# Ben Lederman



## Red Devil Fan (Jan 9, 2019)

Great article on Ben. Remember the fun rants on the old forum. 

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/united-states/660/blog/post/3746639/how-us-prodigy-ben-ledermans-career-was-almost-ruined-at-barcelona


----------



## Calisoccer11 (Jan 9, 2019)

Red Devil Fan said:


> Great article on Ben. Remember the fun rants on the old forum.
> 
> http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/united-states/660/blog/post/3746639/how-us-prodigy-ben-ledermans-career-was-almost-ruined-at-barcelona


I don't remember any of the threads about Ben on the old forum.  However, I have heard of this boy and his journey is interesting.  I'm a little sad for him in that his family seems to have sacrifice so much for what?  It is yet to be seen.....I'm a little cynical as being in So Cal I see so much talent and I wonder how much Ben's parents had to do with getting him over to Barcelona (I have never seen him play in person..like I said, I'm a cynic!).  I guess you can say that Ben has received much better training than he would have if here were here in the states.  If anything, I would say, in my opinion, he probably made the jump way too early.  I see burnout.


----------



## mirage (Jan 10, 2019)

Benny's dad (2000 boy) used to post on the regular basis, including when they were with Barca prior to the FIFA ban.  His story was discussed many times - mostly in the 99-00 boys forum.  Everything from when he was invited by Barca, to moving, to what the parents had to do, to how the training was going.  Its too bad the old forum is wiped out...

I think its harsh to dismiss the whole saga to say "I'm a little sad for him in that his family seems to have sacrifice so much for what?......If anything, I would say, in my opinion, he probably made the jump way too early. I see burnout."

When he came back to US, he was at the USSF U17 residency in FL and after turning 16, he returned to Europe to pursue his dream. 

So I guess what you're saying is that don't bother chasing your dreams and parents are crazy to support their child because the outcome is predetermined and its all for not. 

I have no idea if Benny will or will not become a  1st division professional but from a life perspective, you're young only once and the no matter what anyone may says, time is the most precious thing in life.  One can always goto school, but for any elite athlete, the window of opportunity is very small and who wants to live rest of their lives wondering "what if".....


----------



## jpeter (Jan 10, 2019)

Good to see Ben still progressing,

Gent has a good reputation in developing young adults and giving them enough playing time.

As the article points out going to play aborad in Europe is a very difficult proposition,  the mom even hits that she probably won't do it again from a family unit standpoint but hindsight is like that sometimes.

My son has 2 other friends that are playing and living in Spain playing for the academies, as soon as they turned 16 they moved and had EU passport but there where very fortunate in the fact they had other family members  (grand parents, cousins, uncle's) already living over there so there whole family didn't relocate overseas.

Hard decisions to say goodbye & good luck to a 16yr as a parent but hopefully they have learned enough life lessons to handle the transition and have some local family to support them.

As ben & family has shown pursuing one's dream is a once in a lifetime endeavor for most people,  I applaud them for sharing their journey & and wish them nothing but the best.


----------



## Calisoccer11 (Jan 10, 2019)

I didn't mean to seem harsh.  After all these years, I've become a jaded and cynical soccer parent.  I'm working on it.  

I do think that it is great that his family was able to support his dream and that he has had this experience.  At the end of the day, regardless of if he plays professional or not, it is pretty cool that he got to live in a foreign country, learn to speak in an another language fluently, and received some of the best soccer training.  I guess I was thinking of his siblings - how their lives must have been dramatically changed.  But then again - it could have been the best thing that happened to them as well!  

So far as burnout, I hope he doesn't!  It just must be so much pressure and attention at such a young age, I would wonder if it would get to be too much.  I'm thinking of how my kids would be and I don't think they would be able to handle it so young.


----------



## timbuck (Jan 10, 2019)

Maybe this belongs in a separate thread- - Anyone see that Tierna Davidson is leaving Stanford to declare for the NWSL draft?
I guess she can always go back and get a degree.   And if she becomes a featured national team player, she can make really good money.
Not sure I'd be too excited if my kid left Standford after 2 years to play in the NWSL.
Best of luck to her.


----------



## jpeter (Jan 10, 2019)

In that vain Alex Méndez  the former galaxy academy & II player & usnt u20 younger player of year for 2018 committed to  UCLA with a scholarship but decided to go pro at 18 and went overseas to play for SC Freiburg instead just recently.    Timing seemed right I guess and hopefully he still continues his education on the side.


----------



## timbuck (Jan 10, 2019)

Makes a "little" more sense for a male player to take a crack at going for it before getting a degree.  
1.  The level of soccer played at the mens level in college in the US is pretty weak.  (I haven't watched a lot of mens college soccer. But I did watch several games in the college championship tournament.  Wasn't pretty).
2.  Men can make a considerable amount of money (even playing in a D2 league in Europe) compared to what a female in the NWSL can make.


