U.S. Soccer turning to overlooked youth to discover talent

[Zeppo]

U.S. Soccer turning to overlooked youth to discover next wave of talent

Most Americans aren’t familiar with Nacogdoches, Texas, and if they are it’s probably because of Clint Dempsey. Nacogdoches is a small town of less than 35,000 people in East Texas, roughly 150 miles from Houston and Dallas. Dempsey, the only American ever to score in three World Cups, grew up playing soccer on dirt fields against Hispanic immigrants in his town. He played in an unaffiliated local Mexican League in his teens, even after he had joined a more traditional Dallas-based soccer program.

Dempsey, who takes the torch from the retiring Landon Donovan as the highest-scoring active U.S. men’s national team player, developed his game on the streets. His style is indicative of his upbringing: His innate creativity, finishing ability and capacity to improvise are unrivaled among other American players.

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[Assasin]

"Parents also have to pay for their child to play, usually increasingly so as the player improves and travel expenses swell to hundreds and thousands of dollars. Individuals without financial resources often aren’t discovered because they can’t play travel soccer without a scholarship."

yep!!!!! That is what I said. The second thing as stated earlier is that soccer in the inner city needs more people to give more time. That is the number one reason why inner city kids are not involved. You would be surprise the amount of volunteerism that is involved in most successful soccer program. I am very glad the US soccer is seeing that. Hopefully some of communities can get involved.

[Gamma]

only place in the owrld, except maybe canada...where football is a middleclass sport. it also brings up the latest trend or buzzword "street footballers"

remmebr when camerooninan, ivorian, nigerian and ghanian players were in demand? that is trending down now...., so too are the french players remember the advent of big technical centreforward (gullit/tor andre flo e.g.) which led to the need for bigger centrehalves (or was it the other way around...either way one fed the other)

so suarez and sanchez have brought the sexy back to street football ... and here i want to pause to acknowledge Stoni and his argument that poor playing surfaces is not what is keeping jamaica back, and to backtrack from my position that it is the main cause, even though concrete/asphalt is a much more reliable surface than bumpy uneven dirt.

the creativity and skill honed in street football must be complemented with technical training and if not inserted at the right time, it could very well be wasted.

a good point is being made here in this article ... in fact several good points. maybe this kind of recruiting should take place for 10-14/15 year olds and then place them in an envirnment that will provide them with the technical coaching needed to complete their development. it will cost money though because at THAT point the proper playing surfaces will be required.

[Karl]

Academy Of The Streets tuh ratid!
Bricktop must be his head off or throwing a

[Gamma]

if he is i'm not sure why .......

get those players and put them in a more structured environment so that they can complete their development. if they stayed with the streets too long the window for development will close on them.

[Karl]

The dig was Dunny's the school's cannot aid development...but the article said even the streets can help!

[Assasin]

How much can the streets help if they are not rescued early? School like the streets must be used to identify talent. How many good 19 year old street ballers you have?

If they are not bought in a good structure they are lost by that age.

[Gamma]

You might as well be whistling Dixie through your nose!

[Karl]

How much can the streets help if they are not rescued early? School like the streets must be used to identify talent. How many good 19 year old street ballers you have?

Aren't you leaving out something?
School like the streets must be used to identify talent...and to provide...???

If they are not bought in a good structure they are lost by that age.

Agreed!

[Assasin]

"and to provide...???"

To provide what???

Let us look at this. The UK kids leave high school at 16 years old so most football talent is identified between 10-16 and place in a club structure. In the US Kid leave to college at 17-18 or go to Academies.

In Jamaica 19 year old talent ballers are playing DCUP. Some will not play NPL until they are 20.

what more is there to add?

[Karl]

"and to provide...???"

To provide what???

Let us look at this. The UK kids leave high school at 16 years old so most football talent is identified between 10-16 and place in a club structure. In the US Kid leave to college at 17-18 or go to Academies.

In Jamaica 19 year old talent ballers are playing DCUP. Some will not play NPL until they are 20.

what more is there to add?

