It may depend on the club... but for the florida showcase there were a total of 4 days missed for sure (they couldnt have made it 3 if they tried harder...which would have been easier on all but they say they wanted an extra day to get use to the time change)... with a 5th for some because they got back late and needed to catch up on sleep. The issue is 3 days are excused with no doctors note not 4..... The club will provide a letter explaining the DA's connection to US Soccer etc...and ask for excused absences... but it will be up to the high school/teachers to accept this... They also missed 3 more days (spread out over the year) for one off trips.Does being on a DA team require you to miss many school days? The only thing I saw in the schedule was the FL showcase. All other games are on weekends including out of state ones.
It may depend on the club... but for the florida showcase there were a total of 4 days missed for sure (they couldnt have made it 3 if they tried harder...which would have been easier on all but they say they wanted an extra day to get use to the time change)... with a 5th for some because they got back late and needed to catch up on sleep. The issue is 3 days are excused with no doctors note not 4..... The club will provide a letter explaining the DA's connection to US Soccer etc...and ask for excused absences... but it will be up to the high school/teachers to accept this... They also missed 3 more days (spread out over the year) for one off trips.
With that being said... the Showcases are the most important part of the experience... 100's of scouts out there... it is the reason you son is on DA... to be looked at by the next level.
One of the most important factors in your kid playing College soccer is them still enjoying the sport when it comes time to graduate HS. If your kid is passionate about the sport and enjoys the DA experience, even on the bench, so be it. If the kid is going to lose interest in playing by riding the bench, the answer is obvious.
I hear D1 schools are recruiting from Europe now, so it's going to be tougher than ever to play at the highest levels.
One of the most important factors in your kid playing College soccer is them still enjoying the sport when it comes time to graduate HS. If your kid is passionate about the sport and enjoys the DA experience, even on the bench, so be it. If the kid is going to lose interest in playing by riding the bench, the answer is obvious.
I hear D1 schools are recruiting from Europe now, so it's going to be tougher than ever to play at the highest levels.
Internationals have increased at many top school and there not just from Euporean countries, African, South Americans, etc seek higher educational opportunities.
Getting seen helps if you're playing and don't know any scouts who come to see who's sitting on the bench. There can be many scouts or college types around at the national playoffs (say USYS far west region, Nationals,DA, ECNL/NPL, USclub), bigger tournaments events for example so just need to get with a team that's has a shot at those if your looking for exposure? Plenty of college showcases and on campus ID camps also so if your looking for that regardless of what league(s) you may play-in.
"...now..."?
Like others have said... it is really what your/son's end game is.
Being on a DA team will give your son more looks for D1 colleges and will get you lots of spam from D3 and D2 schools as well. At almost every game there are scouts watching. Showcases it is crazy how many are there and come to watch even the weaker teams. Just being on a DA team will give your son a much higher chance to play in college... but
Will it come at a cost... most kids/parents want to see their kids play. Will you start to dislike soccer because of the bench time etc. Or will you use this to work harder and try and get a spot on the field? Again end game... if you decide you are a bench player and dont want to put in the extra work to get off the bench then playing in college isnt really your gig anyway.
DA there are downsides... less time with friends outside of soccer. Not able to attend many school events... no High school soccer... Harder to keep up the grades. Missing school for out of state games... not playing in Tourneys etc....
To be honest... the speed of the game... the physicality and the number of scouts at games is the difference.... Friends team went to Dallas cup... not many D1 scouts there... mainly D2 and D3.... Florida Showcase for DA... all of the top D1 teams were there as were all of the D2 and D3 scouts.... much different when it comes to scouting...
Just an opinion but I would say if they want to... most of the kids playing DA can play in college at some level if they want. Kids not playing DA will have a much tougher time making a college team. I would say 15 or more on a DA team (out of say 22) will play in college... while 3-5 on a flight 1 team will (excluding city college).
This is what I have seen... not sure if this helps or will be taken as garbage... this is not an endorsement for DA... but if your son wants to play in college it is the best path... but he will have to give up some of his high school fun/being a kid type stuff.
I will have to disagree with this. For example, San Diego Surf 16/17. They have a roster of 25. Recent game, http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/ss/view_game_report.php?eventId=5902299&teamId=7467019, they rostered 16. 15 played, 3 for 28 min. and 1 for 14 min and 1 zero. So the 9 that were not rostered for the game rode the couch at home and the 5 reserves rode the bench 2/3 of the game.there really shouldnt be many "bench" players in DA... there are players that get less minutes....
I agree. While there are significantly more scouts at DA games than Flight 1, they can only scout those players on the field. If a kid is on the bench all the time or not even rostered, the exposure benefit of DA greatly diminishes. And in the end, a kid is much happier on the field playing than on the bench watching others play.I will have to disagree with this. For example, San Diego Surf 16/17. They have a roster of 25. Recent game, http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/ss/view_game_report.php?eventId=5902299&teamId=7467019, they rostered 16. 15 played, 3 for 28 min. and 1 for 14 min and 1 zero. So the 9 that were not rostered for the game rode the couch at home and the 5 reserves rode the bench 2/3 of the game.
There is substantial bench riding in the DA. The numbers are just to plain. The first rule of getting seen is to play. Stay flight 1 and play. If your player has the choice to do DA but be a bench player, then they were probably getting full time on their flt. 1 team.
I will have to disagree with this. For example, San Diego Surf 16/17. They have a roster of 25. Recent game, http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/ss/view_game_report.php?eventId=5902299&teamId=7467019, they rostered 16. 15 played, 3 for 28 min. and 1 for 14 min and 1 zero. So the 9 that were not rostered for the game rode the couch at home and the 5 reserves rode the bench 2/3 of the game.
There is substantial bench riding in the DA. The numbers are just to plain. The first rule of getting seen is to play. Stay flight 1 and play. If your player has the choice to do DA but be a bench player, then they were probably getting full time on their flt. 1 team.