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This week we sit down with Fred Lipka, Technical Director of Youth Development at Major League Soccer. Few people have influenced the MLS academy landscape more over the past decade, and this conversation goes deep into what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to change in US player and coach development.
Fred shares powerful insight on why he believes American soccer has been “built upside down,” why the weekly rhythm should always be five days to develop, one day to perform, and why judging coaches solely by results is holding back both player development and coaching standards.
We dive into:
• The real purpose of youth competition
• Why US soccer over-teaches with big numbers
• The lack of 1v1 wingers and aggressive fullbacks
• Touch limits, robotic players, and constraints-led training
• Relative age effect and selecting the “big kids” too early
• Why domestic coaches should stop feeling inferior
• Inside the MLS–French Federation (EFCL) course
• The rise of US talent and why Europe is watching
• How MLS academies are building community, not isolation
Fred’s honesty in this episode is exceptional, and his clarity on how to optimise the individual player — not just the team — is something every coach can learn from.
Time Stamps:
0:00 Opening
0:58 Episode intro – Fred Lipka & topic overview
3:01 Where is US coaching right now?
3:35 “Soccer has been built upside down in the US” – structures & education landscape
9:01 Results, recognition and how we evaluate coaches
12:06 “Winning is important, but not at the expense of development”
18:26 Measuring success: quality of play, selection & relative age effect
22:23 Inside the MLS–French Federation course (EFCL) and creating academy leaders
28:32 How the course “strips you bare” and rebuilds your coaching
31:35 No single method – understanding how different players learn
35:33 CPD events, evidence of growth & what’s changed in MLS
38:10 Domestic coaches, inferiority complex & future moves abroad
41:57 Building a real coaching community around MLS clubs
44:16 US talent, European scouts and staying in MLS academies
47:36 Are we really lacking 9s, 10s and 1v1 wingers?
50:18 Street football vs constraint-led training & replicating the game
52:03 Possession work, touch limits and “robotic” players
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In my opinion… Players must approach the game looking to win. Winning is important for the player psychology of "competing and pushing themselves". For Youth coaches, winning isn't the goal – it's translating the themes of training/development into the game and testing those development concepts against real competition. I will tell parents – would you rather lose the game 3-2 in a hard fought, close game with some fantastic football… OR win 10-0 and have your son/daughter score a hat trick? That's why I always disliked the concept of not keeping score… it's not natural.
I like the Bill Walsh book – the score takes care of itself… It's about American Football… but such a great read.
MLS: Alright, I'll do it all myself
For decades, there's been nothing but charlatans in U.S. soccer. Bilking money from parents with no results. MLS is now really investing in Academies, and U.S. soccer needs it.
MLS and development 😆
I think “winning vs. development” is a false dichotomy. It’s like saying “skill vs. fitness”…you need both!
If the game model is appropriate for the age group, then absolutely try to win every game…it will not hurt development. For instance, 7 v 7 for 11 or 12 year olds is perfect…they should be able to play to win in this format while at the same time getting enough quality touches to develop.
Coaching education from USSF is average , still.
If it was better than that, the players would show that. Who is the last world class player developed fully in the US? Landon?😂 in 100 years NO real world class players ….. just that should speak volumes, maybe it’s even by design.
Thr culture isn’t there, they don’t get up living and breathing football like in other countries. Where is the street footy being played there? Now I am here in Canada, it’s the same thing. Players playing ,”to be with their friends”. Players have no real idea what it is to have football as a lifestyle, it’s just something they do on the side.
Results wise it is the same here. Our small province has limited player pool, only 2 indoor half field pitches. Only training twice a week only. These teams went to nationals and u17 girls won it all on penalties. The opposition were club teams not provincial teams, we compete against club teams
Here because we are so small….The coach got a pat on the back for winning….. But not one of the players got a call from university coaches. My point is that North America seems still to have the same view as Fred has stated , the result.
same here in canada
Love it
48:38 I COMPLETELY agree with his assessment of delaying large sized games to 15 years old. If our players are playing less in the streets then why we would we rush to have them play large sided games and get even less touches on the ball. it doesn't make sense. Before he even mentioned this, I have my under 8 team playing 5v5 while we have had teams in our age group play 7v7 when they were 6 years old. I am delaying this as much as possible because I see how players at 8 years old still struggle with fundamentals of the game. So why would we increase numbers? They play less, so they need more time in these small sided games. In my opinion, USA is overrating their improvement. Every country has improved, but US acts like they are the only country that has improved and everyone else has stood still waiting for them to catch up. US has just produced more average players at the highest level. Even their best player Pulisic, is not a part of the US academies. His dad with probably no US licenses was able to produce a better player than all these American coaches with every license possible