Girls Development Academy

The saddest part is that ECNL and US Soccer could not figure out how to cooperate. It reminds me of the whole CSL/Gary Sparks/ECNL/SCDSL fiasco.
 
So again I will ask this again: If you live in a city or state where you cannot even get to a DA practice weekly, does that make you not elite? Lol thats bull and y'all know it. The only reason why So Cal is embracing it is because of population density. The parents of kids on current B teams think this is their ticket to finally be seen. This is laughable, the Miriam chick is a joke. And honestly, most girls on the youth national teams dont even make the full national team. So whats the point?

And yes I'm irritated by the whole thing.

Pooka: you bring up a good question about GDA in an area that is underserved. Think about it from US Soccer's standpoint....is it better to offer multiple organizations the GDA program in So Cal where there are multitudes of players and coaches along with a history of producing star players or try to offer GDA in all locations? In an ideal world, there would be a GDA club within 15 miles of every female soccer player in America, but that is not going to happen. Let's be honest, ECNL was not serving all of the U.S. either. There are many parts of the U.S. where a female soccer player would have to travel great distance to get to an ECNL club.

As for So Cal embracing GDA, did you expect anything different? It is the shiny new toy in the soccer landscape. That alone will spark a lot of interest. But, it will be paramount for the GDA to produce results like ECNL did since its inception to keep the "elite" players and their parents interested in the product. I suspect the marketing tactic of getting girls to the YNT teams easier will work for many players and parents.
 
Pooka: you bring up a good question about GDA in an area that is underserved. Think about it from US Soccer's standpoint....is it better to offer multiple organizations the GDA program in So Cal where there are multitudes of players and coaches along with a history of producing star players or try to offer GDA in all locations? In an ideal world, there would be a GDA club within 15 miles of every female soccer player in America, but that is not going to happen. Let's be honest, ECNL was not serving all of the U.S. either. There are many parts of the U.S. where a female soccer player would have to travel great distance to get to an ECNL club.

There are advantages and disadvantages of living anywhere. Parents that choose to live far from a large metropolitan area have chosen to limit these types of opportunities for their children in exchange for the advantages of living in a small town or rural setting. Soccer players from these rural areas will just have to work harder to get noticed.
 
Unless your DD plans to go straight to grad school or has another clear career path, your DD should take the contract if she still likes soccer. She and her friends won't be making that much coming out of UCLA without an additional degree. They'll struggle to get jobs at all - that's reality. Nationally, less than 15% of seniors have real jobs lined up. UCLA is around 30% employment, and that's six months after graduation (so query where you got the median salary info?). UCLA is also notoriously unethical about their job statistics, although most are bad. UCLA got really shady during the recession.

Have her play a couple of years while she figures out grad school. Most grad schools now don't want kids right out of school, so a few years playing would be perfect.


First, who said that my player goes to UCLA and are you a UCLA alum? Second, payscale.com has pretty good stats (even Forbes quotes them), and they are right there in black and white. Not to mention, I know quite a few alumni from my daughter's school and I have a good grasp of what the job market will be like for her. Third, my player will be graduating from school prior to completing her college eligibility and will likely have her first two post grad years paid for. She is a science major and will either be getting a masters or an MD. She isn't your average player, she came in with over 40 credits and went to summer school (and will be going this summer too).

Some kids see the soccer as a labor of love but are smart enough to see school as the most important thing. Pro soccer isn't something that she cares about and if she isn't in line to compete in a WWC or Olympics by 2020 or 2023 she will hang up her cleats with no regrets. It's just women's soccer.
 
There are advantages and disadvantages of living anywhere. Parents that choose to live far from a large metropolitan area have chosen to limit these types of opportunities for their children in exchange for the advantages of living in a small town or rural setting. Soccer players from these rural areas will just have to work harder to get noticed.

I wouldn't call Vegas a small metropolitan area. It is top 30 in the US.
 
Wasn't there a turf war issue though? It was about five years ago and resulted in a permenant fissure. That's when the Vegas girls started to be DP players as well

I don't think that grown up turf wars should govern development for our young ladies. Vegas is an area that is fertile with athletic talent.
 
