Articles
Every piece we have published
One article per sport in every issue of PPA Pro, written with the coaches, scouts and academy directors who do the job. Newest first. Nothing here sits behind a signup.
50 articles · latest: Issue No. 24
Issues 002–014 are not here yet. Their articles are still being written up; the issues themselves are readable in full in the newsletter archive.
Issue No. 24 · Week of September 14, 2026
The Takeaway: Ask Who Reviews Your Booster Club's Books
A booster club treasurer faces federal wire fraud charges after allegedly diverting hundreds of thousands to her own mortgage. One question could have caught it sooner.
The Takeaway: A New Program With No Track Record Deserves Extra Scrutiny
Dozens of families paid for a new travel basketball program. The uniforms never came. Neither did a single scheduled game.
The Takeaway: Ask for Real Booking Confirmations Before Wiring Money
A trusted former coach allegedly collected up to $12,000 per family for an international trip that existed only as a promise.
The Takeaway: Require Two Signatures for Any Withdrawal Above a Modest Threshold
A league's own treasurer is accused of using its bank card as his own for years. The fix is simpler than most leagues assume.
The Takeaway: Ask Your League for a Basic Annual Financial Summary
Nearly $76,000 went missing from a girls softball club — three years passed before anyone caught it.
Issue No. 23 · Week of September 14, 2026
The Takeaway: What a League's Real Investigation Can Undo
A coach blamed racism for a youth football brawl. The investigation found no evidence — and exposed a pattern that got him banned for life instead.
The Takeaway: Know Who's Actually Supervising Your Kid When You're Not There
Kendrick Perkins was held back mid-shout at his son's AAU game. His explanation points to a real risk parents don't always think about.
The Takeaway: A Lost Temper on the Sideline Can Follow a Parent for Years
A father's sideline tackle of a teenage referee ended in criminal charges, a year of probation, and a lasting ban from youth sporting events.
The Takeaway: A Kid Isn't Shielded Just Because a Coach Gave the Order
An Oklahoma coach allegedly ordered his own son to throw at an opposing dugout. USSSA banned the coach for life — and the boy who threw it for five years.
The Takeaway: Pull Your Team Off the Field When Adults Lose Control
An Arkansas tournament turned physical between a coach and umpire. One team's response — pulling their players immediately — is worth copying.
Issue No. 22 · Week of September 14, 2026
One Year Later: What the Concussion Research Actually Says
The underlying research hasn't changed, and neither has the advice — worth a re-read heading into a new season of contact practices.
One Year Later: He Turned Down $100K to Stay — And Still Would
The coach who told us this story says his son's reasoning has only looked better with another year of hindsight behind it.
One Year Later: What the Research Still Says About Early Specialization
Nothing in the underlying research has reversed — if anything, more of it points the same direction a year later.
One Year Later: What NOT to Do at 10U, Revisited
A fresh batch of 10U parents means this list is worth running back — the same three mistakes still show up every season.
One Year Later: Why She'd Still Pass on a Talented Player
A year of watching more recruiting cycles has only reinforced this coach's original point, not softened it.
Issue No. 21 · Week of September 14, 2026
One Year Later: The Three Roles Still Matter Most for a Football Parent
Resource-finder, academic overseer, social media steward — a year later, these three roles have held up exactly as well as they did the first time.
One Year Later: The 70/30 Rule Still Holds Up
A year later, this is still the single clearest question a family can ask before signing up for a program.
One Year Later: Position Flexibility Before U14 Still Matters
Worth revisiting every fall, right as new position battles start up again at tryouts — the reasoning hasn't changed a bit.
One Year Later: Disappointment Still Belongs to the Athlete
Of everything we've published, this is the one Coach Chafin says he wishes more parents heard before a tough tryout, not after one.
One Year Later: The Clock Nobody Talks About, Revisited
A new travel season means a new roster to check — this explanation is worth another look right as tryout results come out.
Issue No. 20 · Week of September 14, 2026
The Sideline Test, in 3 Questions
Playing time is trackable. Belonging on the team isn't — and it may matter more. Three quick questions to check both.
The Practice-to-Game Ratio, By the Numbers
Some international models train most days and play as little as once a week. Most American travel ball runs the exact opposite.
3 Reasons Soccer Development Is a Slow Burn
Pro academies plan around who a player becomes in years, not weeks. Three reasons patience beats urgency here.
Prep to Beat the Drill vs. Prep to Beat People, in One Line
Average players prep to beat an easy drill. Elite players prep to mentally beat an actual opponent. Here's the fast version.
