# DA Spring Showcases



## Lightning Red (Oct 25, 2018)

Loving the fact that the Spring Showcase has moved away from North Carolina in April and will be played in Commerce City, CO. 

Also the Southwest DA Conference will play an inter conference showcase on March 2/3 either in Del Mar or Oceanside.


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## Kicker4Life (Oct 25, 2018)

Lightning Red said:


> Loving the fact that the Spring Showcase has moved away from North Carolina in April and will be played in Commerce City, CO.
> 
> Also the Southwest DA Conference will play an inter conference showcase on March 2/3 either in Del Mar or Oceanside.


Nothing like a game at Altitude!  Should be interesting.


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## Simisoccerfan (Oct 26, 2018)

I am glad the U18/19's don't play the Spring Showcase.  This past summer at the Mines camp in Golden every girl that lives at sea level got some sort of altitude sickness for one day (including my daughter).  I would highly recommend that you arrive at least two days prior to playing since altitude sickness usually happens the day after arrival.


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## pitchplease (Oct 26, 2018)

Lightning Red said:


> Loving the fact that the Spring Showcase has moved away from North Carolina in April and will be played in Commerce City, CO.is th
> ...
> Also the Southwest DA Conference will play an inter conference showcase on March 2/3 either in Del Mar or Oceanside.


 is the sw inter conference for all the age groups? they havent mentioned that to us yet....thx!


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## Simisoccerfan (Oct 26, 2018)

last year most teams in the SW had a league game during a showcase at Silverlakes in March


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## Desert Hound (Oct 26, 2018)

Lightning Red said:


> Loving the fact that the Spring Showcase has moved away from North Carolina in April and will be played in Commerce City, CO.
> 
> Also the Southwest DA Conference will play an inter conference showcase on March 2/3 either in Del Mar or Oceanside.


The US Soccer Tech Advisor was out at our club earlier this week. Said among many things that they were unhappy with the set up/conditions of the location last year in NC.


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## Simisoccerfan (Oct 26, 2018)

I went to watch.  Weather sucked.  Very cold and rainy.  A bunch of fields flooded and games got moved around.   The layout made it more difficult for coaches to move freely among fields.


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## pitchplease (Oct 26, 2018)

Ever been to Colorado  in April?  not exactly spring training weather....it is bipolar that time of year there...


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## End of the Line (Oct 26, 2018)

pitchplease said:


> Ever been to Colorado  in April?  not exactly spring training weather....it is bipolar that time of year there...


It has snowed in Commerce City at some point during the same days each year for at least the last three years.  The good news is the DA's flexible substitution rules require that only six players per team play the full 90 minutes at altitude.  The GDA is perfect.


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## Soccerfan2 (Oct 26, 2018)

Looking forward to Colorado! I was expecting North Carolina again so it’s a nice surprise that it’s closer. A new state for my daughter to visit which is cool. Altitude and possible snow will be new challenges to consider and prepare for.  I really enjoy watching my daughter expand her world view through these new experiences.


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## Soccer (Oct 26, 2018)

Soccerfan2 said:


> Looking forward to Colorado! I was expecting North Carolina again so it’s a nice surprise that it’s closer. A new state for my daughter to visit which is cool. Altitude and possible snow will be new challenges to consider and prepare for.  I really enjoy watching my daughter expand her world view through these new experiences.


Refreshing outlook!  Versus the cynical view points of most on here.  You wonder why they have there kids play in Club with how much some of these people complain.


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## Kicknit22 (Oct 26, 2018)

Soccerfan2 said:


> Looking forward to Colorado! I was expecting North Carolina again so it’s a nice surprise that it’s closer. A new state for my daughter to visit which is cool. Altitude and possible snow will be new challenges to consider and prepare for.  I really enjoy watching my daughter expand her world view through these new experiences.


I love your attitude and agree whole heartedly.


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## Speed (Oct 26, 2018)

pitchplease said:


> Ever been to Colorado  in April?  not exactly spring training weather....it is bipolar that time of year there...


If you have ever spent time in CO it is bipolar 12 months out of the year.


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## NoGoalItAll (Oct 27, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> It has snowed in Commerce City at some point during the same days each year for at least the last three years.  The good news is the DA's flexible substitution rules require that only six players per team play the full 90 minutes at altitude.  The GDA is perfect.





End of the Line said:


> Probably the best solution is that USSF should stop promoting its DA entirely because a bunch of trolls who need anti-depressants are just going to inevitably rip on it regardless


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## LASTMAN14 (Oct 27, 2018)

I asked ALEXA what the weather would be in Colorado during April. Her answer was, “I don’t know”. So let’s not worry about it. She did say to not go to Hawaii in November. Their rainy season.


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## End of the Line (Oct 29, 2018)

I'm flattered to have a devotee who's analyzed my entire body of work, but what’s your point?  It's wrong to defend the GDA for the few things it does right if I’m going to criticize the many things it does wrong?

The fact is the GDA could have been a success, but USSF couldn't get out of its own way with its many stupid rules and decisions, along with its obstinate refusal to listen to reason.  I applaud your "glass is 1/12th full" devotion, but no amount of positive thinking will save the GDA at this point regardless of how you rationalize that paying $1,200 or so for your daughter to get altitude sickness playing in the snow will be a neat challenge for her and everyone else's daughters.  At least one age group for an entire GDA division (and potentially others) is going to quit mid-season in a matter of weeks unless USSF gets its s**t together right now.   When that happens, the only thing left for USSF will be to start negotiating terms of surrender to the ECNL.


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## End of the Line (Oct 29, 2018)

LASTMAN14 said:


> I asked ALEXA what the weather would be in Colorado during April. Her answer was, “I don’t know”. So let’s not worry about it. She did say to not go to Hawaii in November. Their rainy season.


Funny, that's the same thing Germany's Minister of Weather told Hitler in 1942 about the upcoming winter in Stalingrad.  Why worry about the weather when you're only sending other people's children anyway?  I'm sure it'll work out fine.


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## LASTMAN14 (Oct 29, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> Funny, that's the same thing Germany's Minister of Weather told Hitler in 1942 about the upcoming winter in Stalingrad.  Why worry about the weather when you're only sending other people's children anyway?  I'm sure it'll work out fine.


Wow! You are a stick in the mud. No sense of humor.
Your analogy is a terrible one. Minister of Weather gets the blame. There is far more that played into the demise of the German army's invasion of Stalingrad and the Soviet Union.
And, your rant is really not about the location, but DA.


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## Kicknit22 (Oct 29, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> I'm flattered to have a devotee who's analyzed my entire body of work, but what’s your point?  It's wrong to defend the GDA for the few things it does right if I’m going to criticize the many things it does wrong?
> 
> The fact is the GDA could have been a success, but USSF couldn't get out of its own way with its many stupid rules and decisions, along with its obstinate refusal to listen to reason.  I applaud your "glass is 1/12th full" devotion, but no amount of positive thinking will save the GDA at this point regardless of how you rationalize that paying $1,200 or so for your daughter to get altitude sickness playing in the snow will be a neat challenge for her and everyone else's daughters.  At least one age group for an entire GDA division (and potentially others) is going to quit mid-season in a matter of weeks unless USSF gets its s**t together right now.   When that happens, the only thing left for USSF will be to start negotiating terms of surrender to the ECNL.


