# College Recruiting (Women):  Any Difference Among DA Clubs



## oh canada

I realize the girls DA thing is still fairly new, but curious if folks are seeing anything to suggest that college coaches pay more attention to certain clubs within DA.  Or, are most of the DA clubs viewed as similar and therefore attention is primarily focused on the individual player, regardless of the DA club. 

Stated another way...if Jane Soccer is playing for Club Powerhouse in DA will she get more college looks/offers there, compared to if she plays for Club MiddleOfThePack in DA?


----------



## Toepoke

oh canada said:


> .....attention is primarily focused on the individual player, regardless of the DA club.


This.


----------



## Soccer43

has everything to do with who your coach is and what relationship he or she has with colleges and the reputation of the coaches judgement.


----------



## jojosoccer

Agree.
It depends if her club has the college connections and what her coach does to make it happen for her.
Along with her work to get scene


----------



## Simisoccerfan

Agree that the coaches can make a huge difference.


----------



## sdb

Who are the coaches at various clubs with the connections that have been proven to be respected and helpful?


----------



## Zerodenero

sdb said:


> Who are the coaches at various clubs with the connections that have been proven to be respected and helpful?


Ok ok...I’ll start.

Bobak - Blues


----------



## sdb

Will be interesting to see who else goes on the record.


----------



## jojosoccer

All Blues, Slammers club and coaches for sure, definitely geared to college recruiting.
Other good options would be 
Legends and Beach 
Probably most clubs will help you if requested.


----------



## Soccer43

jojosoccer said:


> All Blues, Slammers club and coaches for sure, definitely geared to college recruiting.
> Other good options would be
> Legends and Beach
> Probably most clubs will help you if requested.


Agree with this list.  Don't agree with the last statement.  Some clubs/coaches don't have the connections or same level of reputation.  Also, sometimes coaches don't seem to be invested to make the true effort or believe in a player to support the player in the process


----------



## Dos Equis

Soccer43 said:


> has everything to do with who your coach is and what relationship he or she has with colleges and the reputation of the coaches judgement.


This is 100% true.  When people talk about the importance of the badge, 90% of that is the coach wearing that badge.  

Having said that, you need to be on the same page as your coach in terms of what level your child can/should play, in order  to make that relationship effective. And your child (not you) needs to be heavily invested in communicating with coaches (via email, phone calls, at camps, etc.).  Do not expect the coach to drive the process, your child needs to take the wheel, and a great coach will be the navigator and agent.


----------



## soccer_soccer

So you guys think Galaxy Academy has not pull as far as College recruiting?  national team pooling?  compared to slammers, beach, blues and legends?


----------



## Simisoccerfan

KW at Eagles


----------



## outside!

Courtney Drummond at LA Galaxy SD.


----------



## Soccer43

soccer_soccer said:


> So you guys think Galaxy Academy has not pull as far as College recruiting?  national team pooling?  compared to slammers, beach, blues and legends?


Just look at the recruits to the top D1 schools and the national team call ups and where they come from - not coming from Galaxay Academy


----------



## GTS

Soccer43 said:


> Just look at the recruits to the top D1 schools and the national team call ups and where they come from - not coming from Galaxay Academy



Look at the young 05, 04 call up for the CONCACAF U15 Championship.

They won the gold! All playing DA and 1 already committed to a D1 college.

Beach, Real, OC Surf, SD Surf,


----------



## sdb

GTS said:


> Look at the young 05, 04 call up for the CONCACAF U15 Championship.
> 
> They won the gold! All playing DA and 1 already committed to a D1 college.
> 
> Beach, Real, OC Surf, SD Surf,


There was a LA Galaxy player on that roster as well.


----------



## Kicker4Life

sdb said:


> There was a LA Galaxy player on that roster as well.


Indeed there was.  She was on US Soccer radar before coming over from Slammers.

Lots of Galaxy players on the new ‘05 YNT ID Center  list.  Future is bright for Galaxy.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Kicker4Life said:


> Indeed there was.  She was on US Soccer radar before coming over from Slammers.
> 
> Lots of Galaxy players on the new ‘05 YNT ID Center  list.  Future is bright for Galaxy.


This came to me...


----------



## outside!

LASTMAN14 said:


> This came to me...


Am I the only one that is only seeing


----------



## LASTMAN14

outside! said:


> Am I the only one that is only seeing


I noticed if your on a phone it does not show up but should be visible via a laptop.