The Recruiting Email That Works, in 4 Bullet Points
A head coach reads recruiting emails all day. Here's exactly what makes one stand out, condensed to four points.
Issue No. 19 · Week of September 14, 2026
3 Things to Remember When a Kid Won't Play the Position You Want
A position standoff at 11 or 12 feels permanent in the moment. It usually isn't — here's the fast version of why.
The Recruiting Path Most Families Never Hear About
It's not EYBL, 3SSB, or UAA. A regional pipeline connects players straight to D2, D3, and NAIA rosters — quickly explained.
The International Touches Gap, By the Numbers
Thousands of extra touches, earned for free through unstructured play. Here's the gap explained in three bullet points.
The 5-Part Recruiting Plan, in One Paragraph
Evaluation, development, exposure, promotion, recruiting — in that order. Most families skip straight to the last step.
Why One Coach Waits to Recruit a Talented 8th Grader
He can already see the talent. He waits anyway — and it isn't laziness. The fast version of his reasoning.
Issue No. 18 · Week of September 14, 2026
Myth: "Safety" in a Youth Program Just Means Good Equipment
New helmets and pads look like safety covered. The real safety questions are about practice structure and technique, not gear.
Myth: Working Hard Is Working Hard, However You Do It
A kid in the gym constantly looks like he's doing everything right. Not all hard work moves the needle toward the top of the rankings the same amount.
Myth: The Club Soccer Pyramid Is Just Marketing Talk
All the tier names and league labels sound like branding. It's actually a real structure that shapes a kid's path more than most families realize.
Myth: More Tournaments Always Means Better Development
A packed tournament schedule feels like the fastest way to improve. It's often the opposite, and the tradeoff against real practice time is bigger than it looks.
Myth: College Coaches Are Mainly Watching Stats at a Tournament
A strong stat line looks like the thing that gets a player noticed. Coaches in the stands are watching for something that doesn't show up in a box score at all.
Issue No. 17 · Week of September 14, 2026
Myth: A "Development Camp" and an "Exposure Camp" Are the Same Thing
Any camp with college coaches on the field looks like good exposure. These are actually two different products built for two different jobs.
Myth: A Growth Spurt Follows a Predictable Schedule
Today's tallest, fastest kid looks like a lock for the future. Growth doesn't run on a timeline that respects a roster spot.
Myth: More Playing Time on a Weak Team Beats a Bench Role on a Strong One
Real minutes always seem like faster development. An MLS academy director says it's more complicated than that — and often backwards.
Myth: The Path From 10 to 16 Should Look the Same Every Year
Good development sounds like "more of the same, every year, but harder." What actually matters shifts meaningfully by age.
Myth: JUCO Is a Dead End for Softball Players
Junior college sounds like a consolation prize. It's actually a legitimate, well-traveled pipeline plenty of players choose on purpose.
Issue No. 16 · Week of September 14, 2026
What Should I Actually Look for When Picking a Football Program?
Not the playbook. A 15-year coach says most parents are already asking the right two questions — they just don't know it.
What Do EYBL, 3SSB, and UA Rise Actually Mean?
A common question from confused basketball parents new to travel ball. A longtime coach breaks down the shoe-circuit system in plain language.
Why Does My Daughter's Academy Care So Much About "Touches"?
An MLS academy director gets this question from confused parents constantly. The answer changes what you should actually expect from practice.
Does My Son's Batting Average Actually Matter for Recruiting?
A veteran recruiting coach has heard this question a thousand times. His answer, after 17 years and 1,000+ placements, is a firm no.
Is September 1st Really the Big Recruiting Deadline Everyone Says It Is?
An Appalachian State coach fields this exact question every year. The real answer is more reassuring than the panic suggests.
Issue No. 15 · Week of September 14, 2026
My Son Is the Biggest Kid on His Team — Should I Be Excited?
A youth football parent asked us exactly this. The honest answer isn't what most parents expect — and it's about a growth chart, not a scoreboard.
Should I Just Let My Tall 9-Year-Old Play Center?
It seems like the obvious move. One basketball book says it's actually one of two identical mistakes — just pointed in opposite directions.
Why Did My Daughter's Soccer Age Group Suddenly Change?
If your club just moved your kid to a new bracket, this is why — a real rule change taking effect for the 2026-27 season.
My Son Is the Hardest Thrower on His Team — Does That Mean Anything?
A common question from baseball parents watching a standout ten-year-old. The honest answer involves a growth chart, not a radar gun.
Is D3 Softball Actually Worth It, or Just a Fallback?
A Belhaven coach gets this question constantly from softball families. His answer, backed by two real player stories, might surprise you.