THE SOCCER BUBBLE IS GOING TO BURST!
This game has completely changed. On the field it has evolved into a game that can still be beautiful at times, but now has a robotic element to it. Players are developing more from social media than their actual coach. A lot of freedoms have been taken away from players as they are put into a system at an early age. Having to play a certain way without understanding problem solving. As a result, players start to fall out of love with the sport chasing a system that is built on empty promises.
US Soccer has an issue of having money speak louder than any other aspect of this game. We have millionaires buying clubs and leagues who are marketing experts. “Proven pathway” “Pathway to pro” “Pathway to college” the names go on. Is there truly a pathway? I would say no. There are some clubs and coaches that are amazing at what they do and truly help their players. They are rare though and I do not want to put everyone into a negative light. Let’s break it down and I will keep it simple.
College is a huge selling point for a lot of “academies.” They focus on how many players have made it to college from their club to be able to attract the other 98% to join. Pay attention to these tryout ads. For those who have graduated high school and gone on to play in college, that is an amazing accomplishment. But what about the rest of the players that have gone through the club’s system who will no longer play? What have those clubs/coaches done for them? Have they benefited from their coaching methods? Have they been turned into better people to prepare them for life after soccer? Have they become great student-athletes? Countless times, I have seen clubs and coaches take credit for players who may have played one match for that club. I have seen some amazing players not receive any support from their club after promising some type of recruitment to them before they joined. Marketing experts who continue to dangle something flashy in front of families until they get lost in the system. Then those clubs have families spending tens of thousands of dollars in hopes of receiving a full ride to college all while your kid has only grown on the field and not off it.
We are in a race of who can get to one of the ABC leagues the fastest. “If you aren’t in X league, then you will not get recruited.” If college is your goal, please understand that there are plenty of success stories of players outside of those leagues who have had opportunities to play at the D1, D2, or D3 level. The shirt you wear and that patch on the sleeve are just items. The gatekeepers of these leagues are those who run certain “academies” to keep their competition out. Leagues that are not backed by US Soccer, but they continue to grow with their marketing techniques. Youth soccer is an ever changing landscape that will continue to evolve. But evolve into what? What is the actual end goal of everything that is going on? There needs to be regulations set and guidelines for clubs to follow. There are several different federations that are constantly battling with one another when they should be working together to give the game back to the players and not these monopolies. Unfortunately, we have turned back into the wild west with the big fish in control.
The value of the player experience is starting to be lost again. Prices are going up and players are receiving less. Most tournaments are now costing teams $400 - $500 for 3 matches on a tournament weekend. It is trending towards $600 a match. Tournament budgets are increasing while the number of tournaments participated in are going down. There should be no reason that a u10 player’s tuition should be $2000+, before uniform, to play 21 matches in a calendar year. That on top of being on a team that has a roster that exceeds the game day limit. It continues to become worse in this game and players are starting to run out of options.
America has a dream to be a dominant soccer country. We have seen the success that other countries have had with their academies and grass roots programs. They also have their flaws, but those investments in other nations are made for the entire country to do well during this process. Yes, it costs money to run clubs and programs. Yes, coaches and staff members should be paid for their time. We have amazing volunteers who do so much behind the scenes that we can never thank enough for. The focus is on the value of the product that players are actually receiving in this country. The value is being taken away from this game.
Be around great coaches and staff members that truly care about the players. Not just on the field, but understanding player’s life outside of soccer. Have a coach who actually invests into every project that they are a part of and not there just to pick up a check. There are these multi-millionaires who are focused on investing into themselves by buying a part of the game. Then we have people like Michelle Kang, who is investing into the players, programs, and clubs for the women’s game to grow. She is an owner/investor that is great for this sport.
US Soccer has a lot of cleaning up to do. Put development first. Help clubs give value to their players. Help coaches receive the education that is necessary for us to give the best experience possible. We can’t afford these coaching courses that will aid us in giving back to the game. US Soccer needs to step in and regulate what is happening in this sport before it is too late. The bubble is going to burst and when it does, how will they ever recover?
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