Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America is a weekly podcast for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how youth soccer development really works in the United States.
Hosted by two dads, filmmaker Liron Unreich and investor Matt Tartaglia, the show covers everything from grassroots soccer to elite pathways like MLS NEXT and ECNL. Combining data, real experience, and expert insights from academy directors, college coaches, and former pros, each episode explains what families truly need to know.
Weekly episodes focus on the core aspects of youth soccer: player development, coaching culture, college recruiting, tryouts, travel costs, and the challenges of parenting in youth sports in today’s competitive environment.
For families navigating youth soccer’s complex system, Chasing the Game offers practical advice, credible voices, and relatable stories from two dads working to make sense of American player development, one episode at a time.
Matt, I'm gonna ask you a question.
I'm gonna ask all of our listeners.
How many times have you heard this?
Or maybe you said it to yourself, because I know I have.
Man, my kid cooked it in practice today.
My kid looked great in training.
My kid is so technical.
My kid was confident.
And then game day comes and suddenly we start to question it all.
Wait, wait, wait.
Why are they not getting minutes?
Uh, why does it look so good in one environment and so different in another?
Can one trainer see progress?
One club or one coach see something else?
And then, you know, we just sit on the side as parents, completely confused.
Hmm, that sounds about right.
That is the hard part for parents.
We want benchmarks.
By eleven should they be able to do this?
By thirteen should they understand that?
By fifteen is it too late to fix certain habits.
But soccer is not that clean, nor is development.
A good practice does not always translate to game time.
A good highlight does not always mean the player understands the game.
And confidence is not just looking good when everything's comfortable.
So um I'm not gonna put you on the spot this time with the tough questions.
Uh I brought somebody special, Christian Silva.
And wow, pff get ready for this.
Former professional player.
The founder of Silva Academy, well known in Florida, coach, trainer, someone who has seen
the game from every angle.
This episode is about what technical, that word you always throw that none of us know what
it means, actually means.
And what parents should look for beyond the wow moment and why environment actually
matters.
So yes, today we are getting technical, but we're also talking about principles.
That to me was the most fascinating part of this conversation.
But really, what we were talking about is something every soccer parent has felt.
How do I know if my kid is actually progressing?
I don't use the word developing.
Anyway, this is chasing the game.
Getting technical on you all.
Let's go.
Liron: Coach, welcome to Chasing the Game.
Before the clips, before all that,
I just wanna go straight at it.
what is the development gap
that we're not honest about?
What is it that we're not
understanding about our kids?
Christian: Jumping right into it,
man, I think boil it, boil down
to one word, man, perception.
Um, perceiving the game.
I think as you really look at it,
the, the American has the work rate.
Um, I think has the disposition to be very
technical, so they're, they're, they're
not shy in, in getting the tools, right?
But I think that's the part what
differentiates, the American from,
you know, anybody in, in, in a
Spain, in England, in a France.
The ability to perceive the game,
which for me is, is the soft skills.
It's not something you
can just rep your way out.
So I would even go as far to say
you look at some of these countries,
less tools, at their disposal, much
more efficient in understanding how
to play to their strengths, how to
play, how to mask their weaknesses.
Um, and again, it all boils down to
perception, understanding the game and
what it needs versus, "I worked on this. I
need to somehow pull it out in the game."
Matt: So we say the American player or
like what's the prototypical American
player, and we've heard numerous
different ways to try to characterize.
Given this, this country is a melting pot,
is very different in Southern California
than it is in Northern California.
Very different it is in South Florida
as o- as opposed to North Florida.
Then you have New York City, which
is kind of a, a lot of everything,
like, what's getting lost in
translation from that point of view?
Christian: I mean, then I,
I go into our system really.
When you talk about a
Cali- California, right?
Comes to mind right away, that culture.
I mean, I think some of those hotbeds are
the last remaining ones where you'll see
a, a pickup culture, a street culture.
You don't see that all around.
So I think some of those, um, still
do salvage that, that culture of,
of, of being immersed in the game.
But then I think all of them do end
up hitting a wall, they, hit that
ceiling where they, they need more.
They, it needs to be nurtured, it needs
to be coaxed, it needs to be taken care of
with, with a vision, there's no incentive
to really, you know, develop a player.
I think that word gets thrown around,
um, and I think it ends up just
being chalked up as a lot of work.
But developing a player
looks… You know what I mean?
It looks like, oh, they're, they're
in the gym, they're this, they're…
And it's like, right, but
that's not developing.
Developing can look like sitting
a player down and saying, "Look,
these are your characteristics. Long
term, what is it gonna translate to?
This is how you can play the game."
When you look at a club outside
of America with an open system,
there's a lot more incentive.
Hey, you may not help me win
a game today, but I can't
discard you because guess what?
That could be quarter of a million
dollars right there for someone else,
Matt: Uh-huh.
Christian: Right?
You see some youth
international tournaments.
The American player, right,
is, is not far off the level.
But then you talk about a gulf of
experience once they go and, and then
they're bumping heads with professionals.
Where here we're still a little
bit on the age group thing, and
just really trying to pour all of
those resources into that, right?
And, and kinda last point I'll
add to it You know, I, I'm
aware of, of some of these top
academies coming to GA Cup, right?
They're bringing,
playing players a year up
Barcelona's bringing their U17s.
Yeah, but they have a U17 player playing
the Champions League, Lamine Yamal.
So it's like, are they really
bringing their top U17s?
They're just coming for
a development piece.
Liron: So, a little bit about your past.
You came through the U.S. youth system.
Experience abroad in the
professional game as well.
What was the moment where you
realized, "Okay, I'm good enough
to contribute in the United States
outside of just playing soccer"?
Christian: Twofold.
there was a midway point in my career
when I was playing in Germany uh, I was
in a trial match against Hamburg, and the
coach pulls me aside and is just like,
"Stop moving." And I was like, "Oh, he
probably means maybe move differently."
No, he's like, "No, stop moving.
Stand still." And he was like, "You're
blocking so many passing lanes.
You're so desperate to show us every
single play that you're missing three,
four, five plays ahead of time when you
can just receive the ball facing forward
if you leave that passing lane open.
You're thinking for you, you're
not thinking for the team or the
situation." And that was just like, whoa.
It was like a weird month where
I was like, this is, not only
is it not being taught, it's not
even spoken about in America.
I was just taught work hard, run
hard, and, you'll make it, right?
But I think that was a point throughout
my career that as a player, it
opened up my eyes to like, wow,
I was a center midfielder, right?
