Karlton Athletic
SILVER ELITE
I always thought it might be fun to have a SoCal version of the FA Cup, with teams from all leagues able to enter and the matches drawn randomly… have a decent prize for the winning team.
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- Thread starter sandiegofutbolguy
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RandomSoccerFan
PREMIER
That was the intention of the State Cup many years ago. No matter the league or level they participated in, they could join the State Cup competition and see how things went in determining the best team in the state of that age. But quite awhile ago, a couple things happened to make it much less relevant. In CA, competing organizations set up their own competing "State Cup", rendering both of them less valuable/unique. As the letter leagues started to take over the high end of youth soccer, very few of them believed that entering their teams in the State Cup was particularly useful. State Cup became a championship for Level 3 / Level 4 teams and has stayed that way through today.
A new organizer with that similar idea (best teams, all leagues), would have to overcome the same objections and somehow convince the top clubs/leagues that it was in their interest to actually join. Sure would be fun.
A new organizer with that similar idea (best teams, all leagues), would have to overcome the same objections and somehow convince the top clubs/leagues that it was in their interest to actually join. Sure would be fun.
US Soccer couldn't work it's way out of a wet paper bag and taking over USYS may be the final nail in the coffin of youth soccer. Until US Soccer is burned down and completely restructured (which will never happen) youth soccer and all soccer in the US is doomed for failure.
In the last 10-15 years the number of letter leagues and so-called "pathways" has exploded along with misguided initiatives that have done nothing to improve soccer in the states and I would argue have made it worse.
If you want your kid to get a college scholarship have them play futsal when they are young and then move to Europe.
Missouri State’s Global Roster Shakes Up College Soccer
Missouri State’s 2026 men’s soccer team has no U.S. hometowns listed, highlighting how international recruiting is reshaping college soccer for American players.
ussoccerparent.com
That’s a foreign recruit problem. But hey at least you get looks at flex and there are kids that get picked up by academies and colleges. Sure not everyone. But enough to be appealing, more than say the ea showcase.
For the olders there is no incentive. The top players at that point don’t want to take an injury for something which will take them out of Flex or cup where the recruiters are. So the teams will have to play the subs which will just make the club look bad. The parents don’t want yet another drive. The players are already struggling with the high school load of college bound. The only way you’d make a draw of it is if banned recruiters from going to flex and mandated that they go to this new thing. How’s that gonna happen?
Watfly speaks truth. Burn it down is the only thing that gets us anywhere different. But whose gonna do that (short of the government)?US Soccer couldn't work it's way out of a wet paper bag and taking over USYS may be the final nail in the coffin of youth soccer. Until US Soccer is burned down and completely restructured (which will never happen) youth soccer and all soccer in the US is doomed for failure.
In the last 10-15 years the number of letter leagues and so-called "pathways" has exploded along with misguided initiatives that have done nothing to improve soccer in the states and I would argue have made it worse.
If you want your kid to get a college scholarship have them play futsal when they are young and then move to Europe.
Missouri State’s Global Roster Shakes Up College Soccer
Missouri State’s 2026 men’s soccer team has no U.S. hometowns listed, highlighting how international recruiting is reshaping college soccer for American players.