Damn! I have to admit, I hate what DA has done to the Landscape of youth soccer, but E.O.L, you sound full of wishful thinking.  I’ll believe it when I see it.  Maybe, if you’re right, it will have an affect on future GDA. We shall see.


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## Lambchop (Oct 30, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> I'm flattered to have a devotee who's analyzed my entire body of work, but what’s your point?  It's wrong to defend the GDA for the few things it does right if I’m going to criticize the many things it does wrong?
> 
> The fact is the GDA could have been a success, but USSF couldn't get out of its own way with its many stupid rules and decisions, along with its obstinate refusal to listen to reason.  I applaud your "glass is 1/12th full" devotion, but no amount of positive thinking will save the GDA at this point regardless of how you rationalize that paying $1,200 or so for your daughter to get altitude sickness playing in the snow will be a neat challenge for her and everyone else's daughters.  At least one age group for an entire GDA division (and potentially others) is going to quit mid-season in a matter of weeks unless USSF gets its s**t together right now.   When that happens, the only thing left for USSF will be to start negotiating terms of surrender to the ECNL.


Please explain which age group for an entire GDA division is going to quit?  Would it be the oldest age group?  That might make sense since most of the players have already committed either to a college or to quitting when they start college.


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## LASTMAN14 (Oct 30, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> I'm flattered to have a devotee who's analyzed my entire body of work, but what’s your point?  It's wrong to defend the GDA for the few things it does right if I’m going to criticize the many things it does wrong?
> 
> The fact is the GDA could have been a success, but USSF couldn't get out of its own way with its many stupid rules and decisions, along with its obstinate refusal to listen to reason.  I applaud your "glass is 1/12th full" devotion, but no amount of positive thinking will save the GDA at this point regardless of how you rationalize that paying $1,200 or so for your daughter to get altitude sickness playing in the snow will be a neat challenge for her and everyone else's daughters.  At least one age group for an entire GDA division (and potentially others) is going to quit mid-season in a matter of weeks unless USSF gets its s**t together right now.   When that happens, the only thing left for USSF will be to start negotiating terms of surrender to the ECNL.


This rant is based upon your "what if's" prompted by your dislike rather than real facts.


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## Kicknit22 (Oct 30, 2018)

Lambchop said:


> Please explain which age group for an entire GDA division is going to quit?  Would it be the oldest age group?  That might make sense since most of the players have already committed either to a college or to quitting when they start college.


Or, to quitting once HS soccer started anyway, because they didn’t want to play down a level to DPL.


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## Kicker4Life (Oct 30, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> Or, to quitting once HS soccer started anyway, because they didn’t want to play down a level to DPL.


True....but knowing you couldn’t play Hs and your DD wants to play HS, why roster (and in most cases, pay the fees) with a team playing in a league that won’t allow it only to quit after 3 months?


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## Kicknit22 (Oct 30, 2018)

I get that.  But consider the fact that Non-DA teams will play in at least a handful of tournaments, which in many cases, means fees and travel costs. Combine that with the registration, and it’s about the same as full DA registration.  Then the player can feel good about being on the “Top” team thru the first half of the season, playing in plenty of games and a showcase. Then, quit. Play HS, and go back to another team or club tomfinish out the season, maybe, because they just don’t give a damn anymore.


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## Kicker4Life (Oct 30, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> I get that.  But consider the fact that Non-DA teams will play in at least a handful of tournaments, which in many cases, means fees and travel costs. Combine that with the registration, and it’s about the same as full DA registration.  Then the player can feel good about being on the “Top” team thru the first half of the season, playing in plenty of games and a showcase. Then, quit. Play HS, and go back to another team or club tomfinish out the season, maybe, because they just don’t give a damn anymore.


And do what the following year?  I don’t put something like that pst some of the parents out there, I’ve seem some crazy stuff.  But that just doesn’t make sense on a number of levels.


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## Kicknit22 (Oct 30, 2018)

Kicker4Life said:


> And do what the following year?  I don’t put something like that pst some of the parents out there, I’ve seem some crazy stuff.  But that just doesn’t make sense on a number of levels.


What next year?  We’re talking about the oldest age group, I thought.


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## Kicker4Life (Oct 30, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> What next year?  We’re talking about the oldest age group, I thought.


I was speaking to the broader HS age group.  Now it makes sense.  I would assume most of the Upper level players at that point would be committed by then so it wouldn’t matter (unless the College Coach would have any say...but I don’t know if that happens or not).

Back to the Showcase discussion.....


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## Simisoccerfan (Oct 31, 2018)

Kicker4Life said:


> I was speaking to the broader HS age group.  Now it makes sense.  I would assume most of the Upper level players at that point would be committed by then so it wouldn’t matter (unless the College Coach would have any say...but I don’t know if that happens or not).
> 
> Back to the Showcase discussion.....


The priority for most college coaches is that their committed players continue to develop and come into training camp in the best shape of their life.   Even before DA, I saw committed girls sitting out the HS season so they don't get hurt and just train instead.  Committing is just the beginning, it certainly is not the time to back off.


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## End of the Line (Nov 1, 2018)

LASTMAN14 said:


> This rant is based upon your "what if's" prompted by your dislike rather than real facts.


That is has snowed in Commerce City at the same time three years running isn't a fact?  That kids can (and some do) get altitude sickness playing at altitude isn't a fact?  That it costs about $1,200 for travel and lodging isn't a fact?  And simply because I know what is happening in other GDA divisions and you don't doesn't make what I'm saying any less a fact.  In the end, we don't know what the weather will be like in Commerce City next April, but we also don't know what the weather will be like in Juneau or Minneapolis.  That said, we do know based on recent history that it is less likely to snow in either of those locations at the end of April.

The lengths to which the GDA mafia will go to defend poor decisions is remarkable.  Before you know it, ya'll be claiming that playing in the GDA is like going to Harvard.


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## Avanti (Nov 1, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> That is has snowed in Commerce City at the same time three years running isn't a fact?  That kids can (and some do) get altitude sickness playing at altitude isn't a fact?  That it costs about $1,200 for travel and lodging isn't a fact?  And simply because I know what is happening in other GDA divisions and you don't doesn't make what I'm saying any less a fact.  In the end, we don't know what the weather will be like in Commerce City next April, but we also don't know what the weather will be like in Juneau or Minneapolis.  That said, we do know based on recent history that it is less likely to snow in either of those locations at the end of April.
> 
> The lengths to which the GDA mafia will go to defend poor decisions is remarkable.  Before you know it, ya'll be claiming that playing in the GDA is like going to Harvard.


