Girls Development Academy

timbuck said:
I have heard that parents feel that 4 days a week is crushing their kids.
I have heard some incoming g05 DA players/parents say "We want to play High School. So since these girls will be in 8th/7th grade next year, this is a year for us to try it." I'm sure some 04 players felt similar last year or are thinking more about it now that the season is coming to a close.
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For any of those parents that have had their kids playing high level soccer in So Cal, I call bull. What's the difference with the 4th day when little Jane or Tommy were already doing an extra day of skills privates and athletic improvement? Nada.

I'll even counter and say if the 4th day is a true film day (which it isn't for a lot of clubs right now), it's an improvement because watching the game (you and the best in the world) is a vital part of learning the game.
 
El Clasico said:
This response helps understand the biggest problem we have here in the US. That here in the US, first you have to figure out what the problem is and you clearly don't. You can't fix something if don't know where it is broke.
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We aren't broke. We are soccer youth. We are young teenagers playing the game vs the grown ups. We aren't suppose to be the best in the world. Our growth has to come from within through mistakes and successes alike. We are a DEVELOPING FUTBOL COUNTRY.

We are the 4th sport in our own country. 4th sport. 4th sport. 4th sport.

And we still get the same results as most of the other grown up countries around the world. When the game takes hold here and we get crazy for it like the rest of the world we will take off and not look back. The game is great, we just don't love it enough yet to get the results that people would like to see. It will happen.
 
If four days a week of practice is too much for your kid, don't play DA. If they want to play HS, don't play DA. DA is not for everyone but does work well for those that don't want to play HS and are serious about soccer. The nice thing is that there are choices out there. So start with understanding what is important to your kid and then find the level of play and league that works for them.
 
C.A.M. said:
For any of those parents that have had their kids playing high level soccer in So Cal, I call bull. What's the difference with the 4th day when little Jane or Tommy were already doing an extra day of skills privates and athletic improvement? Nada.

I'll even counter and say if the 4th day is a true film day (which it isn't for a lot of clubs right now), it's an improvement because watching the game (you and the best in the world) is a vital part of learning the game.
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I disagree. If a kid is an academic star in challenging classes, is in student government, plays other sports and/or has a social life than it is way too much. During the college season they have essentially 2 practice days a week and 2 walkthrough/film days.
 
Simisoccerfan said:
If four days a week of practice is too much for your kid, don't play DA. If they want to play HS, don't play DA. DA is not for everyone but does work well for those that don't want to play HS and are serious about soccer. The nice thing is that there are choices out there. So start with understanding what is important to your kid and then find the level of play and league that works for them.
Click to expand...

Most girls regret not playing high school. Almost all of the WNT played high school soccer including the 2 players that didn't play college soccer.
 
C.A.M. said:
We aren't broke. We are soccer youth. We are young teenagers playing the game vs the grown ups. We aren't suppose to be the best in the world. Our growth has to come from within through mistakes and successes alike. We are a DEVELOPING FUTBOL COUNTRY.

We are the 4th sport in our own country. 4th sport. 4th sport. 4th sport.

And we still get the same results as most of the other grown up countries around the world. When the game takes hold here and we get crazy for it like the rest of the world we will take off and not look back. The game is great, we just don't love it enough yet to get the results that people would like to see. It will happen.
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I disagree. Soccer is not new in America and next to football is the highest youth participation sport. We are broke and it's has more to do with Capitalism and our economic/political culture than our sports culture.
 
MakeAPlay said:
Most girls regret not playing high school. Almost all of the WNT played high school soccer including the 2 players that didn't play college soccer.
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I don't agree with your comment that most girls regret not playing HS. Your kid is in college along with her peers. DA did not exist when they were in HS so playing HS was the norm. So unless you have another kid currently playing HS I think times have changed and you may not have the current perspective. From a parent perspective I loved HS. Friday night games with packed stands. Newspaper articles. It feeds a parent's ego. From my dd perspective she was extremely frustrated by the quality of play (even though we won league) and the quality of training. She won't be playing HS during here senior season and is looking forward to having a break since DA shuts down for about 5 weeks during December/January. I have asked my dd whether this has been discussed with her current DA players and she tells me that really no one misses HS. Personally I think its the parents that miss it more.
 
C.A.M. said:
We are going to clear up something - you don't know where I've been and what I've done so keep those opinions to yourself.

