Girls Development Academy
- Thread starter Swoosh
- Start date
The funny thing is, if the ECNL girls on that team are the best we have to offer than the Non ECNL girls must be really bad.
MakeAPlay
DA
The U18's aren't weak. They are missing several players and are cycling lots of players in and out for looks. They will be transitioning to the U20 team in January and several players will not be missing. This team scrimmaged the U17 team and lost. However, they were up 1-0 at the half and the 2nd unit gave up 2 goals in 10 minutes to the U17 first unit and one of the goals was a pass by the 3rd keeper (her only camp ever) to one of their forwards for a tap in goal. I would watch the U18 play first before you say that because most of their players individually are superior to the U17 players. The difference is that this team is prepping for 2018 and are still working out the pool.
NoGoal
DA
Like Allie Long! First time she made the Sr team roster and she is 28 years old.
NoGoal
DA
Ever think maybe it's the YNT coaches fault? I will go out on a limb and post....the U20 YNT will have a difficult time winning the U20 Womens WC. Several of the top eligible college players skipped playing for the U20 YNT. 4 players from Stanford, 1 player from Duke and I think 1 from Teaxas A&M. They all didn't want to take a mandatory redshirt year to play for the U20 team.
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LadiesMan217
GOLD
There are some great 'offerings' outside ECNL - non kool-aid kids lurking in the darkness, being trained skills and not bulldozer, ignoring coaches trying to give them colorful drinks...
MakeAPlay
DA
Here is a great post on this subject by Eddie K on another forum that I frequent.
Can the US continue to compete (women) or hope to compete (men) for regional and World Cups with the current 'pay to play' model? Where access to higher level competition and coaching is limited to those that can afford it.
Clearly, if you like the current system, you may not want to support kids and families that can't pay their way. This seems to be what US Soccer is doing. Your dollars indirectly subsidizing elite youth soccer. Since there just isn't a professional club-based model broad enough in the US to be relied upon (also debatable perhaps for the men).
So, will those scholarships mentioned for the girls DA really be used for needy players?
Will clubs have to look for and recruit needy players to get those scholarship dollars?
Will those dollars keep coming throughout the career of a needy player?
Will clubs be limited in the revenue they can make from DA kids/families? At least be required to make the DA program revenue-neutral or even revenue-negative. That is, keep costs down for the DA with other revenue (from tournaments, sponsors, etc). This is what the boys are doing, or supposed to be doing.
It's an interesting dilemma. Will players be drawn to something that costs less than the ECNL or USYSA alternative team? When the revenue constraints may keep some very good coaches away from it. They want to make a living and if DA budgets are controlled, why do it for less money? Prestige doesn't pay the mortgage.
On the girls side, this is a special dilemma because the players themselves will not be a source of revenue. No one is selling these players to pro clubs for the benefit of the home club like they are, or can, on the boys side.
And for the players, even for the handful or so any given year that may make it to the USWNT pool, its still all about a college scholarship. I believe only one NT player (Horan) has bypassed college. Men are doing it all the time and making good money (Agudelo, Yedlin, Pulisic, etc) Even if you are a top women's pro player, the NWSL max is 40K unless you get the US Soccer money. Some make only 10K. That's crazy. Only 20 or so players are making 100K+ and a dozen great women's pro players "retire" every year at age 24/25 after a year or 2 in the league to get real jobs.
IMHO, this effort is to be applauded but I have lots of doubts about both the implementation and the outcome. I mean what is the goal anyway? If this team goes to Rio and wins gold, how much better do we get??
Can the US continue to compete (women) or hope to compete (men) for regional and World Cups with the current 'pay to play' model? Where access to higher level competition and coaching is limited to those that can afford it.
Clearly, if you like the current system, you may not want to support kids and families that can't pay their way. This seems to be what US Soccer is doing. Your dollars indirectly subsidizing elite youth soccer. Since there just isn't a professional club-based model broad enough in the US to be relied upon (also debatable perhaps for the men).
So, will those scholarships mentioned for the girls DA really be used for needy players?
Will clubs have to look for and recruit needy players to get those scholarship dollars?
Will those dollars keep coming throughout the career of a needy player?
Will clubs be limited in the revenue they can make from DA kids/families? At least be required to make the DA program revenue-neutral or even revenue-negative. That is, keep costs down for the DA with other revenue (from tournaments, sponsors, etc). This is what the boys are doing, or supposed to be doing.
