Early Development of a Soccer player in the US vs. Mexico

Mexico has been outplaying the US at the national youth levels.  Since June 2011 Mexico has won the U-17 World Cup, Pan-American Games, Toulon Espoirs tournament, Northern Ireland Milk Cup, finished 3^rd at the 2011 U-20 World Cup and obtained an Olympic Gold medal to top it off.  How has Mexico, a country has with fewer people and resources, out shone us at every turn lately and over the years?

Even though we are geographical neighbors, Mexico and the US have noticeable differences.  A few differences between both countries can be made right off the start, economic resources, culture and location.  These differences shape the process of creating a Mexican player and an American player. 

The first decision an athlete makes is what sport he or she wants to jump into.  This decision is often made for them.  In Mexico, soccer is the undeniable king of sports entertainment.  More likely than not, soccer will be a child’s pastime because of the culture and in many cases of the economic resources available to them.  More kids end up being passionate about soccer because of the culture, athletes or not.

Growing up in the US gives children options.  Soccer is far from the most popular sport.  A child is exposed to heavy doses of Baseball, Football, Basketball and Hockey.  Soccer is a popular youth sport but during family reunions it is likely that touch football is the afternoon activity.  Depending on location, soccer may only be playable during half the year in the US. 

Now you might be thinking indoor soccer is possible.  Yes this is a very good option.  Although depending on location, the drive to the indoor turf field may be 45 minutes long.  The training session or game might be an hour and a half, and then you have the drive back.  So in total you have an almost 3 hour endeavor to play structured soccer (most likely drills or some type of game).  I’ve seen how these sessions are run; kids are waiting in line or sitting on the bench during this time so in total a kid gets a good hour of time on the ball.   The youth training program offered at my not-so-local indoor facility offers 6 sessions, once a week, for 80$ for ages 6-12.  So during these 6 weeks, a parent will have spent 170$ (for gas and subscription) for 6 hours of solid time on the ball.  That’s 28$ an hour for a kid to have fun!  Now I know that in some places it’s cheaper and the drive is not so long but where I’m from, this is what a kid would have to do to keep playing soccer in the winter.  Not that an 8 year old would mind taking a break from soccer in the winter; looking back at my experience in rural Michigan, I was happy building snowmen and sledding.

That’s what it is all about at an early age.  FUN.  Children need to have fun during their first interactions with soccer to build a love for the game.  Along with fun it is crucial for them to get as many touches as possible at the earliest age possible.  In addition to building technique early on, kids are subconsciously analyzing what is going on around them.  They are building a sixth sense about what to do with the ball that works.  They are noticing where they need to be to get the ball and are starting to predict where the ball is going to bounce.  They are nurturing creativity with experience and they don’t even know it yet.

While winter is hitting the northern half of the states, it’s still sunny in Mexico.  While a parent is making the 3 hour commitment for their child to enjoy an hour of soccer time; a 10 year old kid in Mexico has been playing soccer 2.5 hours.  Why?  Because there are pick-up games going on 3 blocks down the street.  He plays because it is free every day.  He grew up around his dad’s love for the sport and he watched him play soccer as well.  Through playing unstructured soccer, this kid is working on his technique and increasing his problem solving in attacking and defense.  He is building the creativity that is seen in Latin American players.  This creativity that makes them such an asset on professional teams. 

Mexican players seem to have an ease with the ball; it’s so natural for them to move with the ball (at least compared to American players in the MLS).  Yes states like California, Texas and Florida have year round soccer with kids playing against a diverse group of players to practice with.  So it’s no surprise that 16/24 players on the current USMNT are from southern states.  Yet, like most American sports, it’s often athleticism that is rewarded. 

In the most recent Mexico vs. USA game, USA beat Mexico at the Azteca stadium for the first time in history.  Mexican-based players Jose Torres, Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo and heroic goal scorer Micheal Orozco Fiscal all played in this historic game.  These players all got their start in Mexico.  Torres and Castillo were turned down by MLS teams for being “too small” and Orozco’s talent was not recognized by Chivas USA or LA galaxy (teams who he had trials with). 

Why is any of this important?  Top names in American soccer have been calling for a different style of American soccer.  A more creative and technical USMNT is what we are all calling for and what people like Claudio Reyna, USSF US Youth Soccer Technical Director, think this country needs.  If there was one thing I could add in the US, it would be a street soccer culture.  Free pick-up games at the local basketball court…  And let’s find the Hispanic talent we have in the states, undiscovered talent that Mexican scouts come up here to find.  Do we really want to train to be like the English? What have they done lately?