The new Strikers DOC is awesome. I am an older parent - last of my kids is aging out this year and going to play in college. I am actually SAD that my kid won't have a chance to play for Hubie (the new DOC) longer. To watch someone inspire 18 year olds is something to behold. The guy will bring a lot to Strikers for the future years.
And I do not know if they applied for DA. I do know that they surveyed the girls and asked if they would want to give up high school for the DA. I believe "HELL NO" would be the nicest way to categorize the response.
I have been around since Strikers was THE club in OC, then watched it falter, come back up, and then go through the Camargo to Abner transition. We've been in last place, we've been champions and we've gone seasons right smack in the middle. All with different clubs. Today's first place, is 2 years from now's just as likely's last. It happens.
I think each of the OC top clubs is great and have had kids play at Blues, Strikers and Slammers. Each offer something for everyone. Once you are in ECNL, you all play the same teams and go to the same tournaments with the same coaches in attendance. Yes, one club may get more coaches to the field for one game, but then the next game it is someone else. Everyone of those clubs gets kids into colleges to play. Every one. Which college varies as well. What they do when they get to college and how they are prepared varies. Watched girls this Fall from all of these top clubs on their college teams and there is no way anyone can say credibly say "well, if you play for X, you will be a starter in college" or "if you play for Y, you will get more money in college." Just not possible. All of that depends on variables that cannot be controlled. There could be a superstar in your kid's position when they arrive. Coaches get fired. Or, my personal favorite, the kid didn't HEAR the coach when they said during recruiting that they wouldn't be playing forward anymore, they'd be playing defense and they didn't prepare.
A lot of these choices come down to what is the best fit for YOUR kid. Sometimes, it is just a matter of what coach fits your kid, style of play, what position they play, how many girls are already there that play that position, where they practice, when they practice, how they travel, how much they charge (YES, there is a difference) and well, the color of the uniform (yah, that matters for some kids.) We left a great team with a great coach and tons of long time friends simply because Strikers moved to our neighborhood and our youngest could now walk to practice. Haven't regretted it at all. And yes, we have had a few rough games. I know of a parent who took a starter from a great team simply because they didn't like the club's travel policy. It worked out just fine for them at a different OC club.
Control what you can. Which is what you pay, where you drive and your attitude. Most parents I know that are unhappy usually have something to do with it. Pay attention to make sure you don't have an a** for a coach, or a kid who doesn't like the sport anymore. Other than that, there just isn't a huge difference between any of the Blues/Strikers/WestCoast/Slammers options we have in OC.
Sorry for the lecture. Old time parent who gets irritated when people do drive-by insults and accusations on coaches and programs that were here long before their kid played and will be here long after.
