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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.
Welcome back to part two with Pat Oma.
In the first half. he gave
us context in history.
Now we'll turn to the future.
how the game might evolve and
what this means for kids parents.
Coaches and everybody involved
in youth soccer in America.
Let's get back into it.
Liron: try to focus about. let's
say the younger kids up to U 13.
Pat: Hmm.
Liron: let's talk about
position on the field.
on the academy side. do you already
have a position for a kid in your
mind or a profile. or do you like it
when at that age. kids play various
positions. and especially when parents.
and this I hear a lot from the sideline
is. oh. my kid is a great striker.
I cannot believe they're
playing him a fullback. even
though the kid is the tallest.
So try. I mean. how. how
does the academy see that.
let's. let's say up to U 13
or U 14
Pat: it's.
Liron: The. the oldest?
Pat: Yeah. so it's. it's interesting
'cause in my experience with the two
professional academies I've. I've
worked at. we've started at U 14 and
U 13 and another. so we. we started
those age groups. as opposed to working
with those younger age groups before.
I. at. at the younger age groups.
if we go younger than that. I.
I want to keep options open.
We don't know how this kid
is gonna develop physically.
We don't know how he's gonna develop
mentally. what skills he might have. you
know. what his perception of the field is.
Can he play in the middle of the park?
We. we. we just don't. we don't know yet.
as we get towards the. 14. 15.
16. we start to get an idea.
I mean. look. there was a kid
who I. lived with in New England.
He was in the house. and then
he. but I also coached him.
And. uh. I. I had coached him when
he was a little bit younger and he
had just come from another club.
And. you know. I asked him what position
he had played and he is like. I. I
played the number 10 and I kind of like.
Will. will everyone
here play the number 10
Matt: Yeah. see that?
That's actually that. that was actually
gonna be my next question of which.
Liron: How many tens do we need?
Pat: that is. I mean. if you're. if
you're a smaller club. your best player
is probably playing in that position.
We like him. we're gonna take him.
But guess what?
There's. there's three
studs in that position.
And. and for that kid in particular.
I remember putting him at. at fullback
and he was. and he was lights out.
And he's a professional right now.
And that's a kid who. you know. I remember
telling him. and he and I have laughed
about it since. is I think you're. you
know. when he got to a certain age. I'm
like. okay. I think you're gonna be a.
you could be a really good college number
10 and you might be a pro fullback.
Like. that's. that's kind
of what you're looking at.
And you know. you try to wait as
long as you can. but then. you know.
you start to. as the kids start to
mature physically and you start to
see his game a little bit. yeah.
You start to get a feel for.
for where he might break in.
And then. and the other piece of
the puzzle I'll. I'll put here is.
You know when we start talking about the.
you know. the special kids in the academy
that are probably playing number 10 for
the academy. you also have to think about
their route into the first team. which
can be problematic because that's where
most first teams are spending $2 million
on a So it becomes actually it easier.
so to speak. for a full back or a center
back to. to break into the first team.
Matt: the. the question I was gonna ask
you. which I think you. you somewhat
touched on. but I know it's a. it's
a conversation that happens all the
time. which is when a professional
academy wants a kid at U 13 or U 14.
and those kids are. many of them are
playing as a 10 or playing as an eight.
And the families know that if the kid
goes to ex-professional academy. they're
probably gonna be playing right back.
left back. or a position that they
haven't been accustomed to playing before.
And there seems like there's this
dilemma. which is when is it too early?
To move a kid. out of the center of the
park to play. you know. as a back or as a
winger. you're gonna play them. but which
may not be natural for them initially.
Like are kids potentially moving too
soon out of what could be their position?
Or hey. if they move to right back or they
move to the left back. or whatever it may
be. if they're good enough. they'll find
their way back into a 10 or to an eight.
Pat: It's a good question. and I'll.
and I'll go back to the example I
just gave you of. of the kid who.
who ended up being a right back. we.
we would bounce him back and forth.
he clearly was skilled and he had
clearly played in the middle of the park.
