IS DA Broken?

[Unregistered]

it seems like the DA system is broken. They are adding a u12 next year, so the age groups will be U12, U13/U14, U15/U16 and U17/18. Adding U12 makes no sense, because maybe 1 or two will make the U14 team the following year. This is the same for kids that move from U/13/U14 to U15/U16..Only 3-4 players will make the U15/16 team?

Why would US Soccer not try and fix this, so the majority of kids do not go in and out of the system (mainly because of size) and get the proper coaching?

[Unregistered]

it is all about the $$$$ and marketing. "There are x # of players in our Academy system"

Or maybe it is they see the player at 15/16, 17/18 and have realized they need to start them in the system earlier. Bad habits are hard to un-teach at older ages.

[Unregistered]

it is all about the $$$$ and marketing. "There are x # of players in our Academy system"

Or maybe it is they see the player at 15/16, 17/18 and have realized they need to start them in the system earlier. Bad habits are hard to un-teach at older ages.

I see they want to start them earlier, but the U12 will not make the U14 DA team the following year because only a small number of U13 will be physically ready to compete against the U14.

[Unregistered]

they need to go to each year - U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 and U18. This way they keep the kids in the system and do bounce in and out of the DA system and develop bad habits. The system is broke until they fix this. Right now the DA is filling up with "can you kid Physically" handle DA and we are now seeing DA clubs relying on size and not technical players.

[Unregistered]

it seems like the DA system is broken. They are adding a u12 next year, so the age groups will be U12, U13/U14, U15/U16 and U17/18. Adding U12 makes no sense, because maybe 1 or two will make the U14 team the following year. This is the same for kids that move from U/13/U14 to U15/U16..Only 3-4 players will make the U15/16 team?

Why would US Soccer not try and fix this, so the majority of kids do not go in and out of the system (mainly because of size) and get the proper coaching?

Many changes are happening with the DA system next year. Along with the addition of the U12 age group which I believe will be 04's, they DA is also moving to singular age groups with no more double age groups. In other words there will be DA teams at 04, 03, 02, 01......you get the idea. Besides, what $ is the next poster talking about? My kid plays for free.

[Unregistered]

DA teams should have open tryouts

[Unregistered]

DA teams should have open tryouts

That's funny, that's how my kid made the team

[Unregistered]

Many changes are happening with the DA system next year. Along with the addition of the U12 age group which I believe will be 04's, they DA is also moving to singular age groups with no more double age groups. In other words there will be DA teams at 04, 03, 02, 01......you get the idea. Besides, what $ is the next poster talking about? My kid plays for free.

you seem to have some inside information. I have not seen anything..only heard a few rumors which typically are not true

[Unregistered]

That's funny, that's how my kid made the team

some clubs do open and some are invite only

[Unregistered]

DA teams should have open tryouts

They do have open tryouts however for a club like Clearwater, many of the players that make DA do come from Clearwater players. That does two things, it perpetuates the idea that if you want to make the DA, you need to be playing your regular club soccer at Clearwater and also adds to the bottom line of the club in a serious way. Unfortunately Clearwater is neither adept at evaluating talent, does not adequately scout players in the Tampa bay area and does an awful job of developing quality soccer players. The only thing that they have going for them is that they have the numbers. They have the luxury of throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. There is absolutely no reason for an MSA the size of ours to be year in and year out be at the bottom of the DA standings.

[Unregistered]

I believe it's broken. We are producing the same players we did when US soccer relied on ODP and the kids played high school soccer. DA clubs now have the pressure to win so they are looking for physical or ones that hit growth spurt early...kind of exactly what the ODP use to look for

[Unregistered]

it seems like the DA system is broken. They are adding a u12 next year, so the age groups will be U12, U13/U14, U15/U16 and U17/18. Adding U12 makes no sense, because maybe 1 or two will make the U14 team the following year. This is the same for kids that move from U/13/U14 to U15/U16..Only 3-4 players will make the U15/16 team?

Why would US Soccer not try and fix this, so the majority of kids do not go in and out of the system (mainly because of size) and get the proper coaching?

The reason to go U12 is to give younger male athletes the hope that they'll be on the USMNt, etc one day and stick with soccer over a different sport. Same reason ODP/PDP/etc are starting younger and younger. Put college & national team dreams into kids/parents heads and maybe more of the good athletes will stick with soccer.

[Unregistered]

If your player is "that" good everyone knows it & DA will find you.

It is only broken if your kid gets cut, otherwise it is superior to anything your son is doing.


See all the other posts, your club sucks, HS Sucks more, all other leagues are rec.........

[Unregistered]

It is only broken if your kid gets cut, otherwise it is superior to anything your son is doing.


See all the other posts, your club sucks, HS Sucks more, all other leagues are rec.........

glad you think US Soccer is producing better players and it's a direct result from DA..Please name a few?

[Unregistered]

Go DA or stay home!

It is only broken if your kid gets cut, otherwise it is superior to anything your son is doing.


See all the other posts, your club sucks, HS Sucks more, all other leagues are rec.........

6 threads on the front page and smashing the above.

Only broken if you can't make the team, get cut or have something against a club you paid and left.