US Soccer revamps youth structure...sound familiar!!??

[O-townClown]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/st ... us&cc=5901

Wow, the similarities to the USA Hockey ADM initiative are uncanny.

I spoke to a soccer-knowledgeable friend today and it was the same conversation you'd have for hockey. In a nutshell, the US junior team (U17?) was crafted with great care and got dusted recently by the Brazilians. Skilled, our players couldn't function due to the speed of the game. Even if they aren't slow, they don't think fast enough.

Frustrated by the chronic lack of elite players at the international level, the powers that be are trying to create more and this requires a massive overhaul. In order to create a few needles in the haystack there needs to be a lot more opportunities.

Answer?

How about a 75-team "superleague" that features teams using similar training methods and competes against each other. (Seriously. Substitute 36 for 75 and I think you have the hockey thing.)

According to those studying our training methods, kids play too many games with an overemphasis on winning at young ages.

US Soccer's "Academy" for young players (10 & under) is an attempt to recreate beach/alley/pickup soccer. (This part sounds like the old crossice initiative.)

My friend says suburban U.S. is too large geographically to support the big elite training clubs...too many kids don't live close to a team.

The hard part for the governing body is that soccer moms (and dads) don't really want what they recommend. (Wow this sure rhymes with hockey.)

5-part story, so you can read other stories if you go to that link.

Now back to USA Hockey - they have the website ("blog") for reader comments. About 100 so far. Are they now going to respond to the questions raised or is that just to give people the impression they care what people think. (Even though they don't.)