The challenge of pursuing a soccer career in the USA is formidable, exacerbated not only by vast distances and unpredictable weather but also by a profound disconnection in the various stages of player development. While innate talent may lay the foundation for a virtuoso player, realizing one’s full potential demands dedicated effort and strategic guidance, whether aspiring for collegiate or professional heights.

In a society teeming with diverse groups, each with disparate demands, aligning the objectives of players and coaches becomes an intricate puzzle. The current scenario lacks a cohesive structure for player development, with a dearth of well-defined leagues or competitions to guide and synchronize a player’s progression. Educational institutions, constrained by limited sports seasons, force players to seek development in academies.

However, these academies, while capable of offering year-round competition, lack organizational governance, resulting in a haphazard approach to training and competitions. This leads to a disconnection in soccer development, hindering players from reaching their full potential.

Academy soccer further compounds the issue by tailoring its offerings to the economic capacity of individual players and teams. Quality training and competitions are often contingent on financial resources, leading to tournaments located far from players’ hometowns. Additionally, team quality correlates directly with the size of towns and states, creating disparities that hinder uniform player development.

The prevailing situation persists through the academic journey from primary to university, impeding the majority of American and Canadian players from securing spots in university teams crowded with foreign players availing themselves of soccer scholarships. In stark contrast, European countries, with their 10 months of organized soccer, produce players of superior caliber, underscoring the deficiencies in the American model.

The chaos preceding the university scene underscores the urgency for a comprehensive evaluation to chart a roadmap for American players, transforming them into compelling prospects for universities and professional leagues. Mentoring Soccer, attuned to the nuances of Soccer Development Disconnection, aims to address these issues and provide a structured pathway for players to reach their full potential, bridging the gap in soccer development from high school to the professional level.

HIGH SCHOOL TO PRO SOCCER DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS

Soccer is the most widely practiced sport in the world. Children are kicking balls around at any time, in any place on the globe. These children may someday become future stars.

Every soccer player dreams of being discovered by a scout.

When I was a child, I wasn’t allowed to bring a ball to school, so during recess, I would make a makeshift ball using the metallic paper that wrapped my lunch, a stone, or a bag—whatever I could find to create a ball. We used it to play impromptu matches in imaginary spaces with two makeshift goals. We dedicated hours and hours to our favorite sport. One day, a friend from school invited us to try out for Athletic Club de Bilbao, and we were chosen. He wasn’t a scout per se, but he must have seen something in us. Time and the team proved him right, and we ended up at Lezama, the Athletic Club de Bilbao’s youth academy.

Today, scouts are generally former top-level footballers who, due to their experience, can identify talent. Major teams have scouts working on every continent in the world, and there are even funded schools that work with promising players before inviting them to join the football club.

In different phases, these scouts and their technical teams sift through players, and once they have passed several levels, the most promising players are offered contracts or professional deals.

What is more important, a player’s technical quality or their emotional intelligence?

So, what does a professional club look for in a player to find him interesting? Simply put, technical quality and, above all, emotional intelligence—that something that will enable a player to develop his talent to the highest level for the longest possible time. It is inherent but also something that can be cultivated. Coming with it “from the factory” would be ideal, but evaluating it is very complex, and that is what the technical teams of teams around the world try to decipher. Messi is an example of a star who has remained a top player for a decade. Perhaps we should ask his discoverer what he valued on the day he found him.

SCOUTING SECRETS: KEY TRAITS SCOUTS SEEK IN SOCCER PLAYERS

Soccer goes beyond just being a sport; it’s a fusion of passion, strategy, and individual personality, creating an exhilarating spectacle. A player’s performance is influenced not only by their technical skills, but also by their distinct personality. Each position on the field, from ambitious forwards to steadfast defenders, reflects unique traits that shape the game.

Forwards, the architects of dreams and heroes in the penalty area, epitomize ambition and confidence. They thrive under pressure with eagerness, and their aggressive mindset and goal-scoring desires define their role. Forwards instinctively hunt for opportunities and turn them into memorable triumphs.

Defenders, in contrast to forwards, embody discipline and resilience. Valuing stability, they play crucial roles in preserving team integrity. Defined by patience, focus, and the ability to overcome obstacles, defenders willingly forgo personal acclaim for the fortification of the team.

Midfielders, the game’s maestros, blend tactical intelligence with a versatile game vision. Adapting to diverse play scenarios, they lead teams through different game phases. Their role harmonizes creative play with disciplined strategies, forming essential links between defense and offense.

Goalkeepers, solitary yet pivotal, maintain calm in high-pressure moments. Marked by serenity and concentration, they thrive in one-on-one confrontations. Resilience, self-confidence, and mistake-recovering abilities are their trademarks, ensuring the protection of the goal.

In summary, soccer is more than just about technical skills; it’s where diverse personalities unite on the field. From leading attacks to commanding midfields and guarding goals, each player’s unique character weaves into the fabric of the sport, shaping the beautiful game we cherish.

DISCOVER THE IMPACT OF CHARACTER ON SOCCER POSITIONS

WHY DO YOUNG NORTH AMERICAN ATHLETES COME TO TRAIN SOCCER IN SPAIN?