So it's like you have to be attuned
and aware to everybody else's role.
But then big picture, I was like,
wow, no one's being taught off the
ball, thinking a few plays ahead.
No one's perceiving the game or even
being coached to perceive the game.
It's just me, me, me, and I've gotta
stand out, almost as if it's like a tennis
or, uh, some sort of individual sport.
So I think as my career kept
going, um, ended up playing
under some amazing coaches.
I think for me, I, I attribute a lot
of my, the, the latter part of my
career, my knowledge came a lot from
playing under Mark Lowry, who's now
at, um, at Monarchs in Real Salt Lake.
And I came to him, I wanna say two, three
years before I retired, but it was almost
like relearning the game and, and kind
of saying, "Oh, wow, this is kinda what
I learned in Europe playing abroad."
Um, so I think that latter part of my
career was like, hey, once I'm done,
like I, I'm eager to get this message out
because I think that if you add that to a
player with work rate, a player with work
ethic, that's the American player, I mean,
the possibilities really are endless.
So that, that's kinda what inspired what
I'm doing now from a technical development
standpoint and now the team standpoint.
Matt: No, I was gonna say, so you,
you were talking, uh, the mostly
game understanding tactics, right?
Christian: I would say principles,
because there are certain principles
that are just ingrained in these
players that they can apply anywhere.
Because it's a skill set that players can
take, almost like a framework to perceive.
And if you have that, then it's like,
okay, now I have a framework, a blueprint.
Now I can pick and choose what
tools apply with the situation.
Matt: That's great.
So to the technical piece of this,
when you say a player is technical,
Christian: Mm-hmm.
Matt: what do you actually mean?
Because parents hear that word constantly.
We say that word constantly, right?
But it can mean five different
things depending on who, running
the session, who the coach is, what
environment they're in, what the parent
knows, what the parent doesn't know.
So what does it mean to you?
Liron: This is an award-winning
question, Matt, I'm telling you right now
Christian: To me, a-and, and you think
about technique and skill, right?
I think it operates on a pendulum.
I think technique is the
disposition to be skillful, right?
It's, it's the foundation of being able to
execute a lot of the actions you'll need
in a, a large amount of parts of the game.
But again, when you talk about a pendulum,
right, it's the disposition to be.
And then as you start getting
towards skill, right, it's
executing those techniques based
on situations, based on variables.
But then to answer your question, as
that pendulum swings more on the skill
side, you get what I think gets a little
bit misinterpreted, which is tricks.
Skills are tricks, right?
But it's like you can watch a player
stand out, I mean, just receiving in
pockets on both feet, and you're like,
"Wow, that, that guy's technical."
I mean, he's receiving based off of all
the variables thrown at him, tight enough
to turn, gathering enough information.
His first touch isn't slowing down
his thought process because he
has enough… You get what I mean?
He's bought a second or two
'cause his touch was so clean.
So I do think it's, it's that
foundational ability, right, to do
what, what the game requires, and
the disposition to be skillful.
For me, like I said, I can speak,
uh, for, from my experience, I
think a lot of it requires context.
And, and I think a lot of it requires…
And I think something that would
benefit the pa- parent is looking at
the intent, because the actual skill,
I, I, I'm notorious for saying in
my environment, like I've had some
amazingly technical players come through
my, my program, and I've told them
straight up, I'm like, "I'm not super
impressed with technique," because
technique for the sake of technique
is just a matter of reps. It's the
recognition of when to do the technique.
So I always say the skill isn't
the skill, it's the recognition
of when to do the skill that, that
really for me stands out, right?
Because again, zooming out and looking
at hard skills, I mean, kids can dribble
the life out of cones these days, right?
if it doesn't translate, what,
what are we actually doing?
So as far as for parents, it's
looking at the intent, right?
Because there's a lot of variables.
If you're moving up from a lower level
team to a higher level team, are they
still able to get to that point to try
and, and do, like, have the intent to
do that skill or, or that play, right?
And if they're not, what are
the factors that's missing?
And I think that's what… Ultimately,
that's what a supplemental trainer should
be able to help bridge that gap, right?
Break it down like, "Hey, look, you're
able to take those guys on. Your
dribbling ability hasn't dropped. The
problem is it takes you three seconds
to get ahold of the ball, and at this
level you only have 1.5 seconds."
So it's like, so what
does that mean, right?
It's like the first touch has gotta get
cleaner, the recognition, the dismarking.
So do you see how there's variables
that go, it's like the skill's not
actually messing up, you're just
not able to get there because some
technical foundation things are missing
Matt: So, so you mentioned the
supplemental training piece.
I'm assuming you cannot do that in
the one v one type of situation.
That has to be group training,
Christian: You, you can.
Uh, and to answer your question, you can,
um, but now we're kind of diving into why
I kind of did the route that I did, right?
I think supplemental training, it has
to have synergy to your environment
Matt: Mm-hmm
Christian: because if not, it's
just theory but no application.
So I mean, and let's ke-
keep it very generic, right?
If, if you're working on a kid's
ability to receive and combine and,
and one-twos because he wants to
play like Xavi, but his team plays
like 1950s Preston North End, right?
It's like you're gonna maybe get to see
that two times on the weekend, and you're
not gonna really get a good gauge of
if it's working or if it's not working.
So do you see there, there's a lot,
there's a lot that goes into it.
Liron: Let's almost double down on what
you just said, theory and no application.
I'm guilty of that too, but I've
become much better at it now, but I
just see it all around me, and it's
parents sharing short social media
clips with their kids of professional
players doing certain things or other
kids their age doing certain things.
what is really the value of that?
Christian: I, I think you're
spot on there, I'll be honest.
Um, and I'll tell you why.
Let, let, let's use an example, right?
Um, let's say a dribbler d- what I, I, I
think a part that goes missed is in order
to be that guy, that dribbler, right?
There's an element of technique, but
then there's also an element of the, the
child's temperament, and it's unfair to
the child who maybe doesn't like, doesn't
have that personality to wanna stand out,
to grab the game by the throat, to, to
be, you know, "Hey, I'm gonna put…"
You know, and, and
that's just temperament.
That's not…
Liron: Yeah, yeah, yeah
Christian: You can influence it, but
it's like you've gotta know your kid as
well, because you're gonna put a very
unnecessary strain on that player of
like, "Hey, I, I, I'm kinda just a chill
guy. I like getting others involved,
but now I'm being told, 'Take these guys
on and be, you know, this dog on the
field.'" it's not gonna translate, and
if it does, it's almost forced, right?