Point 1: Almost every rant in this blog comes from parents or people (e.g. norcal bottom feeders) left out of GDA, with obvious vested interests.  I could not care less about these lunatics, I am happy visiting colleges with my daughter, thanks in part to the league (read exposure) where she plays in. The GDA parents I know  are pretty happy for the most part. We are a small minority, are pretty happy with what we are getting, and could care less about making noise.
Point 2: when my daughter has gone to national camps near Denver she has never complained about altitude sickness, but the lunatic knows better. 
Point 3: since I do not care about these lunatics, I usually do not respond. The way I see it, the only problem caused by the haters and lunatics is that the parents of young kids may fall for their nonsense. But then I think about the buyers beware saying, and Darwinian culling, and feel better.
Point 4: I will give some food for thought of my own the the parents of young kids. Last week there was a US Soccer YNT Identification session for 04 and 05 players, at Silverlakes, for the whole of SoCal. Do you want to guess how many players from $lammers were invited? A grand total of ZERO. I am not surprised, the club, having both DA and ECNL, decides to double dip in ECNL to make more money, while abandoning their top players ... ridiculous, but may you enjoy it.


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## Dos Equis (Nov 1, 2018)

Avanti said:


> Point 4: I will give some food for thought of my own the the parents of young kids. Last week there was a US Soccer YNT Identification session for 04 and 05 players, at Silverlakes, for the whole of SoCal. Do you want to guess how many players from $lammers were invited? A grand total of ZERO. I am not surprised, the club, having both DA and ECNL, decides to double dip in ECNL to make more money, while abandoning their top players ... ridiculous, but may you enjoy it.


By not inviting anyone from a top club that clearly has a large number of talented players to their camp, who exactly is "abandoning their top players?"  I would claim US Soccer.  

The DA and ECNL have given us choices, so that is an improvement from the state of affairs 10-15 years ago.  But we can be critical of the choices the US Soccer makes, including within the DA, as they do not always seem to be in the best interests of soccer in the US, but rather in the best interests of US Soccer.  Unfortunaely, the two are not the same.


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## Avanti (Nov 1, 2018)

Dos Equis said:


> By not inviting anyone from a top club that clearly has a large number of talented players to their camp, who exactly is "abandoning their top players?"  I would claim US Soccer.


We will have to disagree on this one. The way I see it, US Soccer is being consequent with their belief that the GDA program is the right way to move forward. In places of the country where GDA does not exist US Soccer should pay attention to players that cannot play DA, and should be criticized if they do not do it. But in OC, where there are half a dozen of GDA clubs nearby the one that decides to give US Soccer a middle finger to make more money? I do not think so. In this case the players can choose to play in a club that conforms to the ideas of your recruiter, or stay and play HS.


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## futboldad1 (Nov 1, 2018)

Avanti said:


> Point 1: Almost every rant in this blog comes from parents or people (e.g. norcal bottom feeders) left out of GDA, with obvious vested interests.  I could not care less about these lunatics, I am happy visiting colleges with my daughter, thanks in part to the league (read exposure) where she plays in. The GDA parents I know  are pretty happy for the most part. We are a small minority, are pretty happy with what we are getting, and could care less about making noise.
> Point 2: when my daughter has gone to national camps near Denver she has never complained about altitude sickness, but the lunatic knows better.
> Point 3: since I do not care about these lunatics, I usually do not respond. The way I see it, the only problem caused by the haters and lunatics is that the parents of young kids may fall for their nonsense. But then I think about the buyers beware saying, and Darwinian culling, and feel better.
> *Point 4: I will give some food for thought of my own the the parents of young kids. Last week there was a US Soccer YNT Identification session for 04 and 05 players, at Silverlakes, for the whole of SoCal. Do you want to guess how many players from $lammers were invited? A grand total of ZERO. I am not surprised, the club, having both DA and ECNL, decides to double dip in ECNL to make more money, while abandoning their top players ... ridiculous, but may you enjoy it.*


I've not posted on this thread but I have to note.....You call posters on this forum lunatics while simultaneously stating how Slammers having zero players invited to US Soccer's YNT ID clinic is the fault of Slammers and not US Soccer. Okaaaay, I doubt even the most ardent DA-supporters are going to back you on that one. 

If US Soccer truly cared about the best soccer players and having the best YNTs above having power then they'd pick the best players regardless of where they played. Period. To do otherwise is a farce.


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 1, 2018)

futboldad1 said:


> I've not posted on this thread but I have to note.....You call posters on this forum lunatics while simultaneously stating how Slammers having zero players invited to US Soccer's YNT ID clinic is the fault of Slammers and not US Soccer. Okaaaay, I doubt even the most ardent DA-supporters are going to back you on that one.
> 
> If US Soccer truly cared about the best soccer players and having the best YNTs above having power then they'd pick the best players regardless of where they played. Period. To do otherwise is a farce.


I know that Slammers 05 team well (for many reasons) and there are some talented girls playing in that group.


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 1, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> That is has snowed in Commerce City at the same time three years running isn't a fact?  That kids can (and some do) get altitude sickness playing at altitude isn't a fact?  That it costs about $1,200 for travel and lodging isn't a fact?  And simply because I know what is happening in other GDA divisions and you don't doesn't make what I'm saying any less a fact.  In the end, we don't know what the weather will be like in Commerce City next April, but we also don't know what the weather will be like in Juneau or Minneapolis.  That said, we do know based on recent history that it is less likely to snow in either of those locations at the end of April.
> 
> The lengths to which the GDA mafia will go to defend poor decisions is remarkable.  Before you know it, ya'll be claiming that playing in the GDA is like going to Harvard.


Oh, boy. Maybe one should not take their children to the beach and into the water because of the pollutants in the ocean. Maybe none of us should walk outside and breath the air because of contaminates. Maybe avoid a holiday to a tropical summer location where the climate is humid, rains, or it’s hot. This could go on and on. Your points affirm thinking like this.

Being proactive and prepared like any endeavor can eliminate or significantly decrease the chances of bringing on conditions like altitude sickness. Here is a fact last year we went to Far West Regionals in Utah with our G06 team. We took steps in making sure all the players would not be affected by the potential chance of this happening. By the way Salt Lake City and Denver are fairly close in altitude. None of our players had any issues. Therefore a little bit of prep can do a lot and no need for this doom and gloom.

Your right we don’t know what the weather conditions will be in Colorado. Which goes back to my original post. Don’t worry about it.

*Addendum- Agreed the Harvard analogy by the US Soccer representative was not well thought out, just bad. We could just as easily spend $1200 somewhere else at another showcase in another league in a less desirable location than Colorado.