Also - this discussion saying we are behind the world - is strictly on the men's side as our Women have dominated world soccer for decades and we can continue to do so as the game grows if we don't sit on our laurels and truly develop these young girls instead of just throwing them out to win and not learn.

Thing is we have people wanting to instill the culture of these other places into the game HERE. It's not going to work. Nothing is wrong with these other cultures, so it isn't a slight and I understand wanting to take what is successful around the globe and implementing it here to get things going down the right path. Bringing the greatest coaches from around the world to set the baseline of technique and tactics is fine (my boys club does just that), but they can't bring the culture. If you really analyze what makes the game special in other places in the world, it's the culture of the game that each country has. The DNA for each and every country that sets them apart from it's neighbor and competitors.

If you have truly traveled the world you know one thing, Americans do things our way even if it is stupid and ass backwards. You also know that somehow we make that crap work for us because we are a strange bunch of people. What we need to do is create the AMERICAN identity of soccer. Take what everyone else does, keep what works for us and toss the rest. Just like the US Women did from day one. Until we make the game ours and mold our play to our ideals, designs, athletes, coaches, lifestyles and thinking processes we will remain a 2nd tier team because it will be unnatural. Stop trying to have us be European or South American. We're not them. We don't think the same. Embrace who we are and mold the game to us and we will flourish.

It's OK to be in the quarter finals of the World Cup or miss it once in a while. This is part of the growing pains. This is the journey to greatness and it's not going to happen right away. Like all the great coaches in soccer say, "We must suffer to win!".
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Here is what I am pretty sure that I do know....You are an idiot, you haven't been anywhere, and likely haven't done anything. That is what comes through to me in your posts. Like I said pretty clear. You don't know what you don't know. If you were to go back and read my posts, you would see that I am one of the few that has said that one of the things that USSF is doing wrong is trying to copy someone else's identity, that if USSF just embraced who Americans are, and built a system around that culture, they would have better results. One of the glorious things about this country is it's culture. Coming from another culture, I like millions of others here appreciate the culture and see the benefits that it brings to not only soccer but to all their sports and athletes. Develop our own style!! But if you think that is what USSF is doing, and that the system is NOT broke, you have spent too much time sucking the DA pole.

In case there is any question as to your ignorance, just look at your quote "Just like the US Women did from day one." If you think for one second that the success of the women's team is due anything USSF and their system did for them or because the women had a system of "keeping what works for us and tossing the rest", you really don't understand soccer in general, or the history of women's soccer period. Title IX has done more for women's soccer in this country than USSF ever has done, or ever will do. To this day, there are still more countries without a women's team than the number that do. So yes, without taking anything away from the WNT, they have done very, very well for themselves (again, on their own and without much support from USSF) but they have also been playing with a loaded deck. Now that that other countries have increased their involvement and participation in women's soccer, you see the women struggling much more. So when you see, or hear poster's complain that they better get better at development and SELECTION, you now know what they are talking about. University's, High Schools and leagues like ECNL have done all the heavy lifting and as soon as the women reach their pinnacle, DA announces that they have to take over to make it great. Oh brother!! Try getting up off your knees for a minute and looking around you. It's a big, beautiful world with many paths to where you want to go. Yours is not the only one.

Oh, by the way....in this country, it's called Soccer.
 
Simisoccerfan said:
I don't agree with your comment that most girls regret not playing HS. Your kid is in college along with her peers. DA did not exist when they were in HS so playing HS was the norm. So unless you have another kid currently playing HS I think times have changed and you may not have the current perspective. From a parent perspective I loved HS. Friday night games with packed stands. Newspaper articles. It feeds a parent's ego. From my dd perspective she was extremely frustrated by the quality of play (even though we won league) and the quality of training. She won't be playing HS during here senior season and is looking forward to having a break since DA shuts down for about 5 weeks during December/January. I have asked my dd whether this has been discussed with her current DA players and she tells me that really no one misses HS. Personally I think its the parents that miss it more.
Click to expand...

I would say the opinion of the girls my daughter has spoke with is different, some feel like they have missed out and some don’t. Many are considering returning to high school Soccer because they regret their decision. Some of the girls that do seem to show regret, elude to the fact that their parents were more of a factor in the decision making. Obviously that isn’t the case for everyone but I thought that was interesting. I also think which high school a kid goes to and how big the program is, plays a big factor.
 
