask for emails, and not doing for the club. Doing it because old friends have asked, and I love it. If you like me and my coaching, you can attend one of my camps or clinics, in the summer. No emails exchanged, but can go to my website and sign up for the news letter if you want? Is that ok with you or am I taking advantage of people, by allowing them to make that decision. Thank goodness you're here to call us all out. Honestly! It's that attitude that drives well intentioned coaches out. Lastly, I'm American! Born and raised. Got anymore broad stroke accusations!!

[Unregistered]

Wow! You are one cynical SOB! Nope! Don't ask for emails, and not doing for the club. Doing it because old friends have asked, and I love it. If you like me and my coaching, you can attend one of my camps or clinics, in the summer. No emails exchanged, but can go to my website and sign up for the news letter if you want? Is that ok with you or am I taking advantage of people, by allowing them to make that decision. Thank goodness you're here to call us all out. Honestly! It's that attitude that drives well intentioned coaches out. Lastly, I'm American! Born and raised. Got anymore broad stroke accusations!!

u r a socialist

[Unregistered]

u r a socialist

Probably born in Kenya...

[Unregistered]

Those out there who like to squawk about "where is the MA talent" fail to realize just how rarified the air is at the NT level. My view is that if they really understood, they wouldn't be asking such a question. By the way, MM is a good bet to lead the U20 WNT team in goals. She is a very efficient scorer.

Yes, the air is rarefied, but 5 of the players live in the VA suburbs of Washington, DC. There is also one from the MD suburbs. The weather is better, but the coaching never seemed great.

[Unregistered]

Yes, the air is rarefied, but 5 of the players live in the VA suburbs of Washington, DC. There is also one from the MD suburbs. The weather is better, but the coaching never seemed great.

I have to say I'm at least curious to know if any of the 5 have political connections. That is not to say that they are not excellent players, I'm sure they are. I'm still just curious.

[Unregistered]

I have to say I'm at least curious to know if any of the 5 have political connections. That is not to say that they are not excellent players, I'm sure they are. I'm still just curious.

There are no politics in the USNT selection process.

Seriously though, in this country is doesn't matter. There is so much talent of this caliber in the US you take 1-20 or 1-3 + 23-40 and do just as well.