# So it looks like the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will allow girls to play High School soccer



## sandshark (Nov 1, 2017)

_I was told a couple weeks ago that the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will allow the Girls to play about 6 weeks in the middle of the High school soccer season. 
I swear you can't believe a single thing this organization has said! They are as wishy washy as anything I have ever known of! 
I'm interested to see how the High School coaches respond to these families thinking they are going to have kids walk onto a team 1/2 way through the season and then abandon the same team before the seasons over?  Again, clubs and & crazy parents putting little kids in situations that the players have no control over but yet are expected to handle the consequences of the clubs demands. The clubs are willing to rob these children of real life lasting memories for a buck! This Developmental Academy has been a sham since day 1. _


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## JoeBieber (Nov 1, 2017)

sandshark said:


> _I was told a couple weeks ago that the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will allow the Girls to play about 6 weeks in the middle of the High school soccer season.
> I swear you can't believe a single thing this organization has said! They are as wishy washy as anything I have ever known of!
> I'm interested to see how the High School coaches respond to these families thinking they are going to have kids walk onto a team 1/2 way through the season and then abandon the same team before the seasons over?  Again, clubs and & crazy parents putting little kids in situations that the players have no control over but yet are expected to handle the consequences of the clubs demands. The clubs are willing to rob these children of real life lasting memories for a buck! This Developmental Academy has been a sham since day 1. _


Not accurate.


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## CaliKlines (Nov 1, 2017)

sandshark said:


> _I was told a couple weeks ago that the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will allow the Girls to play about 6 weeks in the middle of the High school soccer season.
> I swear you can't believe a single thing this organization has said! They are as wishy washy as anything I have ever known of!
> I'm interested to see how the High School coaches respond to these families thinking they are going to have kids walk onto a team 1/2 way through the season and then abandon the same team before the seasons over?  Again, clubs and & crazy parents putting little kids in situations that the players have no control over but yet are expected to handle the consequences of the clubs demands. The clubs are willing to rob these children of real life lasting memories for a buck! This Developmental Academy has been a sham since day 1. _


Not a sham. Very clear and straightforward.

From the DA Website:

*Which teams participate in 10-month programming and do not allow high school participation? *
The entire Academy program does not participate in high school programming.

However, it is my understanding that US Soccer does permit girls that were grandfathered into the high school season last year to continue playing for their high school until they graduate. (Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors from last year.)  Part of the application for the clubs acceptance into the DA was whether or not they would allow these girls to play high school soccer. In order to help their application, many clubs indicated that they would not allow their players to participate in high school soccer.  The clubs ultimately hold the final yes or no for these girls that are currently seniors, juniors, and sophomores and these clubs have made their positions all too clear from well prior to the beginning of the season. All of the other younger girls will not be able to play high school when they begin their freshman year.


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## espola (Nov 1, 2017)

The USSF has made a lot of noise about developing popular support for soccer similar to the way it exists in Europe and South America.  Look at how those are structured - enthusiasm and loyalty are directed to the local clubs, and supporters cheer extra hard for local kids that make it onto the local club's top team.

The closest thing we have to that in America is local high school sports.  I don't know how the pack of idiots running USSF  can't see this.


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## sandshark (Nov 1, 2017)

_I'm interested to see how the High School coaches respond to these families thinking they are going to have kids walk onto a team 1/2 way through the season and then abandon the same team before the seasons over._


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## NoGoalItAll (Nov 1, 2017)

Unfortunately, high school coaches are not drug tested.  They will not be going near my kids!


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## Justafan (Nov 1, 2017)

CaliKlines said:


> Not a sham. Very clear and straightforward.
> 
> From the DA Website:
> 
> ...


That's the rule now but I bet you they'd reconsider if they started to lose a lot of players to non DA teams because of the high school issue.


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## sandshark (Nov 1, 2017)

Justafan said:


> That's the rule now but I bet you they'd reconsider if they started to lose a lot of players to non DA teams because of the high school issue.


 Ya they will.
 The entire sham is already imploding as I have listened to several families and kids that are very unhappy with so many things to do with the D program.


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## Fact (Nov 1, 2017)

sandshark said:


> Ya they will.
> The entire sham is already imploding as I have listened to several families and kids that are very unhappy with so many things to do with the D program.


DA is just like any other team.  Players that are getting playing time are happy and those that are not getting playing time are upset.  The one exception of unhappy parents I have heard of being the San Diego club teams that is losing most of their games.  I don't know many Pats and Eagles families anymore but I bet they are in the same boat.

DA will stay around so accept it or find another team/sport.


