Commentary
Landon Donovan addresses Latino exclusion from U.S. Soccer Youth Task Force
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Sep 10, 2019
For the Youth Task Force, Donovan was assigned to the Standards & Certification Working Group. The others are: Lindsay Tarpley (Diversity & Inclusion), Nick Perera (Coaching), Lori Lindsey (Referee), Heather O’Reilly (Risk Management) and Stuart Holden (Member Growth).
Donovan’s first youth experiences were with Latino players and he has previously spoken about the influence that the Latin-style of soccer had on his future success. We checked in with Donovan for his views on the lack of Latinos on the Task Force.
“We want U.S. Soccer, we want our clubs, we want MLS, we want our national team to reflect what our country looks like,” Donovan said. “Certainly, that includes Latinos, so we should absolutely have people who understand that segment of our demographic.”
No man of Latin American origin or descent is serving on any of the Working Groups.
“I'm not Latino,” said Donovan, “but I consider myself as Latino as one can be without actually being Latino -- because that's what I grew up around. I have a very good understanding of the Latin American player, mentality and lifestyle as it pertains to soccer. But I agree with you we should absolutely have representation from every piece of our country.”
Donovan said he never saw a list of the members on the other five Working Groups. Two other Working Group members also said they weren’t aware of who was on the Working Groups beyond their own. And one said they wouldn’t be surprised if most members didn’t know who comprised the other groups.
“I'm not in any of these conversations,” Donovan said. “I haven't been part of any of the interviews. I'm not privy to all of it. But, yes, I do think it’s vital to have [Latino representation].”
Donovan learned Spanish because most of his teammates on his Southern California youth club were Latinos and spoke more Spanish on the field than English, making it necessary if he was going to get the ball and “be accepted on the team.” (Another former U.S. star who is non-Hispanic and was influenced by Latin soccer is Clint Dempsey. While growing up in the East Texas town of Nacogdoches he played in Hispanic adult leagues during his teens.)
Donovan currently serves as Executive VP for Soccer Operations of San Diego's USL Championship expansion franchise, which aims to join league play in 2021.
“A big piece of what we’re doing with our San Diego team,” Donovan said, “is trying to build -- from our front office, through our fan base, and with our coaching staff and our players -- a group of people who are representative of what our city looks like. U.S. Soccer should absolutely do the same thing when it comes to being representative of the country.”
Donovan played for the USA at three World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010) after climbing the youth national team ladder. This year, players in the men’s youth national team program, from U-14 to U-20, are about 40% Latino. But U-20 head coach Tab Ramos is the only Latino head coach in the program. He also serves as Youth Technical Director, but Grant Wahl reported in SI.com that according to sources, “Ramos hasn’t been involved in any federation youth strategy planning over the past 12 months.” Moreover, Earnie Stewart, the newly promoted U.S. Soccer Sporting Director, now in charge of the men's and women's national team programs from youth on up, equivocated when asked what about Ramos' future role with U.S. Soccer.
On whether the men’s youth national program has made good progress under Ramos, Donovan said:
“Absolutely. The ultimate sign will be how many of the players will succeed with the full national team. But they have done extremely well and we’re all pretty optimistic and excited about what we’ve see over the five, six years under Tab.”
Would he be surprised if U.S. Soccer moved ahead without Ramos in charge of the youth national team program?
“Again, I'm not privy to all the conversations. But would it surprise me? Yes, it would. Because I think Tab's done an excellent job. I don't know all the ins and outs. But, yes, from the outside, I think Tab has done a terrific job.”
If U.S. Soccer did want to start including Latinos from the American soccer community in its Task Force, would he be able to provide a list of qualified candidates?
“I certainly could in San Diego, because I've working with them for a couple years now,” he said. “Across the nation? It would not be hard. You can find people who are relevant in their communities who understand the youth game very clearly. That's not hard to do.”
"'Ramos hasn’t been involved in any federation youth strategy planning over the past 12 months.' Moreover, Earnie Stewart, the newly promoted U.S. Soccer Sporting Director, now in charge of the men's and women's national team programs from youth on up, equivocated when asked what about Ramos' future role with U.S. Soccer."
Horrible situation. Is the popular support of Ramos for MNT coach making Ramos persona non grata with USSF management? Ramos has never spoken out about any of the controversies. He has been constantly loyal to USSF leadership over the years.
Other than illegal discrimination against Hispanics, why would USSF not involve USSF's Youth Technical Director in the management of youth soccer?
Why would any rational person not involve Ramos in management of the sport?
Ugly.
Bob, if one were to do a little bit of research, at least going back to the post WC USA'94 era, you'd be very surprised to note the large number of Latino/Hispanic coaches that eventually were ID'd and recruited to form a somewhat "national" group of Latino coaches that worked with US Soccer, Juan carlos Michia, Joe Supe, Rene Miramontes, Menjivar, Carlos Juarez, Ralph Perez, et.al. (other names escape me) for the express purpose of finding that soccer player that could/would make any team. And find players they did, yet as time came and went, these very hard working "US Soccer Latino/Hispanic" scouts were - for lack of a better term - put out to pasture. As one commenter stated the other day, there are hundreds of us ready willing and able to roll up our sleeves and get to work, yes despite the differences of opinion, our common goal is the development of our sport. One last point: Ironically, US Soccer House is located I believe on South Wabach very close to the Latino/Hispanic communities, e.g. the Pilsen area, 26th St, etc., and yet I wonder if the House's staff has any Latino/Hispanic staff? Just wondering!
