Sunset Soccer Newsletter

Sunset Soccer Supply

San Francisco

San Rafael

"Please Shop At My Stores"

Please forward any comments, criticisms, suggestions or items you would like to have inserted into this newsletter to toby@sunsetsoccer.com

FAQs

I’m looking for a coach for my team?

I’m a coach looking for teams to coach?

Where can I sell my used portable goal?

Where can I find an adult male soccer player to play with my team in an upcoming tournament?

Where can I find another team to play in my U-14 girls tournament?

Where can I find a ride to the US National Team game in Los Angeles?

ANSWER

Advertise in the Sunset Soccer Newsletter!!!!! 

I will put your advertisement in my newsletter and in the front windows (soccer community bulletin boards) of both my stores.  I will also make numerous copies of your advertisement and display them on the literature rack in both stores.  Cost?  NO CHARGE

Simply email (see address above) me the finalized document you want to advertise.  Your advertisement will be posted exactly as you send it to me.

In This Issue 

	Sunset Soccer Specials Select WUSA Match Star Ball Practice Lacrosse Goal
	MWSL (Marin Women’s Soccer League) seeks women soccer players 35 years or older
	Make Me A Pro Sports
	Thunderbirds (boys under 14 in Fall 2003) are Looking for a Coach
	Soccer Futuro (Travel To Brasil) Note From Toby:  I will be traveling to this tournament on Feb. 9.  It is a realization of a dream come true.  I am going to visit,  for the first time,  the greatest soccer playing nation on earth!
	Earthquakes Season Tickets
	Women's Soccer Calendar
	Craig's List:  A Great Resource
	Youth Soccer Training and Tournament in Rome Italy June 24 to July 8, 2003
	JCC Maccabi Games August 10th-15th in Houston,Texas Jewish youth ages 13-16 as of August 1, 2003, are eligible.
	Youth Player Development in The United States: Maintaining A Perspective
	Shin Splints
	An Example Of A Great Soccer Web Site
	TV: United States vs Argentina  (at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida)
	Soccer Kids Inc. Youth Soccer School in San Francisco with Coach Jaime Children between 3 and 8 years of age
	Klinsmann On Teaching Strikers Jurgen Klinsmann, a famed pro soccer player, spent his professional years competing for Stuttgart and Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga, Sampdoria and Inter Milan in Italy, Monaco in France, and Tottenham Hotspur in England. He retired in 1998 after representing Germany in the World Cup for the third time.
	SF Celtic and Sports4Good are teaming up to host a one day, 7 v 7 coed tournament

 WUSA Match Star Ball

This performance-oriented WUSA (US Women's Professional League) replica ball has a soft but resilient PU casing making it an excellent match or practice ball for clubs, high school, and colleges.  It also has other Select quality features you've come to expect:  shape retention,  water-resistance and durability.

·        Available in Sizes 4 and 5

·        100% PU synthetic leather casing

·        4 ply cloth backing

·        Latex bladder with synthetic valve

·        2 year stitching warranty

Regular Retail      $34.99

Sale Price                $20.00

Team Sale Price   $15.00

(3 or more and free ball bag included)

Call Order Office (toll free 866-447-9000) directly to order.

Limited Quantity.  While supplies last.

2E1 | Practice Lacrosse Goal

Height: 6'
Width: 6'
Depth: 7'
Colors: Orange
Weight: 42 lbs. each
Shipped: UPS (OS2)
Includes:

• Net (3E1).
• 4 "U" anchors.

Features:

• 1 1/2" O.D. metal.
• Painted orange.
  
  

Suggested Price: $190.00

1 in stock  Sale Price  $90.00

Call Order Office Directly  1-866-447-9000

>

> Original URL: http://www.craigslist.org/sfo/act/8007896.html

> Posted by: (see message body)

> Posted on: Thu Jan 16th 04:37 PM

>

> Are you a woman?  Are you 35 or older?  Do you want to play soccer?