So we gave him those opportunities.
And it was around that time where I
told you. okay. now we're having the
conversation of all right. now we're
getting to those older age groups.
Here's. here's where we see you. man.
And this is not. not just me talking to
the coaches. talking to everybody this
is we. we come to a kind of a consensus
of this is where. you know. Sean
trying to nudge him in that direction.
'cause we think that's where
he can. he can really break in.
to your point. yeah. we don't wanna
hood wink a kid and bring him in and oh.
you're gonna play the number 10 and then.
and then no. he's playing center back.
Matt: that never works well.
Pat: that doesn't do anyone any good.
So I'm. we're not trying to do that.
but I. but we will be honest. you
know. and the parents will always
ask. where. where do you see him?
And we'll say. listen. right now we
see him here. but I wanna. I want you
to be ready for. you know. I've seen
kids come in one position and come out
in a completely different position.
That's not to say that
the system doesn't work.
It. it's for me. it's a sign that
this system is working and if we
can turn out a professional player.
Liron: So the million dollar
question for a parent that is kind
of starting to face these dilemmas
before. of course they get to U 15.
U 16. it's a different story. but.
Are you better off playing full-time
at a weaker team. or are you still
better off playing part-time at a team?
Surrounded by better players?
Pat: I have two questions for
you to answer that properly.
One is what age?
What age are we talking
about?
Liron: to. let's say up to you 14.
You. you 15.
I don't know.
I don't. you tell me actually.
I mean. When
Pat: Well. the answer.
the answer changes. right.
And then the second question
I have is when you say Better.
Better for who?
Liron: who?
So. okay.
One. one club would have more
prestige when I. I I don't know.
Why'd you write me that question?
I. I can't.
Matt: I didn't write you any question.
Pat: What. uh. I'm. I'm getting back
to your conversation with. you know.
the role of the parents because I
see. I. I fielded this question quite
a bit. and it's usually the parent
who is uncomfortable seeing his kid
not play as much as he used to play.
And sometimes the kid is just fine.
sometimes not. but. but that's. when
you say better. I'm like. all right.
well. who's. who's. who's speaking here?
Matt: Yeah. I look. I think it goes
back to those conversations in the
car and I've been. I've been guilty
of those and I've hopefully learned
a little bit from them. right?
Which is. the kid may be fine
playing 35 or 40 minutes a game
because they're training their
butt off and it's high quality.
And yeah. they may not be happy.
but they understand it's a process.
But the minute we start.
You know. getting into their
minds that they should be playing
more. and what are we doing here?
Then that becomes a. that
you can't get back from
Liron: that.
But isn't the cliche that American kids
don't play enough minutes. not just in
their teams. but pick up or whatever.
It. isn't it all about
playing time or is it not.
Pat: It's. it's important.
It's. I'm not gonna tell you
it's not. it's not important.
I'm also gonna add in the. the hours per
week and training at that level. whether.
you know. 7. 8. 9 hours a week. that is
gonna have a huge effect on. rather than
going to the club and training where
you're clearly the best player and.
Y yeah. you're the stud out there
and you're not being pushed to the
brink the way you would at a. in
a. in a professional environment.
Matt: c
Pat: But Matt. to Matt. to your point.
I. I think you hit the nail on the
head of this is a lot of this comes
back to what is the conversation.
you know. in the car on the way home.
And if the parent can be encouraging
of the process and keep at it.
Keep at it. buddy.
you'll get it. you'll get it.
Then I think the kid has a chance
to. yeah. maybe not next week. maybe
not next month. but eventually get
where he wants to go. where I think
if it's more. alright. we gotta
get you outta here and get you to
the club where you're the best kid.
We know what that experience is gonna
look like and we also know that. that
there's probably a ceiling to that kid.
Matt: There. there is a. I
was gonna say a ground swell.
