On the heals of the US MNT's big upset of Spain and their upcoming game vs. Brazil on Sunday, I thought I'd highlight what's happening in the US as far as those important +14 age groups that is assisting in the US Soccer's development. I've watched this unfold since I started taking my oldest son's team up and down the Pacific Coast 4 years ago, playing most of these clubs and watching it morph into what I think is the model we should be following. I always thought that they had an advantage because they were always half a year older than us but it comes down to better organisation and a quest for something better that we in Canada don't understand!
Today was the start of the US Soccer Developmental Academy playoffs in Browns Summit, North Carolina (15 field complex) for both U15/16 (late 92’s and early ’93) and U17/U18 (late 90’s and early 91’s – under 20’s????).
For those that don't follow youth soccer or hasn't travelled south to play some of these mega teams in tournaments like Surf Cup or Dallas Cup, the USSDA is an academy league (like a junior soccer league) made up of the top club teams from around the US on the boys side. Clubs have to apply, then qualify through a pre-academy league. It's kind of like an exclusive boys club only allowing the biggest, most successful and most prestigous clubs to participate.
They play in a region or division (ie. Pacific Northwest Division) that covers anywhere from a state region (southern Cal or Texas) or a quite a few states (ie Wash/Oregen/NorCal). Most division have MLS youth teams in them (not always the top team believe it or not) and has two seperate age groups - U15/16 combined and U17/18 combined. It is a step up from Super Y-League and, incombination to their league season (starts in September), they play and host showcase tournaments where the top MLS and college scouts come to watch. They run combines (much like college football etc...), post scores on ESPN (yes, some 14 year old has a 39.4 inch vertical) and is where the best of the best play. They cannot play in any tournaments (like Surf or Dallas Cup) including state cups, regional championships and US Youth Championships! The cost is quite high - much in the range of playing for a top tier peewee spring hockey team. Parents drive from around the state to have their kid play for these teams and on their team webpages some players have their college recruiting resumes posted including GPA for potential college coaches and scouts to view.
As US Soccer doesn't run State teams (like our provincial teams), they do run ODP teams (Olympic Developmental Teams) but these teams are considered a step down and players cannot play USSDA and ODP in these specific age groups. Players can't even play for their high school teams. The feeling is State or ODP teams are too politically flawed, ODP recruits the coaches from these elite clubs anyways and the USSDA produces more players (anywhere from 20 to 30 players on a roster as well as reserve squads that play in the state/regional/national championships) than a state or ODP team. As well as 72 elite teams (with rumour of more than 20 new ones for next season) with more than one team from one state (Texas and So Cal have some of the top ranked teams in their nation in one age group) compared to the just 52 state or ODP teams with one team from each state including the very weak ones (ie. Alaska).
FYI:
The teams just south of us in Washington State, those teams we use to thump when we were younger on those soccer exchange thingys, did quite well in the league with 3 of 4 making the playoffs:
• U15/16
o Washington Premier – 2nd in Pacific Northwest Division, ranked 7th in nation, qualified for playoffs
o Crossfire FC – 3rd in Pacific Northwest Division, ranked 11th in nation, qualified for playoffs
• U17/18
o Crossfire FC - 1st in Pacific Northwest Division, ranked 7th in nation, qualified for playoffs
o Washington Premier - 7th in Pacific Northwest Division and DNQ for playoffs
Both Crossfire (6-2) and Washington Premier (3-1) won their games in the U15/16 age group . Arsenal FC from SoCal, ranked 2nd in the nation LOST their opening game to 31st ranked Cal Odyssey 3-0! Cal Odyssey play in the Northwest Division against Crossfire FC and Washington Premier.
Crossfire FC U17/18 tied their game 1-1 with Richmond Kickers.
We really need something like this in Canada for both the boys and girls run by the top, elite youth clubs in the country. Being a Select coach of one of the best U14 teams in BC, I know more about the teams south of us than any other club outside this province. That shouldn't be.
It would be nice to have a "soccer summit" of the top youth clubs in the country that could actually pull off the standard and commitment for something like this (charter clubs) and then a road trip to one of these events so we can see how big, competitive and outstanding these things are to run (and then copy it)!
