U.S. Soccer has selected it’s first group of youth clubs that will become part of the U.S. Soccer Player Development Academy League for u16 and u18 teams. The following clubs have been chosen according to a press release from U.S. Soccer:
Atlanta Fire (Georgia)
B/W Gottschee (New York)
CASL (North Carolina)
De Anza Force (Northern California)
FC Delco (Pennsylvania
Michigan Wolves (Michigan)
Nomads Soccer Club (Southern California)
PDA (New Jersey0
Sea Coast Utd (New Hampshire)
FC Westchester (New York)
I have been writing for years about moving the game back in the direction of player developement and it is refreshing to see that U.S. Soccer has finally taken responsibility to lead from the top. For years here in South Texas leadership has turned a deaf ear on player development while overburdening players with games, tournaments and events. The practice session has become irrelevant to many youth players and games have become less special.
The leadership touts numbers, dollars and tournament wins as their validation for success. Maybe it’s not their fault since many have never player in a soccer game in their life and don’t have backgrounds in player development.
So why wouldn’t you lean on your local soccer minds who are running clubs and empower them as opposed to trying to hold them back? Good leadership empowers and encourages people. It’s vibrant, excited and intelligent and helps to grow missions and philosphy. The game has been held back at the youth level in many areas of the country including South Texas and change is coming.
Trainers, DOC’s are now realizing they must be accountable for the youth soccer landscape and work together. Why can’t South Texas leadership empower these men and women as opposed to holding them down.
The new US Soccer Player Development Academy has some questions. How will they implement this and it is clear they will need to hire numerous staff members around the country that are neutral to adminster and work with clubs in the league. How will travel work when you are trying to make the league more local in some cases.
The postives include: Three sessions a week minimum plus one game, and more player development policy. This will be the place to be identified as players and ODP will take on a different and less influential postion with the top players. This is designed to get coaches and leaders to look at players in the long term not in the short.
“The key component to the Developmental Academy is a focus from clubs on doing what it takes to get their coaches focused on long term player development,” says U.S Soccer Coaching Education Director Bob Jenkins.
Select applicants have until August 1 to apply and clubs will enter an u16 and u18 team with 22 players on the roster minimum.
Games will be played regionally and only 30-38 matches will be played and teams won’t need to travel to tournaments around the country to showcase their players. Fifteen to twenty teams will make up each region.
The landscape in our case here in South Texas is so cluttered parents, players and coaches have no idea whether they are coming or going and have to wait for emails at the last minute to find out if their are playing. Two weeks ago the state tournament was cancelled in deference to a local showcase tournament adding to confusion.
The U.S. Soccer Player Development Academy will simplify things at a time they are needed to be less confusing.
And to think all along that is what people have wanted and leadership has not recognized it.
What clubs will benefit and apply for this in Houston? If all goes well the ones that do will have an advantage in developing players.
Yet some questions remain, I for one am glad U.S Soccer is making the move to get involved.
“After completing an extensive review and discussion across the country we feel it is the right time for U.S. Soccer to lead a change in the sport at the youth level,” says U.S Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “We need to shift the focus of our young elite players from an overburdened game emphasis model to a meaningful training and competition model.”
What clubs in Houston would fit best in the new U.S. Soccer model? Email me your thoughts.