Last week in Oregon, Claudio Reyna stood in front of several dozen elite US youth soccer coaches while announcing the brand-new US Soccer coaching curriculum.
Drawing on several months of research, travel, study – not to mention a decade-and-a-half of top-flight experience in Europe and MLS – the former US national team captain unveiled his first major initiative as youth technical director of the USSF. In doing so, Reyna has moved all of US Soccer a step in the right direction.
The main points Reyna's curriculum tries to hit are simple: introducing a uniform style of play, emphasize development over winning and make sure coaches are teaching and improving players. It’s all to be done with the goal of improving both US national teams and the sport in general.
Of course, some of these points are ideals that have already crept into the serious youth soccer programs across the country, as the minds in charge come to grips with the fact that results matter very little when a player is 10 years old. Instead, players need to be given ample opportunity play, learn from their mistakes, and develop skills at a younger age.
It’s that younger age that is also emphasized – specifically highlighting the need to develop players’ technical abilities from ages 5-12, with tactics introduced after players are a little bit further along in their development.
Reyna, who knows Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola from his playing days, is a big believer in La Masia (Barcelona’s youth academy), and suggests using an attacking philosophy while teaching a 4-3-3 system when it becomes appropriate.
On the whole, the effort put into the 104-page document is tremendous. Sample practices, diagrams and specific guidelines are provided for ages 6-18. It also includes the type of drills that work better at various age levels, with the player’s development always front and center.
The task now is spreading the word, and trying to bring these ideas to life. In the massive, somewhat bloated world of youth soccer, it won’t be simple.
Trying to judge the implementation of a new youth program one week after its introduction is impossible to do, as the true success will only be seen several years down the road. If the standard of soccer players produced in the United States continues to improve, that will be a starting point.
And if the alternative is inaction, at least this is an attempt to bring youth soccer coaches in the country on to the same page while improving the development process in one fell swoop.
