In many places in the United States trainers have become the norm at the highest levels of youth soccer. As far back as 10 years ago this was not the case, but over the last decade the youth game has evolved.
While I don't doubt that pay has attracted better coaches who have more to teach young players, paying for training is a serious obstacle that many families can't afford. Any youth club using or considering using paid trainers should also try to provide some sort of scholarshiping system to make sure that anyone that has the talent to play is able to do so.
For example, where I live in northern California, many clubs have paid trainers at the competitive level, and some even mandatory training session for less serious teams. As a result there are more talented players, but clubs without the proper resources face a serious competitive advantage in attracting top-notch players, which could harm overall competition in the long run as players migrate to more established clubs.
Another issue of paying coaches involves the issue of management. Who is ultimately in charge and of what? Some issues to address are hiring and firing, along others.
While I am confident in the next generation of America's soccer stars and the trainers that have helped mold them, it is undeniable that youth clubs using paid trainers to coach their best teams must address a number of issues to make the program run smoothly. Get practice plans for your volunteer soccer coaches
