How important is it to play ussda at the younger ages?
- Thread starter Panenka
- Start date
No clear answer. Playing against the best kids is obviously a plus and makes your kid better. Travel seems no worse than other leagues. Coaching is better, I would guess. However, you want your kid to build confidence and have somewhere to grow into, so unless they're bored or too dominant at scdsl or coast, it is fine to grow into ussda much later.
younothat
PREMIER
Big commitment first of all, really big...training 3-4 days a week, games on the weekend for 10 months of the year. Pressure and expectations run high, can be doggy eat dog.
How competitive of a player are your considering DA for? If they can't get enough competition as their current level then yes consider DA.
Are you willing to spend 3 hours+ each way to travel to/from San Diego to Bakersfield for U14 games... Including the hour warm up, 1.5hr game time = 8 hour+ day for some away games
Opportunities don't always coming knocking but when they do take them. Your player should show and be able to tell you when their ready or not for the next challenge, level, league, etc.
How competitive of a player are your considering DA for? If they can't get enough competition as their current level then yes consider DA.
Are you willing to spend 3 hours+ each way to travel to/from San Diego to Bakersfield for U14 games... Including the hour warm up, 1.5hr game time = 8 hour+ day for some away games
Opportunities don't always coming knocking but when they do take them. Your player should show and be able to tell you when their ready or not for the next challenge, level, league, etc.
Wez
DA
On weekends that's pretty bad but doable, it's the commute time to practices during the week that scares the hell out of me...
Wez
DA
(1) Hour travel times each way to practice is not unusual, practices can go 2 hours so 4 hours per day x 3-4 per = 12-16 hrs a week just for practices.. that and getting there on time say 6pm start if you work until 5 and have to get home or whatever first
After practice is over the commute shouldn't be too bad, it's the getting there through rush hour that has me wetting my undies...
mahrez
SILVER ELITE
Normally get more difficult to get in as the ages go up.
1st year has the most opportunity after that the pool of established player's doesn't make much room for new prospects.
The competition level can make a big difference in a year kids can change, grow, improve a lot in a challenging environment.
1st year has the most opportunity after that the pool of established player's doesn't make much room for new prospects.
The competition level can make a big difference in a year kids can change, grow, improve a lot in a challenging environment.
No.Guts.No.Glory
BRONZE
You should also consider playing time before committing to DA. If the player is good enough to earn a starting spot than all the sacrifices are worth it. If, on the other hand, the kid is only getting 15 to 20 minutes of game time due to large roster, then consider SCDSL or CSL Prem.
younothat
PREMIER
Once of the challenges of any team, coach, players is getting enough playing time for the non-starters
DA has real mandates on playing time for the younger ages; DA minimum standards of having U-13 players play in 50% of minutes per month and for U-14 to follow the rotation format of having players start in a minimum of 25% of their games per year.
Some teams & coaches do a better job of this than others but all the stats/minutes are keep on-line. Clubs will get notified doing certain times, reviews and players that don't get the required minimums have options.
One of the things the DA could look out is a reserve system or some way to move players around a bit easier beyond the DP tags.
Cal south clubs have a lot of teams and they can player or club pass players to move them around easy among their teams within the roster & rules limits.
USSDA is separate and you can only register new or pass DA players already in the league, No others or transfers from Cal South teams are allowed even withing your same club (drop from one CS team 1st, add to DA is only option) so that really limits roster flexibility and the pool of potential players.
DA has real mandates on playing time for the younger ages; DA minimum standards of having U-13 players play in 50% of minutes per month and for U-14 to follow the rotation format of having players start in a minimum of 25% of their games per year.
Some teams & coaches do a better job of this than others but all the stats/minutes are keep on-line. Clubs will get notified doing certain times, reviews and players that don't get the required minimums have options.
One of the things the DA could look out is a reserve system or some way to move players around a bit easier beyond the DP tags.
Cal south clubs have a lot of teams and they can player or club pass players to move them around easy among their teams within the roster & rules limits.
USSDA is separate and you can only register new or pass DA players already in the league, No others or transfers from Cal South teams are allowed even withing your same club (drop from one CS team 1st, add to DA is only option) so that really limits roster flexibility and the pool of potential players.
U
uburoi
Guest
I understand that my son's team may play USSDA u12 next year. It was my understanding that there is a certain amount of play time for each player and for that reason is more about development. Is this true? My goal for joining USSDA is really to play good soccer in a structured environment as opposed to the wild west approach of all the other clubs playing in the SCDSL, many with no coherent structure or mission. Since my son is an occasional starter, I also worry about the driving, etc. But then I'm already driving one hour each way to practice.
This year the rule is 50% per game for U12 USSDA.
Who enforces it? What is the penalty for violation?
Based on the the U12 game reports and lack of data in them, there is no real way to know who is in violation without witnessing it from the sidelines with a stopwatch in hand. The U13s and older game reports are very specific on the subs and minutes, records kept by the ref. Not the case with U12 reports. Don't know if there is a penalty.
Do the game reports include reasons why a player might be short of the required playing time, such as injury, illness, or discipline?
Not from what I can tell.
U
uburoi
Guest
Great stuff, thanks. USSDA seems the best way to develop a player. My daughter has played club for a few years and I can't see my son really developing with a normal club, especially after playing for a year in an academy setup. He's not a star but does just ok. I'm not sure I can deal with the scdsl for the next 5 years or more.
To play in DA your club has to get accepted. Good soccer doesn't come from playing in a good league. Your club, especially your coach has the greatest impact on what style of soccer the team plays.
USSDA teams are pretty selective. If you have young ones that you'd like to see playing in a true academy somewhere down the road, I recommend extra training early and often and finding a coach and team that focuses on technical and tactical aspects of the game. The higher level players you can get your kids playing with and against, the better.