Girls Development Academy

[MakeAPlay]

Gotta disagree. UCLA and being in L.A. while also being one of if not the most high profile young American soccer stars, while utilizing the resources and connections of UCLA would of done more to build and develop a brand. Cashing in on a brand is only part of the equation, and being in a small east Coast market playing mediocre “pro” Soccer will accomplish very little brand wise, not to mention having the resources to utilize for training, medical, conditioning, in off season etc. 9 year old girls are only a small fraction of brand designation, but yes they do line up for autographs and yes girls do follow Soccer, and yes girls know who Fleming, and Sanchez are, they matter, and they have a brand already. And in my opinion mater sometimes more than the senior national team players. More visible, accessible. That’s how you grow your market.

Correct. UCLA is on TV much more than any NWSL team. UCLA's facilities are much better than any NWSL team. I wish her luck but I know 100% that she would have liked to have been with the team during their run to the college cup. She sat with the team on the bench during the playoffs and would come out to dinner after the games with the team. It sucks that she was put in that position. Even the NBA and NFL (where real money is made) make players wait a year or two before they go pro.

 

[Mullet]

Correct. UCLA is on TV much more than any NWSL team. UCLA's facilities are much better than any NWSL team. I wish her luck but I know 100% that she would have liked to have been with the team during their run to the college cup. She sat with the team on the bench during the playoffs and would come out to dinner after the games with the team. It sucks that she was put in that position. Even the NBA and NFL (where real money is made) make players wait a year or two before they go pro.

You mean like Kobe and LeBron?

Not outside of LA. Again our bubbles are different. I’m not saying that NWSL bubble is big but UCLA isn’t on TV on the East Coast.

Regardless. Pro>College.

 

[Sheriff Joe]

Correct. UCLA is on TV much more than any NWSL team. UCLA's facilities are much better than any NWSL team. I wish her luck but I know 100% that she would have liked to have been with the team during their run to the college cup. She sat with the team on the bench during the playoffs and would come out to dinner after the games with the team. It sucks that she was put in that position. Even the NBA and NFL (where real money is made) make players wait a year or two before they go pro.

Yep, those chances are hard to come by.

 

[Sheriff Joe]

And what will that do to all the current ECNL players?

They should have never gone to single age band, that again, doubled the number of girls in this group. It is a funnel but they screwed a lot more girls for this next year.

It depends what their end game is, money or national type players. I would bet on the former.

 

[Mullet]

In an

In an ideal soccer world yes the pro game would be better but for women that model has not proven out to be so yet.

You contend that a college team would beat any NWSL team?

A dedicated professional environment will almost always be better than college. MP is far more challenged in her pro games than she ever would be in college. Sorry, but it is a fact.

Sure, the sentimentality says college but long term for soccer development she made the right choice.

 

[Nutmeg]

You contend that a college team would beat any NWSL team?

A dedicated professional environment will almost always be better than college. MP is far more challenged in her pro games than she ever would be in college. Sorry, but it is a fact.

Sure, the sentimentality says college but long term for soccer development she made the right choice.

It’s not about beating anybody. It’s not about being challenged. She made her choice for her and that’s fine. Has her brand appeal grown. NO, endorsements, NO. No one cares now, not until 2019. Are her games on TV, NO. Its about the fact that the NWSL is s... show. There is no dedicated pro environment in America of which you speak. Trust me. NWSL players are simply college players in worse cities and less resources. Unless you got a kid in it you don’t know. Training on a city field and making just below the poverty line is not a pro environment.

 

[Lambchop]

Whatever the final 02/03 ratio, I expect any deserving '03 who wants to, will find a spot on a 02/03 DA team. If half of the current '03 DA players are not in DA next year, that is the goal of the DA system -- to be a funnel for US Soccer to develop and identify national team players.

That is true, but the big mistake that US soccer did was go single age band that was a dual age band and thus doubled the number in DA for that age group as well as the 04's. Why the pilot program next year in Frontier division where there is a single age band for 03's? Always politics.

