If you’ve watched Real Salt Lake or Major League Soccer for long enough, you’ve probably heard someone tell you about the importance of “playing your kids.”
What is typically understated is just how truly important youth development programs are.
Whether it’s a US Soccer ODP program, a team’s academy level, or even just your everyday club soccer, this is crucial. Youth development is massive for the growth of your favorite club team and even national team.
If you look at Real Salt Lake’s current roster, there are currently five homegrown players. In addition there are three players — Bofo Saucedo, Justen Glad, and Taylor Peay — who came up in Utah’s youth systems, and in Saucedo and Glad’s case, were previously on the roster as homegrown players.