Nice Blog but I think you miss some key points.
1) the pay to play model will always, ALWAYS, keep underserved populations out of the mix. A large portion of very good players just can't afford shelling out 5-10k to play soccer, even if there's a great future for the player. Soccer is a billion dollar business and coaches/clubs are making hand over fist in the money. I know some clubs offer "scholarships" but it's hardly enough to pay for travel (mostly covers "club fees") and other costly things to play elite soccer. Until the USSF comes up with a plan to make things more accessible, you'll see the same thing happening on the boys and girls side...other countries catching up and/or surpassing them. While people like Megan Rapinoe are fighting for equal pay, how many of the UW WNT/MNT have come out fighting for equal opportunity to play. not too many and those that are, have been people of color.
2) There are fewer of the "major sports" that have less diversity than soccer has. you look at the team from other countries and they're sprinkled with color on their teams. A country as rich in diversity as the USA is should not look like an aryan team every year. A lot of this goes hand in hand with the pay to play model. Im not suggesting that people of color are ONLY poor, but a large part of (for example) the Latino community comes from underserved populations.
3) While I agree that the coaching in youth soccer sucks, I think it's more than just getting license, passing tests, and go train. The current model, now matter who's coaching has ONE job..to win, or at least thats what they think they should be doing. So lets kick it up to the best athlete on the field and have him/her score goal after goal, ONLY to find out that when that kid hits puberty everyone else is catching up and he/she can't do the things they were able to do as U9-U12 players. Winning trumps development and there are a handful of clubs that focus on development. What you see at these showcases are physical teams playing direct vs some teams that try to possess or play the ball in the second and third parts of the field. As you said, teams that scrimmage from half the practice are at a disadvantage because they've never been taught to have a good first touch, one touch passing, playing the ball back, diving into chanels and making diagonal passes/runs.
Because Soccer isn't the first option for many kids and because most American's have played in this system, they don't have the tools or IQ to teach these concepts. I've seen a lot of clubs with coaches from other countries have a lot of success because they teach what they know...good soccer. That's not to say that there aren't good American coaches out there, because there are. But don't get caught up with those programs that win national championships as they're the "best", because they are in one area....winning. Not necessarily development. Which is why college soccer is almost unbearable to watch (especially on the women's side). maybe i should write a blog...