 

[Mullet]

It’s not about beating anybody. It’s not about being challenged. She made her choice for her and that’s fine. Has her brand appeal grown. NO, endorsements, NO. No one cares now, not until 2019. Are her games on TV, NO. Its about the fact that the NWSL is s... show. There is no dedicated pro environment in America of which you speak. Trust me. NWSL players are simply college players in worse cities and less resources. Unless you got a kid in it you don’t know. Training on a city field and making just below the poverty line is not a pro environment.

And I’m sorry but the challenge in college simply isn’t the same. She is practicing with and against National team players from all over.

Who in the college game is even comparable to playing against Marta? Or playing against Marta and Alex Morgan in the same game? Please stop, College is great but MP is far more challenged where she is now. You really should look at the rosters a little more closely.

 

[Multivitamin]

DA Players/Parents - read the fine print in your paperwork this Springs tryouts!
DA is making a push for U21 and U23 DA teams - The kick back is NO COLLEGE BALL!!!!

DID YOU HEAR THAT NO COLLEGE BALL!!!! Pathetic!!

 

[Mullet]

DA Players/Parents - read the fine print in your paperwork this Springs tryouts!
DA is making a push for U21 and U23 DA teams - The kick back is NO COLLEGE BALL!!!!

DID YOU HEAR THAT NO COLLEGE BALL!!!! Pathetic!!

Good. The rest of the world thinks playing soccer in College is silly.

College sports has only proven to be a true developmental platform and pathway for uniquely American sports.

 

[Nutmeg]

And I’m sorry but the challenge in college simply isn’t the same. She is practicing with and against National team players from all over.

Who in the college game is even comparable to playing against Marta? Or playing against Marta and Alex Morgan in the same game? Please stop, College is great but MP is far more challenged where she is now. You really should look at the rosters a little more closely.

I know the rosters very well. Better than you do I’m sure. The NWSL right now is the 3rd best women’s league in the world, and getting worse. I’m not making a college vs NWSL argument. I’m
Making a branding, money, facility, infrastructure argument. But you go in ahead and keep banging your drum of playing against Morgan 2x a year makes you better BS. It doesn’t all it does is demonstrate that one makes 975,000$ a year and the other makes 75,000$ just from the fact that one is more marketable with a higher international profile.

 

[Nutmeg]

Good. The rest of the world thinks playing soccer in College is silly.

College sports has only proven to be a true developmental platform and pathway for uniquely American sports.

Your talking about men. For women the top 10 programs in College are a legit platform for most Europeans, south and North American players. The U21 U23 DA talk is a money grab and nothing more. The cost benefit analysis of a college degree vs entry level pro salary is no where close for women players.

 

[espola]

Your talking about men. For women the top 10 programs in College are a legit platform for most Europeans, south and North American players. The U21 U23 DA talk is a money grab and nothing more. The cost benefit analysis of a college degree vs entry level pro salary is no where close for women players.

Unless they are being pressured.

 

[Lambchop]

I really hope they figure this out quick. This should impact movement massively!
If you have a bubble player 03 and assume you will "just play on ECNL" you will get stripped.
Better to go to a different Da is you can get in that if this is fact accurate.
What a tough pill to swallow in a solid recruiting year geesh

First the age change, then DA single age bracket, then back to dual age, what else will US soccer throw at the 03 girls? What a mess next summer will be. None of the DA girls can try out anywhere until after playoffs which end June 28.

 

[pulguita]

You contend that a college team would beat any NWSL team?

A dedicated professional environment will almost always be better than college. MP is far more challenged in her pro games than she ever would be in college. Sorry, but it is a fact.

Sure, the sentimentality says college but long term for soccer development she made the right choice.

A dedicated professional environment? You're not serious are you? That would maybe be true if the coaching was unequivocally better. Watching what I could stomach of the games this year - ie the semis and finals (unwatchable) I can clearly say that the professional coaching in the NWSL leaves a lot to be desired. I can guarantee you that every PAC12 school has better facilities than everyone maybe outside of Portland. And I will guarantee that the facilities at Oregon are better than that of the Thorns. Do you think the NWSL teams have a better travel budget than USC, Stanford, UCLA, on and on? You obviously haven't talked to many returning players that come back to their universities to train after their NWSL season and hear the bush stories of how it is in the great "women's professional league". Single A ball clubs get treated better than NWSL teams. The attendance is off the charts for all those NWSL games - yawn. There were more people at the SC - UCLA game than there were at the NWSL Championship Final. The only thing positive is the money that the NT players can make if they are on the roster. For the rest it is "for the love of the game" cause you can make more flipping burgers than the average NWSL player makes.

