Just an FYI: Adidas Elite Soccer Program is going on this week in Windsor CT at Loomis Chaffee school. This is an invite-only for top HS-age players identified by coaches in conjunction with US Youth Soccer. The few names that I looked up (of the 130+ listed) have played at some point for US teams (be it U15, U16, U17, etc.). I guess it's mostly for college coaches to scout. Guys like Beasley, Spector, Buddle, Martino, Karbassiyoon, Esky have all done this camp in the past (incl. Nguyen & Soroka last year). They started practice on Tuesday, but actual games are being played thurs-sunday. The games are open to the public, as are some of the practices. List of Players Schedule of Games & Practices Just a heads-up for anyone wanting to go see some of the current & future US Youth players and potential college stars (incl. Fro).
Just one problem, the future of US soccer is right now in the hands of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Graders (and their coaches). Lets hope that coaching has progressed further than twenty years ago when the typical dope coach's idea of practice was to line up kids for an hour and let them shoot on goal.........
Developement of soccer starts at a young age. 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade. Can I count on my son's coach, probably never. The coaches I've seen are commited parents but with minimal soccer knowledge. I thank them but I definetly put my experience when I can. Soccer at a young age in this country is minimal developement. Everyone runs after the ball like a swarm of bees. Once in a while you see a talent of a kid that you call Pele or Maradona. At what age do you see coaches help develop a kids talent? My son is 6 and he enjoys soccer. But he also loves basketball and baseball.
One of the best things to do is to get the kids juggling. A kid who can juggle 200 times is going to be able to be magic on the field as he will develop the touch needed. Hint, dont inflate the ball too much for the novice juggler though.
http://www.adidas-esp.com/site/05allstars.html All-Star teams from ESP event. Brown Cameron 2007 CMF Garland TX Solar SC Cava Eric 2007 CF Clarks Summit PA FC Delco Cruz Leone 2006 D Round Rock TX AU Capitals Duran Andrew 2007 CMF Mokena IL Chicago Magic Dworsky Bill 2006 CF Huntsville AL Dallas Texans Fitzgerald Akira 2006 GK Baltimore MD Baltimore Bays Guzman Juan 2006 AMF Charlotte NC Charlotte United Jaramillo James 2006 CMF Orem UT Inter FC Mitchell Matthew 2006 CF Tariffville CT FC Greater Boston Bolts Myers Chance 2006 CB Thousand Oaks CA So. Cal. United Newton Evan 2005 GK Virginia Beach VA US Soccer Residency Rice Barry 2006 CB Parma OH Cleveland Soccer Academy Rickards Patrick 2006 D Sacramento CA San Juan Sting Schilawski Zachary 2006 WF Cary NC CASL Elilte Tardy John 2007 LB Staten Island NY Brooklyn Patriots Walker Kenneth 2007 DMF Wickliffe OH Cleveland Soccer Academy Yates Drew 2006 CMF Severna Park MD Casa Mia Bays O'Brien Ciaran 2006 AMF Tacoma WA FC United Adlard Andrew 2007 CF New Berlin WI Brookfield Red Alexander Eric 2006 AMF Portage MI Vardar III Altidore Josmere 2007 CF Boca Raton FL Boca Juniors Bienenfeld Joshua 2006 AMF Huntingdon Valley PA FC Delco Crunch Blades Mark 2006 LB Lakewood OH CSA Impact Geathers Jamal 2006 CF Aiken SC Aiken Fire Giallombardo Andrew 2006 DMF Manalapan NJ BOM Metrostars Gonzalez Jose 2008 CMF Soquel CA SCC Breaker Hernandez Francisco 2006 GK Fresno CA Premier Roosevelt Hoss Taylor 2006 D Vancouver WA FC United Nimo Alex 2007 WF Portland OR FC Portland Sangeloty Matt 2006 GK Unionville CT Oakwood SC Subotic Neven 2005 DMF Bradenton FL US Soccer Residency Tierney Zach 2006 CB Wildwood MO Lou Fusz Soccer Club Villanueva Jonathan 2006 AMF Cedar Hill TX Dallas Texans Waspi Taylor 2006 CB Deer Park IL Chicago Magic Wiltse Mark 2006 D Belle Mead NJ PDA Cantona ********************* Subotic, Giallombardo and Altidore were in residency last Spring. Brown turned down residency. Cruz (87) played with the U-18s in 2004 after a stint in Mexico with Tigres. Duran was at Ballymena with the '89s recently. Jarmaillo is going to UCLA in 2006. Rickards, Walker, Yates, Wiltse, Villaneuva, and Waspi are all former Bradenton players. Hoss and O'Brien were invited to recent youth camps. Tardy (89), Gonzalez (89), and Hernandez (88) have a bit of youth Nat experience. Guzman and Mitchell were ESP all-stars in 2004.
Good stuff, davide. So basically, it looks like most of the top ESP players are current or former youth nats, several with residency experience. I suppose that implies that US Soccer is getting most of the better players.
Other possibilities ... 1. The people making selections are biased towards kids with big resumes. 2. The same people make the selections at ESP and in US soccer. (Is this true?) 3. The same players are missed by both US soccer and ESP. Seeing how players like Dempsey, Feilhaber, and Wynne didn't attend ESP, #3 is a concern.
Karbassiyoon only got in after his coach lobbied him in the waiting list. Someone got hurt so he got the chance. Turn out that he was the best player in the camp.
According to Marc Connolly, these were the 10 standouts at the Adidas-ESP camp: Andrew Adlard Josh Bienenfeld Cameron Brown Leone Cruz Bill Dworsky Matt Mitchell Chance Myers Ciaran O'Brien Jonathan Villanueva Taylor Waspi http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=336873&cc=5901
Here is a guide to the ESP with players photo, position and team. http://www.socceramerica.com/adidas_esp/05_adidas_ESP_final.pdf
Is that Dave Sarachan's son on the list? Also, an RC and a Moon-Pie to the first person to identify the Jeff Spicoli look-a-like.
Yes. Well, there are several worthy candidates you could make a case for: Matthew Walker William Swetra Michael Stephens Chance Myers Paul Kopec Andrew Gallombardo Sean Danszeler But I pick Jonathan Rzepka because, like Spicoli, he actually looks stoned!
I remember when I was being recruited to Marquette U. by Steve Adlard. I called his house to tell him I decided to commit to his school and his wife answers - he's outside with Andrew teaching him to ride a bike. She yells outside for Steve and they come running in like some old Lassie movie. Now the kid's a player. Wow I'm getting OLD!