I do feel like a huge contingent of American soccer fans have zero clue that progress is being made here. Are rich kids still paying to play? Absolutely. But there’s also a crapton more kids playing for free now than there were two decades ago.
If I was in charge of US Soccer, I’d aim to get a middle school soccer program in every public school. Community fields and (free!) coach training initiatives in every urban center.
For real though, it would be a fantastic initiative.
Like even if you're not good at it, you get a fantastic amount of exercise and you can have a decent sized roster of kids.
Obviously not a lot of cost compared to all other sports.
They can continue to have the MLS and USL clubs oversee these clubs but go halfsies with them on personnel costs. If you want to grow the game, utilize schools. Training a coach and paying a small stipend isn’t prohibitively costly.
I've argued for a while that finding a way to get Texas & Bama etc in on the game would unlock a whole new level of growth.
Love of the game delivers some money. But you know what would deliver a brinks truck? Wanting to spite Auburn or OU.
US schools are the best sports dev channels we have.
The secret to USWNT dominance for so long?
Title IX
Not saying collegiate college soccer would be the same boon for the men, but expanding access has to be the number one priority for USSF. And coaching education needs to be part of that instead of a revenue-generation measure like it is now.
US Soccer's biggest hindrance is the same issue France's federation issue back in the 60s and 70s: xenophobia keeps preventing it from bettering itself
