A reading of the introduction to my new book is at the 15-minute mark, after a brief autobiography to explain my perspective as an old but still upbeat soccer supporter. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

Ranting Soccer Dad

Intro: Why the US Men Will Never Win the World Cup

We were going to talk about promotion and relegation. Really. We just didn't get around to it. Dan and I have been talking soccer online for a couple of decades, and we've been accused of being shills for Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer. And we've been accused of being the same person. We submit this podcast as proof that we're not, though someone will probably figure I just recorded both voices and spliced it together in Audacity, like the inverse of Jim Henson and Frank Oz teaming up to be the Swedish Chef. And THAT, we talk about.  We also trip down Memory Lane to remember a coven of soccer bloggers and journalists, along with MLS Cup 2009. And we talk about soccer hipsters. But you have to listen to the end to hear the Dave Chappelle joke. And the nice tidy ending. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD 2-7-19: Dan Loney drops by and doesn't talk about pro/rel

You can’t fix luck. But can you rethink things? Can you find holes in what you’re being taught? Why do people who follow the rules always lose? If you hurl a bag of balls, cones and pinnies off a cliff, does it make a sound? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD short: A meditation on losing and coaching

One thing we all know but becomes more vivid when you become a referee: We need more referees. A funny story or two from a long weekend on the field illustrates the point. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD 10-9-18: We need refs! Not just me!

How's the new "Play/Practice/Play" model working? Probably not as well for me with the number of kids I'm coaching. That's the first topic here. Then it's funny reffing stories. I get to USSF coaching education arrogance around the 18-minute mark, and then I defend Jason Davis and Nipun Chopra against the NASL's spinning efforts. Finally, a reminder to get moving if you want to run for USSF VP. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD short: Funny youth stories, USSF arrogance and NASL spin

Personal news: I'm boycotting Twitter over the Alex Jones situation and related misdeeds, and The Guardian has just posted my story on Carlos Cordeiro's first six months. Youth soccer news: What can Cordeiro's task force do to stop the insanity? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD short Aug 10 2018: On Twitter and Cordeiro

New format for the pod! Today’s topics are the new U.S. Youth Soccer chairman (with some discussion of USSF president Carlos Cordeiro), WoSo and feminism (with some discussion of Hannah Gadsby), and some RSD content updates. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD Short: New US Youth chairman, WoSo and aspirations

Soccer writer Kyle Williams joins the podcast this week to talk about promotion and relegation, proving that we can talk about such things without bloodshed. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD38: A productive promotion/relegation chat

This is part two of a lengthy but worthwhile interview with Nathan Richardson, co-author of a book called Shoeless Soccer. The title isn't necessarily advocating that we all toss our boots in the trash, but the book does suggest that we've organized things a bit too much and should let kids learn more by doing, which is actually how much of the rest of the world does it. (You know, the countries that QUALIFIED for the men's World Cup.) If you missed Part 1, please check it out: https://rantingsoccerdad.com/2018/07/18/rsd37-shoeless-soccer-author-nathan-richardson-on-taking-youth-soccer-off-the-long-grass/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD37 (pt 2): Shoeless Soccer's Nathan Richardson

Nathan Richardson, co-author of Shoeless Soccer, joins the podcast this week to talk about the radical yet somewhat globally accepted ideas in his book. Basically, instead of turning soccer into an expensive coach-driven activity, why not let kids learn by playing? And maybe on hard surfaces so they'll learn to control the ball instead of booting it? This conversation should give us all some ideas for how to reform youth soccer, even if you don't agree with all of them, and it should put the term "rec mindset" to bed once and for all. We all start as rec players, and in many cases, that's where we (well, not me) learn the things that make us better players down the road. We ran rather long, so this will be a two-parter. Practice plans mentioned in the podcast are at http://www.mayouthsoccer.org/coaches/u14/ Thanks as always to Patreon supporters, and keep an eye out for RSD merchandise available soon. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD37 (pt 1): Drills? Travel? PLAY! Guest: Nathan Richardson

Lesle Gallimore has been head women's soccer coach at the University of Washington since 1994, and she's the current president of United Soccer Coaches.  In this conversation, we talk about how college coaches adapt their recruiting to the new "elite league turf war" environment. And we talk about how players adapt and whether they *can* adapt.  For example: Could Gallimore's most famous player, Hope Solo, work her way through the system today and be discovered?  Coincidentally, Solo made a lot of news this week, and I discuss that before the interview (which was recorded before all that news happened). The Gallimore interview starts around the 10-minute mark. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD36: Player pathways, college and elite leagues, with Lesle Gallimore

Dennis Crowley didn't just start a soccer team. He created a laboratory for "open-source soccer."  He shares business and financial info on his NPSL club, the Kingston Stockade, on Medium. And though Kingston might not be the likeliest market to have a club that would climb an open pyramid to Division I, he has become one of the most thoughtful (or reasonable, if you like) advocates of promotion/relegation. In this conversation, we talk about the challenges of putting together a pyramid in the lower divisions. Yes, there's more than "U.S. Soccer stinks," though he argues the federation could be doing more to facilitate change and stability. And at the end, he shares his experience of seeing the Stockade make their Open Cup debut. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD35: Dennis Crowley on putting together a soccer pyramid

The guest is Daryl Grove of the popular Total Soccer Show podcast. The topic is his hometown club, the Richmond Kickers, which has a couple of decades of history as a youth soccer club with a professional team on top of and integrated into its internal pyramid.  Yes, really. It's not just a pro team that started up some half-assed youth programs. It's not an MLS team that has Development Academy teams and little else. See its tryout page to see how many levels of travel soccer it offers, and then look at its "Little Kicks" page to see former pro player Luke Vercollone's programs for preschoolers. The Kickers also join forces with the rival Richmond Strikers for the Richmond United Development Academy pro --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD34: The USL/youth hybrid Richmond Kickers, with Daryl Grove

Today's guest is an English/American/German soccer writer/referee/parent/coach/player. He's Ian Plenderleith, and we had a good conversation about the differences in the USA and Germany -- at least, as many of them as we could fit in a one-hour chat. Read more of Ian's work at ... - The Quiet Fan, a blog related to his upcoming book - Referee Tales, dispatches from the fields in Germany - Rock n Roll Soccer, his book on the NASL (the old one) - Twitter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD33: Soccer played in Germany, with Ian Plenderleith

Maybe they're not turf wars. Maybe it's just healthy competition. Christian Lavers is fully immersed in the complicated landscape of U.S. youth soccer. He's a technical director with FC Wisconsin and an executive with the ECNL and U.S. Club Soccer. And miraculously, he still sounds optimistic. Even "nice." If you're looking for mud-slinging, you're not going to find it here. Instead, you're going to hear a candid but polite take on why we have multiple national championships and other stuff that those of us who cover youth soccer complain about.  He's aware of the travel requirements these days -- "not every game should require a hotel stay or flight," he says. But he sees different organizations filling different legitimate needs.   Leading --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

RSD32: Christian Lavers on ECNL/DA, U.S. Club/U.S. Youth competition

Frank but fair conversations and occasional silliness about youth soccer. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ranting-soccer-dad/support

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Ranting Soccer Dad

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