I'm not sure that's the best way
to explain it. but even with four
team trainings a week at the academy
level from U 13 on up. that there's
simply. you mentioned hours. but
there simply aren't enough touches.
There's so much focus in
team training on tactics.
What. to me seems A little bit too young.
If it's U 13 and U 14. I think Arcy
Weger has this famous quote you're.
if you can't build the house. you
can't build the foundation when
kids are 16 years old and you just
can't go backwards on these things.
Right.
Pat: Yep.
Matt: I'm. I'm curious to your
perspective. like. do you think there
are enough touches in training for
kids in team training and the. the
other aspect. there's this frenzy
around personal training. private
trainings to get more touches.
But then you go back to the kids in
the geography and if you're going.
you know. you're commuting two hours.
two and a half hours a day to training
you. you're training four days a week.
Like when does this stuff even happen?
Pat: Yeah.
Matt: So I. sorry. I packed
a lot into that. but.
Pat: Yeah.
I'll start with the first part with.
uh. training and I. I am. especially
at the young ages. think they need a
ton of touches to exactly your point.
you can't catch up on that later.
if you don't have that technical
quality. then you've missed the boat.
When I'm looking at. the up and
coming coaches. or when I'm hiring.
what I see is because there's so much
access to. we can go see pep session.
we can go see Marine Notes session.
We can go look at that stuff
right now. and I think.
You have a lot of up and coming
coaches and it's great information.
Like I'm not knocking the information. but
you have a lot of coaches that are wanna
play chess out there and. and want that.
That's how that their style is
that's how their style has developed.
And the guys that I try to work with and
try to hire or bring in and stay connected
to are the ones that understand like
where they are in the grander scheme.
if they can zoom out. see from 30.000
feet. okay. you have a 13-year-old kid.
the pressing action. like. yeah. it's.
I'm not saying it's not important.
but if he's not getting 500 touches
tonight. then then that's a problem.
And so we can't substitute
tactics for technical development.
especially at the younger ages
Liron: So as an academy director.
you're looking at your coaches.
let's say. you said you started
a U 13. is that what you said?
The. the youngest year was.
Pat: when I was New England.
13. Yeah.
Liron: Was winning important?
Is that how. how do you. what. what is
Yeah. it was. are you shaking your head
Pat: Abs.
Absolutely.
say it this way.
it's a part of the process.
They have to. to know that winning
and doing everything you can to
win a match is really important.
Now. whether they win every
match or not Yeah. we. we can
go back and forth on that.
I don't need them to.
I'm not gonna crush 'em.
If they don't win a game. I might crush
'em a little bit if they're not doing
everything they can to try to win the game
because ultimately if they're showing up
and. they're gonna play good this day and
it's up and down. the first thing that
professional coaches want is consistency.
And they don't want a kid who's gonna
show up one day here and one day there.
And so there has to be that
element of. of competing and.
and trying to win throughout.
we try to see a kid in training
in a really even match. in a
match that they're dominating
and a match that they're getting
Matt: Hmm.
Pat: We try to see as much. we
try to check all those boxes
as much as we possibly can.
And I think about this all of the time.
whether it's players. whether it's
coaches. how much information can I get?
Because we all can point
to a play right now.
Oh. he. he doesn't train well.
but he shows up in big games or he
trains really well and he disappears
in. in some of those games and.
We. we have to know. we. we need
all all that information before we
decide on a kid. and certainly before
I send him up to the first team.
Liron: back to N-Y-C-F-C. 'cause
that's my experience right now is
at the younger ages. which is the U
13 or 14. usually your first thing
when you come into the team meetings.
they'll tell the parents. get used
to losing. you're gonna lose a lot.
And then coaches do these kind of bulk
substitutes where let's say they'll
sub six players in a game at one time.
So obviously it's not a tactical move.
It's a move to give minutes to the kids.
It's not. it's not chess as a
parent can't help but be frustrated.
But in. but the team is saying.
well. we're making progress.
how do you. how do you balance that?
Matt: Well. Liron. can
I ask you a question?