The popularity of European football has been steadily increasing in the US for some time now. However, opportunities to properly learn and practice the sport are limited. Many kids who are passionate about soccer often struggle to afford the high costs of academy training, which can average around $1,200 per month.

Following the 1994 USA World Cup, there has been a surge in interest in soccer from North American universities. This has led to an increase in the availability of soccer scholarships for students. Nowadays, universities across the US offer both full and partial scholarships to students from all around the world.

By awarding these scholarships, universities not only provide opportunities for young athletes to pursue their education in the US, but they also contribute to raising the level of soccer in their collegiate leagues year after year.

An international student can be awarded a sports scholarship ranging from 30 to 80 percent, while a full scholarship covers 100 percent of the expenses. The awards are based on the student’s abilities and potential as a player. Training in Spain can significantly improve a young athlete’s chances of receiving a scholarship, as the exposure to high-quality training can elevate their skills to a level that is attractive to US universities.

WHAT AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES ARE LOOKING FOR

US Universities are currently looking for quality soccer players. There are 3 categories: first, second and third division. The second and third divisions accept the majority of North American academy soccer players, none out of high school, since their work is annual and intensive and they provide more opportunities.

Soccer is only played for 4 months at the Hiigh School level,while at academies kids play all year round and participate in tournaments that are held in different states. Coaches from different universities travel to these tournaments to evaluate players at different times of the year. The academies even take trips abroad.

Academies prepare players to get university scholarships, but while division 2 and 3 admit most of them, first division universities are far more demanding: they focuse on European and American players who come from elite teams that play in Europe and are interested in studying a degree in the US. Players from lower divisions of elite First Division teams, who know that they will never make it to the first team, sometimes prefer to travel to the United States to obtain a scholarship that will pay for their studies. Therefore, Americans are not being selected by first division universities and have to come to Europe to improve their soccer by seeking experiences at the highest possible level in European teams.

The reputation of the Spanish League, the success of the Spanish men’s and women’s teams in European and world championships, the number of players trained in Spain who are succeeding in other countries and the presence of coaches in the best leagues and teams in the world, have turned Spanish football into a benchmark throughout the planet.

Many young foreign athletes have seen how the majority of soccer scholarships awarded by North American universities have gone to students trained in soccer in Spain. Added to this is the interest of other foreign athletes whose dream is to build a professional career in Spanish football.

Many players from all over the world come to train at Mentoring Soccer to reach these scholarships and be part of the University’s first division teams. Our soccer program is aimed at training these players. We prepare them for up to a year for university trials. Throughout this period, university coaches are informed about their progress, so that at the end of the program they receive college scholarships. It takes us no more than a week to evaluate the players, in three months we are capable of creating an impact on them. A profound change is achieved in the athlete and, thereafter, whoever is interested in mastering the game is offered the full year. The idea is to have the player sign for a club which will provide the real soccer experience, which provides the maturity that coaches expect to get a college first division scholarship at the best universities.

The first thing we do is an assessment of the player. We also work on his mental model. We want to transform an amateur player into a player with a professional mind frame.
Following this work scheme nutrition and fitness are monitored, individual technique and the understanding of the strategy are evaluated. The playing quality at the collective level is also taken into account. To tie everything together, the psychological aspect of the player’s personality is studied in depth to evaluate how it translates into the field and how it affects the player’s development and performance.
This is a holistic approach which provides a comprehensive assessment.

WE SET GOALS
Football is like life itself, we have daily objectives and we have to perform at the highest level to achieve them. At all times the player needs to understand that his preparation is a high performance team’s responsibility, that is, we plan his preparation and we are aware of his progression but he is the one responsible for his general condition. A first division team has a nutritionist, physical trainer, psychologist, etc… but until he reaches that level only he and his close family will take care of him.

LET’S GO AFTER THEM!
The player’s success is our success . Once we are certain that he is ready, we present his file to the clubs that we think may be interested in his profile or, if what he is looking for is to sign directly with a University, we inform the coach of his progression and the performance.

Mentoring Soccer only trains warriors who are willing to give their best performance at all times on the field. I want athletes who are able to memorize the movements that I teach them every week and reproduce them effectively on the field. In a game there is little time to think and in life there is no time to waste if you want to achieve your goals.

SOCCER TRAINING IN SPAIN: GATEWAY TO US SCHOLARSHIPS

Explore how Mentoring Soccer, led by Iñaki Sánchez Unibaso, unlocks US university scholarship opportunities with elite soccer training in Spain. Discover our unique methodology preparing young athletes to excel at prestigious universities, enhancing their skills and offering a singular chance to merge education with a passion for soccer.

Blog

HIGH SCHOOL TO PRO SOCCER DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS

SCOUTING SECRETS: KEY TRAITS SCOUTS SEEK IN SOCCER PLAYERS

DISCOVER THE IMPACT OF CHARACTER ON SOCCER POSITIONS

SOCCER TRAINING IN SPAIN: GATEWAY TO US SCHOLARSHIPS

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