# Do Development Academies Really Develop Players?



## uburoi (Mar 24, 2017)

I don't have any experience with soccer academies overseas, so I have no basis for comparison, but I do wonder what level of development a player can expect in a DA? Are they just looking to find the best players they can to make the best teams, or are they training players with the right attitude to become great all around soccer players? You hear about these stories from England where players were with an academy since 8 years old and then became first team players at 18. Are the academies here good enough to create those types of players? Does the USSDA care, or is it just a better league than the club leagues. Could a player just "luck out" and get on a good club team with a coach that develops them more effectively than a DA coach could?


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## mahrez (Mar 24, 2017)

All training and playing has the potential to help development.  

What league, tournments,  teams you play is a part of that yes but Ussda is a 10-month program of training 4x, playing 30 games, plus showcases with FIFA like rules.

That program fits some players,  for comparison sake let's say top 20% of all club players.   If you're player fits that profile da could work well.


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## espola (Mar 24, 2017)

uburoi said:


> I don't have any experience with soccer academies overseas, so I have no basis for comparison, but I do wonder what level of development a player can expect in a DA? Are they just looking to find the best players they can to make the best teams, or are they training players with the right attitude to become great all around soccer players? You hear about these stories from England where players were with an academy since 8 years old and then became first team players at 18. Are the academies here good enough to create those types of players? Does the USSDA care, or is it just a better league than the club leagues. Could a player just "luck out" and get on a good club team with a coach that develops them more effectively than a DA coach could?


Yes, of course.  The question we should consider is "Do academies develop players better than other local clubs do?"


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## uburoi (Mar 25, 2017)

What makes one academy better than the others? The name so they recruit better players, or the program?


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## LASTMAN14 (Mar 25, 2017)

uburoi said:


> What makes one academy better than the others? The name so they recruit better players, or the program?


Coaches within each program and age group. For example Brian Kleiban from LAG is an excellent coach and he alone can attract talent. But, having talent tryout each and every year helps.


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## xav10 (Mar 27, 2017)

The level of coaching and training at ussda is superior to club soccer, so it's therefore better development at the younger ages.


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## Colombichi (Mar 27, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Coaches within each program and age group. For example Brian Kleiban from LAG is an excellent coach and he alone can attract talent. But, having talent tryout each and every year helps.


I have heard Brian K is a great coach, but are there any other top notch DA coaches out there? For comparison purposes take the new LAFC coaches for example. How are these new LAFC coaches compared to BK? Looks like LAFC has invested in top level coaches some coming from overseas.


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## espola (Mar 27, 2017)

xav10 said:


> The level of coaching and training at ussda is superior to club soccer, so it's therefore better development at the younger ages.


Therefore?


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## xav10 (Mar 27, 2017)

espola said:


> Therefore?


If you believe that better coaching and training leads to better development in a young player, then the use of  "therefore" was appropriate.


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## jdiaz (Apr 6, 2017)

xav10 said:


> The level of coaching and training at ussda is superior to club soccer, so it's therefore better development at the younger ages.


Not always.


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## GKDad65 (Apr 6, 2017)

xav10 said:


> The level of coaching and training at ussda is superior to club soccer, so it's therefore better development at the younger ages.




Not always.  Evaluate each coach and each club before you buy into the "Academy" kool-aid.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 6, 2017)

xav10 said:


> The level of coaching and training at ussda is superior to club soccer, so it's therefore better development at the younger ages.


Not even.


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## xav10 (Apr 6, 2017)

SuperNatural said:


> Not even.


And of course your peers are better players so you're training against better competition as well.


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## LASTMAN14 (Apr 6, 2017)

Colombichi said:


> I have heard Brian K is a great coach, but are there any other top notch DA coaches out there? For comparison purposes take the new LAFC coaches for example. How are these new LAFC coaches compared to BK? Looks like LAFC has invested in top level coaches some coming from overseas.


Sorry just saw this...I just saw that MQ from LAGSB may be heading back to coach academy. He is a fantastic coach.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 6, 2017)

xav10 said:


> And of course your peers are better players so you're training against better competition as well.


Arsenal have better players?

They're just as good as their Flight 1 teams.


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## fhr2k3 (Apr 6, 2017)

SuperNatural said:


> Arsenal have better players?
> 
> They're just as good as their Flight 1 teams.


