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In this eye-opening episode, Jason Carney—former pro coach and current Director of Coaching at FC Portland—breaks down what's really wrong with youth soccer in the U.S. We dig into his brutally honest book, US Grassroots Soccer: Great on Paper S**t on Grass, and explore how the adult obsession with results is crushing kids’ development.
From game models and coaching culture to what parents should actually be asking clubs before joining, Jason delivers truth bombs every minute. If you’re a soccer parent, this episode will challenge your thinking and leave you better equipped to support your player’s journey.
Key Talking Points:
🎧 Tune In to Learn:
🔥 Quotes from Jason Carney:
"Society is fighting back against what I believe in, but I’ll keep banging on the door of long-term development."
"It's not just parents—it's all adults who ruin the game for kids."
"You wouldn’t enroll your child in a school with no curriculum. Why do it with a soccer club?"
"If your child’s been at a club for 8 years and still doesn’t understand the game, something’s wrong."
"A coach’s life can be very lonely in a win-at-all-costs culture."
"No player will ever be cut from my team after a year with me—because they'll be better than when I got them."
"We talk a lot about game models, but the hardest part is executing them."
"Helicopter parenting won’t help your kid reach the top. It does the opposite."
"Every decision we make starts with our culture. Not just the game model—the people."
"We love our kids too much. We solve problems before they’ve even tried to."
Connect with Jason Carney:
Follow Chat By The Pitch:
🎧 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Your feedback helps us reach more parents ready to change youth soccer for the better.
#ChatByThePitch #YouthSoccer #PlayerDevelopment #SoccerCulture #LongTermDevelopment #ParentEducation #FCPortland #GrassrootsSoccer #SoccerParenting #USSoccer
4.8
55 ratings
In this eye-opening episode, Jason Carney—former pro coach and current Director of Coaching at FC Portland—breaks down what's really wrong with youth soccer in the U.S. We dig into his brutally honest book, US Grassroots Soccer: Great on Paper S**t on Grass, and explore how the adult obsession with results is crushing kids’ development.
From game models and coaching culture to what parents should actually be asking clubs before joining, Jason delivers truth bombs every minute. If you’re a soccer parent, this episode will challenge your thinking and leave you better equipped to support your player’s journey.
Key Talking Points:
🎧 Tune In to Learn:
🔥 Quotes from Jason Carney:
"Society is fighting back against what I believe in, but I’ll keep banging on the door of long-term development."
"It's not just parents—it's all adults who ruin the game for kids."
"You wouldn’t enroll your child in a school with no curriculum. Why do it with a soccer club?"
"If your child’s been at a club for 8 years and still doesn’t understand the game, something’s wrong."
"A coach’s life can be very lonely in a win-at-all-costs culture."
"No player will ever be cut from my team after a year with me—because they'll be better than when I got them."
"We talk a lot about game models, but the hardest part is executing them."
"Helicopter parenting won’t help your kid reach the top. It does the opposite."
"Every decision we make starts with our culture. Not just the game model—the people."
"We love our kids too much. We solve problems before they’ve even tried to."
Connect with Jason Carney:
Follow Chat By The Pitch:
🎧 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Your feedback helps us reach more parents ready to change youth soccer for the better.
#ChatByThePitch #YouthSoccer #PlayerDevelopment #SoccerCulture #LongTermDevelopment #ParentEducation #FCPortland #GrassrootsSoccer #SoccerParenting #USSoccer
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