DA/ non DA pro and cons checklist

[mirage]

They should make all goalkeepers play baseball/softball and take grounders.......OK, I feel better now!

Not just GKs. Our older kid (forward) played travel ball until he committed to soccer only, and I can tell you that his baseball training still helps today on the soccer field.

Baseball teaches the players to judge fly balls (i.e., know where soccer ball in the air falls, including reading the spin), how the player backs up first, then move forward to the ball; hence dragging the defender back further than needs to be and moving forward to create space to settle the in the air ball as it comes down or one-touch pass to a teammate. Also know what angle to take for attack and defending a play versus the ball as well as free space.

Those that never played baseball at a competitive level just don't know all intricacy of baseball and how it can helps soccer.

 

[pewpew]

They should make all goalkeepers play baseball/softball and take grounders. I swear to god, if I see another keeper dive for a ball that is only 2 feet to the left or right of them, I'm going to lose it. The goalkeeper trainer who started the trend of having goalkeepers dive for EVERYTHING is an idiot and never played baseball (or softball for that matter, but I'm pretty sure it was a man). I saw the Galaxy keeper (Braine Rowe) dive for a ball literally 2 feet to his left, he didn't get down in time and it went between his arm and body (sorry, couldn't find the clip). And this is a professional! How many times have you seen this type of ball bounce of the keeper's stomach or body and into traffic? OK, I feel better now!

My guess is your kid doesn't play keeper. I only question my kid on mistakes she makes. Sometimes I scratch my head at some of the things she does out there. As long as the gk makes the save what do you care? And if they were put into a position where they "dive for a ball 2ft away" and the ball deflects off them and back into traffic..guess what..it's still a save. Let's not forget the ball got past 10 other players before it got to the keeper.
Unless your kid plays keeper you have no idea of the pressure they are under. Your kid could miss 5 or 6 shots on goal during a game and nobody will remember that. My kid could make 5 or 6 great saves in a game but the one goal she does give up everyone remembers we lost 0-1.
Btw..your post has nothing to do with this thread.
Ok..I feel better now.

 

[Justafan]

My guess is your kid doesn't play keeper. I only question my kid on mistakes she makes. Sometimes I scratch my head at some of the things she does out there. As long as the gk makes the save what do you care? And if they were put into a position where they "dive for a ball 2ft away" and the ball deflects off them and back into traffic..guess what..it's still a save. Let's not forget the ball got past 10 other players before it got to the keeper.
Unless your kid plays keeper you have no idea of the pressure they are under. Your kid could miss 5 or 6 shots on goal during a game and nobody will remember that. My kid could make 5 or 6 great saves in a game but the one goal she does give up everyone remembers we lost 0-1.
Btw..your post has nothing to do with this thread.
Ok..I feel better now.

I'm not knocking the pressure GK's are under, and I agree defender and GK mistakes are highlighted (one of my dd's is a center back) while offensive players' are not. I actually tell that to other defender and GK parents on our team when we get scored on (in order to keep perspective). My issue is that they are taught to dive for everything when the better and safer play is to simply shuffle you feet, get in front of the ball, hands touching the ground, and scoop upwards, just like an infielder is taught. And not all of the balls that bounce back into traffic are saved. And some go under the keepers arms because they didn't get down fast enough. If you think about it diving for a ball that is 2 feet away is an awkward move.

 

[full90]

Hope Solo was the queen of making the easy save look hard. We would rewind her diving, leaping, sprawled out saves and play them in slow mo....they would be head high, one step to her right or left. (And yes, some are coming so fast that you have to dive to parry it away). But she also had a way of making the easy things in her life hard too, soooooo...

