First year for '05 DA discussion

Early on in the season Here is what DA site has reported for teams listed. Not all the clubs have reported their games. I put record then which way they are trending. Im not Tech on here he's way better.

Albion 3-3-0 W-L-L-W-L-W

Beach 3-2-0 W-W-L-W-L

Eagles 1-3-0 L-L-L-W

LA Galaxy 4-0-0 W-W-W-W

LA Galaxy SD 3-1-2 W-W-W-L-T-T

Legends 2-5 L-W-L-W-L-L-L

LA Premier 1-3-1 W-L-T-L-L

OC Surf 2-3 L-L-L-W-W

Patedores 3-1-3 L-L-T-L-W-W-W

Real SoCal 1-3 L-T-T

San Diego Surf 2-2-1 W-W-L-T-L

Solar del Sol 2-4-0 W-L-L-W-L-L

SC Blues 4-2-0 L-L-W-W-W-W

Utah Royals 1-3 L-L-W-L

Alternative facts.
 
Can anyone provide a report on playing style?
How are teams adapting to changes?
Are players being challenged to try something new? (Positions, skills, etc).
Are teams kicking it out of bounds with the 1st sign of pressure in the defensive third.
How are coaches "behaving"? Anyone getting tossed?
Any players being pulled up from DPL or other teams?
 
Wins and losses shouldn't be a factor at DA, playing style and development should be.

I agree with the bolded words, but what if the playing style argument is something to just hide behind? Similar to not letting DA teams play ECNL and Flight 1 teams to avoid comparisons. Sure LAG play great soccer but then they always did long before DA.....but what I've seen from most of the other teams in the six games I've seen this fall it is just as based on kickball and winning on all costs as everything else. But if they keep losing, convenient for a coach to say, "I'm more concerned with development". I'd happily name the teams but I'm not in the business of associating anyone else's kids with my critical comments so I'll hold off.

At some point, roughly around the teenage years and beyond, it's a fact that results and development become inextricably linked. It's soccer, so a bootball team can sometimes beat a well-coached team but that well-coached team going to have a winning record overall (or certainly a clear upward curve in results) if our DDs are actually developing.
 
So you think they shouldn't keep score or standings? That just rings of everyone gets a trophy
How do scores and standings serve the purpose of developing girls for the USWMNT? From my experience, the parents care a lot more about the score/standings than the kids. Focusing on development does not have to mean everyone gets a ribbon or trophy. What it could mean is that US Soccer has adopted a style of play for the USWNT and the DA clubs will have training that serves that purpose; without regard to wins & loses. This is the curriculum, you will follow it or you won't be a part of the program. If the long term goal is to have high IQ soccer players who can possess the ball, and play at high levels, then how are we accomplishing that by focusing on short term issues (wins/losses)? I thought the DA program was about developing individual players, not teams. If that is the case, then team standings don't really matter.
 
So how would one gauge the success of development without scores and standings at the older age groups? It is feasible to have both in place which is why they don’t have playoffs at the u14 level.
 
So how would one gauge the success of development without scores and standings at the older age groups? It is feasible to have both in place which is why they don’t have playoffs at the u14 level.
Have the girls periodically assessed by US Soccer? Either the girls are progressing and potentially ready to play the style dictated by US Soccer or not. Standings and scores are judgments of teams not players.
 
Every excellent player is excellent partially (mostly?) because they are hyper competitive. Competition drives performance, improvement and focus. Scores and standings matter to the players.
 
I watched UCLA women’s college soccer over the weekend in Westwood. The UCLA keeper didn’t kick a single goal kick to midfield , instead every ball went to a player and they played out of the back, and played possession the whole game. The other keeper kicked it long and Oregon lost 2/3 of those kicks, with UCLA resetting it back to either a CB or the keeper, then played out wide then to a midfielder then back wide, etc. great triangles in every part in father field.

If you are on a team that is putting together 6-7 passes at a time then getting a shot off it doesn’t matter if u win or lose at ages 12-15, your kid is getting better and will be ready for any soccer team at ages 16-22. Kicking the ball long to one or two superstars might get u wins but it will only improve those one or two players.

I thought all DA teams were supposed to play a similar style.
 
How do scores and standings serve the purpose of developing girls for the USWMNT? From my experience, the parents care a lot more about the score/standings than the kids. Focusing on development does not have to mean everyone gets a ribbon or trophy. What it could mean is that US Soccer has adopted a style of play for the USWNT and the DA clubs will have training that serves that purpose; without regard to wins & loses. This is the curriculum, you will follow it or you won't be a part of the program. If the long term goal is to have high IQ soccer players who can possess the ball, and play at high levels, then how are we accomplishing that by focusing on short term issues (wins/losses)? I thought the DA program was about developing individual players, not teams. If that is the case, then team standings don't really matter.

Kids (even really young) are competitive they know the score. Competition with a score is also developing players. If every game is meaningless the players don't have to dig deeper to try to catch the other player. Everyone that calls themselves a golfer is great at the driving range but thats not where it matters. There has to be a reason to play for them. Some parents get overly involved but whatever it's not their game. People get overly involved watching their favorite team on tv too and they have no control over that either. So if the DA clubs follow the program it makes it easier for the US soccer people to see if a player can play in the system but i can assure you they want kids that play with their hair on fire. They want to see them play in competitive games and the only way for that to happen is to play real games with scores and standings.
 
I watched UCLA women’s college soccer over the weekend in Westwood. The UCLA keeper didn’t kick a single goal kick to midfield , instead every ball went to a player and they played out of the back, and played possession the whole game. The other keeper kicked it long and Oregon lost 2/3 of those kicks, with UCLA resetting it back to either a CB or the keeper, then played out wide then to a midfielder then back wide, etc. great triangles in every part in father field.

If you are on a team that is putting together 6-7 passes at a time then getting a shot off it doesn’t matter if u win or lose at ages 12-15, your kid is getting better and will be ready for any soccer team at ages 16-22. Kicking the ball long to one or two superstars might get u wins but it will only improve those one or two players.

I thought all DA teams were supposed to play a similar style.

Agree with the first two paragraphs of your post. As to playing a similar style, it's down to the coach/players/club just as it always was.
 
Kids (even really young) are competitive they know the score. Competition with a score is also developing players. If every game is meaningless the players don't have to dig deeper to try to catch the other player. Everyone that calls themselves a golfer is great at the driving range but thats not where it matters. There has to be a reason to play for them. Some parents get overly involved but whatever it's not their game. People get overly involved watching their favorite team on tv too and they have no control over that either. So if the DA clubs follow the program it makes it easier for the US soccer people to see if a player can play in the system but i can assure you they want kids that play with their hair on fire. They want to see them play in competitive games and the only way for that to happen is to play real games with scores and standings.
You can still compete and try to win. But every style should be possession while they are still learning. Give every kid the skills needed to succeed, have them apply it in games. Pretty basic. Crank it up once they get to U17.
 
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