So I don't think there's a
whole lot of value in it.
I do think, you know, stumbling
on those, it, it's inspirational.
Liron: Mm-hmm.
Christian: But to just think you can
like upload your child to be what
you've seen online, it's really unfair
to the child, you know what I mean?
I,
i'm not gonna try and
turn you into a Neymar.
Have you seen a pro player who
passes the way you'd wanna pass?
Cool, let's go that route.
Because if there's no input from
the player like that, they're gonna
fail at being someone else always
Liron: I definitely agree with
you, and I've, I've learned
this almost the hard way.
I think what's lacking is that these
videos don't have a story to them.
'Cause I remember me when I was
younger and I wanted to play was
about the story of the player I loved.
It could've been a championship game.
It could've been a moment And
that was what the inspiration was.
I think when these short videos are
starting to circulate, they feel soulless,
and us expecting that our kids are gonna
be inspired by something that it really
doesn't have that kinda context to it.
Christian: I think you said it perfectly.
It's, it's lacking context, right?
Let's see what happened 10 seconds
before or 10 seconds after.
That may tell a different story, right?
Matt: Christian, I'm, I'm still,
I'm still somewhat stuck on the
principle comment that you made.
Stuck because it-- I think
it's really meaningful.
Is it possible to coach or to, to
coach principles like that in a team
environment where there's 21 or 22 kids?
Christian: I do think it's very possible.
I I'll give you an example.
You take… Let's use a simple principle.
In Spanish they say, "juntar para girar."
Basically, get together to
find the turn, meaning populate
players together to connect a few
passes to then find the outlet.
So in a way you're teaching to
attract, to then play a weak side.
And it's a Spanish concept, right?
But I think it's very possible
to teach with very simple tools.
I mean, you can take a simple
5v2 and teach that concept how
are we finding the free man?
If we can't find the free man, can
we connect a few extra passes to pull
them out and then create the free man?
Right?
So these are all principles that you can
teach and layer on over and over and over,
over a prolonged period of time, that
they just become principles and habits.
Understand when to take two touches,
when to take one touch, and I tell you
from experience, kids can learn that
very easily.
The thing is, it's, there needs to
be clarity in what you're teaching
and why you're teaching it, because
I think, like I said, you take the
American player, they wanna learn.
They're like sponges, you know?
You know what I mean?
And you're, "Oh, no, we're not gonna
win on the weekend 'cause we're
focused too much on principles."
It's like, look, they're kids.
The tactics you're doing only apply
to your team and this specific
game, so they're not gonna be
able to take that and run with it.
But if you teach them principles,
you're gonna benefit from them in
games right away, but also you're
equipping the player to move on
and do something special with it
So I, uh, on my program I can speak
on that because obviously I'm,
I'm in charge of the technical
development, the curriculum, the
microcycles of what we're working on,
and then I'm in charge of the game.
So it's about setting like KPIs and, and,
you know, the way you analyze your game
a little bit more methodically, right?
It's like, "Hey, look, how many times did
my center back break lines? Did they carry
the ball into…" You know what I mean?
Did they, did they recognize
the block dropped and they
could go attract someone out?
Um, as a coach, it, it
boils down to that as well.
I think any environment, if, if, if your
player is doing supplemental training,
you now the parent, and maybe even with
the help of that coach, that trainer,
have to set certain guidelines for what
you're gonna judge the game on, right?
If, if you're working on 1v1s, right?
Then, you know, you've gotta have
an idea like, "Okay, I had X amount
of 1v1s, X amount went well, X
didn't go well. Why?" Dissect it.
But there's a little asterisk there,
because if there's no synergy with
the actual team or the coach or the
club, all of a sudden you're almost
hijacking that, that environment
strictly for yourself, right?
So there has to be… The solution, I,
I mean, I'm leaving it open-ended, but
I think there has to be a little bit of
communication or a little bit of something
there to really say, "Hey, look, you
know, I can't be a center back working
on all my 1v1 skills and try and pull
them out in the 18-yard box," right?
It's like you've also gotta learn that
you're within the context of a team.
Um, but again, to answer your question,
I think it all boils down to how
you're then analyzing the game back.
Are you seeing the things you worked on?
Liron: Maybe we can
simplify it even further.
If, um, let's just try
it by ages, let's say.
So you have, uh, an 11-year-old, a
13-year-old, a 15-year-old, does it break
down where, forget the Rockets, those
magic players who can do everything.
Let's talk about the regular kid.
Are there benchmarks that y- you think
are important at certain ages that
parents should look for, where you
go, "Okay, by the age 11," it's like
math, "this is where you need to be.
By 13, this is where you need to be."
Christian: That's probably
the route to go, right?
I think the more you're able
to simplify it, it… That's
where you can take action.
At a very, very youth elementary level,
the ability to carry the ball, the
ability to receive the ball on both feet,
um, and then the ability or at least
the intent to try and take a guy on.
I think for a parent, then, then
the easiest way is try and look
at the amount of unforced errors.
Liron: Mm-hmm.
Christian: So no pressure,
ball going over their foot.
No pressure, ball going under their foot.
Uh, minimal pressure or, or a, a
solid, comfortable, subjectively,
right, a comfortable about- amount of
time tripping over the ball, right?
So those things are ones
that stand out right away.
"Hey, that needs to be cleaned
up." Yes, you can wanna do X, Y,
and Z at a higher level, but the
foundation needs to be strong
Liron: There should be benchmarks, right?
In a way, if you're, uh, we heard
that from, uh, Jose Campos, uh, and
I know this is the extreme 'cause
he's training a high-end academy.
But he said, "If you don't have certain
skills by a certain age, we can't give
those to you." It's kinda, it's not that
it's too late, of course you can pick
it up later or you'll never be great
at that skill, but if you don't have
it by a certain age, certain amount
of skills that fit that age group,
you gotta do a lot of catching up
Christian: I think every club that
operates at that level, um, every
program does have… Like, I have
it for my program where as far as
like at, at this age you need to
learn X, Y, and Z, and then progress
to then add, you know, a much more
difficult version of that technique.
Do you get what I mean?
Like, a g- that, that synergy, that
curriculum has to be progressive
because if not, you're, you're
just throwing darts blindly.
Um, but again, I 100% agree
with, with, with Jose Campos
there where is it possible?
Yes, but you may look fantastic,
but there, there's too many holes
in that foundation that at a high
level, a high intense environment,
you're gonna get found out.