Bob,
You wonder don't you with Greg's brother on the board. Politics?
Regarding the board, what I wonder is where is the legally required 20% minimum representation of amateur athletes? USSF has a favored position as the governing body for soccer in the USA under the condition that it serves the interests of amateur athletes. What I see are professional athletes.
That by the way is the big exclusion--the exclusion of amateur athletes from the USSF board.
Greg's brother is not on the board.
https://www.ussoccer.com/governance/board-of-directors/about
Richard Moeller and John Motta represent the Adult Council (amateur soccer).
Representatives don't count. To count, members must be amatuer soccer players themselves. Not coaches. Not league administrators. Not attorneys. Not pros. Not reps of amateur associations.
To be clear, of the 14 voting members of the board, at least 3 must be actual amatuer soccer players for USSF to meet statutory qualifications to be the ruling body in the US for the sport.
https://ussfathletecouncil.com/
Read the statute: "amateur athletes who are actively engaged in amateur athletic competition or who have represented the United States in international amateur athletic competition within the preceding 10 years"
More proof that even members of these working groups and members of the Athletes Council have no idea what is going on. Complete dumpster fire.
Here's a little soccer-historical tid bit: When I first got involved in youth soccer, it was at first with ayso, but after some very unpleasant experiences, we looked for a competitive club in our area. From there I was involved at the competitive club, league, and eventuallly joined the governing body of Calif Youth Soccer Association - US Youth Soccer's - directly affiliated to US Soccer. Long story short, I won't forget the trials and tribulations, the embroglios of competitive vs recreational soccer, but what sticks very close and is still fresh, is that as our you ranks grew, the battles between the competitive (CYSA) and recreational (ayso) bodies grew to the point that ayso threatened to file a law suit against US Soccer and US Youth Soccer, citing some US Olympic law, and I think to remove US Youth soccer because ayso had not been given full status as yet another youth affiliate group. Now ayso had be then deep pockets and their national head honcho a well placed attorney. In the long run, as memory werves me well, both US Soccer and the USNational Youth Soccer presidents, "amicably agreed" to grant ayso what they threatened to sue for, and that was full fledged affiliation as another youth branch, and as far as I remember, this still holds true. Now don't get me wrong, ayso has done well to the youth they serve, even though it took them several decades to break into the Latino/Hispanic communities here in my vast back yard of Los Angeles, I know because I and another coaching colleague were involved in ayso's then feeble attempts to break into the vastly large and unaffiliated soccer communities; obviously there is the other side of the story, but I'll leave it for another time. So let's just say, PLAY ON!!!
Here's a little soccer-historical tid bit: When I first got involved in youth soccer, it was at first with ayso, but after some very unpleasant experiences, we looked for a competitive club in our area. From there I was involved at the competitive club, league, and eventuallly joined the governing body of Calif Youth Soccer Association - US Youth Soccer's - directly affiliated to US Soccer. Long story short, I won't forget the trials and tribulations, the embroglios of competitive vs recreational soccer, but what sticks very close and is still fresh, is that as our you ranks grew, the battles between the competitive (CYSA) and recreational (ayso) bodies grew to the point that ayso threatened to file a law suit against US Soccer and US Youth Soccer, citing some US Olympic law, and I think to remove US Youth soccer because ayso had not been given full status as yet another youth affiliate group. Now ayso had be then deep pockets and their national head honcho a well placed attorney. In the long run, as memory werves me well, both US Soccer and the USNational Youth Soccer presidents, "amicably agreed" to grant ayso what they threatened to sue for, and that was full fledged affiliation as another youth branch, and as far as I remember, this still holds true. Now don't get me wrong, ayso has done well to the youth they serve, even though it took them several decades to break into the Latino/Hispanic communities here in my vast back yard of Los Angeles, I know because I and another coaching colleague were involved in ayso's then feeble attempts to break into the vastly large and unaffiliated soccer communities; obviously there is the other side of the story, but I'll leave it for another time. So let's just say, PLAY ON!!!
PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES FOR "DOUBLE TAPPING" THE SUBMIT COMMENT BUTTON!!!
Ric, I aways enjoy reading what you have to say, even twice. :D
Pleased to see LD take a stance against U.S. Soccer in what seems to be a monumental faux pas of excluding Latin Americans from its Youth Task Force. This is an embarassment for USSF and I'm proud to see the best-ever American player call them out for it. SHAME ON YOU, U.S. SOCCER!!!!!!
USSF board flies by the seat of its pants...no goal oriented structure, lack of common sense, no visible perception to start re-invent youth development and calendar of objectives.
There is one common charactaristic at USSF - lack of accountability. It will come into play on this issue - they will give this issue some lip service - mayby make a token appointment - but there will be no real change.
USSF is all window dressing hiding the lack of an actual window.