To be honest, USSF is looking for an identity in how to develop players and in all fairness we havent found that identity yet..getting closer but not there yet.
We have too many options, we have a clutter of playing options and were not getting the right mindset when developing players.
Our ideologies and beliefs arent one, we have a ton of conflicting ideas that are not allowing us to look at what our goal really is.
I agree with the post that we have players that are just long ball and physical, demographically caucasians are winning at the youth levels, physically their just better. But when it comes to the ball movement the foreign immigrant status are doing a better job. Were Similar to the British. Soccer iq needs to develop not ATHLETES, we are way ahead in terms of physical preparedness, we just dont have the brains yet. We have raw ability, we need to convert it into something. So are we gonna actually address mental development more or are we gonna think about how strong physically were gonna get. Lets keep in mind conditioning and strength training arent the same thing. Take a look at Modric of madrid vs bradley of toronto, who wins physically? Bradley from the looks of it, but modric brain and ability would still beat him physically. Its about bridging that gap.
So is DA training developing world class talent...no, its not. Its just a serious and rigorous environment that will aid a player with natural talent even more. We cant expect all players to be mentally similar, not all will go through same path, not all will be professional level. Some things you cant rush or buy.
I also believe that the labeling were doing with DA, flight 1 bla bla bla doesnt help, we need to organize under 1 umbrella, its ridiculous that we have youth traveling the country for games when in our own backyard we have so many teams and players.
For Socal, lets merge coast league with scdsl and have best teams from scdsl and coast go at it along with DA teams, thats how good development will take place, have the relegation in place for the youth levels. So theres an incentive both ways. And if Usssf wants to revolutionize youth development, have scouts and coaches for a state team, best 23 players from state in each category like odp but better, have them compete against other state teams. All structured and simple.
A calendar needs to be put in place also, a 2 season setup like Spring/early summer and a fall season that are equally strong would be best. In between you could have a state cup and national cup in the summer, avoid money grab tournaments in deserts *cough cough* norco*, which doesnt help develop players..
If DA wants to not be apart of the regular youth setup then let them be, having professional backing is great but doesnt make sense to have a slammers DA with a galaxy DA, the professional youth clubs should be playing against the professional youth clubs, La vs Dal, this would be the alternate to having the state team as i mentioned, just scratch state team thing i said ahah. Professional vs professional, non professional vs non professional, however id like to see Galaxy takin part in a major tournament like state cup pitted against best teams. Just my 2 cents