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## Simisoccerfan (Nov 1, 2018)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Oh, boy. Maybe one should not take their children to the beach and into the water because of the pollutants in the ocean. Maybe none of us should walk outside and breath the air because of contaminates. Maybe avoid a holiday to a tropical summer location where the climate is humid, rains, or it’s hot. This could go on and on. Your points affirm thinking like this.
> 
> Being proactive and prepared like any endeavor can eliminate or significantly decrease the chances of bringing on conditions like altitude sickness. Here is a fact last year we went to Far West Regionals in Utah with our G06 team. We took steps in making sure all the players would not be affected by the potential chance of this happening. By the way Salt Lake City and Denver are fairly close in altitude. None of our players had any issues. Therefore a little bit of prep can do a lot and no need for this doom and gloom.
> 
> Your right we don’t know what the weather conditions will be in Colorado. Which goes back to my original post. Don’t worry about it.


The point I made earlier was simply that many kids from sea level areas will get altitude sickness if the try to exert themselves once they show up and usually it takes a day or two to acclimatize.  Clubs should be leaving two days before their first game to allow for this process to occur.


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 1, 2018)

Simisoccerfan said:


> The point I made earlier was simply that many kids from sea level areas will get altitude sickness if the try to exert themselves once they show up and usually it takes a day or two to acclimatize.  Clubs should be leaving two days before their first game to allow for this process to occur.


I agree, it is a real condition, and by being proactive things of this nature can be managed.


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## End of the Line (Nov 1, 2018)

futboldad1 said:


> I've not posted on this thread but I have to note.....You call posters on this forum lunatics while simultaneously stating how Slammers having zero players invited to US Soccer's YNT ID clinic is the fault of Slammers and not US Soccer. Okaaaay, I doubt even the most ardent DA-supporters are going to back you on that one.
> 
> If US Soccer truly cared about the best soccer players and having the best YNTs above having power then they'd pick the best players regardless of where they played. Period. To do otherwise is a farce.


Finally some rationale thought.

Maybe GDA is like Harvard after all.  Apparently some parents at both think writing big checks entitles them to go around pretending their kid got where they are on merit when they probably didn't.  It's hard to believe anyone would defend a policy of selecting YNT players based on anything other than merit, especially when the "other" requires parents to pay upwards of $12-15K per year in fees and travel as a prerequisite.  But that's USSF for you.  Bringing soccer to the masses by excluding those who can't come up with 15 grand and aren't willing to just STFU and do exactly what they're told. 

I'm no lunatic, but @Avanti is surely a lemming.  You who should enjoy the exhilaration of free fall while you can, because the brutal reality of your decision will be upon you sooner than you think.


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## End of the Line (Nov 1, 2018)

Simisoccerfan said:


> The point I made earlier was simply that many kids from sea level areas will get altitude sickness if the try to exert themselves once they show up and usually it takes a day or two to acclimatize.  Clubs should be leaving two days before their first game to allow for this process to occur.


Yes, your daughter should definitely miss two more days of school to get acclimated to playing at altitude in the snow against teams that will almost certainly be worse than a dozen located within 30 miles of your house.  I apologize for claiming it was a bad idea to schedule a soccer tournament in CO in April.  I stand corrected.


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## Paddingtonsoccer (Nov 1, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> Maybe GDA is like Harvard after all.  Apparently some parents at both think writing big checks entitles them to go around pretending their kid got where they are on merit when they probably didn't.  It's hard to believe anyone would defend a policy of selecting YNT players based on anything other than merit, especially when the "other" requires parents to pay upwards of $12-15K per year in fees and travel as a prerequisite.  But that's USSF for you.  Bringing soccer to the masses by excluding those who can't come up with 15 grand and aren't willing to just STFU and do exactly what they're told.


Where on earth is the figure of $12-$15K coming from?


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## Kicker4Life (Nov 1, 2018)

Paddingtonsoccer said:


> Where on earth is the figure of $12-$15K coming from?


Exaggeration based on a negative bias!


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 1, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> Finally some rationale thought.
> 
> Maybe GDA is like Harvard after all.  Apparently some parents at both think writing big checks entitles them to go around pretending their kid got where they are on merit when they probably didn't.  It's hard to believe anyone would defend a policy of selecting YNT players based on anything other than merit, especially when the "other" requires parents to pay upwards of $12-15K per year in fees and travel as a prerequisite.  But that's USSF for you.  Bringing soccer to the masses by excluding those who can't come up with 15 grand and aren't willing to just STFU and do exactly what they're told.
> 
> I'm no lunatic, but @Avanti is surely a lemming.  You who should enjoy the exhilaration of free fall while you can, because the brutal reality of your decision will be upon you sooner than you think.


Right, your not a lunatic, but the sky is falling. Wait, or is it potential snow. ALEXA...


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## Soccerfan2 (Nov 1, 2018)

It is lunatic to continue incessantly restating the same exaggerated negativity to people that are perfectly happy. By the way if your greatest wish comes true and GDA ceases to exist at some point, our kids will still play and we will still be happy. Try promoting what you love instead of bashing what you hate and you might be happier too.


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## Avanti (Nov 1, 2018)

Dos Equis said:


> By not inviting anyone from a top club that clearly has a large number of talented players to their camp, who exactly is "abandoning their top players?"  I would claim US Soccer.
> 
> The DA and ECNL have given us choices, so that is an improvement from the state of affairs 10-15 years ago.  But we can be critical of the choices the US Soccer makes, including within the DA, as they do not always seem to be in the best interests of soccer in the US, but rather in the best interests of US Soccer.  Unfortunaely, the two are not the same.


Those are your opinions. You have been around for a while, think pretty well, and may be into something, I give you that. On the other hand, I have a tendency to value more the opinion of professionals (US Soccer) that are around the problem full time, have most of the information and plenty of resources; and hire professionals from Belgium/France to help build US Soccer. The men side is a lost cause, but the women side still can be fixed. It is obvious that the development system in place before GDA was not going to help (see failure of younger teams in the last few years), and US Soccer needed to do something (GDA).
Now, put yourself in the shoes of US Soccer: you believe that the GDA program is the best/a good solution to the development problem. One of your main carrots to get clubs on board (these teams are more expensive for clubs, for a proof see what $lammer$ did) are calls to national team camps; why would US Soccer call players from a club that is trying to screw your development program? Note that those players have the option of moving to a conforming club, it is not like the players are leaving in Las Vegas.


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## Avanti (Nov 1, 2018)

Sorry, I did not finish and somehow the post went through ...

Now, put yourself in the shoes of US Soccer: you believe that the GDA program is the best/a good solution to the development problem. One of your main carrots to get clubs on board (these teams are more expensive for clubs, for a proof see what $lammer$ did) are calls to national team camps; why would US Soccer call players from a club that is trying to screw your development program? Note that those players have the option of moving to a conforming club, it is not like the players are leaving in Las Vegas.
Why would I take my girl to practice four days a week (although I know it is good for her development), when one that goes two days a week also gets the calls? Maybe my girl could play AYSO for the next two years, and still be better than most of the girls that get the call. Should US Soccer call my AYSO player? Obviously not, because she wont have reached her full potential.
At the end of the day we have choices (at least in SoCal): you can follow the directions of the federation (by the way, I am a soccer person and it is lunacy to say that the GDA program is not better than what we had before) and have the option to get the calls; or you can follow your own program (say futboldad1's) and be happy playing HS. But even for futboldad1 there is light at the end of the tunnel: once your futbolda1's program daughter gets to be 20 years old, if she is better than the players in the national team, she will get the call.