You know what I mean?
You may be a best dribbler, but if you
can't receive the ball well, there,
there's nothing I can do for you there.
You're not gonna get to do what you
do well because you're missing…
There, there's gaps in your foundation
Liron: A
Matt: Christian, are at this stage,
'cause you've been running, how long
have you been running Silva Academy now?
Christian: Silva Academy
since 2011 unofficially.
Um, I got a lot more serious the
last two years of my playing career,
2017, and then I retired end of
2019 and just went in headfirst
Matt: Wow.
So, okay, so you've seen a lot.
I mean, are you at the stage--
Are there kids who are working--
Is it truly supplemental?
I mean, are there kids who are working
with you and they continue to play
with their club, so in the supplemental
sense, or you have kids who are
opting to just work with you and
then you're finding matches for them?
And if so, what's driving-- W-
by the way, we see that here in
the New York area quite a bit.
Um, and I, I guess we've seen
different reasons for why kids
opt out, and I'm curious what,
what you're seeing in Florida.
Christian: Little of both.
I started solely off of
technical development, um,
have a big passion for it.
I think for me, the, the reason why,
the only reason why I, I went into
the full-time route was kinda what
we talked about here today, was I
kinda started seeing we'd have to
keep going over the same principles.
It's like… A- and, and
so I started kinda digging.
I'm like, "Oh, your environment isn't…
It, it's not complementing what you're
working on." Like, you're trying to do
something hopefully high level, and your
environment's just like, "Hey, let's get
the ball and go." So that was the first,
for me, kind of like aha moment, was I
don't really wanna put on too much on
my plate and start this team route, but
for the sake of working, if I wanna do
something, I wanna do a good job at it.
And if I'm working with a set of
players, if it's all theory and no
application, y- you're, you're just
kinda… Like, you're working mindlessly.
And for me, I'm like, no.
Like, I want me, you, the parent, I want
you guys to see the work come to life.
So we started as a 3v3 team one summer,
um, and that was for me, like the oh, wow.
If, if you're able to create an
environment, a platform where they
can apply what they're working
on, you encourage them to do it,
but you also create a culture of
standards, I mean, the kids thrive.
So that was the motivator for doing it,
was like, hey look, if we're gonna work,
we, we need to apply, and you need to
kinda go through that process as well.
You know?
Because if you can't perceive in the
game situations to do said techniques,
they're just… You're, you're gonna be
able to beat Cone FC every week, right?
But you're not really gonna
do anything in a game.
You know what I mean?
So I think that, that's the part where
it's like… And, and for me, that was
always a thing, was like I wanna make
sure if, if I'm busting my tail, and I'm
super passionate about what I do, right?
Liron: I can tell
Christian: I'm gonna bust my tail
and, and push you, where's the reward?
The reward shouldn't be like,
"Wow, I can do it," as if
it's a, it's a one-off trick.
It's like, "Coach," like, "I
feel like I'm playing better.
I'm doing so much more than
what I was beforehand."
Liron: So, so in, in, in, now that
you, you do have kids that for
the longer duration obviously you
gotta deal with parents as well.
I mean, it's the whole ecosystem of it
all, and part of it, we talk about this
on the pod to nauseam, is, is this idea
of culture in the United States for
soccer versus it is in other countries.
So parents wanna- they wanna
see good things, right?
In their mind.
They wanna- w- we love to see
that wow moment from our kid.
And, uh, how many times, like that
day I hear parents yell, "Shoot," at
inappropriate times or things like that.
So how, how do you… I mean, do you
educate the parents too that part of the
decision-making is doing stuff without
the ball, or part of the decision-making
is releasing at a certain time?
Or is it… I mean, it's such a
delicate balance, especially considering
what you're trying to accomplish
Christian: We try.
Um, it's definitely
something I've tried to do.
I, I do think, with no disrespect,
it is an uphill battle, and,
and I c- I get it, right?
You're there watching your
kid, the emotions are flying.
You wanna see them do great things.
But to your point, the
shoot it example is perfect.
I mean, there's times we cross half
field and I'm hearing, "Shoot it."
Like first of all, the
kids can't kick that far.
Like second of all, like we
worked all week on comfort in the
attacking third, on the ability
to create a 1v1, to create a 2v1.
And again, kids are very literal and,
and they're gonna respect their parents.
They're not gonna turn around as
kids and say, "Hey." I mean, right?
So it just hijacks what,
what they're thinking.
So it goes back to what I said.
They're not able to perceive
anymore because they're go- Oh,
wait, someone said shoot it.
I, I, I've gotta shoot it.
If not, I'll get screamed at.
So I do think, uh, parent education,
um, is massively important,
but then again, I do think…
And I think parents are
not at fault for it.
I don't think clubs are at fault for it,
I'll go as far to say, but I think in a
system where you're gonna pay, you're,
you're gonna, you're gonna demand and
want results, or you're gonna demand
and want certain things from the game.
So the, the culture's tricky, right?
Because I think, you know, I, I'm a little
bit old school in that sense, right?
Is like you, you want
the player to earn it.
You want them to kind of go through
that adversity to, to really train them
to go, "Ah, I'm trying to show coach
how good I am. He's asking me for X, Y,
and Z to, to complement how good I am."
Right?
But if I'm only worried about the me
and I'm not doing the bigger picture,
how are we, how are we gonna grow?
You know what I mean?
So I think that's the part
where culture's important.
Y- Y- I, I, I'm doing it now, right?
As a trainer, you're
everybody's best friend.
Y- Everybody goes to
you to tell you their…
To vent their gossip about their coach.
But once you switch over to that
coaching role, you're either best
friend or worst enemy immediately, and
there's no, there's no gray area there.
But I mean, to answer your question, I
do think the parents knowing a little bit
more of what's going on, it would help the
player tremendously because then y- you
know, that message is getting reinforced
Matt: Listen, we all know
this is a massive business,
and it's not just we-- I always
try to make a point of this.
It's not just youth soccer in this
country, it's every youth sport, right?
Like, soccer is not by itself.
It's just different than the rest
of the world, and, and that's
what makes it somewhat unique.
H- how… It feels like there's a
lot of tension in the system between
clubs, between trainers, between, you
know, w- defining the word elite and
academy, all the different leagues.
There's just a million
different things going on.
From the lens in which you look at it,
which is a pretty unique one in that
you're seeing a lot, five
years from now, like, what does
this environment look like?
Is this-- Are we-- Is this
gonna clean up a little bit?
Are we gonna see the
cream rise to the top?
