Is it time for youth transfer fees in the US?

[Shway]

US soccer has progressed to the level where like the rest of the world, MLS clubs should considering paying modest youth transfer fees to local clubs that develop the young players (http://soccerlens.com/tags/general/players/) they select for their U16 and U18 academy teams (http://soccerlens.com/tags/teams/).

Reimbursement in the form of scholarships would encourage local clubs to develop complete players instead of focusing on wins and also to invest in low-income players, further improving the vision of youth player development in the US (http://soccerlens.com/mls-youth-academies-signal-changes-in-us-player-development/16564/). Ultimately, it could help turn out a better selection of youth products and somewhat limit MLS clubs’ need to invest in their own youth programs.
Bob Lenarduzzi, president of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the 2011 MLS expansion team, agrees that youth transfer fees are feasible. The USL Champion Whitecaps already have a youth residency program in place and when they enter MLS in 2011 they will be the first club with that distinction.
“It comes down to the quality of the program that you’re running,” Lenarduzzi said of transfer fees. “If you’re running a program and you happen to have a good kid there that gets signed by a pro club, should you really benefit from that? Probably not. But if you’re a club that’s invested in player development and you’re turning out player after player, then I have no problem working out an arrangement with a club like that.”
Youth clubs are somewhat of a cottage industry, created by passionate professional players and coaches, operating on a non-profit tax status and competing for top players to win tournaments, through which they attract more players who pay seasonal fees. Some are quite tiny with only a few teams and some far more expansive, employing dozens of coaches mostly on a part-time basis. Some are run in offices, some in the home, and almost all the fields and gyms are rented or leased. It’s labor intensive and day-to-day, yet these clubs have launched most of the professional US talent.
MLS requires all its clubs to provide fully funded U16 and U18 teams to play in the US Soccer Development Academy League (http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/Development-Academy/Academy.aspx) and encourages them to develop youth programs in their markets. Some clubs, including Chicago Fire (http://soccerlens.com/tags/teams/chicago-fire/), Colorado Rapids (http://soccerlens.com/tags/teams/colorado-rapids/), DC United (http://soccerlens.com/tags/teams/dc-united/), and NY Red Bulls recently created extensive programs (http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/ussoccerplayers/2009/09/mls-player-development-chicago-pushes-south.html) that bring boys and girls right through the ranks from pre-school to college, and the Fire has a U23 PDL team from which they gleaned Chris Rolfe, who makes the leap to Denmark this January.
Still, many of the MLS clubs’ academy players are selected from outside clubs that get no financial reimbursement for their investment in those players.



Read more: http://soccerlens.com/is-it-time-for-youth-transfer-fees-in-the-us/35218/#ixzz0SRuLU6Rv (http://soccerlens.com/is-it-time-for-youth-transfer-fees-in-the-us/35218/#ixzz0SRuLU6Rv)






(http://soccerlens.com/is-it-time-for-youth-transfer-fees-in-the-us/35218/)

[flatpicker]

Makes sense to me that if someone wants a player, then the organization that developed that person should be compensated.

But I suppose you would have to come up with some sort of agreement with every player involved in the system.
Otherwise those players are free to go where they choose, if there is no kind of contract with their developmental program.

[TFC07]

I don't know about USA, but here in Canada, kids pay their own money to play in rep and provincial teams, right? If so, then clubs shouldn't get a dime from pro teams at all.

[flatpicker]

I don't know about USA, but here in Canada, kids pay their own money to play in rep and provincial teams, right? If so, then clubs shouldn't get a dime from pro teams at all.


well, on the flip side...
If one of these kids is signed to a contract... well, they are gonna get paid.
So that seems like fair compensation to the young player.
Why not let the organization that developed that kid make a few bucks at the same time?

[Macksam]

well, on the flip side...
If one of these kids is signed to a contract... well, they are gonna get paid.
So that seems like fair compensation to the young player.
Why not let the organization that developed that kid make a few bucks at the same time?
If there's any legal means of compensation, by all means. However, there isn't so it's too bad really.

[C.Ronaldo]

well, on the flip side...
If one of these kids is signed to a contract... well, they are gonna get paid.
So that seems like fair compensation to the young player.
Why not let the organization that developed that kid make a few bucks at the same time?

b/c the program already is compensated through the rep higher fees.


but then this is where the poorer kids get left behind.

I could never afford rep as a kid.


Its complicated stuff that needs more attention than it currently gets

[Shway]

i think its rare for players to get there rep registration paided for, like TFC07 said above, they pay for it, so if they decide to leave, then they can.

How can someone want money for a youth player whos going to play for free, when they didnt realised to let them play for free.

[TFC07]

but then this is where the poorer kids get left behind.



CSA really needs to fix this problem. Sadly though, the only solution to fixing this problem is to have more pro teams (start our own league) in Canada so that they can pay rep teams for their players. Rep teams don't have to charge a dime for players since they'll get their money from pro teams if they do a good job of developing players (they probably make more money off it than just simply charging players to play for their teams) .




I could never afford rep as a kid.

I personally left soccer for that reason (I was good enough to play rep if I wanted to) and started to play basketball instead.

[AL-MO]

I don't know about USA, but here in Canada, kids pay their own money to play in rep and provincial teams, right? If so, then clubs shouldn't get a dime from pro teams at all.


i think its rare for players to get there rep registration paided for, like TFC07 said above, they pay for it, so if they decide to leave, then they can.