The Soccer Dr
BRONZE
These are all suggestions worthy of being integrated into the future soccer model, non of them require breaking down what currently exits, they can be included in additional ways to offer access to the game. Several comments in this forum highlight that clubs and individuals who currently are in a good place are not going to give it up, agreed. But they don't have to give it up, the rest of the soccer community - the majority - can create additional avenues for families to see value in. Scholastic soccer should be supported, kids love playing with their friends, it encourages school spirit and at a time when experts in child and adolescent health say that sports participation is the answer to the current health crisis, sport in schools is not only a nice thing to have it's a critical thing. Keeping kids in the game longer has been a problem for more than 30 years, once soccer became a thing for younger kids the sport needed to figure out how to keep them. The USSF still hasn't figured out that Player I.D. is not a strategy to keep kids in the game longer. For many families soccer is not enjoyable, affordable, and it's selling a value that is not attainable to 98% of the families. If all your offering is college scholarships or pro careers kids and families quickly figure out you are not giving them any value. Different forms of the game while niche today could be grown into something bigger, US soccer is investing in 5 a side facilities, but in a country so big it's a drop in a bucket. But all forms of the game, on all surfaces, should be considered as part of the bigger strategy. Clubs, teams and coaches in Southern California - those on the outside looking in - need to align around the following: open access, local to regional play, more affordable, and offer both soccer and life skill development. This is what every parent values and kids today need it. The path forward is not about taking something from those that have it, it's about building something that is open to everyone, offers value to all families and is local, affordable, and scaleable. The clubs, teams, and coaches who are frustrated by the current system have to come together and build a new opportunity without trying to tear down the current model - that's would be a waist of time and energy.
For starters, the club that have been locked out, the AYSO Uniteds, the Laguna Uniteds, the BOCAs, the LA City FCs, instead of trying to get in on EA, ECRL or MLS next 2, just put your teams in CSL.
The Soccer Dr
BRONZE
All of your commentary is correct, I would add some additional thoughts. The creation of competing platforms - whether it is a league, or competition - is about control and money. The multiple letter leagues were an answer to US Soccer starting the Boys DA, and operating it as a closed system. Those on the outside looking in had to set up their own "closed" system. ECNL started as events, and became a league in response to the DA.. It ended up with many closed leagues, all claiming to have regional and national championships and teams not engaging in cross league play. In Southern California the claim of being the best team in a city is made on a website or on social media, it is never earned by playing a game on the field. Teams stopped playing in State Cup because they feared the results would burst the bubble, so they created their own competition - which they called a state cup - as a revenue generating opportunity. The idea of an open competition, that identifies a winner would indeed be fun and everyone not to afraid to take on the challenge should participate. The fact that teams choose not to participate should not mean the idea is lost.
Bingo, now throw a little p2p money into the mix with a parent, club, or coach (or some combo of all three) that have ethics challenges and you get where we are today.
Oh you thought that golf fund raiser where you get to chat up your kids coach for a few hours was was free?
What Ive seen is ethically challenged people tend to gravitate to positions of power where those around them cant question their actions.
I appreciate that you're upbeat and that youre trying to highlight a different path. I also dont want to come off as super negative. I like soccer. I love watching Futsal.
Unfortunately I dont believe things can ever change without blowing up the current system. Wasnt that what DA tried to do? ;-) Im only kidding. If you want to effect change US Soccer has to get more involved at all levels and forms of Soccer. They cant just sit back in their new $250 million dollar facility in Atlanta. You think we didnt notice? How much change could $250 million have done if only spent on the players? Just another example of more of the same.
Why would anyone give up flex scouting opportunities, the existing competition, academy looks, and the badge to play coast? Come on. You know the answer. It’s a fantasy. You can get the 30th bencher maybe. You aren’t getting the top kid. And you need the top kid because that’s who the rest will follow.
Ps we have an example of ayso united in CSL. Ranch conejo boys ayso united 08. Won the state cup. Advanced its way up by dropping players and recruiting new ones. Won next state cup. The coach was buddy buddy with the assistant coach and even dropped the guys kid forcing him to a lower level. But then letter league hit. The best players left for letter league. MLS hg. A couple of them even for mls ad down the street. By the time of the big shift to SoCal occurred the team was a hollow shell. I don’t think it made it to u19 maybe not even to u17. Now United as a program is gone. United is putting however its new all star select teams (essentially extras) in csl.
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Who cares about 1/4 scholarships? These parents are rich. Scholarships mean nothing to them.
Errr again see my example above about rancho conejo united ayso 08. It’s simply not true. You may not like the choices but the market has chosen.
As I’ve said so many times it’s not just about the scholarships but in an age of donor legacy and dei admissions about getting preferential admissions too.
