Soccer Watching

[Grace T.]

funny. just got this in the inbox:

U.S. SOCCER COACHING EDUCATION UPDATES GRASSROOTS PATHWAY, F AND E COURSES TRANSITION OUT

CHICAGO (Jan. 17, 2018) - Effective today, the U.S. Soccer F and E Coaching License courses will no longer be offered to new candidates as a part of the U.S. Soccer Coaching Pathway.

While candidates currently registered for the F or E course have the opportunity to complete the course process, earn the accompanying license and apply the license within the new pathway framework, new candidates will no longer be able to register for these courses. Instead, new Grassroots Course opportunities have been developed and added to the pathway, replacing the existing starting phase of the U.S. Soccer Coaching Pathway.

Coaches who currently hold the U.S. Soccer E License will be able to proceed directly to the U.S. Soccer D License course (no development period) after completing the cost-free Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module. Those who hold the F License will have the ability to move to the D License course after completing the Introduction to Grassroots Coaching module along with the 11v11 in-person course and one additional in-person grassroots course opportunity, either the 4v4, 7v7 or 9v9.

Grrr....leave it to them to figure out how to further break an already broken system. ...on the one hand, it's great that this looks like it will result in a greater in depth coaching experience for those who advance to the C or D. On the other hand, it reduces the E to something even less than the AYSO coaches license...I know I wouldn't want to put my kid on a team with a coach whose only experience is just completing the 9 v 9 module. It will also make it harder for a new coach to advance with their team as they'll either have to complete all their licenses and in person training to move onto the D, or get all the grassroots pathways. I'd question why you would put a new coach in charge of 11 v 11 games anyway if they don't hold a D. And it seems to double down on the guided self-learning philosophy of US Soccer when they could have used the opportunity to break out the learning...7 v 7 is a horrible age to do guided self-learning...it's the age where advantage should be taken to refine their skills and engage in individual development. And still nothing specific on the positions (such as defending or goalkeeping). Awful.

 

[Not_that_Serious]

they have C as part grassroots but it isnt. dividing up into modules sounds like a way to break it up to make more money. more modules = more money. want goalkeeping license/diploma then have to go NSCAA - even their first diploma can be done online.

 

[Grace T.]

they have C as part grassroots but it isnt. dividing up into modules sounds like a way to break it up to make more money. more modules = more money. want goalkeeping license/diploma then have to go NSCAA - even their first diploma can be done online.

And it's 2 hours classroom 2 hours field for one of these "licenses"....seriously! the AYSO coaches license is far more comprehensive than that! I wonder if they are going to set the D maybe then as the limit (you can only coach alone without supervision from a higher license, or maybe only provisionally for a year, or rec without advancing to the D)? Because if they don't, unless the coach had some other training such as at least college ball or NSCAA, I don't know why anyone would ever leave their kid with one of these newly minted 4 hour E-licensed coaches. This is only worth it if it results in the D being the minimum standard for any head coach, and I think you're right...different fees for different courses, means more $$$. And I love the buzzwords "grassroots" "actualizing" "development" "pathways". Every time I think US Soccer can't disappoint me more......

 

[JJP]

In fact, I’d prefer fewer people like soccer. Club soccer is overrun by too many teams. Note that I say teams and not players. They are part of the problem. Mommy and daddy have disposable income, they’ll pay. Clubs want some additional income to fatten their pockets and pay some for the A team, they’ll take you.

Recently, a friend took his kid out to their first tryout. They encountered a parent who played flight 3. I said, “flight 3???” Then I felt sorry for that kid and parent. You’re playing on the C or perhaps D team? There’s no value there. The best trainers aren’t with C or D teams.

Oh you want that trophy? We will slip you into Crappy United’s Cup, you know the lowest tourney on the Got Soccer rankings where half the teams are AYSO teams.

The ability to pay for club soccer has watered down the community where it used to be the kids who went out and kicked the ball on his or her own for hours.

I prefer less attention on soccer. I prefer fewer teams. There’s a ton of garbage out there. I walk big facilities on game day and watch the kickball, the horrendous first touches, the ball being deflected all around in the air. It’s atrocious.

It’s none of your business what sport other kids choose to play, or what sports other parents choose to pay for. I’d much rather see kids playing flight 3 soccer than sitting on their ass all day with phones glued to their face. As long as they are having a good time, getting fresh air and good exercise, what’s the problem?

I love seeing kids run around playing sports. There’s always going to be a lot more average to bad players than good players in any sport. Why not let the kids enjoy playing until the worse players get weeded out.

 

[chargerfan]

That flight 2 or 3 player at u10 could end up being a star at u17. And if not, who cares? They’re learning a sport from someone other than a “dad coach”, staying busy, wearing a cool uniform, and making friends. That’s worth $1300 a year to me.

 

[Not_that_Serious]

They rolled out the 4v4 grassroots course. Didnt purchase it. Wonder what 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 will cost. Im sure its not to make more $ or anything.