Yeah.
What. what are you frustrated about
Liron: well. that's why I
was
Matt: because you wouldn't.
because you wouldn't sub six kids.
You don't think the co the
continuity is gonna. is gonna
flow really well with six new
kids coming into a match.
Liron: a great FIFA manager.
I. I rarely do these six.
substitutes at once. but. uh
Pat: Well. you know what's funny is
I'm. as. as I. as I answer. I'm trying
to. I'm trying to not have a kid that
I work with in the future come back to
this. to this interview because. and
because what I. what I wanna say. and
I'll. I'll just say that now. it. like
what I said was. it's important to try
to win every single. every single time.
Is. it's less important to me that
they actually win every single time.
And so some of those. and so there is a
difference and an. and an important one.
And so if we are making changes like
that. sure. we're doing it to develop
a lot of players to see what. where
they're at in their developments. test
them and give them different experiences.
but at the end of the day. anyone
working at this level understands
that this is. this is a slow burn.
Matt: Hey. pat. transitioning a little
bit. you've had the privilege of
coaching working with on your staff.
Ex pros. highly licensed coaches.
Talk about. how you work
with them differently.
Like how do you allow them to
bring their own experience. their
own perspective to their teams?
While yet. I'm sure you've
developed a methodology. that you
need everybody to work within.
Right.
what does that. what does that look like?
Like in a big picture.
small picture. day to day?
Like. how do you interact?
Pat: it's a challenge man. management
wise because you're managing a group of
people. all who are at different places
in their careers and different places
with their experience with the game.
sometimes you have young coaches
that are really ambitious
and they're on their way up.
Sometimes you have ex-players who
have made a career of it and now
starting their coaching career and
they're in a completely different
spot and everyone in the middle.
for me. what's important
is to just like all these
conversations. set the expectations.
Here are the guidelines. and especially
with coaches. you gotta give them their
autonomy at times to do their thing
because they. their leaders in and of
themselves and they need to feel that.
You trust them to make decisions in
the best interest of the club and
of the development of the players.
there are a lot of coaches and
a lot of faces that are going
through my head right now.
And. I've learned so
much from all of them.
and the ones that I smile about
are probably the ones that I
bumped heads with the most.
and it's the same thing with players.
I have a couple players that pop into
my mind and man. they were a pain. but
they made me a better coach and they
challenged me in a way. to manage them
and to manage the session. I feel the
same way about some of those coaches.
And so. kind of where I was in my career.
right. for the first. my first four
years in the league. I was. I was more
coaching and these players pop into my
mind that would just ruin a session.
if I wasn't on point and I
didn't have everything. set.
Matt: How. when you say that ruin a
session. how. like asking questions.
like. just not falling in line.
Like what does. what
does that even look like?
Pat: When I say recession. I mean. so I
was just. I'll. I'll give the example.
I was on that French course. right?
And so I'm. a lot of the. a lot of the
sessions that I'm delivering are. I'm.
I'm practicing and I'm working on things.
And so I'm trying to create this.
this very specific principle.
And if one of the rules isn't
set correctly. and one of the kid
can kind of not do this principle
and he can get around it by.
by doing a. a different action.
And I had a couple players that
were very. very clever and would
figure out how to game the game.
And so if I don't have. if I'm not
buttoned up. they will game the game.
They will win the game.
But they haven't worked on the
principle that I wanted them to. to
work on because. and that's on me.
Matt: Yeah.
Pat: so I have players like that
in New England and then when I
became the director in. in DC
I have. you know. it was more.
Now I'm managing the coaches and I have
coaches that. certainly pushed me to be
a better. to better be a better manager.
Liron: So you. you
brought up culture. right?
You talked about Malaga.
discussed this does that
apply to coaches as well?
Because when I look at coaches here. the
coaches are. most of them are product
of the American Youth Soccer System.
Pat: hmm.
Liron: we were just talking about culture
here being very different as far as
intensity of the game So coaches not
having that culture. is that a detriment
or is it a plus because they're American
coaches. understanding American kids?
