The problem with academies…..

[Unregistered]

DA programs seem to me fine great training but if your only playing 5-7 teams all year strange. What is the measuring stick are the academy teams even elite in talent . Take a team div1 state team and play them against an academy team ten times what would the win loss record be? Okay go deeper if you scouted the ten games what players would stand out academy players or the club level div one team ? Let's face the fact there are great players at club levels there just not noticed period ! To expand on this there are bad players at academy level as well! They get noticed on the field and we don't quite understand why there on academy! I also feel DA programs have to meet minimum teams and player rosters. I feel to many systems in soccer ODP,ECNL,DA,CLUB,HS... etc. it's a joke. The simple formula is gone the path is or looks like DA only . So why even allow a child to play CLUB or HS it strange world. Is there a way just to build a great set of players or team and play in the NPL or get games against DA programs?

No. DA pay to play programs are closed systems for a reason. If they were to open it up to outsiders their weaknesses would become more evident and that would affect their profit margin. Only by belonging to the country club can you attend its party.

[Unregistered]

No. DA pay to play programs are closed systems for a reason. If they were to open it up to outsiders their weaknesses would become more evident and that would affect their profit margin. Only by belonging to the country club can you attend its party.

Precisely. Some DA clubs aren't any better than good club teams. I'm not talking MLS teams, that's a different animal, but some of the pay-to-play non DA teams. Those are the types of teams that will get hit if ENPL gets going because then boys can play good soccer with a national platform/good college coach exposure but still be able to play HS sports. They're already paying, so why not pay for something more satisfying?

[Unregistered]

Glad to hear your son is happy at his DA but as far as HS soccer, it depends on the HS. There are several HS teams in the state that are well coached and full of players far superior to anything you find at your average DA (the only real DA in Fl is OC but that is for another thread).

School spirit, when there, far exceeds anything any DA can provide. At a DA game the only people watching are the families when they play local and nobody when they travel. Low attendance is better than NO attendance. At even a bad spirit HS, there is at least a few girlfriends on the stands. Want to see your son play awesome?, watch him play when there are girls watching. Again, glad that your son is happy but HS is still a very important part of a young men's life in this country.

Lastly, only 2% or less of HS aged boys will go on to play in college and far fewer percentage wise will go on to play in the MLS. With these odds, I think disregarding HS soccer and pay to facilitate the success of only a couple of chosen kids in these pay-to-play DA programs may not be a wise investment at the end.

LOL...high school soccer??? The talent level is pedestrian. 99% of these kids could not start on a tier 1 club level team & would not even warrant an invite from a DA team. Sorry if that offends you lil daddy......

[Unregistered]

LOL...high school soccer??? The talent level is pedestrian. 99% of these kids could not start on a tier 1 club level team & would not even warrant an invite from a DA team. Sorry if that offends you lil daddy......

Wrong. Go watch the video from the Florida 5A or 6A finals. Both teams stacked with division 1 club players. Very solid play.

[Unregistered]

Exactly - that funnel for boys is very narrow, much more narrow than DA would like you to believe. If you're playing for free on an MLS squad - fantastic. That's the top and it's free, even if you're not getting tons of PT. If you're a top 5 starter at a non MLS club you aren't doing as well, but still pretty good. Beyond player#5 or #6 the rewards are greatly diminished AND you're paying for it. Might as well pay similarly for a decent club and get to enjoy playing HS soccer and other sports as well

How many HS kids invited to the US soccer ID sessions coming up in November...(in S Florida and Brandon)? That would be zero....nada....zilch. It is almost entirely DA with a very few who play for top tier local clubs. There is a reason for this & it does not involve black helicopter theories.

Plenty of good players are playing HS soccer only...good for them!! It goes to prove that you can still compete and enjoy the great game even if you don't possess elite talent.

[Unregistered]

LOL...high school soccer??? The talent level is pedestrian. 99% of these kids could not start on a tier 1 club level team & would not even warrant an invite from a DA team. Sorry if that offends you lil daddy......

Agree with this. I am certain he will be offended also :)

[Unregistered]

Wrong. Go watch the video from the Florida 5A or 6A finals. Both teams stacked with division 1 club players. Very solid play.

Sorry dad....just not that impressive. Nothing wrong with being a solid player though.

[Unregistered]

How many HS kids invited to the US soccer ID sessions coming up in November...(in S Florida and Brandon)? That would be zero....nada....zilch. It is almost entirely DA with a very few who play for top tier local clubs. There is a reason for this & it does not involve black helicopter theories.

