Marcos: At its most sophisticated stage, the Super Y-League could include 15,000 players, 500-600 boys and girls teams, five age brackets with 100 teams in each bracket in both boys and girls divisions. While these are significant numbers, I have to emphasize that the number represents only the top less than one percent of the 4 million or so registered players in US Youth Soccer, AYSO and SAY.

With this many players taking part, we believe that the Super Y-League can significantly augment -- and in some cases accelerate -- the process of identifying players and helping U.S. Soccer reach its Project 2010 goals. With the Super Y-League teams playing 30-40 games a year in the future, it will lessen the chance of failing to identify top players who are ready to move into the professional ranks.

Weibe: I think that we are on target with what Francisco has stated. I want to strongly emphasize that we are not looking for numbers in this league. We want to stress quality over quantity. Too many other leagues fail because there are excess of clubs or below average teams competing. It is important that we have measures of quality and performance and maintain that each season.

What does the Super Y-League mean to player development in the USA?

Marcos: This is all about what I call "professionalizing" player development in the United States when it comes to the top-level youth players. It's about allowing the cream to rise to the top, thereby simplifying the process of identifying elite level players. It's about playing top-level soccer 12 months a year, with the spotlight on young players during the spring-summer Super Y-League season.

Does this take away from other programs, which have been established for youth players? Perhaps in some rare cases; however, we cannot worry about that. Parents, players and coaches must make decisions as to what is important in the lives of their players. They have to decide if recreational soccer, high school soccer, and club soccer is compatible with what the kid needs for full development. Again, this is not a program for the majority of today's youth. We're talking about only the top one or two percent, which make up our very best prospects.

Weibe: The bottom line is how well we do in the FIFA World Cup. If preparing these players for that begins at the SYL level and they need to work their way up the ladder, then that's what we want. It is simple math. The best players competing plus hard-core week in week out matches will equal better players.

Why is age 14 the best group to start for the SYL?

Marcos: This is generally the youngest age when a player's talent starts emerging and coaches can clearly begin to see future potential. This is also when most of the world starts to work with their best players. In fact, top clubs in the world such as Holland's Ajax begin training their best players as early as six years of age. We have to get on the same page as the rest of the world or we will fall farther behind. Let me emphasize that it is not our goal to turn 14-year-old kids into professionals. We just want to professionalize the system and process whereby these players can ultimately reach their full potential.

Weibe: Children at this age start maturing as players. The U14 age group is where competition should become a focus. Players have developed their basic skills by the age of 14. At this age, they should turn their focus to tactics. Although we feel it is important to keep players in below the age of 14 in their local settings for now. Sometime in the future this could change.