Pat: I I I think you hit the.
you hit the plus and the minus.
Right?
I. I think we. I think we have a
lot of really. really good young.
talented. ambitious. hungry coaches.
And there's a. you know. look. we. we.
we got the World Cup coming next year
and I think it's gonna add another.
another wave of players and coaches
Liron: we had. we had. to get an
argent. we had to get an Argentinian
guy to come in and coach us.
I mean.
Pat: That's.
Liron: something.
Matt: yeah.
Liron: it.
Pat: um. I mean. we're not the only
country in. in the world to have a
Liron: By the way. I don't think a foreign
coach has ever won a World Cup with a.
uh. a non-native team let's. I want to.
I want to hear about the coaches thing.
So a little bit about the idea of culture.
you said it's a plus and a minus.
can you. can you elaborate on that a
little bit on. on like. let's say if
you're in DC United. or is it. why
not bring a bunch of French coaches to
kind of reshape culture of the team?
Matt: Is
Pat: I think. yeah.
I'll even zoom in a little bit further.
you need people working in this market
that know this market. and it's the same
in New England. LA. Atlanta. wherever
you go. there's value to having people
who understand the market. who have
lived here. worked here for years.
So if you're zooming out and talking
about international coaches. I'm not
saying there's not a place for them.
there surely is.
and the. probably the answer
is somewhere in the middle. but
there's absolutely value to.
I'll speak for myself when I come to DC
and I'm the one guy who didn't grow up
here. and I got a lot of questions about
the geography and the traffic patterns
and the clubs and that takes time.
It takes years to learn.
And so I'm better at my job after two
years. having understood the geography
now. 'cause a lot of the conversations
that we're talking about with. whether
it's with coaches. whether it's
with other clubs. whether it's with
families. it's really taking the time
to take a deep dive and to understand
what their constraints are. what
their resources are. where they're
coming from. where the schools are.
There's three different
states in the area.
Like. there's a lot that. a lot of factors
that if you bring in too many coaches from
the outside. you might miss something.
Liron: So you're saying having a
heavy. thick European accent doesn't
immediately make you a better
coach or know more about soccer.
So. all right. I learned that here.
Uh. another myth explodes in my face.
Matt: Oh.
Liron.
Liron: Just one quick ba and
then Matt. you can move forward.
I just wanna walk one back. the
back to Malaga. dual existence of
what's happening here and there.
The. we talked. Matt brought up.
touches outside technical training
and kind of extracurricular learning.
Do they do a lot of outside training
in Malaga. these academy kids. or
it's mostly contained within the
Matt: academy or. or. or are they
just playing in the street and in the
playgrounds?
Liron: is that extra Exactly?
Where is
that extra
coming from?
Pat: Yeah. I think that's. and that's
where the. the culture comes in
that we were talking about. right?
They're. they're watching the game.
They're also in their yard.
They're in the street.
Like they're. they're getting
in those extra touches.
It's. it's not prescribed.
it's not taking their kid to
necessarily a. a private training.
But if they have an hour and the kids
are in the street. they're playing
or they're staying at the park later.
or they're finding a space to do it.
So.
In all of that space where. kids here are
watching. watching the NFL on a Sunday.
for example. that they're not doing that.
they're out in the street after they've
watched Malaga play their match.
So that's three hours right
there that they have up on
Liron: So by the time. let's say a kid
is. don't know. someone. maybe she could
do the metrics. but by the time a kid
is 13 or 14. Academy European kid might
have had thousands and thousands more
touches than any average American kid.
They just had more time playing the game.
Pat: more touches.
And I think they've
trained their eye more too.
I think they've watched. they've watched
the match more. and I think that's
Liron: how do you make that up?
No. really.
Like how would. how do you
recover something like that?
That's such a gap.
Matt: that's exactly what
we're trying to figure out.
Liron: Huh?
depressed.
