Train Like the Pros: FC Bayern’s Elite Residential Camp Comes to the U.S.
For the first time ever, FC Bayern’s world-renowned youth development program is bringing its Elite Residential Camp to the United States—and it’s happening January 7–11, 2026 in Chula Vista, San Diego. This rare opportunity is designed for ambitious U16–U19 players ready to push their limits in a professional training environment inspired by the FC Bayern […]
Youth Soccer Trends 2025: Lower Costs, Better Pathways, and Positive Changes for Families
There’s always a lot of talk about the problems and deficiencies of the US youth soccer system but there is also an increasing amount of good news on this front. New announcements and trends are offering solutions to some of the sport’s most persistent problems—high costs, fragmented development, limited accessibility, and inconsistent player pathways. Compared to […]
USYS Announces Major Format Change to National Championships
FRISCO, Texas (Sept. 23, 2025) – US Youth Soccer (USYS), the largest youth sport organization in the country, is proud to announce a landmark format change to its National Championships aimed at creating the best youth sport experience in America. Beginning with the current season, State Cup champions from all 54 USYS State Associations will advance directly […]
Inside the Mind of a Scout: How We Identify Talent
By Julio Cesar Gomez, Co-Founder & Academy Director, and Daniel Arribas, Head Coach Let us be direct. At Madrid Euro Soccer Academy, we don’t run trials to discover stars. We run them to discover people. Players. Workers. Learners. We built MESA with one goal in mind: to create an academy where players could live the […]
San Diego FC’s MLS NEXT Academy Signals Nationwide Shift to Free Elite Youth Soccer
The Start of Something Bigger in Youth Soccer This fall marks an extraordinary moment: San Diego FC’s MLS NEXT Academy is launching its inaugural season with a fully funded, residential soccer school for the region’s youth. The significance? San Diego is the first in a growing wave of cost-free, elite academies designed to give every […]
Yes, Coach! — How Parents Can Lead a New Era of Accessible, Supportive Youth Soccer
Recently, we wrote about the cost to parents of youth soccer in the U.S. in this blog: Is U.S. Youth Soccer a Money-Making Scheme? We concluded that greater community involvement in Europe is why the parental burden is much lower there. This new initiative, YES, COACH! is exciting and an example of the type of […]
Is U.S. Youth Soccer a Money-Making Scheme?
Probably the most frequent comment we get around our content is an observation to the effect that the system is “all about the money”. This ties into a real concern about accessibility, since as we’ve written, the cost of participating in a high-level travel team program can range from $5 – $10k or more, depending […]
Real Madrid Doesn’t Wait: Lessons from 90 Minutes Against the Best
Some games start long before the first whistle. For a group of young players from all over the world, this journey began months earlier, when they left home, joined the Madrid Euro Soccer Academy, and stepped into the rhythm of Spanish football. New language. New teammates. New expectations. They trained. Adjusted. Earned minutes. Then came the […]
NJ United AC and U.S. Soccer Parent: Supporting New Jersey Soccer Parents Through Community Engagement
This past weekend, I had the privilege of speaking with a group of dedicated parents at a free clinic in New Brunswick, hosted in partnership with NJ United Athletic Club (NJ United AC). As the founder of US Soccer Parent, my mission is to provide resources and support to soccer parents across the country. This […]
The Experience of Attending a Big EDP Tournament
The Anticipation: Early Mornings and Long Drives As a parent, if you haven’t attended your first big soccer tournament yet, you’re in for a treat (and some early mornings, long days and possibly long drives). We attended many tournaments like Jefferson Cup with our son, but the ones that stick out most in my memory […]