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Talia Sommer uses Lamine Yamal to explain a bigger development point. The difference is not just skill. It is instinct, freedom, and reading the moment instead of manufacturing moves. Full episode on the channel #podcast #TaliaSommer #LamineYamal #PlayerDevelopment #YouthSoccer
Talia Sommer explains a decision a lot of families would assume should go the other way. Why choose Butler University over an Atlético Madrid opportunity? Because pathway, fit, trust, and development do not always line up with the biggest name. Full episode on the channel. #podcast TaliaSommer #ButlerUniversity #AtleticoMadrid #CollegeSoccer #WomensSoccer
Talia Sommer on a real youth development tension in the U.S. Players can be organized and solid, but still struggle with creativity and spontaneous decisions. This is a sharp conversation about structure, freedom, and what elite play actually looks like. Full episode on the channel. #TaliaSommer #YouthSoccer #PlayerDevelopment #USSoccer #GirlsSoccer
Talia Sommer on one of the hardest parts of youth soccer parenting. Kids cannot feel like every goal is for a parent’s approval. This clip gets into confidence, pressure, and what support should actually feel like. Full Talia Sommer episode on the channel. #TaliaSommer #SoccerParents #YouthSoccer #GirlsSoccer #YouthSportsParenting
What builds a pro soccer player? In this episode, Gotham FC rookie Talia Sommer joins Chasing the Game to talk about youth soccer development, parent pressure, girls playing with boys, creativity, free play, and the road from New York and Israel to Butler and the NWSL. Talia’s story is one of the most revealing we’ve had on the show because it goes far beyond résumé. She explains how playing with boys shaped her mentality, why turning pro young in Israel changed her perspective, what American players do well, what can still be missing, and why one of the hardest lessons for families is knowing when support starts to feel like pressure. If you are a soccer parent, coach, or player trying to understand what really shapes development, this conversation gets into the middle of it. In this episode: • Youth soccer parent pressure vs. support • Girls playing with boys • Gotham FC and the pro pathway • Butler soccer and college recruiting • Israel vs. U.S. soccer culture • Creativity vs. structure in player development • Free play, extra training, and what actually helps • Advice for serious young players Chapters 00:00 Why Talia Sommer’s story matters 02:13 Harlem, Tel Aviv, and falling in love with soccer 05:46 Playing with boys, Manhattan SC, and Maccabi 08:05 Turning pro at 14 in Israel and the road to Butler 10:14 Parents, freedom, and the line between support and pressure 14:01 “I need you to be my dad” 16:57 Playing up, college, and learning from older players 19:03 Israel vs. the U.S. vs. Europe in women’s soccer 22:54 American players, creativity, and what can be missing 28:34 Free play, extra training, and the 1,000 touches debate 35:45 Choosing Butler over Atlético Madrid 39:04 Advice for young players, and what parents should hear Subscribe for more conversations about youth soccer in America. #YouthSoccer #GirlsSoccer #WomensSoccer #NWSL #GothamFC #soccerparents "In case you missed it. Talia Sommer had an Atlético Madrid opportunity and still chose Butler University. It is one of the clearest examples of choosing fit over hype. Full episode is live on the channel. @butlerathletics @NJNYGothamFC
Guide, don’t dictate. The new episode is live. Nil Congost gives a simple standard for coaching. Show players' options. Build the situation. Let them learn inside the reality of football. The full podcast is live on the channel now. #youthsoccer #SoccerCoaching #CoachEducation
Every drill needs stakes. The new episode is live. Nil says every drill needs a challenge because a challenge makes players think. That is how habits get built, not by repeating actions with no real problem to solve. The full podcast is live on the channel .#youthsoccer #podcast #SoccerDrills #PlayerDevelopment
Does relegation raise standards? The new episode is live. Nil argues that relegation changes the entire development environment because everybody feels the consequences. Coordinator, coach, player, club. Full podcast is live now. #podcast YouthSoccer #USSoccer #PlayerDevelopment
Train football, not ball. The new episode is live. Nil’s quote is sharp enough to stop the scroll. If you are training without a purpose, you are not training for football. You are a training ball. Watch the full podcast for the full argument. #youthsoccer #SoccerTraining #PlayerDevelopment
Barcelona pushes talent harder. The new episode is live. Nil makes the case that Barcelona is the best place to develop because its environment continually challenges talent. That does not mean it is the easiest place to make it. The full podcast is now live on the channel. #YouthSoccer #Barcelona #PlayerDevelopment
Time and space, not just touches. "New episode is live. Nil Congost explains why some American players look sharp in isolated drills, then lose the game inside the game once pressure arrives. Football is time and space. Watch the full podcast for the full conversation." #YouthSoccer #PlayerDevelopment #ussoccer
