Failure to qualify for the World Cup exposes U.S. progress as a myth.
It's easy to say that the answer is to get rid of Pay to Play. And also that better trained coaches is the answer. Tell me how. How? How will you pay for fields? Will you ask the coach to educate himself for years and work for free? What's your plan?
Without men's World Cup revenue there will be a lot less funds.For starters, how bout using the funds U.S soccer has generated.
Without men's World Cup revenue there will be a lot less funds.
We need to stop beating this dead horse of pay to play. It's not going to change unless clubs can make money selling players, and that's illegal in the US.
Without men's World Cup revenue there will be a lot less funds.
We need to stop beating this dead horse of pay to play. It's not going to change unless clubs can make money selling players, and that's illegal in the US.
How much money are we talking about leftover? I have a lot of faith in soccer officials ability to diver money into their own pockets.I was more concerned about funding qualified coaches and to think that there is not enough funds is naive.
Without men's World Cup revenue there will be a lot less funds.
We need to stop beating this dead horse of pay to play. It's not going to change unless clubs can make money selling players, and that's illegal in the US.
Without men's World Cup revenue there will be a lot less funds.
We need to stop beating this dead horse of pay to play. It's not going to change unless clubs can make money selling players, and that's illegal in the US.
Pats academy is now free and I believe Strikers charge $800, which is not a huge amount. But they are still having problems recruiting players.Academy level soccer charging ALOT to play academy. Ive watched teams like the Pats academy, Strikers etc. train and play. You're telling me they are the best players in the area?? Not even close. Flight I players yes- top at their age rarely- why?? Pay to play.
So my first question: Does anyone know of an actual kid who was priced out of youth soccer? Like do you know a kid who was very talented and the parents couldn't swing the cost so he dropped soccer? I know a TON of talented kids with no money and they are all playing Flight 1 or DA for free or reduced. Who are these talented kids that are being priced out? Cuz I know a few coaches who will go talk to them tonight. lol.
Secondly, DA is not, in it's intent, designed for the kid who is juggling high school classes, a social life, college prep and the normal high school life. It is designed for the kid who wants to be a pro above all else and is home schooled/schooled at the academy "school" or is a part time student. Which does apply to a segment of the DA teams/kids. But for the other ones, it's a tough model. AP classes, a high school life, friends etc...Some kids can juggle it all, but its not meant for that. It's truly for the kids that soccer is #1 and #2 on their priority list.
US Soccer should fund live in schools at the MLS academies. They should compete on a different level than the non MLS academies that are still attracting the top talent, but are designed to co-exist with a high school experience. Get those boys into college with an eye on longer term development and unearthing a Jordan Morris now and again. The top of the top should be funneled to the MLS academies where schooling is a distant second to soccer. Those kids are pimped out to Europe for trials and trainings with an eye on selling them and it's made clear if you want national team call ups you need to be living at one of those academies.
But they are trying to shove all the kids into one system that is failing the top top talent (who have to train and play with and against kids who are in it to go to college) and is also failing the kid who is talented, but wants a typical high school life and to use soccer to go play in college at some level.