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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 youth sports parenting 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.
00:00:03,708 Test test, one, two, three.
00:00:05,583 fix my mustache
00:00:07,333 it's getting too long
00:00:08,583 So, hello, everybody.
00:00:09,333 You know, when we think of soccer, we picture the
00:00:12,333 folklore of kids, kissing a badge, the drums, the
00:00:16,333 chants, the tears, the last minute goals, all that emotion that makes the game feel so
00:00:21,333 mythic
00:00:22,333 Is there a word like that mythic?
00:00:23,333 mythic.
00:00:24,333 You just created it.
00:00:26,333 this is what we do here.
00:00:27,833 but behind all that beautty
00:00:29,333 especcialy in american youth soccer
00:00:31,083 there's gotta be a machine.
00:00:32,333 It's a machine that needs to survive.
00:00:35,333 And, you know, if you think that simple, bring the free shirts,
00:00:38,333 design a cool FC logo, grab a field and coach and boom, you build a club, which is obviously
00:00:44,333 what I thought we're not even close.
00:00:46,916 Payroll facilities.
00:00:48,916 Oh, you gave me all the good stuff.
00:00:50,916 Scheduling, curriculum, pathways,
00:00:51,416 Scheduling, curriculum, pathways,
00:00:53,250 budgets, college prep, retention, all of this with almost no
00:00:57,250 government support, no municipal infrastructure, and very little trickle-down help from professional clubs
00:01:03,250 In the U.S., you're basically left on an island to build it yourself.
00:01:08,250 It's emotional for families, but it's operational for clubs, especially the ones who do it well.
00:01:13,250 And the tension between those two worlds defines the entire experience.
00:01:17,250 imagine the landscape when Noah Gins first step into it.
00:01:20,250 If we think it's chaotic today, the early years were even more un structured.
00:01:25,250 Fragile, filled with mom and pops program that could barely survive two or three seasons.
00:01:29,250 We know kids that move from clubs that collapse more after the other.
00:01:33,250 It took actual visionaries to bring stability to that world.
00:01:36,250 and start stitching it together, and putw systems in place.
00:01:40,250 Without people like Noah, we still be stuck in
00:01:43,250 that short-l;ived experiment instead of this long term environment.
00:01:46,208 And that brings us to today's guest.
00:01:48,083 Noah Gins is one of the people who transformed chaos
00:01:52,083 into structure.
00:01:53,000 On field Noah was a player,
00:01:54,083 he heled the shape, right?
00:01:56,083 He was the one who
00:01:57,458 read the moments, connected lines, who kept the game
00:02:00,083 coherent when everything around them got really fractic.
00:02:02,333 Yeah, I mean, Noah he creates stability.
00:02:05,333 He builds systems.
00:02:07,333 He brings clarity to an ecosystem with 3 million youth players
00:02:10,333 and only 0.4% reaching Division I college soccer.
00:02:14,333 He wants the system to evolve, but he's brutally honest
00:02:17,333 about what a functional environment actually requires
00:02:20,333 and is focusing on focused on providing
00:02:21,125 and is focusing on focused on providing
00:02:22,333 the best experience and developing the best players possible.
00:02:25,333 and results speak for themselves
00:02:27,166 what he's built has given thousands of players something they
00:02:29,333 wouldn't have had otherwise. structure, opportunities, stability, and most important.
00:02:33,333 longevity.
00:02:35,333 Let's get into it.
00:02:36,208 Conversation with Noah Gins.
00:02:38,333 Finally, so excited, to have my shut up already.
00:02:39,833 Hey Noah, welcome to chasing the Game.
00:02:42,750 We're so excited to speak to you tonight.
00:02:44,500 Before we get into today's soccer,
00:02:44,500 landscaping, the us, we'd love to start
00:02:48,208 with your background as a youth player
00:02:48,208 through your college and professional
00:02:51,541 Noah: Thanks for having me guys.
00:02:52,541 And excited to, to share
00:02:52,541 everything I can with you today.
00:02:55,416 I have, had a youth career played, club
00:02:55,416 soccer, played on the youth national team.
00:02:59,958 Went through the whole ODP system, state,
00:02:59,958 regional, national that was around U 1617.
00:03:04,833 Got a scholarship, went to play for UNLV,
00:03:04,833 division One School, full scholarship.
00:03:09,416 Played there for, two years, transferred
00:03:09,416 to University New Mexico, played there.
00:03:14,416 And then, by design, finished my
00:03:14,416 third year, there and went into
00:03:19,750 professional soccer in the, A-League.
00:03:21,375 Played nine years, in the A-League.
00:03:23,583 Matt: It's amazing.
00:03:24,083 Well,
00:03:24,291 We're, we're excited to get
00:03:25,375 into
00:03:26,291 How much the landscape has changed
00:03:26,291 since you were coming up and, you
00:03:30,041 know, a common theme actually, ODP has
00:03:30,041 come up multiple times on our pod as
00:03:34,291 a lot of our guests have gone through
00:03:36,208 the system as well,
00:03:37,083 so we're excited about that.
00:03:38,375 As we get into it.
00:03:39,166 Noah,
00:03:40,583 when you started
00:03:41,750 with
00:03:41,958 Albion.
00:03:42,916 20 years ago, I believe you had
00:03:42,916 six teams in one market, which
00:03:47,958 was in San Diego 20 years later.
00:03:51,625 Talk to us a little bit about
00:03:53,750 what Albion
00:03:54,500 nation has become
00:03:56,458 and some context around the numbers
00:03:58,458 and the overall philosophy.
00:04:00,083 Noah: So it's been 28 years actually, that
00:04:00,083 I've been sitting, a, a top Albion here.
00:04:04,875 I was playing professional
00:04:04,875 soccer in San Diego organically.
00:04:07,750 Got, got asked to help out a girls
00:04:07,750 team, within, within Albion, which
00:04:11,875 was a very small, you know, nonprofit
00:04:11,875 soccer club that, that really was.
00:04:17,625 borderline recreational, but had six
00:04:17,625 competitive teams helped out a girls team.
00:04:23,250 And that's where it started, ended
00:04:23,250 up, taking on the, the organization.
00:04:27,666 And in short order, doesn't feel
00:04:27,666 short, but it was about six years,
00:04:32,208 where we started playing and competing
00:04:32,208 for our first national championships.
00:04:35,625 as the club in San Diego, grew in
00:04:35,625 quality naturally with quality, quantity
00:04:41,541 came, it was never an ambition to be
00:04:41,541 the biggest club in San Diego, but
00:04:45,208 it was an ambition to have the best,
00:04:45,208 quality develop, the best teams, the
00:04:49,416 best coaches have a curriculum, develop
00:04:49,416 national team players, develop, pro
00:04:53,583 players and certainly college players.
00:04:55,916 So as San Diego grew, in notoriety,
00:04:55,916 organically, Albion grew and it was
00:05:02,083 at, it was probably around, I think
00:05:02,083 2007 when someone knocked on the
00:05:06,833 door and said, Hey, can we be Albion?
00:05:09,166 And at that moment in time, it
00:05:09,166 was like, it was a reflection
00:05:14,375 of like, why would we do this?
00:05:16,083 And it was the person standing, across
00:05:16,083 from me that I said, you know what?
00:05:19,041 I wanna help this guy.
00:05:19,875 I have a lot of respect.
00:05:21,416 I see he needs, help.
00:05:23,875 He's doing really good things.
00:05:25,041 He has really good teams.
00:05:26,625 And I started to kind of see what he saw.
00:05:28,625 There was a lot of equity
00:05:28,625 in what Albion was doing,
00:05:31,375 locally, regionally, nationally.
00:05:32,833 At that time, I think we
00:05:32,833 had played in maybe three or
00:05:34,916 four national championships.
00:05:36,625 A lot of attention was around.
00:05:38,916 The boys and girls side at
00:05:38,916 that time that was doing well.
00:05:41,916 So we ended up, allowing them
00:05:41,916 to brand Albion and it was
00:05:45,291 then time to help that club.
00:05:47,958 And I think at that time there
00:05:47,958 was a lot of learning lessons in
00:05:50,458 terms of how to, support someone
00:05:50,458 that's, representing your brand.
00:05:55,666 We're extending that.
00:05:56,625 There's a lot of, risk associated
00:05:56,625 with that if they take that
00:06:00,041 and don't do well with it.
00:06:02,375 So, anyways, we could get into the
00:06:02,375 details and the weeds of that particular
00:06:06,708 club, but that was the start of it.
00:06:08,958 And pretty much for about, I would
00:06:08,958 say three, four years to follow.
00:06:14,583 There was several other clubs that,
00:06:14,583 organically knocked on the door.
00:06:18,291 So Albion was steadily growing,
00:06:18,291 but both in San Diego and other
00:06:21,375 markets, California and beyond.
00:06:24,416 And, and then as we kept going,
00:06:24,416 we got to really understand that
00:06:30,041 there was a responsibility, that was
00:06:30,041 far more than what we were giving
00:06:34,833 to the affiliates at that time.
00:06:37,000 which revolved around, the internal
00:06:37,000 resources that were employed just for
00:06:41,208 affiliates, human resources as well as
00:06:41,208 programming and coordinated support.
00:06:47,000 So the period of time now, if we
00:06:47,000 just kind of, rolled it all back it's
00:06:51,750 been very methodical over the last
00:06:51,750 five or six years to help support, to
00:06:56,500 help grow and to have a North Star,
00:06:56,500 which is really to, advance the game.
00:07:02,166 Support as many leaders
00:07:02,166 in clubs and markets.
00:07:04,750 That makes sense.
00:07:06,166 that have synergy around
00:07:06,166 player development.
00:07:08,541 Want to be the best in the market,
00:07:08,541 but need support and, we are truly
00:07:13,375 aligned and being able to help that
00:07:14,750 Liron: I mean, correct me if I'm wrong,
00:07:14,750 but soccer, I'm assuming youth soccer
00:07:18,666 was a simpler environment then when
00:07:18,666 this whole thing started, I mean, maybe
00:07:23,666 it was less structured, but what did
00:07:23,666 you see that was missing that allow you
00:07:28,541 to shape Albion into what it is today?
00:07:30,791 Or is this just something that's organic?
00:07:32,375 I mean, what was
00:07:32,833 Noah: I kind of tell you I've spent the
00:07:32,833 better part of my career thinking about
00:07:37,333 organizational excellence every year.
00:07:40,083 Like how do you get tighter and tighter
00:07:40,083 and tighter organizationally to be
00:07:44,666 able to, grow, to scale, to, think,
00:07:44,666 you think about player development
00:07:51,000 and if you go wi you know, wide, how
00:07:51,000 do you support player development?
00:07:54,708 a lot of clubs, think about leadership
00:07:54,708 and maybe there's one person leading the
00:07:59,166 boys and one person leading the girls.
00:08:02,208 I have tried that.
00:08:03,208 I've looked at that.
00:08:04,291 I think there needs to be some
00:08:04,291 seniority maybe in those positions.
00:08:07,791 But when we were building Albion, I
00:08:07,791 looked at it like our eight nines and
00:08:12,000 tens that are growing and developing.
00:08:13,583 They need leadership from a
00:08:13,583 programming, from a goals and
00:08:17,708 objectives, the KPIs around player
00:08:17,708 development at 7, 8, 9 years old.
00:08:22,041 Mm-hmm.
00:08:22,375 So we brought structure
00:08:22,375 and leadership to that.
00:08:25,250 Then it became what is 11 to
00:08:25,250 fourteens and 15 to nineteens.
