Marcos: The initial SYL schedule is put together so that it is completed by the time college players must report for the start of the fall seasons. The same is done for high school players who compete in the fall and who have even more time before the start of their respective seasons. Just as American Legion baseball allows players to compete in the summer months, so will the SYL, which provides an opportunity for top players to sharpen their skills before the regular fall soccer season begins.

But we take this opportunity to emphasize that, as America becomes more entrenched with developing soccer as we are seeing now, players like the rest of the world, there will come a time when elite level youth players must make a choice between playing scholastic soccer and preparing for a professional career. As top-level youth players are identified at an earlier age, parents of serious players who have the opportunity to train at higher levels, must help their youngsters think through the benefits of playing on a scholastic team vs. entering the early stages of a professional career. Ultimately, the player will have to choose between these diverging pathways of opportunity.

Weibe: There is a heavy focus on scholastic soccer in this country at the high school level. In some cases, a player will chose their scholastic team over their National Team. Most clubs agree that scholastic soccer is not the best environment for the elite level player. Club programs have proved to be the best outlet to develop players. There are few coaches in any college and professional program who are scouting high school games to recruit players. If they are looking for players, they are watching the club level teams and networking with the coaching staff of these clubs. Through our resources and internet capabilities, we will establish a very strong coaching network system between collegiate, amateur and professional organizations. We will work in 2002 on developing a parent and player education guide on player development and the difference between scholastic and club programs. I'm not saying get rid of scholastic soccer. It serves a purpose, but not for the elite level player.

What if a state currently has no USL teams? Could those states field teams in the SYL?

Marcos: Membership in the SYL will not be restricted to USL-affiliated teams or teams in states where USL franchises are located. We look at the SYL as a process for not only helping the youth game, but also helping our own efforts to boost playing opportunities for senior teams, both men and women, at the amateur and professional levels. The SYL will reach out to all top-level teams in all states. It will be possible for a SYL team to develop the same group of players until they are ready to enter the USL's Premier Development League as amateurs, or, is the case with selected other USL clubs, move through the amateur rank as a club, and on up to the professional level.

Weibe: It is not a requirement to be affiliated or sponsored by a USL team. We will not make this a requirement. In 2002, we hope to develop an affiliation and networking program so major clubs that do not have a senior USL team can build relationships with organizations at the various amateur and professional levels. This will be part of the stepping ladder for youth players that are exceptional talented that will move on in their youth to higher levels and for those players that want to further their careers after their youth.