The United States Soccer Federation board last week voted unanimously to approve an academy level of youth soccer.
It is a move designed to create a better environment for players around the country to “develop”.
Development academy clubs will be selected with a total of 80 elite clubs to be chosen around the country. That means some in Houston will be selected to participate in this program that addresses the need for different policies and coaching around youth soccer that lean to “player development”.
The timing of this is interesting here in Houston after several of the local area club coaching directors created a PDF (Player development friendlies) league designed to put the emphasis on the player.
Instead of being lauded for trying to better the local youth soccer community and move the sport forward the group is trying to be held back and eliminated by South Texas soccer leadership. Now why wouldn’t the leaders of South Texas like President Ed Loucks want coaches with expertise to take “ownership” in the youth soccer community? It is baffling to me? Superior leadership would have encouraged a postive relationship with the DOC’s and tapped into their expertise. After all they are former professionals, former state directors and former U.S. national team assistant coaches. A threatening letter from Stysa President Loucks has made the rounds on the internet. The poor leadership has led to confusion, poor parental education and a very confusing youth soccer environment here in Texas with decisions being thrown on DOC’s and parents at the last minute.
Our policies here in South Texas have long been outdated in comparison to other state associations around the country and leadership has been sub-par.
Ok back to the new US Soccer Development academy. There is too much to talk about here in the blog but it is refreshing to see the top rung on the ladder of soccer in this country begining to try and set policy.
A few points in the structure:
*Objective: The focus of the Academy is on player development and providing players with the best opportunity to develop to the highest level they are capable of achieving. (Player development is the focus)
*Standards: A minimum of three training sessions per week and one rest day. (emphasis back on training sessions and not just volume of games.)
*Selection : Clubs will be selected by U.S. Soccer Coaches (What clubs will be chosen in Houston?)
Age groups : u16, u18
*Competitive format: 30 to 38 games over 8 months ( which amounts to in and around 1 game a week)
Their is alot of questions around this including implementation etc.
What are your thoughts on this ?
Go to www.ussoccer.com for the full details.

First former England defender Terry Butcher (you remember him, he was beaten twice in the same play by Diego Maradona at the 86 World Cup) essentially called MLS a Mickey Mouse league and now former England striker Alan Shearer comments.
Shearer alludes to David Beckham having second thoughts.
“I don’t know if David is regretting going to the LA Galaxy but he’s better than the standard without a shadow of a doubt. He showed that with his play against Brazil.”
Lets face it, Beckham has made an amazing turn-around after being told by both England manager Steve McClaren and club coach Fabio Capello at Real Madrid he would not play for their teams again.
Beckham will come in to MLS on a high but if he continues to perform in the qualifying phases for England which it seems he will there will be some long flights in his future and his attention will be in two places when it comes to the sport of soccer, helping the LA Galaxy and the growth of the sport in the U.S. and getting England to the 2008 European Championships.
Thoughts?