There are bad coaches that are parents as well as bad coaches that are paid. As someone who has coached multiples teams at multiple levels for many years as a paid coach, it disturbs me that you would lump so many paid coaches and clubs into a group like that. Growing up I had the luxury of having some great coaches who made a very positive impact on my life. I do what I can on a daily basis emphasizing to my players that working hard to compete and try to win should be their goal. But, there is no place for breaking the rules to give yourself the advantage.

There is never going to be a perfect system in youth sports in which all coaches and organizations share the same outlook and can compete on an equal playing field. There is a big push coming from the National Soccer Coahes Association of America that is emphasizing players learning to play the game in a possession style when they are young and basically giving up results for technique. This is a longer term approach to training that is best for the players to develop the skills and mind set needed to play the game at a high level. I am sharing this to emphasize that the paid coaches that are working towards the betterment of the kids do follow the NSCAA guidelines. Clubs should grade their coaches not on their winning percentage, but on their abilty to teach the beautiful game in a fun an developmental environment. While there are some bad apples, there are many clubs that do offer a positive environment.

If your team is routinely getting trounced, maybe you should look inward and try to be a better coach

I have seen almost all of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Illinois Youth Rugby Association clubs play over the last couple of years as I coach the All-State High School boys team and thus select players from those teams. I have never seen bad sportsmanship taught, running up the scores or repeated foul play. Usually a coach will pull a player before the Ref has a chance if they are playing dirty or unsafe. Most of the coaches are former players and transfer their love and respect for the game onto their players. Most have also attended a (PCA)Positive Coach Alliance workshop which primarily focuses on Fun,Safety and Fundamentals- healthy ethos. If you have the best athletes and coaching on the day the winning will happen for that side. Also the nature of demographics and geography of playing for the club in your community help keep the lopsided matches from happening as often. But if Mom and Dad want John or Jane to play for the best( a winner)all the time. Travel teams will always exist ,sad to say in my opinion. Losing and helping build up a weaker team are some of the valuable lessons to be learned from sport.

I had no idea that coaches below the high school level received any kind of pay.

Jeff,
I enjoyed the article. Youth sports as a whole has become big business and quite crazy. Because of my recent experiences with soccer, I have to say the insanity is head and shoulders above all of the others. Questionable and crazy coaches, lack of code of conduct enforcement and worse. Through my experience, your assessment of NISL is correct.

I grew up in AYSO (parent coached), played high school, played division 3 college and even tried out for the Fire at an open combine (knowing I didn't stand a chance but it was fun). In my 34 years of playing the game, no matter what part of the country I was in, you could always tell the kids that played in expensive clubs growing up. They would rather quit the game than sit on the bench, they yelled at their teammates when they didn't get the ball or the team lost, most had no problem belittling a player with less skill than them. For as good as some of these kids do become under the regime of club soccer they still fall victim to the fact that less than 1% of kids throughout the nation are going to play professionally just like every other sport.
Expensive Club soccer is about getting that one kid in the club to the Pros at the expense of all other kids.
You are right... it should be about fun and sportsmanship. Sport teams, players and coaches have an opportunity to shape a kids life for better or worse.

But at the same time it's human nature, nothing will change no matter how many articles you write....all you can hope is that the kids you teach still enjoy playing the game into their 40's like me. It's a lesson in sportsmanship that you can teach your kids as they get whooped in a tournament of ringers. Actually it's easier to teach sportsmanship when you have an example of how not to act!

I agree that the focus is just on winning. Mainly this is so paid coaches can keep getting paid and parents think much more highly of there children than they actually should.

I think there a bigger problem that just focusing on winning has produced. This country of over 300 million with great athletes and millions of children playing soccer has to produce a world-class field player. Granted we've produced decent keepers but that's it. Do you think this system is working? It's not. We focus kids on winning the game and not skills that will make them winners. Why is that? I personally think it's because it's easier for parents to deal with their kids after they've won a game, rather than teach them how to handle and improve from a loss.

As far as NISL - maybe it is time for another governing body for youth soccer.

Tony

Ldt me get this straight, you have sixth and seventh graders playing in U14 and you want the rest of eighth graders and freshman to "dumb-down" their play so the your team won't get its' feelings hurt. Maybe you should play U12 and you will not be as aggravated. I am an AYSO coach but one of my five children plays travel soccer. AYSO is a good non-competitive environment whereas ther travel program is supposed to be competitive.

Keith

The entire philosophy of sports in the U.S. has been corrupted ever since big money has appeared! It is enlightening to hear that some of these low level coaches actually get paid? What a sad state of affairs! My Dad had it right when he said "The most fun I ever had in sports was when we would get a bunch of guys together for a pick up game in the local playground...no coaches...no umpires...no dads or moms...just us guys...we made our own rules...and we umpired ourselves!"