Matt: Let me. pat. let me ask you.
um. question around style of play
for a while. America. was known as
a tough. like the American player
was a tough. gritty player. good in
the air. not particularly technical.
but fought and had grit. right?
And gave everything they
possibly could give.
And I'm not suggesting the
American player isn't that today.
but I think as the technical development
has improved in this country and
players are better than they were 10
years ago or 15 years ago. we somehow
still lack any sort of style of play.
Like if you ask anyone what's the
men's national team known for?
Or what is the American player known
for. I think you really struggle
to find an answer of what that is.
I'm curious. when you're running an
academy or you're coaching a team.
Do you guys talk about style of play
Pat: the first question varies. and it
depends on the structure of the club.
And I've worked at clubs where
there is a very direct. this
is how we want you to play.
And I've worked. in environments where. do
your thing. pat. send us your best player.
that right there has a really different
feel for how we go about our business.
Ultimately. I want to work
in a style of play that will
develop a high level player.
So that is really the.
the north star for us.
And if we win games and win
trophies along the way. great.
And we love that and it
looks great for the club.
but at the end of the day. if.
If we're not building. if we're not
possession. if we can't move the ball
east to west. if we can't break down
lines. if we don't have good one V
one players. if we can't make well
timed runs in the box. if we can't. do
all of these individual actions. then
I've done the player a disservice.
so for me. what. if I'm left to my
devices. I'm choosing a style of play that
will produce a player for the first team.
And if I have a clear direction.
even better. now I know exactly what
you need and I'll get you that guy.
Pat: in terms of the
us.
Liron: team. you're talking about
the professional team or the. so
that professional team is as you're
understanding that style. it can
sometimes seep in into the younger
ages and what it is you're looking
for as far as progress is concerned.
There's really that kind of.
relationship exists.
Pat: in my experience it's. I've had
varied experiences where there's a lot
of clear direction and where there's.
Not a lot.
And so that affects. if there's not
a lot of direction for the top. no
problem. then. then. then we have
to develop it and decide. as. as an
academy. what is the best pathway. what's
the best development pathway for the
player to. to enter that environment.
as far as the US it's. it's good to
look at other countries and see what's
been done and what's been successful.
And we have to realize we are. we
have some major. major differences.
And. and those are huge
opportunities for us.
And that the fact that we have more
technical players is. is a good thing.
The fact that we have more player players
playing at the. at the top leagues
in. in Europe is. is a good thing.
and yeah. we. we. we. it's gonna take the.
the leadership at US Soccer decide. right?
This is. this is the path we think will.
will develop a. a World Cup winning team.
Matt: maybe move to. to rapid
fire. Liron. unless you. I mean. we
could do this all night with Pat.
Liron: no its amazing go ahead Matt.
Matt: I don't remember my question was
at this
Liron: on.
Come on.
Matt: Don't worry. pat.
We'll edit this.
Um.
Liron: why this is perfect.
You don't. you
Matt: I know.
No. no. I. I. uh.
what's that?
Yeah. no. I. my question.
you totally messed me up
Liron: What's your favorite food?
Matt: All right.
It's gonna come to me
Liron: Alright.
Do your rapid fire.
Matt: All right. pat. we're gonna wrap up.
We're super grateful for your time.
Quick. some quick rapid fire
questions coming at you.
Pat: Let's go.
Matt: One trait you always
look for in a young player.
Pat: a player that is
not taking a play off.
He's having an impact even when the
ball's on the other side of the field.
Matt: Best youth player you've
ever coached or had an academy?
Pat: You guys want. you guys want names?
Is that what you
Matt: Is. is
up here.
Is is. is there a youth
player?
Liron: worst. he said for
the best. so it's fine.
You. you
Pat: there's multiple homegrown
players at both New England and DC
that I. that I coached personally
was coaching their team and. spent a
few years with those kids uh. yeah.
I think when I look back on it.
like all of those kids were really
hungry. really accepted challenges.