00:08:28,875 So I spent a, a good part of my early
00:08:28,875 days, just like eyes wide open, looking
00:08:34,750 at the landscape, realizing that as a
00:08:34,750 young director and a, former professional
00:08:39,250 player that was coming into coaching
00:08:39,250 and leading club soccer there was
00:08:42,625 an assumption that everybody had a
00:08:42,625 curriculum and everyone was organized.
00:08:45,416 And when I got into the industry and
00:08:45,416 I went and traveled and met and looked
00:08:50,958 and evaluated It was clear, there
00:08:50,958 was not, there was nothing in place.
00:08:55,041 It was just teams being
00:08:55,041 coached by good coaches.
00:08:58,625 And success was usually a byproduct not
00:08:58,625 necessarily a, a formula to that success.
00:09:05,958 So, there was an emphasis to really
00:09:05,958 get organized first as San Diego.
00:09:09,875 Like how do we master
00:09:09,875 organizational excellence?
00:09:12,833 What's the model of leadership?
00:09:15,041 What's the the way, this is a business.
00:09:18,000 So if it's a business, it has
00:09:18,000 to be run like a business.
00:09:21,083 that means you have professionals
00:09:21,083 running departments like
00:09:25,291 finances, like marketing, like hr.
00:09:28,000 And if you don't have those,
00:09:28,000 then you can't really run an
00:09:32,041 organization on all cylinders.
00:09:33,500 So I spent most of my
00:09:33,500 time thinking about that.
00:09:37,583 if you think about it, most youth
00:09:37,583 sports are more mom and pop type.
00:09:42,041 Organizations it's resources, there's
00:09:42,041 not enough resources to build it out.
00:09:46,625 So, heavily invested in that.
00:09:49,083 ran a very lean organization, but put
00:09:49,083 everything back into the organization
00:09:54,000 so that we could have the most
00:09:54,000 organized, structured environment.
00:09:58,958 And I think when you think about
00:09:58,958 what's missing, like that was missing
00:10:02,083 the whole ecosystem of youth soccer
00:10:02,083 the majority, the large majority was
00:10:05,625 missing that organizational excellence.
00:10:08,666 And, ultimately on the other side
00:10:08,666 of building out San Diego, that is
00:10:13,500 what we're trying to support and
00:10:13,500 accomplish for all of our affiliates.
00:10:16,625 Liron: as you're growing into this,
00:10:16,625 the structure was meant to build
00:10:20,250 professional players or was this a
00:10:20,250 recreational system meant forkids to
00:10:24,916 have a place to train in, like you said,
00:10:24,916 maybe an organized fashion where you
00:10:34,458 You play for a team, you play
00:10:34,458 for a logo, but you're talking
00:10:37,666 about something that's a little
00:10:38,708 Noah: I think at the end of
00:10:38,708 the day, you're building an
00:10:41,500 organization to support all players.
00:10:45,375 The recreational player that's
00:10:45,375 entering the game for the, you
00:10:48,958 know, entry of love and exploratory.
00:10:52,250 You're also building a
00:10:52,250 pyramid of player development.
00:10:56,166 So you start at eight and you
00:10:56,166 end at 19 and you go off to
00:11:00,583 college, you go off to pro.
00:11:02,500 We wanna be the vehicle for a
00:11:02,500 player to advance as far as they
00:11:06,875 can go and as high as they can go.
00:11:09,291 So it, it's, it's meant for all
00:11:09,291 the players, but if you have
00:11:13,833 only a rec side, then all of
00:11:13,833 your top players have to leave.
00:11:16,500 If you have only.
00:11:18,083 An elite side all those
00:11:18,083 other players have to leave.
00:11:21,000 So we're there to support and, and
00:11:21,000 a player, a true player development
00:11:24,041 model is one that at 10 years old,
00:11:24,041 that 10-year-old on a third team
00:11:29,000 could be the best player in us by
00:11:29,000 the time they reach 19 years old.
00:11:33,958 that's a reality.
00:11:35,041 Or could be a division one college
00:11:35,041 athlete or, could be, you know,
00:11:39,833 the best player on the team.
00:11:41,541 So it's, it's really important that
00:11:41,541 you have the, the model and support
00:11:45,708 that allows a player to develop at
00:11:45,708 the rate and the pace that they're
00:11:48,791 at versus it's a one size fits all.
00:11:51,791 Matt: I wanna share some numbers.
00:11:53,875 jump in here and make sure that I'm
00:11:53,875 accurate with this 'cause there's only
00:11:56,875 so much we can scrape from the internet.
00:11:58,708 So approximately
00:11:59,583 15,000 players are
00:12:01,041 part of Albion Nation today.
00:12:02,250 Is that correct.
00:12:03,541 Liron: 15.
00:12:04,291 Matt: which is incredible.
00:12:05,083 How many markets
00:12:06,250 are you
00:12:06,500 Noah: in about close to 30 markets now.
00:12:09,375 Yeah.
00:12:10,291 it's coast to coast.
00:12:11,083 if you go up and down the East coast,
00:12:11,083 from Florida all the way up to,
00:12:16,000 Delaware, we are all through there,
00:12:16,000 you know, and we're not sitting here
00:12:18,958 in every state and every market.
00:12:20,208 But when you, when you look at the map,
00:12:20,208 we're, we're pretty much, across the,
00:12:23,333 across the country, coast to coast.
00:12:25,791 Matt: incredible.
00:12:26,208 And the Boys and girls side.
00:12:27,333 so boys.
00:12:27,833 you're playing MLS next, you're playing
00:12:27,833 in ea. There's obviously the rec
00:12:32,541 leagues you just mentioned as well.
00:12:33,791 And on the girls side, you're
00:12:35,083 in
00:12:35,750 Noah: we have I would say clubs that
00:12:35,750 are in all the platforms out there
00:12:40,625 or have been at one point or another,
00:12:40,625 on the boys side MLS, ECNL, EA are
00:12:45,333 the primary leagues that we plan.
00:12:47,250 you know, I think, over the period
00:12:47,250 of time it's not like a formula that
00:12:50,833 it's, it has to be one way or another.
00:12:52,875 I think it's, it's
00:12:52,875 certainly market to market.
00:12:55,416 It's certainly opportunities where
00:12:55,416 those opportunities come for,
00:12:58,583 for different leaders and clubs.
00:13:00,458 But I would say the majority of
00:13:00,458 the clubs are in the EA and MLS
00:13:04,000 as well as the girls academy.
00:13:06,458 Matt: And then for some amazing
00:13:06,458 numbers I think I saw that over
00:13:10,541 the years, Albion players have been
00:13:10,541 awarded something like $55 million
00:13:15,250 in And hundreds of players have
00:13:15,250 gone on to play in college.
00:13:19,458 A number are currently playing
00:13:19,458 in the pros and something like in
00:13:23,333 the mid thirties or so that have
00:13:24,833 Noah: yeah, those are, those,
00:13:24,833 those numbers sound about right.
00:13:26,916 I don't have them exactly in front
00:13:26,916 of me, but I know that we just
00:13:30,166 hit a milestone of 63 million.
00:13:31,666 It was 55.
00:13:32,500 I think it just moved up to, that.
00:13:34,708 I know there was a couple
00:13:34,708 announcements most recently.
00:13:36,875 we just had over a hundred players
00:13:36,875 in the last five years since MLS Next
00:13:41,916 was, was, uh, formed and created.
00:13:44,750 A hundred plus players have been signed
00:13:44,750 into MLS academies and first teams.
00:13:49,875 I think there was four or five on
00:13:49,875 the first team level currently.
00:13:53,250 So a huge player production from Albion
00:13:53,250 into MLS next and MLS Major League Soccer.
00:14:00,833 So super proud about that.
00:14:01,916 With obviously players in
00:14:01,916 USL as well as over overseas.
00:14:06,166 Matt: I think what strikes me
00:14:06,166 about that is when we go back a few
00:14:09,583 minutes ago to the beginning of the
00:14:09,583 conversation and you were talking
00:14:11,916 about organizational excellence and
00:14:11,916 the business aspect of it, right?
00:14:15,791 And treating it like a business.
00:14:17,375 Some people may hear that and think,
00:14:17,375 yeah, this is the problem with US soccer.
00:14:20,833 It's a business.
00:14:21,583 It's a business.
00:14:22,125 It's a business.
00:14:22,833 But then when you talk about the results
00:14:22,833 it's clear that player development
00:14:27,250 is at the forefront of all of it.
00:14:29,000 And it's not just lip service, right?
00:14:31,250 It is
00:14:32,166 How do we serve all of the players?
00:14:34,458 and then figure out ultimately the,
00:14:34,458 best pathways as players develop.
00:14:38,208 So what
00:14:38,791 an incredible journey that you've been on.
00:14:40,875 Noah: the, mishaps is, if you
00:14:40,875 say business somehow, you think
00:14:44,541 of making money and business.
00:14:46,166 It means that you're, you're
00:14:46,166 operating professionally, right?
00:14:50,041 Professionally running an
00:14:50,041 organization with professionals.
00:14:53,291 I think that that's probably the,
00:14:53,291 the most important aspect of it.
00:14:57,083 Because a lot of the businesses
00:14:57,083 are nonprofits so it becomes like.
00:15:01,541 when you think about, you know, when you
00:15:01,541 say it could be a problem that it's a
00:15:04,791 business, like how do you pay for coaches?
00:15:07,375 How do you pay for fields?
00:15:08,583 how do you do all the things necessary
00:15:08,583 to be the best and provide the best
00:15:13,416 training and overall resources?
00:15:15,916 It, you have to pay for that.
00:15:17,041 You have, it requires resources.
00:15:18,416 So I think that's the most important
00:15:18,416 piece is having, being organized to
00:15:24,208 be able to operate at that level.
00:15:26,500 Liron: I mean, for me, look
00:15:26,500 obviously I'm a little bit slow.
00:15:29,250 That's why I'm done this podcast
00:15:29,250 so I can get free education.
00:15:32,916 So here's the way I see it.
00:15:34,666 United States is massive.
00:15:36,041 Obviously parents get it, people get it.
00:15:37,833 It's an incredible amount of
00:15:37,833 variety of socioeconomic levels
00:15:42,250 sports levels, needs, styles.
00:15:45,291 I think of Europe.
00:15:46,625 Let's say you look at England, you
00:15:46,625 look at London can have, hunders
00:15:49,291 of teams are in London alone.
00:15:59,000 maybe in North California as the
00:15:59,000 same that's played in Mississippi.
00:16:02,166 That's the same that's played in New York.
00:16:04,041 And if it is, how does that even work
00:16:06,166 Noah: it is different around the
00:16:06,166 country only from the standpoint of
00:16:10,125 there's the weather restrictions,
00:16:10,125 there's the environmental, influences.
00:16:14,333 it could be where some of the
00:16:14,333 players are coming from, where the
00:16:16,666 heritage, you know, south American.
00:16:19,541 Mexico based.
00:16:21,458 I think that influences
00:16:21,458 the type of soccer.
00:16:24,625 I mean, a lot of times the way the
00:16:24,625 game's played is the way that the
00:16:28,208 personas are, you know, and, you, I
00:16:28,208 can remember in the early days we would
00:16:32,583 take Albion teams early two thousands.
00:16:35,375 We would get 'em out of San
00:16:35,375 Diego bubble and bring them back
00:16:38,083 east to play against the, what I
00:16:38,083 would call, tougher mentalities.
00:16:44,000 just not as technical, but definitely
00:16:44,000 had more grit, had more determination,
00:16:49,416 had more variety of type of players.
00:16:51,875 You had European, you had
00:16:51,875 Africans, you had all sorts of,
00:16:55,583 flavor and flair on the field.
00:16:58,041 And if you just played in your same
00:16:58,041 bubble, you saw kind of the same.
