Skip Gilbert: The State of Youth Soccer

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Skip Gilbert is no stranger to the sports industry. As a former professional soccer player, the sport may well be his true love. But his previous stints included one with the USADA, the anti-doping agency, as managing director of operations, marketing and development; managing director of professional tennis operations and tournament manager for the U.S. Open in New York; CEO of USA Triathlon; a vice president for the Arena Football League; and chief marketing officer of USA Swimming. Along the way, he’s also become one of the industry’s staunchest advocates for kids being involved in sports for their own health and well-being — and being involved in as many sports as possible to avoid specialization.

Since 2020, he has been at the helm of US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organizations in the United States, which is focused on having a positive impact on the lives of America’s youth through the game of soccer. The group’s mission is to make soccer the preeminent youth sport in the country, and they are well on their way. Soccer participation has held steady or grown in recent years and the big events headed to the United States, including of course the FIFA World Cup in 2026, may only serve as a catalyst for continued growth, or at the least an aspirational event that could well fuel future growth in the sport.

In this discussion, we sit down with Gilbert to discuss the state of youth soccer, the opportunities and challenges ahead for the sport, the rise of the professional leagues for both men and women, and the importance of diversity when it comes to kids getting active in sports.
Among the topics in this episode:

• Skip Gilbert’s background in soccer (3:32)
• How the stature of the sport has grown in the United States (4:58)
• Background on US Youth Soccer and who it serves (6:02)
• The state of youth soccer participation (7:26)
• Why kids may divert from soccer and play other sports (8:52)
• The accessibility of soccer as a starting point for kids (9:55)
• Background on US Youth Soccer’s events portfolio (10:55)
• New events that the organization wants to launch (12:07)
• What US Youth Soccer looks for in a host location (14:32)
• US Youth Soccer’s relationship with US Soccer and professional leagues (16:38)
• The growth of Major League Soccer over the years (18:14)
• The growth of women’s soccer and the NWSL (19:45)
• The importance of major events like the World Cup being held in the United States (20:55)
• Why kids should be active in more than one sport (22:44)

This episode is sponsored by: