# Top Team Dilution in the So Cal



## SOCCERMINION (Feb 12, 2017)

Correct me is im Wrong but in Socal the Girls top team are :
DAI = 13 teams
Ecnl= 8 teams
DAII= 9 teams
EGSL= 8 Teams
And Top Flight 1 Team: (Clubs that do not have DA or ECNL Affiliatinos)
SCDSL= ?
CSL = ?
SDDA =?
Just how many Elite Players Does Socal have?


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## chargerfan (Feb 12, 2017)

SOCCERMINION said:


> Correct me is im Wrong but in Socal the Girls top team are :
> DAI = 13 teams
> Ecnl= 8 teams
> DAII= 9 teams
> ...


Yep. Top talent is going to be very diluted. That makes me think that apart from two or three "super teams", a lot of teams are going to be at the same level, whether DA, ecnl, or flight 1.


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## outside! (Feb 12, 2017)

It is not really that much different than the old days before ECNL, SCDSL. DA ~= old CSL Premier, ECNL ~= Gold, etc. Out of the DA league of 13, there will be a handful of top teams, just like any league. There will be some great players and teams in ECNL, and it will suck that DA and ECNL won't have an opportunity to play one another. We could all travel a bit less then.


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## Eusebio (Feb 13, 2017)

Yeah I think for 70% of the elite player pool, they'll still get identified and play for whatever is considered the elite gaming circuit and top-level teams. These players are usually the early bloomers (physical and mental early bloomers). It's the other 30% of the elite pool who will probably have it tougher. The players who show enormous potential but might be under-sized or have a slower development curve. These players will be scattered across a half-dozen other leagues and circuits in varying competition levels. 

The league dilution won't affect 70% of elite players who were identified early because they'll be inside the DA gated community. But the late bloomers will not have a clear pathway to get on the elite track because they'll be spread thin across SCDSL Flight 1, ENCL, SDDA Flight 1, CSL and Premier/Gold. It'll be harder for these 30% to actually play together. There's also almost zero cross-play between DA teams and any club teams in the above leagues. So if Lil' Larry the Late Bloomer is playing in SCDSL on CDA Slammers Exit 79, he'll rarely (or if ever) be able to test his metal against Big Ervin the Early Bloomer who plays on a DA team at [insert superclub]. Most DA coaches are unlikely to recruit from SCDSL, SDDA, CSL, and etc for new talent. They'll just attempt to recruit from other DA clubs as they've always done in the past. 

Even at the current super clubs with DA teams and club teams, the DA teams have almost zero interaction with the club's own Flight 1 teams in terms of training and scrimmages. Having even more leagues, each with their own unique rules and restrictions for player passes/transfers, means it'll make it even easier for coaches to just compartmentalize players into their own little box, so there's going to be even less mobility. 

My son played high school this year (I wanted my son to play at least one year of HS before DA blocked it out) and one great thing about our HS team is that our coaches moved the players all over the place from Freshman, JV, to Varsity even during midseason. JV players who showed promise got a chance to train and maybe even play for Varsity. Two JV players made the full transition and are now full-time Varsity players. Conversely, some Varsity players weren't getting enough game time, dropped down to JV for a couple of games. The varsity coach involves himself with the JV and freshmen teams and knows most of their names. The coach has been trying to strike a balance between winning games right now but also grooming the freshman and sophomores for the upcoming years.

I was amazed frankly. For all the derision high school soccer gets, this particular high school was putting into practice the holistic approach that myself and many on this forum have been clamoring for club teams to do.  It felt like everyone was under the same umbrella rather than 3 isolated teams. To bring my point home from my long tangent, the league dilution and DA gated community further destroys the bottom up approach or pathway with club soccer, which basically prevents the above HS scenario from happening.  Even recently in the younger age groups at least, CRL and National Cup provided a checks and balance system on the elite teams and an up and coming team could make a Cinderella run and give some exposure to previously undiscovered talent.  We now have a situation where theoretically a kid enters the DA system at 10 years-old and plays the same 6-8 teams repeatedly for the next 7-8 years.  All the other players will be outside the gates bouncing around various super-club affiliates and "B" teams in a half dozen leagues hoping to get noticed. But after a certain point, coaches/directors are just trying to fill slots not develop and identify players. If you have a 25 person roster on both a DA and ECNL team, 18 player rosters on Flight 1 "C" and "D" teams, then why make waves and potentially upset parents by moving players around to a more appropriate level? DOCs love league dilution because it makes it easier for them to do the shell game where every parent gets to have their kid in a top flight. But late bloomers will suffer from this the most.


