{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"SportsEpreneur","title":"Why Youth Soccer Needs Player-Led Pathways | Brando Babini of Youth 4 Youth FC","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3466,"description":"Brando Babini started Youth 4 Youth FC when he was 16 after realizing his own soccer path was changing. Instead of walking away from the game, he built something for the players coming next.\n\nEric Kasimov talks with Brando about player-led development, college soccer recruiting, pay-to-play, MLS, the World Cup, parents, leadership, and why young players need mentorship from people who have lived the journey.\n\nTopics covered:\nWhy Brando started Youth 4 Youth FC\nWhat player-led mentorship looks like in youth soccer\nHow college soccer recruiting is changing\nWhy goalkeepers face a difficult path\nThe impact of international players on domestic recruiting\nWhy pay-to-play remains a major problem\nHow players can take ownership of their journey\nWhy street soccer and culture still matter\nChapters\n\n00:00 — Brando Babini, Youth 4 Youth FC, and building while at Brown\n00:50 — Starting Youth 4 Youth at 16\n02:15 — A winding recruiting journey and choosing a different soccer path\n03:23 — When the pro dream shifts into something else\n04:13 — What Brando wished existed when he was younger\n05:05 — Street soccer, Nike, and expression beyond exposure\n05:45 — College soccer recruiting and the transfer portal\n07:00 — International players and eligibility questions\n08:00 — Protecting the domestic player pathway\n08:36 — The goalkeeper recruiting problem\n11:26 — Building a better domestic soccer system\n12:00 — MLS, USL, and the future of soccer in the U.S.\n14:13 — Charlotte FC, accessibility, and the live soccer experience\n16:20 — Where MLS fits compared to global leagues\n19:13 — How the World Cup can change U.S. soccer\n20:00 — Breaking pay-to-play barriers\n23:08 — Showcases, costs, and why talent should be free to show\n24:00 — Profit incentives, player development, and investment\n27:00 — Subsidizing players and creating access\n28:00 — Game time, competition, and player development\n31:20 — Parents, pressure, and letting players own the journey\n34:05 — Scaling Youth 4 Youth through regions...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/xnVD5lo-InuYCbkJy3t8DMot3yiB7IaPdbxc-_U877w/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mYjQ3/ZWU3NzBiYjAwZWQ3/NGI3MTAyNjY3NDQz/YTc3My5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}