The playing other sports thing is fine for younger ages, but at the highest level of any sport the kid needs to be focused on one sport. I get that it's not great for being well-rounded, but for the top of the top, being well-rounded isn't the goal. The same is true for DA. DA is not designed for kids to be well-rounded and have a robust, holistic high school experience. If you want that for your kid, (and I don't blame you, high school is a blast) then DA is really not for them. It's for the kids who want to be pros and it's inception was to mirror European academies where school is by far a distant second behind soccer. So all the talk of other sports, AP classes, homework, social life etc...being incompatible with DA...that's exactly the point. It is not meant for those kids. They (US soccer) want DA to cull thru the kids who want to do other things...that is the point. (Yes, some kids can do high school AP/Honors and social life and DA. But that is not the intent of that league)

US Soccer should fund the MLS academies and funnel all the soccer first, school second kids there. There should then be non MLS DA league for the other top kids who want to head to college/have a holistic high school experience. But still used as a development and scouting path.

Back to the topic: Pros: one game a weekend, no more stupid tournaments until sunday night at 8pm in the final playing crap soccer cuz everyone is tired, lots of training, great competition, sub rule helps kids get on the field and stay on for the majority of a game.

Cons: lots of driving, sub rule hurts kids who maybe need to come out, get a coaching point and then go back in to apply it, or could benefit from 15-20 min a game each week, but aren't rostered all the time, rosters are too big (either cap it at 17 or cap it at 25 and have two games going so all kids are getting play time.), I'm not sure anyone is evaluating and critiquing style of play. A few teams we play dont even try to play soccer....where is the feedback from US soccer? And while I think the reffing is overall MUCH better than club, they are still letting the games be too physical and emotional. This is a development path, right? So curtail the ridiculous fouls and start tossing kids much earlier.

 

[BigSoccer]

US Soccer should fund the MLS academies and funnel all the soccer first, school second kids there. There should then be non MLS DA league for the other top kids who want to head to college/have a holistic high school experience. But still used as a development and scouting path.

What about all the talent in areas with no MLS? Let's say Indianapolis or San Antonio... just too bad for them?

 

[El Clasico]

Hope Solo was the queen of making the easy save look hard. We would rewind her diving, leaping, sprawled out saves and play them in slow mo....they would be head high, one step to her right or left. (And yes, some are coming so fast that you have to dive to parry it away). But she also had a way of making the easy things in her life hard too, soooooo...

The playing other sports thing is fine for younger ages, but at the highest level of any sport the kid needs to be focused on one sport. I get that it's not great for being well-rounded, but for the top of the top, being well-rounded isn't the goal. The same is true for DA. DA is not designed for kids to be well-rounded and have a robust, holistic high school experience. If you want that for your kid, (and I don't blame you, high school is a blast) then DA is really not for them. It's for the kids who want to be pros and it's inception was to mirror European academies where school is by far a distant second behind soccer. So all the talk of other sports, AP classes, homework, social life etc...being incompatible with DA...that's exactly the point. It is not meant for those kids. They (US soccer) want DA to cull thru the kids who want to do other things...that is the point. (Yes, some kids can do high school AP/Honors and social life and DA. But that is not the intent of that league).

Interesting that you bring up Hope Solo (considered by most to be the best female goalie the US has produced, maybe the best in the world) and being focused on one sport at the expense of all others while young in the same post.

I also see other posters on this forum talk about how important it is for them to spend all the thousands of dollars on their Ulittle player to take all the extra goalie training so that they learn the science of the position now before it is too late.

It is my understanding that Hope Solo never spent a day in goal prior to playing goalie (not recruited to play goalie either) in college up in the state of Washington.

 

[full90]

US Soccer should fund the MLS academies and funnel all the soccer first, school second kids there. There should then be non MLS DA league for the other top kids who want to head to college/have a holistic high school experience. But still used as a development and scouting path.

What about all the talent in areas with no MLS? Let's say Indianapolis or San Antonio... just too bad for them?

Those kids would be residents, taken away from their home town for the chance to make it. If they don't want to do that, then there are the non MLS academies. But if you are the top percent and want to make it, you go be a resident at the true path to pro...just like the rest of the world does.

