Chasing the Game - Youth Soccer in America

Liron Unreich, Matt Tartaglia
  • 5.0 (21)
  • SOCCER
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America is a weekly podcast for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how youth soccer development really works in the United States. Hosted by two dads, filmmaker Liron Unreich and investor Matt Tartaglia, the show covers everything from grassroots soccer to elite pathways like MLS NEXT and ECNL. Combining data, real experience, and expert insights from academy directors, college coaches, and former pros, each episode explains what families truly need to know. Weekly episodes focus on the core aspects of youth soccer: player development, coaching culture, college recruiting, tryouts, travel costs, and the challenges of youth sports parenting in today’s competitive environment. For families navigating youth soccer’s complex system, Chasing the Game offers practical advice, credible voices, and relatable stories from two dads working to make sense of American player development, one episode at a time.

  1. Youth Soccer Pathway: MLS NEXT, College, and What Parents Get Wrong

    4D AGO

    Youth Soccer Pathway: MLS NEXT, College, and What Parents Get Wrong

    What actually prepares a young player for the next level? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia speak with Tom Bowen, Academy Director at Long Island Soccer Club in MLS NEXT and assistant coach at Hofstra University, about what player development looks like from both the academy and college sides. They discuss Europe versus America, maturity, locker-room culture, college recruiting, scholarship realities, development versus winning, early and late bloomers, and how parents can better evaluate training environments. This episode is for soccer parents, coaches, and players trying to make informed decisions about MLS NEXT, club soccer, college recruiting, and long-term player development.  https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - Cold Open. Three Views of the Youth Soccer Pathway (01:38) - Europe vs America. Why Maturity Shows Up Earlier (04:03) - What U.S. Youth Soccer Actually Gets Right (07:20) - College Recruiting Reality. Scholarships, Transfers, and Risk (15:51) - Long Island Soccer Club and the MLS NEXT Buildout (19:45) - Winning vs Development. Pressure, Bio-Banding, and Standards (24:00) - Staffing the Club and Building the Right Environment (31:50) - The Win-at-All-Costs Trap and Early Developers (35:49) - Island FC and Long Island's Emerging Pro Pathway (39:30) - College or Pro. Why Education Still Matters (43:38) - How Parents Can Judge Trainers and Development Sessions (47:49) - Coaching Style, Social Media, and the Final Parent Takeaways Click here to view the episode transcript.

    57 min
  2. MLS NEXT Academy: How Far Should Parents Go? | Justin Phelps

    MAR 4

    MLS NEXT Academy: How Far Should Parents Go? | Justin Phelps

    How far should a family go for elite youth soccer? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia talk with Justin Phelps about the real cost of pursuing an MLS NEXT academy opportunity and how that decision can affect family life. They discuss relocation, long commutes, emotional strain, routines, pressure, academy environment, and the difference between a strong badge and a truly developmental setting. This episode is for soccer parents navigating MLS NEXT, ECNL, academy decisions, relocation questions, and the difficult line between supporting a child’s ambition and protecting the family around it.  https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - Cold open. The 13 year old roommate (00:45) - MLS NEXT and environment. Why families relocate (01:38) - Who is Justin. Soccer HQ, outsider dad learning the game (03:03) - The Orlando City Academy call (05:00) - The U13 jump. physicality, speed, confidence (10:00) - The family math. travel, money, emotional cost (15:00) - Apartment life. routines, pressure, staying positive (24:08) - My roommate is my 13 year old son (24:42) - The omelet moment (33:20) - How to evaluate an academy. signals that matter (44:37) - Advice to the Zillow parent. before you move (48:40) - What we learned. next steps Click here to view the episode transcript.

    50 min
  3. Fixing Pay to Play in Youth Soccer | Danny Buttitta

    FEB 25

    Fixing Pay to Play in Youth Soccer | Danny Buttitta

    Can a small club create a better development environment than a large one? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia speak with Evan Rosenthal, president and director of Manhattan Kickers FC, about one of the most distinctive small-club models in New York City youth soccer. They discuss selective growth, one team per age group, coach continuity, motivation at young ages, scholarships, player handoff to bigger clubs, and why scaling too quickly can dilute standards. This episode is for soccer parents navigating the New York City soccer landscape and anyone trying to understand how club size, philosophy, and environment shape player development.  https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - Chapter (01:00) - The big idea. A sponsor supported layer (03:10) - What problem he is actually solving (04:20) - Facilities + coaching. Building a home base (06:20) - Sponsorship mechanics. Who pays for what (10:05) - Widening the funnel. Finding every player (13:45) - Avoiding a new elite lane. Access vs exclusivity (18:10) - How this works with clubs. Incentives and friction (22:10) - What sponsors get back. Value and alignment (26:00) - Scale question. Local pilot or repeatable model (30:10) - Reality check. Execution details and constraints (35:40) - The bigger system. What would have to change (41:10) - Wrap. What success looks like next Click here to view the episode transcript.

