MLS Youth Teams...More Information...
Months ago we got word that MLS clubs would start fielding youth teams with the goal of one day having a proper club set up, but details have been slow to trickle out of league offices. This week we got word of some movement from my local club, the Colorado Rapids.
In my mind, a proper club set up is one where hundreds if not thousands of young soccer players, at the age of 10, 11 and 12, try to earn a spot in a professional club's academy system. This is what happens every year in Brazil, Argentina, England, Spain...most other soccer countries around the world. Great players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Wayne Rooney certainly didn't pay hundreds of dollars a year to play for their local club. By the time they are 15 or 16 players are identified as future stars and they have a chance to earn a contract with their club. The national team doesn't have to do the work of developing this talent as currently happens in the US. The club invests in the player knowing that some day they will make a lot of money on a transfer or from that player's play on the field.
This is finally happening in the US. As noted in the article the Rapids have taken great steps forward, following the likes of Red Bull New York, DC United and a couple other MLS clubs. The Rapids have hired Brian Crookham as Director of Coaching for the Rapids Academy. Previously this job was handled by assistant coach John Murphy. As I'm sure you can imagine Murphy is a busy guy with his coaching responsibilities and he couldn't dedicate the time necessary to get a proper youth/academy set up off the ground. Now Crookham, who has a long history in Colorado youth soccer, will be tasked with getting the academy off the ground leaving Murphy to his primary coaching responsibilities. I think that is great.
Here is the other information nugget we got:
My interpretation is that the Rapids by inviting players onto the teams will be picking up the tab meaning that players of all walks of life will have a chance to impress...not just the privileged who can pay to play for Colorado Rush, Real Colorado and the like. That is great. Additionally MLS is now allowing clubs to identify talent and after two years of playing for youth teams they can join the senior club directly, skipping the draft.
There are over 100 clubs in the USL-Super Y league. It will be great to see the Rapids, the other MLS clubs, and the regional dominant youth clubs mixing it up. Hopefully this level of integration will lead to increased support of the MLS clubs. The Rocky Mountain division of the Super Y league will host teams from MLS clubs Kansas City and Real Salt Lake. In addition youth clubs in the area will enter teams. USL will also have a championship at the end of the season for the Super-Y league.
Great steps forward for MLS and US Soccer.
In my mind, a proper club set up is one where hundreds if not thousands of young soccer players, at the age of 10, 11 and 12, try to earn a spot in a professional club's academy system. This is what happens every year in Brazil, Argentina, England, Spain...most other soccer countries around the world. Great players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Wayne Rooney certainly didn't pay hundreds of dollars a year to play for their local club. By the time they are 15 or 16 players are identified as future stars and they have a chance to earn a contract with their club. The national team doesn't have to do the work of developing this talent as currently happens in the US. The club invests in the player knowing that some day they will make a lot of money on a transfer or from that player's play on the field.
This is finally happening in the US. As noted in the article the Rapids have taken great steps forward, following the likes of Red Bull New York, DC United and a couple other MLS clubs. The Rapids have hired Brian Crookham as Director of Coaching for the Rapids Academy. Previously this job was handled by assistant coach John Murphy. As I'm sure you can imagine Murphy is a busy guy with his coaching responsibilities and he couldn't dedicate the time necessary to get a proper youth/academy set up off the ground. Now Crookham, who has a long history in Colorado youth soccer, will be tasked with getting the academy off the ground leaving Murphy to his primary coaching responsibilities. I think that is great.
Here is the other information nugget we got:
Beginning in June, the Rapids Academy will field U16 and U17 teams in the Rocky Mountain Division of the Super-Y League. Tryouts for the teams will be held on an invitation only basis. Players born in 1990, 1991 and 1992 will be eligible for these teams.
My interpretation is that the Rapids by inviting players onto the teams will be picking up the tab meaning that players of all walks of life will have a chance to impress...not just the privileged who can pay to play for Colorado Rush, Real Colorado and the like. That is great. Additionally MLS is now allowing clubs to identify talent and after two years of playing for youth teams they can join the senior club directly, skipping the draft.
There are over 100 clubs in the USL-Super Y league. It will be great to see the Rapids, the other MLS clubs, and the regional dominant youth clubs mixing it up. Hopefully this level of integration will lead to increased support of the MLS clubs. The Rocky Mountain division of the Super Y league will host teams from MLS clubs Kansas City and Real Salt Lake. In addition youth clubs in the area will enter teams. USL will also have a championship at the end of the season for the Super-Y league.
Great steps forward for MLS and US Soccer.
Labels: MLS, US Soccer, Youth Development
posted by Bonji at
11:19 AM
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