Or because there's so much money
in it, we're gonna see the, this
market that is youth soccer in this
country continue to be kind of bogged
down by what seems like tension as
opposed to what's most important,
which is players and development?
Christian: I think it's, I think
it's reaching a breaking point,
at least from what I'm seeing.
Um, it, it's, it's getting more
and more expensive, more and
more exclusive, um, which I don't
think does the game a lot of good.
Um, and, and I'd even go as far to say
I personally don't think pay-to-play is
the enemy, and I'll elaborate on that.
Why?
Because at the end of the day, in a,
in a system that allows businesses to
pop up, it's not the business' fault,
Matt: Mm-hmm.
Christian: right?
They're just putting out a
product and putting a price.
There's no… Granted, yes, there,
there's the exclusivity of, of certain
avenues, certain pathways, right?
But I do think the system being a
little more open would, would help.
It would help tremendously because
then there, there's different,
there's different stories, right?
There, there's, there could be a
local, very humble club, you know,
that maybe all the business owners
in the area wanna see kids thrive,
so they're putting resources in.
So then they're maybe a little bit
more, let's say, selective, a little
bit more adamant about, "Hey, look,
we're not gonna have a lot of resources.
You know, we really gotta try
and perform with what we have
and develop what we have," right?
Versus some others, hey, maybe
they have the means to do it.
There's nothing wrong with that.
But they can coexist, right?
And then that's where you'll
see that blend of cultures.
The cream really will have
a chance to rise to the top.
Matt: When…
Sorry, when you say, when,
when you say open up,
you're talking about promotion relegation,
I'm assuming, at all levels with the
ability if you invest in a player
to potentially sell that player
or, or receive some sort of
comp- some sort of compensation
however, whatever that looks like.
Christian: Any incentive to, to develop
changes, for me, the whole landscape.
Liron: Mm-hmm.
Matt: Yeah.
Christian: L- like you go as far, and I
was, I think it was 2012 when Eric Wynalda
had a team have that run in the Open Cup.
Matt: Mm-hmm
Christian: I mean, they went
on to beat two MLS teams,
and it was 17, 18-year-olds.
So you think about it from this
point of view, like all of a
sudden you remove the gatekeepers.
You can't tell me I'm
good or not good enough.
I just proved it.
Do you get what I
Matt: Then you had, uh, then, then
you had MLS teams pulling out of
the U.S. Open Cup because they
were afraid to get beaten again.
Christian: Right?
So
Matt: what did, what, what
did they have to gain?
Christian: it's bad for business, right?
It's,
Matt: it's,
bad.
Yeah
Christian: it's a lose, I
guess a lose-lose in a way.
You, you either, you don't get a lot
from playing a lower level opponent, or
they show well, and then all of a sudden
your, your bosses are calling you saying,
"Hey, why are you getting this result?"
But even on, on the lower level, right?
You, you know, that same exclusivity
exists on, on, on smaller programs.
Like the, the, some of these programs
are not really open to playing teams
from, from lower divisions or different
divisions 'cause, you know, for, for
personal reasons, and, and it ends up
being they don't wanna lose players.
Matt: Mm.
Christian: So again, it all
boils down to it, it's almost
the antithesis of competition.
You know, I, I always… I played
in Argentina for a few years.
Um, actually lived with the uncle
of Alexis Mac Allister, and, uh, n-
right, notorious for, for, for really
competitive football, Argentina.
And I always say like Boca Juniors
players or, or as a club, Boca Juniors
doesn't like our River Plate, but
they respect them as competitors.
They're not trying to get River, River
Plate eliminated from the league or,
or terminate their program because a
player went from one to another, right?
So I do think that competition will help
everything grow in, in, in a healthy way.
Like, you wanna see those
rivalries, obviously within reason
and within respect, but you,
you need that here, you know?
Because that, that's where
players get up for games.
That's where coaches go, "Hey, I gotta do
a good job." But from, in the spirit of
competition, not just in the spirit of,
you know, trying to be in this exclusive
pathway that no one else can get into.
Liron: as Matt was
saying, It's like weeds.
There's so many things growing all
around the clubs that it's really
hard for a parent to almost know what
is it that your kid actually needs.
Like, what, what would be like, you
don't even know what, what a supplemental
program to sign your kid up to because,
uh, you have, you have no, no metrics of
success, where just parents are sending
kids to every program that pops up, the
program of the month, to try to get their
kid progressing in a certain way, but
we, we really have no idea what to do
Christian: I, I think you've
made a great point there.
I, I do think, um Part of it for
me, like what, what comes to mind
is part of it's kind of the beauty
of the sport though, as far as like
there are many ways play this game.
There's many ways to develop in this game.
I think a part of it where it can
get tricky, right, is that can be
used against a parent who maybe isn't
as educated, doesn't know what to
look for, so they're not seeing…
but let me rephrase it.
They're seeing a little bit of
the buffet, and then that's what
I call the buffet sessions, right?
You, you know, hard work, a lot of
screaming, but it's like, okay, we
did five minutes of juggling, 10
minutes of ladders, 10 minutes of
ball mastery, 10 minutes of shooting.
And when I get parents speaking to me
on this, I'm like, "Right, zoom out.
You just did 10 minutes of one
thing, and you see them once a
week." So think about it differently.
If you would go work on your shooting
10 minutes a week, are you doing a lot?
You're probably not.
So it's like, what are you
actually getting there?
That's what I call the buffet sessions,
is like if you're gonna sprinkle
in a little bit of everything,
you're not really doing anything.
You're just working hard, right?
So I think for the parent, the,
to your point, the pragmatic
approach is the best one.
Look, look at very
foundational things first.
' Cause if my kid isn't receiving the
ball well, I can't worry about their
ability to score X amount of goals
or dribble X amount of players.
So I think that, that pragmatic, the
simple is the best way with development.
Why?
Because that's a very attainable
lens for a parent who maybe doesn't
have a whole lot of time in this game
Matt: H- how, how quickly can you
tell when it's a player who wants
to be there to do the extra work
versus the parent who wants the
player there to do the extra work?
Christian: Without exaggerating, minutes.
Minutes.
Minutes.
And it's, it's, it's kind of part of it
that it's almost a little heartbreaking
Matt: Yeah
Christian: because you see the passion
from the parent, but you're like,
this kid just… Like, you have--
In, in Spanish they say you play this
game, you don't just train this game.
And it kind of boils down to a little
bit of what we talked to earlier is
like sometimes the temperament of
the player isn't being taken into.
