PLAYER DEVELOPMENT: FUTSOC – A TRUE MODEL OF SUCCESS

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT:

FUTSOC – A TRUE MODEL OF SUCCESS

For decades, I have been examining the landscape of youth soccer all over the world and specifically in the U.S., and particularly at the early youth level…the stage we denominate at FUTSOC ... BAMBINOS ACADEMY, the development stage for 5 – 9 year olds and the early years of our YOUTH ACADEMY (10 – 12). The findings are very clear, children are not enjoying themselves, as too much structure, too much control and too great an expectation is being placed on children. This is the age at which we adults, in our days, were playing street ball at all hours, without referees directing the game, without parents pressuring us to perform and criticizing our play, without inundating us with rules and limitations. We were free to meander, to explore, discover on our own…we summoned our inner soul and projected what we learned, interpreted and expressed…CREATIVITY!

Why have FUTSOC been so prominent and so successful in preparing wave after wave of players and teams, all which eventually have succeeded at the highest levels nationally? Why has a small, very specialized soccer academy such as FUTSOC, outshined, outperformed and outplayed virtually every larger club and USSF Academy program they have competed against?... Why? Why? Why?

WHY?

Since the early 1990’s, the landscape of competitive youth soccer was gradually developing in South Florida, particularly Miami-Dade and later Broward County. Clubs began to crop up everywhere there was a city boundary and a suitable player base. New cities were forming, including Weston, and new clubs arose. Some very effective leadership was evident as this stage. However, the youth soccer landscape has been beset by ineffective and poorly trained coaches, financial objectives as the ultimate goal in organizing these youth clubs and dishonest organizations shielding themselves behind the benevolent tax shields of non-profit status. Who are the losers in this sad state of youth soccer…the CHILDREN!!

Parents are being “sucked” into the void of these promising, supposed state of the art programs, presumed honest leadership and quick-fix training and coaching models, which profess to have the perfect solution to take each child to the college or professional ranks! Shamefully, these less than honest organizations and people are charging inordinate sums of money, are recommending additional specialized training for all positions and ages and are also organizing overseas trips with the idea that these will be life-altering events, which ultimately will both allow them to be seen by foreign scouts and coaches and/or return to the U.S. with an enhanced level of play and rocket all the way to the top! IT IS TIME TO REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE….NOW!!

For decades, at FUTSOC we have been working feverishly to establish and manage a well thought out and defined model development program, where children are the sole objective, the exclusive reason and the only purpose for the program! It has been in existence now since 2000, and the results have been incomparable. The emphasis has to be on FUN, for there must be enjoyment in our youth’s activities or they will gradually burn out and leave the sport. Currently, the figures are quite alarming, as over 70% of youths are leaving soccer by the age of 15 (according to US Youth Soccer and other highly respected reports). This is both alarming and dangerous!

At FUTSOC we have established the long-term culture and philosophy of the true player development program, where the youths are the beneficiaries of all the best training, support and guidance, under optimal guidelines and adherence to internationally accepted methodologies. What is of great satisfaction to FUTSOC, is to learn of how the US Soccer Federation has now established new variants in its recommendations for youth player development. These new recommendations, are nothing but a delayed acceptance of what we have been preaching and practicing for decades! FUTSOC ACADEMY – A TRUE DEVELOPMENT MODEL OF SUCCESS!

Below are some of the new US SOCCER recommendations, which FUTSOC has been performing and adhering to in its programs since inception.

U.S. SOCCER GUIDELINES

Despite the increased popularity of soccer and the success of our National Teams, the youth soccer landscape needs to be improved for players age 12 and younger. Our soccer culture at the youth level focuses on winning and results rather than focusing developing the skills of individual players. The concept of the team outweighs the importance of players having fun and developing to the best of their abilities. As a country, we need coaches and parents to spend less time caring about wins and loses, and more time devoted to teaching individual skills. Part of this initiative is to educate and empower coaches and parents to change the way we look at the sport. One example of this is U.S. Soccer’s new F License, which is designed for coaches working with players ages 6-8.

These initiatives are part of a long-term plan that will take time to bear fruit. We need to remember that kids are not the finished product and at these ages, the development process is a long way from being completed. This means that players need to be in the best environment possible, both on the field and at home, to succeed. Working with coaches and being encouraged by parents who support these initiatives is crucial to the overall success of the project.

The starting point for our new Player Development Initiative is to create small sided standards and institute a birth year registration process. The rationale for the changes is simple. We want to develop players with more individual skill, intelligence, creativity and confidence. These standards were created based on the needs of the players and provide a consistent approach across the country.

SMALL-SIDE MATCH STANDARDS

The core objectives behind the small sided standards are as follows:

• Fewer players on the field means more touches on the ball and increased touches translates to more individual skill.

• Players who are more skilled may become more confident and comfortable when in possession of the ball.

• The ratio of players to field size is designed to assist players with making the right kind of decisions and improving awareness.

• This approach builds on itself as players get older and start playing with more players on bigger fields.

• And as players get older, the building block approach also allows them to better integrate into a team model where they develop partnerships with the other players that make up the team.

Overall, the standards provide for an age-appropriate environment for players to achieve the objectives listed above.

Please note that the goal sizes and field sizes listed are meant to be the maximums used for playing games. Your local environment may require the use of goals and fields that are slightly smaller.

Source: U.S. Soccer