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## MyDaughtersAKeeper (Feb 13, 2017)

On the note of top team dilution: http://goalnation.com/ac-milan-academy-launches-san-diego/


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## younothat (Feb 13, 2017)

The rise of the fictitious names, doing business as something they are by name only

Elite, Development, Pre this or that, Academy are all overused catch works in youth soccer.

Just looks at how usys and calsouth markets  st/nat cups.   really just a area comp since only includes the southern part of the state (nocal has there own seperate) but state / national cup sounds like a bigger deal

Things have changed so much since my kids starting playing competitive, from one league (CSL) to so many.  Spring league was about the only other league around.   Futsal was just getting going and  my kids played 11x11 staring at age 9 (u11), headed, bike kicking, loving all the extra space on the fields.   Instead of the black, white, red teams we now have these illusionary elite teams. 

*Elite player = national team pool standard* IMO at least so 2-3 per age group at best say starting at U14.   Before that players are just students of the game some at different level that need different training, coaching, comp.

Youth soccer throws out all catch words, promises so you will buy into the activity...look for the best coach and enviroment for you player to learn, grow, and really develop & don't worry too much about the "leagues" or labels that are so easily thrown around.


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## MyDaughtersAKeeper (Feb 13, 2017)

The truly "elite" players will be found whatever league and/or team they play in/for.  There aren't that many "elite" players.  This fight is about control and money.  

Like @younotthat stated "..look for the best coach and enviroment for you player to learn, grow, and really develop & don't worry too much about the "leagues" or labels that are so easily thrown around."


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 13, 2017)

TCD said:


> There are 23+ million people in southern California. More than enough to have a shit ton of top talent. We should all just stay in SoCal and play each other. No need to travel!


There is not enough in state talent to produce that many "elite" level teams.  Regarding not needing out of state talent, I disagree.  Per graduating class there are less than 30 elite players and probably less than 10 that will be "stars" in college.  I think that the going out of state to play is good we just need to reduce the number of teams overall and in the top echelon.  If we are trying to develop world class players we need to sort the diamonds from the coal.  Personally I don't think that is the idea thus the greater number of so called "elite" teams.


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## gauchosean (Feb 13, 2017)

For all of its faults the old CSL structure used to produce 12 top teams in Premier u16/17/19 and almost all the top talent would find its way onto one of those teams. There were truly some powerhouse teams back then.  You can debate whether it was good for "development" but the most talent players were usually on those teams playing each other week in and week out. They were being chased by the 12 gold teams just below them.  You knew where you stood and there wasn't this spreading of talent the way there is now. 

More "Elite" teams means more $$$!


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## outside! (Feb 13, 2017)

gauchosean said:


> For all of its faults the old CSL structure used to produce 12 top teams in Premier u16/17/19 and almost all the top talent would find its way onto one of those teams. There were truly some powerhouse teams back then.  You can debate whether it was good for "development" but the most talent players were usually on those teams playing each other week in and week out. They were being chased by the 12 gold teams just below them.  You knew where you stood and there wasn't this spreading of talent the way there is now.
> 
> More "Elite" teams means more $$$!


I think for the most part it is just a name change. There are 12 SoCal GDA teams just like there used to be 12 CSL Premier teams. I don't know how many SoCal ECNL teams there are, but they would correspond to the CSL Gold teams of old.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 13, 2017)

gauchosean said:


> For all of its faults the old CSL structure used to produce 12 top teams in Premier u16/17/19 and almost all the top talent would find its way onto one of those teams. There were truly some powerhouse teams back then.  You can debate whether it was good for "development" but the most talent players were usually on those teams playing each other week in and week out. They were being chased by the 12 gold teams just below them.  You knew where you stood and there wasn't this spreading of talent the way there is now.
> 
> More "Elite" teams means more $$$!


I agree.  If GS (God rest his soul) had negotiated with the ECNL clubs this wouldn't even be a conversation.  His ego (or greed) screwed us all!


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 13, 2017)

outside! said:


> I think for the most part it is just a name change. There are 12 SoCal GDA teams just like there used to be 12 CSL Premier teams. I don't know how many SoCal ECNL teams there are, but they would correspond to the CSL Gold teams of old.


You are so misguided.  Most of the GDA clubs are the JV teams (or Silver if you want to use CSL parlance).  GDA hasn't even happened and you are handing over the crown!  I could take the top 18 ECNL players from any age group and you can take the top 18 from all of the other clubs and it wouldn't be much of a contest if the two sides played.