Sass: Nuh run fram wat yuh barn & kno?
nuh badda wid dat? - Schools are there at/on the most basic of definition solely to aid development of the child! There is no stage of a child's early life where some development does not occur. There is no stage of a child's life within any subject area where some development does not take place.

The only questions are:
- Was the development process being advanced by 'best practices';

- Were the results being achieved at 'best age appropriate rate';

...and...generally but certainly specific to our country (consider all the factors - Number of talented kids, number of teachers/coaches, physical resources, support human resources, financial resources, etc., etc... ),
- Is the delivery of education most efficient and cost effective!

Yes, sir...You know our schools provides environment for football development even as you also know the schools can do better and must do a better job on Youth development and that includes the subject/discipline of 'football'!!!

Nuh badda hide fram dat which yuh barn an grow an kno!!! ...an nidah shud Gamma!!!

[Assasin]

Karl. My brother was a talented cricketer. He was the open bats along with Rudy Speid bigger brother for his school. The teacher Vivian Bagga Grossett was the sports teacher and also the captain of our local club. At 14 my brother was opening bats for St.Mary parish champion. He played school but he was practicing with the club and playing every weekend and playing against players like Everton "Peas Head" Mathis, Youton Dowe and others. It took him one PE session to make the Titchfield High Team. Pity because of family business he had to leave.

Now back to soccer school doesn't give a very long sustained competitive season. Now is November and most schools already stop playing soccer. My kids at the U9 level have more competitive games than 15 and 16 year olds who intend to play competitive or even at the college level. How can that work?

Sorry to say but most Jamaican players that I know who see a few good run US academy will say "if mi did ever get them training deh". For most part we are only getting by on our god given talent and not preparation. My kids season starts in late July and take a break next week and start up back in Feb. I also have the choice of playing indoors if I wanted.

DCUP, Manning Cup and ISSA in no way prepare you for the real world. How many schools have 6 months of football???? You think 8 weeks a year is good enough? I say six week because the average teams only play 8 to 10 games and maybe 2 to 3 practice games. Dcup and Manning cup is designed for glory, not for development.

[Gamma]

Dcup and Manning cup is designed for glory, not for development

high school football is an extra-curricular activity and a team WILL win as a result of attrition.

[Karl]

Karl. My brother was a talented cricketer. He was the open bats along with Rudy Speid bigger brother for his school. The teacher Vivian Bagga Grossett was the sports teacher and also the captain of our local club. At 14 my brother was opening bats for St.Mary parish champion. He played school but he was practicing with the club and playing every weekend and playing against players like Everton "Peas Head" Mathis, Youton Dowe and others. It took him one PE session to make the Titchfield High Team. Pity because of family business he had to leave.

Now back to soccer school doesn't give a very long sustained competitive season. Now is November and most schools already stop playing soccer. My kids at the U9 level have more competitive games than 15 and 16 year olds who intend to play competitive or even at the college level. How can that work?

Sorry to say but most Jamaican players that I know who see a few good run US academy will say "if mi did ever get them training deh". For most part we are only getting by on our god given talent and not preparation. My kids season starts in late July and take a break next week and start up back in Feb. I also have the choice of playing indoors if I wanted.

DCUP, Manning Cup and ISSA in no way prepare you for the real world. How many schools have 6 months of football???? You think 8 weeks a year is good enough? I say six week because the average teams only play 8 to 10 games and maybe 2 to 3 practice games. Dcup and Manning cup is designed for glory, not for development.

Sass: You could not have made a better case for improvement within our school system if you were trying!
Thank you, my friend!!!

[Assasin]

How many school can afford a 6 months program???

How you improve school when you have 19 year old "baller" still playing Dcup?

How you improve school when football is not the priority and have to share with netball, volley ball, TT, school challenge, track, cricket and basketball?

You need a club dedicated to football and football need. Not saying the kid can't play for his school but clubs are better equipped to deal with this.