I put up a little scenario on Twitter a few days ago that I think we would see play out in almost every community in the United States in a relatively short time.
Let's walk through what would happen if the systemic #USSF reforms weve been asking for would happen for a minute.#ProRelForUSA happens. Full open pyramid.— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
I'm only going to focus on the effects this would have on pay to play and scouting of youth players right now.
Me and 10 of my friends decide to start a soccer club... we all put in a few grand each and join the SWV Adult League— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Since we want to win. We begin scouting every local opportunity to see players. HS, Youth clubs, ODP, indoor soccer, non sanctioned stuff, futsal... everything
We know we cant afford to house players etc, our budget is low so we absolutely have to find the best LOCAL players possible.— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Are we good scouts? Who knows... but the second part of scouting is the development of an informal scouting network. We have to find others we trust
These people will point us in the right direction... "did you see C.J. over at SC HS? He can ball"...— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
In a very short amount of time we have a database of players that has never existed before locally...
This database includes the best players 16 to 18yr olds around...
Since we have this we decide to offer a free to play academy for just that one group of kids as our reserve team with some older guys who just arent quite first team ready.— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Some take us up on the offer... the "elite" local youth club who is at risk of losing their best players
Has to do something... do they go free to play to stop us?— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Do they start a 1st team since we are offering a pathway to something other than u18 soccer?
Regardless of what they decide we now have 16 or so kids playing free to play/reaaaaaaaally low cost soccer.
Those 16 kids have come from across the spectrum of kids... couldn't afford "elite" soccer, struggled to afford it but did it anyways, and it wasnt a problem to pay...— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Merit finally matters the most. Not parent economics...
Next... we known we need a wider and deeper pool of players so we contact every local "rec" soccer program and offer free coaching education for their volunteer coaches... if we can raise the local floor for players u12 and below in just a couple years— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
We also partner with every single Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, YWCA, KCBOE, and Parks and Rec Depts to train their appropriate staff on coaching ed/futsal to start once a week pick up games/basics for their afterschool programs.— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Work with funders to buy equipment also.
We start to offer twice monthly extra trainings for 12 to 14 year olds from the area... local free tournaments also.— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
It's important to help everyone get better to raise the floor AND to see what is out there.
Improved local scouting is really important.
All of this just takes a bunch of work and a little bit of money...— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Scouting, coaching ed, and the coaching up of the players who you have become SUPER important to a club like this.
These types of clubs would exist EVERYWHERE really quickly.
Of the community, for the community and by the community.— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) May 14, 2020
Who would be allowed access would radically change...#ProRelForUSA #ReformUSSF
Changing the incentives that clubs have when it comes to player development and scouting is badly needed. This is something that I think we can all agree on. It isn't revolutionary to think that we need this change...
Creating an Open Pyramid that features #ProRelForUSA immediately allows for this change to happen in every single community in the United States. That is the fix that we need... massive structural change that rewards those who are good at their jobs.
Having a couple free tournaments for only the kids who can participate in the pay to play system that MLS scouts...
That is a mini-band aid on a gunshot wound.
Keep fighting for change!