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## outside! (Feb 13, 2017)

MAP. Times change, move on. GDA will be the top league, but there will still be some great ECNL teams. I didn't make the rules, I'm just playing by them. Since GDA has many of the same problems as ECNL, it will have to change in a few years as well.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 13, 2017)

outside! said:


> MAP. Times change, move on. GDA will be the top league, but there will still be some great ECNL teams. I didn't make the rules, I'm just playing by them. Since GDA has many of the same problems as ECNL, it will have to change in a few years as well.


Move on?  I have moved on.  It's just you and the shiny new toy crowd keep crowning a winner before the game has even started!  I think you will be surprised out how this sorts out (just like I am sure that I will be surprised too).  I have been told that times change before and it's weird how the more things in the club soccer world the more they remaing the same.  The same clubs will continue to produce the players for the top colleges and the YNT and boutique clubs will continue to produce the one off player.

Do you really believe that GDA is going to end Surf's stranglehold on San Diego?  If so I have some beach front property in Santee to sell you.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 13, 2017)

outside! said:


> MAP. Times change, move on. GDA will be the top league, but there will still be some great ECNL teams. I didn't make the rules, I'm just playing by them. Since GDA has many of the same problems as ECNL, it will have to change in a few years as well.


You and Caliklines with all of your "experience" should school me on this.  I suggest you two work on getting your players ready for college so that they don't transfer back home for lack of PT and homesickness.


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## Kicknit22 (Feb 13, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> You are so misguided.  Most of the GDA clubs are the JV teams (or Silver if you want to use CSL parlance).  GDA hasn't even happened and you are handing over the crown!  I could take the top 18 ECNL players from any age group and you can take the top 18 from all of the other clubs and it wouldn't be much of a contest if the two sides played.


I'm no ECNL hater.  In fact, quite the contrary.  But I'm sorry MaP.  That statement is just ridiculous.  We all understand your DD was/is all world and is "looking in the rear view mirror" at most of us, but I would attribute her success , more so to her, than the league in which she played.  Sure, ECNL, with its extraordinary marketing and visibility, helped yours and many get the exposure that helped them propel thier futures, but as good as she is , she would have made it without the moniker.  NOT all the best players play for ECNL. ECNL players have only benefited the most.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 13, 2017)

Kicknit22 said:


> I'm no ECNL hater.  In fact, quite the contrary.  But I'm sorry MaP.  That statement is just ridiculous.  We all understand your DD was/is all world and is "looking in the rear view mirror" at most of us, but I would attribute her success , more so to her, than the league in which she played.  Sure, ECNL, with its extraordinary marketing and visibility, helped yours and many get the exposure that helped them propel thier futures, but as good as she is , she would have made it without the moniker.  NOT all the best players play for ECNL. ECNL players have only benefited the most.


I never said ALL the best players play ECNL.  I can tell you this with 100% conviction that ALL the best players in the SoCal 2016 graduating class played ECNL either full time or as a DP at some point prior to committing to college.


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## Striker17 (Feb 13, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> Move on?  I have moved on.  It's just you and the shiny new toy crowd keep crowning a winner before the game has even started!  I think you will be surprised out how this sorts out (just like I am sure that I will be surprised too).  I have been told that times change before and it's weird how the more things in the club soccer world the more they remaing the same.  The same clubs will continue to produce the players for the top colleges and the YNT and boutique clubs will continue to produce the one off player.
> 
> Do you really believe that GDA is going to end Surf's stranglehold on San Diego?  If so I have some beach front property in Santee to sell you.


Carlsbad has DA- several were asked to come over to SURF and they did not. 
There are two more DA club now and not only it is diminishing the power base it's also eroding the league. Four B team girls at surf (won't name age level) just made a local DA and now are leaving their "ECNL" team.
Some of us don't want to play for a certain coach. 
As for as ECNL you would throw up if you saw the coaching lineup for ECNL at 03 and 04 MAP. I am not kidding you.


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## Striker17 (Feb 13, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> I never said ALL the best players play ECNL.  I can tell you this with 100% conviction that ALL the best players in the SoCal 2016 graduating class played ECNL either full time or as a DP at some point prior to committing to college.


Again agree with this. I say two years everyone will know the deal. As of right now for 6,7,8 graders I know of no elite player who is not going to a DA. I know of no elite player who has chosen ECNL over a DA spot.
I think if you have a 10,11,12 grader ECNL is still safe for sure. I think the 03 would be he most difficult to navigate in terms of what to do.