Michael,

Excellent point. I remember those baseball days.

The main reason I coach is to provide a better experience for my son and the rest of the boys.

Jeff

I think this entire conversation is applicable to all youth sports, not just soccer, and boils down to one word; expectations.

Having played at some of the highest levels and coached elite travelling soccer I kept seeing a similar pattern. Instead of youth sports filling a traditional role of socialization and exercise the parents now expect a return on what these days can be a sizable investment. If they are paying thousands of dollars a year Suzie and Johnny being fit and well adjusted just is not going to cut it, they want scholarships and special consideration. I think this mentality is pushing coaches and organizations to try and deliver unrealistic results and in the meantime causing sportsmanship to become a four letter word more associated with losing than trying to develop future adults. Parents need to let the activities be their own rewards and not some perverse stepping stone to the professional athlete your kid will never become, numbers don't lie.

Speaking of so called adults this behavior is just a tiny trickle down of what we see in all the professional leagues. Some performance enhanced drug users, felons and most recently in professional soccer racists are the very people we are holding up as models to our kids and our youth organizations and we are surprised they are dishonestly gaining a competitive advantage?

Something about making a bed and then having lay in it.

Robb,

What a fricken great post. We both need to work on commas, but not only did you make a great point, your writing cadence is really good.

You should minimally consider blogging for Patch.

Jeff

Yes, and old Steve Snow graduated from Hoffman Estates high school and went on to play internationally in Belgium after a year at IU. I can go on and on about college guys being recruited over seas. Do they become stars? Maybe not but they have the talent to start at the international level. To me that is a world class athlete. You brought up Landon...he starts at the international level for an international team and not just the MLS. World class athlete in my mind. Again we are skewing the importance of superstar. Not everyone has to make a billion dollars to be world class athlete.
Many a kid has come out of a high school in the states and played in the MLS.
NFL is no more world class than the MLS. Until the SuperBowl and World Series are played with other countries I don't consider any of those players world class either.

Jeff:

You were right about seventh graders play U13. My mistake.You assume that since I am a youth soccer coach that I run up the score. I guess you did not see that I indicated am a youth soccer coach for AYSO. Maybe they don't have AYSO way out in the tricities. You could not run up the score even if you wanted to based on the player restrictions on scoring. Oh, now your going to assume that I would like to run up the score if I could. Don't assume.

A great game in AYSO is when the teams finish in a tie. There is no shootout just smiles all around. Maybe you could start an AYSO team out in the Tricities or just be competitive in U13. You could still accomplish your objective of "teaching my young charges the concepts of sportsmanship and fair play is even more important than turning them into high school soccer players", instead of trying to make your U13 team into a U14 team prematurely.

Believe me I have had my share of come to Jesus moments as a coach. I try to teach my players that you can't control what other people do you can only control what you own actions.

PS I hope you aren't as condescending with your players as you are with people who don't agree with you.

Fair enough! Thank you

Let me chime in here as the mom of a travel soccer player. We had to pull our son from the local travel team, the one that has a bird as its name, and put him in another because they man they hired to "manage" the club (and coach his team) was ALL about winning. In addition, he quickly chose his favorites on the team and basically benched the rest. In our new club, we have had many, many experiences like you mention, Jeff, where it is obvious the teams are "stacked". In one instance last season, we participated in a tournament in a southern suburb where it was discovered that ALL of the home teams had "stacked" their teams, so they were forced to forfeit. Nobody communicated this to our team, however, so we all showed up on a hot Sunday afternoon ready to play, with nobody to play! On another occasion, in a regular game, a player showed up at half time. It is not allowed to add a player after the game has begun and the player cards have been checked. Fortunately our coach knew this, protested, and they sent that player home. Did we think it was a coincidence that our team was winning by quite a bit when this new player showed up? Um, no. And we, too, have seen the clipboard throwing, swearing coaches. It is just sad. Some of these poor kids are not learning to play for sportsmanship but to win at any cost. That is not real sports.

Jeff,

You've just given me another reason to keep my kid in the park district program, rather than put him on a traveling club team. Granted, I may be destroying his chances to make the varisty team in high school or go to college on a soccer scholarlship. But he doesn't need to have a coach who likes to channel his inner Bob Knight or Woody Hayes, and have to deal with other teams who fill out their teams with higher-level players. That just leads to a hating soccer and quitting.

I would rather he have fun with a sport while not fulfilling his talent, rather than developing his talent, only give up the sport due to overzealous coaches.

Kent,

I want to reiterate that the TCSA rec league is a thing of beauty. Any kid can play, most the rec coaches are cool and my son had a really good time.

As far as travel, my 12 year old son has a naturally perfect running form and I would love to see him go out for cross country. Despite my insistent goading, he wants to play travel soccer.

