On the Road to Making Soccer the Preeminent Sport in America
At the recent Development Academy Winter Cup, a few changes for the upcoming DA season were announced and Barry Pauwels, Director of Coaching Education spoke to the Boys’ Academy Directors on the common goal of inspiring players to be their best.
Updated on the 2019/20 Development Academy season.
The 2019 U.S. Soccer Development Academy (DA) Winter Cup was held in early December and was attended by all MLS and independent youth soccer club Development Academies.
Allstate is now the presenting sponsor of the DA – and has committed $250,000 annually to the DA Scholarship fund, which has begun this season. Allstate is well known for its consistent contribution to youth soccer all across America.
Read: U.S. SOCCER DA BOYS WINTER CUP REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
At the Boys event, the DA held a meeting for all the Academy Directors and reviewed the focus player-centric philosophy. The controversial restructuring of the U18/19 regular season format to increase meaningful competition — the Red/Blue split of the age group into two levels — has proven to be successful at creating more competitive games according to the latest research. The average goals scored per U18/19 game decreased from 1.90 in the 2018/19 season to 1.52 this season with the increasingly competitive matches.
Closer games with fewer goals scored equate to tougher competition and more challenging matches. Not all the ratios are as low as 1.52.
- The average goal for a DA U15 boys game is 2.17 (2019/120)
- The average goal for a DA U16/17 boys game is 1.86 (2019/120)
Although the two-tiered regular season for the U18/19 age group has its clear benefits, the DA does not plan to expand this approach next season.
One of the goals of the DA is to clearly provide a clear player identification process in the 10-month program and help clubs create a successful training environment with more meaningful and competitive games.
Upcoming DA Events: The Boys 2019/20 DA Cup Finals, which provides an opportunity for exposure, will be held at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City starting on April 29th and concluding on May 4th.
In addition, there will be the annual Boys 2019/20 Summer Showcase & Playoffs and this year, 32 U15 teams will qualify for the 2020 playoffs.
Changes for upcoming DA Events next season:
- The U15s will not attend the Winter Cup/Showcase in 2020/21 but for U15 non-MLS Academies, the U15s will be added to the fall Boys Regional Showcase.
- MLS Clubs have their own Youth Cup and regional programming for the U15 age group which is also scouted by the USSF YNTs
- The U13s will no longer attend the Boys Regional Showcase.
- The DA feels that the U14 and U15 age groups are more appropriate to travel and, since Youth National Team (YNT) programming starts at the U14 age, this decision better aligns with the Talent Identification strategy.
- There is no change in programming at the U14 age.
The idea behind some of these new changes is that the U13s still benefit from localized games and that at this age, top players begin the pathway and migration of moving to top clubs.
DA’s Emphasis on a Growth Mindset with Supportive Messages
First training session after a challenging game – Praising the action / effort that got a desired result
Barry Pauwels, Director of Coaching Education for U.S. Soccer spoke at the Boys Academy Directors’ Meeting and focused on the concept of coaching games for development — creating a learning culture for enhanced player development.
Besides the critically important concept that coaches should embrace a holistic view of coaching youth soccer, the idea that each and every youth player is an individual person, that it is important to understand how children learn and what their basic needs are.
“Our goal is to increase a player’s personal motivation.”
Barry Pauwels, Director of Coaching Education for U.S. Soccer
In essence, Pauwels wants coaches to harness a player’s passion for the game and have that translate into actionable goals and aspirations.
Pauwels discussed the value of igniting a strong desire to achieve better performance through better development inspired and led by players’ own self-directed drive — and of course, coached by an intuitive coach who can lead the player to make smart autonomous decisions.
It is about Vitamins for Development.
While the concept can start to sound ethereal, it is rooted in the logic that players need to take the initiative — and should set personal development goals.
If coaches explain the options and increase a player’s understanding of not only the game but of their options by explaining the reasons behind decisions, the benefits will raise the level of player development across the nation.
This could even reduce the vast number of kids quitting the game.
Pauwels also asked coaches how they would describe themselves on game day.
Citing the basic psychological needs we all share, Pauwels spoke on the need to focus on creating a positive team climate with no negativity. Simply stated, the DA is encouraging coaches to want less control and give more support to their players.
If players feel confident, competent and successful, they will rise to meet greater challenges with enhanced focus and drive.
Asking what coaches emphasize, Pauwels wanted to know if most coaches spend time reviewing what has not yet been successful versus what is already successful.
The idea is that the coach of the future will ask questions instead of preach, they will make sure they let their players know what is expected of them and will help them set appropriate goals.
Creating a deeper connection between the and the sport can inspire lifelong fans of the beautiful game, and …
help today’s youth players become tomorrow’s season ticket holders.
The DA is also interested in a renewed collaboration, working together with youth soccer clubs all across America to benefit youth player development. With a deeper pocket for scholarships, the DA is extending its reach beyond economics and truly seeking the best players to train.
