These are his former teammates (from last year's U11 State Cup). I think at least a few of them will go on to be good players, though probably not at Ben's level. http://www.barcelonausa.com/
Well, if Ben turns out to be as good as Iniesta then that is good news. There has got to be something we can do to develop more kids like him.
Really interested to follow the #10 in that video. Nickname is Misa and plays center forward. Very craft and quick with the ball. Has been called into US U14 camps to train as an 11 year old!!
hopefully my memory serves me right(getting old) but i don't think this is ben's old team this is one year younger. Ben was on a team named Samba
Are you sure? This team is now U12. Ben has an 8/00 dob, so that would make him age eligible for this team. Also, look at this photo from the summer: U.S. NATIONAL CAMP INVITEES JULY, 2012 Five players from our current BU12 Academy team (Misa, Alex, Mikee, John & Charlie) along with our own Ben Lederman, who is home from Barcelona for the summer, were invited to participate in a recent U.S. National team training camp held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. Despite the fact that the camp was for selected players born in 1998 & 1999, our boys were still invited eventhough they were all born in either 2000 or 2001. Congratulations to all of you!! MISA, ALEX, BEN, MIKEE & CHARLIE (JOHN Not Pictured)
For ll we know there may have been others as good or better than Ben L, but having the means to pick up and move to Spain is a who;e different ballgame.
Definitely. There is no reason to focus on the names of kids this early. Hell, I'm not sure there's much point in doing so until they are about 18. It is simply impossible to predict who will master things mentally, who will encounter injury problems, who will continue to have the drive to succeed, who will grow into a physical specimen, etc. What is important to focus on is whether more kids are coming up who have increasingly better skills than their older counterparts. If you increase the size and quality of the talent pool, you improve the chances of producing guys who will become difference-makers as pros.
Remember, in order for any of this kids to play in the Barcelona Spain academy, their parents have to move with them.
Too much second guessing. Somebody should be the best player on a team. Ben was the best on his. His team beats Barca, he gets invited. They like him and give him #10 jersey (what is a big deal). Kudos to his club, coaches end dedicated family. Whether he becomes a great player we will know in 6-8 years. End of the story.
I'm not saying this is a good or bad idea. Read their blog regularly and those guys are really good at recruiting players for the style of play they want their teams playing. They will tell you this much that recruiting/scouting is a very important part of what they do. Could they take these kids, and others across the nation , and make them competitive at the international level? Maybe one day we will find out.
Barcelona itself has been influencing coaching to some minute degree across the country itself. A local coach at the teenage level was trying to implement the "Barcelona style" on his team. When I pressed him a bit on what that meant unfortunately he didn't really have a strong idea about it other than passing the ball around on the ground. A small step up from boot and chase at least.
Called up to the U-14s. Congratulations! http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-14-N...-Names-36Player-Roster-for-Training-Camp.aspx
Sorry but i can't get into a thread in which the "prospects" look like they could star as oompa loompas in the next Wonka film.