CHICAGO (Feb. 11, 2022) – U.S. Soccer has announced the next application window for Talent Scout courses. The application window will open on Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. CT.
The purpose of the Talent Scout Course is to help youth scouts learn the process of identification, examination and monitoring of potential top talented players. Candidates will acquire or further develop the competencies (knowledge, skills, attitude) and personal traits necessary to work as a Talent Scout
U.S. Soccer will offer two courses this spring and two additional courses are also planned for the fall 2022. Courses will take place over a three-month period (April to June 2022) and will consist of a combination of virtual learning and in-person meetings. The two planned in-person meetings will each take place over a four-day period.
“We’re looking forward to this next round of Talent Scout Courses. We’re especially excited for the return to in-person education with the opportunity for more personal connection and continuous exchange with the students and to be at the field, scouting games together for the practical learning experience. Our virtual course in fall 2021 was a very meaningful and valuable experience, we had an outstanding group of students and educators who embraced the various online technology, tools and resources used to collaborate throughout the course meetings,” said Boys' Director of Talent Identification Tony Lepore. “The course has been evolving since our first pilot in 2018 and during the recent virtual course, we were challenged in a good way to explore new and creative ways to share content and actively engage with each other. This helped to continue to make improvements that we will apply to future courses, now with the benefit of blending in-person and virtual environments throughout the experience.”
“Scouting youth players is a big responsibility and can be very challenging. We believe this specialized education will help youth scouts to improve their awareness and process for identification, monitoring and selection of players," said Girls' Director of Talent Identification Mirelle van Rijbroek. "The course will also provide more insight on the concept of talent, along with the challenges and constraints related to it, including bias, growth and maturation, environment and learning ability."
The application window will run from February 17 – 28. Interested applicants should review the course description below, and allow enough time to complete the necessary steps within the application. All applications must be submitted through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center.
Level |
Meetings |
Dates |
Location |
Application Window |
Talent Scout |
Meeting 1 |
April 21-24 |
Los Angeles, CA |
Feb 17 – 28 |
Meeting 2 |
June 9-12 |
Los Angeles, CA |
||
Talent Scout |
Meeting 1 |
April 22-25 |
Atlanta, GA |
Feb 17 – 28 |
Meeting 2 |
June 9-12 |
Atlanta, GA |
||
Talent Scout |
Meeting 1 |
Dates TBD |
TBD |
Fall |
Meeting 2 |
Dates TBD |
TBD |
||
Talent Scout |
Meeting 1 |
Dates TBD |
TBD |
Fall |
Meeting 2 |
Dates TBD |
TBD |
Participants at U.S. Soccer’s National Coaching Schools will have the opportunity to earn a nationally recognized license from U.S. Soccer, a FIFA national association member and the governing body of soccer in all its forms in the United States.
General Course Timeline
- Application Window: February 17-28
- Virtual Start: April 4
- In-Person Meetings: April & June
- Course Ends: late June
U.S. Soccer is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all student coaches, educators, players and staff. Applicants that are selected for these courses will be expected to adhere to policies set forth by U.S. Soccer Coaching Education.
More details about future courses will be announced later this year. For details on other U.S. Soccer Coaching Courses please visit the Learning Center and review the information under Available Courses or check out our FAQ page.