...but still an issue that needs to be addressed. U.S. Soccer won't be "fixed" until we find ways to get more promising young people the opportunity to play AND do the best job we can with the young people that we have. For every potential player who never enters the system due to structural issues, there are many more who decide to either stay or quit--or decide how much of their hearts and effort to invest in the game--based on their experiences in practice and on the playing field.
Anyone who knows me will know that I'm not a "sit-down" coach; if I'm simply sitting on the bench my players think there is a serious problem. There is a big difference, though, between trying to micromanage on the field, control the players' decisions, and berate them for errors, and being involved by active encouragement, applauding strong efforts and good decisions, and complimenting creativity on the field. There is a time for correcting errors before they become big problems, but there is a much bigger opportunity to reinforce the positive. I have seen a lot of coaching and I've observed many styles; the teams who seem to play the hardest and find the extra gear when it's needed--and have the players who keep coming back for more--are the ones who hear a little correction and a lot of encouragement. Soccer means something positive to them, so they put positive effort back into soccer.
True, bringing more players into a quality system is an issue that needs to be addressed, but retention and advancement of the young people we do have is equally important in my estimation--and that's where sitting or standing, shouting or quiet, or what MESSAGE a coach is shouting or sending by his/her silence makes a huge difference.
