Turning Pro at 13

espola said:
Does the "evolution" include contracts for players who have yet to prove themselves in any meaningful competition?
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No, that is the advertisement/marketing part to put others on notice as to the direction US Soccer is headed. According to the article US Soccer identified Pugh at 12 which is similar to OM.
 
Soccer43 said:
13 year old with a contract to be in a Nike commercially vs 18year old with a contract to play professional soccer. I don’t see those situations as similar at all
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I frame the issues differently. I see that US Soccer identified both Pugh and OM around 12. Both also skipped college. Both are being put in challenging environments to further their development as well.
 
US soccer “identifies” lots of players at 12 years old. They invite hundreds of youth players to various YNT events and some pan out and others drop off by the time they are 18. I know many players that were identified as superstars until 14 when they plateaued out and became average at best or flat out quit soccer because they just weren’t that interested anymore.
 
MacDre said:
I frame the issues differently. I see that US Soccer identified both Pugh and OM around 12. Both also skipped college. Both are being put in challenging environments to further their development as well.
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I am not sure what challenging environment she moved to. She left a top DA team in a highly competitive conference to play for the lowest ranked DA team in an average conference that isn’t playing against the strongest competitors. She isn’t playing with the Pro Portland Thorns team.
 
Soccer43 said:
US soccer “identifies” lots of players at 12 years old. They invite hundreds of youth players to various YNT events and some pan out and others drop off by the time they are 18. I know many players that were identified as superstars until 14 when they plateaued out and became average at best or flat out quit soccer because they just weren’t that interested anymore.
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Maybe. But according to MAP, Jill and BJ have always had a thing for Pugh.
Also, based on my limited experience with my daughter, I don’t see a lot of superstars. My players not the biggest or the fastest but she consistently distinguishes herself on the pitch.
I honestly don’t see how my daughter could get any smaller or slower. When I hear people make comments about kids that plateau, it makes me think that these kids were selected for their physical attributes and were basically training equipment that no one seriously thought would play at the next level.
 
Soccer43 said:
I am not sure what challenging environment she moved to. She left a top DA team in a highly competitive conference to play for the lowest ranked DA team in an average conference that isn’t playing against the strongest competitors. She isn’t playing with the Pro Portland Thorns team.
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I think overall the GDA is watered down and weak in all divisions. I think too many kids are adversely impacted by bad coaching at the younger ages. So, I think OM having the opportunity to train with the first team and play pre season games is much better than staying where she was.
 
What makes you think she is training with the first team and will be playing with them in preseason games? I would think she would want to play in the WPSL for higher level of competition at her age
 
Yes, she did play part of the second half in a preseason against the U23 WNT but the Portland Thorns general manager also said “We are pleased to help her pursue her goals by having her register with the Thorns Youth Academy”. And that she “could” have the opportunity to train alongside the professional team. I still think it is all a PR stunt by Nike. She is playing regularly with the DA team- you can check the game reports.
 
The other fact that stands out right now is the U17YNT coach just took two completely different rosters overseas to two different events. Why was OM not on one of those rosters?
 
You can call up players from any age to YNT rosters. There have been several players over the years that have been called up by 2/3 years. If she is good enough to train and play preseason games with a pro team why isn’t she strong enough to play with 16 year olds?
 
Soccerfan2 said:
She’s in the U14 pool
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That’s what soccer43 means: if she was that amazing she’d be playing up in international events and would at least be in the u17 pool for training camps. That’s telling that she isn’t.

Some good comments on this thread.

I just don’t think she gained that much. And where were the advisors telling her “hey you’re sacrificing a lot for a medium payday now. Nike May drop you in a year when the next hot thing comes along. Wait 18 months and see how you feel and where things stand.”
 
She’s on the younger end even in the U14 pool. Why isn’t she playing up even further? I don’t know, and I don’t have any interest in making judgements about things I know nothing about. I hope the kid succeeds. I don’t think she necessarily has to be the best female player ever right at this moment to justify picking a path that she feels will accelerate her development.
 
SoccerFan4Life said:
Speaking of going pro, this is a great article on Mallory Pugh
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/mallory-pugh-united-states-world-cup-reckless-child

Interesting how she decided to go pro after she tried college for a year and she knew that she was good enough to go pro. Still think she made a mistake but then again she is playing in the World Cup. Lol.
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(this comment is w/o reading the article - thank you for linking that, @SoccerFan4Life ; I had seen references but will now read it)

Really tough situation for her - and for Tierna Davidson - assuming she (like Tierna) would have been taken to the senior squad even if she were still at UCLA. Tough because there are few seasons like a WC season to be noticed (notoriety = potential endorsements) and to get WC-level bonuses (still trail the men BUT more than they can earn in a non-WC year). As a Stanford fan, I'd have loved to see Tierna play another year; as a Pac-12 fan, I'd have loved to see Pugh play college soccer. But as a realist, if you are good enough to make the senior national team in a WC year, it is hard to tell the player "no" b/c who knows who/what/where she might be in 4 more years.
 
dk_b said:
(this comment is w/o reading the article - thank you for linking that, @SoccerFan4Life ; I had seen references but will now read it)

Really tough situation for her - and for Tierna Davidson - assuming she (like Tierna) would have been taken to the senior squad even if she were still at UCLA. Tough because there are few seasons like a WC season to be noticed (notoriety = potential endorsements) and to get WC-level bonuses (still trail the men BUT more than they can earn in a non-WC year). As a Stanford fan, I'd have loved to see Tierna play another year; as a Pac-12 fan, I'd have loved to see Pugh play college soccer. But as a realist, if you are good enough to make the senior national team in a WC year, it is hard to tell the player "no" b/c who knows who/what/where she might be in 4 more years.
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In my younger days, I'd see guys going pro early and I'd think, "oh, they should stay in college. Pro sports will be there. The college experience is irreplaceable." I still agree with that last statement but I don't think that top line pros should stick it out in college and it was Tiger who made me think that way (and I'm about 8 years older than he is so I was in my late 20s around this time - a grown ass adult doing my graduate work). I worry (in a paternalistic way) about a young person giving up too much to chase a very illusive dream but if you are told you will be a lottery pick in the NBA draft or you can make millions in endorsements and win majors (like Tiger) or, in Pugh's/Davidson's case, have a guaranteed shot at winning a WC . . . if that dream is NOT illusive, who am I to say that they should stay in school (setting aside the exploitive nature of college sports for the revenue sports)?
 
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