Academy season

full90 said:
So what's my other option? My kid is better than the local club teams around us. Those kids won't push him, the training is sub par and players are ok but not good enough to make him stretch himself. There is no local fully funded academy team and we aren't moving. We want him to be around the best players he can so he can be as good as he can be. He won't be a pro...that's fine. His future will be his brain anyways. Soccer in college? Sure. If it opens a door and is a good fit, but not a necessity. But he's good enough to be around good kids and training and see how good he can get. He will also be a late bloomer so who knows what will happen when he catches up to these 03 man-children. I get it that we aren't at the top of the food chain and he's not a future super star. Ok. So I'm not allowed to ever say that "my kid is an academy player?" What should we do? His academy coach is great, training is good and he's having fun and getting better. How is this a disservice?
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full90 said:
I don't get what you are asking. Are you saying that the Galaxy kids are wasting their time playing versus pay to play teams like mine?
How is that my problem to solve? If Galaxy kids are suffering so much playing against my flight 1 rec kid, they are welcome to play up an age, move to Europe or whatever. That's not really my problem.

I don't understand who I am trying to fool. I am perfectly aware of where my kid sits in the pecking order and because he doesn't play for Galaxy, he is worthless and should just play for the local rec team? There is no middle ground? What is the option for my family?
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You're a trip. No one's asking you to solve anything...

You know where you stand playing for a p4p recreational team and that's fine; it's just about the parents who boast about academy status that's laughable.
 
Well, to be fair, there is quite a gap between a rec team and an academy team. And making an 18 man roster for one of 12 or so teams in so cal isn't too shabby. Even if you don't consider 9 of those "real" academy teams, it's still the highest level in so cal at this age group so it's a little noteworthy. Can the top few teams of SCDSL or CSL beat the bottom tier of academy teams? Maybe. But that doesn't undermine the entire academy system. It's not perfect but it's the best environment that currently exists for the top kids. It works for us, if it doesn't for you, ok. No one is making you play academy.
 
full90 said:
Well, to be fair, there is quite a gap between a rec team and an academy team. And making an 18 man roster for one of 12 or so teams in so cal isn't too shabby. Even if you don't consider 9 of those "real" academy teams, it's still the highest level in so cal at this age group so it's a little noteworthy. Can the top few teams of SCDSL or CSL beat the bottom tier of academy teams? Maybe. But that doesn't undermine the entire academy system. It's not perfect but it's the best environment that currently exists for the top kids. It works for us, if it doesn't for you, ok. No one is making you play academy.
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The dialogue between the two of you has been great. You both have made some great points and help put this whole thing in perspective. So thank you. One other food for thought is the joy for playing for something...academy players miss out on tournaments, playoffs, etc. And even though these tourneys may be "watered down" these days, when my boy's team made it to the Finals of Surf Cup over Thanksgiving, nothing replaces the fun and excitement they had. Even losing, it was one great experience. I guess the trade off for the boys playing academy is hopefully making a national academy team or getting a plum DI scholarship. And good for them. But bottom line is keeping things in perspective and that's where experience comes into play. I follow a younger girls board as well and you get the sense every parent is expecting their child to be playing on the national team in 12 years time. That will change...in time...but something they will have to realize on their own.
 
jfreddyss said:
The dialogue between the two of you has been great. You both have made some great points and help put this whole thing in perspective. So thank you. One other food for thought is the joy for playing for something...academy players miss out on tournaments, playoffs, etc. And even though these tourneys may be "watered down" these days, when my boy's team made it to the Finals of Surf Cup over Thanksgiving, nothing replaces the fun and excitement they had. Even losing, it was one great experience. I guess the trade off for the boys playing academy is hopefully making a national academy team or getting a plum DI scholarship. And good for them. But bottom line is keeping things in perspective and that's where experience comes into play. I follow a younger girls board as well and you get the sense every parent is expecting their child to be playing on the national team in 12 years time. That will change...in time...but something they will have to realize on their own.
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Tournaments can be a fun experience especially when you get to travel and play international or teams you don't normally play.

Academy teams don't really miss out in fact more opportunities; in addition to local ones that have ussda brackets (Surf summer, Man City Cup, etc) there is a bunch of other like Dallas Cup, Disney, etc not to mention the international ones like Mic Cup, Cayman Youth Cup, etc.

There are twice yearly DA showcase(s) that are mostly out of state or Playoffs so don't think your players will be missing out. After playing the local smaller tourneys for years kids like a change and a ussda team could play them if they get permission and enter age up even if there is no ussda bracket but most don't because they are so many other options.

Playing some of the local teams might be competitive for some of the ussda teams and that could be nice once in while, some see that is a drawback, others not so much.