We will continue to fall further and further until we sort out our +14 age groups and competing with these US teams that up until this time, competed and beat occassionally in tournaments like Baker Blast or Pacific Coast Challenges in Washington State. No wonder the US is able to upset the big boys. In the next 10 years, beating Spain or Brazil may not be an upset!
Today was the start of the US Soccer Developmental Academy playoffs in Browns Summit, North Carolina (15 field complex) for both U15/16 (late 92’s and early ’93) and U17/U18 (late 90’s and early 91’s – under 20’s????).
For those that don't follow youth soccer or hasn't travelled south to play some of these mega teams in tournaments like Surf Cup or Dallas Cup, the USSDA is an academy league (like a junior soccer league) made up of the top club teams from around the US on the boys side. Clubs have to apply, then qualify through a pre-academy league. It's kind of like an exclusive boys club only allowing the biggest, most successful and most prestigous clubs to participate.
They play in a region or division (ie. Pacific Northwest Division) that covers anywhere from a state region (southern Cal or Texas) or a quite a few states (ie Wash/Oregen/NorCal). Most division have MLS youth teams in them (not always the top team believe it or not) and has two seperate age groups - U15/16 combined and U17/18 combined. It is a step up from Super Y-League and, incombination to their league season (starts in September), they play and host showcase tournaments where the top MLS and college scouts come to watch. They run combines (much like college football etc...), post scores on ESPN (yes, some 14 year old has a 39.4 inch vertical) and is where the best of the best play. They cannot play in any tournaments (like Surf or Dallas Cup) including state cups, regional championships and US Youth Championships! The cost is quite high - much in the range of playing for a top tier peewee spring hockey team. Parents drive from around the state to have their kid play for these teams and on their team webpages some players have their college recruiting resumes posted including GPA for potential college coaches and scouts to view.
As US Soccer doesn't run State teams (like our provincial teams), they do run ODP teams (Olympic Developmental Teams) but these teams are considered a step down and players cannot play USSDA and ODP in these specific age groups. Players can't even play for their high school teams. The feeling is State or ODP teams are too politically flawed, ODP recruits the coaches from these elite clubs anyways and the USSDA produces more players (anywhere from 20 to 30 players on a roster as well as reserve squads that play in the state/regional/national championships) than a state or ODP team. As well as 72 elite teams (with rumour of more than 20 new ones for next season) with more than one team from one state (Texas and So Cal have some of the top ranked teams in their nation in one age group) compared to the just 52 state or ODP teams with one team from each state including the very weak ones (ie. Alaska).
FYI:
The teams just south of us in Washington State, those teams we use to thump when we were younger on those soccer exchange thingys, did quite well in the league with 3 of 4 making the playoffs:
• U15/16
o Washington Premier – 2nd in Pacific Northwest Division, ranked 7th in nation, qualified for playoffs
o Crossfire FC – 3rd in Pacific Northwest Division, ranked 11th in nation, qualified for playoffs
• U17/18
o Crossfire FC - 1st in Pacific Northwest Division, ranked 7th in nation, qualified for playoffs
o Washington Premier - 7th in Pacific Northwest Division and DNQ for playoffs
Both Crossfire (6-2) and Washington Premier (3-1) won their games in the U15/16 age group . Arsenal FC from SoCal, ranked 2nd in the nation LOST their opening game to 31st ranked Cal Odyssey 3-0! Cal Odyssey play in the Northwest Division against Crossfire FC and Washington Premier.
Crossfire FC U17/18 tied their game 1-1 with Richmond Kickers.
We really need something like this in Canada for both the boys and girls run by the top, elite youth clubs in the country. Being a Select coach of one of the best U14 teams in BC, I know more about the teams south of us than any other club outside this province. That shouldn't be.
It would be nice to have a "soccer summit" of the top youth clubs in the country that could actually pull off the standard and commitment for something like this (charter clubs) and then a road trip to one of these events so we can see how big, competitive and outstanding these things are to run (and then copy it)!
We will continue to fall further and further until we sort out our +14 age groups and competing with these US teams that up until this time, competed and beat occassionally in tournaments like Baker Blast or Pacific Coast Challenges in Washington State. No wonder the US is able to upset the big boys. In the next 10 years, beating Spain or Brazil may not be an upset!