They may not care to drill at all.
They may just wanna feed through
balls and just kind of like be
that, that facilitator 'cause
they like sharing, right?
And, and they're kind of doing
things that maybe doesn't, it
doesn't resonate with them.
So it's a tough one, right?
Because it's like you wanna hold the
player accountable, but maybe there's
another source holding them accountable
for things that they don't wanna do.
So it's just like, look, the player's
just getting it from both ends right now.
It's, it's, it's heartbreaking.
You know, I, I, I do think that's
a part where, you know, you really
gotta know your kid as well.
And, and I do think
questions is the best way.
Just get to know your own kid.
I mean, it sounds very, very simple and
redundant, you need to turn the player
into what they want to actually be, but in
order to get there, you have to learn what
their temperament is, what they want to
be, what they trend towards, and then from
there, now you have something they'll,
they'll bite, you know what I mean?
They'll, they'll, they'll nibble on.
They'll go that route with you
because it's something that they want
Liron: I mean, it's part, part of
it I guess is also understanding
the environments and the options.
We're, we have … We're in New York,
we have a lot of options around us,
but not many areas in the United States
have the, the options for soccer li-
like we do with, with accessibility.
And it's just Matt, Matt brought up
this, uh, you know, we're, we're in
tryout season and, and Matt was kind of
We were discussing this, this
ludicrous situation sometimes where
you see in New York you'll see 100
kids go try out at a certain club.
And the coach has, I don't
know, two sessions to do with
them on a quarter of a field.
They divide them into groups of 20.
I mean, it is a, it is a circus situation.
And y- you, you sit there as a parent
and you just, you go, "H- how can
anyone make any decision here?"
A- a- do you, have you seen that?
Have you experienced that,
and what's your take on that?
Christian: I have, um, the, the player
in me and, and always kind of hijacks my
thinking with that because I, I always
say, "Look, I… Do I agree with it?
Absolutely not." Let, let me lay that out.
Let's get that right.
But at the end of the day, if you're
aspiring to play at a much higher level,
you've gotta be able to go in there
and stand out Do you get what I mean?
So, and, and it's tough, right?
It's a tough ask because you're talking
about a large, large scale, and I do
think it's not something I agree with.
I do think there's a l- there, there,
there's a very, very large net being cast.
So I do think there are a lot that fall
through the cracks of, hey, you know,
maybe if you work with this guy, he
could turn into this player, but you
didn't even give him a look, right?
But then it… and, and we're kind of
steering this back towards the, the
supplemental part where it's like,
right, but for you as a parent, right,
there's a lot you can do without
those resources, without a, a certain
supplemental trainer, and it is
really just being very, very simple.
Tick the bench- the simplest benchmarks
first, because from there your player
has more, more of a disposition to grow,
to stand out and add more to their game.
So is it fair?
Absolutely not.
But, you know, I, I don't want it to be
something that parents feel like they're
helpless with, because they can still
go, "Hey, look, regardless, there's
certain benchmarks we need to hit, and
if you're not hitting them, we need
to double down on that." Whether it's
with a trainer or without a trainer,
Be- receiving on both feet,
being able to dribble.
If you can't, like I, I'll,
I'll, I'll give you an example.
I have players that, um, let's say we're
working on dribbling exercises, right?
And they wanna go faster,
and I'm like, "Okay, then go
faster." Sounds silly, right?
But it's like y- do what you wanna do,
don't be afraid to mess up, go through
that process of messing up, and then
there you'll, you'll kinda strip off
the, the excess, the, the, the fat from
it, and you'll, you'll get better at it.
But the reason I say that is not so much
because I'm, I'm, I'm oversimplifying,
but I'm saying the player and the
parent need to be able to feel like
they're in control to a degree.
It can't be like, "Oh, my player can't
dribble," so it's like if you wanna get
better at dribbling, dribble, right?
Because again, if, if you don't
have this trainer in your cer-
immediate area, that doesn't mean
you can't play professionally.
You know what I mean?
So
Matt: we, um, w- have we completely,
have parents completely… We all
know the num- the percentages and
the likelihood of becoming a pro.
And, and when I say we, we, we
talk about this, we've talked about
this now in multiple sessions.
These kids, most, most of them think
about being a pro, it's playing
in the Prem or playing in La Liga
or Serie A or the Bundesliga.
And if in their minds, like,
it- they failed if they've
actually just made it to the MLS.
Christian: Mm-hmm.
Right.
Matt: What I'm talking about, like, when
they're like 13, 12, 13 years old, right?
Or maybe even younger.
And then as they get older, they realize
how hard it is to even play in the MLS.
What… When, when these families
come to you, is it mostly because
they want their kids to train and
be in an environment where they
have a chance to be a professional?
Or is it because they want them
to excel at something and be
committed and have the rigor?
Is it because they eventually
wanna play in college?
Like, what is, what does that look like?
Christian: In my environment,
it's a bit of a mixed bag.
Um, you do have ones that it's like,
wow, they, they definitely have a,
a few posters on their wall that
they probably pray to every night.
But then, you know, there are
those that maybe take a bit
more of a realistic approach.
Um, I see all of them.
I, I do think doing this so
long, you can tell right away.
Um, but ultimately I say this: the only
person it really affects is the player.
Because, you know, them… They've
gotta be clear with what they want,
and they're kids, so I, I'm notorious
for saying this in my environment.
I'm like, "You guys all wanna be a pro,
but you have no idea what that means."
Liron: Yeah
Christian: Like, you have
no idea what you're chasing.
You're chasing suffering,
stress, loneliness, sacrifice,
sacrifice, sacrifice.
One high moment that makes it worth it,
stress, sacrifice, sacrifice, stress,
stress, stress, loneliness, and I don't
mean it in, like, a morbid way, right?
Like, for me, I, I, I loved
the journey I was able to do.
I think most professional players
will tell you that, but I think at,
on the same token, it's like, I do
think they need to be aware, right?
They, they need to be aware of like, hey,
it's not work really hard and then your
contract from MAN U comes in the mail.
You know, you may have to go play in
second division Bulgaria for a year.
You may have to go to Iceland for
a very low contract and, and get
promotion and then work your way up.
So I do think that part is
very… It's missing a bit.
Um, and again, have lofty goals, right?
But you, you have to also be willing
to be all in if, if you're gonna keep
pushing, 'cause I think a lot of,
a lot of what I've seen is a lot of
parents really bang on that door, and
then when it opens, it's like, "Oh,
wait," like, "We have to relocate?
