Two things that are almost universally true in the elite American youth soccer landscape are:

     • Top players aspire to play overseas someday
     • Getting the opportunity to be looked at by a European club is something of a dark art.

The launching of U.S.F.C. (United States Football Club) is the most comprehensive and well-planned endeavor to provide elite players with that opportunity. Until now, a player who wants the chance to train with and be evaluated by top European clubs, has relied on  someone on this side of the Atlantic who happens to know someone on that side, and is sufficiently motivated to help provide an opportunity. Over the years this has resulted in  very few “opportunities” actually being realized, and at times has even bordered on the perilous in situations where young players are concerned.

With U.S.F.C., all of that is replaced by top-notch soccer credibility, professional organizational and logistical support, and a well-lighted avenue of opportunity for the best American youth players.

“It’s the last great missing piece. I saw it with my own two eyes when we had the opportunity to take two of our very best players to Ajax Amsterdam,” said Don Ebert, U.S.F.C. Technical Director. “We cannot recreate what these kids will experience in going to a foreign environment overseas. We cannot recreate the intensity and pride and aura that exist there for soccer. The more kids who get exposed to that and get that hunger for more – they’re changed. I saw it with our two and I know those players are forever changed for the positive.”

What U.S.F.C. has done is create an expanding network of rock-solid contacts with leading European clubs. These clubs, unlike the professional teams in the U.S., have long-established and professionally-led youth programs, with a direct connection to the club’s top level.

Increasingly, these clubs are looking at the burgeoning world of elite youth soccer in America as a place to find playing prospects for their professional team, but they too have been frustrated by the hit-and-miss setup by which they might try to work with American players.

What U.S.F.C. offers them, is a credible gateway to evaluate leading youth players from many top clubs in the U.S. By facilitating these opportunities, U.S.F.C. will help American youth players realize dreams, while protecting these young men from the uncertainties and dangers that might threaten should they leave those chances to a less-organized and visible process.

U.S.F.C. Chairman and founder Joseph Konowiecki said providing opportunity, both for players and their clubs, is what the organization is all about. “We’re trying to create opportunities overseas for the best soccer players in the United States.” Konowiecki said. “We want to start at the grass roots with what we feel are the strongest youth players and raise the bar on how they are trained, by borrowing the best training techniques used around the world.  Along with that we want to offer the elite players opportunities to train with international clubs. As these players decide to pursue careers overseas, we hope to support them in their endeavors to do so.” 

Konowiecki emphasized that the things players do at a young age make a big difference in regard to their future opportunity. “I think if you talk to foreign clubs about what are the key ages for players – they all say between 12 and 16,” he said. “You’ve got to get them working seriously every day on their skills. What they see us tending to emphasize in the U.S. is teams winning. So obviously we produce what we produce.  When their bodies grow up, players’ technical skills become that much more important, and the learning curve is virtually over.  England is discovering this now. They realize they are falling behind rest of Europe.”

Konowiecki said a hallmark of the organization will be putting the well-being of the young athletes first, including the protection of their future options. “The key is we don’t want to do anything to harm the amateur status of any player that wants to stay an amateur. At the same time, we want to provide development opportunities for those elite players nationally and internationally,” he said. “This involves sending players overseas to clubs that match their capabilities and gives them a chance to be exposed as well. Then every year we’ll start with a new pool of young kids at the 15-year old level. If kids decide they want to pursue opportunities then we will do that. We are not agents, but we may be able to help guide them to clubs that are interested in their talents.”

Technical Director, Don Ebert said that U.S.F.C has arrived at an ideal time both for American players and overseas clubs. “The main thing is that there’s a tremendous talent base emerging in the U.S., and not a lot of people are in position to guide it,” Ebert said. “You ask kids what they aspire to, and whether realistically or not, they aspire to pro careers in Europe. Well we’ve gone from being an importing soccer nation to an exporting one. You see statements by Bruce Arena and others, that American players need an environment where day in and day out you have to be at your best. We’re trying to fill that void by providing opportunities to get players across to clubs that fit their profile.”

Ebert added that the club development component of USFC is also important.

“Partly, how we’ll do this is by working with players and clubs directly and showing them what works – so that the level of player development is on a constantly improving plane in the U.S,” he said. “We want to provide exposure to techniques that will improve their training regimens and improve training overall in the United States.”

The domestic, or “discovery” clubs will assist the organization in scouting for promising talent in the U.S. Along with sending players to trials and training periods overseas, the club will host scouting combines at which a number of overseas coaches and scouts will be on hand to see American players first hand. More details on that will be announced in coming months.

Ebert noted that the sending of players overseas will not be done in an en masse fashion, but with the careful consideration expected from a top flight player development organization.  “We’re not terribly interested in providing just a training opportunity abroad. There are too many kids that want to do that, and pretty soon we would wear out our welcome,” he said. “The credibility factor is important. Not every player is going to make it, but we want to make a good impression. We don’t want to send the wrong player to the wrong place. We have to get the right players and be sure that this is the right match. Each time we send a player somewhere, we put our reputation on the line. We want to be successful both in our service to the players and in our standing in the international soccer communities.”

Konowiecki said his main purpose for starting the organization was to, over the long term,  help spur the overall level of play in the U.S., while providing opportunities for today’s youth player.  “We can increase quality of play as these players get the chance to play in Europe and continue to bring back the training skills and habits acquired overseas,” he said. “I’m known as an enabler for growth opportunities. It’s what I like to do. I saw, having 2 sons very involved in soccer for a number of years, that we don’t measure up, not just in the quality of today, but with the system of raising the bar in a sustainable manner. Soccer is improving in the U.S., but it is in the rest of the world as well.

 This can fill a void in the area of raising the bar. That’s what attracted me to this project. We have a good combination of talent and discipline that otherwise is lacking in soccer development. I’ve had nothing but positive reaction in speaking with people. It’s a long-term project and we are looking at it that way.”