US Youth Soccer Heading Down Wrong Path?

He has also been an on-air analyst for Crew broadcasts. Jay is not a writer, that's evident. But he makes some very good points about second and third skills-tier youth player development.
Read the WHOLE THING, HERE.

Added: I dont see any way that USSF can avoid acting on this. It needs attention.

 

I agree with this. More Free Play also, where the kids can be creative, is needed.

 

Totally agree with both of you. USSF should act because they've already said that many kids are playing too many soccer games let alone tournaments. Our local club wants the young kids doing free play (i.e. no uniforms, no games with parents cheering on the sides) but so far they've met too much opposition. They cave because they're afraid that people will move to another club and the kids will get even less appropriate soccer.

If only we could get the inner city kids, who dont have parents scheduling their every move, playing soccer.

 

Small sided soccer is the key. It is happening - just not with the upper middle class. That is why club ball is a joke... Not the best - just the "best" parents.

It is going to kill our chances of winning a world cup if we dont get a handle on it. Put us in the same situation as England. All the wrong training and a system that is too set in its ways to change.

Now that youth soccer is a business I dont know that US Soccer will be able to get it to change, but I hope I am wrong.

The sad thing is that many of the major clubs here in Washington are lead by English coaching - England... You know the team that failed to qualify for Euro 2008? The country where the FA has lost all touch with reality? We want coaches from this system?

The reality is that the parents dont know any better and they think if you have an English accent then you MUST be an expert on the game. Stupid.

 

Re: RE: US Youth Soccer Heading Down Wrong Path?

Too true, parents will fork out thousands for an accent.

I think all of Ohio is small sided soccer and has been for several years. It is definitely key for developing young players.

While I agree that soccer is too much of a business in the US I'm not sure that it spells doom for our WC chances. Look at our women afterall. I've always thought that for the men's program we just needed more numbers, good competition, and the ability to attract our finest athletes. I think that we are getting there.

I also dont know about the English influence. I know they have lots of camps in the summers but I thought US soccer was more influenced by the Dutch. Where I live, it is at our club level and to some degree at the state level. I also thought that US Soccer sort of officially looked to the Dutch as a model, could be wrong though.

Anyway, I'm hopefull. I think the Youth Development Academy that the US just started will help develop our best players in an effective way. The only thing that we are seriously lacking is kids organizing there own pick games on the "sandlot" and I think you need to turn the clock back to get that again.

 

Agree about the Title IX and women's sports but I still think women's soccer in the US attracks a higher percentage of the top athletes than men's soccer does. I think that helps. If Abby Wambaugh was male, I doubt she'd be playing soccer.

And this may be an anathema to those of a liberal bent but the overscheduled leisure time and too much suburbia and money has a lot to do with both parents working. Read an article recently about how all the organized activities started as a way to keep kids busy (away from drugs or trouble) in the hours between school and their parents getting home. It also came from pressure to get into a good college or get a scholarship. Then it grew from there. Back in the day when Mom was home and Dad had the only car at work, Mom couldnt drive her Jrs. to and from everything. Also, she had too many children to afford it or logistically manage it.

Finally we have a society that frowns on anything other than the most overprotective, paranoid form of parenting. My neighbor called me up to say she saw my 10 year old riding his bike in the street and I've been criticized for letting my 7 yr old walk the entire two blocks to school by himself.

 

I know that this is anathema to those of Liberal bent, but
. . . . . . .
the over control of soccer is part of the over control of EVERYTHING that young people do.

And the OVERCONTROL of EVERYTHING the YOUNG people do can be traced directly to those who believe that in every 'accidental injury' there is a victim and someone to pay. Those who profess that on TV tort-trolling commercials are hardly 'conservative', either.

So there ...for your little 'jib-jab'. We been there, we done that.

 

Great points, Don. There is some reading between the lines of Don's opinion that I think is necessary, but perhaps IT IS a novel aproach that is needed for the U.S. and its youth.

 

I know this may be anathema to the PC, but tell your neighbors to feck off! And I'm a "liberal" (who fails to see what part of your point would be anathema to me).

 

The liberal comment was mostly a joke because someone could interpret it as anti-working mom.

 

Petty, I never had any doubt that you had been there and done that topic before.

 

Dr. Jay Martin has some valid points. The other issue with tournaments is that they are forcing athletes to specialize in one sport only. What is happening to the days of 3-sport stars? By the time parents are done paying for their kids to compete for these club teams in tournaments, many of them could've saved enough money for their kids college educations which is the main reason for having them play in the first place so they can get a scholarship. I think that's another issue in its own right. Our kids are playing to get to college. Kids in other countries are playing to get better so they have the chance to play professionally. Granted the systems are different with academies and all, but I have to agree w/ Dr. Martin and a lot of his views.

What are some other things could be done to improve the development of youth in this country?

There is a new futsal arena here in Salt Lake and I think this is a good way to help our youth develop better technical ability. Athletes must learn how to move without the ball in a constrictive area , develop a good first touch, and keep control of the ball in tight areas. Quick decisions and accuracy must be stressed, but with proper training the technical ability of an individual would improve drastically. In a country that has a lot of cold areas where playing outdoors in the winter is impossible, futsal leagues during the winter would drastically improve the level of play for our youth. Some of the best players in the world played futsal when they were younger. Why don't we implement it more?

 

Actually, Don alluded to one way for kids to think about action/reaction in a creative way. It is called basketball. I can barely stand watching it these days, but if you understand the flow of it, it will help in other sports. Thus getting us back to omsdogg's point about multiple sports.

We (Americans) can learn from other philosophies about soccer, but the more I think about it, the more we need to incorporate, not adopt. And anyone who thinks "inner-city, black, hispanics" will save the game for the U.S. are completely subscribing to some sort of lower-class superman fantasy land.

 

Anyone that thinks the best athletes are only going to be found in privileged white America better get their Ray Ban's prescription checked.

hehehe...

We play Futsal all winter - I really believe in it for player development. Also it is REALLY REALLY fun to play.

 

Let's see...

I live between Suburbia and the City of Baltimore. I am married with 3 kids. My wife is a "domestic engineer." I drive a 2000 Saturn and our "big" TV is 12 years old and 27".

My 8 year old son plays soccer. The plan is to have him play in both the Spring and Fall leagues, with some camps in the summer (he wants to play for the USMNT). In addition, my back yard is the neighborhood soccer field - 4-8 kids from the neighborhood go back their with my son and play, without any adults, referees, or even clear goals. As time permits, I go out there with him, one-on-one, so he can practice dribbling moves, kicking with his left foot and other useful things. He also watches soccer on TV and plays the FIFA games on Game Cube (which actually helps gain an understanding of crosses and making runs).

In his first competitive season, in 7 games, he had 6 goals and 10 assists, leading the league in the latter category.

Soccer in the US can succeed, but it will require the involvement of parent's who understand the game and aren't just using it for paid babysitting and personal aggrandizement. It will require parent's who put their kids in soccer because its what the kid wants to do and who want to spend time with their kids doing activities that their kids love.

 

Yeah, I agree... Soccer is WAY past the 'snooty clique' here in Central Ohio.. and has been for decades.