----------



## outside!

LASTMAN14 said:


> I noticed if your on a phone it does not show up but should be visible via a laptop.


It does not show up on my desktop workstation. Maybe it is a FireFox thing.


----------



## LASTMAN14

outside! said:


> It does not show up on my desktop workstation. Maybe it is a FireFox thing.


Just uploaded as a file.


----------



## Kicker4Life

LASTMAN14 said:


> I noticed if your on a phone it does not show up but should be visible via a laptop.


Lots of very talented kids on that list.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Kicker4Life said:


> Lots of very talented kids on that list.


Dude, totally.


----------



## Keepermom2

LASTMAN14 said:


> I noticed if your on a phone it does not show up but should be visible via a laptop.


This is why I have always liked your posts...You just post the facts.  I however, need to add the obvious commentary...1/3 of the list came from that club that has no connections...LA Galaxy Carson, CA.  LOL  6 of the 15 DA clubs are represented on that list and no ECNL clubs other than So Cal Blues who is playing both right now is represented on that list.   If I have my research correct, this is the age where the clubs attached to these players generally represent the clubs that have truly developed them rather than recruited them in.   The hard core recruiting by clubs for the best talent seems to start happening at U-15 and increase with age so the clubs attached to identified talent may not truly be the club that developed them.  This is all speculation on my part.

Congratulations to all the kiddos on that list!  What an awesome accomplishment.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Keepermom2 said:


> This is why I have always liked your posts...You just post the facts.  I however, need to add the obvious commentary...1/3 of the list came from that club that has no connections...LA Galaxy Carson, CA.  LOL  6 of the 15 DA clubs are represented on that list and no ECNL clubs other than So Cal Blues who is playing both right now is represented on that list.   If I have my research correct, this is the age where the clubs attached to these players represent the clubs that have truly developed them rather than recruited them in.   The hard core recruiting by clubs for the best talent seems to start happening at U-15 and increase with age so the clubs attached to identified talent may not truly be the club that developed them.  This is all speculation on my part.
> 
> Congratulations to all the kiddos on that list!  What an awesome accomplishment.


Just the facts ma'am. When making a statement and having proven facts, an objective understanding, a baseline of observations or anecdotal situations certainly give one's point more substance. I agree with you that many of those players were developed by the clubs they are currently rostered on. For those who are new to these club possibly are on this list because they are playing in a system with players that are bringing out their best. Under the current environment all clubs either from DA to ECNL are all competing for players. It definitely is an honor to be on that list.


----------



## Keepermom2

Okay kind of geeking out....was just curious.  There may be mistakes because I did quick sorts in Excel and don't care enough to check for perfection but I think the following presents a decent picture of college commitments for the Class of 2019.  15 clubs with greater than 1 commitment to D1 schools throughout Southern California are represented.

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/search/?query=&divisionId=1&genderId=f&graduationYear=2019&positionId=0&playerRating=&stateId=5&pageNo=5&area=commitments

After going to the link above, I sorted based upon Class of 2019, Socal clubs, Clubs with greater than 1 commitment to D1 Schools and obtained the following information:

Arsenal FC  5
Beach FC  6
Eagles SC  10
LA Galaxy SD  8
LA Galaxy Carson  3
LAFC  5
Legends FC  14
LA Premier  2
OC Surf  8
Pateadores SC  2
Real Socal  5
San Diego Surf 10
Slammers FC 10
Socal Blues  6
Strikers  4


Here are the clubs linked to top 15 soccer schools in nation as of today for Class of 2019 (6 socal clubs)
Beach FC (CA)   USC
Beach FC (CA)/Palos Verdes   Texas
Legends FC   USC
San Diego Surf   UCLA
San Diego Surf/Patrick Henry   UCLA
Slammers FC/Huntington Beach   Florida State
So Cal Blues/JSerra   Santa Clara
So Cal Blues/Valley Christian   Stanford
Strikers FC/Santa Margarita   UCLA


----------



## RedCard

I know you’re listing all the DA clubs but Chavez from SoCal Academy; which is a non DA club; has great college connections. We just had 2 girls commit to 2 Big 10 schools; Illinois and Michigan. Girls from last season’s team went to The University of North Carolina and  Oregon, along with a lot of UC schools.