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## LadiesMan217 (Nov 1, 2017)

sandshark said:


> _I was told a couple weeks ago that the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will allow the Girls to play about 6 weeks in the middle of the High school soccer season.
> I swear you can't believe a single thing this organization has said! They are as wishy washy as anything I have ever known of!
> I'm interested to see how the High School coaches respond to these families thinking they are going to have kids walk onto a team 1/2 way through the season and then abandon the same team before the seasons over?  Again, clubs and & crazy parents putting little kids in situations that the players have no control over but yet are expected to handle the consequences of the clubs demands. The clubs are willing to rob these children of real life lasting memories for a buck! This Developmental Academy has been a sham since day 1. _


They aren't wishy washy, you are uneducated and probably have no idea what their rules were since day 1. Nothing has changed.


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## younothat (Nov 2, 2017)

Rules and Regulations  as far as I know there is not a different one for the girls but if so please reference that:
https://ussoccer.app.box.com/s/38y02zvnb19bdzjmesn6k5t9zonsl97s

"Academy Players currently registered with an Academy Club have committed to forgo participating in both the Academy and high school soccer.

Players who participate in high school soccer are ineligible to participate in Academy practice and competition during that same season.

Only players who have been granted a waiver by the League Office will be allowed to remain on their clubs Academy roster during the high school soccer season.

This waiver must be received by DA office before September 1, 2017 to be considered for the roster exemption.The waiver eligibility guidelines are as for those who receive consideration or financial aid to attend a private high school based on their participation with the soccer team are eligible• No specific number of waivers available to a club, but that number is naturally self-limiting to field a full team throughout the Academy season• The waiver must include the following points:

Addressed to Academy Program from the Principal, Head Master or similar position–Player name and high school–States the player is expected to participate in high school soccer as part of their enrollment at this school and subsidized education--States the term, semester and/or dates in which the player will be participating in high school soccer–Signed and dated–Sent to Academy Office for approval prior to the start of the high school season• With a waiver, the player’s roster slot will not be prorated to not include the high school season as part of their 25% start rate. A waivered player must start 25% of the team’s total games for the season.

Players registered with a Development Academy club will not be allowed to re-enter the program during the same season after participating in the high school season with their current or a different Academy Club."

That last passage is confusing since I've seen players return via reinstatement after they played HS if the wavier was done prior to the season but maybe that's case by case or has changed?


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## sandshark (Nov 2, 2017)

LadiesMan217 said:


> They aren't wishy washy, you are uneducated and probably have no idea what their rules were since day 1. Nothing has changed.


 That is not true, we were solicited to have kids play in this USDA program with all kinds of contradicting promises, facts and rules given to us by our club. So maybe the club was the wishy washy or the USDA was? I'm sure both will blame the other behind their backs.
And yes it is true they are "allowing"  I love it when some BS group is "allowing" my kids to do what they want!? 
And again..yes they are putting date restraints on when the D-1 players can participate in HS soccer. This is 100% about money! NOT development, not the players and not the families. Zero reason to do this to the HS players! For years we all thought ECNL was horrible for "suggesting" that ECNL players don't play in HS, we thought how arrogant and rude to ever make that suggestion to players and their families and now somehow the same people that were so appalled by the ECNL program making these suggestions are now the same people allowing this to be demanded by some scam sham money grab USDA.


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## sandshark (Nov 2, 2017)

younothat said:


> Rules and Regulations  as far as I know there is not a different one for the girls but if so please reference that:
> https://ussoccer.app.box.com/s/38y02zvnb19bdzjmesn6k5t9zonsl97s
> 
> "Academy Players currently registered with an Academy Club have committed to forgo participating in both the Academy and high school soccer.
> ...


This shit is insane! 
The only time anything like this is reasonable is when a PROFESSIONAL athlete is being hired to represent WITH PAY a company that wants guidelines in a contract to protect their investment in the Athlete! 
We are talking about little kids that are not being paid and are actually doing the opposite and paying big money to play in a league! IS THIS ok with you? Are you crazy!!? Talk about being lost in the hype.


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## sandshark (Nov 2, 2017)

Fact said:


> DA is just like any other team.  Players that are getting playing time are happy and those that are not getting playing time are upset.  The one exception of unhappy parents I have heard of being the San Diego club teams that is losing most of their games.  I don't know many Pats and Eagles families anymore but I bet they are in the same boat.
> 
> DA will stay around so accept it or find another team/sport.


Wrong! I know several that are top players that play 99% of every game and still regret everything about buying into this shit show! And your last statement sounds exactly like a club soccer coach. Classic response


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## Fact (Nov 2, 2017)

sandshark said:


> Wrong! I know several that are top players that play 99% of every game and still regret everything about buying into this shit show! And your last statement sounds exactly like a club soccer coach. Classic response


What's preventing them from changing teams?