>

> If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you might want to

> consider the Marin Women's Soccer League.

>

> The second annual MWSL Over 35 division is starting up again in April,

> with enrollment beginning in February.  So start thinking about it!

>

> For more information, please send an email to info@mwsl.net or check

> out our website at www.mwsl.net.

>

> "Our goal is for friendly competition and an atmosphere where it is fun

> for players of different skill levels to play and have fun."

>

> BTW, there is also an open division for all women 19 years and older.

Make Me A Pro Sports is looking for a few good coaches for spring, summer, fall, winter camps. Ideal candidates are driving High School and College Students

For more info call 510-913-0153

or email Mmaps2001@yahoo.com

The Thunderbirds (boys under 14 in Fall 2003) are looking for a coach. We are

a team of about 15 to 18 players coming primarily from French American Middle

School and Gianini Middle School. Many of us have been playing soccer with

the Viking League since 1st grade. We have a parent who is often there to

assist our coach for the practices. We will be having one practice a week in

the fall: on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. We would expect our coach to be

there at our games as well as the practices. Please contact Deborah Hicks,

team parent at 415 252 0277 or by e-mail: lagiraffe@aol.com for more

information.  

Latest News!   THE TOP YOUTH TALENT OF THE USA takes on Brazil’s top Youth talent.   For the first time the clash of top class youth talent pits the cream of US ODP Regional Teams versus clubs from Brazil’s football cradle, São Paulo State at the TORNEIO ÁGUAS DE LINDÓIA DE FUTEBOL INTERNACIONAL   The winner takes home – “The Futuro Cup”.   All this takes place from February 10 to 16, 2003. Location ÁGUAS DE LINDÓIA, São Paulo, Brazil.   For more information contact the Futuro Team:   Prof. Emilio Miranda in Brazil: Tel: 55-11-9985-5069 emiranda@usp.br   Mike Keohane Tel: 415-242-9091 or toll Free in the USA: 1-888-388-8760 mike.keohane@soccerfuturo.com   Graham Ramsay Tel: 301-881-4887 ramsaysoccer@yahoo.com   For the latest information on the Futuro Cup - TORNEIO ÁGUAS DE LINDÓIA DE FUTEBOL INTERNACIONAL Click here: www.soccerfuturo.com/news   SOCCER HEAVEN – For lovers of the ‘jogo bonito” wanting to see these games in beautiful ÁGUAS DE LINDÓIA and a major match or two in São Paulo or Rio contact Mike Keohane mike.keohane@soccerfuturo.com for travel/hotel options.   SOCCER CRADLE – The interior of the State of São Paulo is teeming with talent. This was true in Pele’s day and with players today, like Rivaldo. His career started with one of the participating teams in the Futuro Cup, Mogi Mirim. On the USA side there has been a flow of talent like Beasley and Donovan that grew up in the same development program that will compete in ÁGUAS DE LINDÓIA. No doubt you will see players that will one day be household names the world-over.

-----------------------

Here are some of the important dates in the women's soccer world toput on your calendar for future reference. Check this spot in yourweekly CyberRays' newsletter for updates.

DATE    EVENT                           TIME (PST)  PLACE / TV

Feb. 16 USA vs. Iceland                 3 p.m.      Charleston, S.C. / ESPN2

March 1 CyberRays pre-season training opens

April 5 WUSA Opening Day

        Philadelphia vs. CyberRays      7 p.m.      San Jose

        New York vs. Atlanta            4 p.m.      Atlanta

        Washington vs. Carolina         4 p.m.      Cary, N.C.

        Boston  vs. San Diego           6 p.m.      San Diego

Aug. 16 WUSA Semifinals                 TBA         TBA

Aug. 23 Founders Cup III                TBA         TBA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 11

        2003 Women's World Cup                      China / TBA

Indoor soccer for former female college player?