    43 min
  4. Small Roster Youth Soccer: Why Selective Clubs Develop Better Players | Manhattan Kickers FC

    FEB 18

    Small Roster Youth Soccer: Why Selective Clubs Develop Better Players | Manhattan Kickers FC

    Why do so many U.S. players struggle when they enter a true football culture? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia speak with Dutch coach and academy educator Ditmer de Jong about the invisible cultural gap between U.S. youth soccer and Dutch youth soccer. They discuss self-regulation, autonomy, question-based coaching, everyday football culture, risk-taking, and why players develop differently when coaches foster ownership rather than dependence. This episode is for soccer parents and coaches who want a clearer understanding of culture, coaching philosophy, and what American families can learn from Dutch player development.  https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - Cold Open (00:32) - Why This Club Stays Small (04:15) - One Team Per Age Group (09:42) - Spotting Motivation at Age 6 (16:08) - What Changes by U10 (23:10) - The “Special Sauce” Coaching Model (31:20) - Scholarships & Access (38:44) - The Handoff to Bigger Clubs (46:30) - Scaling vs Standards (54:05) - What Parents Get Wrong (59:10) - Final Takeaways Click here to view the episode transcript.

    1 hr
  5. Why U.S. Players Struggle in Europe | Ditmer de Jong

    FEB 11

    Why U.S. Players Struggle in Europe | Ditmer de Jong

    What if the biggest difference between Dutch and U.S. youth soccer isn’t talent, facilities, or even training volume, but culture. In this episode of Chasing the Game. Youth Soccer in America, we talk with Ditmer (a Dutch coach and academy educator) about the invisible gap many American parents feel but can’t name. In the Netherlands, he explains, football is everywhere. It’s normal to play at school, after school, and through the local club culture. That everyday immersion shapes how players think, how they learn, and how they handle pressure. From there, we zoom in on one of the most important ideas in modern player development. Self-regulation. Ditmer breaks down what it looks like when coaches build ownership rather than dependence. Not “do this, do that,” but asking players what they want to improve. Teaching reflection. Building decision-makers. Helping kids learn how to learn. If you’re a soccer parent navigating pay-to-play, tryouts, roster churn, and the constant noise of “pathways,” this conversation offers a clearer lens. It’s not a European fantasy. It’s a practical look at why culture and coaching philosophy matter, and what American families and clubs can take from the Dutch model without pretending the systems are identical. In this episode, we cover Why “football is everywhere” changes everything for player developmentThe difference between training more and learning betterWhat Dutch coaches mean by self-regulation and “self-learning.”How question-based coaching builds smarter, calmer playersWhy U.S. youth soccer often produces dependence on instructionsWhat parents can do now to support autonomy, confidence, and resilienceThe real gap parents don’t see until they compare environmentsChapters: (00:00) - Dutch vs U.S. Youth Soccer. The Gap Parents Don’t See (01:02) - Why This Comparison Matters to Parents (04:10) - Dutch Youth Soccer Is an Ecosystem (07:45) - Self-Regulation Starts Early (12:30) - Why Dutch Coaches Stay Silent (17:40) - Micro-Coaching and Its Hidden Costs (23:05) - U12 Match Day. Twin Games Explained (30:10) - Encouraging 1v1s and Risk-Taking (36:25) - What Coaches Look for Beyond Talent (42:50) - The Parents’ Role Off the Field (49:15) - Why Development Is Not Linear (56:40) - Key Takeaways for U.S. Parents Click here to view the episode transcript.