Can your kid really train in Barcelona, or are parents sometimes chasing the wrong thing? In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Hason is joined by Patrick Ouckama and Barcelona-based coach Nil Congost of EOS Football to unpack what U.S. soccer families often misunderstand about Spain, Catalonia, and elite player development. This is not a fantasy conversation about famous badges. It is a real discussion about what actually shapes players: culture, pressure, decision-making, training with purpose, and the difference between looking technical and actually helping the team in the game. Nil explains: • what makes Catalonia such a strong football environment • why promotion and relegation change standards • why many players train a lot but still do not transfer it to the game • what kind of American player can benefit from training in Spain • why purposeful training matters more than empty repetition If you are a soccer parent thinking about academies, Spain trips, elite environments, supplemental training, or long-term development, this episode gets underneath the image and into the reality. Chapters 0:00 Can Your Kid Really Train in Barcelona? 1:36 Nil Congost’s Path and EOS Football 4:36 What Catalonian Football Really Means 7:36 Why Barcelona Pulls American Families 9:51 How Relegation Changes the Standard 13:52 Why Every Drill Needs Real Challenge 18:28 The Missing Link in U.S. Development 22:52 Technical Training vs Real Game Transfer 28:42 If Training Has No Purpose, It Isn’t Football 33:54 How Nil Builds Sessions That Actually Teach 39:28 What American Players Gain From Catalonia 44:20 Which Players Benefit Most From Spain 52:52 When the System Becomes Bigger Than the Player 54:06 EOS Football, U.S. Camps, and Final Thoughts #SoccerParents #YouthSoccer #PlayerDevelopment #Barcelona #MLSNEXT Connect with coach: instagram @nilcongost @eosfootballgroup @eosfootball.california mail [email protected] [email protected] whatsapp +34 609 947 109
Parent and club have to align. "Youth soccer conflict often starts with expectation gaps. Parents want one thing. Clubs assume another. Players get stuck in the middle. Andrew says if those expectations are too far apart, disaster follows. Watch the full conversation on the channel." #YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #ClubSoccerAdvice
Ego ruins the timeline. "Youth soccer development decisions get distorted by panic and ego. Andrew says parents should believe in their child, but not get clouded by ego. The real signal is intrinsic motivation. Then comes patience, timing, and honest research about whether the environment is right. This one is for every parent trying to time the next move." #YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #playerdevelopment
Anxiety is not a bad thing. "Sports anxiety is not always the problem. This is one of Andrew’s most calming ideas. Sometimes anxiety is the signal that tells a player to lock in. Confidence comes from bravery, not from never feeling nerves. Full episode on the channel now. #YouthSoccer #SportsParenting #MentalPerformance
Build confidence. Not comfort. "Sports parenting gets hard when your child is hurting. Andrew’s message is simple. Do not try to protect your child from every hard moment. Help them build confidence through setbacks instead. If this lands for you, the full episode is worth your time." #YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #sportsparenting
We asked Andrew a direct question. Would the same kid have a better chance of becoming elite in Europe than in the United States? His answer was yes, because of competition and culture. Watch the full conversation and tell us where the U.S. still falls short." #football #youthsoccer #PlayerDevelopment #USSoccer
Youth soccer pay-to-play can make parents feel powerless. Know What You're Paying For: Andrew flips that. If you are paying, you should ask what you are actually paying for, who is coaching your child, and whether the club philosophy matches the pitch. Full episode on the channel. What question do you wish you had asked sooner?" #youthsoccer #SoccerParents #PayToPlaySoccer
Andrew May joins Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America for a direct conversation about what families really need in a system that often leaves them guessing. Drawing on coaching experience at Chivas USA, LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Real Monarchs, and LAFC, Andrew breaks down how parents can better understand club environments, ask the right questions, and avoid making decisions based on logos, pressure, or panic. This episode gets into: • how to judge a club beyond the badge • What parents should ask before joining • how IDPs and real development should work • where communication breaks down between clubs and families • how parent ego, anxiety, and private training can distort the process • what players actually need during setbacks and difficult moments • Why the parent-child relationship matters so much on the car ride home and beyond If you’re a soccer parent trying to make smarter decisions about development, fit, communication, and long-term growth, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more conversations on youth soccer in America, MLS NEXT, ECNL, player development, club culture, college pathway questions, and the real decisions families face every week. Chapters 00:00 Parents are overwhelmed. And guessing 02:00 Andrew May’s path through top academies 04:35 What changed in his view of development 07:25 Why parents struggle to read the landscape 10:05 How to judge a club beyond the badge 14:55 The right questions to ask a club 18:45 IDPs, growth setting, and real progress 22:10 Pressure, private training, and parent ego 27:10 Communication gaps between clubs and families 31:45 Supporting players through hard moments 38:40 What top environments actually do better 45:55 The car ride home and parent-player trust 52:35 You are the customer. Ask what you’re paying for 55:15 Final takeaways for soccer parents #YouthSoccer #SoccerParents #PlayerDevelopment #MLSNEXT #ClubSoccer
Jose Campos’ rule of thumb for families. Supplemental training can help a lot when it fills a gap inside a strong team environment. It becomes a problem when it is asked to replace the foundation. Full episode out now. #YouthSoccer #Training #PlayerDevelopment #SoccerParents #MLSNext #OrlandoCity #ChasingTheGame