----------



## MakeAPlay

Soccer43 said:


> has everything to do with who your coach is and what relationship he or she has with colleges and the reputation of the coaches judgement.


My player’s coach and club had no connection to the school that she currently plays at.  Play good soccer on a good team playing good competition at the good showcases and things will happen.  Good luck to you and your player.


----------



## MakeAPlay

RedCard said:


> I know you’re listing all the DA clubs but Chavez from SoCal Academy; which is a non DA club; has great college connections. We just had 2 girls commit to 2 Big 10 schools; Illinois and Michigan. Girls from last season’s team went to The University of North Carolina and  Oregon, along with a lot of UC schools.


No California players went to North Carolina in the 2018 recruiting class.


----------



## Soccer43

MakeAPlay said:


> My player’s coach and club had no connection to the school that she currently plays at.  Play good soccer on a good team playing good competition at the good showcases and things will happen.  Good luck to you and your player.


Not always the case - there are many different types of recruitment stories and even if you are a incredible player on a good team doesn't always play out like your situation - many different pieces to the puzzle


----------



## MakeAPlay

Soccer43 said:


> Not always the case - there are many different types of recruitment stories and even if you are a incredible player on a good team doesn't always play out like your situation - many different pieces to the puzzle


I have yet to see a good player not have an opportunity to play at the next level (if they wanted it) let alone a great player.  It’s not as hard as it might seem but no amount of parental preparation can make a player good or great it’s up to them.

Good luck to you and your player.


----------



## MakeAPlay

http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/coaching-and-practice/annals-coaching-identifying-talent-shapes-coaching-decisions/


----------



## Mystery Train

MakeAPlay said:


> http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/coaching-and-practice/annals-coaching-identifying-talent-shapes-coaching-decisions/


That's a great article.  At least it reinforces just about every lesson I've learned watching my DD and her former/current teammates grow from u11 to u17.  You've posted on that same subject before, and related it to your DD's experience.  I know personally of several former "B team" players from u13 who are D1 commits as juniors & seniors today.  But more telling, I know of many "A" team standouts from those ages who are struggling in obscurity or not even playing today.  Warning to parents:  Don't believe the hype at the u-littles ages.  It's a long, long road.


----------



## surfrider

MakeAPlay said:


> http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/coaching-and-practice/annals-coaching-identifying-talent-shapes-coaching-decisions/


GreAt article.  Thanks for posting


----------



## Simisoccerfan

MakeAPlay said:


> My player’s coach and club had no connection to the school that she currently plays at.  Play good soccer on a good team playing good competition at the good showcases and things will happen.  Good luck to you and your player.


My dd did not write the coaches at her future school. They were at her game recruiting the other team when she first caught their eye.


----------



## Dos Equis

MakeAPlay said:


> http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/coaching-and-practice/annals-coaching-identifying-talent-shapes-coaching-decisions/


Last year, in the same week two high ranking officials in US Soccer (one on the girls side, the other boys) were quoted in different interviews saying it was difficult to impossible to identify elite talent at a young age, they also expanded the USSDA into younger age groups.  They fail to see the irony.

In a country and society were kids have many options and opportunities, and make choices every day, US Soccer fails to understand the harm they are doing as a governing body to the sport by effectively picking winners, and narrowing the field, at so young an age.  

We will continue to win on the women's side, in spite of them.  The sport does not face the same competition from higher profile sports (notably baseball/football/basketball), and there is a pot of college gold at the end of the rainbow that US Soccer has yet to steal, so the talent tends to stick with it.  I also think that college is where you find the best coaches on the women's side, by far, and US Soccer gets to benefit from that development pipeline.

On the boy's/men's side?  MAP will declare his love for USC long before we ever become a power in the game.


----------



## Dubs

MakeAPlay said:


> http://teachlikeachampion.com/blog/coaching-and-practice/annals-coaching-identifying-talent-shapes-coaching-decisions/


Agree. This is a great article.  Points out many things wrong with the system and the general subjectivity of players.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Got this today. Thought it was a quick but good read.

https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/


----------



## Soccerfan2

LASTMAN14 said:


> Got this today. Thought it was a quick but good read.
> 
> https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/


This is a great article. However I disagree that establishing A,B,C teams is a bad thing. Even without coaches differentiating, players of any age are pretty aware of where they stand. I like the idea of A/B/C teams being fluid throughout the season as incentive to do better and because players get different things out of playing in like skill and mixed skill environments. We do differentiate in schools too and students are also aware of that. As a player in my day, sitting the bench did not result in changing teams, quitting mid-season or even a parent complaining to the coach. The culture was simply to take feedback and use it, work harder and earn your spot. I find that mindset very rare now in competitive youth sports. As parents we need to take ownership of what we demand from coaches in terms of winning, playing time, etc. Are we allowing coaches the opportunity to develop our players as their first priority? We shape the landscape as much as anyone else.


