I Can't thank you enough for all the information. Thanks for helping us out.
To be a devils advocate though this thread really was an example of what clubs are selling us. They say things like we should not be in C DA "because it's a bad team", or they say X DA "will lose all the time".
It's been a bad couple of months for trash talking and it's not parent driven.
What is your take on that?
I think you know what I'm going to say, but I'll say it anyway. On the surface, I would hope all parents, whether DA or Flight 3/Bronze would have the intelligence to see through the sales B.S., but with your examples: "...we should not be in C DA "because it's a bad team", or they say X DA "will lose all the time"." The proper response should be "Um, OK, duly noted, but let's talk about how your club is better equipped to develop my player?" You can then use the same 7 "Key Development" criteria that US Soccer uses and talk to the DOC or Coach about:
1. Player Development Effectiveness
2. Staff Leadership, Structure and Qualifications
3. Style of Play and Philosophy
4. Training Environment and Personal Development
5. Facilities and Infrastructure
6. Respect [for all including other clubs]
7. Resources
2. Staff Leadership, Structure and Qualifications
3. Style of Play and Philosophy
4. Training Environment and Personal Development
5. Facilities and Infrastructure
6. Respect [for all including other clubs]
7. Resources
Now, if we take look at the motivation of a parent (v. US Soccer) we can understand that a parent might place value of "wins" versus "losses," and that parent may be making the right move for their kid by picking teams with better players (if that player is a projected starter). Having a child on a DA team greatly increases the weight of that child's resume when it comes to college scholarship opportunities. So, from a parent perspective "the better team" may be a better decision, assuming all else is equal. A projected bench player is likely making a mistake, however, and should choose a DA team that is not as strong because that player has a better chance of standing out and being seen on a poor squad v. a good squad. Just like we have seen with the girls ECNL, just being on an ECNL team is also benefit and opens doors.
In other words, parental motivations (college) are often times at odds with US Soccer's motivations (finding National Team players). For this reason, US Soccer has shaped the DA into a pyramid with many U12 teams (base of the pyramid) to only a few U18 teams (top of the pyramid). The better players will filter up and the clubs with teams at the top of the pyramid will be those clubs the fully fund their DA programs. At this time, its looking like the MLS teams will be the only ones at the top very shortly on the boys side, and the jury is still out on the Girls side.
@SDsun, I think on the girls side, the National Team will continue to pull players from a more diverse cross-section (ECNL, ODP, National Cup caliber teams and eventually the college ranks) primarily because the Girls DA will take many years to prove itself out. The no HS rule has many top level players that want to play HS staying with ECNL teams. Because we are not close (and may never be there) with fully funded residential programs with girls, the National Team ranks will continue to have more diversity than the boys side. On the boys side the younger national teams are now very heavily weighted with Boys DA players (e.g. Boys U16 National Team - https://www.ussoccer.com/us-under16-boys-national-team/roster#tab-1 has 2 players not from a DA Club (kid from Chivas USA and Santa Barbara SC)), so I generally agree with you as it relates to the girls at this time, but disagree to the extent that your comment is inconsistent with the goals of the Girls DA program and where it hopes to be 10 years from now.
@Nutmeg, I'll take that as a compliment, but alas I only hold an E-License and I'm not qualified to be a DOC at a DA (I think you need an A or B) and I believe coaches need better than a D (but it could be a C) ... I also do not coach (I'm a Ref). With regard to your other comment (... hard earned money), the ultimate goal of the DA is fully funded programs that are built with MLS and large club dollars so parents are paying hard earned money and good players are not priced out of the program. Some of the boys programs have gotten there, but the girls programs are a long way off. Its the same consideration as being a parent of an ECNL player ... expensive. As far as what US Soccer (will do) with the Girls DA, we'll just agree to disagree. If I was a parent of a young lady good enough to entertain the DA or ECNL teams, my focus would be on college opportunities/scholarships and not the National Team.