00:17:02,250 type of play and players.
00:17:04,291 And so I would agree.
00:17:06,208 I think you are, making that point that
00:17:06,208 around the country, it's such a big
00:17:09,000 country and it has diversity around
00:17:09,000 in every which way, which impacts
00:17:13,458 player development and also California.
00:17:16,083 we play 12 months of the year
00:17:16,083 outside on perfect, you know,
00:17:19,916 perfect fields with perfect weather.
00:17:21,708 And you just don't see that
00:17:21,708 around, other parts of the country.
00:17:24,333 So they have to, train differently.
00:17:26,291 It looks differently.
00:17:27,250 and as a result, you know, you
00:17:27,250 see a different type of player.
00:17:30,125 Liron: So you adjust the program
00:17:30,125 specifically for example, you
00:17:32,583 couldn't take your program now
00:17:32,583 and just move it to Europe.
00:17:35,333 That wouldn't work.
00:17:36,083 'cause Portuguese soccer is not the same
00:17:36,083 as French soccer and within France there's
00:17:40,416 10 different kinds of schools of soccer.
00:17:42,166 Noah: No, I mean, listen, first of
00:17:42,166 all, from a player, development and
00:17:45,666 style we're not so structured that
00:17:45,666 everybody's gotta play the same way
00:17:48,875 around the country inside of Albion.
00:17:50,708 it's more about our North Star.
00:17:52,208 It's more about our, pathway and
00:17:52,208 support and organization that gives the
00:17:57,333 players the, pathway and the resources.
00:18:00,208 I think the mistake would be that we say.
00:18:03,250 Hey, you gotta play this way.
00:18:04,750 You gotta, it's gotta look this way.
00:18:06,791 coaches need freedom.
00:18:07,958 Coaches need autonomy to think
00:18:07,958 about how they wanna play.
00:18:11,666 Think about what players they
00:18:11,666 have to even play a certain way.
00:18:14,750 I think that the North Star is
00:18:14,750 the commitment to development.
00:18:18,333 it's the character of each person.
00:18:20,416 I think, in sport don't
00:18:20,416 go far without character.
00:18:24,041 Talent only gets you in the door.
00:18:25,291 I think character is why, players make it.
00:18:27,833 And I think that is true to.
00:18:30,166 All of our leaders within Albion.
00:18:31,916 That's the, most, synergistic
00:18:31,916 element of what we do.
00:18:36,500 there are curriculum, built
00:18:36,500 curriculums built into Albion.
00:18:39,166 There's resources, there's there's
00:18:39,166 coaching, education, there's all
00:18:43,083 sorts of things that support it.
00:18:45,083 But, it's not meant to
00:18:45,083 be a one size fits all.
00:18:48,125 So, you could take us as, coaches and
00:18:48,125 players and put us into any nation.
00:18:53,041 You'd have to adapt to the environment
00:18:53,041 and the style and also the culture.
00:18:56,708 I think coaches that come from outside
00:18:56,708 the US there is an, they have to adapt.
00:19:00,875 They have to adapt to how the American
00:19:00,875 system is, the parents, the play, pay
00:19:04,791 to play model, the business in which
00:19:04,791 you have to fit into, which is very
00:19:08,708 different than the rest of the world.
00:19:10,291 So, I do think we could
00:19:10,291 go play soccer though.
00:19:12,875 If you just put us on the field
00:19:12,875 with Portugal, we would be fine.
00:19:16,000 Yeah,
00:19:16,666 Liron: Okay.
00:19:17,083 Yeah, I'm sure.
00:19:17,666 I'm sure you do it all the time.
00:19:19,291 Yeah, so you could, so there is an
00:19:19,291 Albian team, let's say, that builds
00:19:22,333 from the back and then there's an Albian
00:19:22,333 team somewhere else in the nation that
00:19:25,583 Noah: and to be honest, it's
00:19:25,583 probably dictated by the game.
00:19:28,291 It's not that's not the starting point.
00:19:30,125 I don't think there's too many,
00:19:30,125 individuals within that's just
00:19:33,750 gonna come out and that's their
00:19:33,750 first priority is to go be direct.
00:19:37,208 But I also would say if
00:19:37,208 they're finding success.
00:19:41,875 Okay, no problem.
00:19:43,041 it's probably because of the demands
00:19:43,041 or the players or what have you,
00:19:45,833 but it's also, one thing that I
00:19:45,833 think without, us not being naive,
00:19:50,208 we're trying to develop players.
00:19:51,541 We're trying to, develop
00:19:51,541 teams to go win a game.
00:19:54,958 So then it becomes,
00:19:54,958 what does the coach see?
00:19:56,750 How do they see the necessity to
00:19:56,750 go win that game in front of them?
00:20:00,958 Matt: Hey, Noah, can we,
00:20:00,958 can we pivot slightly to
00:20:05,833 Parents often
00:20:07,208 mention being confused by.
00:20:10,000 Liron: pathways
00:20:11,166 Matt: leagues, whether it's MLS
00:20:11,166 next or ECNL or US YS or ea and
00:20:17,125 the girls side, there's a couple of
00:20:17,125 different leagues and we're not even
00:20:19,583 getting into the grassroots, could
00:20:22,208 the us ever develop
00:20:23,625 a truly unified development framework?
00:20:26,708 And if so, what would need
00:20:26,708 to happen for that to happen?
00:20:29,583 Noah: I think anything's possible.
00:20:31,000 I would say.
00:20:32,541 That you would need to have extremely
00:20:32,541 incredible leadership at the top to be
00:20:39,375 able to accomplish something like that.
00:20:41,291 And leadership that,
00:20:42,958 Matt: So when you say at the top, I think
00:20:42,958 this is also a part of confusion, at
00:20:46,625 least for us, and I'm slower than Lauren,
00:20:48,666 Liron: And someone exists
00:20:48,666 that's lower than me.
00:20:50,333 Matt: Is that US Soccer,
00:20:52,791 Is that MLS next?
00:20:55,083 Is it ECNL?
00:20:57,208 Right.
00:20:57,416 I think that
00:20:58,166 seems like it's part
00:20:58,166 of the challenge that.
00:21:01,583 What is US soccer's role in
00:21:03,541 Noah: a good question.
00:21:04,166 Matt: point?
00:21:05,833 Noah: I mean, in the hierarchy, US
00:21:05,833 soccer is at the top of everything.
00:21:09,458 That's at the top of everything.
00:21:10,583 by just, organizational structure.
00:21:12,541 So there was a point in time not too
00:21:12,541 long ago that US soccer controlled all
00:21:18,375 of youth soccer at the elite level.
00:21:21,041 That was, that was clear.
00:21:23,375 So when I think about the alignment
00:21:23,375 of all the different leagues, it would
00:21:28,083 have to be US Soccer saying, Hey, this
00:21:28,083 is, this is a great move for everybody.
00:21:35,416 And you'd have to have incredible
00:21:35,416 leadership at that level.
00:21:38,958 And at that level we would need all the
00:21:38,958 leaders of each league to be clearly.
00:21:49,833 the only way to bring it all together
00:21:49,833 is that they would be built into that
00:21:52,708 vision and they'd be part of that vision.
00:21:54,708 Not, Hey, this is the vision and all
00:21:54,708 that, your good work, because there's
00:21:59,875 a lot of really good people doing
00:21:59,875 really great things And there's been
00:22:04,500 a commitment for years and years to,
00:22:04,500 to help shape soccer in this country.
00:22:09,166 And those leagues played a massive part.
00:22:10,916 So there's no guarantee that,
00:22:10,916 anything that someone would be.
00:22:15,791 Throwing out there would be successful
00:22:15,791 or be the, the magic answer.
00:22:19,375 But you'd have to get full adoption.
00:22:20,916 You have to get everyone bought in
00:22:20,916 and then they tho those, those leaders
00:22:23,875 would need to be part of, of the team.
00:22:26,500 So I think you gotta build a
00:22:26,500 team of people that say, Hey,
00:22:30,250 we're gonna do this together.
00:22:31,583 It can't just be top down and, and you try
00:22:31,583 to do it with, with with just one voice.
00:22:38,041 It's gotta be a collective voice,
00:22:38,041 a collective sort of bargaining
00:22:41,583 power to bring it all to the table.
00:22:44,000 Matt: No, I think we just nominated you.
00:22:46,375 Liron: Yeah.
00:22:47,333 And what he's saying is there is a chance.
00:22:49,250 There is a
00:22:50,041 Noah: I think we can all
00:22:50,041 agree that, you know, probably
00:22:52,375 Liron: mean the.
00:22:52,833 Noah: our, in our, minds that
00:22:52,833 something like that makes sense.
00:22:58,125 And then, you know.
00:22:59,833 You could argue.
00:23:01,125 does it wash it all away?
00:23:02,166 Does it make it vanilla or is, is there
00:23:02,166 a secret sauce in having competition
00:23:07,958 or, you know, it's, it's hard.
00:23:09,333 I think you have to get in a room, but
00:23:09,333 it's, again, I think it goes to really,
00:23:14,041 really strong leadership that, that is
00:23:14,041 inspirational, that is motivational,
00:23:19,083 that is also, has, has clear, tangible
00:23:19,083 North Star to it for everyone to go, this
00:23:23,916 is, this is what we get to do together.
00:23:26,333 'Cause again, there's been a lot of
00:23:26,333 hard work done, by a lot of people
00:23:28,916 and they, I don't think, you know,
00:23:28,916 it's just gonna go, yeah, no problem.
00:23:31,041 take what I've done and you can
00:23:31,041 just do whatever you want with it
00:23:35,083 Liron: I mean, just the numbers
00:23:35,083 alone, like Albion, as Matt
00:23:37,666 mentioned, is a massive amount of
00:23:37,666 trove potential for talent because
00:23:41,958 it's just the numbers themselves.
00:23:43,125 You have a lot of kids.
00:23:44,625 So what we found in some of our
00:23:44,625 interviews there's always kind of,
00:23:47,708 you hit this wall where, and correct
00:23:47,708 me here if I'm wrong, if you develop
00:23:51,333 a player that goes to a pro team.
00:23:54,125 At the end, except for the tuition
00:23:54,125 that you got through the years
00:23:56,791 of that player from the parents,
00:23:56,791 or maybe the scholarship, maybe
00:23:59,666 you didn't even get tuition.
00:24:00,791 There's no more financial
00:24:00,791 compensation that Albion will
00:24:03,708 get from a player going pro.
00:24:05,291 So the success doesn't
00:24:05,291 trickle down and allows the
00:24:08,333 fertilization of the ground level.
00:24:11,250 Right.
00:24:11,458 We call it grassroots, but we not putting
00:24:11,458 anything in the ground from the top.
00:24:15,625 There's no rain coming down.
00:24:17,083 am I missing this or is
00:24:17,083 this an actual thing?
00:24:19,625 I'm
00:24:19,875 Noah: glad you're bringing this up.
00:24:21,083 it's been a discussion.
00:24:22,791 It's been, a vision.
00:24:24,125 It's been, certainly on my mind
00:24:24,125 and others for 20 years, honestly.
00:24:27,666 And I think the discussion that was
00:24:27,666 always brought to me, or questions
00:24:31,833 that brought to me, even from the
00:24:31,833 novice or non soccer person was
00:24:35,125 how are we gonna win a World Cup?
00:24:36,250 Or how come we don't have a world
00:24:36,250 class player like Ronaldo or Messi
00:24:41,083 we have athletes, we know we have
00:24:41,083 structure, we know we have resources.
00:24:45,791 I think that when you talk about,
00:24:45,791 that you could look at the structure
00:24:50,083 the coaching, I think there's been
00:24:50,083 a really strong emphasis to develop
00:24:54,416 coaches better in this country.
