Economics of Girls Development Academy

I could be mistaken on the field number. Maybe the one I am referring to is not field 7. I was referring to the field directly opposite the Velodrome and actually shares the same parking lot as the Velodrome. I don't care what any press release says about what was spent to re-surface it, I have been there every week for the last month and I can't tell the difference between that 2 tone Pollack and the stuff that is glued down on my grandma's porch.
I too have been there the last month 3x a week. I like the turf they put in. But I do prefer the turf at Toyota Center.
 
So what do you think about that? Could it be Beach is the last merit based club in SoCal?
Honestly if you say that you do not see that at all then I think it is.
LAGSB doesn't offer scholarships either for their "A" teams with the occasional exception based on need. My dd is in her fourth year on LAGSB "A" teams and I have been fine paying full freight in exchange for quality player development and a high level training environment. My guess is the clubs with all the "A" team scholarships are the same ones that build teams primarily based on recruiting. ;)
 
Beach does not give a full (or fractional) ride to players due to skill (unless her family cannot afford it). As I said before I know of several girls that are the best players in their "A" teams and they are paying the full fee. I also know of an A team, a Surf Cup winner, where absolutely everybody pays the fee. And I also know of at least two "stud" players that came from other clubs to Beach who are paying. There may be a couple of players in the club getting a full ride due to skill (I do not know them), but as far as I can tell giving a free ride is not a tool that the club uses to recruit players or to keep existing ones.

While it has been couple of years, the last "scholarship application" I saw for Beach was capped at less then 1/3 of club fees, and was based on financial need. Other clubs in the South Bay have similar programs. That does not restrict teams from providing additional assisitance, sometimes based on skills, not financial need.

Having said that, the DA program was supposed to provide a higher level of financial assistance for players with need, including full scholarships. Commiting to that was part of the application every DOC signed. Giving the best players (regardless of household income) access to top level coaching was a primary goal of the DA. If Beach is not doing so, that would be a failure to live up to the goals of the DA program. I expect (and hope) the are doing so, and the rest of the club funds it. I also expect no one would advertise that fact, but if you do not like it, you have choices.
 
While it has been couple of years, the last "scholarship application" I saw for Beach was capped at less then 1/3 of club fees, and was based on financial need. Other clubs in the South Bay have similar programs. That does not restrict teams from providing additional assisitance, sometimes based on skills, not financial need.

Having said that, the DA program was supposed to provide a higher level of financial assistance for players with need, including full scholarships. Commiting to that was part of the application every DOC signed. Giving the best players (regardless of household income) access to top level coaching was a primary goal of the DA. If Beach is not doing so, that would be a failure to live up to the goals of the DA program. I expect (and hope) the are doing so, and the rest of the club funds it. I also expect no one would advertise that fact, but if you do not like it, you have choices.
The Beach DA players are coached by the top coaches at the club. I do not think that anybody would argue that.
I assume that deserving players that come from low income households are getting a full or almost full ride, but I do not have direct information to confirm it.
There is obviously partial funding of the DA program by the club, if only because these girls practice twice as much as the regular players while paying just a marginally higher fee.
The main point of these posts was to dismiss the belief of some posters that if "your daughter is not a DA player in a DA club, you should know that the club is stealing your money to pay for the DA program". The DA players are paying a very large part of their share.
 
LAGSB doesn't offer scholarships either for their "A" teams with the occasional exception based on need. My dd is in her fourth year on LAGSB "A" teams and I have been fine paying full freight in exchange for quality player development and a high level training environment. My guess is the clubs with all the "A" team scholarships are the same ones that build teams primarily based on recruiting. ;)

Sorry to jump in but my question is this. If a unicorn showed up and the parents refused to pay anything other than travel and they had no financial need the club would tell them to kick rocks?

Just a question. I have never seen ANY club tell them to kick rocks in my 10 years of dealing with club soccer. Just curious and not an attack.
 
Rather surprised myself at some of these responses. I know that clubs are very discreet when it comes to funding a star player but the responses by some of these posters helps explain why Club Soccer is the way that it is.

There is a player on our team that is fully funded. He is more than capable of paying his way but he doesn't. Club is discreet about it. The team busybody, aka: team manager, doesn't know. The manager is the last person you want knowing, they have the team's ear and they usually talk too much.

Is it possible that so many people don't realize that there are people on their team that pays a reduced amount or doesn't pay at all?
 
Sorry to jump in but my question is this. If a unicorn showed up and the parents refused to pay anything other than travel and they had no financial need the club would tell them to kick rocks?

Just a question. I have never seen ANY club tell them to kick rocks in my 10 years of dealing with club soccer. Just curious and not an attack.
Can't disagree. Sometimes the parents agree to all pitch in and cover. Key point....parents agree...not a club decision to subsidize, but a group decision amongst families.
 
Sorry to jump in but my question is this. If a unicorn showed up and the parents refused to pay anything other than travel and they had no financial need the club would tell them to kick rocks?

Just a question. I have never seen ANY club tell them to kick rocks in my 10 years of dealing with club soccer. Just curious and not an attack.
I just think there may be some unicorn parents willing to pay and some who are not. And yes, the squeaky unicorn hooves always get the grease.
 
Sorry to jump in but my question is this. If a unicorn showed up and the parents refused to pay anything other than travel and they had no financial need the club would tell them to kick rocks?

Just a question. I have never seen ANY club tell them to kick rocks in my 10 years of dealing with club soccer. Just curious and not an attack.
Next time you threaten someone of showing up to meet, do it bitch!

I was out there waiting for your hubby so I could smack the shit out of him.

I was gonna smack him so hard the cops would be able to take my finger prints off his fuckin face.

