The Morris United Soccer Club is focused on a philosophy of player "development over winning" to ensure each player meets her/his maximum soccer potential.  Our goal as a club is to improve the quality of play at every level and develop well rounded, technically competent players who learn to play and enjoy the game as a lifetime sport.   Winning is the end result of good training, teamwork and intensity.  A misdirected focus on winning, results in players not focusing on the fundamentals of the game at an early age and exploits the raw physical abilities of a few players and leaves late developers behind.  This may result in more wins at younger ages, but leaves players lacking the fundamental skills necessary to play at higher levels of competition as they age. 

As part of the Morris United Soccer club philosophy on development, we focus on player development over team development.  Soccer is a team sport, and team chemistry is a huge factor in winning at the highest levels.  However, every player at the highest levels is there because they have the requisite technical skills.  The focus of our energies is to ensure players are learning the requisite individual technical skills to develop as a complete player.   The impulse to win encourages early specialization and locking players into roles on a team that hinder their development as a complete and rounded player.  This does not mean we don't encourage and expect players to act as part of a team.  We understand and help players learn cooperation and trust of their teammates as important aspects of the team experience.  But the concept of "sacrifice for the team" is not appropriate for the youth athlete who should expect his/her coaches and club to focus on their individual development needs to ensure he/she becomes a well rounded player at the youth level.