The things we do for our kids!

Jeff

Youth soccer cannot possibly be compared to the failure of the American men's soccer program. Top quality players are playing in Europe and NOT the MLS. Those, like Donovan, who split time between the two leagues (which is a rarity) only do so because there's some outstanding reason why they aren't playing overseas year-round (Donovan would rather live here all year).

The high level clubs and players are the ones that garner a chance at success, the rest are simply playing for fun. Things will absolutely not change in youth sports, there will always be people who need to boost their egos via a petty travel team.

Nevertheless, the sportsmanship aspect of traveling sports is by no means unique to soccer. I've coached and refereed as well, and soccer is absolutely not the worst of the worst or the best of the best in terms of fair play and unjust situations.

Charles,

One player! Just one! That's all I'm asking. In 40 years and millions of kids not one world class soccer player.

That's gotta say something!

Jeff

Jeff-

Your column brought back a rush of memories from when I coached my daughter's TCSA travel team from U-10 to U-19, the last 6 or so years as the head coach. She and I also referreed for the club too. It was a great set of experiences for those 10 years; however, we saw many many examples of good and bad sportsmanship.

I'll give you one of each but have to split my comment in two to do it.

We liked to do out-of-state bonding type tourneys. We often went outside Madison to Reddan. We made it to a championship one year and ran into an elite team from the Quad Cities. They had "paid coaches" and played only in tournaments and were trying to showcase their players for college recruiters. That was there only goal. Anyway, once the outcome was determined (a few minutes into the second half) the coach "called off the dogs" as you say and played in such a way that my girls' experiences were not ruined. Final score 3 or 4-1, if I recall. I think we scored the only goal against them all weekend. Afterwards, we struck up a conversation and he and the team manager apologized for even being in the tournament as he booked it as a replacement at the last minute without knowing the level of the competition. But, they helped me on future occasions finding tournaments, etc. In fact, he liked one of our players so much, he asked me for permission to have her guest for them when he came to Illinois and played a tourney. Real class act.

Jim James

Part Two-

As to bad sports, well, there are many but you didn't have to go any farther than the club that TCSA shared office space to find perfect examples of real puds. I loved how one coach would just sit in his chair the entire game barking out expletives. He wouldn't even get off his butt for a pregame handshake. Amazing.

Now I keep a toe in by referreeing the rec league U-14 girls games. Much less stress than travel and occasionally some pretty good soccer!

Thanks again for the memories,

Jim James

Jim,

Nice post! And yes Campton United parents are famous for some of the worst sideline behavior every seen.

And I'm not too fond of their coaches either.

Jeff

Jeff, I didn't mean to offend you with the 2nd post in this column - but as an athlete or coach you have no control over some things: the weather, the officiating or the physical qualities of your opponent. The only thing you can control is how you play the game .If you do that to the best of your ability you accept the outcome and are gracious in both victory and defeat.
Telling your athletes that the reason they lost was because 'that coach cheated' or "the officials hate us" is doing a terrible disservice to the young people on your team.

Don't watch professional sport "brands" play. Stopped watching college basketball when the first billion dollar TV contract was signed. Won't let my kids get near the "travelers".

I do notice empty parks and grassy fields. You might want to take a kid or two out sometime and just kick a ball around.

You might want to stop being surprised when a system that is cash oriented produces the symptoms it was designed to produce.

Koshka,

We run together all the time. We throw the football. We play 1 on 1 soccer frequently.

He wants to play travel soccer. Sometimes you do things for your kids!

Jeff

Jeff - thanks for the response. And to what you just said, above - you are exactly right. Our son really, really wants to play travel soccer. Despite all of the challenges it presents, the cost, etc., at the end of the day, sometimes you just do things for your kids. And honestly, we have tried hard to turn any of the bad experiences in to learning opportunities. Fortunately, so has his current coach. If the team loses and it is clearly because there was a "stacked" team, the boys have learned to see that they are fortunate to play for a coach who cares about increasing their skills, not about the win. Sure they are disappointed and would rather win, but for the most part, we, as parents, are much more interested in seeing our boys be good sports, increase their skills and have fun. Having "fun" in travel soccer is rare. And we, too, make sure he does other things, including Park District basketball, disc golf, etc. to be sure he does not become obsessed.