Reply to: anon-8209845@craigslist.org Date: Sat Jan 25 13:18:57 2003 I'm looking to find a co-ed indoor soccer league in order to get ready for my spring season. I am a former female college player and am looking for something in the concord/pleasant hill/martinez area. I would prefer a team that is competitive, but not to the point where it isn't fun.

Women soccer player needed

Reply to: anon-8189301@craigslist.org Date: Fri Jan 24 13:56:00 2003 Laid back, fun women's team needs a goalie! We're looking for someone with experience who can commit to Wed night practices and Saturday games (GGWSL). Dyke, bi, straight all welcome. Practices start Wed Feb 12 at Glenn Park, San Francisco. Drop us a line with your experience and commitment level. Thanks!

Jan 25   Indoor soccer for former female college player? (concord / pleasant hill / martinez) activity_partners

 Jan-24   Need male player for advanced indoor soccer league @ Bladium in Alamed (Soccer) general_community

 Jan-24   Women soccer player needed (Glenn Park) activity_partners

 Jan-24   Anyone know of any soccer teams needing a young experienced english gu (East Bay) general_community

 Jan-24   <<TRYOUT FOR A SOCCER TEAM>> (San Francisco) general_community

 Jan-24   <<TRYOUT FOR A SOCCER TEAM>> (San Francisco) activity_partners

 Jan-24   know of a female soccer league? (inner sunset / UCSF) activity_partners

 Jan-23   Come and meet all the nice People in Bayarea (fremont / union city) general_community

 Jan-23   Soccer Personal Training (danville / san ramon) childcare

 Jan-23   Italian Series A Soccer (haight ashbury) activity_partners

  Jan-22   Free soccer clinics in Hayward (hayward / castro valley) childcare

 Jan-22   Men soccer players wanted for coed team (santa cruz) general_community

 Jan-22   Want to play soccer (danville / san ramon) general_community

 Jan-22   Want to play soccer (danville / san ramon) activity_partners

 Jan-22   We neen Women to play soccer (mission district) volunteers

 Jan-22   We are looking for women soccer players (mission district) general_community

 Jan-22   We are looking for women soccer players (mission district) activity_partners 

 Jan-22   SOCCER TEACHER AND FRIEND(S) TO PRACTICE (excelsior / outer mission) activity_partners

 Jan-21   Irish Nanny seeks F/T-P/T Nanny Position (San Francisco/ Daly City) childcare

 Jan-20   Re: Did Flight 77 even hit the Pentagon? (ingleside / SFSU / CCSF) general_community

 Jan-20   Diadora shoes? general_community

 Jan-20   Do you miss soccer? Women's Soccer Team Seeks a Goalie (lower haight) activity_partners

 Jan-20   Goalie Wanted for Women's Soccer Team (lower haight) general_community

 Jan-19   I want to play SOCCER (petaluma) activity_partners

 Jan-19   Competative soccer player looking for pickup, practice, games (sunnyvale) activity_partners

 Jan-18   Boys soccer teams, 6-7 years old? (coastside) childcare

 Jan-18   Come an play soccer boys and girls all welcome! Join the list! (Sunset) general_community

 Jan-17   looking for a footie (soccer) game (fairfax) activity_partners

 Jan-17   Soccer practice on MLK birthday (GG Park) activity_partners

 Jan-17   Seeking boys soccer team, 6-7 years old (coastside) general_community

 Jan-17   Pick up soccer on Saturday or Monday? (marina / cow hollow) activity_partners

 Jan-17   Soccer Players Needed For Women's Team activity_partners

 Jan-17   Looking for Kids Soccer Team (san jose west) general_community

 Jan-16   22 year old male looking for a soccer team (inner richmond) activity_partners

 Jan-16   MWSL seeks women soccer players 35 years or older (san rafael) activity_partners

 Jan-16   Looking for a Soccer Team general_community

 Jan-16   CAN ANYONE REPLY TO A SHORT QUESTION? activity_partners

 Jan-16   24 yr old female looking for a soccer team (danville / san ramon) activity_partners