00:24:56,083 I think our coaches are
00:24:56,083 getting better, every day.
00:24:59,208 Better coaches makes better players.
00:25:01,000 so then you start to think about,
00:25:01,000 well, how what's the process?
00:25:05,208 And.
00:25:06,166 Most leagues, if not all
00:25:06,166 leagues you're playing with,
00:25:09,833 one emphasis is to win a trophy.
00:25:11,541 you're playing to win the game.
00:25:13,416 And there's always a
00:25:13,416 conflict or a debate around
00:25:17,000 Liron: Unless you're MLS next.
00:25:18,208 Noah: right youngers.
00:25:19,166 Right youngers.
00:25:20,958 Liron: you're U 13, endless next,
00:25:20,958 then we don't talk about winning.
00:25:23,208 But otherwise, yeah, you're absolutely
00:25:24,541 Noah: the, the, the, the conflict
00:25:26,291 Matt: start fining Liron every
00:25:26,291 time he brings up quality of play.
00:25:29,083 Noah: you know, can you develop and win?
00:25:30,875 Or, you know, if you win, do
00:25:30,875 you sacrifice development?
00:25:34,958 So, you know, for me, the biggest,
00:25:34,958 the biggest statement that this
00:25:39,583 country could make if we want to
00:25:39,583 develop is to reward development.
00:25:44,291 Just reward it.
00:25:45,500 So if you develop a player
00:25:45,500 forward, then reward it.
00:25:50,625 And if you change the, if you change that,
00:25:50,625 if you made it so that every coach in this
00:25:55,458 country and every club that was trying to.
00:25:59,333 Pay their bills and
00:25:59,333 support their organization.
00:26:02,833 If they knew that if they developed
00:26:02,833 a player forward that they could
00:26:06,125 earn money, now guess what?
00:26:09,166 Everyone's putting
00:26:09,166 resources to development.
00:26:11,875 Everything goes to another level.
00:26:14,041 And to me, it's so simple, but
00:26:14,041 yet we haven't figured it out yet.
00:26:20,166 And the rest of the world has, the
00:26:20,166 rest of the world is, is compensating
00:26:23,916 clubs, supporting clubs, investing
00:26:23,916 in clubs to develop players.
00:26:27,916 So when I mentioned earlier, if we've
00:26:27,916 developed a hundred players plus in five
00:26:33,125 years, just five years into pro academies,
00:26:33,125 and out of those, we have X amount of
00:26:40,666 that that are playing on first teams.
00:26:42,958 If that money came back, that money
00:26:42,958 would be reinvested into the club
00:26:47,958 to do more and have more resources.
00:26:50,208 So, you know, I think
00:26:50,208 there'll be a time when this.
00:26:54,416 Happens, hopefully in my lifetime that
00:26:54,416 we get to develop a player, earn money
00:26:59,041 back, reinvest that reinvestment maybe,
00:26:59,041 you know, allows us to financially
00:27:04,708 scholarship 10 more players or put, build
00:27:04,708 a better field or, you know, get the,
00:27:11,041 the lights that are needed to, to light
00:27:11,041 the field up or hire a, that nutritionist
00:27:15,125 or that sports performance coach
00:27:15,125 that will enhance player development.
00:27:18,833 you just get it, you can see it, you get
00:27:18,833 to recalibrate everything with, with that.
00:27:23,208 So I guess the dream is that we get there.
00:27:26,250 That is the dream.
00:27:27,375 I think that if we want to develop truly
00:27:27,375 this nation, that is the easiest thing
00:27:33,750 we can do is just start to, the easiest
00:27:33,750 thing is to recognize you get recognized.
00:27:38,791 'cause recognition also fuels it.
00:27:41,083 But then you start to, to compensate
00:27:41,083 that, that takes things to another level.
00:27:45,875 Liron: Yeah.
00:27:45,916 if you need me to make some
00:27:45,916 calls, I'll be happy to do it.
00:27:48,208 I know tuition can only
00:27:48,208 get so far, so All right.
00:27:50,958 after this, immediately.
00:27:52,416 Matt: let me ask you, Noah, I mean, is
00:27:52,416 there a world where whether it is private
00:27:58,416 equity making investments across the
00:27:58,416 platform, it's a sponsor, whether it's
00:28:03,500 Adidas or New Balance, where they're
00:28:07,291 footing a bill,
00:28:08,125 for example, across
00:28:09,708 X amount,
00:28:10,250 of clubs and then
00:28:11,083 getting a clip.
00:28:11,833 for players moving on, which would
00:28:11,833 then take the pay to play basis down.
00:28:16,291 Noah: there's obviously.
00:28:18,916 Money pouring into the industry
00:28:18,916 for different reasons and you
00:28:22,041 know, from pro to youth, for
00:28:22,041 sure, and everything in between.
00:28:25,541 But I think you're onto something there.
00:28:28,041 if there's probably, there's probably
00:28:28,041 some organization around that particular
00:28:34,583 model of player development and, if
00:28:34,583 the investment came in and you could
00:28:41,291 lower the fees, get rid of the fees.
00:28:44,833 So there's no barrier But I gotta
00:28:44,833 tell you guys, most organizations
00:28:49,166 break down the barriers of fees.
00:28:51,208 Like if a player if a kid wants
00:28:51,208 to play soccer, they will play
00:28:55,250 soccer and we then will find the
00:28:55,250 resources for them to play soccer.
00:29:00,583 And so we break the barriers
00:29:00,583 down regardless the pay to play
00:29:04,375 model is necessary to operate.
00:29:06,250 'cause there's no other funding coming
00:29:06,250 from places except for registration and
00:29:10,500 from fundraising and that sort of thing.
00:29:12,250 So, to your point, if money came in and
00:29:12,250 you said, all right, that is going to be
00:29:18,000 the resource for these players, the return
00:29:18,000 of investment is that these players are
00:29:23,250 gonna now be in a position to sell them.
00:29:26,958 the thing is, is you got, they gotta be
00:29:26,958 signed professionally to sell them, right?
00:29:30,125 You gotta, have 'em under contract.
00:29:32,041 You know, there are FIFA governed,
00:29:32,041 player compensation fees and
00:29:36,583 different things that are, technically
00:29:36,583 supposed to be awarded when a player
00:29:39,250 makes it to a professional team.
00:29:42,125 So those, those are things that I
00:29:42,125 guess could, could be built into this.
00:29:44,833 But I think nonetheless, you gotta have
00:29:44,833 resources to come into any ecosystem
00:29:49,958 to bring the fees down for sure.
00:29:52,333 Liron: And, and beyond.
00:29:53,208 I mean, again, these are themes that
00:29:53,208 keep coming back in our interviews is
00:29:57,333 now you have supplementary traning.
00:29:58,708 So you have a whole secondary market,
00:29:58,708 which again, is not free for, I don't know
00:30:03,833 if it's FOMO by parents or is it really
00:30:03,833 kids needing the extra work, but there's
00:30:10,041 a whole secondary market now, and this is
00:30:10,041 a market that outside of Albion, right?
00:30:14,500 Noah: I think it, I think it has a
00:30:14,500 place only because if you're a coach
00:30:19,250 coaching 1111, you have 18 players.
00:30:23,125 Not every kid is gonna be
00:30:23,125 individually addressed.
00:30:26,166 So kids are hungry, parents are
00:30:26,166 hungrier sometimes, and you have, you
00:30:33,333 have probably a need to address that.
00:30:36,500 I've always looked at it like,
00:30:39,125 there's, in youth soccer, we have a
00:30:39,125 responsibility to develop the full player.
00:30:43,375 And I think that we have strong
00:30:43,375 emphasis on technical superiority.
00:30:47,916 And I think most, most often,
00:30:47,916 if you're doing a private,
00:30:51,000 it's on technical training.
00:30:53,458 So I, I believe that within
00:30:53,458 Albion, we address that.
00:30:56,791 Because what we end up doing and
00:30:56,791 what our, what our focus is that
00:31:01,708 for the first, typically the first
00:31:01,708 20, 30 minutes of a session, you're
00:31:06,125 addressing the individual and you're
00:31:06,125 addressing it on a technical level.
00:31:09,916 And through that technical.
00:31:12,208 Training, there's repetition.
00:31:13,666 And if you're doing that every
00:31:13,666 day and every week and every
00:31:16,416 month and every year, it adds up.
00:31:18,583 And those players become
00:31:18,583 technically advanced.
00:31:23,083 They master the areas
00:31:23,083 that we're training on.
00:31:25,625 I think that we address a lot of that.
00:31:27,958 but there are players that are
00:31:27,958 behind in areas, the right foot,
00:31:30,750 their left foot, they need extra.
00:31:32,875 I know that it's a, an ecosystem where
00:31:32,875 people recognize that and there's
00:31:37,666 people that jump on that and capitalize
00:31:37,666 on it and have have side hustle,
00:31:42,333 side businesses and I think there's
00:31:42,333 some really great trainers out there.
00:31:46,375 There's also, you know, maybe
00:31:46,375 people that are, are taking
00:31:49,125 advantage of an opportunity,
00:31:51,041 Matt: I when you, when you talk
00:31:51,041 about the curriculum and you were
00:31:53,708 talking about the individual player
00:31:53,708 I actually got to overhear when we
00:31:57,041 met in Brooklyn a few weeks ago.
00:31:58,750 I overheard you talking to the
00:31:58,750 technical director from Brooklyn and
00:32:01,291 they were literally discussing how
00:32:01,291 many juggles, I think it was like
00:32:05,166 a U eight or U nine player needs to
00:32:05,166 be able to do with each foot say.
00:32:09,166 So, you know, here's a guy who's
00:32:09,166 leading, you know, a, a massive club
00:32:13,583 nationally who was in the weeds talking
00:32:13,583 about how many juggles should each kid
00:32:18,208 be doing at that age with each foot,
00:32:18,208 which was incredible for me to hear
00:32:22,375 that you were that focused and, and
00:32:22,375 in this case, Kyle was that focused.
00:32:25,916 How do you ensure there's enough touches?
00:32:27,625 I think that's where.
00:32:29,791 Parents start to get concerned in team
00:32:29,791 training that there aren't enough touches.
00:32:35,083 And I think that's also a question of is
00:32:35,083 that just parents being neurotic or is
00:32:39,625 that a real is, is that a thing, right?
00:32:42,458 Where there just isn't
00:32:42,458 enough touches to go around.
00:32:45,208 And I guess, sorry,
00:32:45,208 this is a long question.
00:32:46,625 The other part of this is also
00:32:46,625 consistent with what we've talked about.
00:32:51,000 Kids aren't playing pickup as
00:32:51,000 much as they used to because of
00:32:53,833 their incredibly structured lives.
00:32:56,208 And how did those two
00:32:56,208 things come together?
00:32:58,416 Noah: I mean, I think every player
00:32:58,416 needs to have a foundation, and that
00:33:04,416 foundation has to be measurable.
00:33:06,833 it has to be measured,
00:33:06,833 it has to be tangible.
00:33:10,583 I think for parents to see at a young
00:33:10,583 age that their player is developing.
00:33:15,333 And, and so we've always discussed
00:33:15,333 it and looked at it that there's some
00:33:20,083 technical areas of the game that, that
00:33:20,083 are tangible and there are measurable.
00:33:24,208 And it also drives a few things.
00:33:25,541 Number one, when you're talking about
00:33:25,541 juggling as just one example it gives
00:33:30,750 the player at a young age a chance to
00:33:30,750 fall in love with the ball and fall in
00:33:34,000 love with the game because they can.
00:33:36,166 They can get some immediate gratification.
