By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching, Eastern New York Youth Soccer 
Association
Perhaps in reading this, it will help if you get the Talking Heads song on and hum along. Anything that helps you remember the key points may help you attempt to change the atmosphere in your club or league. Yes, we need change.
Leagues and clubs are pushing the idea of travel soccer and more competitive environments to younger and younger. Perhaps it is an attempt to draw them in now, so we don’t lose them to another club or another sport. Like the governing bodies have decided that parents want more competition, more travel, and the title of the academy this or elite that younger and younger. So, they jump on the bandwagon and ultra-competitive environments dominate across the intramural landscape and young players are forced to commit to travel soccer at Under-8 and in some cases even younger.
What is obvious and true is that this rush to travel and more competitive soccer is simply hurting the game and player development. Along with the rush comes the idea that winning is more important than learning. This comes at a cost and the behaviors noted below that are common on both intramural fields and travel games up and down the country are anti-fun and destroy development.