PSD Academy

The Elite Soccer Training Environment in Colorado

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Imagine a business that calls themselves a “pro pathway”, yet doesn’t develop pros. In addition, can’t fill their “camp” with their own athletes they “train”, they have to DM athletes outside their “environment” and call it development. There are a number of CO parents getting duped and swindled, and CO youth athletes being wayy over exaggerated.

I got an idea, have your “elite group” play one of my groups. Yea didn’t think so bc I’d actually post the score and your “pathways” would be exposed.

I’ve been doing this for over 10 years. They aren’t the first people to come in to CO, pouch & market athletes I actually developed, and took the credit for it. Too Funny 😁#dimeadozen

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

I LOVE player development and athletic programming. It is my passion and what brings me the most joy.

From U9 to Pro. Not sure there is another person in the State of CO doing that.

The machine that is youth, and now HS and College, soccer will continuously try and derail me but I will NEVER let it. Some enjoy that, most don’t. What makes me dangerous is that I AM COMPLETELY OK with that.

Never liked the lights and never had a big circle. PSD will always implement and adhere to a Player-First mentality inside of its programming. Thank you.

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Less Entertainment, More Development.

Thats what your process requires and that’s what the integrity of the game deserves.

The issue? You won’t realize how good or bad your choices were until the end. Choose wisely who you surround yourself with. I see it over, and over, and over again.

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

After another month of listening to parents and observing club and organizational behaviors as we maneuver through “try-outs” and prepare for the Summer are the following:

• You can put 💄 on a 🐖 , but it’s still a 🐖

We continue to layer as many leagues on top of leagues as we can to sell to our communities however, for as many youth ⚽️ options there are in CO now, there aren’t many legitimate ones.

• “Selections” without merit has, generally, become more and more prevalent. All to sell and guise that development is actually (but not really at all) occurring.

Selection to a USYNT “ID Day” or you’ve been “selected” to a “pro pathway”. All to keep the 💰 🚂 going and mask what’s actually going on, which is little to nothing.

Show me athletes who are consistently being invited to these “prestigious” environments that actually make the youth national teams and/or sign pro contracts, and I’ll stop.

For those that are choosing to not associate with the league pathway or are not getting “selected” to these settings, KEEP GOING. It’s just noise that, historically, fills up an empty IG Bio and means very little.

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

State of HS (female) ⚽️ in a CO?

Just look at a girls HS game versus 2 “Top” teams. No control, No connection, and No Purpose. All “elite” players.

The level has dropped dramatically over the last 2 years due to early graduates as well as athletes VOLUNTARILY choosing to disassociate from the chaos and low-level environment and not play.

To see some of these “elite” players and coaches act like they are doing something is quite funny. And some aren’t even doing anything. We can talk about leagues and levels when it comes to Club but heaven forbid we true it up in HS. 😂 #stopmovingthegoalposts

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

A very hard truth that most youth families & athletes do not realize til the later stages of the HS phase is the following:

There was nothing selective about the National League pathway you chose. There is no “top-level” but rather a series of inflated “competitions” that extorted you financially and stunted you developmentally.

Need Assistance?! Just Ask.

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

We are at a point in the youth game where those who can influence the most, attract the most.

Like most influencers, there is a shelf life.

Follow the transparency. Doesn’t take much time to open up the blinds and see what’s inside. Proven and CONSISTENT developmental results are what will, generally, increase your percentages of impact.

Need Assistance?! Just Ask.

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Spoke with a DI, P4 Asst. Coach today regarding one of our College Select Program female athletes about to enter the Transfer Portal. Things he DID NOT ask me regarding this athlete:

Did she play on a top team when she was 10?

What (National) League did she play in when she was 12?

Did she compete in her state association with her team when she was 13?

Did her HS team win a league or state championship when she was 16?

What he DID ask me was:

What are her strengths (today)?

What weaknesses does she exhibit that will negatively impact our Program?

Can she accept feedback/coaching?

The message? Focus on the Process, NOT the Hype. This week will pass and we have more control than you think. 💚

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Youth ⚽️ Parents & Athletes:

As we approach “try-out/selection” week in CO, I wanted to share a few realities that will hopefully add clarity to the ingrained chaos Clubs are currently creating in your environment:

1.) If you don’t make the (top) team you want or the team you feel you “should” have made, then SO WHAT?!

If you remain authentic and accountable with your intentions within your Process, you will get to where you should go. I see it All. The. Time.

2.) Your Club is creating imaginary boundaries and is NOT the end all, be all. Their selections are OPINIONS, not fact. What one Director or Coach feels isn’t impactful, another may feel is essential. Either way, YOU dictate your Process, not them.

3.) You WILL NOT miss out on “development” or “exposure” because you did not make the (top) team you wanted or thought you should make.

Development and exposure is undoubtedly out there WITHOUT the “service” of your Club. I 💯 promise you. For better or worse, we live in an age of options and connectivity.

4.) The league you did or did not make, DOES NOT MATTER. What matters are the behaviors and decisions within your Process. No League has the finite ability to shift or alter your Process, YOU DO.

I speak with experience in training and servicing 1,000’s of youth, HS, Collegiate, and Professional athletes in this area for over 10 years. You will be OK, ESP when you decide to control and impact your process the way YOU want to, and not how others feel or think you should.

All the best this week and if I can be of ANY assistance, then don’t hesitate to reach out.