I will try to keep this brief. I have 3 kids who have played, and currently play at Sockers from Ulittle to D1 college. NEVER in close to a DECADE of watching hundreds of my kids games, has Sockers EVER used a guest player! Sockers uses pools of players. My kids currently have 60 plus players in their age pools. Even with a large player pool there are normally no more than a roster change of 2-3 players per game. Occasionally a younger team may come and play a game if the older team has another commitment. All of my kids teams have been beaten “bad” and no coach has ever been released for a losing team. As you just discovering the world of travel soccer keep in mind that the kids playing at Sockers and at the other USSF/ECNL teams in the area have committed to soccer. These kids are not playing basketball, hockey, or baseball. They train 3 days a week, participate in 3v3 or inter-leagues for another 1-2 days a week. Yet when we win a game – it is because of cheating with guest players or having a ref in our pocket? That is quite insulting to these kids. You see sockers teams get stronger every age year. When they are younger they get beat by kick ball teams or athletic teams, but the technical training starts to pay off as they get older. Sockers has a great reputation with providing US National Team players, MLS players, EPL players etc…too bad they can’t get TRI Cities respect.

Dear Soccermom (again, no real name),

I appreciate you wading in and admire the defense of your club, but "player pools" serve the very same purpose as guest players. One Sockers team shows up at the seeding tournament and get's appropriately ranked, but then it's a completely different team when you play them during the season. How is that fair? It's an abuse of the system!

The Sockers' teams we played twice looked completely different the second time around. One of them, supposedly in the lowest bracket with a record of 1-3-1 had the most amazing seventh grade girls I'd ever seen. There's no way those girls had played on that team before.

I agree that some kids have committed to soccer, but I wonder how many parent have committed their kids to soccer? When I saw those two Socker's coaches ream their girls for over 45 minutes after they beat our boys 2 to 0, I couldn't believe it.

And the Sockers coach with the ringers was throwing his clipboard around and acting like an imbecile when they were up 6 to 1.

I've seen it time and time again, those kids are going to burn out and quit before high school.

Then when they play at home, and they know the refs will let them get away with, they foul endlessly and stretch the rules to the limit, especially on throw-ins. I want to have faith in the men and women in the stripes, but bad refs make bad calls on both teams, not just one of 'em...

This isn't about winning. We beat one of the Sockers teams, but after the fouls went against us 10 to 1 (I kept track) and they still lost, they started literally crying, screaming at the referee and then lied that our players were swearing at them.

As we went through the high five line, half the girls wouldn't even put their hands up! It was the worst display of sportsmanship I've ever seen.

And you can't complain about it because NISL runs the Sockers. Pete Richardson runs NISL and David Richardson runs the Sockers. C'mon! Even you can see that conflict of interest.

Technical training? No way. Again, the Sockers have been around since 1975 and they have not produced one world class player. Given the odds, one should've appeared merely by accident. And it's exactly because they and their coaches focus only on winning that this drought continues.

And then they tell their kids not to play on their high school teams! Need anyone wonder why the Sockers players I've seen don't seem to be having any fun?

I went to a lot of sources for this column over the past three months. Whenever I mentioned the word "Sockers," the coaches' and parents' expression immediately went south. The Sockers don't get respect from the other clubs because they haven't earned it and they don't deserve it.

The Sockers are everything that's wrong about club sports.

Jeff

Jeff ~
I'm glad you wrote this article highlighting this problem. The sportsmanship I see in club teams and a lot of youth sports these days is appauling. Parents used to encourage their children to participate in sports because they learned a lot of important life lessons....how to lose gracefully, how to respect your opponent, the importance of work ethic, learning how to be a "team" player, good sportsmanship etc. Unfortunately, those same lessons don't always seem to be conveyed today. Who's fault is it? There's a lot of contributing factors, but coaches play a big role. Why is swearing at 10 and 11 year olds necessary to make your point? Why can't you motivate your players without screaming, threats and throwing your clipboard? Why can't you show your players how to lose gracefully instead of teaching them to pass the blame and make excuses...the other team cheated, the refs sucked, the field was horrible, it was the goalie's fault? Why can't winning be enough? Why do you have to run up the score? Have those coaches forgotten how it feels be on that losing side? You aren't achieving excellence in doing so; you are achieving arrogance. I know there are a lot of great coaches out there who are instilling valuable lessons to their players, but they seem to be vastly outnumbered by coaches who forgo teaching these valuable lessons in order to win at all costs. And, unfortunately, it seems to thrive in the club programs around here.

Great post kicksfan

"....how to lose gracefully, how to respect your opponent, "
"...why can't you show your players how to lose gracefully instead of teaching them to pass the blame and make excuses...the other team cheated, the refs sucked..."

Are you listening, Jeff?

Dude!

I hate to tell you, but my seventh graders don't read my columns. What they see on the soccer field versus what you see here are quite a bit different.

Again, it's about sportsmanship - not winning or losing. Are you listening Dan?

Jeff

C'mon, Jeff - you air your grievances about coaches and refs in a public forum and you don't think your kids will know about it?

Dan,

Though I would be thrilled if, in the three years I've coached and 5 columns I write per week, one of the boys came up to me and said, "Hey coach! Great piece on the Geneva City Council," it hasn't happened once.

