Tom Mitch Q & A

1. Your company, Forca Tours, takes youth soccer teams all over Europe to play in soccer tournaments and experience new cultures – How important is it for young American players to be exposed to complete soccer cultures, as they don’t really exist here in the US?
A - "The soccer cultures outside of the US are much richer because the sport is an important part of the overall landscape, and for a greater percentage of the population. This includes, of course the media. The validation of the sport provided by expose to soccer cultures as they exists outside of the US, particularly in Europe and Central/South America, can really change one’s sense of the greatness of the game."

2. After coming back from a tour abroad, what aspect of the trip do you feel makes the greatest impact on the young players?
A -"Training and playing with players elsewhere in the world can open one’s eyes to a much more sophisticated way of playing the sport. The game in Europe, in particular, even at the youth level, is played with much greater tactical awareness, and with deception, that you don’t typically find in the US."

3. Some coaches feel that the most important “soccer lessons” must be taught and learned by age 13 – do agree or can they be taught as they get older? A - "The technical and tactical foundations need to be put in place over the course of the early developmental years, ages 5-12. With a sound base, development can continue, and needs to continue, beyond 13 years of age. But without establishing the base early on, I don’t see how players can build to any semblance of true competency in the sport."

4. As a youth soccer coach, what do you feel are some of the bigger challenges you face each year? A - "In Massachusetts and much of the US, without a doubt, the biggest challenge is the structure of youth soccer, and the culture that continues to support an unproductive structure. We need unified, top-to-bottom, league structures, which should probably be run by the state associations and the federation. We need to restrict players to one team only. Together, these two changes would make the player development path much clearer, and much more efficient for all players at all levels of play, and for parents who have to guide their children thru the process."

5. Some people say that youth soccer is a broken system that needs to be fixed – specifically, that too much emphasis is placed on game results and not on player development – do you agree? A - "I agree that the system needs an overhaul. We have to find ways to encourage a player development mentality, where the decisions we make have first to do with providing environments where young players can become technically and tactically proficient. When coaches select young players based on physical characteristics and encourage a style of play based on physical, direct, high pressure play they are destroying the opportunity for both the players on their team and the opposing team to fully develop in the game."

6. What steps should a youth club take to stay focused on skill development and less on game results? A - "A club needs commit to a player development model, and establish goals that support the model, and then tasks that work towards the goals. For example, by establishing progressive curriculum, systems of play for each age group, player achievement tests, etc., the club is constantly at work to achieve goals that are not tied to match results."

7. Skill wise, where do you think youth players are today compared to 10 years ago? A - "The technical level of players in the US has improved a lot over the last 10-20 years. More players have a greater physical command over the ball than in the past. "

8. In the last 10 years, where do you think there has been greater improvement in youth players –technical or tactical? Why?
A - "There has been much greater improvement on the technical side of things. However, most young players in the US lack an understanding of how the game works. This is widely true even on the level of 1, 2, or 3 players. Players are not getting exposure to sound tactical concepts. Take 1v1 defending as an example. Most players in the US will believe that defending is simply about rushing in after the ball. Where does this player go from here? How can you build on a tactical base that doesn’t exist?"

9. Over the next 3 to 5 years, what should youth soccer focus on to further the development of youth soccer players?
A - "Youth soccer needs to emphasize tactical development. The approach to the game needs to allow young players to learn from a young age the workings of a multi-directional game. For example, when teams play 6-aside soccer with 2 backs and 3 forwards, the chances that a multi-directional game will break out are minimal. The setup will encourage the 2 backs and the goalkeeper to by-pass the 3 forwards. The 3 forwards will be discouraged from passing backward."

10. What is the best advice you can give a youth player that is aspiring to play collegiate soccer? A - "I would recommend that players get into the best player development environment as possible as early as possible. College coaches want players who can actually play the game. Also, if the opportunity to play, even for a short period of time, in Europe presents itself, take it."

11. What do you feel needs to happen in order for the US to improve their performance at the next WC? A - "The US men’s national team program continues to improve slowly. We should accept that we won’t win a men’s world cup until we have more young players developing tactically from a young age. The US women seem to be on slow decline as the more mature soccer nations put more emphasis on the women’s game. I think this also highlights the lack of tactical development in the US. Now that other countries have critical mass in the women’s game, there existing structure around the development of savvy players will guide the girls just as it has the boys."