It's an interesting dilemma. Will players be drawn to something that costs less than the ECNL or USYSA alternative team? When the revenue constraints may keep some very good coaches away from it. They want to make a living and if DA budgets are controlled, why do it for less money? Prestige doesn't pay the mortgage.
On the girls side, this is a special dilemma because the players themselves will not be a source of revenue. No one is selling these players to pro clubs for the benefit of the home club like they are, or can, on the boys side.
And for the players, even for the handful or so any given year that may make it to the USWNT pool, its still all about a college scholarship. I believe only one NT player (Horan) has bypassed college. Men are doing it all the time and making good money (Agudelo, Yedlin, Pulisic, etc) Even if you are a top women's pro player, the NWSL max is 40K unless you get the US Soccer money. Some make only 10K. That's crazy. Only 20 or so players are making 100K+ and a dozen great women's pro players "retire" every year at age 24/25 after a year or 2 in the league to get real jobs.
IMHO, this effort is to be applauded but I have lots of doubts about both the implementation and the outcome. I mean what is the goal anyway? If this team goes to Rio and wins gold, how much better do we get??
gunner
BRONZE
Based on the roster and picture, this team could use some diversity. Hopefully DA can help with that.
NoGoal
DA
I've been telling that to my buddy for years. A prerequisite to make the US YNT is being blonde with blue/green eyes.
This is what a true US team should look like.
http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/July/10/US-Olympic-Team-Trials-For-Womens-Gymnastics
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Interesting take from Eddie K; thanks for sharing. Although Eddie K must not consider U of Akron a college. I thought that strange, but realized that I don't really consider Akron a college either. I must meet this Eddie K.
CaliKlines
Well-Known Member
Guess we'll find out once the DA starts up, because up until then, the ECNL has limited the amount of competition. I have always declared that the ECNL produces some great teams and some great players...and some mediocre teams....and some just outright plain bad teams. The top non ECNL teams can compete with the top ECNL teams on any day of the week. Why do you think the ECNL teams have to recruit so heavily from the non ECNL sides? I guess we will find out in the fall of 2017! Or what will the excuses be then? "It's not really our best team...we've decided to have the ECNL team become the A side." Quit ducking and start playing.
And calling people names because our statements trigger your insecurities? Kook? Delusional idiots? Morons? Very mature.
NoGoal
DA
Every league will have a poorly performing club. My prediction for SoCal Girls DA. LA Premier will be the doormat of the SoCal conference!
CaliKlines
Well-Known Member
Unless Strikers or Arsenal are invited.
NoGoal
DA
I say those 2 clubs beat LA Premier too. The players from RSC will play for Eagles opposite traffic, before they commute in traffic to LA Premier. Carlsbad will also be challenged being sandwiched between Blues and Surf. The biggest question mark, will the best players in the South Bay return home to play for Beach FC or continue commuting to Slammers or Blues?
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CaliKlines
Well-Known Member
Whatever you are smoking, you should share because that must be some good sh*t.
The biggest question is not about the existing players, although that will be interesting. The biggest question is how will the Slammers and Blues (and Arsenal to some extent) get along without being able to recruit at the younger ages from the South Bay, and north OC/Inland Empire. Their pipeline is going to dry up.
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NoGoal
DA
IMO, Slammers and Blues will be fine. They will divvy up the 10 best players from each age group from WCFC and the few at Strikers.
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the forum is an interesting indicator......"Girls Development Academy" thread 312 messages; "ECNL" thread 0 messages. Lots of interest in the DA despite the dissenters.
Just because someone plays in ECNL now it doesn't mean they are happy with ECNL and think it is the best. Lots of parents and girls will be curious and interested in making the move and it is nice to have some fresh air on the horizon with new options.
Just because someone plays in ECNL now it doesn't mean they are happy with ECNL and think it is the best. Lots of parents and girls will be curious and interested in making the move and it is nice to have some fresh air on the horizon with new options.
NoGoal
DA
Well there are no posts on the ECNL thread, because Dom just put it up today! The old forum had tons of ECNL posts.
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I actually do feel the coaching is less than stellar at the USYNT level. As for the U20s, no matter who is or isn't missing, the favorite is Japan.