In what is news to fans, but not necessarily to the teams and clubs active in the United States
Soccer Development Academy system, US Soccer announced today that they adding the U13/14 age group
to the competition for the 2013-14. United States National Team Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in the
announcement;
"I am very excited to see this important next step in the process of developing young players in
this country.
Mike Ozanian of Forbes.com provides some interesting thoughts on the impact of the recent DC
United sale on the valuation of MLS franchises. According to Ozanian, the purchase of a 60% share
in the team by the Philadelphia 76ers minority owner puts the value of an MLS franchise at $50
million. Given that MLS teams sold their initial share for $5 million about 15 years ago, this is
remarkable growth.
After the announcement that the US Open Cup Final rights were awarded to Sporting Kansas City
over Seattle fans of the Sounders took to twitter to vent frustration. The lack of transparency,
the claims that the bids were tied and USSF's general disinterest in Seattle and the Pacific
Northwest fuelded the vitriol.
Tonight's MLS Reserve League match between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC is a
chance for fans to see high level soccer at Starfire Sports with just a suggested donation, a
chance for Eddie Johnson to show what he can do, a chance for Assistant Coach Ezra Hendrickson to
continue developing talents while winning and a chance for the greatest rivalry in American soccer
to resume.
While the PDL and NPSL regular seasons are wrapping up this weekend, there will still be some
exciting soccer in New Hampshire and Maine as English League Two (fourth division) side Oxford
United travels to New England to face the Seacoast United Mariners, Seacoast United Phantoms, and a
PDL and NPSL New England All-Star team.
The soccer season is quickly approaching for many Virginia based USL soccer teams. For those of you
that do not live near the D.C. area and are unable to attend MLS matches or the annual summer tours
of international teams you still have many options to get to a top quality soccer match in your
area.
On Friday, the 2012 European Championship kicks off from Poland and the Ukraine. The
tournament is arguably provides the highest level soccer tournament in the world and the entire
event will be broadcast on the ESPN networks in the United States. Many of the games will be on
ESPN with a smattering on ESPN2.
I would like to first observe a moment of reflection. Ten years after experiencing the most
horribly tragic event ever on American soil, the man responsible for the deaths of thousands of
innocent Americans - and countless others of innumerable nations in other incidents - was tracked
down and killed in Pakistan late Sunday night.
GERMANTOWN, MD - Former college standout and W-League Champion Cindi Harkes has
been named as the first assistant coach of D.C. United Women, joining head coach Michael Jorden in
leading the new W-League team when it begins its first-ever season in May.
"Cindi is a top-class coach with extensive experience helping young women develop into outstanding
soccer players," said D.
Heres the crux of it: if you want to play Academy-level soccer, don't plan on lettering for your
high school team anytime soon. Last week,the US Developmental Academy announced a shift to a
10-month schedule, complete with a ban on any high school play by its members.
Virginia Beach, Virginia - The Virginia Beach Piranhas are pleased to announce
that Martin Burwell has joined the club as the new assistant coach of the PDL Piranhas. Burwell was
born in New Orleans but grew up in Virginia Beach and played his high school soccer at Tallwood. He
is currently the assistant coach at Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in Virginia Beach and
holds a USSF D license.
Randy Waldrum (right) -- NCAABy Charlie Corr
Eclipse Select staff
CHICAGO -- The Eclipse Select Soccer Club recently held its 2011 Eclipse Select College Showcase,
with more than 40 collegiate programs in attendance in Oak Brook.
Headed by Eclipse Select President Rory Dames and Eclipse Select Director of Soccer Mike Nesci, the
showcase provides college recruiters with an opportunity to see the club's top-level soccer talent.
CHICAGO -- The Eclipse Select Soccer Club announced its 2011 West Fall Soccer Skills School, which
takes place from September through early October at Just for Kicks, 10200 Soccer Drive, in
Plainfield, Ill.
Programs offered include Effective Dribbling with Finishing at Extreme Speed (4:30 to 5:30 p.
The Northern Virginia Soccer Club is pleased to announce Bill Lanza as the NVSC Technical
Director of Coaching (TDOC). Bill brings to NVSC a unique combination of local, state, and
national-level soccer experience to the club. Bill has been a member of the Northern Virginia
soccer community for over 27 years, both as a player and as a trainer/coach.
This post is a slightly edited reprint of an article in Sports, Inc., a magazine edited by
students at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. To read the full issue, which is full of
analytic insights about the major professional sports, click here or on the image below.
Open publication - Free publishing - More analysis
The article is a little bit of this, that, and everything from SBTN - some highlights and some low
lights - intended for people with an interest in analytics but not necessarily expertise in soccer.
IMS friends Ben Rycroft and Duane Rollins from Canadian Soccer News had this piece on the CSN
site the other day.
This is a really nice video that was put together at a local bar in Toronto called the Football
Factory. I think Canadians should be behind their team.
A blog post came out today on The Drug is Football with an anonymous e-mail from someone who
claimed to work at the Kraft Sports Group sharing supposed office stories that the New England
Revolution's owner Bob Kraft could possibly sell or move the team in the coming seasons because it
was under-performing and hurting his reputation.
The Elite ID camp is a specialized technical course designed for the player to achieve their
maximum potential. This camp is ideal for the player who is interested in playing at Drury
University. Seminars held during this camp will include a college recruiting seminar, as well as
functional training sessions to prepare the individual player for college level soccer.
DC ELITE TRAINING ALLIANCE U12 and 13 boys added, Focus on training heightened February 27th, 2012
, (Washington DC) - The summer of 2011 saw the start of a new, training and development-centered
club in the Washington DC metro area. Led by former Washington Freedom directors, Jim
Gabarra, Clyde Watson and Win Puffer, the youth club
continued the efforts made the previous 5 years of giving elite level female players a place to
grow and develop.
This is the first piece for TSG by Miriti Murungi's Nutmeg Radio; oops, Nutmeg
Radio's Miriti Murungi. Murungi also hosts a rather, make that The Confidential podcast, here. In
his spare time, he tutors budding archery proteges in his sleep.
I have found over the past couple of years that the top coaches and managers of young men are not
only able to prepare them to play in a match that week, but to also have the foresight to be able
to prepare them for their future beyond soccer.
Being able to relate the lessons learned in training or in games to a bigger picture is essential
for a coach to be successful, because the reality is that where they may be a soccer player for 90
minutes, they are a young man, student-athlete, and aspiring husband or father for the other 22 1/2
hours of the day.
It's a bit weird to be writing about Jurgen Klinsmann getting the head coaching job at US Soccer so
long after I thought it should happen.
I thought he should come in after Bruce Arena's tenure, and I thought Arena stayed overlong. When
Bradley got the job instead of Klinsmann, well, I thought it was a mistake.