----------



## MakeAPlay

LASTMAN14 said:


> Got this today. Thought it was a quick but good read.
> 
> https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/


He was my daughter’s first and best private trainer.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Soccerfan2 said:


> This is a great article. However I disagree that establishing A,B,C teams is a bad thing. Even without coaches differentiating, players of any age are pretty aware of where they stand. I like the idea of A/B/C teams being fluid throughout the season as incentive to do better and because players get different things out of playing in like skill and mixed skill environments. We do differentiate in schools too and students are also aware of that. As a player in my day, sitting the bench did not result in changing teams, quitting mid-season or even a parent complaining to the coach. The culture was simply to take feedback and use it, work harder and earn your spot. I find that mindset very rare now in competitive youth sports. As parents we need to take ownership of what we demand from coaches in terms of winning, playing time, etc. Are we allowing coaches the opportunity to develop our players as their first priority? We shape the landscape as much as anyone else.


PS comments about players on 2nd and 3rd teams could be seen as a generalized statement. Though I think that remark was made in how he understands the American approach which is in contrast to how he now sees the European mindset on 2nd and 3rd teams. But I agree their are clubs where the lower teams are fluid with the top flight, especially at the younger ages. My oldest daughter is an example of that, she played on the second squad for many years and has played on the top team and now the DA.


----------



## LASTMAN14

MakeAPlay said:


> He was my daughter’s first and best private trainer.


That's good to know. I keep hearing great things about him, but have never been able to see one of his teams play.


----------



## MakeAPlay

LASTMAN14 said:


> That's good to know. I keep hearing great things about him, but have never been able to see one of his teams play.


We would have never left but he was facing some serious health challenges that limited his schedule for a while.  My daughter adores him. He really helped give my kid a solid technical foundation to build upon.


----------



## Real Deal

LASTMAN14 said:


> That's good to know. I keep hearing great things about him, but have never been able to see one of his teams play.


I believe he coaches OC Surf 04 DA?


----------



## LASTMAN14

Real Deal said:


> I believe he coaches OC Surf 04 DA?


Think so. Our girls have not played them yet.


----------



## MakeAPlay

LASTMAN14 said:


> Think so. Our girls have not played them yet.


He used to coach the “C” team at West Coast FC for a couple age groups plus he coached a semi-pro team years ago when my daughter played for WCFC.  He was by far the best coach there but they always gave Doug and Gus the A teams.


----------



## sdb

Dubs said:


> Agree. This is a great article.  Points out many things wrong with the system and the general subjectivity of players.


The subjectivity involved in ID-ing talent always makes me think about Gareth Bale's story:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/17/man-who-discovered-gareth-bale-champions-league-real-madrid

At 15 he was almost cut from the Southhampton Academy except for the intervention of 1 coach who believed in him.

From the article:

"It has been quite a story, although the journey from six-a-side tournament in Newport to European Cup final against Atlético Madrid in Lisbon has not been as straightforward as it sounds. Bale could easily have been cut loose by Southampton at the age of 15, when it was touch and go whether he would be offered a scholarship. Ruddick is a mild man but he knew that he had to dig his heels in to convince others. "I had to be strong. And to be fair to Rupert Lowe [then the Southampton chairman], he later said to me: 'I'm glad you pushed it.'"  Bale has never forgotten Ruddick's contribution to his career. In the first interview Bale gave after signing for Real Madrid, he was asked about Southampton nearly releasing him. Bale talked about the "debate" that was going on inside the club at the time and singled out the influence of one person. "Rod Ruddick, the Southampton scout who spotted me at the age of nine, believed I would make it," he said. In Ruddick's eyes, the reason that Bale's development stagnated a little in his mid-teens, when some questioned the merits of keeping him, was purely down to a growth spurt.