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## Dos Equis (Nov 2, 2018)

Avanti said:


> Sorry, I did not finish and somehow the post went through ...
> 
> Now, put yourself in the shoes of US Soccer: you believe that the GDA program is the best/a good solution to the development problem. One of your main carrots to get clubs on board (these teams are more expensive for clubs, for a proof see what $lammer$ did) are calls to national team camps; why would US Soccer call players from a club that is trying to screw your development program? Note that those players have the option of moving to a conforming club, it is not like the players are leaving in Las Vegas.
> Why would I take my girl to practice four days a week (although I know it is good for her development), when one that goes two days a week also gets the calls? Maybe my girl could play AYSO for the next two years, and still be better than most of the girls that get the call. Should US Soccer call my AYSO player? Obviously not, because she wont have reached her full potential.
> At the end of the day we have choices (at least in SoCal): you can follow the directions of the federation (by the way, I am a soccer person and it is lunacy to say that the GDA program is not better than what we had before) and have the option to get the calls; or you can follow your own program (say futboldad1's) and be happy playing HS. But even for futboldad1 there is light at the end of the tunnel: once your futbolda1's program daughter gets to be 20 years old, if she is better than the players in the national team, she will get the call.


Appreciate the additional thoughts.  A few observations:

1) You are trusting the same professionals who implemented the boys DA 11 years ago, resulting in what you claim is a "lost cause", to do better with the girls DA.  Our men's team not only failed to qualify for the world cup, but we have far fewer impactful players in major European leagues than we had pre-DA.  

2)  The girls program was doing fine -- look at how deep the talent the current team has, which has nothing to do with DA nor US Soccer (I believe mostly to do with college).  The rest of the world is/was "catching up" because of increased investments by countries in women's soccer, and increased participation by foreign players in the NCAA.   Most of our down periods are in part due to US Soccer keeping the roster unchanged for too long, and passing over the young talent to appease the veterans.  Changing that culture has helped immensely.

3) You should not generalize so much about how non-DA players train, that is when the argument seems more ad hominem.  I have never had a player train fewer than 3 times per week, and none play in the DA.  My last remaining club player trains with her team 2 times per week, does strength training 2-3 times per week, does some form of private, and occasionally some yoga is thrown in (which I cannot support enough in terms of injury prevention).  Her teammates who are committed to top D1 colleges generally train at least 2 times a week in addition to club practices.

I have never claimed to be a soccer person, because I find when I meet a  "soccer person" who has played at a higher level, coached at a higher level, had more kids participate, been higher in club mamagement, or had kids who played at what they percieve to be a better club or a more prestigious league, they seems to have no interest in their opinions.  I have had top European youth club coaches (including champions league winning programs) who have expressed more interest in my opinions, with my limited expereince in soccer, than a single US Soccer official ever had. I have been fortunate through this journey to get those experiences, and it has colored my views.

It really comes down to you trusting the federation a lot more than I do. I think a freer market promotes more creativity and innovation, and produces those outliers who become the elite players we need to succeed.


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## Avanti (Nov 2, 2018)

Dos Equis said:


> Appreciate the additional thoughts.  A few observations:
> 
> 1) You are trusting the same professionals who implemented the boys DA 11 years ago, resulting in what you claim is a "lost cause", to do better with the girls DA.  Our men's team not only failed to qualify for the world cup, but we have far fewer impactful players in major European leagues than we had pre-DA.
> 
> ...


The number of days of training was an exaggeration to make a point. Every player that plays at a high level, DA or not, trains many days per week. The point was that if the federation puts in place a program that they think is needed to improve development, and ultimately to improve the senior national team, they will not support actions that undermine that effort.
The men side is a lost cause, and there is nothing that the federation can do about it. You would need a large number of American young boys that have the dream of becoming professionals, and who work on it accordingly, including neglecting school in their teens. You would also need the crazy parents and the infrastructure (coaches, leagues, more dense populations) to support it. Nothing of this can be created by mandate, out of thin air, and ultimately without a strong economic incentive (professionalism). The US would need a pool of 50 to 100 Pulisic type of player to make some noise at the international level, it is not happening.
The women side is almost a lost cause at this point. One saving grace is that the economic incentive in the top European countries is not well developed yet, although it seems to me that even this has already surpassed what we have in this country. The second saving grace is the college incentive in the US, which does not exist elsewhere.
And I do not understand your faith on how soccer college can help the level of a national team, especially moving forward. I guess it is better than nothing (it was nothing in other countries up to this point), but think about how an American men team, mostly formed in college, would do against international competition ... A high level player is formed way, way before 18 years old. After 18 you can improve your trade somewhat, but you cannot do miracles.  As soon as girls in certain European countries begin to follow the training diet of boys, and they do it with a sufficiently large pool of players (the first thing is already happening, the second is on its way and indeed pool size is the only advantage of the US at this point), you can stick the fork on the American women soccer team.


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## socalkdg (Nov 2, 2018)

Avanti said:


> Why would I take my girl to practice four days a week (although I know it is good for her development), when one that goes two days a week also gets the calls? Maybe my girl could play AYSO for the next two years, and still be better than most of the girls that get the call. Should US Soccer call my AYSO player? Obviously not, because she wont have reached her full potential.


Wrong wrong wrong.   You take the best player whether they play for the Legends of the Blues or AYSO Podunk.   The better player.  Even if that player only practices once a week because of who knows what.   Just because a person pays a lot of money, practices 4 days a week, washes the coaches car, and keeps all the stats of every kid on the team they don't deserve it over a better player.


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## End of the Line (Nov 2, 2018)

Avanti said:


> Those are your opinions. You have been around for a while, think pretty well, and may be into something, I give you that. On the other hand, I have a tendency to value more the opinion of professionals (US Soccer) that are around the problem full time, have most of the information and plenty of resources; and hire professionals from Belgium/France to help build US Soccer. The men side is a lost cause, but the women side still can be fixed. It is obvious that the development system in place before GDA was not going to help (see failure of younger teams in the last few years), and US Soccer needed to do something (GDA).
> Now, put yourself in the shoes of US Soccer: you believe that the GDA program is the best/a good solution to the development problem. One of your main carrots to get clubs on board (these teams are more expensive for clubs, for a proof see what $lammer$ did) are calls to national team camps; why would US Soccer call players from a club that is trying to screw your development program? Note that those players have the option of moving to a conforming club, it is not like the players are leaving in Las Vegas.