 Jan-15   Does anyone know of an SF lesbian rec soccer team? (castro / upper market) activity_partners

 Jan-15   looking for women/coed pick up soccer tonight (sf) activity_partners

 Jan-15   looking for soccer team (alameda) activity_partners

 Jan-15   Female Soccer Players needed for Sunday League activity_partners

 Jan-15   Soccer - Female Players Need (SF) activity_partners

Italian Training and Tournament Program provides US Youth Teams the opportunity to play against SS Lazio Youth
From June 24 to July 8 2003 USYSD will provide the opportunity for 3 teams from San Francisco  to train, in Italy, with professional Italian coaches in preparation for a 2 day tournament with SS Lazio Youth. The 15 day program has been designed to provide one of the greatest soccer experiences for young soccer players and teams. The Italian Training and Tournament Program (ITTP) is designed to:

• Improve individual skills, team play and team chemistry
• Learn from one of the best coaching systems in the world
• Provide the team and the coach a competitive advantage, in their respective leagues, upon their return to the US
• Test the skills of US youth players against the SS Lazio youth
• Experience the culture and history of one of the most beautiful and ancient cities in the world

Ten days of intense training and preparation will take place in the beautiful resort town of Roccaraso/Rivisondoli, in the Abruzzi region of Italy…6000 feet above sea level. The same training grounds of the 1986 Italian World Cup National Team. The players will then be transported to Rome Italy where they will complete their training (3 days), on the training facilities of the SS Lazio Youth. The 2 day tournament will test the skills of all players, both US and Italian.

While in Rome the US players, coaches and their managers will have the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Italian culture and their hospitality. Guided tours will provide an unforgettable experience… S. Peters Basilica and Vatican Museum, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps are only a few of the historical landmarks to be visited. Parents are welcome to travel with the team for a discounted rate. 

Safety is USYSD’s number #1 priority while in Italy. USYSD Staff members will provide 24 hour supervision. The program is open for boys and girls and teams up to the age of 17. USYSD will provide a free trip for the coach or team manager for a team or group of 16 players.

For more information please visit USYSD’s website: http://usysd.com/clinics/ITTP.htm

ABOUT Unite States Youth Soccer Development (USYSD)

USYSD is a soccer organization that utilizes professional coaches; both domestic and international, to support the long-term growth of soccer players through specially designed clinics. We continuously strive to have a positive impact on your local soccer community. USYSD empowers and prepares our players to have a positive outlook in their lives, whether it's on or off the soccer field. As an organization, USYSD understands the importance of developing the necessary physical skills to compete at the highest level. USYSD also understands the mental aspects of the sport, such as self-assurance, self-confidence, self-importance, self-esteem, and good work ethic. These are key attributes of great soccer players of our times.

Contact: Joseph C. Casciana- President, USYSD at: joe@usysd.org or by phone (415) 661-3253

www.usysd.org

As members of the U.S. Soccer family, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all that you do for the sport of  soccer in this country.  From time to time, we like to show you our appreciation by bringing you inside the world of U.S. Soccer.  Today, we give you the exclusive first right to material that will go public in the future.

The attached document, Player Development in The United States: Maintaining A Perspective, has been compiled by eight Men's National Team coaches on:
      (1) The balance between developing soccer players and winning matches at their particular level within the National Teams programs, and
      (2) How the age-group fits into the larger National Teams schematic.

This commentary is not yet available to the public, but we're sending it to you as a thank you for your involvement with U.S. Soccer.  We hope you find it interesting and educational.  If you have questions about U.S. Soccer's coaching philosophies or guidelines, we welcome your comments and input.

Many thanks for your hard work, and we hope you enjoy the attached document.