 

[JJP]

The playing other sports thing is fine for younger ages, but at the highest level of any sport the kid needs to be focused on one sport. I get that it's not great for being well-rounded, but for the top of the top, being well-rounded isn't the goal. The same is true for DA. DA is not designed for kids to be well-rounded and have a robust, holistic high school experience. If you want that for your kid, (and I don't blame you, high school is a blast) then DA is really not for them. It's for the kids who want to be pros and it's inception was to mirror European academies where school is by far a distant second behind soccer. So all the talk of other sports, AP classes, homework, social life etc...being incompatible with DA...that's exactly the point. It is not meant for those kids. They (US soccer) want DA to cull thru the kids who want to do other things...that is the point. (Yes, some kids can do high school AP/Honors and social life and DA. But that is not the intent of that league)

But here's the issue with DA, which I believe Galaxy Dad pointed out, and I'm not sure his point is getting across. DA demands total commitment to soccer, but thus far the reward kids have received for total commitment to DA has been close to zero. Galaxy DA system has produced only one player who plays first team, Gyasi Zardes, and the rest of the best are stuck in Galaxy 2.

Kids pay attention to this. There are a lot of DA teams struggling to fill their roster with talented players, and there are DA level talent sprinkled throughout flight 1/coast premiere, and some of those players are among the top players in this age group, and they've chosen not to attend DA, why not? There are some fantastic players on a lot of high school teams that should be in DA but are not, because they decided they would rather have better grades and play HS ball.

I know for a fact that a lot of those kids have decided not to play DA because they see it as a dead end. DA has to provide a pot at the end of the rainbow for their top players, or they have to give better alternatives or outs for lesser players. If they don't, DA will not attract top talent because they will go to Europe or drop out of DA for a less risky and more lucrative career path.

 

[El Clasico]

But here's the issue with DA, which I believe Galaxy Dad pointed out, and I'm not sure his point is getting across. DA demands total commitment to soccer, but thus far the reward kids have received for total commitment to DA has been close to zero. Galaxy DA system has produced only one player who plays first team, Gyasi Zardes, and the rest of the best are stuck in Galaxy 2.

Kids pay attention to this.

Well said. Have met a lot of great kids and families over the years and this is the one thing that has stood out to me. KIDS PAY ATTENTION. The next time a group of kids is over at your house, lounging on your coach and eating all your damn food, pay attention to them. They see through all the BS better than the parents do.

Most of the kids I have spoken with and asked why they play DA when they have expressed that they aren't enjoying it, is that it was their parents decision. Parents pressure kids (sometimes it is peer pressure to be in the in crowd) and tell them that it is the path to the pros or national team and some really gifted kids find themselves in an environment not of their choosing and don't excel. Some want to go to Europe but can't for a myriad of reasons.

How do we solve this problem? The answer is not do what they do in europe. We need to develop a system that works within our culture. Take a look at the new LeBron James video with the kid who wants to play pro. He didn't get there by joining a basketball academy.

 

[full90]

And I agree that DA doesn't give back what kids give into it and it's hurting DA/MLS and soccer as a whole. JJP that was a good post. And it mirrors our thought process when we look at DA. Why roll the dice with this mediocre product and put our kids' future on the line for a crapshoot? Is the development any better than if all these boys were nonDA and just spread out playing flight 1? Sure. But not enough to put academics on a side burner and give up his childhood. If DA was churning out pro after pro who could then go on to make a living for a few years playing at a high level, ok, roll the dice and take the chance. But this system is not that at all.

I was just speaking to the intent of the DA and answering the frequent complaint that it's difficult to do DA and be a normal high school kid (or even an above average one). It's not for those kids. SO US soccer should acknowledge that divide and step in. MLS residents for a true path to pro and non MLS academies for the next group. That might be compelling and worth the investment.
Our kid is above average and may end up being quite good. Or he will be above average like hundreds of other kids in So Cal. Or he will quit in 2 years.
But we aren't homeschooling/enrolling in an "art" school like some DA kids are at/sending him to Casa Grande and that crap education with the hope we can flip the odds and end up playing pro. To end up at los dos? Nahhhhh. You are right, that's where DA/US Soccer?MLS has let everyone down.

