U.S. Soccer Gets a Red Card

posted on March 09, 2012 03:06

My previous posting paid compliments to a non-school lacrosse organization which appears to share some of the same perspectives we have for young athletes. Today I express an opposite opinion about U.S. Soccer which has created a “Development Academy” that has announced it is moving to a 10-month season beginning in the fall of 2012.

U.S. Soccer has declared that participants in the Development Academy are prohibited from playing on their local high school teams. This has prompted criticism from high school coaches who in many parts of the country, including Michigan, will lose some of the more accomplished players to the Development Academy.

The academy’s design follows that of powerhouse soccer nations where, however, high school sports do not exist like they do in the United States, where high school students play on high school soccer teams during defined seasons of the year.

The design of the Development Academy and the exclusive participation that U.S. Soccer is promulgating violates the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, which requires national sport governing bodies to minimize conflicts with school and college programs. I was involved in the preparation and passage of that law by the United States Congress; I know what it says and what it stands for. U.S. Soccer is violating the spirit and specific language of the law.

The desire and drive of U.S. Soccer to have U.S. teams excel in international competition is admirable; but its violation of U.S. statutes in the process is deplorable.

Posted in: Perspective, Soccer

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Comments

# Bob grant

Friday, March 9, 2012 4:19 AM

I think it is tragic. What is more fun than playing for your high school team? Certainly not playing club soccer, even allegedly at some very high level. Maybe there are2-3 kids in Michigan that are really elite. The rest will have their egos stroked, but miss out on playing in front of their friends. Sad

# Damon

Friday, March 9, 2012 8:29 AM

Could not disagree more. It does not affect that many kids in Michigan. Do the math. How many clubs will even participate in this academy? This is about these kids getting a chance to continue playing at a high level; and, as an added perk, MORE kids who would have lost their spots to these kids on the high school teams get the chance to participate, play in games and maybe even learn greater lessons in life, rather than just acquiescing to "superior talents".
I am stunned more by HS coaches who would complain about "losing" kids, when their objective is to take what they are given and teach life lessons, rather than just have success record-wise. US Soccer is doing the RIGHT thing by giving these talented kids a chance to be something more.

# Steve

Monday, March 12, 2012 11:58 AM

I partially agree with you, Mr. Roberts. I'm a soccer fan, and somewhat disagree with USSF and pro teams going to the Academy model, because that is what is done in the rest of the world, so this is what the US should do to, eventually, develop players for the World Cup team. I still would like the pro teams to go slower, and I do have an affinity of the current HS-college model.

However, when the NCAA says that their purpose is not to develop pro-level players, it should then be fine for non-scholastic entities to have a pro-player strategy.

# Nate

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 11:41 AM

I understand the effort by US Soccer, but doubt its effectiveness. More changes are coming to the development academy program (DA) and there is a push to downsize it. Currently Michigan has two DA clubs, both in the Detroit area (Vardar and Wolves). Each Michigan DA club has about 60 to 70 kids participating spread over 15-18 age groups.

Yes the DA program could be used to find future pro players. Mostly though it is a higher level of play that kids can use to help their college recruitment. Once a commitment is made you may see kids drop out of the DA program to play high school.

# Bernie Turner

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 1:24 AM

We should not be surprised anymore. Soccer has turned into a pure business. I am sure that many of the high school coaches who complain about losing quality players are involved in the local travel clubs, charging high fees from these same soccer players. Yes, they will lose that money as well as the quality player.
If we are realistic, even if they excel in this new environment, where are they going to play on the next stage? Professional soccer in this country is still struggling and only the marquis players make decent wages.
I do feel that these athletes have the right to choose where they play but I do feel the ruling that prohibits them from participating in high school at the same time, is correct.

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