Scouts Are Not Watching What Most Parents Think
When parents imagine what scouts and academy directors are looking for, they usually picture goals, speed, and moments of individual brilliance. That is a reasonable assumption. It is also mostly wrong.
Our conversation with Jose Campos, Academy Director at Orlando City, was very direct on this point. Every serious academy has a style of play, a philosophy, and a specific way of doing things. Scouts are not looking for the most talented player in a vacuum. They are looking for a player who fits the model — the way the club plays, the roles it needs to fill, and the culture it is trying to build.
Two players with very similar ability can have completely different outcomes at the same club because one fits the profile and the other does not. From the outside, these decisions can look random. From inside an academy, they are deliberate and thought through.
This matters for parents because it changes the question worth asking. The question is not just "is my child good enough?" It is "does my child fit what this particular club is building?" And that is a far more specific thing to find out before a tryout than most families do.
What Jose described about his process — watching hundreds of games, knowing exactly what profile a specific position needs, and finding the player who matches the model rather than just the most impressive-looking player in the session — is not about talent alone. It never has been.
What parents can do
Research a club's style of play and methodology before tryouts, not just after
Ask coaches directly what profiles and qualities they are looking for at each position
Understand that not making one club's team is a statement about fit, not a final verdict on ability
Adapted from Episode 21. What MLS Academies Really Look For: Jose Campos of Orlando City.