The other things to remember is DA is playing 34 games + showcases or playoffs so they don't want to over do it by playing too many tournaments or games

Only a very small % of players get scholarships and the chance at the national team is a long-shot at best unless you player is one of tops in the age group so getting the best training, coaching, and environment so your play continues to develop and have fun is what I recommend.
 
younothat said:
Tournaments can be a fun experience especially when you get to travel and play international or teams you don't normally play.

Academy teams don't really miss out in fact more opportunities; in addition to local ones that have ussda brackets (Surf summer, Man City Cup, etc) there is a bunch of other like Dallas Cup, Disney, etc not to mention the international ones like Mic Cup, Cayman Youth Cup, etc.

There are twice yearly DA showcase(s) that are mostly out of state or Playoffs so don't think your players will be missing out. After playing the local smaller tourneys for years kids like a change and a ussda team could play them if they get permission and enter age up even if there is no ussda bracket but most don't because they are so many other options.

Playing some of the local teams might be competitive for some of the ussda teams and that could be nice once in while, some see that is a drawback, others not so much.

The other things to remember is DA is playing 34 games + showcases or playoffs so they don't want to over do it by playing too many tournaments or games

Only a very small % of players get scholarships and the chance at the national team is a long-shot at best unless you player is one of tops in the age group so getting the best training, coaching, and environment so your play continues to develop and have fun is what I recommend.
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Fair enough and obviously I didn't have all the facts. The buddies we have playing 03 academy haven't done much other than the regional games. But if those ussda brackets start showing up in the bigger tourneys then you are right, all the better for the kids. Thanks for the clarification.
 
Lol, this board is a trip! Personally, I don't think my son has much of a shot turning pro, less than 1% at best. Who cares? He's still a fantastic player and is way, way better than I ever was or dreamt of being. As long as he is working hard and improving and having fun (in that order) that's enough for me.

How many of the posters here were legit pros? My bet is almost none. If you couldn't be a pro, why would you expect your son to be that much better than you? I'm pretty sure most posters here, your son is better than they ever were. You guys should all be totally overjoyed that you completely outbred yourself, and not worry about whether your son is on the most prestigious, or fully funded team, or academy team, or whatever.

Even the kids that do become pro, the vast majority of them are going to be Galaxy 2 level players. I don't even care how skilled a kid is, unless he is extremely fast, he has almost no shot of being a top level pro from America.
 
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SuperNatural said:
The disservice is done to fully funded academy teams obviously.
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Roflmao, this guy. The sad thing is, once LAFC gets rolling, you know the number of idiot posters who think their kid will be the next great world class pro from America will triple.
 
JJP said:
You guys should all be totally overjoyed that you completely outbred yourself, and not worry about whether your son is on the most prestigious, or fully funded team, or academy team, or whatever.
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This is GOLD and spot on for me! :D
 
2-1 Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 over Pateadores U-13

Hard fought physical game at a nice venue that held up well with all the rain. Hats off to all the players that participated.

Was a bit surprised that Patedores changed from a passing & procession team to one that runs & guns. Not sure this style suited them all that well, 6x or more off sides trying to play to the same striker who picked up a bunch of fouls, yellow card, etc. Nice to see the kids playing hard but when you're out of control sooner of later you end up sitting out due to wild play,.accumulation of yellows, etc.

LAUFA had many more chances , shots on goal, but had a bit of trouble finishing. Patedores 2 or 3? on goal, with a really nice blast for the 30rd that went in near the end. The Patadores had a different coach but didn't do himself or his team any favors by continually complaining to the officials, had to be warned multiple times and finally at the end they heard enough and blow the whistle in added time. The video should be very interesting if somebody put'st on-line please share.
 
JackZ said:
Interesting that all 22 starters played the entire game. And grats to the WC developed player getting his first DA goal for Strikers.
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15 players didn't get into the game, what does that say about the coaches?

Obviously when you have 22+ players, 5-7 don't even get on GM roster, but when the 7 others don't get in the game either something is not right IMO. Whole team of players (13) missing out just from one club.
 
Injury bug going around? I haven't heard from any striker parents since last summer.
Strikers added my son old elementary school classmate. Good family. Hope Strikers treat him fairly. Didn't think he was at an Academy level, but from what I hear he has improved of late.
I think two West Coast players also where added.
A month or so ago.
 
mahrez said:
15 players didn't get into the game, what does that say about the coaches?

Obviously when you have 22+ players, 5-7 don't even get on GM roster, but when the 7 others don't get in the game either something is not right IMO. Whole team of players (13) missing out just from one club.
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It means that it isn't about "development" at all, it's just about trying to win at all costs and egos
 
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