Coward.

- Simon
 
I just think there may be some unicorn parents willing to pay and some who are not. And yes, the squeaky unicorn hooves always get the grease.
And honestly, if you want free DA, then go to a free DA. If you are a subsidized player on a paid academy, and it is for "skill," then your kid better be prepared to prove that "skill" day in and day out. Good luck with that. That would be a reason for some "unicorn" parents willing to pay for a quality training program-- from clubs like Blues, Surf, Beach, etc etc... there really are not a lot of free rides out there on the high quality merry-go-rounds. Maybe a couple, but not the norm.
 
Next time you threaten someone of showing up to meet, do it bitch!

I was out there waiting for your hubby so I could smack the shit out of him.

I was gonna smack him so hard the cops would be able to take my finger prints off his fuckin face.

Coward.

- Simon
Wow! You must workout...cyber bully 101. We thought you were 86'd off the forum, now you pop up with a new name and same rant. Dude get a life.
 
I was talking with someone who was/is a high level player. Played for a big girls club, high school and at a Pac 12 school on a full ride.
She asked me what it costs today to play club soccer. She was shocked that costs are between $2k and $3k for most kids. (Regardless of A team or B team).
She thought her parents paid about $500 a year back when she played. (Early 2000s/late 90s in club).
 
Can't disagree. Sometimes the parents agree to all pitch in and cover. Key point....parents agree...not a club decision to subsidize, but a group decision amongst families.

I have seen players paid for by the coach (owned his own business and looked at it as investing his coaching salary), by the manager (husband owned his own business), and by the club (scholarship based on need without regard for skill - although the coach's recommendation was part of the process), and by the parent of another player (who wanted to keep the player on his kid's team).
 
The Beach DA players are coached by the top coaches at the club. I do not think that anybody would argue that.
I assume that deserving players that come from low income households are getting a full or almost full ride, but I do not have direct information to confirm it.
There is obviously partial funding of the DA program by the club, if only because these girls practice twice as much as the regular players while paying just a marginally higher fee.
The main point of these posts was to dismiss the belief of some posters that if "your daughter is not a DA player in a DA club, you should know that the club is stealing your money to pay for the DA program". The DA players are paying a very large part of their share.

No one used the phrase stealing. No one said that. It is extremely naive to not address the actual business of club soccer and the financial impact of. DA on these clubs. The DA who will do well will be the big clubs. The players fee is A VERY SMALL PART of what it costs to run and maintain a successful DA program.

Take emotion out of this. A kid on a C team is a revenue player for a club- there is really no discussion on that. The clubs who are large with a steady stream of revenue and even affiliates will do well in this new system.

If my child was the unicorn and Legends offered her full ride and so did Pats and both have good coaches why not? They aren't "selling". They are massive organizations who can afford this.

DE is correct- providing a DA that is subsidized and affords all players access was the goal. What I am surprised about given your geographical area is that you do not provide free scholarships and only a 500$. I believe you and I am not knocking it but I am extremely surprised Beach would be missing out on a golden baller who simply couldn't afford to play. Maybe that's why LAPFC got some good talent?
 
And so beware of fake posters who knock other programs on here because they are affiliated with one who doesn't give money out, or could not match another person in a bidding war.
Some of the particular teams are no longer in their glory and so they are trying to dismiss rival academies who can support and maintain a DA program properly. Parents should research the coaches and the academy. If you have an 05 and they are acting like it's just business as usual and it's just another year then run- you are at the wrong place.
Giving money out doesn't make you evil or a lesser club- just like playing long ball doesn't make you a bad soccer player. Parents who search for the best deal again I have respect for because this is a huge committment. It's a life changing one honestly and I respect the time and effort some people put into this. I also respect that a lot of families are seeing this as a long term choice and relationship.
There are many ways to get perks at clubs and the fees are a small part of it. Maybe the fee was high but they are getting subsides. The poster who wrote about being discreet was right on the money.
There is something to be said for clubs who have embraced this academy system and tried to do the right thing with field space, education, financials, training. Now you all know what a huge Beach fan I am so this isn't a knock on any of you but other people with their bias are now treading around and it's too early for fake news
 
Rather surprised myself at some of these responses. I know that clubs are very discreet when it comes to funding a star player but the responses by some of these posters helps explain why Club Soccer is the way that it is.

There is a player on our team that is fully funded. He is more than capable of paying his way but he doesn't. Club is discreet about it. The team busybody, aka: team manager, doesn't know. The manager is the last person you want knowing, they have the team's ear and they usually talk too much.

Is it possible that so many people don't realize that there are people on their team that pays a reduced amount or doesn't pay at all?

Kicker is Treausurer so he would know which is why I didn't question it and was profoundly surprised.
I was also in that position and we had MULTIPLE full scholarships for kids who could absolutely pay. They wouldn't even pay tourney fees and the club absorbed them. All have since quit soccer it's maddening. I learned early on to never include parents in money discussions and to keep everything at the highest level.
 
Sorry to jump in but my question is this. If a unicorn showed up and the parents refused to pay anything other than travel and they had no financial need the club would tell them to kick rocks?

Just a question. I have never seen ANY club tell them to kick rocks in my 10 years of dealing with club soccer. Just curious and not an attack.

What happened this year with several unicorns in my local herd was they started a unicorn bidding war and went to the club who gave them the most. As stated I personally enjoyed the unicorn bidding war. The club who lost was aghast and of course threw a temper tantrum and the name calling ensued. Sorry but I found it funny as the coach and club is traditionally unscrupulous with recruiting etc.
For the first time in a long time the families were in total control and I enjoyed it .
 
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