Though my ego loves the thought of having that kind of audience, seventh graders don't read newspapers and they don't even know what Patch is. I never overestimate my influence as a journalist which is moderate at best.

And once again, my "grievance" isn't with the coaches or referees, it's with the clubs that use them to subvert the system to win.

Jeff

Travel sports clubs are a business, and nothings sells like results. Sure, improved skills, and sportsmanship, and life lessons are great things to instill in the kids, but parents shelling out big bucks want to see tangibles - trophies, banners, more wins than losses.

You see, Jeff, it's not the clubs alone that are to blame. Much of the blame must also go to the parents that support these clubs.

And there is not a more whacky, narcissistic, cliquey group in youth sports than soccer parents. Other sports may have one or two of those qualities, but soccer somehow draws them in like flies to honey. In all the years my kids have been playing sports, and between them they've played many, soccer was always the worst experience for both them and me and my wife. Coaches/parents from opposing teams yelling at each other across the field, players that have obviously been coached to push the limits of the rules, refs with an obvious bias for one team or another, parents calling out someone elses kid for a mistake made on the field.

For these parents, it's all about water cooler bragging rights, it's all about Bunko Night one-ups-manship, it's all about look at my kid.

It's sad that these parents are the role models for their kids. And so, this mentality continues to the next generation.

Paul,

Great comment! You're dead on and you just said some things I've been longing to say for years. But while I'm not going to change those parents (they never recognize themselves), I may have a shot at embarrassing the clubs and NISL into some corrective action.

Again, thought the TCSA and I have gotten into some knock down drag out fights, I've also seen them stand up to those kind of parents and send 'em packing. It can be done!

BTW, when you mentioned bunko, which completely cracked me up, you forgot to say, "while these women are completely crocked on innumerable long island iced teas..." Just thought I fill in that blank!

Whether you agree or disagree with a column, it's always good to hear from you Paul!

Jeff

Hi, I have played soccer for 37 years, coached travel soccer for a couple years and have reffed for several years in the Tri-Cities. When you make general assumptions about anything you are going to be wrong. There are good and bad travel coaches/programs, good and bad referees and good/bad parents. Whether travel or rec. The main issue you have seems to be seeding. If you are seeded correctly then you should end your season at half wins, half losses. It does not always work. If you enter a team in a rec league and travel teams show up then you need to discuss that with the people running the indoor league. If you enter a tournament you need to make sure that it is the right one for your skill set. It may not be perfect and sometimes you will lose by a lot. Which can be a good thing because they need to learn what to aspire to. If you only want to play for fun then AYSO is where to go not travel soccer. Also playing up a level in Rec was obviously a bad decision on your part if you are being outsized. Kids that have no skill at that age will just be run over by bigger kids.

Regarding Club soccer they can only provide better competition and better coaching then parent driven coaching. They can not make a "world class player". That is a combination of skill and speed, and soccer players also need to be intuitive because it is a flowing game unlike basketball, football or baseball which are more play driven.

Sorry ran out of room. This is maybe off point but it is aimed at those that think travel and club will automatically make your kid a star. To get better you have to practice at home and play in the neighborhood. You have to play pick up soccer. I also have yet to see a kid kicking a ball against a wall every day for hours on end. That is how you work on using both your feet and when the ball rebounds you improve your trapping skills. You have to learn from older better players that just playing at your own age group. You have to watch some pro matches on Fox Soccer Channel to learn how the game works. Having only 2 hour and 1/2 practices a week plus a game won't cut it. Paying big $$$ for club soccer isn't going to cure that. Regarding high school soccer I would say travel soccer is better, regarding college soccer I would say if a kid has the talent they should go overseas at 18 or younger. College will waste 4 years of their prime in soccer and they will stagnate. Of course this only is aimed at the rare 1% minority of players that have that ability. Also kids do develop at a different pace. An awkward 9 year old could be an outstanding 17 year old player. Too often now a kid will quit if not deemed a top level player at age 10. Shame. Play because you love the game not because you want a scholarship.

I agree with the part about never seeing kids practicing on their own or playing pick up games...in any sport. Everything is organized and that's all they do. I wish I could play an old George Carlin clip, but I don't think it's appropriate for the Patch. LOL

Wow! I have several comments, going to attempt to touch on one per reply.

First off, your assertion that the youth club system in the US is a failure because the US hasn't produced a single soccer superstar is beyond ludicrous (and seriously impacts your credibility).

FWIW, I agree that the US hasn't produced a soccer superstar.

Why or how that is an indictment of youth club soccer in this country, I have no idea. Until soccer becomes life, as opposed to a game, in this country (as it is in many other countries), that's most likely how it's going to be. The worm will turn when there are pickup games for youth everywhere, not in select soccer hotbeds (not holding my breath).