00:33:38,958 They go from one to five
00:33:38,958 and five to 10 and 10 to 50.
00:33:42,500 And when they make doubt is jumps
00:33:42,500 in those progressions, the player's
00:33:46,166 joy and the player's belief in
00:33:46,166 themself goes to another level.
00:33:50,208 When the player gets to a hundred and
00:33:50,208 then gets to 500, what that is telling
00:33:53,958 everybody is that the player is number
00:33:53,958 one, technically getting very comfortable
00:33:59,666 with the ball and also is very dedicated.
00:34:02,125 Very dedicated.
00:34:02,958 They're working on their own,
00:34:02,958 they're spending time with the ball.
00:34:05,833 So those little triggers end up
00:34:05,833 translating in other areas that
00:34:09,875 are on the field and off the field.
00:34:11,083 And by the way, translates to
00:34:11,083 the school, and the boardroom
00:34:14,541 and all the other things, right?
00:34:16,291 So there's, you know, there's a lot
00:34:16,291 of people that devalue juggling.
00:34:19,875 We value it because of the tangible
00:34:19,875 things that it does for the player.
00:34:23,791 And and so, also like mom
00:34:23,791 and dad get a chance to say.
00:34:28,750 My kid is improving.
00:34:29,916 Like what are the other areas that you
00:34:29,916 know, without it being measurable, you
00:34:33,000 can kind of see maybe they have a good
00:34:33,000 game, they score a goal, they, running
00:34:36,333 better there's some things to the eye.
00:34:38,541 But when it comes to player skill
00:34:38,541 development, technical abilities,
00:34:42,291 you know, we want our players to
00:34:42,291 be technically sound with mastery.
00:34:45,458 So juggling skill moves,
00:34:45,458 Brazilians, these are three areas.
00:34:49,791 And so, yeah, the conversation
00:34:49,791 we had in Brooklyn was in
00:34:52,083 and around somewhat the why.
00:34:54,291 really, you know, making sure
00:34:54,291 we have the why and then some
00:34:57,791 of the tactics behind it.
00:34:59,458 Matt: I'm curious, we, we
00:34:59,458 talked quite a bit around
00:35:02,750 specialization multisport.
00:35:06,000 What's your view on it?
00:35:07,416 how have you approached it
00:35:09,125 in your local markets,
00:35:10,375 as kids have come up?
00:35:11,208 How much have you seen it change
00:35:13,000 If you look at a player today vis-a-vis
00:35:13,000 a player 15 years ago at 15 years old, if
00:35:19,041 they've committed themselves fully, where,
00:35:22,333 where Are we at
00:35:22,958 with, with all of that?
00:35:24,041 Liron: it?
00:35:24,250 It's a great point, Matt.
00:35:25,208 'cause we, we just had an interview
00:35:25,208 with Ben Olson and a couple more.
00:35:28,333 And each one of them who went to a pro
00:35:28,333 career, like you always talked about
00:35:32,041 playing multiple sports at a young age,
00:35:32,041 and we just don't see as much of that.
00:35:37,208 Noah: it's a tough one.
00:35:37,958 I'll say this.
00:35:38,583 I mean, I played I played at a young age.
00:35:41,291 I played baseball and soccer.
00:35:42,958 Ultimately chose soccer
00:35:42,958 around the age of 13, 14.
00:35:47,625 I was a better baseball player then.
00:35:50,208 And then once I fully committed, within
00:35:50,208 two years I made the, the national team
00:35:54,708 then, and then the rest was history.
00:35:56,166 But when I think about the last 28,
00:35:56,166 29 years of coaching I don't think
00:36:01,750 there's many players that have made
00:36:01,750 it at the highest level without
00:36:07,291 being all in with their sport.
00:36:09,416 Like there wasn't a, do I think it's
00:36:09,416 healthy a hundred percent at a young age.
00:36:14,625 Do I think that it's good for, for the
00:36:14,625 player to experience other sports at a
00:36:20,000 young age and then also develop different
00:36:20,000 skill sets that kind of translate?
00:36:24,708 I do think it's helpful, but I do
00:36:24,708 think because of how competitive
00:36:29,125 things are, how structured.
00:36:31,583 And also like, you know, it
00:36:31,583 depends on the goals of the player.
00:36:34,750 If it's an elite player, if a parent and
00:36:34,750 a player know that they wanna go elite to
00:36:39,041 the elite level, you know, once they know
00:36:39,041 that they, they should be all in, they
00:36:44,083 should put all their eggs in that basket.
00:36:46,166 If they're not, if their objective
00:36:46,166 is to play high school soccer and
00:36:50,000 maybe play college, you know, maybe,
00:36:50,000 maybe there is some cross training,
00:36:53,916 maybe there is cross sports.
00:36:55,166 But, but it also, I think it goes back to,
00:36:55,166 you know, the player, the love of the game
00:37:00,500 and, and what are they really good at?
00:37:03,000 let's take a 6, 7, 8,
00:37:03,000 9-year-old, 10-year-old.
00:37:05,541 I think you can be exploratory in those
00:37:05,541 ages within reason with, you know, with a
00:37:09,666 commitment level to the respected teams.
00:37:12,916 I think we are teaching
00:37:12,916 discipline and, and commitment
00:37:15,250 in winning ways at a young age.
00:37:17,041 That, that need To translate young and,
00:37:17,041 and move into their, their early teens.
00:37:21,416 But, um, so commitment Of
00:37:21,416 training and being there.
00:37:24,458 They, they gotta Be there.
00:37:25,416 But if they can do multiple sports
00:37:25,416 and do that, or seasons, uh, but once
00:37:30,041 you get to like an 11, 12, 13, you
00:37:30,041 know, you're, you're talking about
00:37:33,166 elite pathway, you gotta be all in.
00:37:34,958 it's just kind of how it is
00:37:34,958 in all sports, I believe.
00:37:38,541 Liron: does Albion follow the US soccer
00:37:38,541 pyramid as you see a player structure?
00:37:42,583 Okay.
00:37:42,791 you're slowly, Your Goal is slowly to
00:37:42,791 progress towards MLS next for example?
00:37:46,250 Noah: It's structured to.
00:37:48,416 Put players, um, into a system
00:37:48,416 that has a clear trajectory to move
00:37:55,666 towards the college or pro level.
00:37:57,791 And the vehicles to do that
00:37:57,791 are not one dimensional.
00:38:01,500 Like you, you can be in various
00:38:01,500 leagues and get to the same result.
00:38:06,541 You could play in a local league and
00:38:06,541 make a division one soccer school.
00:38:09,791 There's nothing that says, oh, you gotta
00:38:09,791 be in this league to be, to get to there.
00:38:13,833 if you were to go interview a division
00:38:13,833 one college coach, they're gonna say,
00:38:17,875 I don't care where this kid comes from.
00:38:19,958 I don't care what league, I don't
00:38:19,958 care what what club I, I do know
00:38:23,208 that I'm gonna go shop Albion.
00:38:24,458 'cause Albion has top players.
00:38:25,541 I do know I'm gonna go shop,
00:38:25,541 MLS next because they have
00:38:28,541 top players in that league.
00:38:29,916 Like, there's gonna be a fast track for
00:38:29,916 people, but they also know if someone's
00:38:34,750 knocking on their door or they see a
00:38:34,750 player that they see can play at their
00:38:38,875 school, they don't care what league is in.
00:38:41,125 It could be in the local league.
00:38:42,750 But it's just one of those things
00:38:42,750 that the player's gotta make it there.
00:38:46,208 So I think that's where the
00:38:46,208 vehicles of a club like Albion or
00:38:49,958 leagues can help you get there.
00:38:51,458 But that doesn't guarantee it.
00:38:52,958 What guarantees it is you
00:38:52,958 have the talent individually.
00:38:55,416 And so, for us, the model club is not
00:38:55,416 that you have one team in every age group.
00:39:01,041 You have multiple teams at every
00:39:01,041 age so that a kid can develop.
00:39:05,291 At the rate that they're, developing,
00:39:05,291 and players can move up and
00:39:09,083 they can move down in order for
00:39:09,083 their development to take place.
00:39:12,416 But that trajectory from U eight to nine
00:39:12,416 to 10, all the way to 19, we're, where's
00:39:17,541 a clear north star that if you wanna play
00:39:17,541 college, you wanna be a pro, you wanna
00:39:21,583 be a national team, you're aspirational.
00:39:23,875 this player development pathway
00:39:23,875 will help you get there.
00:39:26,500 Matt: you mentioned the word elite A
00:39:27,708 few times.
00:39:28,333 and we've had this conversation
00:39:28,333 amongst ourselves, Lauren and
00:39:31,875 I and amongst some others.
00:39:34,041 it strikes me that we use the word
00:39:34,041 elite very broadly, and it seems like
00:39:40,541 it's causes some issues in the system.
00:39:42,375 And what I mean specifically by That is
00:39:42,375 if you take MLS next, homegrown players,
00:39:48,916 everybody by definition on a roster
00:39:48,916 of 18 is probably considered elite.
00:39:54,458 And what I mean specifically by
00:39:54,458 that is they miss their high school
00:39:58,666 experience because they're committed
00:39:58,666 to their MLS next homegrown team.
00:40:03,875 And
00:40:04,666 with that comes
00:40:05,958 a whole different social
00:40:05,958 experience, right?
00:40:09,416 and I would argue a very
00:40:09,416 different experience than club.
00:40:11,875 I'm not saying it's necessarily
00:40:13,041 better, but
00:40:13,583 it is very, very different.
00:40:15,916 How do we think about
00:40:18,083 that?
00:40:18,458 Do we need to think
00:40:19,250 about that differently in the future?
00:40:21,541 And how we define it?
00:40:22,708 I mean,
00:40:22,916 it's very clear.
00:40:23,708 that there are certain kids that shouldn't
00:40:23,708 be playing high school because they truly
00:40:26,958 are elite and they're on a trajectory,
00:40:26,958 whether it's to a top division one
00:40:30,416 school, or it's hopefully to go play pro.
00:40:32,875 But for
00:40:33,208 the Others.
00:40:34,083 where it's not as clear, you see that
00:40:34,083 as being somewhat of a challenge today.
00:40:39,333 Noah: I do, I think it's, it's
00:40:39,333 super controversial to some degree.
00:40:42,250 At the same time, I mean, US soccer.
00:40:45,125 You know, created this model when they
00:40:45,125 created the newest development academy
00:40:48,375 and created a 10 month season and
00:40:48,375 wanted everyone in a, in a consistent
00:40:53,166 environment wanted to control the
00:40:53,166 number of games they were playing.
00:40:56,708 there was a, I think, a clear model that
00:40:56,708 US Soccer wanted these clubs to follow
00:41:05,291 and these players to benefit from.
00:41:07,375 And I do think it worked.
00:41:08,500 I think it worked in the context
00:41:08,500 that you know, it wasn't the Wild
00:41:12,166 West, like players, players were in
00:41:12,166 an environment that was consistent.
00:41:16,250 Day to day, week to week, month
00:41:16,250 to month, year in, year out,
00:41:19,750 you had that player pathway.
00:41:21,208 And, and I do think that was
00:41:21,208 one of the best things that
00:41:24,583 happened to soccer in our country.
00:41:27,916 Now, on the other side of that,
00:41:27,916 you've got different models.
00:41:32,625 You've got leagues that allow
00:41:32,625 it, other leagues that don't.
00:41:36,666 And I think that.
00:41:38,458 Because you have that, then
00:41:38,458 now you do have a little bit of
00:41:41,708 like a la carte for a player.
00:41:44,333 They can kind of choose, like,
00:41:44,333 if I wanna play high school, I'm
00:41:46,375 gonna go play in this league.
