DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
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Anonymous
LOL went there. Because if you do, what the heck are you doing on DC Urban Mom? If you are a pro coach, or even one of their past or present staff, why would you care about an "urban mom" forum on the internet? And if you don't, then you are just a disgruntled parent. So either way, it's not a good look. |
Anonymous
Ever thought that someone could move from another country and be one of the moms and dads now in our area just like everyone else trying to understand this ridiculous football culture here. |
Anonymous
So the people who are talking about the U14s only being good because they are big (which wasn't accurate) and the person talking about Arlington cooking the U19s for a preseason scrimmage weren't? For every person who is complaining about them, there is a person having a great experience. There are kids there getting exposure to D1 colleges that they weren't getting in their pay to play environment. There are kids there getting preseason opportunities. There are kids there getting seen by national team recruits that attend the trainings and games regularly. DC ensures that their players are seen. They train their players to be prepared for those opportunities. There is plenty of opportunity for a pathway to pro currently as the club is but not everyone is going to be able to be on the pathway. If that isn't enough for you, you can choose not to have your child play for them. If you want to try to drive to Philly or New York. Have at it. Move them across country to another club, go for it. Do whatever it takes to get your player the opportunities they need, but those opportunities are here also with DC. I have seen nothing but movement in the right direction the last few years with the club investing in the academy and adding resources. |
Anonymous
Ah well if you are coming from another country where you don't have to pay to play and the soccer system is completely different, I can at least understand your perspective. We would probably agree on much more but unfortunately, we don't have that here and so we are working in the confines of the US Soccer system which is wild. |
Anonymous
I understand that not everyone has had the same experience and there is a number of reasons why that may occur, but I do want to share that not everyone is having a negative experience with the club. Good players are now transitioning into a great player because of the time, coaching and resources DC has provided. The quality of play they experience when playing MLS vs MLS is much more competitive and quicker than the ECNL that many were playing in even if some see the record as an issue. The teams have consistently been competitive in play and for staff looking at pro potential, that is sometimes more important than the outcome although none of them want to lose or tie obviously. I have seen a variety of experiences with coaching staff- mostly positive. But even the negative was still a positive learning experience for the players and the rest have been exceptional. The current staff are great coaches that are pushing these kids to the next level and challenging them. The quality of training and play is what I expect for this level. The expectation is that you have the foundational skills already developed and they continue to practice them. The focus is more on the mental aspect of the game at this point and developing that more. The opportunities that have come include national team exposure (attending trainings and games regularly) and D1 colleges showing interest (attending trainings and games regularly) and something many weren't getting at that frequency or level while in the ECNL. The current first team staff involvement with the academy has been increased significantly since Rooney has left. The GM has been very involved, accessible, and visible which was not the case previously. They are using the first team training and format in their trainings at the academy level for consistency and ease of transition. They invite players to the first team trainings often. The addition of the schooling, and then movement to it for no additional cost to families for multiple age groups is a huge improvement and allows player extra time on the field and in the gym which was previously limited due to facility constraints and school commitments. This is a major step that was keeping them behind other MLS Academies who had their kids together training together all day and bonding off the field constantly. That access matters when you were only getting the boys together for a 2-hour training 3-4 times a week. So, while some count VA Revolution facilities against them, I see it as a smart use of resources that provided access to school facilities/gym/fields at a fraction of what Loudoun United charges for Segra and it resolved the accessibility issue at IPC for the gym and fields since the first team, Spirit, and DC Power are all housed in that facility and share resources. They still train and play at Segra in the evenings for the majority of the age groups. Is there more work to be done? Absolutely but they are a good club with movement to becoming a great club. I think people forget that up until relatively recently (compared to other MLS academies) DC United was previously a pay to play set up. Once they moved to the new structure, they have continued to increase investment and build each year but that requires money and time. There are financial constraints that prevent it from being done all at once because that would be a crazy expense and unrealistic for any team. When you look at the progression, they continue to improve and invest. I just think many don't consider all of these steps as a big picture of what they are building. |