Like virtually everything, there are pluses & minuses with club soccer. Is it perfect? Hah, far from it.

Paul,

In just 20 years, a slew of European countries have produced world class basketball players some of whom are stars in the NBA. Many European teams can play on a par with NBA teams. And they certainly don't live basketball over there.

Right now, there are about 45 U.S. kids playing competitive soccer. Now multiply a fraction of that times 35 years of club soccer. You mean to tell me, not one Berbatov in all that time?

Not one! Not even by accident. It's because these club programs are more interested in winning than in player development and high school competition is diluted by the clubs conning their players into avoiding the high school team.

Sorry Paul, it's your credibility that's shot here!

Jeff

Great article! I don't have kids that play soccer but I have kids in travel programs in other sports. I completely agree with it no longer being about fun and life lessons and more about the unrealistic expectations of scholarships and the pros. I also think it is sad that there are no more pick-up games and that the kids end up being burned out before they even get to high school but you are right...what do you do when your kid loves it and begs you to play? My husband coaches for the same reason you do, to give our son and the other boys a better experience. I will add that you have made me glad that they stopped playing soccer after 1st grade. It sounds a little ugly. We just had a bout with bad sportsmanship ourselves in basketball and I want to thank you for giving me the courage to blog publicly about it.

AnnMarie,

You are exactly why I write columns. No one can save the world by themselves. if I've managed to encourage one reader to fight the good fight, then it's a really good day.

Blog away!

Jeff

Another straw man? Color me not surprised.

The fervor for hoops in many countries is hot or white hot. The fervor for soccer in the US is tepid, at best. Your logic is faulty.

Applying your faulty logic to indict youth club soccer is really more a reflection on you. Clearly, you have a major axe to grind with youth club soccer. Are there bad actors and behaviors in club soccer? Sure. Just not nearly to the degree that you maintain.

Ellabulldog's posts nail it.

Like Walker in Wisconsin, this is an overreach.

Generally speaking, the emphasis on winning in club sports, particularly soccer, has gone overboard and is detrimental to development. Don't think this is anything new. The vast majority of these games don't mean squat 6 months later. It's all about development. If it isn't, change clubs posthaste.

The problem I have with your article is that you're painting with a very broad brush, stereotyping and overreaching. Maybe you're just trying to stir up the pot.

Paul,

I am definitely trying to stir up the pot! We need to see some change and maybe this will be the catalyst.

But it isn't just me. Again, look at the responses and this column is the result of talking to all sorts of people for more than 3 months. I talked to trainers, coaches and parents. I even talked to a person that's known Pete and David Richardson for 30 years.

Not one of them disagreed with my premise. And that scared the hell out of me more than the things I've seen on the soccer field.

Jeff

OK. Here's where I'm at: if your premise is that there are problems with youth soccer clubs, fine. There are plenty. How 'bout: Is soccer a rich kids sport in the US? The high cost of youth soccer is a major (as in MAJOR) barrier to US advancement on the world stage.

I have 5 kids, one of whom is a soccer player (a U14 now). When he moved from AYSO to club (at U11), I was stunned by the cost. I cannot fathom how families with moderate incomes and/or multiple players can afford it.

WRT the hoi polloi, let's face it, some of these folks have little to no experience w/club soccer (bash away). No disrespect, but I'm not going to pay much attention to those that know little about the subject at hand. That said, there have been many insightful comments on the thread.

Again, there's plenty awry w/club soccer. I'll address my views on the problems you brought up, as well as my issues in subsequent posts. What I'm interested in, is what are your solutions to fix the problems.

Problems with youth club soccer, part 1: ringers & guest players

I don't see guest players as a big problem: in our league games guest players have been very rare. The use of guest player(s) is much more common in tournaments (which is the intent, as there are a bunch of games in a short period). Roster limit rules are still in effect, which constrains the opportunity for abuse. IMO, the guest player rule is pretty innocuous.

For the uninitiated, a ringer is when a more advanced level kid (same age) plays down on a lower level team. I know the rule and my kid's team has been burned by it more than once. The problem is that the rule is effectively a guideline. The league is depending on coaches/clubs to use good judgement. If there were "hard" rules on this, they'd be virtually unenforceable (jerk coaches would find ways around it).

The "ringer" deal is only applicable to big clubs (those that have more than 1 team in a given age) and happens far more often than guest player abuse. Most clubs aren't in this category. When big clubs have better players playing on lower teams simply to rack up Ws, that's BS. It definitely happens, but I don't think it happens nearly as much as you think. The vast majority of clubs aren't running multiple teams at each age group. As to those that are, there are legitimate reasons to play kids down and those need to be differentiated from a win at all costs mentality.

