If youth soccer/sports is broken, then how can it be fixed?

[Guest]

My point exactly. You're traveling thousands of miles in some instances to win or lose 5-0 when you could get a similar game 15-30 minutes from your home field. I also think this system could benefit the boy's MLS Next by allowing a professional club like Red Bulls an opportunity to see 9 other local clubs that they can sign local players from (just like Europe). If MLS wants to do a side league where their academies can play the other MLS teams IN ADDITION to the state league, I think that'd be a great idea too. Rather than the marketing/advertising we have now, let the play on the field dictate which clubs are successful or not. Unfortunately, that'd take too much $$ out of people's pockets that are profiting from youth sports.

Couldn’t agree more. Give players the RIGHT to attend any practice or game they choose. No more ECNL or GA restrictions. Main commitment is carding team but have have the RIGHT to train practice elsewhere. The shi_ teams would bubble up quickly and best players will land where they should be ..Why are youth players restricted from mobility? Poor training organizations would quickly disappear

[Guest]

Couldn’t agree more. Give players the RIGHT to attend any practice or game they choose. No more ECNL or GA restrictions. Main commitment is carding team but have have the RIGHT to train practice elsewhere. The shi_ teams would bubble up quickly and best players will land where they should be ..Why are youth players restricted from mobility? Poor training organizations would quickly disappear

Tell my daughters 2011 pda blue team to stop adding players. Up to 19 on roster. Playing time a jig saw puzzle with rules

[Guest]

Tell my daughters 2011 pda blue team to stop adding players. Up to 19 on roster. Playing time a jig saw puzzle with rules

Yeah ok I saw roster size at ECNL Florida 22 some 27 now that crazy but if the customer is caught up on some badge crap then the blame is the parents what club won’t keep taking that $$$$$$

[Guest]

if you think those people were independent, then you really drank the kool aid

I was one.

I was independent.

[Guest]

My point exactly. You're traveling thousands of miles in some instances to win or lose 5-0 when you could get a similar game 15-30 minutes from your home field. I also think this system could benefit the boy's MLS Next by allowing a professional club like Red Bulls an opportunity to see 9 other local clubs that they can sign local players from (just like Europe). If MLS wants to do a side league where their academies can play the other MLS teams IN ADDITION to the state league, I think that'd be a great idea too. Rather than the marketing/advertising we have now, let the play on the field dictate which clubs are successful or not. Unfortunately, that'd take too much $$ out of people's pockets that are profiting from youth sports.

Apples and oranges.

You don't go to a Showcase to play a game. You go to a Showcase to show yourself in front of scouts.

The fact that is not understood makes the rest moot.

[Guest]

Back not that long ago there were fewer leagues, less travel, less insanity. Town travel programs (overseen by a state organization) were solid competitive options for many players. The ones that needed or wanted more of a challenge didn't always make a club team easily. Travel was mostly just for out of state tournaments because there were few leagues requiring regular out of state league travel.

Somewhere it all blew up. New leagues made it easy for clubs to avoid local competition against local competitors. Too fill leagues they let in more clubs. Too many clubs lead to some desperate for any paying customers, allowing on kids who would be better served at the travel level. But now travel is a joke, especially by around U13. State organizations barely play a role at all. Nationally there's no oversight, and the leagues want it that way. This isn't just in soccer either, but much of youth sports.

Can USSF or another organization take over all of youth soccer and create a true pyramid, one where players and teams have to earn their way up to the top levels? Probably not. Our country loves capitalism and parents hate being told "no your kid isn't good enough."

Ultimately parents can drive the bus but they don't want to, at least not yet. Participation dropped during Covid but seems to have returned to prior levels. Soccer and other sports are staying alive because of upper middle and high income families. Less affluent families are dropping out because of the high costs. Ultimately that's bad for any sport, but great for club owners.

[Guest]

Back not that long ago there were fewer leagues, less travel, less insanity. Town travel programs (overseen by a state organization) were solid competitive options for many players. The ones that needed or wanted more of a challenge didn't always make a club team easily. Travel was mostly just for out of state tournaments because there were few leagues requiring regular out of state league travel.

Somewhere it all blew up. New leagues made it easy for clubs to avoid local competition against local competitors. Too fill leagues they let in more clubs. Too many clubs lead to some desperate for any paying customers, allowing on kids who would be better served at the travel level. But now travel is a joke, especially by around U13. State organizations barely play a role at all. Nationally there's no oversight, and the leagues want it that way. This isn't just in soccer either, but much of youth sports.

Can USSF or another organization take over all of youth soccer and create a true pyramid, one where players and teams have to earn their way up to the top levels? Probably not. Our country loves capitalism and parents hate being told "no your kid isn't good enough."

Ultimately parents can drive the bus but they don't want to, at least not yet. Participation dropped during Covid but seems to have returned to prior levels. Soccer and other sports are staying alive because of upper middle and high income families. Less affluent families are dropping out because of the high costs. Ultimately that's bad for any sport, but great for club owners.

I was a part of that environment. I played in it, I coached in it and I was a league adminstrator.

Now, my kid went through the path today and is in college. The quality of play is so much better than then it's hard to comprehend. I played (low level) in college and I swear by the time my D was hitting puberty her skill level was at mine. By the time she got out of high school she had way surpassed me.

Like with, literally everything, things are better today because technology is better, we know more and we know how to impart that wisdom better. Standing still is a slow road to death.