The WNT are defending world cup champions, no. 1 in the world and haven't lost a game in 16 months, but they need fixing?  You think I'm the one being unreasonably negative?

Everything @Dos Equis said is absolutely right.  The U.S. has excelled on the women's side largely because soccer is easily accessible and fun for girls and there are more playing here than in the rest of the world combined, which has resulted in the richest soccer culture in the world.  The fact that so many girls fall in love with the sport early is a huge advantage that no country besides China could ever conceivably match.  But USSF is taking away that advantage by making the sport more expensive (and therefore less accessible) and less fun, which drives many of them out of the sport.  The fact that USSF hired people from bad women's soccer countries to tell us we're doing it wrong and that GDA is like Harvard is mind-boggling to me.

It's no coincidence that the MNT's worst showing in almost 30 years comes about 10 years after it created the DA.  The DA has arguably contributed to a single good player in 10 years, unless you count Yedlin who seems more interested in his next hairstyle than actual defending.  By trying to professionalize youth soccer, USSF has imposed too many demands on kids and their families that just aren't not worth it for most.  Today, if you want to play soccer at arguably the highest level as a 14-16 year old, you will need to miss 10-20 days of school a year (mine missed 22 playing DA and for the YNT last season).  Your kid will be required to fly across the country for showcases 2-3 times a year to play teams worse than those down the street.  In every division other than SoCal, you're probably flying 3-4x a year just to play league games, often paying $400 in travel to pummel teams.  Your kid is also giving up giving up a lot socially.  And if your daughter is really great, you should also note that at least five U17 regulars that USSF rode hard have torn their ACLs.

I get it that you love GDA.  Your daughter's team is probably getting attention, and it feels good going from kiddie soccer to having college coaches and USSF scouts at games, but don't conflate those endorphins with the notion that GDA improves anything that already existed or will make the WNT better.  Your daughter is doing well because of her hard work and ability, the efforts of her club and coaches, and because you have the resources to indulge her.  Playing GDA has nothing to do with it.  USSF is only bringing the failures of its boys' side to the girls.


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## Dos Equis (Nov 2, 2018)

Avanti said:


> And I do not understand your faith on how soccer college can help the level of a national team, especially moving forward. I guess it is better than nothing (it was nothing in other countries up to this point), but think about how an American men team, mostly formed in college, would do against international competition ... A high level player is formed way, way before 18 years old. After 18 you can improve your trade somewhat, but you cannot do miracles.  As soon as girls in certain European countries begin to follow the training diet of boys, and they do it with a sufficiently large pool of players (the first thing is already happening, the second is on its way and indeed pool size is the only advantage of the US at this point), you can stick the fork on the American women soccer team.


I have said before, the pot of college gold at the end of the rainbow is a huge incentive for girls, whether that is just help getting into a great school, all the way up to free education.  They have both more college teams and more scholarships per team (resulting in almost 2x the soccer scholarship $ versus men).  The lack of multiple higher profile sports diluting the pool, nor professional academies pulling them away young, results in successful players staying in the game longer.

The same dynamics result in the best women's soccer coaches in the world being in the NCAA.  There is no real professional club path for them, that is where the career and the money are. 

Men's college soccer, and the men's game, is a whole different dynamic and conversation.  I would argue over the past 10-15 years  US Soccer has tried to take a European approach, modified to suit their interests and the American market, and the result has been the worst of both worlds. 

Whatever the gender, the more US Soccer continues to fight and be at odds with the NCAA, and look upon the rest of the youth recreational and club soccer universe with disdain, versus cooperation with a goal of raising the level everywhere, the weaker the sport will become.  The Harvard analogy, no matter how wrong, is just the best recent example.


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## Soccerfan2 (Nov 2, 2018)

My daughter will travel 7 times this year (flying some, driving some) for GDA. In 6 of those cases, some players need not miss school at all and others a couple class periods each time. Two days must be missed by all for the first showcase. In her specific case she’ll miss 6 days total for the year (not 10-20) which does require some planning ahead on her part but will not impact her grades negatively at all. 

Travel costs will total about $3400 for the year (not $12-15k). Some of that we would have spent on any normal team for travel tournaments. Some is excess for GDA. 

EOTL, try arguing without exaggeration.


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## Woobie06 (Nov 2, 2018)

We were up in Nor Cal for a tournament this summer and the DA Teams there said DA costs between $8-10k all in between fees and travel to Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Showcases.  I think the costs vary by region and the spread of teams.  Lucky to be in So Cal where it is pretty compact.


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## Soccerfan2 (Nov 2, 2018)

Woobie06 said:


> We were up in Nor Cal for a tournament this summer and the DA Teams there said DA costs between $8-10k all in between fees and travel to Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Showcases.  I think the costs vary by region and the spread of teams.  Lucky to be in So Cal where it is pretty compact.


We are in NorCal and that travel cost I gave considers league travel and showcases. With fees it’s about $6k total, but the fees are the same as a regular team. Travelling along with your kid increases the cost of course, so it could be $8-10k if you’re traveling as a family.


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## Kicker4Life (Nov 2, 2018)

Funny how logic paints a less dramatic picture.


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 2, 2018)

Soccerfan2 said:


> My daughter will travel 7 times this year (flying some, driving some) for GDA. In 6 of those cases, some players need not miss school at all and others a couple class periods each time. Two days must be missed by all for the first showcase. In her specific case she’ll miss 6 days total for the year (not 10-20) which does require some planning ahead on her part but will not impact her grades negatively at all.
> 
> Travel costs will total about $3400 for the year (not $12-15k). Some of that we would have spent on any normal team for travel tournaments. Some is excess for GDA.
> 
> EOTL, try arguing without exaggeration.


Thank you. You do not need to justify yourself to EoftheOtotheL. They no matter what you say or share will be arbitrarily spun and be made into a negative experience.


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## Soccerfan2 (Nov 2, 2018)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Thank you. You do not need to justify yourself to EoftheOtotheL. They no matter what you say or share will arbitrarily spin this experience in a negative fashiom.


Yes, I agree. I don’t respond for EOTL and I don’t feel I need to justify myself to anyone. BS should be corrected though as people do follow along to get info.


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## End of the Line (Nov 5, 2018)

Soccerfan2 said:


> My daughter will travel 7 times this year (flying some, driving some) for GDA. In 6 of those cases, some players need not miss school at all and others a couple class periods each time. Two days must be missed by all for the first showcase. In her specific case she’ll miss 6 days total for the year (not 10-20) which does require some planning ahead on her part but will not impact her grades negatively at all.
> 
> Travel costs will total about $3400 for the year (not $12-15k). Some of that we would have spent on any normal team for travel tournaments. Some is excess for GDA.
> 
> EOTL, try arguing without exaggeration.


