# Academy vs flight 1



## HuntersDad (Dec 14, 2021)

My son has been invited to a DA team, can anyone explain if that is the same thing as a flight 1 team?


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## RedDevilDad (Dec 14, 2021)

Oh boy... you're going to get a lot of subjective answers and trigger parents. 

IMO, and sure there are outliers and variances at every age group...
Level of talent:

1. MLS Academies
2. MLS Next Fully-Funded Teams
3. MLS Next Mid-table Teams
4. ECNL Top Teams
5. SoCal Flight 1/Top Non ECNL or MLS Next teams
6. Midtable ECNL
7. Bottom MLS Next
8. Bottom ECNL
9. Every other CLUB level
10. AYSO/City

(Also, my opinion: There's no point in paying to be on a non-MLS Next team that is mid-table or lower AND sacrificing high school if a player attends a quality high school.  My opinion: Play on a top ECNL team and play high school.)


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## Yak (Dec 14, 2021)

RedDevilDad said:


> Oh boy... you're going to get a lot of subjective answers and trigger parents.
> 
> IMO, and sure there are outliers and variances at every age group...
> Level of talent:
> ...


Suggest #5 is Discovery and Coast Premier


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## RedDevilDad (Dec 14, 2021)

Yak said:


> Suggest #5 is Discovery and Coast Premier


After #4/Top ECNL teams... don't pay any attention to level and just play with your friends and close to your home.


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## Yak (Dec 15, 2021)

RedDevilDad said:


> After #4/Top ECNL teams... don't pay any attention to level and just play with your friends and close to your home.


A slightly different perspective, from experience at with sons at levels 1, 2, and 5 over the years, is: play reasonably close to home at a level where your player gets good playing time with a coach that is a positive influence.  For us, getting out of our local bubble and playing with boys from diverse backgrounds has been one of the most positive benefits of youth soccer.


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## watfly (Dec 15, 2021)

HuntersDad said:


> My son has been invited to a DA team, can anyone explain if that is the same thing as a flight 1 team?


Since DA no longer exists, just be clear as to what level your son will be playing at.  The term academy gets thrown around pretty loosely these days.  Legends participates in ECNL, which includes ECNL and ECRL teams.  ECRL teams would rate pretty far down Red Devil's list.

In my mind an academy team would be an MLS teams youth academy.


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