Our satirical attempt to expose the  stupidities and vices of some soccer club's was misunderstood by a few people. To be clear - The Far Post Report story about "Brazilian Star to Norcal Club"  was a satire. We have had a few people respond angrily about the story and even refuse to forward the web site link as it promoted much that is wrong with soccer clubs. We apologize to anyone who was fooled but hope to continue to use this form of expression to expose the excesses of soccer in our area.

Satire is defined as: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and ridicule people's stupidity or vices...

Upon further review of the college's web site we realized this player had a one year career  - with that club! The other clubs who had developed the player remained unmentioned in the article or on the university website. We were even more surprised to see the player had competed in a high school three hours away from the club. This meant the player, probably, did not train with the team rather they played games with the team.

Why would a club accept this player into their team? The club who allowed a player on their roster from such a distance is clearly interested in primarily two things - the win and notoriety for putting players into college.  Even if we grant them a third interest - the welfare of the out of area player - one would have to question the level of interest they have in their own players.

Is the policy good for that individual player?Can you blame the player for being attracted to the allure of a "state championship", a "national championship" or a college scholarship. We must concede by playing with this team, 3 hours away, he might have gained valuable experience unavailable in his living area. Perhaps playing for a better team, at more higher level events, with a greater chance of exposure to college coaches, provided him with good experiences and better exposure to colleges. However, from a training stand point, it could not have been good. The idea to not train with a team rather only play games is crazy - unless absolutely necessary - you live in Yosemite and the nearest competitive team is in Modesto for example. Perhaps, and hopefully, he trained with a different team in his area - he must have.

The ideal situation would have been to play with one of the clubs nearer to where he lived. Clubs in Europe are constantly expressing concern for a players social life, family life and academic life. And they are developing players who could earn the player and the club millions.

 Of course the club and coach could argue they need to grab the top players to compete at big events because not all of their players possess the ability to compete at the top. They could, somewhat correctly, argue the best players need to be at the top events for experience and exposure. Not all players have the ability to compete at a Dallas Cup or a other high profile events. There are times when, a coach may argue, they need other better players for an event which is necesary to attend for their best players.

In any case, this type of situation of players playing for teams so far away is too normal and it is primarily found in the US - and now Brazil.

In many European clubs, the player's history lists each club they have played for throughout their career. Many clubs are known for developing players and many are known for buying them. However they are honest about it. Perhaps this honesty is needed in our area when a club wins a big prize. "We won a National Championship", they may advertise but they fail to add, " Eight of the players came from our rivals 30 minutes away." To be clear to win a national championship is an achievement - to do it with players your club has developed is much a greater one.

Does your club take credit for a player who has spent one year in your club before they go to college? Does your club take pride in developing players from a young age until college age? Or do they take pride in grabbing or allowing a team or group of players from another club to come to their own, put their name on it for a year or two, and call it their own?

Of course there will be attrition and players will change clubs. This happens everywhere in the world. But to begin recruiting at U10's or U11's and continue  each season until teams are unrecognizable from their first years can not create a positive atmoshpere within a club. Who can trust a club is trying to educate their child when a club is constantly bringing in players from the clubs next door?

To be sure, there are many situations in our club system which cause players and teams to leave. Many are justified. Many are not. However the act of recruiting players from other clubs, after games, at ODP, or using parents, with the aim to win some titles,  is wrong and reveals little regard for developing a club's players.

Ajax Amsterdam, West Ham, VFL Bochum, Atalanta and many other clubs are known for developing talent. People know they provide cutting edge development programs which develop the talents of their youngsters. People realize they will rarely compete at the highest level because they develop players who are purchased by " the big boys". But there is honesty in this situation. Real Madrid does not pretend to have developed Ronaldo or Ronaldinho in their youth system. ManU may be putting the final touches on Rooney but Everton can lay claim to discovering and developing him.

There is a movement in many countries toward training "the best with the best" . Even smaller professional clubs are cooperating in youth development to insure their best 5-10 players are playing with the 5-10 best players from another club. These " Super Club's" share the goal of developing players for their professional team. The other player's development remains important, but the clubs recognize varying levels of players need varying levels of training and experience. Of course their teams are not guaranteed a division of play, no one anoints them and says, " You are elite" rather they must battle for their spot in any division they compete.To be clear, if Ajax Amsterdam develops, for the professional team, 1-2 players a year they consider their youth club a success. Perhaps this Super Club idea needs to develop in our area with clubs cooperating U14- U15's and above? (See the refreshing letter from Greg Thompson posted last Monday )

Within our state which clubs are solid developers of players? Which clubs will gut a team if 15 better players came from a nearby club? Which club can take a large number of players and coach them from a young age, and develop them for college, or higher? Which clubs recruit, other club's players incessantly rather than paying attention to developing their players to their full potential? Which club has a board who discusses their vision and holds their coaches to it?

Finally, should we develop a ranking of clubs based their U11's results or should we develop a system which prizes those clubs who can take youngster's, provide a positive experience, keep them playing soccer over 8-10 years, develop them as people and players and finally place them in the college, amateur, professional, or national team ranks?

Hopefully, these articles stimulate some thought in all youth soccer clubs about their vision, their goals and their purpose.