Good for you that your daughter's schedule only requires flying 3-4x, and she will only miss 6 days of school given her light travel schedule compared to other regions, but try having to fly 9x in one season and get back to me.  In some regions, you can multiply your travel costs by 3 to account for the additional 5 or 6 extra flights and lodging costs, plus another $2,500 for a typical decent club's GDA fees, and now you're talking.  Then you get to $12-15K when you're forced to accompany your kid to one of the showcases after she had to fly separately because, go figure, her school doesn't exactly revolve around USSF and we aren't home-schooling our daughter as part of a master plan to make her the greatest female soccer player in history (as an aside, you should read this article when you have the chance if you haven't already.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/sports/soccer/uswnt-bayern-munich-olivia-moultrie.html).  Presto, you're right there in the $12k-$15k range.

It's swell you've gotten off so cheaply, and cute that you think your costs are exactly the same as everyone else's despite playing in the region with the least travel.   Your daughter played in what, four states last year, including a quick AZ trip that hardly counts?  What do you think it cost Nationals to play in 9 states, or 8 like the rest of the teams in their division?  How much does it cost La Roca in the NW which only played in 5 states but flew at least 9x (4x to CA, 2x to WA, OR, FL, NC)? Or Quakes playing in 7 states, plus two trips to SoCal. 

The irony here is that high cost elite soccer has been great for my daughter, and it seems to be going great for yours too.  I can afford it, and it significantly reduced the number of kids against whom my daughter  would otherwise have competed for scholarship dollars and even admission to her dream school.  But just because it was good for my daughter doesn't make it good for youth soccer overall.  To the contrary, USSF has created a structure that runs thousands of kids out of the sport (or at least its highest levels) every year due to the ridiculous unnecessary travel costs, and runs more off because the rigid commitments and inability to grasp that kids stop doing things that are no longer fun.  Why does it do this?  Because of the 1000+ girls who play in each age group, on average the two best will become WNT regulars and hopefully will be slightly better than if they played elsewhere  (which is highly debatable).  That's great for .2% of the kids in GDA, and bad for 99.8%. It's probably also bad for the .2%, because I'm pretty sure we are going to find that GDA put the US behind where it should have been, just like it already did with the men.


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 5, 2018)

End of the Line said:


> Good for you that your daughter's schedule only requires flying 3-4x, and she will only miss 6 days of school given her light travel schedule compared to other regions, but try having to fly 9x in one season and get back to me.  In some regions, you can multiply your travel costs by 3 to account for the additional 5 or 6 extra flights and lodging costs, plus another $2,500 for a typical decent club's GDA fees, and now you're talking.  Then you get to $12-15K when you're forced to accompany your kid to one of the showcases after she had to fly separately because, go figure, her school doesn't exactly revolve around USSF and we aren't home-schooling our daughter as part of a master plan to make her the greatest female soccer player in history (as an aside, you should read this article when you have the chance if you haven't already.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/sports/soccer/uswnt-bayern-munich-olivia-moultrie.html).  Presto, you're right there in the $12k-$15k range.
> 
> It's swell you've gotten off so cheaply, and cute that you think your costs are exactly the same as everyone else's despite playing in the region with the least travel.   Your daughter played in what, four states last year, including a quick AZ trip that hardly counts?  What do you think it cost Nationals to play in 9 states, or 8 like the rest of the teams in their division?  How much does it cost La Roca in the NW which only played in 5 states but flew at least 9x (4x to CA, 2x to WA, OR, FL, NC)? Or Quakes playing in 7 states, plus two trips to SoCal.
> 
> The irony here is that high cost elite soccer has been great for my daughter, and it seems to be going great for yours too.  I can afford it, and it significantly reduced the number of kids against whom my daughter  would otherwise have competed for scholarship dollars and even admission to her dream school.  But just because it was good for my daughter doesn't make it good for youth soccer overall.  To the contrary, USSF has created a structure that runs thousands of kids out of the sport (or at least its highest levels) every year due to the ridiculous unnecessary travel costs, and runs more off because the rigid commitments and inability to grasp that kids stop doing things that are no longer fun.  Why does it do this?  Because of the 1000+ girls who play in each age group, on average the two best will become WNT regulars and hopefully will be slightly better than if they played elsewhere  (which is highly debatable).  That's great for .2% of the kids in GDA, and bad for 99.8%. It's probably also bad for the .2%, because I'm pretty sure we are going to find that GDA put the US behind where it should have been, just like it already did with the men.


Your posts are becoming bi-polar. You attack and criticize, praise, warn, say it was good for your kid, but bad for ours. You can afford the cost, but we can’t. Your all over the place.


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## Soccerfan2 (Nov 5, 2018)

My daughter is not in SoCal. The costs and days off I gave are for a higher cost region. La Roca and possibly a few others could be more. SoCal should be less than what I gave. 
Playing ECNL in our area would not have been a cost savings.


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## tugs (Nov 13, 2018)

Off topic a bit but does anyone have link for DA Winter Showcase list of scouts?  Or schedule?


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## Kicker4Life (Nov 13, 2018)

tugs said:


> Off topic a bit but does anyone have link for DA Winter Showcase list of scouts?  Or schedule?


Not yet available


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## elmshade (Nov 13, 2018)

tugs said:


> Off topic a bit but does anyone have link for DA Winter Showcase list of scouts?  Or schedule?


non-user friendly list of registered scouts at bottom of this web page:  http://www.ussoccerda.com/2018-winter-showcase-event-hub


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## Yamadori (Nov 13, 2018)

Da v ECNL at the Silver Lakes Fall Showcase.  Should be interesting.


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## Josep (Nov 22, 2018)

Yamadori said:


> Da v ECNL at the Silver Lakes Fall Showcase.  Should be interesting.


Predictions?


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## Kicknit22 (Nov 22, 2018)

Yamadori said:


> Da v ECNL at the Silver Lakes Fall Showcase.  Should be interesting.


When, and how is this?  I thought DA could only play in DA events or at least DA brackets?  Just curious.  Personally, I think it’s great.  But, what is the Showcase?


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## LASTMAN14 (Nov 22, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> When, and how is this?  I thought DA could only play in DA events or at least DA brackets?  Just curious.  Personally, I think it’s great.  But, what is the Showcase?


Starts Friday after TG. It’s suppose to be a DA event as I understood it.


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## Kicknit22 (Nov 22, 2018)

Looks like a cool tournament.  I’d rather my DD was playing in this event, rather than the DA Winter Showcase the following week in Florida.  Looks like a great list of colleges as well.  Makes me wonder, is the CLUB stupid for bypassing this tournament to go to the DA Sanctioned event that requires a bunch of money to be spent, or am I stupid to be part of this club? What a sucker!


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## Kicker4Life (Nov 22, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> Looks like a cool tournament.  I’d rather my DD was playing in this event, rather than the DA Winter Showcase the following week in Florida.  Looks like a great list of colleges as well.  Makes me wonder, is the CLUB stupid for bypassing this tournament to go to the DA Sanctioned event that requires a bunch of money to be spent, or am I stupid to be part of this club? What a sucker!


For as miserable as you are about DA and everything associated, why do you let your DD play DA?


