Playmaker Fútbol Academy

Kirk is joined by Paul Spacey to discuss one of the more contentious debates in US Soccer: what would happen if NBA and NFL stars had chosen soccer?

Kirk is joined by Gary Kleiban of 3four3 to discuss the US Soccer Media landscape and how it shapes the way Americans do and don't understand the sport. The conversation focuses on the media circus around USMNT Manager Mauricio Pochettino, MLS reporters (and their hate for Marcelo Bielsa), and how many that report on the game in the US end up supporting structures that harm the US's ability to truly progress as a soccer nation.

Peter and Kirk discuss the difference(s) between recreational and truly competitive soccer and how you can tell if you're getting the right thing from your youth soccer club.

Kirk is joined by writer and comedian Travis Helwig to discuss the overlaps in developing creative soccer players and improvisational comedians. Travis is a former member of the Upright Citizens Brigade who have developed some of the biggest names in comedy. He discusses how The Harold and the rules of improv help to develop people who trust their teammates, can stay in the moment, and take risks.

Kirk is joined by Joe Lowery (of The Total Soccer Show and the Phoenix Rising broadcast team) to discuss some of the more common statistics used in the professional game and how these can help contextualize the game alongside the eye test. The also chat about some basic statistics that parents and coaches can use to help analyze their player's game.

Peter and Kirk discuss US Soccer's move to school year registration, what to expect with the move, and also try to figure out what the change is ultimately for.

Today's guests are Derrick Jackson and his daughter Annabelle. Derrick is a coach at PFA North and discusses his arrival at the club, what his first impressions were, and how his first experience as a head coach turned out. Annabelle has trained with the club for a few months now in preparation for playing college soccer and discusses the difference she's noticed in her game as a result of training differently.

Kirk is joined by Gary Kleiban of 3four3 to discuss how to evaluate youth soccer clubs and know if they are worth your time and money.

Gary's platform is host to multiple coaching courses as well as a player masterclass that can help players, parents, and coaches better understand the game and how it should be trained.

Kirk and Peter discuss the broken nature of the US Youth Soccer Pyramid, which league is "best", and why that's actually an unanswerable question.

In this first episode Kirk and Peter discuss what PFA is up to in Flagstaff and why we have a culture of risk-taking and aren't afraid of failure.

Can players really learn "life lessons" if all they do is collect plastic trophies? Do other clubs play it too safe? Are parents nerfing their kids' sports?