You've been around, did your kid not make the team at ARSENAL? I sense resentment.  
Word of advise, if you're kid is not cutting it where he's at, chances are JN or JC will be cleaning house pretty soon and you just might have to bring your kid to one of these Pay to Play academies.  

I think all teams are developing players, some more that others, the stronger teams have a few studs that are difference makers.  

BTW, besides the 4 studs in your team the rest are pretty average, and some might not even make it on other rosters.


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## jdiaz (Apr 6, 2017)

Arsenal Academy has a new sheriff in town. His name Bryan Wallace one of the best coaches out there.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 6, 2017)

fhr2k3 said:


> You've been around, did your kid not make the team at ARSENAL? I sense resentment.
> Word of advise, if you're kid is not cutting it where he's at, chances are JN or JC will be cleaning house pretty soon and you just might have to bring your kid to one of these Pay to Play academies.
> 
> I think all teams are developing players, some more that others, the stronger teams have a few studs that are difference makers.
> ...


There you go swinging in the dark again...

But carry on its amusing.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 6, 2017)

jdiaz said:


> Arsenal Academy has a new sheriff in town. His name Bryan Wallace one of the best coaches out there.


You can only do so much with what you have. Unfortunately this team hasn't got the technical ability to even practice 2-3 touch passes.

Go on play your strength i.e., kick and chase.


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## True love (Apr 6, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Sorry just saw this...I just saw that MQ from LAGSB may be heading back to coach academy. He is a fantastic coach.


MQ one of the best development coach ever/ Bk one of the best winning coach ever
Question ask. Who is the better developing coach. Question answered. Michael by far with a A+ Brian with a B+/ plain and simple.


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## Wez (Apr 7, 2017)

xav10 said:


> And of course your peers are better players so you're training against better competition as well.


That's a huge factor, practices will be as good or better than games.


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## LASTMAN14 (Apr 7, 2017)

True love said:


> MQ one of the best development coach ever/ Bk one of the best winning coach ever
> Question ask. Who is the better developing coach. Question answered. Michael by far with a A+ Brian with a B+/ plain and simple.


I agree. When he was still coaching girls my two daughters benefited from having him as a coach and many others. And a great person too.


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## forsomuch (Apr 7, 2017)

Go to a u18 practice and ask the boys who they played for when they were 10. Most u18 teams have only a handful of kids who played for the same club. I would bet in most cases 75-80% u18 players joined their DA club after u14. So if the roster has 24 players on it only 6 or so came up through the system, 18 of them were developed by someone else!

 If they are are selling parents of 9 year olds on developing in their system and playing someday on the u18 team they are blowing smoke up your....


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## EvilGoalie 21 (Apr 8, 2017)

forsomuch said:


> I would bet in most cases 75-80% u18 players joined their DA club after u14.


I would not be surprised if that were true.  Puberty is the ultimate developer perhaps....

With the record keeping at USSDA there should over time be enough real data to assess roster turnover from year to year at the different academies for each age group.  One would hope somebody is tracking those statistics.  My qualitative sense is that to a large extent its a revolving door.  For those of us in the peanut gallery, we should have some sort of rule regarding what fraction of a player's youth career must be spent with a particular organization to say they've been developed by them.  Although of course there's nothing wrong with good clean anecdotal fun.


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## Dynamic-D (Apr 20, 2017)

jdiaz said:


> Arsenal Academy has a new sheriff in town. His name Bryan Wallace one of the best coaches out there.


Isn't he in China?


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## JackZ (Apr 20, 2017)

Dynamic-D said:


> Isn't he in China?


Nope.
http://arsn.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=1647550


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## younothat (Apr 20, 2017)

Some parents can have more influence on develop: 
http://www.soccerparenting.com/essential-lessons-christian-pulisics-parents/ 

Kids can learn from anybody, I would like to think my players have learned from all there teachers, coaches, trainer(s), teammates, friends, etc.  

