And so is women’s college soccer by and large.
Girls Development Academy
- Thread starter Swoosh
- Start date
And so is women’s college soccer by and large.
Nah, but the MLS is.
Not entirely true......I won’t argue it is likely more of a regional thing, but there is a lot of interest outside of just friends and family
NoGoal
DA
Deflect much?
Only 1 US WNT womens player never played college soccer and Horan isn’t tearing up the NWSL or international play on the US WNT. She also isn’t a high profile player.
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Lambchop
GOLD
Hmm, there is a different thread for "college" recruiting and for all your good thoughts and information. This is the Girls Development Academy thread. Easy to go off on other tracks.
Lambchop
GOLD
Yes, and on top of it all the Frontier division gets the pure age division as a "pilot" program. What is there to pilot other than "politics"!
CopaMundial
SILVER ELITE
Maybe not posters, but jerseys. Prime example. Took DD to see USWNT play at Candlestick park, 2013. Walked up to buy jersey. DD wanted Dunn's jersey. Why? Dunn had no brand. BUT, DD had watched her play at the NCAA playoffs in San Diego in 2012 and Dunn was tearing it up since she was a freshman, even winning the NCAA championships with UNC that year. She knew she would make it to the USWNT and wanted to be the first to have a jersey. They made her a Dunn jersey there that day.
So, yes, kids do want to spend money on players they follow, admire and think are game changers. Brand player? Eh, don't care. She's a good role model tho. Why are you on the girls DA thread and keep shredding the girls game, brand, college programs, future, etc.? This is the GIRLS DA thread, right? So yes, agreed. Back on track!
They didn’t have the jersey. That IS the point. I’m glad they made the jersey for her though.
My kid has selfies with Dunn and I’ve watched let kids get selfies via piggy back from her as well.
I’ve watched Alex Morgan give a girl her cleats after a game. I’ve talked with Krieger’s Mother during a game. They have met Hope Solo, Marta, Pugh, and more and not at a college game.
Meanwhile at a college game.
Me: Hey girls let’s go to a UNC game!
DD: Great!
At game:
DD: Who is she?
Me: That is ____ ____, she is on the National Team
DD: WOW! She plays with Alex Morgan?
Me: Ummm, no, she is on the U20 team. But she might get called to the National Team camp.
DD: Whaa.....?
Me: It’s complicated.
DD: Ok That is still cool. Oh, look over there, who is she?
Me: ummmm Let’s check the program. Oh, yes, here she is. It says here she is a Journalism Major.
DD: oh... What’s a “Major”?
The point is, college sports appeal to college sports fans. I love the NFL but I could care less about the college game. My college lacked a large D1 program itself so that opportunity didn’t draw me in either. And why would I bother to watch or cheer for a team where I didn’t go to school? That is just weird. So why would I just decide to watch a UCLA women’s soccer game?
So go ahead and love the women’s college game. Appreciate it for what it is but please do not overstate it’s general appeal. Until the kids actually play on the international stage most folks don’t know or care who they are and there is nothing wrong with that. Almost all of the women from the National Championship roster from five years ago hopefully are happy and settled in their 9-5 job now and possibly raising a family. If we are very lucky, they may coach their kids and their kids friends.
MakeAPlay
DA
That was prior to the NBA changing their rules. Also who outside of basketball junkies had heard of Lebron or Kobe prior to the draft? I saw Lebron play against Mater Dei in high school at Pauley Pavilion but I bet you had no idea of who they were. Now that the rules have changed kids spend one year in college building their brand on TV. Regarding women's soccer (which is what we are talking about) the California PAC 12 teams are on television no less than 15 times a year and my kid's team was on TV including ESPNU 20+ times this year. Of course the television audience isn't the same as NFL or NBA it would be absurd to think that it would be. However, more people watch women's college soccer than women's pro soccer and due to Title IX (WooHoo!!) much more money is spent on women's college soccer than in the NWSL and that is a fact!
Have you ever spoken to MP? You should. Good luck to you and your daughter.
Every player they have met couldn’t have been nicer and more accommodating. When they see girls line up some “sisterhood” thing kicks in and they understand and see their impact on the games growth.
Lambchop
GOLD
To all the posters discussing the pros and cons of college players, pro players etc.. etc, please take your postings to the appropriate thread if you can figure it out.
Dos Equis
GOLD
Who is watching besides alumni -- my daughter and the several thousand club girls who are in the college recruiting process, and their parents. They all need, and most want, to watch women's college soccer to understand the different teams, leagues and coaching styles. My daughter probably watched (or attended) over 30 college games last season, often with her teammates. She watched MAP's daughter play a lot more than MP, and knows most of the rosters of nearly every team that made the sweet 16.
College soccer has always been the endgame for girls club soccer, and while I sincerely hope for the survival and success of the NWSL (and even more so the European women's leagues), we all know that getting a top college degree will have a much more significant long term impact on 99.99% of these girls' lives than trying to play pro at age 18-19. That is why there is so much talk about college in the DA thread, and concern when decisions the DA makes may seem at odds to the goal of playing in college.
I am not an expert building a brand, but if you desire to build a foundation for your future, while still playing soccer at a high level, there is no better path than women's college soccer.
MakeAPlay
DA
Do you deny that the top young NBA players don't spend their one year in college building their brand? If you don't think so check out their twitter and instagram accounts. I mean if you know what either of those things are....
MakeAPlay
DA
It's called a thread Lamby. It goes where it goes. This is America not Russia.
Lambchop
GOLD
Well, now you know, take it where it belongs.
Sane65
BRONZE
...Anyone interested in starting FURTHER academy discussions on age bands? I would like to hear more opinions on the 2002/2003 dual age band. The path of MP is not that interesting. No disrespect to her. I will jump onto the 03 or 02 threads under girls. See you there....
Desert Hound
DA
So what is the benefit of dual band vs single age band?
In theory talent concentration.
Dos Equis
GOLD
More than just theory, that is the goal.
Before starting a girls academy, US Soccer struggled with the competing goals of creating the most competitive league, while at the same time having enough teams in each region to avoid excessive travel for league games. Dual age bands for olders helps accomplish both goals (club participation does start to fall after U13), while at the same time starting to narrow the field and control their event costs at the older age groups.
Now it may be they will go to a single age bracket for girls. I think that would be a positive for the college recruiting goals of the players (and perhaps for college coaches as well looking to have one primary league to scout). But on the boys side, they have not done so, primarily becasue it adds nothing to their ultimate goal of identifying and developing US National Team players.