High school vs. club

The vast majority of HS age players play for their schools. Many elite players forego HS soccer and train w/their clubs. Why? Because, from a development perspective, it's better for them (in most cases a lot, lot better). Don't see a basis for begrudging them that. This is an individual decision. I fail to see any evil from club soccer here.

Way to meet the challenge, Jeff. A significant improvement over bashing away. I wish I could address your solutions inline, but Patch's comments software is lame. Generally, I agree with most of your suggestions. I'll add my 2 cents in subsequent posts.

Paul,

Though I appreciate the compliment, what too many readers tend to forget is no one wants to hear you ramble on forever. I would've loved to offer those solutions, but it was already 1,100 words long.

Typically, if a reader challenges me to come up with solutions, I will do so in a follow up piece, but I don't think my readers are that interested in the specifics of soccer clubs.

Jeff

Solution 4: independent referee assignment

Don't forget line judges. This is a good idea. The competence of refs/judges is all over the map, but usually it's the same for both teams. However, when it's not, it's almost always tilted towards the home team (the appointee) and sometimes that tilt is beyond ridiculous (Schwaben Nationals, I'm calling you out). One time is too many. I'm 100% behind having a 3rd party handle ref/judges assignments, provided the cost is in the same ballpark.

Jeff, I have two daughters that play soccer on travel teams that compete in the IWSL (Illinois Women's Soccer League). The IWSL does not allow travel players to guest play on teams that are bracketed in lower divisions (ie. my U11 daughter that plays on a U11A team is not allowed to guest play on any U11 AB, B, etc. team, but she can play up on U12 teams). If the NISL adopted this policy, this may eliminate travel teams from bringing in ringers.
Concerning your frustration about organized soccer creating world class players, please do not 'short change' the U.S. Women's Soccer Team (which is ranked highly, if not first, in the world). In my opinion, men's organized soccer often looses some of the best athletes to other sports-especially American football. The majority of young men and boys often choose to participate in American football instead of soccer. If you took all American football players (high school and college atheletes), and those same individuals pursued soccer instead, I believe the U.S. men's soccer program would have many world class players.

Jeff is right, enough soccer talk. Let's discuss sports, hockey.

I can tell by your responses that you like to argue. Rather than defend your point you also like to go on the offensive. Shame on you for not giving the US credit where due. The success of the women is huge on the global stage. I can tell by your responses that you are all focused on soccer as a boys sport run by crazy men coaches. This is one big peeing match for you.
Based on reading your comments it is pretty clear that you're just another parent with little knowledge of the game. That is a big problem with development in soccer. As a parent though you do know what is best for your kid and genuinely would like youth soccer to be a good memorable experience for the children. You want that more than an ego boost for wins. I think youth sport needs more of that.
Continue to combat the issue as you have. Foster a good environment for the kids you are responsible for. I have a few similar views that you have. I will conduct myself the same for my kids; respect for the game, respect for others. Find comfort in knowing our kids will grow up with a good balance of learning the game and good life lessons to becoming an adult. They may not play in the pros, college or even high school but they will become adults. Don't teach them to be bitter adults that are being suppressed by "the man."
OK, your turn. Let's see if you can pee farther than me Jeff.

Berbatov, world class? You probably started watching soccer when you started coaching competitive soccer a year ago. Berbatov is good but not world class by your inferred definition that Americans are not world class. You rushed to be a Man U fan like every international kid might be quick to put on a Yankees hat.
I still have to say, shame on you for discounting individual and team success the US has had. Turn in your stars and stripes and move to Cuba. You discount Donovan, Dempcey, McBride, and Spector? Donovan, Dempcey, and other fellow Americans are major contributors to some English clubs like Everton and Fulham. Fulham was nicknamed Fulhamerican's at one point. Shame on you for not considering McBride world class. He's world class on and off the field. Proud to call him an American world class person. Soccer clubs internationally are named after him. And Spector, not a household name but better known locally along with fellow home grown talent McBride. This guy was good enough to leave the US and start in the back for Man U. Wonder how those kids in the Man U system that were plucked from their homes at an early age felt for that to happen. Maybe their starting to realize what their chances of being "world class" is. Wonder if their definition of world class is the same as yours. Your various arguments of development in the US and fair play contradict. Your discount critique of US soccer has an undertone smell of a touch of MUST WIN and a dash of BE THE BEST.

Sumo? Akebono? Akebono doesn't sound American. Proud to have him as an American but sounds like were the fortunate recipient of a cultural transplant. If anything, he probably did not learn the sport in an American Sumo system. Good for him. Good for the US. Bring another sport to the US. We've got a good contingent of diabetic induced dieter's that will give the Japanese a run, or gut for their money. I'm just worried to see what a child sumo "ringer" will look like. I wouldn't want to get in the middle of a side-circle Sumo Mom argument.

