He makes some good points.
https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...ns-on-the-development-academys-flaws-the.html
https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...ns-on-the-development-academys-flaws-the.html
That's your takeaway from the article?I don't understand how is it possible for those players he is talking about to play 7 years DA, when, before recently, DA only started at U14?
I think you misread this. He's been a DA parent for 7 years - with two different kids...I don't understand how is it possible for those players he is talking about to play 7 years DA, when, before recently, DA only started at U14?
Oops - I didn't see the other bit about one son playing for seven years.I think you misread this. He's been a DA parent for 7 years - with two different kids...
He makes some good points.
https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...ns-on-the-development-academys-flaws-the.html
That's your takeaway from the article?
Closed system, no regulation or promotion
5) The pay-to-play issue is out of control"
The pay-to-play issue is of course out of control, and the cost of playing youth club soccer makes the opportunity prohibitive for many deserving players; and that is a terrible shame. U.S. Soccer cannot just mandate that each non-MLS DA club scholarship every DA player, as the majority (if not all) of such clubs simply could not afford to do so. In addition to scholarships based on financial need, there is a movement in many DA clubs to provide playing merit-based scholarships. For instance, I recently drafted a model Merit Scholarship Player Agreement for a DA club. However, as well intended as it may be, this development has its own controversy, as economic relief for the best players means that the costs of running the club fall more heavily on parents of players in the club who play on non-DA teams, and that is not lost on many of these parents.
Overall, I don’t think that the skyrocketing pay-to-play fees issue is specific to DA clubs. Rather, it is an issue throughout youth club soccer, and I believe that U.S. Soccer could do a better job making clubs accountable, or exposing clubs who are overcharging, such that market forces would actually lower these accessibility costs"
This one I disagree with, though. Relegation / promotion among DAs will put the emphasis squarely back on winning and pull it away from player development.
I agree with the article that the DA rules seemed to be made from a boardroom in Chicago with no input from people doing the work with kids year after year.
For pro clubs, sure, and I agree that MLS needs to adopt this, but not for academies. None of the European academy systems I'm familiar with work this way.The vast majority of countries operate their soccer leagues through promotion and relegation...
For pro clubs, sure, and I agree that MLS needs to adopt this, but not for academies. None of the European academy systems I'm familiar with work this way.