What does a promising US player career look like at an early age up until age 18?

This will be a thread.

Find nearest MLS club. Inquire on their youth/development system. Intra/Intermurals won’t net him Jack shite.

Realistically though, send him to Germany.

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That’s some early specialization. Hopefully he doesn’t get burned out or have increased injury risk as he develops, because that can kill a promising prospect.

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Yet it works in every major footballing nation

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Find nearest MLS club

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Sadly thats not viable for most people

The US youth development system is fricked and for the most part travel soccer is still geared to getting you good enough going into HS to get a college scolly and well college soccer sucks.

Getting into an MLS set up would be ideal. But they are just not big enough for people not living in those cities

MLS academies have done a great job at getting kids over to Europe from ages 16-19 who go on and develop more in those European academies and then first team

Unfortunately MLS youth systems for the most part are not turning out quality players for MLS

Good for them

Point still stands MLS academies are not producing good players that are established MLS players

Unless you think Wil Trapp is good

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Point still stands MLS academies are not producing good players that are established MLS players

Unless you think Wil Trapp is good

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Wil Trapp is 28. If you are talking about what MLS academies are producing now, then Wil Trapp is irrelevant. Wil Trapp is a product of what MLS academies were producing in 2010.

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We could look at FC Dallas but every good young player under 21 gets bought or is going to soon

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Is that a bad thing?

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Not at all it’s just reinforces my point

Academies are doing a good job getting kids to Europe

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Except your point was that the players have to develop more in the European academies.

I mean, people burnout in other countries, too.

Back to the original question, if you look at most of these players, they come from big clubs and the overwhelming majority have national team experience. I can’t speak to the precise path, and I doubt there will be many here who can.

For your son, would just have him work and play as much as he wants to. His coach can offer suggestions on what to do at home, and I remember that some of my club teams had opportunities for extra training. Step 1 is becoming really good, and there are a lot of things you can do on your own to refine your technique and correct any deficiencies you might have (weak foot is a big one).

From your end, it has to be a guiding exercise as he’s going to burn the frick out if it isn’t.

Too late is debate-able, would say that if it looks like a huge long shot at 14-15, you need to make sure that he has a solid back up plan. If he’s just really into soccer, I will also say that it’s probably much easier than you would imagine to play organized soccer after high school in some capacity but also much less glamorous to play for small, less competitive collegiate teams (i.e., you’re only going to stick with it if you’re really motivated—knew a lot of people who went to small schools to play then left to go to LSU, etc.). Probably more people here who can speak to that. There’s also the possibility of coaching if he just wants to stick around the game. Had a couple of teammates do it for some extra cash during college and know like one or two people who turned that into their primary job.

Bc USSF main goal with youth soccer is to make money

Not developing players