Plenty of good players are playing HS soccer only...good for them!! It goes to prove that you can still compete and enjoy the great game even if you don't possess elite talent.

Is that the training center for 01s?

[Unregistered]

Precisely. Some DA clubs aren't any better than good club teams. I'm not talking MLS teams, that's a different animal, but some of the pay-to-play non DA teams. Those are the types of teams that will get hit if ENPL gets going because then boys can play good soccer with a national platform/good college coach exposure but still be able to play HS sports. They're already paying, so why not pay for something more satisfying?

I cannot speak for all situations and all clubs/DAs but I would venture to say a club team at all ages but u17/u18 will have a tough time beating DAs. I carve out u17/u18s b/c that is an age when kids may take many different paths and some club teams are actually quite good.

But from u12 -u16, I don't think too many club teams are close to DA. Even less to MLS DAs. Could say a strong u14 - say FL Elite, the top FSPL team - beat a weak DA. Of course. Without question. But this is the exception. It is not a norm. If you rank the DAs in any age group in FL only the last couple perhaps would be "no better than a good club team."

The other advantage of DA is honestly just structure. Most clubs are just a mess. You don't know if you have 16 quality kids, a quality coach and what leagues your kid will play until late August. Then the travel starts and no one has any money to attend the important tournament out of state. It is too uncertain. Too unreliable. Too much in the hands of the parents. W/ DA you know what you are getting. There is a definite structure. You are certain to get 18 good players on your son's team, a half-way decent coach, and go to all the important tournaments. You cannot "lose" a year like often happens at 9, 10 or 11 years old at 15 or 16. You need a sure thing at these ages if your kid will be advancing. I am not discussing every club situation, but it more the norm than the exception.

[Unregistered]

As long as you are paying to play its all subpar !!!

DA, clubs etc.etc.

the system in the USA is way behind. Any kid that has certain level and a good head on his shoulders should aim at playing abroad...

[Unregistered]

As long as you are paying to play its all subpar !!!

DA, clubs etc.etc.

the system in the USA is way behind. Any kid that has certain level and a good head on his shoulders should aim at playing abroad...

Good idea, instead of paying to play you should move overseas and have your kid play on local teams there. Maybe he'll be spotted by scouts!

Much cheaper, thanks for the tip.

[Unregistered]

Good idea, instead of paying to play you should move overseas and have your kid play on local teams there. Maybe he'll be spotted by scouts!

Much cheaper, thanks for the tip.

problem is it 's true. even the men's NT coach said you're better off playing abroad. but, since most can't or won't do it, and the powers that be can't seem to figure out what to do with the talent we do have, then the US will continue spinning it's soccer wheels, getting nowhere.

[Unregistered]

How many HS kids invited to the US soccer ID sessions coming up in November...(in S Florida and Brandon)? That would be zero....nada....zilch. It is almost entirely DA with a very few who play for top tier local clubs. There is a reason for this & it does not involve black helicopter theories.

Plenty of good players are playing HS soccer only...good for them!! It goes to prove that you can still compete and enjoy the great game even if you don't possess elite talent.

Its entirely DA for a reason, they pay for US Soccer's existence!

I see your point though, HS soccer in this country has been seriously hurt by all of these pay to play clubs and the level of competition is not the same but to say that there are no elite players in HS soccer is not accurate. I would ask you to check out some HS games being played in places like Homestead or some agricultural areas of Florida. Some of those kids will out play the best DA players but you will never see them anywhere near US Soccer. They are poor, undocumented and without transportation.

HS soccer is free and available to all. DA and Clubs are expensive and elitists. Until we figure out how to give the same access to all players, regardless of area code, US Soccer will remain what it is, sub par.

[Unregistered]

Its entirely DA for a reason, they pay for US Soccer's existence!

I see your point though, HS soccer in this country has been seriously hurt by all of these pay to play clubs and the level of competition is not the same but to say that there are no elite players in HS soccer is not accurate. I would ask you to check out some HS games being played in places like Homestead or some agricultural areas of Florida. Some of those kids will out play the best DA players, but you will never see them anywhere near US Soccer. They are poor, undocumented and without transportation.

HS soccer is free and available to all. DA and Clubs are expensive and elitists. Until we figure out how to give the same access to all players, regardless of area code, US Soccer will remain what it is, sub-par.

But then your son who is better than my son will take his spot. I know my son is not a high-level player, but I have a big checkbook, so he plays on a high-level team.