    1h 3m
  6. Youth Soccer Careers: The Hard Choice Parents Don’t See Coming | Alex Rando

    FEB 4

    Youth Soccer Careers: The Hard Choice Parents Don’t See Coming | Alex Rando

    What happens when the dream path finally opens, and a player is no longer sure they want it? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia talk with Alex Rando about big decisions, discipline, family pressure, goalkeeper mentality, and what it really means to bet on yourself in youth soccer. They explore academy soccer in New York, the pull of MLS NEXT, college soccer versus the pro route, and the emotional weight of choosing growth over comfort when the stakes suddenly become real. This episode is for soccer parents and players navigating major pathway decisions and trying to understand how ambition, identity, and long-term development collide.  https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - Betting on Yourself (02:10) - Growing Up Playing in Manhattan (06:25) - When Soccer Starts Feeling Serious (10:40) - The First Big Decisions (15:55) - Choosing Growth Over Comfort (21:05) - Parents as Support, Not Directors (26:20) - Pressure, Mistakes, and the Goalkeeper Mindset (31:45) - College, Contracts, and Uncertainty (37:10) - Discipline Beats Motivation (42:30) - What Being “Ready” Actually Means (47:50) - The Decisions That Stay With You (51:40) - Final Takeaways on Betting on Yourself Click here to view the episode transcript.

    57 min
  7. Youth Soccer Burnout: The Hidden Cost of Elite Development

    JAN 28

    Youth Soccer Burnout: The Hidden Cost of Elite Development

    What happens when elite youth soccer becomes a constant evaluation cycle? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia are joined by Dr. Jonathan Jenkins and Dr. Kimberly O’Brien, authors of Mentality Wins, to unpack the mental toll of pressure, fear of mistakes, comparison culture, and burnout in elite youth soccer. They discuss confidence, feedback, the cognitive triangle, athlete identity, and practical tools parents and coaches can use to support mental health without lowering standards. This episode is for soccer parents and coaches navigating tryouts, feedback, anxiety, burnout, and the challenge of helping young players stay healthy, resilient, and connected to the game.  https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - The Hidden Cost of Elite Youth Soccer (02:05) - Constant Evaluation and Playing Afraid (06:48) - The 2% Difference. Mental Not Physical (11:32) - Fear of Mistakes and Performance Anxiety (16:10) - Comparison Culture and Identity (21:05) - Feedback That Builds or Breaks Kids (26:18) - The Cognitive Triangle Explained (31:44) - Parents, Coaches, and the Sideline Problem (36:52) - The Car Ride Home. Comfort or Solutions (42:30) - Focus, Flow, Finish, Flourish (49:10) - Applying the Mental Game at Home and Training (57:40) - What Parents and Coaches Should Take Away Click here to view the episode transcript.

    1h 9m
  8. What America Gets Wrong About Youth Soccer Development | Peguy Luyindula

    JAN 21

    What America Gets Wrong About Youth Soccer Development | Peguy Luyindula

    What does youth soccer in America miss when the game stops being played and starts becoming a product? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia speak with Peguy Luyindula, former player for Lyon, Marseille, PSG, the France national team, and the New York Red Bulls, about the difference between a football culture built on everyday play and one shaped by structure, fees, and outcomes. They discuss street football, creativity, coaching standards, pay-to-play, parents as clients, and how to support growth without draining a child’s love of the game. This episode is for soccer parents and coaches who want a deeper perspective on culture, development, access, and what American youth soccer can learn from more organic football environments. F https://chasingthegame.us (00:00) - Start (00:04) - Cold open. why this guest matters (00:36) - Peguy intro. PSG, Lyon, Marseille, France, MLS (01:40) - Interview begins (03:18) - Street football roots. how it started (09:26) - Playing anywhere. cans, rocks, tennis balls (14:52) - First big moment. scoring. belief (15:31) - When football becomes work (20:28) - Coaching as responsibility. train coaches. set standards (24:42) - Europe vs U.S. youth soccer culture (36:55) - Pay-to-play and the U.S. maze (40:23) - Parents as clients. business pressure vs development (49:58) - It’s not a game when you become a pro (01:01:45) - Host wrap. access, environment, and the hunger Click here to view the episode transcript.

    1h 3m
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About

Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America is a weekly podcast for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how youth soccer development really works in the United States. Hosted by two dads, filmmaker Liron Unreich and investor Matt Tartaglia, the show covers everything from grassroots soccer to elite pathways like MLS NEXT and ECNL. Combining data, real experience, and expert insights from academy directors, college coaches, and former pros, each episode explains what families truly need to know. Weekly episodes focus on the core aspects of youth soccer: player development, coaching culture, college recruiting, tryouts, travel costs, and the challenges of youth sports parenting in today’s competitive environment. For families navigating youth soccer’s complex system, Chasing the Game offers practical advice, credible voices, and relatable stories from two dads working to make sense of American player development, one episode at a time.

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