Oh, wait, my, my kid has…" And
it's like, well, you asked for this.
Like, you know what I mean?
Y- you asked for loneliness,
stress, inconvenience.
So, um, and I think I bring up Justin's
episode, like I, I think that's, that's
such a, such an impactful episode
because I think it's, it's the part
of, of football that maybe doesn't get
factored in when you're chasing it.
Liron: with a career guide as well
from England who talks exactly about
that, is that many parents just are
not prepared for the journey, and those
who are lucky enough to get a contract
quickly or at a young age don't really
understand that this is just the
beginning of, of a very complex journey.
Um, I, I know I've seen, I've seen
your, some of your writing and, and I,
I've been following you for a while,
and you use the word confidence a lot.
But h- how do you define confidence in,
in football for the, for younger kids?
Christian: For me, the way I really
like to portray it to them is confidence
is certainty in, in what you can do.
And the reason I word it like that is
because I think confidence nowadays
gets thrown around very recklessly.
you know, "Oh, so and so didn't play well
because they're, they're not confident."
Liron: Yeah,
Christian: And it's like, oh, when
they're con- when they're in my
backyard, they do that move really
well, and it's like, of course,
I'm, I'm prime Neymar in my backyard
still, and I retired six years ago.
You get what I mean?
So the-- going back to the point,
right, it's y- you've gotta use
confidence in a way that equips the
player to, to try and find success.
So it's gotta be within the controllables.
So I'll always ask players, like, "Are
you confident you can score today?"
And they'll think I'm baiting them
for, for a yes, and they'll go, "Yes."
I was like, "No, 'cause what if the goalie
has the game of his life, too?" So it's
like, if you can control it, what happens?
Game kicks off, five minutes in, "I'm
gonna score today." Ten minutes in,
"Mm, haven't scored, but I'm gonna score
today." Halftime, you haven't scored,
"Uh-oh, um, ball's not going in the net.
Maybe I'm having a bad game."
And then that's when your,
your thoughts get hijacked.
But if you flip the script and say, let's
say as a forward, "I'm gonna dismark as
best I can. I'm gonna wait for eye contact
and make those runs into those passing
lanes." Um, you know, if, if, if I do,
I'm gonna chase up every rebound, right?
If you can base your confidence off
of things you can control, you're
now not dependent on the outcome.
You can just keep working
and focus all your energy and
intensity on what you can control.
Outwardly, what does that look like?
"Oh my gosh, that kid's flying today." You
know, he, he looks like he's gonna score.
You know, you hear that about forwards.
He look… Yeah, because he's, he's
doing all the things that he needs
to do, you know, and not dependent
his energy and, and his focus and his
emotions on, I haven't scored yet.
Um,
Matt: So good
Christian: you know what I mean?
So I think that's such a powerful tool
because I think to your point, um, Liron,
like I, I do think that used incorrectly
creates stress, and stress creates
cortisol, and cortisol slows you down.
So all of a sudden a kid's like, "I'm
super fit, but I feel like I can't
run 'cause my breathing's off, uh,
because I, I have to score a hat-trick."
And it's like, you may, you may not.
There-- that's a reality of life, but
you can play an exceptional game if you
frame it within what you can control
Liron: The controllables, that's massive.
Yeah
Matt: Christian, do, do you see a big
difference between kids who are watching
a lot of football and kids who aren't?
And are there a lot of kids who are still
watching full matches that you know of?
Christian: my kids are gonna
beat me up for saying this, but
I think it's a lost art, man.
I think it's a lost art.
There, there are very
few, and you can tell.
You, I mean, you really, it sounds
very cliché, but you can tell.
Like, there's just a natural game sense
they get from imitating what they've seen.
You know?
I mean, little details.
A lo- I'll give you a
very, very simple detail.
Losing a game and kids who sprint
after the ball to throw it back in
versus kids are like, "I wanna win.
Where's the ball?" It's like, w-
they're not gonna give it to you, man.
Like, they, do you understand
the dynamic right now?
They're, they're managing the
game right now, and obviously
it's much deeper than that, right?
But, um, I do think now Kind of ties
into what we were saying, like why
the definition of skill has gotten
so skewed nowadays, because now it's,
it's the highlight reel, it's the
TikToks, it's, it's the, the, the
flashy, flashy plays, but it's like
watch that entire game and see how, how
many times they did that in that game.
You know, what was the situation?
What was the context?
So I, I do think it's becoming a lost art.
I do think as a generation there's
that instant gratification nowadays,
um, and, and sitting down and watching
a game may seem boring for maybe some
younger players nowadays, whereas for
us, you know, growing up it was like,
you have to go watch a game 'cause
you're gonna miss the highlight.
Where now they get it fed to them
whether they watch the game or not
Matt: Right?
And that's the problem.
They're, they're watching
mostly highlights, right?
Nothing to do with the buildup that led
to the highlight or the run that opened
up the space or back to the principles.
Like, that's what, to me, what seems
like there's this disconnect between,
between what kids are experiencing
and how they actually apply those
things because it's all of it, right?
Like, if you don't have all of
it, you can't paint the whole
picture, or it becomes much more
difficult to paint the whole picture
Liron: M- Matt, I think they're just, I
think they're just distracted in a way.
We watch games.
I can, I can't speak for you guys, but I
know the reason I grew up watching games
is because I loved a certain team, and I
loved that team, and I would watch those
games, and it was something that I loved,
and that's how I got to know the game.
I was so attached to the
league and the players, and
it, it, it meant so much to me.
I think… I'm looking at Mikey.
Yes, they, he loves to watch it,
but in a way he's not as emotional
about the game or the teams as, as
I was, or the stories behind it.
There's just so much for them.
Like, if you look at what
soccer is now, it's nonstop.
There's, there's… I mean, Premier
League, uh, players were f- um,
teams were fighting for relegation.
Seven teams were gonna make
it, fighting to get to Europe.
There's still a championship game.
There, there was a, there was
a, a Champions League, uh, Cup.
The World Cup is starting in six days.
Soccer wasn't like that.
There's enormous amount
of it, live games, clips.
It's almost hard to blame them.
It's just incredibly overwhelming.
It, like, where do you even start?
And if the narrative is not there to pull
you through, then at that point you're
just forcing a kid to sit down and study.
If they're gonna sit, if you're
telling them to do that, of course
they're not gonna fucking watch it.
Sorry.
