deadbq03 said:

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I think you're right on as far as development is concerned. I suppose where I'm coming from is that soccer is a popular option at age 6, but many of the parents are disengaged because it's not a sport that they're as familiar with as other sports. I'd focus the super young rec leagues on having a fun family experience. Shoot there's a lot of moms out there who did play soccer... take advantage of that and have mom-son rec opportunities where the little boys get to play with their mommies. I think something needs to be done to drum up enthusiasm from parents. Grow popularity of the sport and then yes, as the cream rises to the top we desperately need a consistent development strategy.

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I have to disagree with the bolded part. I'm a swim parent, never ever thought about swimming competitively but am actively engaged as are most of the other swim parents.

I don't know about soccer clubs but I do know that USA Swimming have accreditation levels for clubs that meet certain standards. On top of that, almost all the clubs have USA Swimming accredited coaches coaching at all levels, even those at 6 and under. I think it's much cheaper to get basic coaching accreditation in swimming than soccer.

I don't know about cost for soccer clubs but for swim clubs it's not too exorbitant.

The problem with soccer is the score isn't high enough.

Ways to fix it:

1. Add a blue line like youth American soccer. It would be halfway between midfield and goal line. You cannot be offside on your end of the blue line. Bam. More goals.
2. Any goal between the 6 and 12 is two points. Any goal between the 12-18 is 3 points. Any goal beyond the 18 is 4 points. Any goal behind the blue line is 5 points. Bam. Fixed.
3. Make the goal bigger. Maybe 10 feet high. Bam. Fixed.
4. Allow another player to use their hands inside the other team goal box. The can't catch it, but they can hit it like a volleyball and slam it into the goal. Bam. Fixed.

I think if we implement these laws, more Americans would watch the sport.

Yeah, lets totally american the crap out of the worlds most popular sport to appease americans.

I'm in but only if its a Red White and Blue line

I agree completely on accreditation... but on a simpler level, the parent has to relate to the sport I think. There's always exceptions of course.

With your swim team example, I'd bet a coke that you had fun with your kids in a pool when they were little. That builds an affinity for the sport for both the parent and the child. You probably got to witness first-hand that they were little fish and so the idea got planted that maybe swim team would be good for them (that's exactly what's happening with me and my oldest right now. Dude has zero coordination for team sports but can swim like a little champ).

IMO this doesn't happen enough with soccer whereas lots of kids toss a baseball, football or shoot hoops with dad which builds bonds and helps dad see what sport they're good at so they steer them towards it. I'm suggesting that a way to "jump start" more interest in the sport itself would be to promote fun parent-child experiences at the young ages. I don't view it as a development strategy but rather a marketing strategy for the sport as a whole.

salloh_tamu said:

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Yeah, lets totally american the crap out of the worlds most popular sport to appease americans.

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Better idea. Let's let everyone BUT the keeper use their hands. They just can't catch it.

This guy's on board:

Biggest problem is the majority of American males still view the sport and it's players as soft. Diving and embellishment does the game no favors in the eye of the average American male sports fan.

Pahdz said:

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Biggest problem is the majority of American males still view the sport and it's players as soft. Diving and embellishment does the game no favors in the eye of the average American male sports fan.

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Anyone who thinks soccer players are soft should volunteer to take spikes to the shin and see how they react.

But yeah. The typical South American embellishment is ridiculous.

Rumblings in the Twitterverse that Tyler Adams is going back to Germany and Reggie Cannon added.

he was going to be stuck playing RB, don't blame RB Leipzig for wanting him back.

I know it's a week until the game, but let's take development discussion to the thread that already has that title. If we actually don't have Tyler Adams for this tournament I would be very surprised.

I didn't see anyone with a check mark state discuss this rumor about Adams. Someone could have picked up a knock in the game or practice.

Cannon part is confirmed by other sources. Since they brought in a RB the speculation is that it is Adams.

So here's the pessimist in me:
Tyler didn't want to play RB.

Here's the pragmatist in me:
Tyler played a compete MLs season roled into the end of a Bundesliga season and needs rest.

Optimist
Adams is playing the 6 and not RB.