Player Development in The United States: Maintaining A Perspective

U.S. Soccer believes that first and foremost youth soccer is a sport that players should experience and enjoy as a game with a focus on individual experimentation and development.  U.S. Soccer encourages creating soccer environments that will help promote the players’ lifelong love of the sport.  These environments should allow for the creativity, spontaneity and experimentation that the game of soccer naturally encourages.  Too often, children are put into situations where development is secondary and winning is a priority, which leads to burnout and stifles individual skill development.

We believe that a player’s development is enhanced when the short-term goals of a coach are pursued within the perspective of the player’s long-term needs. The following is a two-part commentary on the importance of (1) Having continuity and perspective in player development, and (2) Allowing children to experience soccer as it makes sense for their age and level of soccer maturity.   Part one addresses the theoretical stages of player development and how each successive step is built upon the foundations established in the previous stage.  In the second part, the current Men’s National Team coaching staff comment on the charge of their specific age group, and how it fits into the overall United States Men’s National Team program of development and success.

The development of a player spans three general stages:

(1)   Youth level (ages 6-12)

(2)   Junior level (ages 13-17)

(3)   Senior level (ages 18 and older)

A player’s chances of success at the Senior level are greatly enhanced by mastering the building blocks of soccer that are best addressed at the Youth and Junior levels.

At the Youth level, ball skills, enjoyment of and experimentation within the game are key for a player’s development.

At the Junior level, ball skills, enjoyment and insight into the game, with a gradual introduction to fitness, mental toughness and results.  At this point, any success in winning matches should begin to be the product of a consistent and systematic approach to the game that focuses more on player development than on team-building. (The theory being that individually competent soccer players that are placed together on a team are more prepared to win than well-organized players who are unable to stand alone on their soccer abilities).

At the Senior level, players need to use all these qualities together, along with a commitment to excellence, in order to figure out how to win. If a player skips a step at the Youth or Junior levels, he will find success and enjoyment more difficult as he moves toward the senior level.

At the Youth and Junior levels, there are several points to address when discussing how to achieve these goals:

(1)   The game is the best teacher - let the kids learn from it by setting up opportunities for them to play

(2)   Allow kids to learn in environments that are sensitive to age and abilities (emotional and athletic) and that offer a variety of experiences.

(3)   Age and ability competition is a central element in a player’s development.

(4)   At the youth level, a competitive environment is not a result-oriented environment. The differences must be clear. A competitive environment at the youth level encourages decisions from player and coach alike that focus on performance rather than results. (Favoring ball skill and inventiveness as the means to find success within the rules and spirit of the game)

(5)   At the junior level, technical skill and attacking soccer are still important themes, but now there is a greater focus on developing players’ insight into the game by emphasizing the role of the game itself as a forum for learning. (Still focusing on the performance, rather than the result)

(6)   At the youth and junior levels, matches are important as a means to player development (enjoyment, ball skill, insight, fitness), not as the aim. The usefulness of the game, in this respect, can occur in many different forms, from the 4v4 to the full-sided match model. Even at the Senior level, the game still offers opportunities for growth – only the weight of balance between factors such as enjoyment, ball skill, insight, fitness and results shift more toward the latter.

A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF A YOUTH SOCCER PLAYER IN THE UNITED STATES

Youth Level

At the early levels of youth soccer …

“Kids are just getting to know the game; they’re exploring, checking things out, feeling their way into the game. They may wave to you in the middle of the game or spin around, with their arms out, at midfield because of some sudden, mysterious inspiration. They want to run, to chase, to kick, to be with their friends – and to follow the ball wherever it goes (and who can blame them!) During these years the kids should touch the ball as much as possible, learn physical balance, learn to guide the ball with both feet, and start kicking with some accuracy. When they play games, they should absolutely be left alone: the field should be their world, on the child’s terms.  These years should be about FREE PLAY with the world’s favorite toy (the ball) and about falling in love with the game.”