They. that was like food for them
Matt: Hmm.
Pat: And when I look back at each of those
kids who kind of peaked at different times
but that was one thing that was in common.
Matt: you dodge that so well.
Okay.
I understand.
Um. but best advice you have for
parents just entering the uber
competitive youth soccer world.
We're not talking about A YSO.
but coming into the academy life.
whether it's. professional academies
or an MLS next academy. but just
getting. just getting into it
Pat: understand that these are
professional coaches and they're
spending their days planning on what
that session is gonna look like.
That is a completely different experience
than. I wanna be careful of my words.
but then a soccer dad going and running
a session in the park for his kid.
this is a. Slow burn.
This is gonna take a long time.
it's the job of people like me to not
look at what's gonna happen tomorrow
or next week. but to ask myself.
what does this kid need in 2. 3. 4
years to be. to potentially be a pro?
Matt: Uh. favorite memory
from your own playing career?
Pat: I'm gonna. I'm gonna
do you one better here.
I'm gonna show you this
is. if you can see the.
Matt: Oh
Pat: you guys see this a little bit?
Matt: a little bit?
of a glare.
Liron: wow.
wow.
That's it.
Pat: So I'm. I'm the young
guy on the. on the end there.
That's my father and my.
my two older brothers.
This is us in. in Cas Park at. at Ithaca.
and this is when we all
kinda kind of crossed paths.
I was probably 11 or 12.
my dad's. early forties.
So we all crossed paths on
the. on the field and yeah.
that didn't happen for too. for too long.
But it was a good few years where
we were able to hop on the field
together.
Liron: culture right?
I mean. it's
back to that.
I mean. with
this huge theme of this conversation
today has been that extraordinary
what
Matt: change you'd make to the youth
system in the US if you could. aside from
making. eliminating pay for play. which we
all know is impossible given the structure
Pat: I think there's so much good work
being done right now. and before I.
Answer. what we should do going forward?
I do want to stop. and I think all three
of us are old enough to remember when
MLS started and it's been 30 years.
And listen. every. everyone
loves to. to boo owners and
management and the commissioner.
but the league is in an incredible place.
If you think about where this started
with 10 teams. a handful of owners. the
league almost folded a couple times.
I was on the phone with a couple
guys last couple weeks who were
around when this thing started.
One in the GM's office. one as a player.
and just like this thing almost folded.
And to see where it's at now with
the. the level of play. Adidas. it's
Apple. it's soccer specific stadiums.
it's infrastructure for the academy.
it's pretty incredible
where it is right now.
where does it need to go moving forward?
I think we need to continue pushing
forward and continue with the investment.
And I think we need to make sure that
we see it like that as an investment
in the future of. young players in
this country. but also an investment
in the infrastructure of the sport.
And if we continue on that path. I
know. Fred Lka and Louise Robles they're
working hard and they're doing a good
job and they're providing an environment
where the best kids are getting an
opportunity to prove themselves.
It doesn't need to be refined.
Sure. it's always gonna need to be changed
along the way. but. uh. seeing where we
were 30 years ago. seeing where we are
now. I'm excited to see where this goes
because next summer we're gonna get a shot
in the arm where the World Cup is here.
and the next golden generation of players.
they're gonna be in the stands watch.
Liron: Yeah. I think what you said
is really resonating because if you think
about England or Spain. I mean these
leagues have been going on for eternity.
we had. uh. Ben Olsen he described
going to Arrowhead Stadium and
playing in front of 600 people.
Pat: and that's. and he's a
great example of a guy who's.
who's seen it all for sure.
Liron: wow.
This has been amazing.
look. pat. not just for. for us. just
you being here. just your work in
general
admirable.
just the way you think of the game.
This idea of inclusion and betterment
is. really just inspiring for us
as parents and lovers of the game.
We're honored to have you here.
Just. I. I have so many more questions
and
Matt
Matt: not.
Liron: this.
All right.
We'll do another episode.
Relax everybody. you know.