Pitch pop said:
I would say the opinion of the girls my daughter has spoke with is different, some feel like they have missed out and some don’t. Many are considering returning to high school Soccer because they regret their decision. Some of the girls that do seem to show regret, elude to the fact that their parents were more of a factor in the decision making. Obviously that isn’t the case for everyone but I thought that was interesting. I also think which high school a kid goes to and how big the program is, plays a big factor.
Click to expand...
I would agree with you that most girls on my daughters team feel like they would prefer to play high school but the pressure from the club/coach/DA was to much to overcome for many of them. They would like to play at the highest level when not in high school so they choose to stay with club and not enjoy soccer as much due to the above mentioned pressures. IMO the ECNL had it mostly right and currently the DA has it mostly wrong. The DA will have to adapt because their consumers are starting to go in another direction. Another club pulled themselves from the DA today. I think the total is 6 or 7 now and i'll bet more to follow. Interesting article for you viewing pleasure.
https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...er-blundered-badly-on-high-school-soccer.html
 
El Clasico said:
Here is what I am pretty sure that I do know....You are an idiot, you haven't been anywhere, and likely haven't done anything. That is what comes through to me in your posts. Like I said pretty clear. You don't know what you don't know. If you were to go back and read my posts, you would see that I am one of the few that has said that one of the things that USSF is doing wrong is trying to copy someone else's identity, that if USSF just embraced who Americans are, and built a system around that culture, they would have better results. One of the glorious things about this country is it's culture. Coming from another culture, I like millions of others here appreciate the culture and see the benefits that it brings to not only soccer but to all their sports and athletes. Develop our own style!! But if you think that is what USSF is doing, and that the system is NOT broke, you have spent too much time sucking the DA pole.

In case there is any question as to your ignorance, just look at your quote "Just like the US Women did from day one." If you think for one second that the success of the women's team is due anything USSF and their system did for them or because the women had a system of "keeping what works for us and tossing the rest", you really don't understand soccer in general, or the history of women's soccer period. Title IX has done more for women's soccer in this country than USSF ever has done, or ever will do. To this day, there are still more countries without a women's team than the number that do. So yes, without taking anything away from the WNT, they have done very, very well for themselves (again, on their own and without much support from USSF) but they have also been playing with a loaded deck. Now that that other countries have increased their involvement and participation in women's soccer, you see the women struggling much more. So when you see, or hear poster's complain that they better get better at development and SELECTION, you now know what they are talking about. University's, High Schools and leagues like ECNL have done all the heavy lifting and as soon as the women reach their pinnacle, DA announces that they have to take over to make it great. Oh brother!! Try getting up off your knees for a minute and looking around you. It's a big, beautiful world with many paths to where you want to go. Yours is not the only one.

Oh, by the way....in this country, it's called Soccer.
Click to expand...

Wow. Keyboard warrior.
 
C.A.M. said:
For any of those parents that have had their kids playing high level soccer in So Cal, I call bull. What's the difference with the 4th day when little Jane or Tommy were already doing an extra day of skills privates and athletic improvement? Nada.

I'll even counter and say if the 4th day is a true film day (which it isn't for a lot of clubs right now), it's an improvement because watching the game (you and the best in the world) is a vital part of learning the game.
Click to expand...
I'd say the difference is that the 4th day is mandatory with DA. And the 4th day could be a bit of a drive.
If you are doing privates or athletic training on your own - You can somewhat control the schedule. You can cancel if the homework load is heavy. Or if your family is planning to go out for your little sisters birthday. Or if you are hurt, you can sit at home instead of driving 45 minutes each way to watch your team practice from the sidelines.
 
Pitch pop said:
I would say the opinion of the girls my daughter has spoke with is different, some feel like they have missed out and some don’t. Many are considering returning to high school Soccer because they regret their decision. Some of the girls that do seem to show regret, elude to the fact that their parents were more of a factor in the decision making. Obviously that isn’t the case for everyone but I thought that was interesting. I also think which high school a kid goes to and how big the program is, plays a big factor.
Click to expand...

This is the sentiment we are seeing also. What I've noticed is the one's really focused on making it to college soccer aren't missing it because of the overall quality of play and coaching at the high school level.

A lot of it also depends on the conversation each parent had with their kids before coming into this venture. Many of the girls simply weren't ready for the mental or physical preparation it would take to be successful and neither were the parents.

