Why DA may be the worst path for keepers

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Basically what you are saying is your son is not a prospect for a high level D1 program which then also says that they really aren't a prospect for DA (though I'm sure some club would have been willing to take your money). The fact that these two things are apparently true actually explains a lot of the other things in your post like the lack of playing time they might get and the lack of D1 money. Not sure why any of this is a negative about the DA though. The program is supposedly for the elite level players which based upon your description unfortunately your son is not. That's not an awful thing. The sad reality is so little opportunity on the men's side that only the highest level prospects find any sort of scholarship money out there. Though no doubt learning some of this was a pretty bitter pill, it was probably better that you didn't jump at the DA. Imagine ending up in the exact same spot after going down that rabbit hole.

Not the OP - There certainly are plenty of cases where making the sacrifices doesn't work out for athletes. There's risks but also rewards. DA worked well for my field player but he was a starter. Nothing harder to watch then kids sitting week after week.

Our GK trainer isn't that good but obviously that varies. I don't know if DA is as critical for D1 if you're getting good training and lots of PT? There's so many foreign players now it's hard to say. Just read a blurb that the starting GK at Quinnipiac was on the Greek YNT; starter I my kids' team is from Germany. He's a g-damm beast and would squash most of the keepers I saw in DA.

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Not the OP - There certainly are plenty of cases where making the sacrifices doesn't work out for athletes. There's risks but also rewards. DA worked well for my field player but he was a starter. Nothing harder to watch then kids sitting week after week.

Our GK trainer isn't that good but obviously that varies. I don't know if DA is as critical for D1 if you're getting good training and lots of PT? There's so many foreign players now it's hard to say. Just read a blurb that the starting GK at Quinnipiac was on the Greek YNT; starter I my kids' team is from Germany. He's a g-damm beast and would squash most of the keepers I saw in DA.

Isn't that really the bottom line, if the keepers in the program are that far off the pace it starts you to wondering who the heck the clubs are putting on these DA teams. Who's fault is it, USSF or the club's themselves.

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Isn't that really the bottom line, if the keepers in the program are that far off the pace it starts you to wondering who the heck the clubs are putting on these DA teams. Who's fault is it, USSF or the club's themselves.

OP here. That was partly my point. My son's college team only has a few international players but some others have as many as 10 plus. It's like the U.N. If DA is supposed to be raising the level of play on the international stage you'd judge it a failure based on college rosters. If it keeps up I think more DA players may get shut out if they're not a top performer. Weaker players may find it a better deal to just stay with a good club and enjoy high school ball

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This is a real indictment of the current system. US players deserve better.

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This is a real indictment of the current system. US players deserve better.

DA is too big and sucks in too many players with illusions of a pro path and college play. A much smaller system focusing on the nation's top talent is what is needed. Let the rest play high level soccer and enjoy their teenage years. Girls don't have the same level of international competition and there are more college opportunities - however skeptical families have seen DA is often times not worth the tradeoffs relative to the end goal which is college. DA, ecnl and enpl will just be watered down and sloppy. How is that good for soccer?

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DA is too big and sucks in too many players with illusions of a pro path and college play. A much smaller system focusing on the nation's top talent is what is needed. Let the rest play high level soccer and enjoy their teenage years. Girls don't have the same level of international competition and there are more college opportunities - however skeptical families have seen DA is often times not worth the tradeoffs relative to the end goal which is college. DA, ecnl and enpl will just be watered down and sloppy. How is that good for soccer?

Since there is so much more scholarship money available for the girls the benefits are there for them to do even a watered down DA. The problem is the college coaches will be the ones that ultimately reap the benefits, not that top level play.

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Since there is so much more scholarship money available for the girls the benefits are there for them to do even a watered down DA. The problem is the college coaches will be the ones that ultimately reap the benefits, not that top level play.

But that greater availability of dollars and spots means a lot of girls can afford to opt out of DA and still have plenty of opportunities. On the men's side increasingly you need DA, top prep school or a foreign passport. Even in the ranks of D3 programs internationals are grabbing spots.

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Is DA goalkeeper training any better than non-DA goalkeeper training? Don't most large clubs offer goalkeeper training anyway?

I get that the Revs are free? Is their goalkeeper training any good?

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Is DA goalkeeper training any better than non-DA goalkeeper training? Don't most large clubs offer goalkeeper training anyway?

I get that the Revs are free? Is their goalkeeper training any good?

Like all else the quality of GK training varies by club. Some only pay it lipservice while others take it very seriously. DA GK training is generally very good but there are some non DA trainers out there who are excellent. A lot of good private trainers as well. The pace is faster and level of competition is significantly higher in DA so that's one reason why college coaches prefer it. But with keepers it's a little different - you need quality training AND good playing time. With substitution rules and DA teams not doing 50/50 keeper splits each game it's very possible you never see the field. Getting shelled in the net isn't always a bad thing :) for a GK. A few years ago mine was on a good level club team whose defensive line so was strong that he hardly touched the ball.

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But that greater availability of dollars and spots means a lot of girls can afford to opt out of DA and still have plenty of opportunities. On the men's side increasingly you need DA, top prep school or a foreign passport. Even in the ranks of D3 programs internationals are grabbing spots.

.. because US Soccer screwed up and added way too many clubs which effectively set the bar so low for making a DA squad that just about any Tom. Dick or Harry can make one. That's why the internationals are showing up. They are just better than our home grown talent. The sad part is if they are here it usually means that they weren't going to make it in their own country and that is really an indication of just how far off the pace the US men currently are.

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.. because US Soccer screwed up and added way too many clubs which effectively set the bar so low for making a DA squad that just about any Tom. Dick or Harry can make one.

I know a ton of families that had to break the news to their sons and it wasn't fun. You're being a little cavalier.

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I know a ton of families that had to break the news to their sons and it wasn't fun. You're being a little cavalier.

Yes that's as it should be only ten fold. To have a system to focus on the top 5-10% of the talent, the league shouldn't be nearly the size it is. Too many clubs, some of them not even that good, which means they need players to fill squads.

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I know a ton of families that had to break the news to their sons and it wasn't fun. You're being a little cavalier.

Oh, boy, the free love guy is back.

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OP here. That was partly my point. My son's college team only has a few international players but some others have as many as 10 plus. It's like the U.N. If DA is supposed to be raising the level of play on the international stage you'd judge it a failure based on college rosters. If it keeps up I think more DA players may get shut out if they're not a top performer. Weaker players may find it a better deal to just stay with a good club and enjoy high school ball

If I'm not mistaken half of the 28 players on the Mac Hermann watch list are international players. WO from Dartmouth is on it, good to see him do well.

With a kid his size and skill I wonder how many of the big schools gave him offers coming out of the Phoenix?

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Development at the keeper position can definitely happen independently from the DA system. Parents can find very good independent training to work on the fundamentals. After that it’s just game experience. Playing the highest number of quality games possible should be the goal for a keeper, no pun intended. If that means high level club and a grueling high school season so be it.