Removed Baker from the DA program huh. Wouldn't be surprised if that was by choice.
Girls Development Academy
- Thread starter Swoosh
- Start date
Removed Baker from the DA program huh. Wouldn't be surprised if that was by choice.
InTheValley
SILVER
I would also love to know how this went. My guess is a couple of kids played up, a couple kids played down, and US Soccer walked away with “valuable information” that will ultimately lead to nothing at all. US Soccer got the PR it wanted and can now proclaim it’s on the “cutting edge” of “soccer innovation” without having to do a single bone density scan. If US Soccer truly wants to be “cutting edge”, though, it should start by actually reading the data from the GPS trackers they slapped on Altidore and Bradley. Then they’d know why the MNT stinks.
In the end, no one is going to play down in competitive matches. If you can’t get things done in your own age group by the time you’re 14 or 15, you’re just never going to be great, and being forced to swim laps in the kiddie pool certainly isn’t going to help. Rather, you’re only going to cause a riot when the other team finds out they’re getting steamrolled because their opponent is using overage players.
Also by the age of 14-15, kids know if they are playing just for fun, i.e. the reason they started to play soccer in the first place before adult medding. To take away the ability for them to play with their peers would be a sure fire way to get them to immediately quit. But hay, on the positive side of them quitting, there would be more available fields (sarcasm).
Hard to be cutting edge three years late to the dance!
https://southamptonfc.com/news/2015-08-25/saints-hosts-worlds-first-biobanded-tournament
MakeAPlay
DA
I know who Marcelo is. Somewhere on the college thread from last season I posted a pic my player and a couple of her teammates took with him when they trained on their field last year.
Is this the mandated style of play for the GDA? I know these are both top 5 in the standings so they are much better than average teams for this age group.
Sons of Pitches
SILVER ELITE
If this is the mandated style of play it is terrible. These are two top 4 teams for the strongest division in the USSDA and they never once completed 6 passes in a row. Not once. I watched the entire game, the longest streak of passes was 5.
That said, these are all very gifted athletes. They are aggressive, fast and they could be GREAT players but they are not playing the mandated style of play.
It is a failure of our system in the USA.
MAP you posted a clip of UCLA passing out of the back, switching fields from the back, and a few short passes later a UCLA goal about 3 months ago. These two teams could learn from that.
What club soccer is doing to these young players is a travesty and will lead to further decline of soccer in our country.
As other posts have said, when is enough, enough? Or DA vs ECNL. Or promotion vs relegation. How could we get this so wrong?
Again, I want to make this clear this is not an indictment of the kids. They are chasing their dream, and using the platforms that are available, but we have this wrong.
We as a soccer community are wasting talent.
Rant over.
Amen! Couldn’t agree more. I wish what we saw in this game was an exception to the rule but unfortunately it isn’t. We are in trouble....
Agree 100%.
meatsweats
SILVER ELITE
By choice? Whose choice? Baker hasn't been to very many DA games this season. Doesn't seem very vested.
This was my first DA-anything as far as watching any games goes. Everything up until now has been just what I've seen on paper. I must say I was disappointed. I clicked on the link thinking I was going to see some really great soccer, especially from these two teams given their records, and especially from the #1 team in the Southwest. While there were some nice moves here and there..I saw plenty of bad touches that I didn't expect to see throughout the game. As a GK dad..another observation possibly overlooked by many:
1) LAGSD 1st-half GK was the best of the two from her side. Played out of the back multiple times/quickly
2) LAGSD 2nd-half GK played out of the back ONCE if memory serves me correct.
3) Blues GK didn't play out of the back EVER. There were many opportunities but every time she got her hands on the ball she punted. Either it's not being taught/enforced/guided/insert whatever works for you here/etc. or they just want her to send it to midfield and let the chips fall where they may. I was just expecting more possession out of the back but didn't see it. Just my .02 (Which doesn't count for much here in DA forum)
1) LAGSD 1st-half GK was the best of the two from her side. Played out of the back multiple times/quickly
2) LAGSD 2nd-half GK played out of the back ONCE if memory serves me correct.
3) Blues GK didn't play out of the back EVER. There were many opportunities but every time she got her hands on the ball she punted. Either it's not being taught/enforced/guided/insert whatever works for you here/etc. or they just want her to send it to midfield and let the chips fall where they may. I was just expecting more possession out of the back but didn't see it. Just my .02 (Which doesn't count for much here in DA forum)
Im not a huge soccer guy so I don't really know what to watch tactically. I was there just watching and thought the same thing. LAGSD looked much more like playing with a plan the other was horrible.....my 2 pesos
Hired Gun
SILVER ELITE
what age?
Some things to consider when watching the game:
The Blues keeper has a weak leg and did not take all of her own goalkicks, which makes playing out of the back even more difficult because you have 1 fewer option. I suspect this weakness transcends other elements of her game, thus, her teammates don't trust her.
- Both teams played aggressive defensively, marking well and leaving little space. It was easier to do this because of No. 2.
- The game was on a very small, fast field. The Army-Navy Stadium in Carlsbad is only 63x115 yards wide (15% narrower than a typical field). Games at this level should be 75 yards wide x 115 yards. Stripping off the extra width made defending 15% easier and finding space 15% harder. It also renders a possession style much harder because the space is rarely to the sides, its forward and backward.
- This field played fast (I think the turf is a little worn-in) so the ball rarely died and often ran past the passee.
The Blues keeper has a weak leg and did not take all of her own goalkicks, which makes playing out of the back even more difficult because you have 1 fewer option. I suspect this weakness transcends other elements of her game, thus, her teammates don't trust her.
Sheriff Joe
DA
How common is it to have someone take goal kicks for the goalie? Seems odd at this level.
At the Flight 2 / Silver+ level, a 14 year old GK should be taking all of their own goalkicks. I can understand it maybe she is injured, but the average 14 year old at the DA level should be as good with her feet as any defender.
You need to watch more games. Although there is a directive on style of play, every Club has their own interpretation of that style. These 2 aclu s never have been much for pure possession. They have always been aggressive in terms of play and method of moving the ball up field.
Surfref
PREMIER
By U14 keepers at the SCDSL Tier 1 and above levels should be taking their own goal kicks and playing out of the back. A keeper at ECNL or DA level that cannot take their own goal kicks or play out of the back is handicapping the team. This will be a huge turnoff for college scouts considering the large number of quality keepers that can take their own kicks and play out of the back.
At the 03 DA age group for the SW division, all the teams have different styles and matchups each and every week. The Girls just need to be ready to play whatever style is thrown their way. Wins and Loss records dont reflect style of play. While Blues and LAGSD play direct and extremely physical, West Coast and Beach play out of the back, and for the most part dominate possession, spacing and shots per game. You should look up videos on these two teams and im sure your opinion would change.