{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Chasing the Game - Youth Soccer in America","title":"A Pro Soccer Offer at 15. A Family Decision.","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2773,"description":"A Pro Soccer Offer at 15. A Family Decision.\n\nIf your child received a professional soccer offer at 15, would your family say yes straight away? Jonny Shore's family took months. College was still on the table.\nThe NYCFC midfielder tells Liron and Matt how they made that decision, what changed after he signed, and how his parents supported him when playing well did not bring the next opportunity. For parents wondering how kids become professional soccer players, this is one family's answer, with the parts that do not make the announcement: online school from 10th grade, two seasons on the second team playing against adults, a season where he played well and got \"pretty much no looks\" from the first team, a debut at 17 that came faster than he expected, and a back injury that took most of the next preseason.\nJonny says he has no regrets, and he still tells every kid to have a plan B. He also understands why another player might choose college. Liron and Matt also ask him what coachability means and what coaches owe young players in return, and what he would tell a nine-year-old who is scared to make a mistake.\nFor parents, this is a player's account of when support helped and when pressure got in the way: parents who let him play, friendships that made the academy years special, the moments he needed clearer feedback from coaches, and why, even in the first team, he keeps coming back to enjoying the game.\nIn this episode:\nJoining an MLS academy at 10 and adjusting to the competition, travel, and training schedule\nWhy young players need room to make mistakes, and how his parents supported that\nWhat coachability means, and why coaches also owe young players clear feedback\nWeighing a pro contract against college, and why Jonny still recommends a plan B\nSwitching to online school and missing birthdays and weekends with friends\nWhy playing against adults made the academy-to-second-team jump so difficult\nThe season with no first-team looks, and working back after injury...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Pf68ZmEGGzhD_L4GqN2MPEzSyl3kwuk7GVB4PlA2yzk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kZWVh/ODMyNzJlMTg1NDQ3/NWZmZjlhOTAwOWEy/ZGJmYy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}