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## Kicknit22 (Feb 13, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> I never said ALL the best players play ECNL.  I can tell you this with 100% conviction that ALL the best players in the SoCal 2016 graduating class played ECNL either full time or as a DP at some point prior to committing to college.


I can certainly appreciate your conviction.  Agree to disagree.  I can say with 100% conviction that there was at least 1 player NOT ECNL, better than some in the group you are crowning.  They just didn't get noticed or the opportunity.(For whatever reason)


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## Justafan (Feb 13, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> The same clubs will continue to produce the players for the top colleges and the YNT and boutique clubs will continue to produce the one off player.
> 
> Do you really believe that GDA is going to end Surf's stranglehold on San Diego?


Precisely, and all those same clubs, including Surf, now have DA, so DA will now be the top league.  Now will those 12 DA teams be as good as the 8 ECNL teams, logic says NO.  Concentration of the top talent into 8 teams is better than into 12.


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## espola (Feb 13, 2017)

Justafan said:


> Precisely, and all those same clubs, including Surf, now have DA, so DA will now be the top league.  Now will those 12 DA teams be as good as the 8 ECNL teams, logic says NO.  Concentration of the top talent into 8 teams is better than into 12.


That depends on where you sit on the rosters.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

Striker17 said:


> Carlsbad has DA- several were asked to come over to SURF and they did not.
> There are two more DA club now and not only it is diminishing the power base it's also eroding the league. Four B team girls at surf (won't name age level) just made a local DA and now are leaving their "ECNL" team.
> Some of us don't want to play for a certain coach.
> As for as ECNL you would throw up if you saw the coaching lineup for ECNL at 03 and 04 MAP. I am not kidding you.


I believe you.  It is sad that things are going to be even more diluted at the top levels.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

Justafan said:


> Precisely, and all those same clubs, including Surf, now have DA, so DA will now be the top league.  Now will those 12 DA teams be as good as the 8 ECNL teams, logic says NO.  Concentration of the top talent into 8 teams is better than into 12.


I agree.  Just more slices of the same pie.  Sad for the truly elite players.  Good for the middle players.  Doesn't matter for the lower level players.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

Kicknit22 said:


> I can certainly appreciate your conviction.  Agree to disagree.  I can say with 100% conviction that there was at least 1 player NOT ECNL, better than some in the group you are crowning.  They just didn't get noticed or the opportunity.(For whatever reason)


If you are talking about Danika Bowman she played ECNL for Arsenal at U14 when they won the inaugural ECNL U14 national championship.  If not her then please name names as they are adults now.

I do not disagree that GDA will be the new top level.  My point is that ECNL will still be relevant and overall the talent pool will be more diluted and spread out.


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## chargerfan (Feb 14, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> I agree.  Just more slices of the same pie.  Sad for the truly elite players.  Good for the middle players.  Doesn't matter for the lower level players.


I agree that this is good for the middle players, who will be able to find a home on a DA or ECNL team. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing in general. It gives more girls opportunities, but what do these opportunities mean now that it's so diluted?


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

chargerfan said:


> I agree that this is good for the middle players, who will be able to find a home on a DA or ECNL team. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing in general. It gives more girls opportunities, but what do these opportunities mean now that it's so diluted?


That is the million dollar questions.  I guess that we will see.


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## sandshark (Feb 14, 2017)

All about money.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

TCD said:


> I think it will be a good thing. We have the population base to support it.


I agree.  For the middle 80% it will be good.


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## tugs (Feb 14, 2017)

ECNL will be not be relegated to "B" team league until DA has one DA team per age group.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

TCD said:


> IMO if the US really wants to develop the elite players to be the best in the world, they should run their program like the US gymnastics program. Then we can see which soccer parents are truly bat shit crazy vs. just kinda bat shit crazy.


If they were serious they would have a residency program like the boys.  Have a set team and cycle in a player or two.  The team would get a cohesion that comes from playing with the same group for an extended period of time.  But we all know this isn't about developing elite players.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 14, 2017)

Kicknit22 said:


> I can certainly appreciate your conviction.  Agree to disagree.  I can say with 100% conviction that there was at least 1 player NOT ECNL, better than some in the group you are crowning.  They just didn't get noticed or the opportunity.(For whatever reason)


You might be talking about Kelsey Aaknes.  I wouldn't call her one of the top players in the 2016 class out of SoCal but the Colorado coach's love for tall players for his direct kickball style has worked out to her advantage.  The games that I saw her play in were against top competition and she was getting attacked.