Sean

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

I’m shocked that no one has litigated this “grant of permission” that these CO ECNL Programs are leaning so heavily on right now. The fact that ECNL clubs act like they own the rights to your participation and impact within the sport, and they have “final say”, in some type of contractual way is both sad and hilarious at the same time. All about the kids, right?! 🤷🏼‍♂️

What isn’t being reflected on internally from these Directors (and should be) are, “If your space was so great, then why are so may people asking you to try-out in other environments”? 🤔 But they will go on their merry ways, recruit (and DM) as best they can, and call it “development” and “pathway”.

The whole thing is so transparent if you look at it objectively and without emotion (which is hard). 🧐

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Youth ⚽️ Parents:

Do you honestly NOT see 👀 the games being played by these Clubs by announcing their “new” leagues and their “new” opportunities right before team formations? 💰💵🤑

No “new” league or “improved” format is going to improve what they’ve already shown you all year. Last time I checked, no league affiliation has EVER improved the coach’s ability to properly program and develop you. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

State of Youth ⚽️ in CO:

Them (CLUB): We will not be participating in this Event so you may do what you want.

ME: PSD will be running a Youth Select Team for this Event in this age-group.

Them (CLUB): 😱 We will now be participating in this Event for this age-group and we will Coach the teams.🙀

ME: 😏 Good to know little ‘ol me can still move a Club of 10k people. 🤡

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

One of the biggest mistakes youth parents and athletes make in the current landscape 👇🏼

Don’t chase sessions, CHASE PROGRAMS.

There are plenty of (new) training environments that will sell their space as “elite”, or “intense”, or worst yet, developmental.

Seek an environment that promotes consistency, demands progress, and takes responsibility for your child’s PROCESS!

ANYONE can throw sticks, rings, and ⚽️’s on a field and call it impact. If it takes 3 different “elite” training environments to run one (Spring) “camp” then there’s your first 🚩.

Sometimes I feel like I’m not in real life. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Serious athletes deserve serious people to support them and there are a plethora of unserious, 💰 hungry adults in Colorado. 💯

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

One of our youth groups last night was struggling to ignite in the beginning of our session (it happens). I brought them in after about 7 minutes and said:

“Considering what you are fighting for, you do not have to be PERFECT, but you undoubtedly need to be PRESENT”…

Was complete 🔥 the rest of the session.

As Athletes, Coaches, & Parents inside what has become an incredibly chaotic Youth Process, PERFECTION should never be the intention as it is very rarely (if it all depending on POV) ever achieved.

What we can (and should) hold ourselves accountable for is PURPOSE & PROGRESSION. Always & OBSESSIVELY. That is when reward & sustainable impact collide 💥.

We Keep Going. 💚

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Youth ⚽️ in 🇺🇸 UPDATE:

• Everyone is selling, very few are actually developing.

• Private, Domestic leagues and pathways are starting to collapse. The more you layer, the less effective and sustainable the environment.

• MLS and NWSL will (hopefully) soon dictate the youth system. Totally.

• Traditional “Club Model” is starting to cease and well-versed Club Directors know it and are doing whatever they can to salvage.

• Due to social media, AI, and other resources, parents (and in turn youth athletes) are much more aware and educated (compared to 5 years ago) of the pitfalls and they are starting to choose to bypass the “traditional system”, which is causing organizational (Club) disruption (💰💰💰).

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

What’s it say about these AMAZING European “soccer camps”, that are starting to pop-up consistently in the Denver market, that two of them have reached out to me to run AND “scout” the technical portions of their camps this Summer. For an insane amount of 💰 too. 😆 🤔 🤨🧐

If you are trying to be thoughtful & diligent with your 🕛 and 💵 within the developmental process this Summer, then DO YOUR RESEARCH. And for those following, I said “No thank you”. 😝

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Spent a Saturday watching my daughter as well as 7 other HS Girls teams participate in Spring, Pre-Season Friendlies and had a few take aways:

1️⃣ I really enjoyed and was grateful to see over 30 athletes that I train/trained on every field. I earned that.

2️⃣ There are some HS Coaches really trying to cultivate and play the right way. I applaud them as I know the ingrained stressors and I hope it continues throughout the Spring Season.

3️⃣ An athlete’s annual participation in an “elite league” does not guarantee consistent impact at the HS level.

4️⃣ I really enjoyed being in the sun ☀️ and not being in the wind 💨.

ALL THE BEST to all the HS girls participating this Spring!

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

Generally, most Youth Soccer Clubs in 🇺🇸 have now become nothing short of Event Organizers & Coordinators.

READ THAT TWICE.

Gone are the days of trusting a Club (generally), to program, develop, and progress your athlete for impact in the sport of ⚽️ .

Those that know me, know I can’t stand Events. 😆

[PSD Academy @psdacad]

I said “NO” and lost out on popularity, notoriety, and reposts a LONGGGG time ago (since inception over 10 years ago) because I CHOSE to be honest and direct with my messaging. Yet I’m still here training most of the best talent in the State of CO.

But boy oh boy. Some of the training “techniques” and “sessions” I’m seeing athletes (parents) repost on social media (and spend 💰on) in this State are comical and sad at the same time.

Sad because it looks like some of these athletes look serious, yet are in an incredibly “unserious” environment. Comical because these “trainers” are actually selling and getting a way with it. DO YOUR RESEARCH.