Play. Your. Kids. It’s become somewhat of rallying cry for those that follow Major League Soccer. The idea is that for the league, the US national team, and the sport to grow, young talent needs to be given a chance. A chance to develop. A chance to grow. A chance to play.
There are numerous financial and organizational reasons for fostering more talent at a younger age and each MLS club subscribes to the #PlayYourKids philosophy somewhere along a spectrum that includes factors of significant financial investment, scouting, coaching and access to talent. This isn’t an article about those things, but a reminder that in an ideal scenario development academies provide a strong foundation and a tangible pipeline to the first team.