00:41:47,500 Or in MLS now you have a, you have
00:41:47,500 two divisions, one that you can play
00:41:51,583 high school and one that you can't.
00:41:53,750 That's a pretty good situation because
00:41:53,750 now there are players that, you know,
00:41:57,750 high school is, is really important to
00:41:57,750 them and or it's, it's, it, it fits that
00:42:04,916 model for that market, for that club.
00:42:07,500 And so you can kind of flex that.
00:42:08,875 But the non high school player, to your
00:42:08,875 point, like there's players that they
00:42:15,541 want to just be in that environment, I
00:42:15,541 also think if a kid wants to play high
00:42:19,208 school, they should have the ability.
00:42:21,250 And so I think that exists now,
00:42:21,250 which is, built into several leagues,
00:42:25,791 which is I think really important.
00:42:28,125 Matt: Yeah, so I guess conceivably
00:42:29,875 if the kid is good enough and they're
00:42:29,875 playing on their MLS next homegrown
00:42:33,500 team, but decide they wanna play in high
00:42:33,500 school, they play in high school and then.
00:42:37,083 come.
00:42:38,125 November 1st in the East coast.
00:42:39,750 I'm not sure how it works
00:42:39,750 the rest of the country.
00:42:41,208 I know it's different when soccer,
00:42:41,208 high school soccer is played.
00:42:44,500 If they're good enough, then
00:42:45,458 they could potentially make their way back
00:42:45,458 onto the homegrown roster and play the
00:42:49,666 remainder of the year in that environment.
00:42:51,875 Noah: think it's club to
00:42:51,875 club in terms of like maybe
00:42:53,958 Matt: how you've seen it?
00:42:55,208 Noah: Approach to that.
00:42:56,041 there's different ways to do it.
00:42:57,250 You can start out in AD Academy
00:42:57,250 division, you can be a player that
00:43:02,958 floats between AD and HD and homegrown
00:43:02,958 and plays on both teams and then goes
00:43:08,000 to high school and then sort of comes
00:43:08,000 into the roster that is most, suitable.
00:43:12,708 But don't think you can go
00:43:12,708 start an hd, go play high school
00:43:15,500 and come back to back to hd.
00:43:17,708 That's not something that.
00:43:19,625 Is allowed, from a league standpoint.
00:43:22,000 and most clubs will not allow that.
00:43:23,791 'cause that just kind of kills the
00:43:23,791 integrity of the, you allow one to
00:43:26,791 do it, everyone can do that, and
00:43:26,791 then you're go your slippery slope.
00:43:30,291 So, but I think there's ways to
00:43:30,291 structure that for certain players that
00:43:34,000 are trying to, participate in both.
00:43:37,291 Liron: You know, I, you brought
00:43:37,291 the word, the magic word parents.
00:43:40,458 We haven't even talked about parents yet.
00:43:42,291 And when I think about this
00:43:42,291 complicated cyst, this is what's
00:43:45,416 unique about this interview, is
00:43:45,416 you, you actually have it all.
00:43:48,083 I mean, from all the ages, the levels.
00:43:50,458 I imagine then there's this giant
00:43:50,458 HR department that deals with just
00:43:54,125 parents communication on every level.
00:43:56,333 Because one of the issues we always
00:43:56,333 find is that a lot of the parents, many
00:44:01,041 of those, we didn't even grow up with
00:44:01,041 soccer or understand the sport in a
00:44:04,541 way, are learning it all in real time.
00:44:07,250 And there's usually a lack
00:44:07,250 of communication from a team
00:44:09,833 on a trajectory of a kid.
00:44:11,291 Except for something as simple, you can
00:44:11,291 say, well, a kid's gonna be good or bad.
00:44:14,875 Do you have kind of a mantra on
00:44:14,875 how you communicate with parents?
00:44:17,791 Is that something on how you see Albion?
00:44:19,958 Is, is this part of the
00:44:19,958 philosophy of Albion or
00:44:22,083 Noah: Parents, parents at the
00:44:22,083 youth level are so important.
00:44:26,458 I think parent education,
00:44:26,458 parent communication, is.
00:44:32,416 essential to success.
00:44:34,416 you've gotta get the parents
00:44:34,416 queued in knowledgeable.
00:44:39,375 I mean, parents are, you
00:44:39,375 know, business professionals.
00:44:43,833 They're people that
00:44:43,833 have been through life.
00:44:45,583 they own run their own businesses.
00:44:47,083 they're doctors, they're lawyers.
00:44:48,500 they're people they have podcasts.
00:44:51,875 Liron: I mean, just incredible people.
00:44:53,625 Noah: if you position with parents,
00:44:53,625 it's almost like a negative persona.
00:44:57,375 Whereas like, these are, like, these are
00:44:57,375 your, these are your people that you can
00:45:01,541 educate and get on the same page, and
00:45:01,541 they become your greatest supporters.
00:45:06,375 And they become they help in so many
00:45:06,375 ways with the resources that they have.
00:45:10,916 They make for great sidelines.
00:45:12,833 they spread the message to the players.
00:45:14,500 They speed up player development.
00:45:16,708 But when it's not utilized,
00:45:16,708 everything I just said goes away.
00:45:20,541 And everything becomes harder.
00:45:22,708 And I, I try to, really work with
00:45:22,708 parents through our leaders to
00:45:28,750 make sure our leaders and our
00:45:28,750 coaches and our clubs are customer
00:45:32,333 orientation, they're customer centric.
00:45:34,625 they're thinking like this as
00:45:34,625 a customer service business.
00:45:37,625 Because when you do that,
00:45:37,625 you do wanna listen.
00:45:40,916 You do want feedback.
00:45:42,083 you do gain from all of that.
00:45:44,416 So every club we do, we have
00:45:44,416 an approach to surveys, we
00:45:47,083 have approach to communication.
00:45:48,875 We have an approach to really,
00:45:48,875 really being open to the feedback
00:45:54,208 necessary to do a good job.
00:45:56,500 But again, it does go down to
00:45:56,500 how do you structure the year
00:45:59,958 from the beginning to the end.
00:46:01,625 Parent education starts at the beginning.
00:46:03,375 It's when they.
00:46:04,541 First sign up your first team
00:46:04,541 meeting, how is that run?
00:46:07,333 How is it organized?
00:46:08,208 What are the things you're talking about?
00:46:09,958 All of that becomes a major
00:46:09,958 part of Albion in the context of
00:46:13,333 building out the best environment.
00:46:15,625 Liron: That.
00:46:15,916 That sounds exhausting.
00:46:17,833 That that is definitely, yes.
00:46:19,583 I'll give you credit for that.
00:46:20,541 That's a pass.
00:46:22,041 Parents check.
00:46:24,125 Matt: Noah, I'm curious,
00:46:25,291 You mentioned travel before.
00:46:26,875 how it's influenced what
00:46:26,875 you've built at Albion.
00:46:28,791 what markets in particular, or
00:46:28,791 clubs or academies, name it, have
00:46:34,041 influenced the development and the
00:46:37,458 curriculum that you've
00:46:37,458 brought to Albion and How
00:46:40,625 often?
00:46:40,916 do you get overseas to
00:46:40,916 revisit some of that?
00:46:43,000 Noah: from 2000 to 2016, I literally
00:46:43,000 was, in Brazil every single year.
00:46:50,666 So massive Brazilian
00:46:50,666 South American influence.
00:46:54,500 And during that period of time,
00:46:54,500 that's when Brazil was the most
00:46:57,250 dominant, national team the individual
00:46:57,250 players, the way they played.
00:47:02,416 You know, it was a spectacle, right?
00:47:03,916 Like that was it.
00:47:04,625 and we weren't chasing that.
00:47:06,125 It was just at that time I was connected
00:47:06,125 to individuals that were connected
00:47:11,875 to CBF, the federation down there and
00:47:11,875 wanted to open up the doors there.
00:47:16,166 And we were, you know, 2000, I
00:47:16,166 started, you know, 90, 98, 99,
00:47:22,291 so a couple years into it and was
00:47:22,291 thinking about how to differentiate.
00:47:27,166 Our player development model and we
00:47:27,166 started taking players hundreds and
00:47:30,750 hundreds of players a year down to Brazil.
00:47:33,166 And as I was doing that that influenced
00:47:33,166 me, that influenced my curricula
00:47:36,416 and how they played is how I wanted
00:47:36,416 to play, but I didn't understand
00:47:40,708 how they played, and achieved it.
00:47:42,750 And so going down year in,
00:47:42,750 year out, that was my quest.
00:47:46,166 And during that period of time,
00:47:46,166 I also started developing a team.
00:47:49,875 And that team, became one of the main
00:47:49,875 catalysts of pushing Albion forward.
00:47:55,500 That team won everything there
00:47:55,500 was to win in youth soccer.
00:47:58,708 I think on one team we had
00:47:58,708 four US national team players.
00:48:01,833 Several went pro.
00:48:03,000 Tonight Ari Lasseter will play
00:48:03,000 in a match against San Diego
00:48:05,875 fc, in the deciding game.
00:48:08,125 And he was on that team as an example.
00:48:10,000 So there was a lot of influence coming
00:48:10,000 into that team from the years of Brazil.
00:48:14,458 And when I think about that,
00:48:14,458 it was the movement, it was
00:48:17,583 the interchanging movement.
00:48:18,500 It was the movement off the ball.
00:48:19,708 It was this freedom to play, players move.
00:48:23,375 They're not stuck in positions.
00:48:24,833 And I think that time it was clear,
00:48:24,833 most youth soccer teams are like,
00:48:28,000 you're a right, you're a defender.
00:48:29,166 You stay right there, you
00:48:29,166 stay on the right side
00:48:31,208 whereas, this Brazilian game was
00:48:31,208 so interchange and it gave so much
00:48:35,666 freedom and, the South American
00:48:35,666 flare of freedom and their spirit was
00:48:39,750 something that, we wanted to adopt.
00:48:42,083 And so there was a lot of things.
00:48:43,166 We did a lot of things.
00:48:45,041 Since then, it's changed now,
00:48:45,041 from about 2016 or so on.
00:48:49,583 Everything's been in Spain, with
00:48:49,583 some sprinkled in Portuguese,
00:48:53,291 Portugal, Europe, England, that
00:48:53,291 sort of, influence, if you will.
00:48:58,500 but Spain and mainly with playing in big
00:48:58,500 events over there, and just developing,
00:49:03,625 relations and culture, in Spain.
00:49:06,000 Liron: So I think about Brazilian football
00:49:06,000 culture, I think about Spanish culture.
00:49:10,750 I think about unstructured play.
00:49:12,291 I think about kids playing all the time.
00:49:15,791 That the kind of, the, the, the, the
00:49:15,791 rules of the schoolyards run supreme.
00:49:19,916 You play different ages,
00:49:19,916 different skill levels.
00:49:22,458 You're all over the place.
00:49:23,333 This is realistically not
00:49:23,333 something we have here.
00:49:26,750 And, and do you think
00:49:26,750 that's, that's an issue
00:49:29,958 Noah: I do, I think you can create,
00:49:29,958 I mean, I think our coaching
00:49:32,875 knowledge doesn't say like, go
00:49:32,875 to that doesn't say, Hey, let's,
00:49:37,333 let's create players of freedom.
00:49:38,791 Let's create those type of players.
00:49:40,250 it's sort of like we're built
00:49:40,250 on a lot of structure here.
00:49:43,583 We're built on, you know, and, I think
00:49:43,583 we're afraid of that environment a
00:49:46,666 little bit because it feels too free.
00:49:48,583 we're not gonna get the gains from it.
00:49:50,125 So, I wish we could have both.
