US Youth Development

[Ulrich]

Only two players who have won the Hermann trophy in the last 10 years have become relevant to the USMNT. (this being the trophy equal to the heisman trophy for best player). just goes to show the scale from how poor college soccer is to the MLS


patrick mullins doesn't count because he sucks.

It’s pretty bleak as of recently, but that’s more a factor of the best players skip college, or are poached early on as Freshmen/Sophomores for GenAdidas, so they’re not even eligible. If you go farther back on the list the Herman Winners were routinely fixtures on the MNT up through 1994.

One of the biggest losses was Mike Fisher, a two time winner, who declined to play for the Tampa Bay Mutiny because he was going to Med School - he was a ridiculous talent and evidently super smart as HS valedictorian and now a radiologist. He basically said the shitty salaries in MLS (at the time) didn’t make it worthwhile for somebody contemplating med school and private practice.

Teal Bunbury has/had potential scoring a goal/4 games for SKC, but got screwed being traded to NE where players go to rot: his rate is now G/6g.

Leo Stoltz is the most interesting one on the recent list since he started college late as a 20yo after playing for 1860’s reserves. So him winning the trophy as a senior is kinda like Freddy Adu playing with the U17 team as a 32yo.

I expect last year’s winner, Ian Harkes to get some looks. No idea if he’ll stick, but he got 18 matches in this year for DC as a rookie and showed pretty well.

But yeah, the Herman Award is nearing extinction as a measure of the top youth in the country.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Except DC United.

Is that true of every player or just one of them.

 

[sbrylski]

The next step after now having MLS academies churning out legit prospects is incentive to sell to Europe. There is no reason why the hell Dallas should be selling Acosta because the GAM that they'll be getting back isn't worth it. After making a reason to pay players USSF needs to make sure not only MLS academies are free but the whole USDA.

I wonder if this flip isn't "scheduled" to happen until expansion fees dry up.

 

[Fantazma]

For USSDA its at least $2k to play for an academy. There's two showcase tournaments every year. club/USSDA does not cover that, and is not included in the initial 2k to play for the academy.
ODP is still a thing but the talent is not there anymore. come 12-13 years old kids go to academies or pre-academies now. thats also another good fee on top of whatever the local or premier club costs.

To become a USSF A grade coach (the highest coach) 10 years ago, basically all you had to do was pay like $500 and take a couple of bullshit generic coaching courses. it's obviously improved but its still not adequate. and eventually if you plan on furthering your "knowledge" or go up a grade you will have to take courses on the west coast for like $7000 unless your club hooks you up.

7000? geez....i know its gonna cost money but 7K?

wonder if its just more efficient going to europe for uefa license instead

 

[Ulrich]

The next step after now having MLS academies churning out legit prospects is incentive to sell to Europe. There is no reason why the hell Dallas should be selling Acosta because the GAM that they'll be getting back isn't worth it. After making a reason to pay players USSF needs to make sure not only MLS academies are free but the whole USDA.

The sale/transfer of academy prospects should 100% go to the club - MLS shouldn’t get any of it, save for maybe a 3% commission. That would be more than enough incentive to develop as many top talents as possible. As it currently stands, it doesn’t pay for academies to produce any more than a handful of players each year because too many means they won’t get playing time/aren’t all able to break into the 18, so they’ll stagnate for a bit and lose value, plus they need multiple years on the team before they are worth a “max” split with MLS. That handicaps the MLS side that wants to sell but can’t keep enough on the roster to also have viable depth for the season. Meanwhile, MLS is sucking on the academies’ teat taking more than their fair share (if sold early) - or in reality more than they deserve at all since the academies foot the entire bill for development.

I look at it this way.... if 20 MLS teams all developed 2-4 competitive pro prospects every year, and keep 2 while top5/2nd tier Euro clubs (most likely the 2nd tier save for the Reyna’s, Sargent’s, and McKinnie’s who’d be fought over by the elite orgs) transfer in the rest, it’d be a proverbial cash cow for the clubs and a massive talent pool for USSoccer. But the only way this works is if MLS stops taking such a massive cut of the transfer. This also rewards the hell out of the clubs that care about developing real talent.

 

[Mario]

7000? geez....i know its gonna cost money but 7K?

wonder if its just more efficient going to europe for uefa license instead

7000 might be exaggerated, but its a couple thousand, not including travel and hotel... idk where i got 7k from.

 

[QuigrNYCFC]

7000 might be exaggerated, but its a couple thousand, not including travel and hotel... idk where i got 7k from.

Net takeaway: too much money.

Us soccer should pay coaches to teach the youth.

 

[Mario]

Net takeaway: too much money.