I don't think that grown up turf wars should govern development for our young ladies. Vegas is an area that is fertile with athletic talent.

Obviously agree! My point was that was what started the migration to Surf. Those players should have never had to commute for that.
There are TEN YEAR OLDS WHO COMMUTE NOW LORD HELP US ALL.
Not even joking
 
Obviously agree! My point was that was what started the migration to Surf. Those players should have never had to commute for that.
There are TEN YEAR OLDS WHO COMMUTE NOW LORD HELP US ALL.
Not even joking

I hear you. My player didn't commute far (15-20 minutes) until her last year (1 hour). At 10 the focus should just be on fundamental skills. There are too many salepeople in club soccer and not enough teachers.
 
I hear you. My player didn't commute far (15-20 minutes) until her last year (1 hour). At 10 the focus should just be on fundamental skills. There are too many salepeople in club soccer and not enough teachers.
I've always found it kinda arrogant for parents who live in an area and don't have to commute to say that we didn't have to so therefore it's ridiculous for anybody to. Not saying Map is going that far with this comment, but if we stayed where we live there is no way in hell my DD would be where she is today. I understand the argument that my player didn't commute and they are only (insert age) but if a player wants more training more opportunity and better coaching, facility's etc than what is offered where they live,than why not commute. The current landscape does not allow for players to be seen enough from outlining areas for things like NTC, ODP, or ID2. Do we need to do these things? NO but what kid doesn't at least wan the chance for it. hard to get better playing against rec players. Could do all the foot skills we wanted still need to play against the best week in and week out in Socal. Other wise I doubt we get to where you guys are. So NO, we shouldn't HAVE to commute but guess what WE HAVE to commute.
 
I've always found it kinda arrogant for parents who live in an area and don't have to commute to say that we didn't have to so therefore it's ridiculous for anybody to. Not saying Map is going that far with this comment, but if we stayed where we live there is no way in hell my DD would be where she is today. I understand the argument that my player didn't commute and they are only (insert age) but if a player wants more training more opportunity and better coaching, facility's etc than what is offered where they live,than why not commute. The current landscape does not allow for players to be seen enough from outlining areas for things like NTC, ODP, or ID2. Do we need to do these things? NO but what kid doesn't at least wan the chance for it. hard to get better playing against rec players. Could do all the foot skills we wanted still need to play against the best week in and week out in Socal. Other wise I doubt we get to where you guys are. So NO, we shouldn't HAVE to commute but guess what WE HAVE to commute.

i think that you misunderstood my comment. My player had a club that was a 5 minute walk from the house and was where she initially started but we chose to change clubs. The best club for her was a couple of cities over so were fortunate to have a short commute. Her last year the best fit for her was in the next county so she commuted an hour. If I lived in Vegas like some posters do the best fit might have been in SoCal still.

I believe that you should always do what is best for your player. It is how we managed our player and if that includes driving for the right fit or a higher level and that is what is best for your player then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Good luck to you and yours.
 
i think that you misunderstood my comment. My player had a club that was a 5 minute walk from the house and was where she initially started but we chose to change clubs. The best club for her was a couple of cities over so were fortunate to have a short commute. Her last year the best fit for her was in the next county so she commuted an hour. If I lived in Vegas like some posters do the best fit might have been in SoCal still.

I believe that you should always do what is best for your player. It is how we managed our player and if that includes driving for the right fit or a higher level and that is what is best for your player then I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Good luck to you and yours.
MAP, thanks for that. I didn't mean to single you out. I'm having a bad soccer month! I just wanted to speak to the bigger topic. Keep up the good work
 
Not trying to beat a dead horse, but that 99 SC Del Sol ECNL team that went to Silverlakes in 2016 consisted of maybe 2/3 of the original roster. Several key starters did not travel because they wanted to stay home for Thanksgiving. Didn't see any point in going to a showcase when they have already committed (not condoning their decisions, just pointing it out). So for example, the GK was a borrowed 00 player. A handful were NPL players. So no, the 1-1 was not against the full, original starters for that team. Not even close.
 