Pat: I appreciate the time and.
and I appreciate what you guys are
doing because ultimately there's a
question in there. you guys did have
a question and I had it all queued
up. a question you guys asked about.
Liron: Maybe that was the
question. Matt forgot.
Pat: the question you asked
me. what do I see as the most
common and overlooked barriers
Matt: Oh yeah.
Liron: the most important question.
That was the whole.
Matt: Liron. why
Liron: all right. we gotta
Matt: why don't you. why don't
you reset and ask the question?
Go ahead.
Liron: no.
no.
I wanna hear Pat ask himself the question
so people know what a lousy job we
did at preparing for this interview.
Pat: the most common
and overlooked barriers?
the first one I would say were.
It's happening in real time right
now. we're having this conversation.
a lot of the. problems and
confusion happen because there's
not a clear understanding of
what the landscape looks like.
and it's a confusing one.
but conversations like this are valuable.
the player. all the players aren't
always in the room for that.
All the parents aren't always in the room.
And so to be able to reach more people
and have these conversations so that
they understand the landscape. it's a
lot of. I've talked a lot about having
these conversations earlier and setting
the expectations and a lot of that is
educating people on what this looks like.
whether you're a player. whether you're
a parent. whether you're a partner club.
Um. all of that is. is
super important work.
So if. if.
Podcasts like these can bridge that gap.
You. you're making guys like.
guys like me. my job easier.
Matt: Oh. that's great.
Well. we appreciate that.
Pat: Okay.
Matt: Oh man.
Pat: Last throw one more thing at you.
in terms of barriers. we talk
about geography. we talk about
education. and residency.
the thing I would bring up when it comes
to that. it's not just the participation.
it's not just. okay. we got them here.
it's also what's the experience when
they're here and those kids that
we've spent. time and money on getting
them into a van or getting into a
residency house. well we have to follow.
that's a promise that we've made
and we have to follow up and we have
to make sure that those kids are
receiving the very best in terms of
a professional experience. another
barrier that came along that I thought
of as we were talking. I took Spanish
growing up and then I. I learned.
and then I did a semester in Seia.
so I was always okay at it and I
was always surprised that. living
in New York. I actually didn't use
it that much. but when I came to
DC it was. every day. every day.
I still have lessons three times
a week with my Spanish teacher.
She lives in Columbia and
we talk three days a week.
And because it was important for me to
remove that barrier with the parents
and the families and the kids themselves
I'm gonna speak your language now and
you're gonna feel a little bit more
comfortable coming into my environment.
'cause you're gonna
hear your native tongue.
And no. I don't want the
father to be tripping over his
English. trying to talk to me.
I'm gonna trip over my Spanish and talk
to you and we're gonna do it that way.
And that's creating an environment where.
I'm building trust and building an
atmosphere where hopefully that ride
home is going in my favor a little
bit. and more importantly. in the
favor of the kids' development.
Matt: It's amazing.
Liron is a little disappointed though.
that given that he's Israeli. that you
didn't do this interview in Hebrew.
we'll have to do this in part two.
Liron: most sideline parents
at N-Y-C-F-C know how to curse
in Hebrew pretty well by now.
I'm an influencer.
pat. man.
Wow.
What a privilege.
Ah. Matt.
Matt: It was awesome.
Thank you so much.
Pat: No. it's my pleasure.
I enjoyed this fellas.
Liron: All right.
We'll see you in the city. man.
Pat: Alright
fellas.
Matt: And.
Liron: Alright.
well
Matt: All right. man.
Thank great to see you have time.
Cheers.
Pat. thank you so much for
sharing your time and perspective.
We love the conversation
and hope that you did too.
Uh. we'll certainly pick this up
in future episodes. what the next
decade could look like for you.
Soccer in America.
Liron: Now it's my turn.
Uh. so I'm gonna say please subscribe.
Like it means a lot to us.
You cheap bastard.
We love you all.
See you later. Matt.
Matt: Thank you Gu.