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## sandshark (Nov 2, 2017)

Fact said:


> What's preventing them from changing teams?


 The real honest answer... The club coaches pound their guilt treatment into these families about "club loyalty" and the "life lessons" of sticking to what you started is the main reason. The funny part is the clubs almost never return that respect to anyone and the truth is who are these coaches in real life? Most that i have met are complete train wrecks in their personal lives. Another issue for these unhappy families is they already paid, traveled with their teams along with all the other issues that comes with the leaving a team. And some of them are in their last year of club soccer so where do they go now? It is easier to stick it out with your friends and just enjoy what you can. Its BS to see this, it is the typical business model of youth club soccer, the clubs and coaches make their money and move onto the next group next year to fill with the same line of USDA BS. 
The problem is most parents wont speak up about this because of the repercussions to their children from the coaches, the other reason is ego's and the immediate label that most will put on the parents that they are nothing more then "disgruntled because their kid didn't get playing time!" That is a classic out for the coaches or people buying into this crap. So that is a few reasons I see for not walking away in the middle of season. Like I have said many many times this all sucks because you have little kids paying the price of these clubs using them for profit.


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## boomer (Nov 2, 2017)

sandshark said:


> The real honest answer... The club coaches pound their guilt treatment into these families about "club loyalty" and the "life lessons" of sticking to what you started is the main reason. The funny part is the clubs almost never return that respect to anyone and the truth is who are these coaches in real life? Most that i have met are complete train wrecks in their personal lives. Another issue for these unhappy families is they already paid, traveled with their teams along with all the other issues that comes with the leaving a team. And some of them are in their last year of club soccer so where do they go now? It is easier to stick it out with your friends and just enjoy what you can. Its BS to see this, it is the typical business model of youth club soccer, the clubs and coaches make their money and move onto the next group next year to fill with the same line of USDA BS.
> The problem is most parents wont speak up about this because of the repercussions to their children from the coaches, the other reason is ego's and the immediate label that most will put on the parents that they are nothing more then "disgruntled because their kid didn't get playing time!" That is a classic out for the coaches or people buying into this crap. So that is a few reasons I see for not walking away in the middle of season. Like I have said many many times this all sucks because you have little kids paying the price of these clubs using them for profit.


Not a real answer at all. Not even close. If someone stays with a team due to some sense of loyalty, false or not, that is a choice. If they live in fear of a coach's wrath or buy into a label like USSDA, that is a choice. There is nothing "preventing" them from leaving. And you make some crappy generalizations of coaches and clubs here. Who hurt you?


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## sandshark (Nov 2, 2017)

boomer said:


> Not a real answer at all. Not even close. If someone stays with a team due to some sense of loyalty, false or not, that is a choice. There is nothing "preventing" them from leaving. And you make some crappy generalizations of coaches and clubs here. Who hurt you?


As you well know It is all based on the truth. 
When you weigh the pro's and con's of ditching a team mid season most importantly it is really tough on the kids, the coaches know this so they play the mental game with you and your child. On the parents end of this deal It is all driven by the love a parent has for their child and the fact most parents want what is best for their child, of course the coaches want what is best for themselves and their wallet, the coaches know they have the upper hand to be able to exploit these facts.


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## Fact (Nov 2, 2017)

sandshark said:


> The real honest answer... The club coaches pound their guilt treatment into these families about "club loyalty" and the "life lessons" of sticking to what you started is the main reason. The funny part is the clubs almost never return that respect to anyone and the truth is who are these coaches in real life? Most that i have met are complete train wrecks in their personal lives. Another issue for these unhappy families is they already paid, traveled with their teams along with all the other issues that comes with the leaving a team. And some of them are in their last year of club soccer so where do they go now? It is easier to stick it out with your friends and just enjoy what you can. Its BS to see this, it is the typical business model of youth club soccer, the clubs and coaches make their money and move onto the next group next year to fill with the same line of USDA BS.
> The problem is most parents wont speak up about this because of the repercussions to their children from the coaches, the other reason is ego's and the immediate label that most will put on the parents that they are nothing more then "disgruntled because their kid didn't get playing time!" That is a classic out for the coaches or people buying into this crap. So that is a few reasons I see for not walking away in the middle of season. Like I have said many many times this all sucks because you have little kids paying the price of these clubs using them for profit.


As you say in the thread about DOs and Donts, there is no loyalty and why let some what-a-be treat your family like dirt.  Over the years, I have seen plenty of kids transfer onto my kids teams after Thanksgiving.  None of them appeared to regret their decision because they all stayed for the next year if they made the team.  As far as losing your money, the cost to transfer will be minimal if you are an impact player and I assume they are if coming from a DA team???


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