Anonymous
I appreciate this view and you taking the time to send it. And I don't disagree with you that DCU is moving forward. But they have a long way to go. I am very well versed in DCUs history as a club and an academy. And saw the pay to play days. Are they better than that? Yes. Are they at Philly Union? No. There is no question about that. What you've outlined is the basics of running a credible academy. I don't give them much credit for that. If they didn't do these things then what are they doing? I think DCU does the bare minimum to stay credible in the competitive landscape. Are some experiences positive? Of course and I don't doubt that. I just doubt whether the system they have in place can consistently produce pro players. Maybe they are years from that. If so, that also means right now, they are years from that. |
Anonymous
Then tell us the exact steps dcua should be doing with them for their development that's not being done. Be very precise when laying it out. Since training with older age groups and playing against older competition (which is a development philosophy in every top academy in the world) is a negative thing at dcua. |
Anonymous
What a desperate pitiful litte person you are. No matter what the academy is doing, you say it's not a development tool, because it's dcua. But if Philly Union did the same exact thing, you sing their praises like a 9 year old girl cheering for Taylor Swift. Loser |
Anonymous
Where did anyone say pathway stops at U17? The statement was that Performance Stage begins at U18 At U18 onwards, you are expected to be able to be inserted into a Senior Team squad and Perform. Hence Performance Stage. The Senior Staff aren't taking a U19 player from the academy who is in Development stage (learning basics and how to execute consistently) When you talk about people not knowing this and not knowing that about academy level soccer, you better know who you're talking to. Your ignorance can fly with some, not with all. |
Anonymous
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I heard a false rumor that two DC Academy players are currently at Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth in the Premier League
But that can't be true, because the Academy at DCU can't develop or produce professionals. Especially to the best League in the World |
Anonymous
Thanks for a reasonable discussion. I understand your stance. Sounds like we see the same thing but disagree on how we view it as far as positive/negative which is ok. I just took issue with a lot of the half truths or factually incorrect information I saw being shared here that I didn't think was fair to DCU or the players. Having a conversation about club structure and investment is very different than jumping on a forum and saying "They suck so bad because I said so." and then digging in your heals when someone points out the inaccuracy or lack of proof in what is being said. |
Anonymous
That's DCUs job not mine. Training in older ages is a great tool when used correctly. DCU just doesn't use that tool correctly. They often play kids up that are physically developed and who are also not absolutely dominating on age. Meaning there is a lot they can still learn playing on age about how to actually play. Instead they have them rely on their size to get by instead of their technical ability and smarts. It's a balance and that balance is usually not well maintained at DCU. The product of that is a mindset that physical dominance is the way to play. When that runs out, the players struggle. You start to see this at u15 and u16. And it carries to older ages. It's a hard balance to strike and it takes some real strategy and thinking around player management and progression. Something that I don't see at DCU. Of course playing up can be helpful the decision just needs to be made strategically along many dimensions not just you're big enough and fast enough to play up, go ahead. |
Anonymous
Right just like the first team at Barca didn't take Lamine Yamal when he was on u19s. Just like union didn't take cavan Sullivan for first and second team at 15. Good call. Your post contradicts itself. U18 onwards you're expected to be able to insert into first team. But no senior staff are taking u19s? You said u18 on are in performance stage (which I agree with). Next sentence you say they are in development phase. I know what I'm talking about and am super confident in that. Do you? |
Anonymous
You speak rhetoric and biased opinion No facts Who are you to say "something I don't see at DCU"? What role and capacity do you operate at the academy on a daily basis? Another in the long list of clues that you're an amateur pretending, is you're completely sold on the false belief that a player who is bigger and faster doesn't have technical skills. Take that NCSL reasoning back to the Rec threads. |
Anonymous
Fletcher never spent a day at DCU Academy. Not one. All Bethesda. |