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## pulguita (Feb 14, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> If they were serious they would have a residency program like the boys.  Have a set team and cycle in a player or two.  The team would get a cohesion that comes from playing with the same group for an extended period of time.  But we all know this isn't about developing elite players.


"Players in the NWSL that are not allocated by the United States and Canadian federations will make between $7,200 and $39,700 for the six-month season, up from $6,842 to $37,800 in 2015. In 2013, salaries ranged from $6,000 to $30,000." Further, " The U.S. women point to the fact that Tier 1 women's players, who made up the majority of World Cup roster, made a base salary of $72,000 in 2015,".  What female player in the US in her right mind would sacrifice her High School years to go to a soccer residency program to have a chance to make $40,000 as an NWSL pro or an allocated tier 1 USWNT player for $72,000 a year with no guarantees when you can go the normal route, go to a top college, get a great education play soccer and then go pro if you do well enough and want to.  Most big time Euro Clubs don't have residency programs.  The boys residency program has been a joke.  What do you think the girls side would be?  And yes having watched much more these last few years my tune has definitely changed.  We don't have a clue and probably won't for a long time.


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## chargerfan (Feb 14, 2017)

pulguita said:


> "Players in the NWSL that are not allocated by the United States and Canadian federations will make between $7,200 and $39,700 for the six-month season, up from $6,842 to $37,800 in 2015. In 2013, salaries ranged from $6,000 to $30,000." Further, " The U.S. women point to the fact that Tier 1 women's players, who made up the majority of World Cup roster, made a base salary of $72,000 in 2015,".  What female player in the US in her right mind would sacrifice her High School years to go to a soccer residency program to have a chance to make $40,000 as an NWSL pro or an allocated tier 1 USWNT player for $72,000 a year with no guarantees when you can go the normal route, go to a top college, get a great education play soccer and then go pro if you do well enough and want to.  Most big time Euro Clubs don't have residency programs.  The boys residency program has been a joke.  What do you think the girls side would be?  And yes having watched much more these last few years my tune has definitely changed.  We don't have a clue and probably won't for a long time.


There are parents that will be  making long drives 4x a week for the DA program. Time better spent on academics, so they can make more than $30k a year playing soccer. I'm sure they would all jump at the chance to has their daughter at a residency program.


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## Striker17 (Feb 14, 2017)

chargerfan said:


> There are parents that will be  making long drives 4x a week for the DA program. Time better spent on academics, so they can make more than $30k a year playing soccer. I'm sure they would all jump at the chance to has their daughter at a residency program.


Oh wait you must have not heard the latest! Apparently if you are a super special DA player you only have to show up once a week instead of four. That's why some people are able to do this. Some even get the coach to come to them. Uhhhmaazzing


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## Striker17 (Feb 14, 2017)

It's all about development though at a certain club right @chargerfan


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## chargerfan (Feb 14, 2017)

Striker17 said:


> Oh wait you must have not heard the latest! Apparently if you are a super special DA player you only have to show up once a week instead of four. That's why some people are able to do this. Some even get the coach to come to them. Uhhhmaazzing


Sign me up! We have a goal set up in our backyard, so the coach can just come to our house for practice! Would he also be willing to pick her up for games?


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## Striker17 (Feb 14, 2017)

chargerfan said:


> Sign me up! We have a goal set up in our backyard, so the coach can just come to our house for practice! Would he also be willing to pick her up for games?


Yes hey can come once a week to DA, they can practice "off site" or get "special privates".
Or you can pay for a private $100.00.
Development doesn't come cheap.
My question is at what point does someone call BS this "methodology" and politely remind the charlatans that this is not the intent of the DA


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## chargerfan (Feb 14, 2017)

Striker17 said:


> It's all about development though at a certain club right @chargerfan


DA wi


Striker17 said:


> Yes hey can come once a week to DA, they can practice "off site" or get "special privates".
> Or you can pay for a private $100.00.
> Development doesn't come cheap.
> My question is at what point does someone call BS this "methodology" and politely remind the charlatans that this is not the intent of the DA


There should be better oversight. I think that set up can only lead to real problems on that team.


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## sandshark (Feb 14, 2017)

I honestly cant believe that parents are willing to chase the BS with a 13 year old child chasing this load of crap these clubs are selling is totally insane! All for what? Have these families honestly put any thought into why they are actually doing this?


