The Inside Scoop with Anytime Soccer Training - Discussing Youth Soccer from Around the World

Hey, it's Neil Crawford here with a quick freestyle episode of The Inside Scoop.

This one’s just me thinking out loud — no script, just opinion. A friend of mine posted a great graphic from the Croatian Football Federation encouraging players to rotate positions. I love the idea in theory, but I had to jump on the mic and share a few personal thoughts.

We’ll talk about:

• Why I prefer my sons to start in the spine (6, 8, 10)

• What I think games are and aren’t good for

• How training — not just playing — drives real development

• And why structured games may not be the best place to “fix weaknesses”

Again, this isn’t gospel — just one parent-trainer’s point of view.

Let me know what you think, and as always — let’s get better together.

Hey, it's Neil Crawford here with a quick freestyle episode of The Inside Scoop.

This one’s just me thinking out loud — no script, just opinion. A friend of mine posted a great graphic from the Croatian Football Federation encouraging players to rotate positions. I love the idea in theory, but I had to jump on the mic and share a few personal thoughts.

We’ll talk about:

• Why I prefer my sons to start in the spine (6, 8, 10)

• What I think games are and aren’t good for

• How training — not just playing — drives real development

• And why structured games may not be the best place to “fix weaknesses”

Again, this isn’t gospel — just one parent-trainer’s point of view.

Let me know what you think, and as always — let’s get better together.

Hey, it’s Neil Crawford, founder of Anytime Soccer Training. This is a follow-up to the last episode where we talked about the classic tryout dilemma: Team A or Team B?

In that show, I walked through how I help my own kids think through those choices. This time, I’m diving deeper — unpacking how I personally evaluate teams, what I actually look for in a training environment, and how I turn these moments into teachable life lessons.

I also share my take on why I don’t obsess over what kids say they want long-term — and instead focus on what they’re willing to do right now.

If you caught the last episode, this one fills in a lot of the blanks. Let’s keep the conversation going and, as always, let’s get better together.

In this episode, I share a real conversation I had with a soccer dad wrestling with a common tryout dilemma — should his child join the more competitive A team or stick with the solid B team?

I break down how I think through these choices with my own kids: focusing less on titles, leagues, or promises, and more on training environment, realistic commitment, and what we actually control as parents.

If you're a parent trying to help your child navigate team choices, this one’s for you. Let’s get better together.

In this episode of The Inside Scoop, I (Neil Crawford, founder of Anytime Soccer Training) dive into one of the biggest headaches for parents—tryout season. What if we could standardize it? What if there was a clear window for tryouts, offers, and decisions—just like college recruiting?

I explore a proposal that some states are already testing and raise questions about why this isn't the norm nationwide. Could it work if everyone agreed? What’s stopping it now?

This isn’t a rant—it’s an open question. If your state does it differently, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s figure this out…together.

Brought to you by Anytime Soccer Training — 5,000+ follow-along videos and now: Weekly Plans, Skill Moves by category, Individual Player Plans, and more.

Hey everyone, Neil Crawford here—host of The Inside Scoop and founder of Anytime Soccer Training. In this episode, I interview Frisly Colop, a soccer parent currently living in Mexico, to get his firsthand perspective on how youth soccer in Mexico compares to the U.S. 

We dive into the structure of training, the role of the community, cost differences, and what he’s observed as both a parent and a fan of the game. If you’ve ever wondered how soccer development looks outside the U.S., this episode brings an honest and insightful look from a parent who's lived both sides.

https://anytime-soccer.com/

Hey everyone, Neil Crawford here, founder of Anytime Soccer Training. In this episode of The Inside Scoop, I’m diving into one of the most talked-about — and misunderstood — issues in American youth soccer: pay-to-play.

I recently watched a YouTube video titled “The Real (Optimistic) Truth About Pay-to-Play in America” and had a thoughtful exchange with the host. It sparked this episode because, while the video raised some valid points, many people miss a critical nuance when comparing the U.S. system to countries like England, Germany, or Brazil.

Yes, soccer is more expensive for families here. But what often gets overlooked is that we’re demanding and paying for a very different product — more training, more paid coaches, more structure.

In many other countries, most kids play under volunteers with minimal costs and far fewer services. So while it’s true that players abroad might pay less, they’re also getting less — at least until they enter elite academies, which only a tiny percentage of kids ever do.

In this episode, I break that down and explain why I think the U.S. system is flawed — but not always in the way it’s portrayed.

Here is the video: https://youtu.be/ThOcraYEhro?si=8EoW5UnWIsbwjPLu

Let's get better together.

Hey everyone, Neil Crawford here, founder of Anytime Soccer Training. This episode gets personal. I’m responding to a message from a fellow soccer parent about their child getting anxious and “forgetting their training” during games.

That hit home for me—because I’ve been there with my own kids, and I know how helpless it can feel.

In this episode, I open up about how I’ve approached those tough moments. I share how I break the game down into simple, specific actions—not just vague goals like “be confident.” I talk about how I used principles of play like penetration, switching the point of attack, and creativity in the final third as anchors to help my sons focus on just one or two key things each year.

We also dive into the emotional side of all this: how we as parents have to acknowledge our biases, manage our impulses, and give our kids the space and time to grow—technically, mentally, and emotionally.

I talk about the role of visualization, mindfulness, and using small physical cues as reminders to help our kids stay present and intentional on the field.

This episode is for the parents who are trying to figure out how to support their kids without overstepping. For those wondering if what they’re doing is too much—or not enough. And for those who, like me, are trying to get better every day.

Let’s get better together.

Hey everyone, Neil Crawford here, founder of Anytime Soccer Training. This episode gets personal. I’m responding to a message from a fellow soccer parent about their child getting anxious and “forgetting their training” during games. That hit home for me—because I’ve been there with my own kids, and I know how helpless it can feel.

In this episode, I open up about how I’ve approached those tough moments. I share how I break the game down into simple, specific actions—not just vague goals like “be confident.” I talk about how I used principles of play like penetration, switching the point of attack, and creativity in the final third as anchors to help my sons focus on just one or two key things each year.

We also dive into the emotional side of all this: how we as parents have to acknowledge our biases, manage our impulses, and give our kids the space and time to grow—technically, mentally, and emotionally.

I talk about the role of visualization, mindfulness, and using small physical cues as reminders to help our kids stay present and intentional on the field.

This episode is for the parents who are trying to figure out how to support their kids without overstepping. For those wondering if what they’re doing is too much—or not enough. And for those who, like me, are trying to get better every day.

Here is a link to the website referenced in the show:  https://www.competitivedge.com/ Let’s get better together.

This episode is not about offering solutions. Nope — it’s a full-on rant inspired by the tidal wave of advice, contradictions, and guilt trips parents get from every corner of the youth soccer world.

We’re told:

• Don’t train your kid too early — unless you do.

• Winning doesn’t matter — but your team better be in a competitive league.

• Clubs don’t develop players — but also, stop moving clubs.

• Be hands-on — but don’t be that parent.

• Tryouts are scams — but pick the perfect team in 48 hours.

So today, I’m asking one question: What do you actually want from us?

If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in expert opinions but starving for actual clarity — this one’s for you.

Let’s get better (or at least stay sane) together.— Neil

P.S. Accepting nominations for Mayor of Parent Trainers and President of the YSPPA. Must love logic, sarcasm, and juggling with the non-dominant foot.