----------



## timbuck

LASTMAN14 said:


> Got this today. Thought it was a quick but good read.
> 
> https://www.soccertoday.com/platini-soaf-let-youth-players-be-kids-they-are-not-pros-yet/


Great comments from the coach. I’ve heard great things about him. 
But I don’t think his current club is currently on board with that overall philosophy.  Maybe they’ll change in the near future.


----------



## LASTMAN14

timbuck said:


> Great comments from the coach. I’ve heard great things about him.
> But I don’t think his current club is currently on board with that overall philosophy.  Maybe they’ll change in the near future.


That's interesting, but sometimes change is hard, and it takes one to voice that a change is needed despite the grumblings.


----------



## Soccer43

MakeAPlay said:


> I have yet to see a good player not have an opportunity to play at the next level (if they wanted it) let alone a great player.  It’s not as hard as it might seem but no amount of parental preparation can make a player good or great it’s up to them.
> 
> Good luck to you and your player.


I agree - there is a spot in college soccer for any player that puts in the work and really wants it.  I was talking more about elite players looking for their top choices and scholarships.  Sometimes it is not always so straight a pathway to get the best fit.  Good luck to your daughter in the tourney.


----------



## Real Deal

LASTMAN14 said:


> I noticed if your on a phone it does not show up but should be visible via a laptop.


US Soccer website shows another ID Center coming up for LA girls.  Any word on it and who is in?


----------



## LASTMAN14

Real Deal said:


> US Soccer website shows another ID Center coming up for LA girls.  Any word on it and who is in?


I can ask. Rumor another Beach player was added.


----------



## Lambchop

timbuck said:


> Great comments from the coach. I’ve heard great things about him.00/01But I don’t think his current club is currently on board with that overall philosophy.  Maybe they’ll change in the near future.[/QU





timbuck said:


> Great comments from the coach. I’ve heard great things about him.
> But I don’t think his current club is currently on board with that verall philosophy.  Maybe they’ll change in the near future.


/
He is OC Surf director of the girls DA program and coaches 04DA and 001/01DA.


----------



## Kicker4Life

LASTMAN14 said:


> I can ask. Rumor another Beach player was added.


Lists are out for ‘04’s.  There will be one in Carlsbad and one in Carson.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Kicker4Life said:


> Lists are out for ‘04’s


I just got the 05.


----------



## LASTMAN14

Real Deal said:


> US Soccer website shows another ID Center coming up for LA girls.  Any word on it and who is in?


----------



## 818soccermom

Are DA players the only ones invited to Youth training centers? I remember a couple of years ago when multiple girls from my DD’s team (non DA & ECNL team) used to go every few months to US training centers.


----------



## Soccerfan2

818soccermom said:


> Are DA players the only ones invited to Youth training centers? I remember a couple of years ago when multiple girls from my DD’s team (non DA & ECNL team) used to go every few months to US training centers.


No. Every training center my daughter has attended has also has ECNL and other players.


----------



## 818soccermom

Soccerfan2 said:


> No. Every training center my daughter has attended has also has ECNL and other players.


I was curious since the only girls on the YNT ID roster were on DA teams. I’m sure these girls are very talented and deserving, but wasn’t sure if it was exclusive to DA players.


----------



## Soccerfan2

818soccermom said:


> I was curious since the only girls on the YNT camp roster were on DA teams. I’m sure these girls are very talented and deserving, but wasn’t sure if it was exclusive to DA players.


That’s a YNT training center roster, not a camp roster. I can’t speak for SoCal, but in NorCal, every single training center roster at my DD’s age group in the past 3 years has included ECNL players and many have included players that are not in DA or ECNL.


----------



## eastbaysoccer

If US soccer includes only DA girls they will be digging their own grave.  

If the NBA, NFL, MLB only recruited players from power 6 conferences they would have missed out on some great players.


----------



## Fact

Soccerfan2 said:


> That’s a YNT training center roster, not a camp roster. I can’t speak for SoCal, but in NorCal, every single training center roster at my DD’s age group in the past 3 years has included ECNL players and many have included players that are not in DA or ECNL.


In SoCal is there just 1 training center or did they ever get on going in San Diego?  Seems like Socal has enough talent given the above article that the area can support 2.


----------



## Kicker4Life

Fact said:


> In SoCal is there just 1 training center or did they ever get on going in San Diego?  Seems like Socal has enough talent given the above article that the area can support 2.


There was one in Carson and one in Carlsbad this month.


----------

