Homegrown Player

Youth & Development

A rule in MLS allowing teams to sign players directly from their own youth academy to the professional team without going through the draft.

Related Terms in Youth & Development

Build-Out Line

A line painted on 7v7 development fields. When the goalkeeper has the ball, opponents must retreat behind this line to allow the team to learn how to play out from the back.

Discovery Player

A term used in elite leagues (like ECNL) for a player who is not a full-time member of the club but is brought in to play specific games.

US Club Soccer

A national organization and member of the US Soccer Federation that fosters the growth and development of club soccer programs.

Featured Clubs

Churchland Soccer League

Portsmouth, VA

Prior Lake Soccer Club

Prior Lake, MN

Rip City Surf (Florida Roots)

Panama City, FL

Twin Cities Fire Soccer Club

Prior Lake, MN

Shenandoah County Soccer League

Woodstock, VA

Steel United Soccer Texas

McKinney, TX

Latest Youth Soccer News and Articles

U.S. Soccer Federation and US Club Soccer Launch New Shared Services Partnership: What Parents Need to Know

January 14, 2026

Play Club Soccer Staff

The U.S. Soccer Federation has officially entered a new strategic relationship with US Club Soccer. This isn't just a press release; it is a move that could fundamentally change how the back-end of youth soccer operates.