----------



## watfly (Jan 10, 2019)

More power to the kid for chasing his dream, I hope he is successful.  Obviously, the article has meaning as a cautionary tale, but this example raises some other questions regarding what is a good age to start pursuing a professional track, how Americans are perceived in Europe and the impact of soccer culture differences, etc.


----------



## espola (Jan 10, 2019)

A great international soccer power like Barcelona doesn't know FIFA rules?  Or were they just deliberately breaking them?


----------



## socalkdg (Jan 10, 2019)

timbuck said:


> Maybe this belongs in a separate thread- - Anyone see that Tierna Davidson is leaving Stanford to declare for the NWSL draft?
> I guess she can always go back and get a degree.   And if she becomes a featured national team player, she can make really good money.
> Not sure I'd be too excited if my kid left Standford after 2 years to play in the NWSL.
> Best of luck to her.


Supposedly Pugh is worth 1 million.   The national team pays a lot more than the NWSL, as well as endorsements.  With world cup this year and the Olympics next year anyone on the national team will make a substantial amount playing soccer.   Davidson wasn't eligible for any of it.


----------



## jpeter (Jan 10, 2019)

espola said:


> A great international soccer power like Barcelona doesn't know FIFA rules?  Or were they just deliberately breaking them?


They weren't enforcing them for several years (don't ask don't tell kind  of deal) then all of sudden FIFA decided to make Baraclona a example.  Real Madrid and others where penalized as well:  fines & bans on new transfers for specific time frames.


----------



## texanincali (Jan 11, 2019)

If anything this article should serve as a wake up call for many of the crazy parents out there - it is really hard to make it at the top level.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with supporting your kid in the climb to achieve their dreams.  For some that may mean driving an extra 45 minutes to training, it might mean sending them off to residency, or in this case, it may mean moving your family across the world.  

No matter what happens to Ben and what path his career takes, no one will be able to take away the experiences he has had, including being part of one of the best Academy's in the world.  

The lesson here is, no matter how talented a kid is, it is too early for anyone to know what the future holds at 10-14 years of age.  There are so many factors that go into making it as a professional, timing a luck being two of those factors.  What I like about this kid is that he was once the shining light of American youth soccer but for a myriad of reasons, his path changed directions.  Instead of getting down and pouting about it, he continues to put in the work to try and make a career for himself.  

The sport gets really cruel the closer you get to the professional level.  Dealing with adversity is a trait that every single professional player has in their locker. 

Good luck to Ben and his family.


----------



## MakeAPlay (Jan 11, 2019)

socalkdg said:


> Supposedly Pugh is worth 1 million.   The national team pays a lot more than the NWSL, as well as endorsements.  With world cup this year and the Olympics next year anyone on the national team will make a substantial amount playing soccer.   Davidson wasn't eligible for any of it.


Depends on what you call substantial.  $190k (the national team salary for tier 1 players) is not substantial enough to give up a Stanford education.  Her teammate Michelle Xiao didn't declare for the draft (she would have been picked) and will likely make more money in a couple of years as a consultant or analyst  (she has a degree in Mathmatics and was a 4.0 student).


----------



## soccer661 (Jan 11, 2019)

Miss you MAP!
I believe I heard MX is headed to Med School...brilliant girl.


----------



## MakeAPlay (Jan 11, 2019)

soccer661 said:


> Miss you MAP!
> I believe I heard MX is headed to Med School...brilliant girl.


Smart move for a brilliant young woman and an excellent player.  I look forward to seeing your young lady on the pitch this season!


----------



## Not_that_Serious (Jan 11, 2019)

MakeAPlay said:


> Depends on what you call substantial.  $190k (the national team salary for tier 1 players) is not substantial enough to give up a Stanford education.  Her teammate Michelle Xiao didn't declare for the draft (she would have been picked) and will likely make more money in a couple of years as a consultant or analyst  (she has a degree in Mathmatics and was a 4.0 student).


A lot of the "they'd make more money doing.." comments get thrown around with these players. Herc Gomez was talking about this with players retiring at younger age. These people arent USUALLY going into a $1o0k job straight out of school. You also have to have experience to be a consultant. In the long run they would make more money. Nothing stops them from continuing their education while they play. I would also add that the pro experience would add to their resumes. Now, if they love the academic world more than soccer, then they should follow their instincts/dreams. Makes less, but not a whole lot less, to do something you enjoy isnt a bad place to be either. We are also not considering some of these kids might come from money.


----------



## MakeAPlay (Jan 11, 2019)

Not_that_Serious said:


> A lot of the "they'd make more money doing.." comments get thrown around with these players. Herc Gomez was talking about this with players retiring at younger age. These people arent USUALLY going into a $1o0k job straight out of school. You also have to have experience to be a consultant. In the long run they would make more money. Nothing stops them from continuing their education while they play. I would also add that the pro experience would add to their resumes. Now, if they love the academic world more than soccer, then they should follow their instincts/dreams. Makes less, but not a whole lot less, to do something you enjoy isnt a bad place to be either. We are also not considering some of these kids might come from money.



