The Next Level Training Soccer Podcast with host Aaron Byrd and Jeff Suffolk · Jeff Suffolk

Episode 48 - The Most Influential Youth Soccer Coaches in the Country Larry Sunderland FCC

February 19, 2026·1 hr 24 min·5 clips

Larry Sunderland won national championships at every youth level, a feat no one else in U.S. soccer history has accomplished.

This episode features host Aaron Byrd and co-host Jeff Suffolk interviewing Larry Sunderland, the director of player development for FC Cincinnati. Sunderland is a former professional player and a foundational architect of MLS academy systems. His career includes building the Chicago Fire Academy, shaping the Portland Timbers' youth setup, and launching FC Cincinnati's academy from scratch. Sunderland started his coaching career after being fast-tracked into U.S. Soccer licensing by mentor Bobby Howe. He helped merge youth clubs in Wheaton, Illinois, which led to the creation of the Chicago Fire Juniors. That model contributed to the early framework of the U.S. Development Academy. Sunderland also coached the Fire's PDL team, creating a full pathway from youth to professional soccer. He emphasizes that building sustainable systems for player development is an ongoing experiment. The current MLS academy model involves significant club investment, with facilities now on par with top European teams. Sunderland estimates FC Cincinnati's academy has about 50 players from the local Ohio area. A key insight is Sunderland's advocacy for bio-banding, which he used for his son Beckham, a late-developing goalkeeper. He notes that professional sports are trending toward bigger, faster athletes, especially in positions like goalkeeper. Sunderland discusses negotiating player transfers between MLS academies to better fit playing styles. He argues that every academy player should be viewed as an asset due to the multimillion-dollar investments from ownership. The interview touches on the emotional difficulty for young players advised to switch clubs for better development. Sunderland recalls being told that professional growth sometimes requires leaving friends behind. The conversation highlights the tension between club loyalty and a player's individual pathway in today's competitive youth landscape. Sunderland believes the most important coaching principle is connecting personally with each player to unlock their potential. His "10-plus profile" philosophy involves training every player to be a complete, 360-degree footballer first, then letting physical attributes guide positional specialization. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdotes with structural analysis of American soccer development. This episode will deeply interest youth coaches, academy directors, and parents navigating the MLS pathway. Listeners seeking casual entertainment or non-soccer topics might find the technical focus less engaging.

As heard by us

A frank look at youth soccer growth, where leaving comfort, friends, and familiar coaches behind can be the hardest move.

The episode stays with youth soccer pathways, and the real pull is not tactics but the pressure of moving a player forward when clubs, coaches, and friends all tug in different directions.

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Why you'd press play

You want the honest youth-soccer talk behind the next move.

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