Much has been written in recent months about the state of soccer in the United States. The U.S. Men’s National Team failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Youth teams have struggled to find success in international competition. The U.S. Women’s National Team remains a lonely bright light. Why? In a country with such advantages in the size of its population and its resources, how did U.S. Soccer get to this place? Why is world soccer dominated by smaller and less affluent European and Latin America countries? There are many points of view and more explanations, but one consistent observation is that youth soccer in the United States needs drastic improvement. So then where do we begin? We take a step back, steal an idea or two from international rivals and embrace a new path in youth soccer culture and coaching.

Culture: Winning vs Development

Far too many soccer clubs in America prize winning over development in youth...