A five-point plan to simplify youth soccer’s confusing mess of competitions

Why do we need "national championships" for youth at all?
I mean, it's fun and all. And winning matters. But why not just have a season, and end of season tournament and call it a day. If you want to play against teams from further away, find a summer tournament.
 
timbuck said:
Why do we need "national championships" for youth at all?
I mean, it's fun and all. And winning matters. But why not just have a season, and end of season tournament and call it a day. If you want to play against teams from further away, find a summer tournament.
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Agree. Especially AYSO. I have seen AYSO "core season" teams (not Extra or tournament teams) whose season ends in November play all the way through mid March as they advanced from region, area, section playoffs.
 
A pyramid of sorts does exist - DA at the top, AYSO at the bottom and everything else in between. The article should focus on sorting out the mess of all of those competing leagues that are in the middle.
 
Having all of the leagues under one umbrella and have a system of promotion/relegation should be the goal. Youth leagues with promotion/relegation, Adult leagues with promotion/relegation. No $100 million dollar fee to get in the MLS. New England, DC United, Colorado and Minnesota relegated. Charleston, Louisiville, San Antonio and Real Monarchs promoted. Etc... if you beleive that the MLS is the highest level and the USL a step down.

Unfortunately, there is too much money being made by old men with deep pockets to allow this to happen. Why does the US soccer federation have a $100 million dollar war chest? Because this is a for profit business, not the non-profit organization it is supposed to be.

They have the money right now, $100 Million!!!! to consolidate all these leagues, make it one big national program. Spend it on the players you have built your wealth on, build it for the future. No they will continue to hoard the money and use it to enrich the owners at the top, protect themselves.

Heck I am part of the problem. My DD plays for and "LA Galaxy" franchise. Her uniform says LA Galaxy, her bag says LA Galaxy, half of her wardrobe says LA Galaxy, yet her local club operates under the guise of a non-profit 501 c3. Every time she puts on that uniform and represents her club she is promoting the brand. Building profits for the fat cats at the top.
 
We are the only country in the world where last place teams instead of being relegated get 1st draft picks.
 
What's with the extra "Players' First" designation that is suggested for select DA's (and I'm guessing ECNL also)? I thought the idea was to unify the leagues. That would just be another method of separating them. Sounds like it's a "We are the Elite-est of the Elite" kind of thing, and the start of another power grab. Come on folks! Most respectfully, while I think there needs to be order in the soccer world as well, I disagree wth most of the solutions presented in this article.

By the way, keep in mind that our country is huge, our population is more than 4 times that of Germany and 6 times that of England. You can't really compare us to those countries. One reason we give first round picks to last place teams is so that people across this vast nation can have a chance to root for their local teams - otherwise they'd just go out of business. While we need order, we can't sacrifice the marvelous varied options and choices we have uniquely in this country.
 
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