Noah Gins: From Chaos to Structure in American Youth Soccer

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Chasing the Game - Youth Soccer in America

Liron Unreich, Matt Tartaglia

10 episodes

2 days ago

Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America is a weekly podcast for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how youth soccer development really works in the United States. Hosted by two dads, filmmaker Liron Unreich and investor Matt Tartaglia, the show covers everything from grassroots soccer to elite pathways like MLS NEXT and ECNL. Combining data, real experience, and expert insights from academy directors, college coaches, and former pros, each episode explains what families truly need to know. Weekly episodes focus on the core aspects of youth soccer: player development, coaching culture, college recruiting, tryouts, travel costs, and the challenges of youth sports parenting in today’s competitive environment. For families navigating youth soccer’s complex system, Chasing the Game offers practical advice, credible voices, and relatable stories from two dads working to make sense of American player development, one episode at a time.

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Noah Gins: From Chaos to Structure in American Youth Soccer

Chasing the Game - Youth Soccer in America

1 hour 7 minutes

1 month ago

Noah Gins: From Chaos to Structure in American Youth Soccer

This week on Chasing the Game, we sit down with one of the most influential figures in American youth soccer: Noah Gins, Founder and CEO of Albion.

We break down structure, culture, college pathways, measurable development, retention, and what true “success” really means inside a U.S. club system that too often rewards the wrong things.

If you’re a parent, coach, or player trying to understand why youth soccer feels chaotic and what a functioning system could look like. This episode brings clarity.

Topics We Cover

• How Noah built one of the most successful youth clubs in the country

• Why U.S. development suffers from fragmentation and inconsistency

• The four core pillars of success at Albion

• Retention, culture, and long-term development

• Why “beautiful soccer” and winning often conflict

• College recruitment myths and real pathways

• How clubs should define success vs. how parents define success

• Albion’s long-term vision for U.S. youth soccer

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@chasingthegame-podcast

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Website – https://chasingthegame.us

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TikTok – https://tiktok.com/@chasingthegamepod

Click here to view the episode transcript.

(00:00) - Intro: The Machine Behind U.S. Youth Soccer
(00:39) - Noah Gins Joins the Conversation
(02:56) - Noah’s Youth Career and Path to Pro Soccer
(04:00) - Building Albion: Six Teams to National Recognition
(08:47) - Expansion, Affiliates, and the Albion Model
(13:02) - What Was Missing in Youth Soccer
(17:10) - How Environment Shapes Playing Style
(18:58) - Structure vs Freedom in Player Development
(20:31) - The League Maze: MLS NEXT, ECNL, EA
(22:34) - Could the U.S. Ever Unite Its Development System?
(25:45) - Why the U.S. Needs Player Compensation
(29:57) - Supplementary Training and the Secondary Market
(32:51) - Technical Mastery: Juggling and Measurable Skills
(35:05) - Multi Sport Athletes and Specialization
(37:45) - Understanding the U.S. Player Pathway
(39:36) - The Problem With Using the Word “Elite”
(41:11) - High School Soccer vs Academy Soccer
(44:14) - Parents, Communication, and Culture
(46:26) - Global Influences: Brazil, Spain, and Beyond
(51:53) - Social Media, Mentality, and Today’s Players
(53:50) - Seeing Albion as a System: Local to National
(54:20) - Defining Success and Albion’s Four Pillars
(57:54) - Cracking the College Pathway and Scholarships
(01:02:22) - Albion’s Long Term Vision and Role in U.S. Soccer