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Joining DAP at older age groups

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    #16
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    Perhaps it's a little too soon to be asking this question, since the U13/14 DAP group is so new and the U12s haven't kicked off yet, but I'm wondering how much of a disadvantage it would be for a kid to wait until U15/16 to try-out for one of the DAP teams (we're excluding Revs in this conversation).

    It looks like the U13/14 and pre-academy kids are bearing most of the cost burdens in the system and I'm assuming the U12s will follow suit. On top of the huge expense, the travel seems fairly excessive for kids at these younger age groups. Because of these two issues, it may follow that these teams are probably not composed of the best players in the region, but rather the players whose families can pay and feel the travel time does not adversely affect their kid or family.

    Our kid has a couple years still until we need to make this decision, although closing in more quickly once U12s are added, but we were originally thinking to have him play at NEP level at one of the DAP clubs through U13/14, and then if he's good enough and has the desire he can tryout for U15/16 DAP, only missing out on 2 years of supposedly superior DAP training. But now with the additions of the U12s, he'll be missing out on 3+ years of this training.

    So a few questions:

    Is there really a huge difference between the training one would receive on the younger aged DAP teams as opposed to the NEP teams in the same club?
    Not necessarily a difference in coaching or WHAT they do in training, but the caliber of player they do it with will be higher for the DAP squad (or the first team at a non-DAP club).

    Is my assumption accurate that there won't be that big of a difference between the skill level of the players on the DAP and NEP teams at the younger ages due to cost/travel issues mentioned above, so there isn't an issue of missing out on playing with the best of the best players in the area?
    As noted above, whether at a DAP or non-DAP club, there will be a difference in player ability between the highest team and the lower ones. Sure, there could be a couple players who choose not to play on the highest team due to travel and cost, but not many.

    Are NEP teams at DAP clubs much lower quality than NEP teams at non-DAP clubs, due to DAP taking all the top players, essentially making NEP the B team? Having him on the NEP team at the DAP club would get him on the clubs radar for future DAP consideration, but perhaps if their NEP team has lower quality players, the benefit if nullified.
    You can look up results to determine for yourself. Yes, NEP teams are B teams for the DAP clubs, and there do not seem to be many instances of them challenging for State Cups, or succeeding in the difficult groups of other tournaments or leagues. Be aware that most good teams, again whether DAP or non-DAP, find most of their new players from outside their club. Once in a while a player will be promoted from B to A, but it's less common than you might assume. Still, if your child lights it up on the NEP team, he might be encouraged to try out for the A team.

    These younger DAP teams are obviously going to be playing against much better competition than the NEP teams. How much weight would you place on that (noting that they are often getting crushed every week, at least this year)?
    Maybe it's not "much better" to the extent that you think. My observation is that there is more overlap in the level of competition in DAP and high non-DAP than those is in the DAP program want to admit. This is supported from a couple of angles, one of which is that there is overlap in the level of college play that DAP and non-DAP players move on to (though that's way down the road for you).

    Obviously, if my kid happens to be a stellar player, they'll take him on the U15/16 DAP team even if he hasn't been in the system previously. But if he's middle of the pack, is it correct to assume they'll take a kid whose been paying into the DAP system and making the travel commitment for the past four years over my kid, even if my kid has a slight edge (or even a pretty obvious edge).
    First of all, is it even the case that paying into DAP is more $ than paying into NEP. The move seems to be to shift some cost to NEP teams/players, so that the DAP charge can be lower and the best kids are not left out due to affordability. To your question, my sense is that most clubs will take a new player if they think the player will make them better, but will keep a current player if the new player isn't clearly better. Obviously, this is a subjective thing.

    Any predictions on the % split between kids coming through the DAP system ranks as opposed to newcomers on the U15/16 roster about five years out (some of you are prescient out there, right)?
    Maybe 1/2 will have been with the club all along, with other half having come from elsewhere sometime along the path. Please realize that a main reason DAP is extending to younger age groups is to capture players BEFORE they are exposed to playing for their school team. It calls for some thinking ahead on behalf of families whether they want to be able to consider school soccer down the road. Some school soccer is not very good, and DAP might might more sense in that situation. Other schools play in quite competitive leagues, all the starters are playing on good club sides, and winning league and tournament games is a bigger thrill for them than where they finish in the DAP table. You might find that in your 5-year plan of when to play DAP, your child has decided they want to play for their HS. Maybe it would be good to try DAP while still in middle school, so that you're in a more informed position to make the choice when high school comes.
    See answers inserted above after each question.

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      #17
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      See answers inserted above after each question.
      Formatting not conducive to following your inline responses.

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        #18
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        See answers inserted above after each question.
        OP here. I appreciate the thorough response and you made some good points to think over.

        Thanks.

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