Ogden Soccer –  Learn more about our soccer philosophy 
DATE: February, 2022

Is the well-known “Pyramid approach” or the less familiar Ogden Soccer “Pillar approach” the best for player development and community?

 Ogden Soccer has changed the way of providing youth sport by keeping costs low to focus on the “pillar” of the sport instead of the “pyramid” of the sport. With a pyramid approach, the goal is to weed out the perceived “weakest players” leaving very few to play at a perceived “elite top level.” The pyramid is a cut-throat industry, putting single players above teams with 100% loyalty to self and winning. The pyramid approach to youth sport over the past 20 years is not creating positive results for schools, communities or USA National Teams. Ogden Soccer is not interested in the player that bounces from club to club or a pyramid approach for our youth community. Research shows that kids stop playing youth sport at around 12-13 years of age, typically because a coach has made them feel like they were not good enough. This is the pyramid coach at work.

 The pyramid approach is focused on the few that are represented, (less than .0023% of the players), while the Ogden Soccer pillar approach adapts to keep everyone active, healthy, and playing soccer. This approach will prove to change youth sports, starting with Ogden Soccer.

 With this approach, we want everyone to play (ages 3+) no matter their level of play. We don’t want to see people stop playing at a young age of 12 years old. Nor do we want to see a child traded like a commodity. With Ogden Soccer children can start in Little Lions, developing a trust in the community while still in the “me” phase of life. As they grow and develop skills of sharing, they advance to a soccer setting with GOALS (Greater Area Ogden League Soccer) in which our children develop friendships, the understanding of working together, and a love for the game. When the time is right for a commitment to travel, those players have the opportunity to enter the next phase of competitive try-out, where they will learn how to own their performance in their own time. It shouldn’t stop there, with the opportunity for Ogden Soccer players to develop into student athletes, playing for their high schools and colleges. At this point we find that the sport is often not available in the community. Part of the Ogden Soccer pillar approach will be to have an adult league available to support our former youth to return as coaches and parents in a program that supports the game they love.

Article Submitted by Steven Van Wagoner