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## LadiesMan217 (Feb 14, 2017)

sandshark said:


> I honestly cant believe that parents are willing to chase the BS with a 13 year old child chasing this load of crap these clubs are selling is totally insane! All for what? Have these families honestly put any thought into why they are actually doing this?


Doing what?


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## younothat (Feb 15, 2017)

Remember when tryouts where really tryouts....X number for kids showed up for the 3 or so teams and a smaller % of the  kids would get called back after the first two tryouts.  Kids where excited to get selected and/or disappointed if there buddies might have not.   Now it seems clubs try to accommodate as many  players as they can, if the turnout is larger than anticipated they will try to add more teams on the fly with a coach to be named later.

Seems to be a trend; separate outside  & inside tryouts where many players are already placed on teams before tryouts.  That sort of happen before too and the coach told a smaller number of the players in advance but they still wanted them to attend the tryout to filter some of the other players or those on the bubble.    Seems like retention is more important now, outside players have a tougher time getting on the higher level teams unless they have been recruited.

Same goes for Surf cup, was much more difficult to get in...top 4 finish in st/nt cup or previous champ or very high ranking.  Now with the 3 flights if you get a app in time and pay they try to accommodate as many as the have the field space for  Good for business and gives more opportunities but lost some of the best of the best luster.

St/Nt cup now has what (4) levels:  Mayors, Gov, Pres, Nat whats next? another brackets: Super for those that don't fit any of the others.

We like to compartmentalize and categorize competition too much IMO and there is less openness,  with the competing orgs like: usys, usclub, ussda,  cal south, cal north, etc ) we don't share a common approach or vision and that unfortunate that we cant get on the same page.


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## MakeAPlay (Feb 15, 2017)

younothat said:


> Remember when tryouts where really tryouts....X number for kids showed up for the 3 or so teams and a smaller % of the  kids would get called back after the first two tryouts.  Kids where excited to get selected and/or disappointed if there buddies might have not.   Now it seems clubs try to accommodate as many  players as they can, if the turnout is larger than anticipated they will try to add more teams on the fly with a coach to be named later.
> 
> Seems to be a trend; separate outside  & inside tryouts where many players are already placed on teams before tryouts.  That sort of happen before too and the coach told a smaller number of the players in advance but they still wanted them to attend the tryout to filter some of the other players or those on the bubble.    Seems like retention is more important now, outside players have a tougher time getting on the higher level teams unless they have been recruited.
> 
> ...


I agree.  Tryouts mean very little although a great player will be offered by anyone.  That hasn't changed and never will.  Ability is still the key.   Divide and conquer is the mantra of soccer management these days.


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## clubfees (Feb 16, 2017)

younothat said:


> Remember when tryouts where really tryouts....X number for kids showed up for the 3 or so teams and a smaller % of the  kids would get called back after the first two tryouts.  Kids where excited to get selected and/or disappointed if there buddies might have not.   Now it seems clubs try to accommodate as many  players as they can, if the turnout is larger than anticipated they will try to add more teams on the fly with a coach to be named later.
> 
> Seems to be a trend; separate outside  & inside tryouts where many players are already placed on teams before tryouts.  That sort of happen before too and the coach told a smaller number of the players in advance but they still wanted them to attend the tryout to filter some of the other players or those on the bubble.    Seems like retention is more important now, outside players have a tougher time getting on the higher level teams unless they have been recruited.


Truth!


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## Axa (Apr 28, 2017)

MyDaughtersAKeeper said:


> On the note of top team dilution: http://goalnation.com/ac-milan-academy-launches-san-diego/


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## Axa (Apr 28, 2017)

For your information, we are the real academy of A.C. Milan. And I'm the Director. For more information, just stop by at our training field in rancho Bernard park.


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## Sandypk (Apr 29, 2017)

chargerfan said:


> There are parents that will be  making long drives 4x a week for the DA program. Time better spent on academics, so they can make more than $30k a year playing soccer. I'm sure they would all jump at the chance to has their daughter at a residency program.


It's the opposite.  More options now.  We went from driving an hour to driving 5 minutes.  Not looking for pro $, looking for good old fashioned competition with a great coach and found it.  As for a residency program, no thank you.


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## NoGoal (Apr 29, 2017)

Sandypk said:


> It's the opposite.  More options now.  We went from driving an hour to driving 5 minutes.  Not looking for pro $, looking for good old fashioned competition with a great coach and found it.  As for a residency program, no thank you.


Your DD was at an ECNL club and now the local club has Girls DA.


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