--- Mass. Youth Soccer Association

At the latter stages of the Youth level (ages 8 to 12) the goal is to provide training and game environments that promote the continued growth of ball skill, an increasing game awareness and an appreciation for taking calculated risks in the attack through the 3v3 to 8v8 game model. The small-sided game model is an effective method for developing ball skill and game awareness because it increases opportunities for players to have contact with the ball and to both attack and defend without the tactical regimentation that can occur in 11v11 soccer. 

Games are a forum for players to test their ball skills and game awareness, and should be considered an additional means of development, rather than the objective. Results become important as they give the players a competitive focus in the match. Coaches are encouraged to promote soccer that:

(1)   Is free flowing,

(2)   Is coach-guided, not coach-directed, 

(3)   Demands that all players on the field – regardless of their specified position – participate in defending and attacking.

Junior Level

As the players graduate to the junior level, they should be comfortable with the ball and have an insight into the game that will allow them to deal with the increasing pace of the game (both in athletic speed and speed of decisions).  The goal at this point in a player’s development is to begin expanding his understanding of the game as much as his technical and game maturity will allow.  Again, this is accomplished through the small-sided game model for practice (up through 9 v. 9 games) and the full-sided game for matches. The graduation to the full-sided game model should be a logical and subtle step. The ideas and principles that apply to the smaller game models continue to apply to the bigger game. The outcome of the game is still largely determined by ball skill and game insight.

Senior Level

If a player has been exposed to a program that is able to address his/her needs and abilities over the long-term, this player should be prepared for this next stage of the game. At this point, winning is the purpose of the game. The emphasis is therefore to have players pull together all the components of their game in order to be as competitive as possible (both as an individual player and as part of a team) and get a positive result in individual matches.  If their ball skills are insufficient, or they lack basic concepts of team play, they will struggle to have a positive impact on the game.  Ill-prepared players will have difficulty continuing their soccer careers at the higher levels. At the Senior Level, the performance should determine the result.  While there is still a measurable focus on development, the emphasis is now more on insight and team concepts, rather than individual development of ball skills.

The following is a commentary by the current age-group National Team coaches on:

(1)                The balance between developing soccer players and winning matches at their particular level within the National Teams programs, and

(2)                 How the age-group fits into the larger National Teams schematic.

Under-14 Boy’s National Development Program

The current U-14 National Program is the first contact a player will have with US Soccer.  These players then graduate into the U-15 Boy’s Program.  The goal and emphasis with players of this age is placed on development of skills and a deeper understanding of the game in a competitive, fun environment in the company of the most talented players that we can find. 

We like to strike a good balance between training and matches, in which the players learn to take their cues and clues from the game.  As attack and defense are in constant battle, the game has the power to teach and reveal itself to each player.  There is plenty of action in the basic units of the game (1:1, 1:2, 2:2 and other small sided games in even and odd numbers) building up to the full-sided game. 

The hope is to create originals, not clones.  We simply follow this simple principle:  The game/competition sets the demands and the player responds (Here is the problem.  Find the solution and try to execute that solution).  Players are encourage/allowed to experiment and explore the game with the help of the coaches that understand the game and work well with kids.  In this environment, there is plenty of room for trial and error.

Putting children into the straitjackets of positional play too early only destroys their instincts to be involved in the game.  As they mature and are capable of keeping track of more things that are occurring on the field, we can increase the number of players that compete against each other.  As they move to the full-sided game, the goal is for all the players to be able to keep track of all the other players on the field, and then to deal effectively with the situations that evolve out of these relationships.  Under these conditions, time and space can be created or eliminated based on how effectively players are able to cope with the conditions of the game.  It is all about ideas and developing the right attitude.  Great skill begins with a desire to be master of the ball, and/ or the key elements of the game and we try to encourage each player to be a master of the ball.

Looking back at the past U-14 camps, there is reason to believe that this approach works.  There have been some highly attractive, very competitive soccer played by these 13 year-olds that was refreshing to watch.  With constant care in the years to come, these young players have the potential for a bright future.  The Under-14 National Camp occurs in August of each year.  The past three years the camp has been held in Massachusetts.