The reality is best players from mid table MLS next HD and ECNL players are getting offers to Chico state or some community college. It would be very easy to recruit these top players to CSL.
Hey has anyone heard of beast residency in Florida? It’s a combination school and soccer academy that basically recreates what a European academy training day looks like. They are club neutral so they do not compete in weekend games. Some parents do club (with practice waivers) on top of it but that risks overuse injury. Others do Latino league just for the weekend experience. Still others do rec ball in some other sport to get the multisport. As a result it’s a different experience than img or barsa which is aimed at the olders. For a kid interested in soccer I like the idea but it’s not risk free: what if the kid decides he doesn’t want to do soccer after all? And you eventually do either have to double up or leave (he actually tries to place his players if not an academy then upsl instead of p2p clubs)…as a result the school does seem very younger focused for kids trying to get into academies. But given we lack a true Youngers academy system, I think the idea (esp if you forego p2p clubs while in beast as a younger) interesting given the emphasis on small sided games futsal and training. I’ll be interested to see what results he pulls long term.
Again we’ve seen the historical case: rancho conejo ayso united 08. If they couldn’t make a go of it by pulling players from mlsn what makes you think anyone else would be able?
Maybe US Soccer shouldn't allow so many different league options? Fragmentation is what you're describing.
The Soccer Dr
BRONZE
The criticism of the USSF is warranted based upon their lack of attention to youth soccer, failed attempts to take over youth soccer, and their creation of the Boys DA which is the genesis of the current market structure, which many on this forum rightly criticize. So the USSF has a lot to answer for and the latest "Pathways" strategy is not going to satisfy to many people it it certainly will not achieve the PR speak of lowering costs, creating local play, and unifying the soccer ecosystem. By appointing of the US Club league operators to run the league and approval of a NPL rebrand, is early proof of that. But the structure of US youth sports overseen by the USOC - which is wrong in so many ways, but we can leave that for another thread - which appoints the NGB of each sport. The USSF (as the NGB) feels empowered perhaps more than in any other sport. The Mens and Women's National Team sits at the top of the tree, FIFA speaks to and gives the money to the USSF, so unlike football where the NFL is the north star for the sport and the NGB bows down to the NFL, the USSF sees itself above MLS even if many know the MLS brand more than the USSF brand. So the USSF feels emboldened, is flush with cash and has used it to take control of youth soccer - deal with US Club, and now USYS - which it has wanted to do since 1999. But in the interest of fairness many USYS State Assoc were a pain in the you no what and many believe they held youth soccer back the way they did/do things. But the fix will not come from above, it will come from the grass roots. It will not come from the clubs who like the way things are - but don't think all the coaches at these clubs are happy - it will come from the "majority" of clubs who are frustrated with the current model, believe it is a political money making racket, and are frustrated. But instead of trying to "break in" to the system they need to build something that ADDS to the current model. Don;t try to change it, don't try and join it - they don't want you in - create something that is the alternative. Most parents are not happy paying large sums of money, traveling all over the place, and living in fear that if they say something their child will lose playing time or get kicked out. Clubs, coaches and teams need to build another model based upon, open access, local to regional play, more affordable and offering both player development and life skill development. It is better to build your own path than try to knock down the current one or keep hoping that one day "they" will let you in.US Soccer couldn't work it's way out of a wet paper bag and taking over USYS may be the final nail in the coffin of youth soccer. Until US Soccer is burned down and completely restructured (which will never happen) youth soccer and all soccer in the US is doomed for failure.
In the last 10-15 years the number of letter leagues and so-called "pathways" has exploded along with misguided initiatives that have done nothing to improve soccer in the states and I would argue have made it worse.
If you want your kid to get a college scholarship have them play futsal when they are young and then move to Europe.
Missouri State’s Global Roster Shakes Up College Soccer
Missouri State’s 2026 men’s soccer team has no U.S. hometowns listed, highlighting how international recruiting is reshaping college soccer for American players.