The Inside Scoop with Anytime Soccer Training - Discussing Youth Soccer from Around the World

Everyone has a theory for fixing American soccer after the World Cup exit. Parents. Pundits. Ex-players. Talking heads on every panel. All-star teams. Corporate-backed academies. Pro/rel. I've heard them all — and I used to nod along too. Then I ran them through a framework I built to test whether an idea actually creates value, or just sounds good while moving money around. What I found chang...

A soccer club walks up to me. Fifteen minutes. They want to improve player development and enjoyment. Most consultants would give them a PowerPoint. I'm giving them something different. It starts with philosophy. Then structure. Then the part most clubs get completely wrong—and it changes everything about how they operate. If you run a club, coach a team, or just wonder how youth soccer progra...

A conversation with a friend made me realize something I should've figured out years ago. As a parent trying to give my kids every advantage, I've been obsessing over the obvious stuff. But after breaking down what actually separates developing players from the rest, I found there are just a few key things that matter. And most people get them completely wrong. I've organized them into...

Last episode, I proposed renaming "club soccer." But I realized I left something out. In this episode, I break down my value equation: what you receive divided by what you pay. Simple. But when you apply it to youth soccer, things get complicated. There's tangible value—training hours, coach ratios, field time. And perceived value—everything else parents think they're getting. Un...

Here's what's been bugging me: we compare youth soccer costs all the time, but we're using the wrong words—which means we're making the wrong decisions. I'm talking about "club soccer." That label is masking what you're actually buying. And I've got a better name for it. In this episode, I break down why renaming it matters, how it changes the value equation,...

I sat down with Andy Barrero, Director of Coaching at OC Premier Academy Futsal, and discovered something that completely shifted how I think about player development. Here's what I learned: futsal isn't just a fun indoor alternative—it's one of the most underrated tools for building elite ball-handlers and tactical thinkers. The smaller court, faster pace, and constant pressure force...

I sat down with Andy Barrero, Director of Coaching at OC Premier Academy Futsal, for a fascinating look at how youth soccer development differs between the US and South America. Andy shares his firsthand insights on the cultural and environmental factors that shape players on both continents — from how the game is introduced at a young age to the role futsal plays in technical development. It'...

I'll be honest with you — I don't have all the answers on this one. I've been asking questions about pay-to-play for a while now, and the more I dig in, the more I realize how complicated it actually is. On this episode I'm thinking out loud, trying to understand why youth soccer costs so much more in the US than in countries like England or Germany — and whether the comparisons pe...

I sat down with Andy Barrero, Director of Coaching at OC Premier Academy, to break down everything you need to know about futsal — and why it might be the missing piece in your child's development. We cover the basics: what futsal actually is, how the court and ball are different, what shoes to wear, and why goalkeepers don't wear gloves. Andy also explains what he calls the "Spidey s...

In this episode I'm responding to a comment from our Anytime Soccer Training Facebook group that puts most of the blame on MLS and closed-circle systems for the problems in youth soccer. And honestly, there are some valid points there. We do need a stronger federation, a more open pyramid system, and better accountability across the board. But the more I dug into it, the more I realized — this...

The comments from my last episode were too good to ignore so I came back for a follow-up. I also had a quick correction to make — I said "game model" last time, I meant "gaming program." Not the same thing. I push back on the idea that this situation is automatically a culture problem. It may just be a communication problem — and those are very different things. One is fixable,...

A parent from our Youth Soccer Guest Player Facebook group asked a question I hear more than you'd think — their daughter is on a top-level ECNL team, not getting minutes, likely not making the playoff roster, and wants to guest play somewhere without the coach finding out. I break down why that's harder than it sounds — player cards are owned by clubs and administered by governing bodies...

Every soccer parent has faced it — someone jumps in the Facebook group and tells you your kid should "just have fun." Push back even slightly and suddenly you're the villain. I'm not backing down. In this episode, I share the exact questions I ask every time someone tries to tell me I'm doing it wrong. Not to judge — but to find out if we're even talking about the same th...

The NCAA just got sued — and everything is changing. In this episode of The Inside Scoop, Neil Crawford sits down with Dave Morris, founder of College Athletic Advisor, to break down the latest NCAA rule changes and what they mean for high school soccer players and their families right now. From JUCO pathways to Division 1, 2, and 3 recruiting, Dave explains how these shifts could impact your chil...

When I started this journey as a soccer parent, I had no idea what I was signing up for financially. Now, a few years in, I think I finally get it — and it's not a simple answer. In this episode I walk through both sides of the equation: the demand side, where American culture around opportunity is driving prices up, and the supply side, where consolidation is locking out competition. Once you...

Your kid comes off the field holding their knee. You've heard them say it before — my knees are killing me. But this time, something feels different. In this episode of The Inside Scoop, Neil Crawford sits down with Jason Goumas — physical therapist and founder of New Direction Wellness & PT — to break down one of the most common and most misunderstood conditions affecting young soccer pla...

I get a lot of questions about how the program is structured, so I dedicated this episode to breaking it all down. I explain what QR and FR mean in the video system — Quick Review and Final Review — and walk through the curriculum logic: how we introduce one move at a time, build in interval-based repetition, and systematically review everything so your child gets maximum touches in minimum time....

Everyone has an opinion about how expensive youth soccer has become — but before you join the conversation, there are questions you need to answer first. I break down what every soccer parent should know before deciding whether the cost is worth it, a ripoff, or somewhere in between

A soccer parent asks how to structure a 3-hour-per-week summer program for his daughter's team. Neil breaks down how to layer foundational ball mastery and juggling for all players while adding position-specific 1v1 skills for forwards and midfielders — giving coaches and parents a simple, practical framework to keep girls sharp all summer long.

What does it really take to get noticed by a professional scout? In this episode of The Inside Scoop, Neil Crawford sits down with Chris Robinson — Director of The Scouting Game and a veteran of over 30 years in professional soccer, including nearly a decade recruiting for Chelsea FC's academy. Chris breaks down what scouts are actually evaluating when they watch your child play, the traits th...

I got a great question from one of our members that I think a lot of you can relate to — how do you actually set up a smart, balanced training plan for your kid without spending hours picking videos every week? In this episode, I break down exactly how to approach training plans inside Anytime Soccer Training now that the platform has evolved. I walk through how to balance all the skill areas — ba...

Every club in my area says the same thing — high quality, low cost, player-centered. So how do you actually choose? In this episode, I share how I'm thinking through it, what my non-negotiables are, and the one thing I look for that at least points me in the right direction.

Today's question in the Anytime Soccer Training Facebook group was a familiar one: winning or losing at the youth level has little to no correlation with development — true or false? In this quick gut-reaction episode, I explain why I think "no correlation" is a cop-out, what it actually means to define development in a youth soccer context, and why if you're going to dismiss the...

I saw a post that said you can't develop Ronaldinhos unless you let kids try Ronaldinho things — and while part of me agrees, most of me pushes back hard. In this quick audio diary, I explain why I don't believe structured, sanctioned games are the place for kids to upskill, and why "be creative, try stuff" can quietly become code for a lack of accountability. If you haven't...

Every soccer family knows MLS Next. Everyone's heard of ECNL. But there's another path. One that's producing college players, developing elite talent, and not draining your bank account in the process. James Jordan — Founder & Head Coach of River City FC — has been quietly building something. And in this episode, he pulls back the curtain. "College soccer is extremely hard. An...