Under-15 Boy’s National Team

Each year we welcome a new age group mostly of players who come from the U-14 National Camp.  We work with this group for a one-year cycle with an emphasis on speed of play and the ability to solve problems in competitive situations.   In general, most of our players have a good starting point athletically and many are technically sound in slower games or isolated situations.  When we increase the demands of the game and the speed of play, many have a hard time mastering the ball, staying tuned in, seeing the game and making sense of their plays.  By being in the company of better players and faster games, these aspects improve dramatically.

In our training sessions we play small-sided games with different demands and challenges that we ask players to confront.  The games are fast and to keep up with the speed of play, good technical ability and good habits on and off the ball are necessary.  We ask the players to stay tuned in mentally, to read the game and the demands of the game and to make decisions that help their team win.  We want their individual personalities to grow and for them to begin to solve problems as a group.  Therefore, we give the players some freedom to make decisions, to solve problems, and to experiment with the game.  We are more concerned with them developing into better players who can figure out how to win than with telling them exactly what to do.  In this sense, we do not put a big emphasis on the results, but rather on how they are progressing as players. At the same time, we do provide them with our tactical insights and feedback, and we give them starting points for dealing with certain situations.

Our events have varied in numbers from 4-6 per year consisting mostly of training camps and competitive domestic and international events. Over the past three player cycles, the U-15 group has traveled to compete in tournaments in Mexico, Bolivia, France and Germany.  Domestically, the teams have competed against U-15 regional teams, older regional teams, the U-17 US National Team, and MLS teams.

Under-17 Men’s National Team.                             

The Under-17 program is a result-oriented developmental program.  Result-oriented in the sense of qualifying for the FIFA Under-17 World Championship, and developmental in the sense that players are prepared to be successful at the next levels of MNT programs and are prepared to enter college or professional soccer.

 To this end, the U-17 National Team Program has entered into a new stage of player development with the increase in numbers in the residency program from 20 to 30 players.  This allows us to bring in more players from the age below our main birth year (the main birth years for the U-17s are the even birth years).  These players can now stay beyond the U-17 WC and work towards early high school graduation, work to prepare for development with the U-18 MNT, work to prepare to enter the pro soccer environment or work to enter the college soccer environment one year early.

Our soccer curriculum combines a variety of experiences that (1) prepare the players for the specific objective of the World Championship qualification and success at the World Championship, and (2) provide them with an environment that allows them to hone the skills needed to be successful at the next levels of elite soccer.  The players must compete daily for their spots, and they are given challenging levels of match competition.

The Under-17 MNT plays matches to build toward two events: the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament and the FIFA Under-17 World Championship.  In the first year of residency (even-numbered years), the team travels to three of four international tournaments, as well as a foreign trip to the country that will host the next world championship.  The team is in the full-time residency program so they train together year round, usually practicing during the week and playing games on the weekend.  Domestically, the team plays a mix of matches versus international teams, pro teams, college teams, older club teams and older MNTs. 

Under-18 Men’s National Team               

The primary function of the Under-18 Men’s National Team is to identify potential Under-20 caliber players from this age group and to provide soccer opportunities for our players to develop and prepare for the U-20 National Team.  The U-18 age group will eventually provide more than 50% of the player pool for the next U-20 group.  As a result, U.S. Soccer has recently expanded its full-time residency program to include eight 1987 birth year players.  We expect this group to form the core of the next U-18 player pool. 

Because this age group does not have a World Championship, the challenge is to set up environments that come close to replicating that type of environment for the players.  The limited time that the team is together places constraints on what the players can realistically accomplish.  Therefore, we try to put the players in as many challenging matches as possible.  We consider the time in the Under-18 MNT to be a transitional phase of development between the Junior and Senior levels of development.

In the U-18 program, the players come together for four-to-five events per year over a two-year cycle that ends with the players moving on to the U-20 age group.  Each nine-day do