[Guest]

My point exactly. You're traveling thousands of miles in some instances to win or lose 5-0 when you could get a similar game 15-30 minutes from your home field. I also think this system could benefit the boy's MLS Next by allowing a professional club like Red Bulls an opportunity to see 9 other local clubs that they can sign local players from (just like Europe). If MLS wants to do a side league where their academies can play the other MLS teams IN ADDITION to the state league, I think that'd be a great idea too. Rather than the marketing/advertising we have now, let the play on the field dictate which clubs are successful or not. Unfortunately, that'd take too much $$ out of people's pockets that are profiting from youth sports.

Showcases are for showcasing talent and getting recruited. The top leagues where most progms shop have made it easier/more efficient for programs.

Also, few MLSN teams, especially pro teams, want to play locally.

1) it's generally not worth their time. Yes some MLSN pay to plays are poor and not much better than others out there but in general they do play at a higher level. There arent even many outside clubs that could give them quality games.

2) they run the risk of losing to a "lower" team, which isn't a good look. At the end of the day thre pay to plays are all for profit business (even if disguised as a non profit ).

MLSNs carrot is the pro teams. If they pulled out the pay to plays would have to stand on their own, and not all would be able to

[Guest]

I was a part of that environment. I played in it, I coached in it and I was a league adminstrator.

Now, my kid went through the path today and is in college. The quality of play is so much better than then it's hard to comprehend. I played (low level) in college and I swear by the time my D was hitting puberty her skill level was at mine. By the time she got out of high school she had way surpassed me.

Like with, literally everything, things are better today because technology is better, we know more and we know how to impart that wisdom better. Standing still is a slow road to death.

I wasn't necessarily advocating a full return to before, but thr original question was how to fix it. Parents play a big part of it, but FOMO is a real thing

[Guest]

Back not that long ago there were fewer leagues, less travel, less insanity. Town travel programs (overseen by a state organization) were solid competitive options for many players. The ones that needed or wanted more of a challenge didn't always make a club team easily. Travel was mostly just for out of state tournaments because there were few leagues requiring regular out of state league travel.

Somewhere it all blew up. New leagues made it easy for clubs to avoid local competition against local competitors. Too fill leagues they let in more clubs. Too many clubs lead to some desperate for any paying customers, allowing on kids who would be better served at the travel level. But now travel is a joke, especially by around U13. State organizations barely play a role at all. Nationally there's no oversight, and the leagues want it that way. This isn't just in soccer either, but much of youth sports.

Can USSF or another organization take over all of youth soccer and create a true pyramid, one where players and teams have to earn their way up to the top levels? Probably not. Our country loves capitalism and parents hate being told "no your kid isn't good enough."

Ultimately parents can drive the bus but they don't want to, at least not yet. Participation dropped during Covid but seems to have returned to prior levels. Soccer and other sports are staying alive because of upper middle and high income families. Less affluent families are dropping out because of the high costs. Ultimately that's bad for any sport, but great for club owners.

Ironically, ECNL was borne from what you described about travel. The top most successful clubs were tired of sending there teams two hours or more to win matches 5-0. It was a total waste of time. It started out with mini tournaments with the top clubs in the area and then against top clubs in neighboring states. The cornerstone clubs for ECNL were the top most successful clubs in all four regions. Once ECNL began to expand and brought in less successful clubs then they were back to the original problem. Less was better and more competitive. Less is not better for parents who think there kids are better than they really are.

[Guest]

Ironically, ECNL was borne from what you described about travel. The top most successful clubs were tired of sending there teams two hours or more to win matches 5-0. It was a total waste of time. It started out with mini tournaments with the top clubs in the area and then against top clubs in neighboring states. The cornerstone clubs for ECNL were the top most successful clubs in all four regions. Once ECNL began to expand and brought in less successful clubs then they were back to the original problem. Less was better and more competitive. Less is not better for parents who think there kids are better than they really are.

Don't disagree, but it's a balance. The US is a big friggin' country, and the trap is either:

a) Only let the elite of the elite in, and have massive travel more often
b) Lower the standards, and keep the travel a little more reasonable

[Guest]

Honestly, the only real option here in NJ is to avoid all these so called "academies " and support the independent clubs. NJ Blaze is the best option, with zero issues like **** clubs like PDA, MF and others have. Not to mention, as a independent club, their teams have had more success than any of the other "academies ".

[Guest]

Honestly, the only real option here in NJ is to avoid all these so called "academies " and support the independent clubs. NJ Blaze is the best option, with zero issues like **** clubs like PDA, MF and others have. Not to mention, as a independent club, their teams have had more success than any of the other "academies ".

The biggest problem I have with message boards and other on-line resources is sarcastic intent just doesn't come through. Like, this post, looks serious but of course we know it's not.

[Guest]

The negativity across the board about youth soccer/sports is insane. Everyone is at fault from parents to clubs to leagues.

What would the landscape look like if things were positive and good?

I guess it depends on what people think is broken. Are we talking about what's broken about the path to USWNT? Or the path to College? Or the path to young players loving soccer?

[Guest]

Have we considered eight team leagues:

8th place-Paper Participation Certificate
7th place-Macramé Participate Knick-Knack
6th place-Wooden li'l soccer player Participation paperweight
5th place-Participation Chia Pet Soccer Ball
4th place-Aluminum Participation Soccer Player figurine
3rd place-Bronze plated Participation medal
2nd place-Silver plated Participation medal
1st place-Gold plated Participation medal