I am not going to look for it but I believe earlier in this thread Lambchop said that 98% of the best players are playing DA. I disagree. Plenty of top players are playing ECNL and some are also playing at their local club. For example look at the 03 SDSC team. Saying 98% are in DA is a gross overstatement unless the 98% refers to the consolidation of wacko parents that think their dd must play DA.
Mace did not play with the Eagles until her senior year and while she was known when she committed, she was not known until her mom sent a video to UCLA and the coach came down to watch her play. I believe it was her junior year and the Nomads Thanksgiving tournament with low level teams. I might be confusing this with another player, but she was not know and had never made ODP which shows you that the scouts are not doing their job.
As for traveling with the team and not parents, this is strictly an American thing. In Europe, American children and young adults are often seen as soft because of parental involvement and one of the reasons I believe that more American youth don't get an opportunity to play abroad. European clubs are afraid that after spending money on American's, they will get homesick and leave. They don't have the same problem because European kids are on their own with clubs and thus more mature at an earlier age.(at least that is what they believe ). I am not saying this is right because I always stayed as close as possible to my kids and when I could not be there, taught them to never be left anywhere with just 1 person for any reason. Even if going to a teacher's office hours I told them to take a friend in case no other students are there. I rather have my kids be seen a soft as long as they are safe and thus goes for boys too.