We all hope for the best teachers and mentors so what can we do? From the article:

 " I think (parents being in control) is important because sometimes parents are like, ‘I want my kid to be on the best team.’ If you have a coach that’s not a good role model in the best team, why would you really want your child being in that environment? I’ve seen that over and over again and I would refuse to put my son in an environment where someone is being negative. That to me is unacceptable. Parents do have to step up and say, ‘You know what? You are not going to be on the best team, but you are going to be around better people.’ Really, that’s a life lesson that’s going to be more important later on….We had to step away because it was just blaming the ref, and blaming this and just being negative to other children. To me, that’s awful. They are kids. You can’t do that. It’s a team game at a young level. Nobody needs that"


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## Axa (Apr 27, 2017)

uburoi said:


> I don't have any experience with soccer academies overseas, so I have no basis for comparison, but I do wonder what level of development a player can expect in a DA? Are they just looking to find the best players they can to make the best teams, or are they training players with the right attitude to become great all around soccer players? You hear about these stories from England where players were with an academy since 8 years old and then became first team players at 18. Are the academies here good enough to create those types of players? Does the USSDA care, or is it just a better league than the club leagues. Could a player just "luck out" and get on a good club team with a coach that develops them more effectively than a DA coach could?


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## Axa (Apr 27, 2017)

uburoi said:


> I don't have any experience with soccer academies overseas, so I have no basis for comparison, but I do wonder what level of development a player can expect in a DA? Are they just looking to find the best players they can to make the best teams, or are they training players with the right attitude to become great all around soccer players? You hear about these stories from England where players were with an academy since 8 years old and then became first team players at 18. Are the academies here good enough to create those types of players? Does the USSDA care, or is it just a better league than the club leagues. Could a player just "luck out" and get on a good club team with a coach that develops them more effectively than a DA coach could?


My son has been involved with a program where training is being provided by the Seedorf Talent Development Group in Holland. Just with the focus to prepare him for university soccer. Check it out www.europachallenge.com


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## Axa (Apr 27, 2017)

My son is involved with a program managed by the Seedorf Talent Development Group. Focus is to prepare him for university soccer. Check it out www.europachallenge.com.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 27, 2017)

Axa said:


> My son is involved with a program managed by the Seedorf Talent Development Group. Focus is to prepare him for university soccer. Check it out www.europachallenge.com.


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## WillJohn (Apr 27, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Sorry just saw this...I just saw that MQ from LAGSB may be heading back to coach academy. He is a fantastic coach.


Care to share what makes him so great?  Seen him around and maybe I'll catch him coaching his team if I can.


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## LASTMAN14 (Apr 28, 2017)

WillJohn said:


> Care to share what makes him so great?  Seen him around and maybe I'll catch him coaching his team if I can.


MQ is great at developing players from as early in their development to later in their youth careers. He believes and focuses on skill development (footwork). If you watch his teams they all play with skill from the back line to the forward line. MQ also stresses and teaches players to be thinkers and tacticians on the field and play the game like it was chess. Therefore his teams play controlled soccer with quick 1-2 passing schemes, thus moving the ball quickly about the field with thought/purpose and trying to find the breaks and passing lanes. Many of the DA boys for LAG that came from LAGSB have at some point worked with MQ. His influence is still seen on the girls side with many of the LAGSB players (my two girls are included in this) . I could say more but than I would be bragging.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 28, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> MQ is great at developing players from as early in their development to later in their youth careers. He believes and focuses on skill development (footwork). If you watch his teams they all play with skill from the back line to the forward line. MQ also stresses and teaches players to be thinkers and tacticians on the field and play the game like it was chess. Therefore his teams play controlled soccer with quick 1-2 passing schemes, thus moving the ball quickly about the field with thought/purpose and trying to find the breaks and passing lanes. Many of the DA boys for LAG that came from LAGSB have at some point worked with MQ. His influence is still seen on the girls side with many of the LAGSB players (my two girls are included in this) . I could say more but than I would be bragging.


Whoa he sounds great!

Can you name at least 1 player developed that moved on to pro?


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## LASTMAN14 (Apr 28, 2017)

SuperNatural said:


> Whoa he sounds great!
> 
> Can you name at least 1 player developed that moved on to pro?


No...but I don't think any of the boys he's trained are of age yet. He just recently moved to boys side full time for LAGSB 3 years ago as the DOC . He was with the girls when the club was still South Bay Force for quite a few years (but had a boys team while still coaching w/the girls). And prior to that he was Santa Anita SC and one other in the Pasadena area.