00:49:52,875 I wish kids could just be kids and just go
00:49:52,875 if they were mandated, like every Friday,
00:49:56,750 just go be a kid and play on the streets.
00:49:58,708 But Monday through Thursday you're
00:49:58,708 gonna be in this professional
00:50:01,541 structured environment and then
00:50:01,541 Saturday, Sunday, go explore the
00:50:04,125 game and try to have the balance of
00:50:04,125 it because you see nations, right?
00:50:07,541 You see nations that are pretty
00:50:07,541 free and they don't always,
00:50:14,416 produce the best results.
00:50:15,916 Individual players, everyone
00:50:15,916 wants that type of player, right?
00:50:19,125 They want to, you can't have.
00:50:20,958 Usually 11 of them, you gotta have one
00:50:20,958 or two of them that bring that special
00:50:25,875 freedom and characteristic of creativity.
00:50:29,291 But I would say, you know, again, it's
00:50:29,291 like, kind of goes back to also that
00:50:35,833 player compensation model because if
00:50:35,833 we are all thinking about developing
00:50:39,500 players versus winning a game, we
00:50:39,500 would probably wanna see those.
00:50:44,750 We'd look at the player model
00:50:44,750 differently and how we train the players.
00:50:49,041 And now it's like, I'm gonna develop
00:50:49,041 this player and this player and this
00:50:52,666 player, and you guys are gonna go
00:50:52,666 over there and you're gonna be, you're
00:50:54,833 gonna work on all the creative moves
00:50:54,833 in the world and repetition and or
00:50:58,041 you're gonna create an environment
00:50:58,041 that brings that out a little bit more.
00:51:01,166 But it's, it's not an easy
00:51:01,166 question for me to answer.
00:51:04,916 I do know we don't have enough
00:51:04,916 unstructured free play in
00:51:11,125 the world of, of us soccer.
00:51:13,500 Matt: Do you, when you look at the player,
00:51:13,500 the youth players coming through today,
00:51:16,875 take take one of your MLS next homegrown
00:51:16,875 teams in San Diego you're closest to or
00:51:21,750 elsewhere and at, at the U 15, U 16 level.
00:51:26,000 And then you think about 10 years ago,
00:51:26,000 have you seen significant change in
00:51:33,250 the player, the ability, the mentality,
00:51:33,250 and then I guess the last component of
00:51:39,333 that with the use of phones and social
00:51:39,333 media and the amount of time that kids
00:51:47,208 spend on devices, how do you see that
00:51:47,208 creeping into the mentality of a player?
00:51:53,041 Noah: Well, I think, as relates to the
00:51:53,041 social media and all that, I think it's
00:51:56,833 become a, an I versus we, mentality.
00:52:01,416 which is really hard for coaches
00:52:01,416 to build culture of we and team.
00:52:06,958 So you're always, you're definitely
00:52:06,958 dealing with that on a much bigger scale.
00:52:11,458 I think everyone would probably
00:52:11,458 agree there's probably a bit more
00:52:14,208 grit built into teams of the past.
00:52:16,833 I feel like our, our players have it
00:52:16,833 a little bit too easy now or easier
00:52:21,125 when it comes to the environment.
00:52:23,833 Everything is pretty, pretty perfect in
00:52:23,833 some ways versus, you know, the imperfect
00:52:31,875 is what, you know, builds strength and
00:52:31,875 resilience and fortitude and all the key
00:52:36,916 ingredients to maybe us winning a World
00:52:36,916 Cup or you win a, a national championship
00:52:41,958 or a player making it and not making it.
00:52:44,541 So I think when, when everything
00:52:44,541 is just perfect, there's no
00:52:47,041 variables, whether it's the field or.
00:52:49,375 You know, the, the type
00:52:49,375 of games or whatever.
00:52:52,083 You know, I remember early on
00:52:52,083 in the US Development Academy,
00:52:54,958 almost every game felt the same.
00:52:57,041 'cause everyone was playing the
00:52:57,041 same system, playing the same,
00:52:59,791 you, you literally walked out and
00:52:59,791 everyone was four through three.
00:53:02,458 And there was a feeling of
00:53:02,458 like, this is really weird.
00:53:06,250 We're all, we're, there's no,
00:53:06,250 there's no chess going on.
00:53:09,875 There's no, like, it's just very vanilla.
00:53:13,000 'Cause everyone felt like that.
00:53:14,166 sort of a narrative, a directive of
00:53:14,166 like, everyone's gotta play this way.
00:53:17,583 And it really kind of
00:53:17,583 sabotaged the creative juices
00:53:20,916 and the competitive juices.
00:53:22,625 And it did feel like we were,
00:53:22,625 become, we, we were missing
00:53:26,041 the elements of competition.
00:53:28,291 So I do wonder, I do feel like because
00:53:28,291 everything's so fragmented, everyone's in
00:53:33,125 different leagues, you never really know.
00:53:36,958 Who the best of the best is.
00:53:38,416 You don't really know.
00:53:40,208 You don't really feel the pressure
00:53:40,208 of like what it used to be.
00:53:45,041 So I, I do think that
00:53:45,041 that's, that's a concern.
00:53:48,500 Matt: Yeah.
00:53:49,291 Liron: when, so when you look at, at
00:53:49,291 Albion as a system, and I mean you
00:53:54,666 deal with kids all the way you said to
00:53:54,666 U 18 or what is, if you have to kind
00:53:59,458 of simplify, but what is a benchmark
00:53:59,458 for success for you and for the club?
00:54:05,125 And except for somebody going pro?
00:54:07,125 Matt: Lauren, do you, do you mean
00:54:07,125 that from a perspective of a kid has
00:54:11,500 come through the academy, they get
00:54:11,500 to U 19 and then they're off to, to
00:54:15,541 Liron: No, it, it could be
00:54:15,541 as simple as a, a kid staying
00:54:17,708 there four years, or it could be
00:54:17,708 somebody going all the way through.
00:54:20,083 But what is, how do you define
00:54:20,083 what's something successful is?
00:54:24,125 Is it just okay, they, the tuition
00:54:24,125 is paid for the next year or is
00:54:27,583 there something else that you see
00:54:27,583 that is, that is greater than that?
00:54:30,958 When is kind of a, a, a
00:54:30,958 philosophy of the club.
00:54:34,166 Noah: I mean, I think the success is
00:54:34,166 definitely measured in, in many ways.
00:54:37,958 I would say, you know, the fruits of
00:54:37,958 our labor is seeing players make it like
00:54:43,875 that is what I'd say most coaches and,
00:54:43,875 and the club gets excited about is when
00:54:49,458 we see individual successes and we move
00:54:49,458 a player through the, the ranks and they
00:54:54,666 get picked up by a national team, they
00:54:54,666 get go to college, they make it to pro.
00:54:59,083 Obviously that's not for there's
00:54:59,083 a percentage of of those kids.
00:55:02,708 But that is definitely a milestone and,
00:55:02,708 and a, and a success KPI but also I
00:55:10,000 think the development of the player is
00:55:10,000 really important, but development of
00:55:14,916 the person is, is equally as important.
00:55:16,625 So I think.
00:55:17,875 You know, success to us is that players
00:55:17,875 want to come back year in and year out.
00:55:23,875 there's a level of retention.
00:55:25,708 And through that retention,
00:55:25,708 you get to see these players
00:55:29,541 grow and develop and blossom.
00:55:31,791 And some of these players go on and,
00:55:31,791 the things that they're doing beyond
00:55:35,250 soccer are far more important than
00:55:35,250 anything we're talking about today.
00:55:39,375 So I think that is also
00:55:39,375 a key measure of success.
00:55:42,916 I think when we know our true
00:55:42,916 North Star is working is when
00:55:46,833 development is happening, results are
00:55:46,833 happening, retention is happening,
00:55:52,041 and recruitment's happening.
00:55:53,541 Those four pillars are truly what we
00:55:53,541 look at in terms of success and means
00:55:58,958 that we're doing all the right things.
00:56:00,416 And there's, again, tangible
00:56:00,416 and measurable built into
00:56:02,916 all four of those pillars.
00:56:04,875 Liron: So is it, essentially, in some
00:56:04,875 market better to have a youth winning
00:56:08,333 team that wins a lot of trophies,
00:56:08,333 but what you would consider is not
00:56:11,750 playing beautiful soccer but kids
00:56:11,750 want to be there or parents wanna be
00:56:15,041 there because this team wins a lot.
00:56:16,541 Maybe that's very appealing, or is
00:56:16,541 it more important to have a team
00:56:19,750 That plays a certain style or
00:56:19,750 beautiful soccer, even though
00:56:22,291 it comes at the cost of,
00:56:23,541 Noah: I, I don't think any, yeah,
00:56:23,541 I wouldn't, I would never prescribe
00:56:26,458 to, Hey, let's go win ugly, let's go
00:56:26,458 do anything for the end result only.
00:56:32,541 I think that it goes back to success.
00:56:35,916 What does success look like?
00:56:37,041 It means that we're
00:56:37,041 developing the players.
00:56:40,125 getting results as a team,
00:56:40,125 and there's retention.
00:56:44,875 Like we all know in the world of sport,
00:56:44,875 you could win and lose all your players,
00:56:50,041 and then you go, what the heck happened?
00:56:52,041 What happened is you have bad culture.
00:56:53,458 What happened is it had
00:56:53,458 nothing to do with winning.
00:56:56,625 So you don't wanna win
00:56:56,625 and not have culture.
00:57:00,291 And culture is tied to retention.
00:57:02,291 And so again, that results the
00:57:02,291 development of the players.
00:57:06,500 There's tangible, if we're developing
00:57:06,500 players, let's go back to the
00:57:08,958 basics, the technical superiorities.
00:57:11,041 seeing the measurable elements
00:57:11,041 of the technical that are built
00:57:14,333 in That's very simple, but that's
00:57:14,333 tangible and it's measurable.
00:57:19,416 The retention is, how you go
00:57:19,416 from one year to the next year.
00:57:24,208 And I think success would be like, you
00:57:24,208 start with a group at U 8 and a large
00:57:29,541 majority of them graduated at U 19, right?
00:57:32,291 that's an amazing feeling.
00:57:33,791 and then imagine those kids then go off.
00:57:35,875 And represent at the next level.
00:57:37,833 And then, now you're going to
00:57:37,833 their wedding and, you know, five
00:57:41,041 years later and you know, now, then
00:57:41,041 they come back and coach for you.
00:57:44,333 Like that is like the, that is the most
00:57:44,333 successful formula that, uh, and by the
00:57:49,125 way, that's happening now, been around
00:57:49,125 long enough that that's happening.
00:57:52,500 Matt: I love it.
00:57:53,416 Why don't we, don't we
00:57:53,416 finish with where we
00:57:55,375 started, because I know this is
00:57:55,375 top of mind for a lot of parents as
00:57:58,000 their players, and as their kids get
00:57:58,000 older around the college process.
00:58:02,125 You've, you as a club have had, you
00:58:02,125 as an individual, have an incredible,
00:58:05,458 had incredible success helping
00:58:05,458 players find their way to play in
00:58:09,208 college, um, at all different levels.
00:58:12,750 How do you think about
00:58:13,666 it?
00:58:14,041 How do you structure it?
00:58:16,125 As Albion.
00:58:17,375 And then what would you
00:58:17,375 share that's most important?
00:58:20,000 for parents who are either getting to the
00:58:20,000 process or thinking about the process for
00:58:26,083 helping their kids position themselves
00:58:26,083 to have a place to play once they
00:58:29,750 Noah: So, you know, $63
00:58:29,750 million in scholarships is
00:58:32,875 definitely not, by accident.