Adams was most likely not playing the first game anyways, and someone else is hurt.

Guess we'll know for sure in a few hours
Watch them try to sneak in the announcement during the women's game.

Pahdz said:

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Biggest problem is the majority of American males still view the sport and it's players as soft. Diving and embellishment does the game no favors in the eye of the average American male sports fan.

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You want the best american male youth athletes to get into soccer more? You have to get to the girls first. If school girls dig soccer stars the way they dig football and basketball stars in their school then you will have more guys playing soccer.

What if we just get all our players for the USWNT to identify as male for the next World Cup. We might actually make the tournament if they did.

I Am Mine said:

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Texaggie7nine said:

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What if we just get all our players for the USWNT to identify as male for the next World Cup. We might actually make the tournament if they did.

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A high school boys team could beat the USWNT.

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And unfortunately the USMNT as it is right now.

Texaggie7nine said:

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I Am Mine said:

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Texaggie7nine said:

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What if we just get all our players for the USWNT to identify as male for the next World Cup. We might actually make the tournament if they did.

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A high school boys team could beat the USWNT.

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And unfortunately the USMNT as it is right now.

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I'd be ok adding Pulisic, Sargent, Adams and McKennie to the U20 team to give it a go.

Texaggie7nine said:

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Pahdz said:

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Biggest problem is the majority of American males still view the sport and it's players as soft. Diving and embellishment does the game no favors in the eye of the average American male sports fan.

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You want the best american male youth athletes to get into soccer more? You have to get to the girls first. If school girls dig soccer stars the way they dig football and basketball stars in their school then you will have more guys playing soccer.

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Not sure about you boys but us soccer guys did ok for ourselves in my neck of the woods.

OregonAggie said:

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Texaggie7nine said:

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Pahdz said:

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Biggest problem is the majority of American males still view the sport and it's players as soft. Diving and embellishment does the game no favors in the eye of the average American male sports fan.

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You want the best american male youth athletes to get into soccer more? You have to get to the girls first. If school girls dig soccer stars the way they dig football and basketball stars in their school then you will have more guys playing soccer.

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Not sure about you boys but us soccer guys did ok for ourselves in my neck of the woods.

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I was in highschool in the mid 90s. The soccer guys were kind of their own thing separate from the rest of the jocks. Well soccer and water polo guys were. They kind of only went out with soccer and water polo chicks.

Texaggie7nine said:

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OregonAggie said:

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Texaggie7nine said:

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Pahdz said:

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Biggest problem is the majority of American males still view the sport and it's players as soft. Diving and embellishment does the game no favors in the eye of the average American male sports fan.

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You want the best american male youth athletes to get into soccer more? You have to get to the girls first. If school girls dig soccer stars the way they dig football and basketball stars in their school then you will have more guys playing soccer.

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Not sure about you boys but us soccer guys did ok for ourselves in my neck of the woods.

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I was in highschool in the mid 90s. The soccer guys were kind of their own thing separate from the rest of the jocks. Well soccer and water polo guys were. They kind of only went out with soccer and water polo chicks.

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Theres your explanation, not exactly a relevant experience to today, haha.

PatAg said:

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Optimist
Adams is playing the 6 and not RB.

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I'd love to see him take Trapp's spot.

Leipzig has played him on both the left side and the right side of their midfield pairing, and once as solo DM. Dude belongs somewhere in the middle of the field.

Fox sports confirming no Adams due to nagging injury from Bundesliga

PatAg said:

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Fox sports confirming no Adams due to nagging injury from Bundesliga

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It is just the gold cup. I'm ok if it gets cannon playing time.

Just makes it harder to evaluate the team and coach if you never have your first selection available..and in this case maybe your most important player tactically.

If this allows him to be rested for next year it's probably worth it though, long term.

I say slot McKennie in at the 6 and have Pulisic and Holmes play the dual 10's. Bradley's and Trapp's lack of speed will get exposed.

I'd be ok with Bradely Holmes mckennie and Pulisic on the wing with freedom to rotate

High school late nineties in the Dallas area. The soccer guys at my high school were involved in pretty much every party in our town so my experience was a little different.