Not trying to beat a dead horse, but that 99 SC Del Sol ECNL team that went to Silverlakes in 2016 consisted of maybe 2/3 of the original roster. Several key starters did not travel because they wanted to stay home for Thanksgiving. Didn't see any point in going to a showcase when they have already committed (not condoning their decisions, just pointing it out). So for example, the GK was a borrowed 00 player. A handful were NPL players. So no, the 1-1 was not against the full, original starters for that team. Not even close.

Isn't their forward enrolling early at Santa Clara too?
 
There are advantages and disadvantages of living anywhere. Parents that choose to live far from a large metropolitan area have chosen to limit these types of opportunities for their children in exchange for the advantages of living in a small town or rural setting. Soccer players from these rural areas will just have to work harder to get noticed.
We
Wasn't there a turf war issue though? It was about five years ago and resulted in a permenant fissure. That's when the Vegas girls started to be DP players as well


One Vegas club lost their ECNL status. The other club already had their ECNL team. The girls, to my knowledge, had no choice but to make the commute if they wanted to play ECNL.
 
There are advantages and disadvantages of living anywhere. Parents that choose to live far from a large metropolitan area have chosen to limit these types of opportunities for their children in exchange for the advantages of living in a small town or rural setting. Soccer players from these rural areas will just have to work harder to get noticed.


Vegas is not anything rural. Merely stating GDA overlooked major cities in their process. Honestly, I feel like it's easier to get noticed when you are a big fish in a small pond of 2 million anyways.
 
Not trying to beat a dead horse, but that 99 SC Del Sol ECNL team that went to Silverlakes in 2016 consisted of maybe 2/3 of the original roster. Several key starters did not travel because they wanted to stay home for Thanksgiving. Didn't see any point in going to a showcase when they have already committed (not condoning their decisions, just pointing it out). So for example, the GK was a borrowed 00 player. A handful were NPL players. So no, the 1-1 was not against the full, original starters for that team. Not even close.
I already knew that by the 1-1 tie, but don't post facts. Let CaliKlines enjoy believing they waxed 98/99 older ECNL teams.
 
They will be making more than NWSL. It's absolutely ridiculous the salaries they pay these women. You could teach part time, or work at Walmart full time and make more money . You could coach youth soccer and

As a UCLA grad, my degrees have served me very well. For that matter, everyone I know did well. No struggles EVER staying employed. UCLA is about career paths not jobs.

If one wants to play NWSL by all means, go for it. The reality is until there is a livable wage for women's soccer, your better off beginning your career or post graduate program.

I'm not really trying to put down UCLA. It's a fine school. But this belief that 40K for playing soccer for 6 months is far from "ridiculous." First, every league starts that way: players and coaches from the NFL, MLB, and the NBA all were part time wages earners and had jobs in the offseason. The only thing that is ridiculous is the outrageous sense of entitlement to higher salaries when no one really goes or watches NWLS games. I wish it was different, but it's not.

Second, it is a fact (don't let that get in your way) that most kids, even at UCLA, won't be employed after they graduate. Let's head down to the UCLA career service office together. Maybe you can start handing out all those "careers" that are available to the UCLA grads. Believe me, they are looking.
 
I'm not really trying to put down UCLA. It's a fine school. But this belief that 40K for playing soccer for 6 months is far from "ridiculous." First, every league starts that way: players and coaches from the NFL, MLB, and the NBA all were part time wages earners and had jobs in the offseason. The only thing that is ridiculous is the outrageous sense of entitlement to higher salaries when no one really goes or watches NWLS games. I wish it was different, but it's not.

Second, it is a fact (don't let that get in your way) that most kids, even at UCLA, won't be employed after they graduate. Let's head down to the UCLA career service office together. Maybe you can start handing out all those "careers" that are available to the UCLA grads. Believe me, they are looking.
Sorry, but 40K is NOT the starting salary for the average NWSL player(non-Sr WNT). It was just released they are doubling the minimum for those players from 7K to 14K a year. You can make as much without a college education flipping burgers (choose your fast food restaurant).
 
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