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## SuperNatural (Apr 28, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> No...but I don't think any of the boys he's trained are of age yet. He just recently moved to boys side full time for LAGSB 3 years ago as the DOC . He was with the girls when the club was still South Bay Force for quite a few years (but had a boys team while still coaching w/the girls). And prior to that he was Santa Anita SC and one other in the Pasadena area.


It's just that when ppl use the word DEVELOPMENT I usually ask for the end product to know what they actually mean.


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## LASTMAN14 (Apr 28, 2017)

SuperNatural said:


> It's just that when ppl use the word DEVELOPMENT I usually ask for the end product to know what they actually mean.


Got it. Makes sense. I'm very particular who I prefer coaching my kids. For me development is to foster: skill/IQ/tech/style.


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## Box2Box (Apr 28, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Got it. Makes sense. I'm very particular who I prefer coaching my kids. For me development is to foster: skill/IQ/tech/style.


In no particular order


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## LASTMAN14 (Apr 28, 2017)

Box2Box said:


> In no particular order


Your right, each is developed in different ways at different times. And, to different degrees as one moves along.


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## GKDad65 (May 5, 2017)

Axa said:


> My son has been involved with a program where training is being provided by the Seedorf Talent Development Group in Holland. Just with the focus to prepare him for university soccer. Check it out www.europachallenge.com


Cherry Kool aid.......


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## CaliKlines (May 5, 2017)

Axa said:


> My son is involved with a program managed by the Seedorf Talent Development Group. Focus is to prepare him for university soccer. Check it out www.europachallenge.com.


Is that program from the same people that brought us SeeDorf on Golf?


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## Jace (May 11, 2017)

Well... more training and less games with a longer season helps with development. And maybe there is some better training at some DA clubs.

But really, the crux of the problem... many who coach at DA clubs are still stuck in the same old ways. Emphasis on winning over player development still dominates. This emphasis is incredibly corrosive to the stated goals of DA.

So, the answer to your question... maybe a little.


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## WillJohn (May 25, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> MQ is great at developing players from as early in their development to later in their youth careers. He believes and focuses on skill development (footwork). If you watch his teams they all play with skill from the back line to the forward line. MQ also stresses and teaches players to be thinkers and tacticians on the field and play the game like it was chess. Therefore his teams play controlled soccer with quick 1-2 passing schemes, thus moving the ball quickly about the field with thought/purpose and trying to find the breaks and passing lanes. Many of the DA boys for LAG that came from LAGSB have at some point worked with MQ. His influence is still seen on the girls side with many of the LAGSB players (my two girls are included in this) . I could say more but than I would be bragging.


Thanks for the info.  I got two that play for LAGSB too so hopefully one of them will get a chance to be coached by him.  I haven't seen him at any of the spring soccer games though yet.


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## coachrefparent (May 25, 2017)

SuperNatural said:


>


Or, shill. It should be noted that the FTC looks down on such posts: 

_For purposes of this part, an endorsement means any advertising message (including verbal statements, demonstrations, or depictions of the name, signature, likeness or other identifying personal characteristics of an individual or the name or seal of an organization) *that consumers are likely to believe reflects the opinions*, beliefs, findings, or experiences *of a party other than the sponsoring advertiser*..._


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## futbolallday (Jun 7, 2017)

I see you guys are talking about development, but lets keep it real. 
Read article below regarding players going pro.
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/here-are-your-odds-of-becoming-a-professional-athlete-theyre-not-good


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## Wez (Jun 8, 2017)

futbolallday said:


> I see you guys are talking about development, but lets keep it real.
> Read article below regarding players going pro.
> http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/here-are-your-odds-of-becoming-a-professional-athlete-theyre-not-good


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## Wez (Jun 30, 2017)

So you spammed three different threads with the LAUFA stuff?


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## jpeter (Jun 30, 2017)

The ultimate pay to play is here 
Grande Sports World partners with FC Barcelona.  For only 30k a year you can send your  HS player to AZ if they do well at the thier $600-1200 tryout camps. 
http://www.espnfc.us/barcelona/story/3140469/barcelona-set-to-open-academy-in-casa-grande-arizona

ASU Preparatory High School - Casa Grande is included with room, board, meals for that $.  Why not invest college level funds now for that dream to play the $Barcelona way$
*http://grandesports.com/academy/*


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