 

[Striker17]

Wait you mean the Barca Academy is not a top educational facility? Or spending thousands of extra dollars on speed training or lifting isn’t helping me? Even if we do it to rap music?
Crap back to square one

 

[s0ccerM0m]

I've been following this thread the past few days and appreciate the well-reasoned arguments on both sides. I see there are no clear answers but I am looking for some advice from those of you who've been there. My DS is a freshman who is interested in trying out for a DA team next year. His high school team is not at all competitive, which is not saying that he would not have fun playing there but there does not seem to be much opportunity for continued development there or on his current club team. Since he will likely be making a switch of some sort, would you recommend trying for a DA team, a more competitive non-DA team (any new team would require some travel for us), or even perhaps looking into transferring to a high school with a good soccer team. He is an 03 and many posters seem to be advising against moving to the DA for next season. (Of course, all this is subject to teams wanting him, I realize.) Our main goal for him is that he maintain a positive school and soccer experience, is challenged in both, and is on a path that will lead him to the best college for him, hopefully with soccer -if that is what he continues to want to pursue- but even without it. I look forward to your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

 

[JJP]

Soccermom, you need to find out if the 03s will be a single age group (i.e., just 03s) next year for DA or a combined age group (i.e. 02s and 03s). There are posters here saying it is combined, but there was a poster, mahrez, who said the 03s would be a single age group linking to some official looking USSF docs that I never read. I simply do not know.

The reason is, if it's a combined age group, the team will be made up of mainly 02s and they will take few, if any 03s, and the 03s they take will be considered their star players. Unless your son is an incredible talent, as a brand new player, it will be incredibly difficult to make the combined team from the younger age group.

Your kid should tryout and see how he does. Your son could even tryout now, the DA season is not old. See which team he makes (if any) and do your research. Some DA teams have huge rosters and a bunch of kids don't play. Some teams have minimal rosters and everyone plays. The only thing I can tell you is that your son will get quality coaching, train with and play against good to great players, and will do a lot of traveling.

 

[Sheriff Joe]

Interesting that you bring up Hope Solo (considered by most to be the best female goalie the US has produced, maybe the best in the world) and being focused on one sport at the expense of all others while young in the same post.

I also see other posters on this forum talk about how important it is for them to spend all the thousands of dollars on their Ulittle player to take all the extra goalie training so that they learn the science of the position now before it is too late.

It is my understanding that Hope Solo never spent a day in goal prior to playing goalie (not recruited to play goalie either) in college up in the state of Washington.

She's a bad ass and should still be playing.

 

[pewpew]

She's a bad ass and should still be playing.

Totally agree. Is she a role model for young female keepers to follow..on the field yes..off the field..maybe not. But nobody's perfect. There's no arguing that she's the best female keeper the game has ever seen. And as somebody earlier pointed out..she was a forward. Didn't become keeper until later on.
It's such a b.s. double standard held against her for her actions. Men's sports everywhere are much guiltier of some serious infractions yet their careers don't seem to suffer the same.
USWNT seems to be doing ok without her. But not as good if she were there.

 

[s0ccerM0m]

JJP, thank you. I did not realize that kids could try out now. How do we go about that? It would certainly make things easier once we know if DA is even an option for him. It would be great to get clarity about the age groups too. Marhrez, can you tell us if LAFC have an 03 (or 02-03) team next year? I recall you posted that LAFC would field DA teams in all age groups for 2018-2019.

 

[JJP]

soccermom, every team is different. I don't know which team you are interested in or are close to. I know the Pats and Strikers are still looking for players, both are located in Irvine. The Pats only take a few players. Last year the Strikers took more players and trained them all, but only their best players got a lot of playing time.

Usually, if you know someone on the team, you can through your contact ask the coach to show up at practices and tryout. Every DA coach I have met has been extremely fair in these tryouts and given the kid time to get comfortable and show his best. I will say, however, unless your kid shows skills AND speed (and by speed I mean fast by DA standards) they are not going to get too excited.

 

[s0ccerM0m]

JJP, Thanks. This is very helpful.