 

[CopaMundial]

I only have a theory here. But I believe USSOCCER, did this at member clubs request in order to increase $ across multiple platforms and age groups at both olders and youngers.

Disagree here. Sorry. But it's my understanding, that member clubs wanted an '03 and '02 age pure DA situation. At least in SoCal and from what I heard from Surf, Slammers and Blues parents/coaches. So, not sure what the hell happened now.

 

[Nutmeg]

Disagree here. Sorry. But it's my understanding, that member clubs wanted an '03 and '02 age pure DA situation. At least in SoCal and from what I heard from Surf, Slammers and Blues parents/coaches. So, not sure what the hell happened now.

Nope, don’t believe anything coaches tell you. Most have little to no power. Club directors and club boards along with sanctioning states leagues control what happens. member clubs want multiple revenue streams in order to maximize profits. That is accomplished by multiple teams playing in every league, increasing total player club numbers all paying club fees and all vying for the dangled carrot of USSOCCER.

 

[Mullet]

I know the rosters very well. Better than you do I’m sure. The NWSL right now is the 3rd best women’s league in the world, and getting worse. I’m not making a college vs NWSL argument. I’m
Making a branding, money, facility, infrastructure argument. But you go in ahead and keep banging your drum of playing against Morgan 2x a year makes you better BS. It doesn’t all it does is demonstrate that one makes 975,000$ a year and the other makes 75,000$ just from the fact that one is more marketable with a higher international profile.

Winning a World Cup is what makes one marketable not a NCAA Championship.

 

[CopaMundial]

Nope, don’t believe anything coaches tell you. Most have little to no power. Club directors and club boards along with sanctioning states leagues control what happens. member clubs want multiple revenue streams in order to maximize profits. That is accomplished by multiple teams playing in every league, increasing total player club numbers all paying club fees and all vying for the dangled carrot of USSOCCER.

In two instances, it was direct from the DOC to parents from two separate clubs. No one has any power at this point, except USSF. That's as obvious as it gets. I'm just trying to understand their decisions, because it's obvious Lies are told from the top down, that's the only truth out there.

 

[Mullet]

A dedicated professional environment? You're not serious are you? That would maybe be true if the coaching was unequivocally better. Watching what I could stomach of the games this year - ie the semis and finals (unwatchable) I can clearly say that the professional coaching in the NWSL leaves a lot to be desired. I can guarantee you that every PAC12 school has better facilities than everyone maybe outside of Portland. And I will guarantee that the facilities at Oregon are better than that of the Thorns. Do you think the NWSL teams have a better travel budget than USC, Stanford, UCLA, on and on? You obviously haven't talked to many returning players that come back to their universities to train after their NWSL season and hear the bush stories of how it is in the great "women's professional league". Single A ball clubs get treated better than NWSL teams. The attendance is off the charts for all those NWSL games - yawn. There were more people at the SC - UCLA game than there were at the NWSL Championship Final. The only thing positive is the money that the NT players can make if they are on the roster. For the rest it is "for the love of the game" cause you can make more flipping burgers than the average NWSL player makes.

Yup, and the other college players parlay their college “branding” into a Youth club coaching gig.

The college game is a terrific experience but if a player has serious chops as MP does, then go pro. Frankly she disagrees with yo, as much as she was supportive and hung around when the rubber hit the road she chose development.

And if NWSL is the 3rd worst pro league in the world then College is a distant fourth. We will not stay on top in World Soccer pushing college as a path when Europe isn’t.

 

[Mullet]

Your talking about men. For women the top 10 programs in College are a legit platform for most Europeans, south and North American players. The U21 U23 DA talk is a money grab and nothing more. The cost benefit analysis of a college degree vs entry level pro salary is no where close for women players.

Not for much longer. European clubs are just expanding their pro academy model to the women’s game.

And EVERYTHING is a money grab. We live in a Capitalist society. Bottled water is a money grab.