They're not gonna watch a
Christian: No, you're, I think you're
spot on, and I think propaganda is,
is a big word there because I think
what I see on my, in my environment
is kids aren't a fan of the game,
they're a fan of single players
Matt: Hmm
Liron: Oh
Christian: Uh, it, it, it's Ronaldo or
Messi, and, and wherever Ronaldo is, we're
gonna watch that game for Ronaldo, and
we're gonna watch that game for Yamal,
and we're gonna watch that game for Messi.
But then it's like, it's not even watch
the game, they're just gonna track it.
They're gonna wait to see if he scored.
So again, and, and Matt, to your example,
that so much context is being missed
that, you know, you almost see that
game sense kind of waning a little bit
because again, kids are very literal.
So now when a coach says X, Y, and Z,
they don't have something to pull from
like, "Oh, this is what it looks like.
I'm connecting the dots." It's like,
"Nope, coach said shoot." It's like,
"Yeah, but you're at half field, man."
Like, like we're, we're not there yet.
So I, I do think a lot of that
context, um, it does go missing
because, uh, it's a little bit
of a lost art to watch games now
Liron: Fantastic.
Uh, rapid questions, Matt.
Matt: If you could fix only
one thing about youth soccer in
this country, what would it be?
Christian: Oof.
I, I apologize in advance.
I don't know if that's a rapid one, but,
Liron: is, this is a Matt rapid.
It's, it's, yeah, trademark
Christian: Open it up and allow access.
Um, and, and I'll tell you why.
Like you, in, in my immediate environment,
there's a lot of different demographics.
There's a lot of, of small
clubs trying to pop up.
They're just doing an honest job and,
and wanting to, to kind of showcase their
interpretation of the game, and they,
they, they're just not allowed to, right?
And, and I, again, that
just opens things up.
Um, so I think that, that would be the
first and foremost you can address certain
topics, like a pay-to-play doesn't revolve
around a, a astronomical league fee.
Pay-to-play can be, "Hey, look,
we're, we're completely sponsored.
We're completely family-run." So
I think that'd be the best thing
'cause everybody's interpretation
of the game deserves a chance.
There's no one right way to do it
Liron: Matt, you see
that worked out great.
This was incredibly, uh, helpful.
But now, now, now let
Matt: thanks, thank, thank, thanks to him,
Liron: Yeah, well, let me teach you,
Matt, how, how rapid fire really works.
Okay?
So, uh, eye-rolling training
habit at the youth level
Christian: Eye-rolling training
habit at the youth level.
Um, unthought out ball mastery
Matt: Biggest myth soccer parents believe?
Christian: If you work
hard, you'll make it
Liron: Underrated technical skill at youth
Christian: Scanning
Matt: Red flag in a young player
Christian: Uh, response to adversity
Liron: Uh, one thing a good trainer should
be able to explain clearly to a parent
Christian: why they did their session
Matt: A green flag in a young player
Christian: response to adversity
Liron: Yeah.
And, uh, for the last one, what does
a good soccer parent do quietly?
Christian: What would a good
soccer parent do quietly?
Ask more questions
Liron: Man, I, I gotta tell
you, coach, you're amazing.
Uh,
Christian: Appreciate that, man
No, happy to do it, man.
I think, um, you know, I, I share the
same passion you guys do, um, even
though we're on different vantage points.
They're necessary conversations
'cause I do think, if it resonates
with one or two families, like it
can open up a whole world for them
Wow with confidence, Matt.
Can make wow into so many different words and contexts.
What I really appreciated about Christian is that he kept pulling us away from the easy
thing to see.
The move, the clip, looking good in practice.
He keeps bringing us back to the harder question.
Does it translate and how?
He said the skill isn't the skill, it's the recognition of when to do the skill.
That is a sentence parents should hold on to.
Because we can all see the move, we can all see the clean touch, but the game is asking
something else.
When?
Where?
Why?
Under what pressure?
Yeah, and that is where the episode gets real for us and for parents.
Uh not that it didn't get real before, but this is when I forget real, it's getting
depressing.
Because we want to know is our kid improving, right?
We want benchmarks.
We want someone to tell us that the work is working, it's worth it.
But sometimes we're judging the easiest things to see, right?
So not the things that probably matter the most.
And Coach Christian talked about the word intent.
Receiving in both feet, carrying the ball, unforced error, and how quickly.
A player can get control when the level starts to ramp up.
That might give us a better way to watch a game or understand practice.
We gotta be less emotional.
I'm talking about me, less badge driven.
I'm talking about you, more connected to the actual player.
I probably do.
I have I have so many things reversed, Matt.
Yeah.
The the second big idea was environment.
Christian said supplemental training needs synergy to your environment because without
that it becomes theory.
But without application.
A trainer can be good, a session can be good, a kid can work hard, but if the player never
gets asked to apply those ideas in the game, the development become can become completely
disconnected.
That is when parents get confused.
That's when players get confused.
The player looks better in training, but the game does not really change.
Yeah, and and now and then you hit with confidence problems, right?
Um, and I thought Christian the way he defined confidence was was really amazing because
he said confidence is certainly in what you can do, not certainty that you will score or
certainty that the coach will pick you or certainty that everything will go your way.
Certainty is about controllables, and I I never thought about it like that.
So can I scan?
Can I make the run?
Can I respond after a mistake?
Can I keep going when things are not going my way?
It's probably a healthier version.
Of confidence for a young player than me telling my son, if you don't save a pen, we're
not going home.
And maybe the b at that point maybe he didn't want to go home.
And maybe the bigger point is that development cannot be defined from one angle.
Not one clip, not one practice, not one tryout, not one parent on the sideline.
Christian said players need to be met at their level in order to grow.
That matters.
Because the top badge is not always the right environment.
The hardest team is not always the best fit.
And looking good in the wrong setting is not the same as actually growing.
Yep, and um he wrapped it up with um what does a good soccer parent do quietly?
And quietly, you understand the keyword?
His answer was simple, ask more questions.
That might be the job, right?
Ask more questions before we all panic, before we blame the coach, before we chase another
trainer, another team, or maybe another shortcut.
Ask what is actually translating, ask what you think your kid understands, ask what the
environment is teaching, and ask whether your kid is being seen clearly as what they are.
Thank you to Christian Silva, Silva Academy for joining us and for being so direct with
us.
Share this one with another soccer parent or with the team chat because every parent who
had this question at some point has had this question at some point.
Why does my kid look good here but not there?
This is Chase in the game, giving confidence to the soccer people of America.
By math with confidence.
Good dialer on with confidence.