The interesting part, sadly, not one module/course/intro/graph mentions TECHNICAL ability. Attack the ball, get forward, etc. They assume coaches will learn to teach these things via the cloud. Good to instill a fundamental philosophy but wont do any good if the kid has difficulty getting the ball and then keeping it. For most people you have to S P E L L out instructions. If its a soccer dad who doesnt know anything about soccer, he wont know how to supplement drills. They should just tag all the modules with Youtube links. Hey, another sponsorship opp, get the $

 

[MWN]

They rolled out the 4v4 grassroots course. Didnt purchase it. Wonder what 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 will cost. Im sure its not to make more $ or anything.

The interesting part, sadly, not one module/course/intro/graph mentions TECHNICAL ability. Attack the ball, get forward, etc. They assume coaches will learn to teach these things via the cloud. Good to instill a fundamental philosophy but wont do any good if the kid has difficulty getting the ball and then keeping it. For most people you have to S P E L L out instructions. If its a soccer dad who doesnt know anything about soccer, he wont know how to supplement drills. They should just tag all the modules with Youtube links. Hey, another sponsorship opp, get the $

While the 4v4 is out and costs $25, the 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 are not yet available. How on earth do you know that "technical" elements are not covered in these yet to be seen courses?

BTW: All the courses will cost $25 each (https://supportersclub.desk.com/cus...-grassroots-licensing-courses-cost-?b_id=7309)

 

[Grace T.]

While the 4v4 is out and costs $25, the 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 are not yet available. How on earth do you know that "technical" elements are not covered in these yet to be seen courses?

You are right, it's impossible to know, but it's still a pretty good reasonable bet. The E license didn't have very much by way of technical skills (they sort of assume you already know how to do things like pass, move into space, attack the ball, skill moves). The curriculum to date has been geared away from teaching individual skills and more towards team and zonal tactics. And the 4 v 4 would be the most logical place to put these (since you are dealing with the youngers, and as a coach have more of an ability to get an eye on the player and give them more time than an 11 v 11 situation). Of course it all depends what the poster meant by "technical"...but given he mentioned soccer dads that might not have played, that's what I assumed he meant. Those soccer dads are more likely to coach a 4 v 4 than an 11 v 11 situation, and as I said before, I'm not sure what business a grassroots coach would have coaching an 11 v 11 situation.

 

[MWN]

You are right, it's impossible to know ... Those soccer dads are more likely to coach a 4 v 4 than an 11 v 11 situation, and as I said before, I'm not sure what business a grassroots coach would have coaching an 11 v 11 situation.

@Grace T., as I understand the "goal" US Soccer wants better educated coaches at the Rec and Club levels and has recognized that the E License was too easy to get (heck I have an E). The E is fine for U12 and under, and probably just as good for U14 Flight 3/Bronze, but once you hit the Flight 1+ and olders, the coach really should have a D, which requires that coach demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of how to run a training session, make corrections, etc.

If soccer is going to grow in popularity then we are going to need 1,000's more coaches and referees. The new grassroots licensing system allows new coaches to build that knowledge and its a major overhaul of the current system, so I have a wait and see attitude and look forward to checking it out.

 

[Grace T.]

@Grace T., as I understand the "goal" US Soccer wants better educated coaches at the Rec and Club levels and has recognized that the E License was too easy to get (heck I have an E). The E is fine for U12 and under, and probably just as good for U14 Flight 3/Bronze, but once you hit the Flight 1+ and olders, the coach really should have a D, which requires that coach demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of how to run a training session, make corrections, etc.

If soccer is going to grow in popularity then we are going to need 1,000's more coaches and referees. The new grassroots licensing system allows new coaches to build that knowledge and its a major overhaul of the current system, so I have a wait and see attitude and look forward to checking it out.

I'm more of a cynic I guess and see it as a way for them to get more $. I agree that for the levels you outlined the coach really should have a D. It's another example, in my book, of them not having the courage of their convictions to mandate that. And it makes the fact that an 11 v 11 module is included for such grassroots courses (ney required to advanced to the D), all the more baffling. I hope I'm proven wrong, and while I've seen the free module, I haven't looked at the 4 v 4 module. But from what I've seen and heard so far, this is a disappointing step backwards. And if we are really concerned about the Rec coaches getting a better education, giving them a little more on individual development (like the AYSO curriculum does) would have been helpful.

 

[Multi Sport]

That flight 2 or 3 player at u10 could end up being a star at u17. And if not, who cares? They’re learning a sport from someone other than a “dad coach”, staying busy, wearing a cool uniform, and making friends. That’s worth $1300 a year to me.

On the old forum there was a guy, Grandpa Duck, who posted that if your daughter was not playing ECNL by U14 then she should quit Soccer and find another sport because she would never receive a scholarship and your just wasting your money.

My DD was cut from a Presidio AA-C U12 team. She came back to that same team at U17, a team that eventually produced 9 Collegiate players, 4 of them D1.

My DD is in her Jr year in college and playing soccer. When all is said and done she will have received over $100k scholarship.

Too bad G-pa Duck is not around. My DD would like to thank him for his motivation..