• Parents should hush on the ride home
    "What is your worst memory from playing youth and high school sports?"
  • Should Refs Research Teams They Are Officiating?
    If a tree falls in the forest and your favorite newspaper does not cover it, does it make a sound? That was the question facing American soccer fans in a previous era as many were perplexed why some media outlets did not give soccer as much publicity as its popularity warranted. So soccer fans were encouraged to phone sports editors demanding more and better coverage.
  • Different paths to stardom (Sebastian's Story)
    What especially impressed the South Carolina youth coach about the boy wasn't what he did with his Carolina Elite club - although Andrew Hyslop was very impressed -- it was the soccer Sebastian Velasquez played own his own.
  • Pros should compensate youth clubs (Q&A Lorne Donaldson, Real Colorado, Part 2)
    Lorne Donaldson is the Executive Director of Coaching of Real Colorado, which has nearly 5,000 players and competes in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and ENCL. In the second part of our interview we spoke about youth soccer's high costs, how his club evaluates coaches, and the field-size problem.
  • 'Kids face tough choice' (Q&A Lorne Donaldson, Real Colorado, Part 1)
    Lorne Donaldson is the Executive Director of Coaching of Real Colorado, which has nearly 5,000 players and competes in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and ENCL. We spoke with Donaldson about the high school vs. club debate in Part 1 of our interview.
  • High school coaches sound off on Academy's ban
    A youth soccer issue has never stirred as much public debate and gotten as much media coverage as the U.S. Soccer Development Academy's "ban" on high school ball for the players of its 78 clubs.
  • Understanding teen 'weirdness'
    Any coach who works with teenage athletes knows they will have to deal with a lot of weirdness. Biologically and psychologically, children reach puberty earlier and adulthood later. That leaves a lot of room in the middle for an extended period of awkwardness, which often leaves parents and coaches scratching their heads in disbelief.