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## Soccer (Nov 22, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> Looks like a cool tournament.  I’d rather my DD was playing in this event, rather than the DA Winter Showcase the following week in Florida.  Looks like a great list of colleges as well.  Makes me wonder, is the CLUB stupid for bypassing this tournament to go to the DA Sanctioned event that requires a bunch of money to be spent, or am I stupid to be part of this club? What a sucker!


Clubs don’t have a choice on attending DA events. 

DA teams can play non DA teams as long as they do not play more then 1 game a day and no more then 2 on back to back days.


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## Josep (Nov 22, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> Looks like a cool tournament.  I’d rather my DD was playing in this event, rather than the DA Winter Showcase the following week in Florida.  Looks like a great list of colleges as well.  Makes me wonder, is the CLUB stupid for bypassing this tournament to go to the DA Sanctioned event that requires a bunch of money to be spent, or am I stupid to be part of this club? What a sucker!



Some people don’t want to play on Thanksgiving weekend, and if you’re playing in Sarasota in two weeks you may not want to play this.  But it’s a good tune up.


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## Kicknit22 (Nov 22, 2018)

Kicker4Life said:


> For as miserable as you are about DA and everything associated, why do you let your DD play DA?


I’m not miserable about DA.  There’s just a lot I don’t like about it.  Benefits don’t even come close to outweighing the negatives.  To answer your question, unlike many, I do not steer the ship for my kids.  I just have a great seat on the boat.  Yes, my opinion matters to her, but ultimately I let her make the final call.  DA is the direction her club went, and she had little desire to switch clubs at this point.  I understand that.  If it were up to me, she’d be playing ECNL somewhere.  

Mark my words, there will big changes coming with GDA.


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## Simisoccerfan (Nov 24, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> Looks like a cool tournament.  I’d rather my DD was playing in this event, rather than the DA Winter Showcase the following week in Florida.  Looks like a great list of colleges as well.  Makes me wonder, is the CLUB stupid for bypassing this tournament to go to the DA Sanctioned event that requires a bunch of money to be spent, or am I stupid to be part of this club? What a sucker!


Last year our DA team played Silverlakes and had a decent college turnout.  But it was a small fraction of the coaches we had in Florida.  That was the craziest event I have ever seen for coaches.  Most were not even on the list of attending.  We had over 150 different schools across our three games.  At one point on the first day last year I counted over 70 coaches watching us.  There must have been 500 Colleges in attendance at the event.  Your not a sucker.


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## Kicknit22 (Nov 24, 2018)

Simisoccerfan said:


> Last year our DA team played Silverlakes and had a decent college turnout.  But it was a small fraction of the coaches we had in Florida.  That was the craziest event I have ever seen for coaches.  Most were not even on the list of attending.  We had over 150 different schools across our three games.  At one point on the first day last year I counted over 70 coaches watching us.  There must have been 500 Colleges in attendance at the event.  Your not a sucker.


Much appreciated, Simi. I’ve become so sinical.


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## Soccer43 (Nov 25, 2018)

Your team can have just as good a turnout at other college showcases.  Been to both and most offers did not come from the DA showcases.  Doesn't mean it isn't good exposure and something can come of it but as I have said before there are many paths to this process.  You can have hundreds of coaches at an event but that doesn't mean it is the best for your player.  Sometimes the most effective is going to the college ID camps of the colleges you are most interested in and building that relationship with the school and the coaches.  Also, it is helpful to have a club and club coach that has connections and is committed to getting your player where she needs to be.   As a player you don't have much control over what you participate in, it is dictated by the club and your coach so you just have to pick the right place and the right coach and go where they tell you.  If you have been in the elite system for awhile it is easy to become cynical.


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## Simisoccerfan (Nov 25, 2018)

Soccer43 said:


> Your team can have just as good a turnout at other college showcases.  Been to both and most offers did not come from the DA showcases.  Doesn't mean it isn't good exposure and something can come of it but as I have said before there are many paths to this process.  You can have hundreds of coaches at an event but that doesn't mean it is the best for your player.  Sometimes the most effective is going to the college ID camps of the colleges you are most interested in and building that relationship with the school and the coaches.  Also, it is helpful to have a club and club coach that has connections and is committed to getting your player where she needs to be.   As a player you don't have much control over what you participate in, it is dictated by the club and your coach so you just have to pick the right place and the right coach and go where they tell you.  If you have been in the elite system for awhile it is easy to become cynical.


Every offer may dd got and most of the offers her teammates got started with being seen either at a DA showcase or prior to DA being seen at an ECNL event.  Club coaches advocating on the behalf of the girls with college coaches was also a huge part of it.  ID Camps only played a part once they had already been scene and specifically invited to camp.


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## Soccer43 (Nov 25, 2018)

Like I have said, there are many paths and the path you have described in not the only way.


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## Kicknit22 (Nov 25, 2018)

Soccer43 said:


> Your team can have just as good a turnout at other college showcases.  Been to both and most offers did not come from the DA showcases.  Doesn't mean it isn't good exposure and something can come of it but as I have said before there are many paths to this process.  You can have hundreds of coaches at an event but that doesn't mean it is the best for your player.  Sometimes the most effective is going to the college ID camps of the colleges you are most interested in and building that relationship with the school and the coaches.  Also, it is helpful to have a club and club coach that has connections and is committed to getting your player where she needs to be.   As a player you don't have much control over what you participate in, it is dictated by the club and your coach so you just have to pick the right place and the right coach and go where they tell you.  If you have been in the elite system for awhile it is easy to become cynical.


Damn! I knew I spelled cynical wrong. Spell check let me down,


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## Josep (Nov 25, 2018)

Simisoccerfan said:


> Every offer may dd got and most of the offers her teammates got started with being seen either at a DA showcase or prior to DA being seen at an ECNL event.  Club coaches advocating on the behalf of the girls with college coaches was also a huge part of it.  ID Camps only played a part once they had already been scene and specifically invited to camp.


Agreed.  As the offers and initial contacts came from coaches to players on our team, a majority were from the Florida showcase.  The NC showcase, not so much.  Surf Cup also delivered a good round.  We have had a few dozen coaches at Silverlakes and they seemed more intent on singular players.  Specific schools for specific kids.  Agreed there are numerous pathways.  the DA showcase in Florida was the best one (so far.)


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## Josep (Nov 25, 2018)

Kicknit22 said:


> I’m not miserable about DA.  There’s just a lot I don’t like about it.  Benefits don’t even come close to outweighing the negatives.  To answer your question, unlike many, I do not steer the ship for my kids.  I just have a great seat on the boat.  Yes, my opinion matters to her, but ultimately I let her make the final call.  DA is the direction her club went, and she had little desire to switch clubs at this point.  I understand that.  If it were up to me, she’d be playing ECNL somewhere.
> 
> Mark my words, there will big changes coming with GDA.



What changes do you believe are coming to GDA?


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