Goalbound: Helping Your Child Succeed in Youth Soccer: The Soccer Parents’ Playbook (US Edition)

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.

It all began with five simple words: “I want to play soccer.” That heartfelt sentence, spoken by a wide-eyed five-year-old holding a too-big ball, changed the rhythm of family life—from weekends to holidays to the state of the garden lawn. For countless families, that phrase is the starting whistle for a long and unforgettable journey: the youth soccer experience.

Welcome to Goalbound: Helping Your Child Succeed in Youth Soccer. This book isn’t just a guide for navigating the complex world of kids' soccer—it’s here to help families thrive in it.

I wrote this book wearing two hats: coach and parent. Years spent on sidelines—under sun, in sleet, and through sideways rain—taught me something valuable. While children develop skills on the field, parents go on a parallel journey: learning the rules, managing schedules, decoding tactics, and discovering how to best support their young player through highs and lows. Some ease in gently; others dive in headfirst. But all of them want the same thing: to do right by their child.

This book is for them.

Youth soccer has evolved. From the rise of girls’ football to the shift toward player-centred coaching and the growing pull of academies and media influence, it’s a landscape full of opportunity—and uncertainty.

This book brings everything together: practical advice, emotional insight, and first-hand experience. Written originally for a UK audience, it’s been fully adapted for the U.S.—because with the 2026 World Cup looming, a new generation of young players is ready to take the field.

So lace up, grab your coat (and maybe an umbrella), and let’s start this journey together.

-Mark G Budden

May 2025