Us soccer should pay coaches to teach the youth.

starts at $25 to get the lowest lifence, being the F license, which takes 2 hours

 

[Fantazma]

7000 might be exaggerated, but its a couple thousand, not including travel and hotel... idk where i got 7k from.

wasnt there going to be some "US soccer coaching center" in Kansas city ....or was that a new US Soccer training facility being built instead? .....maybe in future all those license courses can be there

 

[Mario]

wasnt there going to be some "US soccer coaching center" in Kansas city ....or was that a new US Soccer training facility being built instead? .....maybe in future all those license courses can be there

they should have many locations for coaching courses take place, at least 1-2 in each region. makes it easier for people to get to these places. It's not like they would decrease the value of getting a license, it actually might attract more interest from people who are on the fence whether they want to pursue a higher education or not.

 

[ktdNYCFC]

[deleted] Decided to post in one of the other 12 US youth threads that was more appropriate

 

[Fantazma]

they should have many locations for coaching courses take place, at least 1-2 in each region. makes it easier for people to get to these places. It's not like they would decrease the value of getting a license, it actually might attract more interest from people who are on the fence whether they want to pursue a higher education or not.

of course.....maybe even a few MLS teams can help with hosting them at their training facilities in different regions.

based on reddit comments...they make it harder so then not anyone can just get one .....i guess they only want people getting involved in USSDA or pay to play as well as former MLS players i assume

 

[Mario]

of course.....maybe even a few MLS teams can help with hosting them at their training facilities in different regions.

based on reddit comments...they make it harder so then not anyone can just get one .....i guess they only want people getting involved in USSDA or pay to play as well as former MLS players i assume

i mean the process to begin with isn't structured to let just anyone get it. there's at least a 6 month gap in between licenses with hours of training required, videos and walkthroughs. My friend went all the way to Seattle to get his C license. His instructor had failed him because he couldn't conduct training sessions the way they wanted. My friend at the time was very interested in making it as a coach, he put in the time and effort, didn't get it in the end. became a baker

 

[Fantazma]

i mean the process to begin with isn't structured to let just anyone get it. there's at least a 6 month gap in between licenses with hours of training required, videos and walkthroughs. My friend went all the way to Seattle to get his C license. His instructor had failed him because he couldn't conduct training sessions the way they wanted. My friend at the time was very interested in making it as a coach, he put in the time and effort, didn't get it in the end. became a baker

yea its another thing i read about the system.....in order to pass its their way or the high way...which to me doesnt sound right since in coaching its not simple black and white answers.

sure there are concepts that you should show that you have mastered but im sure in coaching there is more than one way to show it.

 

[Mario]

yea its another thing i read about the system.....in order to pass its their way or the high way...which to me doesnt sound right since in coaching its not simple black and white answers.

sure there are concepts that you should show that you have mastered but i'm sure in coaching there is more than one way to show it.

I have had USSF A licensed coaches who couldn't put together a proper session and UEFA A licensed coach that could write you a whole paper on how to win a game but when you put him on a field he looks like he should be videotaping games. The system's broken. the coaching standards need to go in a different direction.

 

[FredMertz]

Here's a poorly-thought-out brainstorm I just had.

Part of our national problem is that our country is so large, right?

USSF should create youth teams, at the various age levels, which represent each state. So, like, you'd have a New York team and a Michigan team, etc., as if they were mini national teams. These teams would compete in regional tournaments which would lead to national championships.

Along with this, each state gets an appropriately staffed team of youth scouts and youth coaches.

I don't care how much this costs.

If you wanted to design a program that maximizes travel for kids, this would be a good start. Also, this would require 50 residential academies, which is unlikely to happen.

Most high clubs are in the $1500 - $3000 range for registration, training, etc., But not including kit and travel, which are the real variances. Remember, there are many non-academy teams that are just as good as many of the academy teams.

I've seen teams with mandatory $700 kits - 3 full uniforms, training gear, jackets, pants, backpacks, etc.

The travel also varies greatly. If you're in the NE, you can play in ultra-completive leagues and tournaments that are all reachable by car. You can also fly all around the country and spend thousands of dollars.

 

[Mario]

7000? geez....i know its gonna cost money but 7K?

wonder if its just more efficient going to europe for uefa license instead

just got the number, $4000 for an A license in the USA, compared to Germany where you can get a UEFA license for 600 euros

 

[QuigrNYCFC]

just got the number, $4000 for an A license in the USA, compared to Germany where you can get a UEFA license for 600 euros

And thats your problem right there.

Thats why Sunil Gulati has to go.

 

[Ulrich]

And thats your problem right there.

Thats why Sunil Gulati has to go.

That’s on top of the lower-level licenses that must be earned first.

 

[FredMertz]

And thats your problem right there.

Thats why Sunil Gulati has to go.

That's ridiculous. The licenses are just as expensive in England and it hasn't held their national team back.