00:58:34,541 There's definitely a, intention and
00:58:34,541 an emphasis put on that process.
00:58:39,583 We've always looked at it as
00:58:39,583 it's in our control, it's our
00:58:43,625 responsibility, it's not anyone else's.
00:58:47,250 And when I say that, like, you know,
00:58:47,250 there's always this perception that
00:58:51,166 you gotta be playing at certain events,
00:58:51,166 you gotta be doing certain things,
00:58:54,833 you gotta be in certain leagues.
00:58:57,166 And sometimes that's in your control
00:58:57,166 and sometimes that's outta your control.
00:59:01,250 You know, if a team in a market
00:59:01,250 doesn't play in a certain tournament
00:59:04,708 or a league, does that mean
00:59:04,708 they're not gonna play in college?
00:59:07,250 A hundred percent, no.
00:59:09,250 it's in our hands.
00:59:10,166 So I would say that the things
00:59:10,166 that we do, um, are intentional.
00:59:14,750 we've invested in technology that supports
00:59:14,750 each and every player, to be able to
00:59:19,250 navigate and model, what's important
00:59:19,250 to them to play at the next level.
00:59:23,583 prepare their researching to be
00:59:23,583 able to communicate to colleges.
00:59:26,291 Like it gives them all this
00:59:26,291 technology that just makes
00:59:30,083 it easy for them to navigate.
00:59:32,208 We spend a lot of time educating
00:59:32,208 the players and the parents on
00:59:36,166 the process, starting when they
00:59:36,166 reach the ninth grade year.
00:59:40,166 We go through all the details of each
00:59:40,166 division of college soccer 'cause it's
00:59:44,750 so different, to get 'em educated,
00:59:44,750 to get parents and players educated.
00:59:49,166 There's a myth that, if you're a top
00:59:49,166 player, you have to pay d play a D one.
00:59:53,583 Well, there's top programs at D two,
00:59:53,583 D three, over the country, right?
00:59:58,000 and even in ai, every player's different
00:59:58,000 and every player I think has a different,
01:00:03,500 course action when it comes to their
01:00:03,500 college, roadmap of recruitment.
01:00:08,250 So we have a national program where we
01:00:08,250 have college directors that support,
01:00:13,291 all of our affiliates, uh, we have, we
01:00:13,291 have college directors at each club.
01:00:18,416 So they are constantly working
01:00:18,416 together to bring that education
01:00:22,208 to the families and to the players.
01:00:24,166 And so we follow a pretty, robust and
01:00:24,166 detailed script of, you're in your
01:00:28,291 ninth grade year, you're in your 10th
01:00:28,291 grade year and your 11th grade year.
01:00:30,916 And here's the things, and
01:00:30,916 here's what we're doing.
01:00:33,125 But what I'd say to a parent
01:00:33,125 is that if a parent relies on.
01:00:38,916 Anyone else but the player in themselves,
01:00:38,916 I think they're making a mistake.
01:00:44,541 And what I mean by that is like, if
01:00:44,541 you just go, well, you know, we're
01:00:48,166 at Albion and we're gonna go to X
01:00:48,166 tournament, that's all I've gotta do.
01:00:52,875 it's nowhere near enough.
01:00:53,916 And the most important person
01:00:53,916 in the process is the player.
01:00:58,000 Like, they have to be the most active,
01:00:58,000 they have to be the most involved.
01:01:02,083 They have to drive the process, they
01:01:02,083 have to knock on coach's door, they
01:01:06,625 have to knock on Albion's Albion's
01:01:06,625 directors, Albion's college directors.
01:01:11,250 they have to knock on doors to say,
01:01:11,250 Hey, help me, or What do you think?
01:01:15,750 Or, here's my schools, or
01:01:15,750 really be the proactive.
01:01:20,291 And then they need to be the one
01:01:20,291 emailing college coaches, following up
01:01:24,458 with college coaches, being assertive
01:01:24,458 and aggressive with their coach,
01:01:28,833 with their coach recruitment because.
01:01:32,291 They, most people think, well,
01:01:32,291 they're gonna get recruited.
01:01:35,458 That's how it works.
01:01:36,208 And it's really the other way around.
01:01:37,375 You've gotta go recruit the school and
01:01:37,375 the coach that you want and showcase
01:01:42,333 yourself in a different way, whether
01:01:42,333 it's on the field or off the field.
01:01:46,208 It could be the way you converse
01:01:46,208 with them could be the way
01:01:48,166 you communicate with them.
01:01:49,666 It could be the way you warmed up, it
01:01:49,666 could be the way you played, but you
01:01:52,458 have to be proactive in that process.
01:01:54,166 So, when we get our players together
01:01:54,166 and start talking about college
01:01:58,625 process, this is where we're at.
01:02:00,458 And so parents have to buy into
01:02:00,458 that and really push their player.
01:02:05,583 And again, if a, it's so competitive
01:02:05,583 and if players aren't driving that
01:02:09,166 process, it, probably something
01:02:09,166 that isn't for them to begin with.
01:02:14,583 Because you gotta really want it.
01:02:17,333 And so you gotta drive that
01:02:17,333 process in a detailed way.
01:02:21,458 Liron: I mean, it's so strong.
01:02:22,416 You know, I, am still inspired by that
01:02:22,416 little comment you had in the previous
01:02:30,291 and to kinda almost wrap it up, I imagine
01:02:30,291 Matt and I, 10 years on, you know, we'll
01:02:34,166 probably on episode six by then, and,
01:02:34,166 I'm calling you back for an interview.
01:02:39,000 What is your long-term vision
01:02:39,000 for Albion or, you know, US
01:02:42,750 Landscape soccer in a way 10
01:02:44,375 years from
01:02:45,041 Noah: I mean, I think, I'd like us
01:02:45,041 to, you know, the way we started
01:02:49,000 the conversation with San Diego, the
01:02:49,000 operational excellence and refining things
01:02:54,791 to a point where, just, sharpening your
01:02:54,791 pencil, you're sharpening the blade of
01:02:59,250 excellence every day in one environment.
01:03:02,541 I want, I want to see us do
01:03:02,541 that nationally to where.
01:03:05,791 You know, if we're, if we're doing the
01:03:05,791 type of numbers we're doing in college
01:03:08,916 or pro or pro academy, that Albion
01:03:08,916 continues to, those numbers continue to
01:03:14,958 rise in player development and the impact.
01:03:19,083 And, and, and, you know, because we're
01:03:19,083 sharpening everything inside, everything
01:03:23,291 becomes stronger that it becomes more
01:03:23,291 defined, it becomes more tangible
01:03:29,041 with the results that come from it.
01:03:31,083 And, and, you know, we'll continue to
01:03:31,083 scale that ultimately to, to a place
01:03:35,875 of I would say national dominance
01:03:35,875 in a way of player development.
01:03:41,583 And it hopefully by that point,
01:03:41,583 10 years from now, Albion could
01:03:46,250 be one of the biggest reasons.
01:03:48,375 US soccer is where, where it will be
01:03:48,375 if it's winning World Cups, if it's
01:03:52,958 feeding the Nash feeding the pro system.
01:03:55,708 There's a good chance that Albian will
01:03:55,708 have a its own pro team in that ecosystem
01:03:58,916 that then is feeding pro soccer because
01:03:58,916 we are able to develop players through
01:04:03,875 our own pro system and then put those
01:04:03,875 players into MLS or, or international.
01:04:10,125 So I think, I think in general, it's just
01:04:10,125 the standard of excellence that permeates
01:04:15,875 wider and wider and, and delivers, you
01:04:15,875 know, truly the best results out there.
01:04:20,916 Liron: That's fantastic.
01:04:21,916 It's exactly where I see
01:04:21,916 the podcast is in 10 years.
01:04:24,791 So you've, you've taken all
01:04:24,791 my, the words outta my mouth.
01:04:28,208 Look, I hope, I hope parents, coaches,
01:04:28,208 whoever listens to this appreciates not
01:04:33,125 just your time specifically, but your
01:04:33,125 work and really how much information has
01:04:37,458 been shared in the last hour and a half.
01:04:39,791 And this idea of clarity, I mean, it just.
01:04:41,958 I, I feel like I've been, I've been
01:04:41,958 just taken to school right now.
01:04:45,083 I feel 2% smarter which
01:04:47,333 Matt: is actually a huge increment.
01:04:48,208 Liron: It's, thanks.
01:04:48,791 You know, I, I feel I have
01:04:48,791 no room in the head anymore.
01:04:51,458 No, thank
01:04:52,375 Noah: thank you
01:04:52,833 Matt: Yeah.
01:04:53,041 Thank you so much.
01:04:53,875 We,
01:04:54,125 we appreciate all the work that you're
01:04:54,125 that you've done across the country to
01:04:57,791 help develop players, not just as players,
01:04:57,791 but as, but as people, which is really
01:05:01,750 clear as part of this conversation.
01:05:03,416 So thanks for joining us.
01:05:04,500 Liron: Thank you.
01:05:04,958 And we'll see you soon, my
01:05:05,916 friend.
01:05:06,416 Noah: guys.
01:05:06,708 Thank you very much.
01:05:08,375 We always do that after an interview, but I feel this one really
01:05:11,375 deserves it because my brain is about to explode.
01:05:15,375 I got to be honest, though, this is the first interview that I've
01:05:18,375 actually didn't want to like, because I love complaining, you know?
01:05:22,375 I just love it.
01:05:24,375 I was running this and I would do that, and this is different and that stuff.
01:05:27,375 But after speaking to Noah, I just realized reallly quickly
01:05:30,375 If I ran in a club, we'd fall apart in about six minutes just like this podcast.
01:05:35,958 And here we are.
01:05:38,041 And that's the reality.
01:05:40,541 In this country.
01:05:41,541 There's almost no government support, no municipal infrastructure and
01:05:43,541 almost no trickle-down help from pro teams.
01:05:46,541 You're on your own and somehow Noah has kept environments alive,
01:05:49,541 stable, and moving forward in a system that makes that almost impossible
01:05:53,541 Much of that, I'm sure to do with the people he surrounded himself with.
01:05:56,541 Yeah, I mean, I imagine that all the memories
01:05:59,541 Thet Noah created for these kids and families,
01:06:02,916 Not a flashy guy, but it's all about foundations and fundamentals.
01:06:06,541 There's thousands and thousands of kids of found opportunities becuase of that
01:06:10,541 Yeah, we all romanticize youth soccer, the wins, the losses,
01:06:13,541 I mean, for you, the draws, the dreams, the heartbreak,
01:06:16,541 and we all, myself included, love to complain.
01:06:21,541 Oh, man, why you wrote this again...
01:06:23,541 You dont want to keep reading your thing...
01:06:25,041 that's fine....
01:06:27,583 You want me to read it again?
01:06:29,041 Okay.
01:06:29,750 We dont have to
01:06:31,041 every line here is not gold.
01:06:33,666 But after this conversation, maybe next time, we'll
01:06:36,666 give a little bit more grace because the amount of work it takes just to keep these programs running
01:06:40,666 and successful is enormous.
01:06:43,666 Yeah, I mean, you've come to realize that without people like that fighting these
01:06:47,666 battles, the logistics, their finances, all the operations, it's just
01:06:51,666 U.S. soccer as we know for youth just not exists in a meaningful way.
01:06:56,708 Yeah, if this episode gave you clarity or helped you
01:06:59,708 see the system from a new angle, share it with a soccer parent, coach, or teammate.
01:07:03,708 This is how we all get smarter together.
01:07:06,708 Full video is on YouTube, to Matt;s chagrin,
01:07:06,708 Audio on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
01:07:11,708 Thanks for chasing the game with us..
01:07:14,000 See you all next week.