If it wasn't about the money Jill shouldn't have used it as leverage.  She did it with Pugh and now is doing it with Davidson.  The difference is Pugh is making more from her endorsements than from her national team contract.  Davidson isn't going to get a Nike and Gatorade deal.  Xiao without a doubt will make significantly more money from her medical career than Davidson.  Regarding 100k jobs out of college.  You may or may not know this but there are companies lining up and competing for Stanford's grads and there are kids dropping out early because they are being offered jobs with $100-$120k starting salaries.  Living in the Bay Area $100k makes you below average income and believe it or not you have to at least make that amount to scrape by in any of the desirable areas.

I believe in kids following their dreams but not at the expense of their future.  I wish her well.


----------



## i_am_taxed (Jan 11, 2019)

MakeAPlay said:


> If it wasn't about the money Jill shouldn't have used it as leverage.  She did it with Pugh and now is doing it with Davidson.  The difference is Pugh is making more from her endorsements than from her national team contract.  Davidson isn't going to get a Nike and Gatorade deal.  Xiao without a doubt will make significantly more money from her medical career than Davidson.  Regarding 100k jobs out of college.  You may or may not know this but there are companies lining up and competing for Stanford's grads and there are kids dropping out early because they are being offered jobs with $100-$120k starting salaries.  Living in the Bay Area $100k makes you below average income and believe it or not you have to at least make that amount to scrape by in any of the desirable areas.
> 
> I believe in kids following their dreams but not at the expense of their future.  I wish her well.


Stanford allows 1 year of leave of absence and 2 years in total. All you have to do is take a class in between.
Many grad students use it to venture out for a startup before finishing up there MS/Ph.D. 

She can come back and finish her degree when she wants to.


----------



## timbuck (Jan 11, 2019)

i_am_taxed said:


> Stanford allows 1 year of leave of absence and 2 years in total. All you have to do is take a class in between.
> Many grad students use it to venture out for a startup before finishing up there MS/Ph.D.
> 
> She can come back and finish her degree when she wants to.


I don’t know her financial situation, but i assume her soccer scholarship wouldn’t be paying for those classes


----------



## i_am_taxed (Jan 11, 2019)

Knowing where she is from, I wouldn't worry about money. her high school's tuition was over $30k/year.


----------



## Dominic (Jan 11, 2019)

My son played against Ben a few times, and trained with him when they were 6 at RSC Friday night training. Back then you could tell he was a special player.


----------



## MakeAPlay (Jan 15, 2019)

i_am_taxed said:


> Stanford allows 1 year of leave of absence and 2 years in total. All you have to do is take a class in between.
> Many grad students use it to venture out for a startup before finishing up there MS/Ph.D.
> 
> She can come back and finish her degree when she wants to.



She definitely can but as US Soccer announced she is not an allocated player so her guaranteed money is $41K and she will make bonuses if she makes the World Cup roster.  So quitting Stanford for like $100k.  Personally that doesn't seem worth it although having wealthy parents mitigates it financially.


----------



## i_am_taxed (Jan 15, 2019)

MakeAPlay said:


> She definitely can but as US Soccer announced she is not an allocated player so her guaranteed money is $41K and she will make bonuses if she makes the World Cup roster.  So quitting Stanford for like $100k.  Personally that doesn't seem worth it although having wealthy parents mitigates it financially.


She is not doing it for the money. $100k isn't that much for many in silicon valley. 
It's her family school, father and brother attended it also. Stanford will definitely let her complete the degree whenever she decides to come back.


----------



## timbuck (Jan 15, 2019)

Ya know-  my first thought with Tierna was “what a dumb move. She’s at fricking Stanford!!!!”
But-  athletes only have so many years of playing at a world class level.  She’s obviously on the cusp of that level.  And she got cleaned out last year by a shitty slide tackle and was out for over 3 months with a broken ankle.  College soccer is a bit physical/borderline dirty.  
So go play pro soccer.  Get on the national team.  Forget college soccer because you might find players that are out to hurt you.  You never know when that door closes (or gets closed for you).


----------



## MakeAPlay (Jan 15, 2019)

timbuck said:


> Ya know-  my first thought with Tierna was “what a dumb move. She’s at fricking Stanford!!!!”
> But-  athletes only have so many years of playing at a world class level.  She’s obviously on the cusp of that level.  And she got cleaned out last year by a shitty slide tackle and was out for over 3 months with a broken ankle.  College soccer is a bit physical/borderline dirty.
> So go play pro soccer.  Get on the national team.  Forget college soccer because you might find players that are out to hurt you.  You never know when that door closes (or gets closed for you).



I hear you.  North Carolina plays jungle ball.  If she was doing it for the soccer why not go to Europe like her teammate who skipped the draft and signed with PSG for 3 years?  Much better to play for Lyon, Man City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Barcelona or A

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/psg-signs-american-defender-alana-cook-from-stanford/2019/01/15/4da2a35c-18f3-11e9-b8e6-567190c2fd08_story.html?utm_term=.1ff49d38660d


----------