Year one is rough. Plus this has wrecked the quality of high school soccer even further and happened in an instance. We shouldn't expect it to be a smooth ride.
 
timbuck said:
I'd say the difference is that the 4th day is mandatory with DA. And the 4th day could be a bit of a drive.
If you are doing privates or athletic training on your own - You can somewhat control the schedule. You can cancel if the homework load is heavy. Or if your family is planning to go out for your little sisters birthday. Or if you are hurt, you can sit at home instead of driving 45 minutes each way to watch your team practice from the sidelines.
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I can see that point as we have a 45 minute drive each way and our girl has had to go to practice and watch while injured also. It just feels like a lack of preparation as the undertaking is more than what the parents and kids were ready for or desire to do. We had been on a time demanding team before so our level of adjustment was basically nil.

I believe the rules have been put into place to weed out most of the people who would participate if the rules didn't exist. They substituted the demand of ultra dedication (no outside comp, no high school, 4 days a week, etc...) for costs.

Funny, because as we all know - there are no guarantees even if you do everything asked.
 
beachbum said:
I would agree with you that most girls on my daughters team feel like they would prefer to play high school but the pressure from the club/coach/DA was to much to overcome for many of them. They would like to play at the highest level when not in high school so they choose to stay with club and not enjoy soccer as much due to the above mentioned pressures. IMO the ECNL had it mostly right and currently the DA has it mostly wrong. The DA will have to adapt because their consumers are starting to go in another direction. Another club pulled themselves from the DA today. I think the total is 6 or 7 now and i'll bet more to follow. Interesting article for you viewing pleasure.
https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...er-blundered-badly-on-high-school-soccer.html
Click to expand...


Please detail the pressures you mentioned. I hadn't heard that point of view yet.
 
C.A.M. said:
What I've noticed is the one's really focused on making it to college soccer aren't missing it because of the overall quality of play and coaching at the high school level.
Click to expand...

On our end we have experienced just the opposite. All of the girls but one my daughter referenced, have committed to D1 college programs. The one has decided to wait a couple of months due to the new recruiting guidelines.
 
C.A.M. said:
We are going to clear up something - you don't know where I've been and what I've done so keep those opinions to yourself.

Also - this discussion saying we are behind the world - is strictly on the men's side as our Women have dominated world soccer for decades and we can continue to do so as the game grows if we don't sit on our laurels and truly develop these young girls instead of just throwing them out to win and not learn.

Thing is we have people wanting to instill the culture of these other places into the game HERE. It's not going to work. Nothing is wrong with these other cultures, so it isn't a slight and I understand wanting to take what is successful around the globe and implementing it here to get things going down the right path. Bringing the greatest coaches from around the world to set the baseline of technique and tactics is fine (my boys club does just that), but they can't bring the culture. If you really analyze what makes the game special in other places in the world, it's the culture of the game that each country has. The DNA for each and every country that sets them apart from it's neighbor and competitors.

If you have truly traveled the world you know one thing, Americans do things our way even if it is stupid and ass backwards. You also know that somehow we make that crap work for us because we are a strange bunch of people. What we need to do is create the AMERICAN identity of soccer. Take what everyone else does, keep what works for us and toss the rest. Just like the US Women did from day one. Until we make the game ours and mold our play to our ideals, designs, athletes, coaches, lifestyles and thinking processes we will remain a 2nd tier team because it will be unnatural. Stop trying to have us be European or South American. We're not them. We don't think the same. Embrace who we are and mold the game to us and we will flourish.

It's OK to be in the quarter finals of the World Cup or miss it once in a while. This is part of the growing pains. This is the journey to greatness and it's not going to happen right away. Like all the great coaches in soccer say, "We must suffer to win!".
Click to expand...

Oh, I got it. You are an unpaid intern at US Soccer hyping up GDA.
I was wondering why you so cray cray. Hey, coffee ain't going to be brewing by itself. Go make some.
 
C.A.M. said:
Please detail the pressures you mentioned. I hadn't heard that point of view yet.
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As you may or may not know the overall DA allows you to play high school if you are a freshman this year. Here is the U.S. Webinar that states this. https://ussoccer.app.box.com/s/pshiqv8vittgn5z5auffkhazp5ek9eeq
Some clubs went by this rule and some did not. The ones that honored this rule found that many of their girls were going to take a break and play high school. These clubs were surprised by this and felt they may not be able to field a competitive team during this time frame so they resorted to questionable tactics to keep the girls from going to high school. I've heard many things from you won't be allowed back on the team; to the guilt trip of, "I'm disappointed to hear that some of you are considering high school, i thought you were better that"; High school soccer is no good; HS coaches are no good; we will talk to your college coaches; etc...
 
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