How can someone want money for a youth player whos going to play for free, when they didnt realised to let them play for free.

Pretty much most of North America uses a 'Pay to Play' system (outside of school sports). You may get a player here or there that gets a free ride, but its not very often.

[TFC07]

Pretty much most of North America uses a 'Pay to Play' system (outside of school sports). You may get a player here or there that gets a free ride, but its not very often.

But the thing is that school sports is huge in USA (it's more popular than these youth teams). So if you can't afford to play in these youth clubs, at least you got an option to play in school teams and get scholarship offers from colleges if you're good enough to play in high level (but then again, you need to have good grades if you want to play in college).

The same can't be said about Canada. Excluding hockey, Canada is awful when comes to developing athletes. The only way to become a successful athlete in Canada is either you have money or move to another country to develop your skills.

[mmmikey]

i think its rare for players to get there rep registration paided for, like TFC07 said above, they pay for it, so if they decide to leave, then they can.

How can someone want money for a youth player whos going to play for free, when they didnt realised to let them play for free.

i don't disagree with your point, but perhaps this is where the fees could help to establish a scolarship/grant system where TFC would pay for the registration of say 5 kids over 3 year for every 1 they recruit.

[VPjr]

This is a very complicated matter. There are no quick and easy answers.

I totally understand why some might reflexively say "if a player pays for training and competition, then why should the youth club be compensated".

My argument, and its the same as the author's, is that the lure of compensation in return for developing a player would quickly encourage a rethinking of a youth club's role in the developmental pyramid. Competition for the sake of winning the ever coveted $5 trophy would become less prevelant because clubs would seek to replace coaches who are in it for personal glory with coaches who are in it to develop better players. HOPEFULLY (no guarantee) the lure of "transfer fees" would focus clubs on developing pro-style development programs that would improve our odds of developing better players for our pro clubs, foreign clubs and, most importantly, our national team programs. Also, hopefully those fees would be reinvested so as to make soccer even more affordable, particularly for kids with lesser means.

FIFA does have guidelines regarding how much a youth amateur club can claim as compensation if they develop a player continuously between the ages of 12-16 (or something like that) and that player moves to a professional side and they can even make future claims on transfer fees. I'm not sure how often a Canadian youth club has ever successfully made such a claim but I'd like to see it happen more often IF it stimulates badly needed change in the youth soccer community. By and large, the priorities of most coaches and adminstrators involved in youth soccer are totally upside based on global norms.

Also, keep in mind that in Europe and other countries, players at the younger ages often play soccer "for free" but, if they are playing as part of an athletic club, they have paid something for membership in that club that provides the sporting activities that they are taking part in. Or, they play through their school (so the parents pay through your taxes). Only once players are segregated into an elite stream is there generally no cost to participate.

Also, soccer in Canada (and most sports) are open to all who wish to participate. In many countries, organized sports are only available to those players deemed good enough to play. Our participatory system is the envy of most of the world but it gets perverted once the player moves out of the recreational sphere and moves into the competitive elite sphere. Realistically, if youth soccer clubs were indeed CLUBS (rather than soccer organization associations, which is what I prefer to call them) the club members who enjoy the recreational services provided by their club would gladly pay some amount as part of their fees to subsidize the cost of the club's elite programs because those elite programs would hopefully shine a positive light on the club as a whole and bring pride to the membership. That attitude doesn't exist here. Truthfully, Canadian soccer clubs are rarely "clubs" at all. They are just a collection of teams playing under one common banner but the affiliation between these teams is incredibly weak if it exists at all. Oddly enough, the private academies (who are not permitted to be sanctioned at this time) generally do a better job of creating a "club" environment within their organization. I've witnessed excellent co-operation amongst coaches and free movement of players between teams, depending on ability rather than age.

[AL-MO]

Truthfully, Canadian soccer clubs are rarely "clubs" at all. They are just a collection of teams playing under one common banner but the affiliation between these teams is incredibly weak if it exists at all. Oddly enough, the private academies (who are not permitted to be sanctioned at this time) generally do a better job of creating a "club" environment within their organization. I've witnessed excellent co-operation amongst coaches and free movement of players between teams, depending on ability rather than age.

That is because the coaches are employees (and paid).

The way it should be!

[Macksam]

But the thing is that school sports is huge in USA (it's more popular than these youth teams). So if you can't afford to play in these youth clubs, at least you got an option to play in school teams and get scholarship offers from colleges if you're good enough to play in high level (but then again, you need to have good grades if you want to play in college).

The same can't be said about Canada. Excluding hockey, Canada is awful when comes to developing athletes. The only way to become a successful athlete in Canada is either you have money or move to another country to develop your skills.
We produce quite a few journymen in the CFL to mind you.:cool:

i don't disagree with your point, but perhaps this is where the fees could help to establish a scolarship/grant system where TFC would pay for the registration of say 5 kids over 3 year for every 1 they recruit.
MLSE won't pay anything to anyone if they are not forced to.

[VPjr]

That is because the coaches are employees (and paid).

The way it should be!

correct!

It's amazing what a paycheque will do to keep coaches in line and focused on goals that are bigger than their own personal ambition.