Sumo? Really? Great assimilation to youth soccer.

In a country where we have every sport known to man we can't expect to have the same development criteria of a country that can't afford so many sports.

Jose,

Of course, I was referring to the men's side of soccer, because I don't coach girls and thus, can't speak to it. Mia Hamm is a great player, but her existence is an even bigger indictment of the boys soccer club system. If we have her then why not at least one male superstar?

And Jose! I expect a little more sensitivity from a gentleman with a minority first name. "Akebono" was his sumo wrestling nickname. His given name is Chad Rowan! Is that "American" enough for you. And he trained in Hawaii which, despite many Americans' poor geography, is actually a U.S. state.

Who's lacking evidence now?

In fact, I spoke with our team soccer trainer last night. He's a former Serbian soccer star who, at the time, was the youngest player (16) drafted on to a top European club. And he utterly agrees with my theory. He tries to create world class soccer players, but one trainer isn't enough.

By sheer dumb luck, in the millions of soccer players that have gone through the club system since 1975, there should have been one kid that managed to rise to the top. But no! Because these soccer clubs are more concerned about winning than developing players. It's the only explanation for NOT A SINGLE ONE!

Not pointing a finger at anyone in particular, but anyone who says that Dimitar Berbatov isn't a world class striker, doesn't know soccer.

Jeff

I do not know why I am going to waste my time to respond to this JEFF WARD, but i guess will be for the good of Soccer.
Mr. Ward if you can't handle the fact that you are a lousy coach and other organizations are better than yours, you should quit coaching. Take your son to run, you claim that he is good at it, maybe you can be his coach there.
Maybe that is why he does not want to run.... because he will be the only runner and will have to listen to your absurd and ignorant comments.
I hate the NISL but not because they are good in their business SOCCER, my hate to them is because they do not ask more out of the clubs when it comes to coaches. If we have more coaches certify with Higher Certifications we won't have to read all this none sense.
mmmmm Thinking about it, Mr. Jeff if you hate so much the NISL why don't you quit, I guess is because you have no other place to be coach, and Tri Cities Soccer Club and Lindsay wont listen to your complains witch are they well know around.
Going Back, YES NISL IS YOUR FAULT if you ask for higher licenses to coach we wont have to deal with idiots as Jeff Ward.
Out of characters soon. check post 2.

Ups I should not insult him, he knows soccer, Mr. Jeff claims that not professional Soccer Player has come out of the United States, please get your info from better sources, think and research about this players.
Jonathan Spector Manchester United, West Ham United England
Will Johnson Heerenveen Holland
Jay De Merit Wathford England
Michael Bradley Heerenveen Holland
Edward Santeliz Suchitepequez Guatemala
Guess what all of this player play for Sockers. Do you really need a list of all American soccer players playing around the world..... I hope your not.
I am running out of characters so I will leave it there.

And Mr. Sanchez (not his real name I'm sure) once again proves my point. This is what reasonable coaches have to deal with in club soccer.

Sir, I said world class players, which none of American soccer players on your list will ever be.

Other people may quit, but some people like to effect change. And this column is only the beginning!

Jeff

Sanchez is my name.... would you like my address? So you can Confirm.

I guess you wrote the column to prove a point that does not exist and to excuse your lousy ways..

Please do not quit, get educated in Soccer. And if you need to change something change your Attitude and stop hiding behind a column, I will see you in the next meeting for the NISL. ( That if they allowed you to go, you should ask Lindsay) I will personally will like to say hello to you.
USA will produce well know Soccer players sooner that you think, better that in many countries like mine, oh boy and we have play soccer for a while. not just a few years ago.

Dear M,

If that is your real name I do apologize.

And I wrote the column make youth soccer for all the boys that participate.

Though I will not be at the ranking meeting (we're where we should be) I will be at the scheduling meeting. If you can be polite, I will me more than happy to speak with you or anyone else that wants to challenge or agree with my viewpoint.

Jeff

We have had two daughtyers play with Tri Cities Soccer and with Strikers Fox Valley Soccer - both have stressed the importance of sportsmanship and would make any parent proud. They are professional in development and they help foster great sportsmanship values. I have been totally impressed and would also add that the friends that I have who referee, do so with a neutral perspective, and do so with total class.

There are plenty of examples of clubs that go around the system - and ones that are cut throat. I would give high recommendations to Strikers Fox Valley if you have kids thinking about playing club soccer - they have been extremely professional and have classy people coaching and managing the organizations.

And it is all the more refreshing to beat another club like Eclipse (for example), when the same values do not always appear to be shared - there is nothing more satisfying than knowing their parents drove all this way, came with an arrogant attitude, and screamed obnoxiously, only to lose and then have an hour long drive home. It leaves a terrific sense of satisfaction - good guys/gals can finish first!