I agree, I see the bigger is better nonsense on my son's team already.

"Barcelona is probably the shortest team to win the world cup in years"

When did Barcelona win the World Cup?

I know we're still in the early years (ha!) of this Academy experiment, but based on this week's performance by the U17 National team, I'd have to say things aren't looking very good.

Our best-of-the-best (or so you would think) came out and played the same-old, same-old American soccer: kick...run...muscle...repeat. Very athletic, but not very effective. They got spanked technically, all over the field. Looked pretty much like a sloppy US college JV team.

And the part I really loved: something like 20+ kids on this team have at least one parent not born in the US. Talk about an indictment of home grown training.

To be honest, some parents value education far too much to push soccer. At the NJ ODP practices this week, there were MANY dads talking about not only their sons playing soccer, but them playing soccer as well. In our family, both parents still play soccer, we watch soccer frequently, and talk about soccer even more. Still only two of our three kids are interested, but we do have the motivation to schlepp two hours to ODP practices and so on. There are parents of kids on my son's team who complain if there is a night game or an added practice, and say thank goodness when a game is cancelled. We complain if a practice is cancelled or a practice shortened.

My point being that either soccer is already a way of life for the family (more likely if the family is from a soccer country) or the child's parents are so enlightened to see their kid loves the sport and supports them all they can.

Sports is seen as a way out of poverty for some (none expect to play in the US if they are first generation American, heck my son is third generation American and if he plays in the US, it will be in college only). And those who come to the US with a few bucks tend to value the sports traditions of home, and can buy training that their child needs.

About half of my son's team is first generation American. A lot of them spend time doing tricks by themselves, then cave in games when they try them out under pressure. They don't have the dedication or time to practice at home. And most live in the suburbs where they can't get together with a few other kids to practice.

I let my kid practice in his room, and take him to the local field to practice sometimes. There just aren't that many US-born parents who allow that.

Think of all the crazy gymnast and ice skating parents there are out there, and how many hours those kids spend on practices with few competitions. I know kids who are spending 15 hours per week on gymnastics or swimming, at age 10. What would our youth soccer players look like if they had that kind of training at age 10?

Yes, some kids would get burned out, but they don't belong in the program if they get burned out. Why does everything in the US, including top youth soccer programs, have to pitch to the average, the here-at-my-convenience crowd?

You are obviously not a statistical genius. Look up the definition of average, mean, or even outliers. Lastly, I didn't realize that Barcelona was a country, or in the World Cup, or that Messi changed his citizenship. You learn something every day!

"This is the wrong attitude for Soccer and the whole country for G-d sakes!. At 14 and above, you have to EARN your playing time. The little spoiled brats have been getting trophies for showing up since they are 5. Enough already. let them learn what it takes to succeed, or fail. The best players are the one's who do the most work OUTSIDE practice and games."

Ah, what it takes to succeed or fail.

You ignore the fact that in youth soccer, like in school, sometimes the players who "talk the talk" get more playing time than those who "walk the walk". Smarmy up to the coach, and junior is a starter even though he stinks like rotten eggs at soccer and has a negative disruptive attitude to boot. Pay a little extra or volunteer more, maybe your son does training with the coach on the outside, some more playing time.

Yeah, the real world is based on "earn it and you get it" but there is way too much politics in youth soccer to get a realistic picture on who is a good player and who is not. That's why "stupid/failing programs" like ODP are good for those kids who don't get chummy with the coach or laugh at his jokes, or outperform his son at forward.

As players progress, they can't all play USSDA or pre-USSDA, sometimes due to travel or cost, and some will still work their butts off on their own and go beyond their current team. ODP and Super Y are good ways to get identified not through USSDA, but will they be second class or really be for talent?

Based on the NJ ODP boys I saw this weekend, I don't know what to think. I do know that there were a few pre-USSDA players there, but there were a lot more not there. It looked like RBNY allowed their pre-USSDA players to do ODP, but PDA, MF, and NJSA did not based on who was seen and not seen.

][/quote]In point [1] where we challenged the USSF Monitoring of Curriculum and Training, you explain that BOTN has the story wrong and USSF regularly monitors club performance. Subsequently in point [3], you ask BOTN Industries to tell you which Youth Soccer Organization screens coaches. If you are right in point [1], your answer had better be the USSF. By your asking in point [3], you concede that the USSF must not be providing club guidance, oversight, or curriculum management as we have suggested many times over.

You are trying be a lawyer now, and it's not working. The two issues are SEPARATE, and you have them confused.
To wit:
All clubs must have A license coaches on staff
All Coaches must past back ground check
All Clubs should have director of coaching which drives a uniform approach throughout the organization. There is no curriculum because there is no universally accepted method to teach the game, and it's important for player to be exposed to different coaching styles.

The OTHER issue is MONITORING (of performance) and the USSF does monitor performance of the academy programs.

In point [2], we agree that the most dedicated players will work at the game during their recreational hours for fun. To that end, you are arguing that the USSF Academy System, designed to identify and grow the best, is maintaining at best minimal standards hoping to hold teams together while continuing to look for the next round of best players.

Not sure where I said "minimal standards to hold team together"
ALL teams, spend alot of time trying to improve, from the outisde AND inside

Point [4] regarding college recruitment is absolutely true. If you are honest, close to 100% of those in the Academy System will tell you that they are there for college placement, not professional aspirations. Because the parent/player aspirations are NOT aligned with the USSF Academy System's original goal of national and professional player identification since "college recruitment came first", the USSF Academy Teams have necessarily had to change their stance on recruitment and therefore retrench on the overall mission statement.

For the umpteenth time, as long as the USSF attracts the BEST players, this is where the college coaches will spend most of their time and THAT is why folks believe this to be helpful for college. The value of that will vary by player

Now, let's come back to point [3]. Involved with many major universities, we can tell you that the faculty charged with teaching students have major academic credentials and corresponding curriculum requirements which must be delivered. BOTN Industries is asking that the same rigor that one would find in a major university atheletic program be applied to the USSF Academy System. These elements include:

• Identification of recruiting and curriculum guidelines which are open and transparent.
• Clear and concise financial reporting accountable not to the club itself but to the organizing structure, in this case USSF, which is solely responsible for compliance monitoring.
• Training programs and investments made in the coaching programs for which it has fiduciary responsibility.

In short, BOTN Industries is calling for accountability at the USSF level which in turn strongly monitors compliance at the club level. This will level the playing field on money-motivations and get the focus onto the players and training those young men as you passionately desire. [/quote]

This is a not so wonderful pipe dream. The biggest revenue sports in our country do not have this sort of "curriculum" for youth programs. What makes you think the cash challenged sport of soccer will EVER have that?
I am pretty impressed with NFL, MLB and NBA players this country produces without those sports over governing (gee where has that been a problem recently??!!) the youth programs.

For the record, as poor as YOU think the ussf system is, it is far better than ANYTHING that preceded it, and it's modeled after European clubs.

I think the poster meant FIFA Club World Cup, which Barcelona won last year in Japan

Are you suggesting a program is bad because "sometimes" politics gets a player playing time? In which youth sport does that NOT happen?
Point is simple: work your hardest, play your best, good things will happen. Somewhere along the line, the players MUST prove it on the field. Spending time whining about it here, may make some feel better, but NOTHING comes of it.

You are one piece of work!!

Amusing stuff though!!! You have no idea how many laughs you give us when you post!