DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not

[Anonymous]

Is Clear Whats Happening at DC United Academy!

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the leadership at DC United Academy is not just out of touch but completely failing to manage one of the region’s key development programs. It’s telling when an organization can’t even keep its website updated—an absolute minimum standard for any professional operation.

But the bigger issue isn’t their inability to maintain a basic online presence. Rumors are circulating about a yearly mass exodus of coaches and directors, citing a toxic work environment and the Academy Director’s incompetence. The Academy is hemorrhaging talent, and in their place, the leadership is bringing in the cheapest staff they can find—individuals with little to no track record in serious player development.

How is this supposed to help nurture the next generation of players? It’s clear that DC United’s Academy is prioritizing cost-cutting over quality, and the results are showing in the lack of consistency and overall decline in player development standards. A couple of years ago when experienced directors & coaches choose to leave and the replacements lack the expertise to fill the gap, the program is headed in one direction: downhill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's blame culture, even this article supports what is being said here.

https://www.ussoccercollective.com/mls/mls-academy-rankings

Allowing MLS clubs to have territorial rights when the club doesn't have high aspirations themselves just flat out sucks.

For sure the territorial rights really rubs the wrong way when your local club is not great. It’s like players get developed by a non-DCU club, then gets recruited by DCU and then DCU own the rights to the kid’s future movements if they want to leave DCU.

Is there detail about territorial rights? i heard the academies have rights on players not even in their academy. Academies outside DCU territories have to ask permission to pursue players in their geographical areas if even DCU doesn't care the for player. This makes no sense...DCU didn't develop the players or give a rats a** about them, why do they have claim on these players?

Look up MLS homegrown rules. They got a right to any player within 75 miles of their base. But only those in their academy plus 7 or 9 more, I forget the number.

9 non academy players can be put under protection within an academies territory beginning at U15

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:In conclusion after all the experts have weighed in.

DCU Academy is the worst place for your kid
Send them to Philly Union or Red Bulls (open door policy)

So are you saying if a

What is the Red Bulls open door policy?

If we're all being encouraged to go there, I'm just assuming all DMV ballers can just head up the turnpike and sign-up

They both have webpages where you can sign up and put your info, with highlights and schedule, but I wonder how often they look at that or actually scout that way.

I imagine they screen these submissions and at minimum, look into those who are already coming from another academy or can say they are a baller on an MLSNext/ECNL team. Or your coach/club has connections and reach out to them.

I don’t know and would love to hear what other families have done to be seen by other academies.

Stop listening to the pied piper who's more interested in settling scores and getting you away from DCU versus getting you to a destination better for you.

How many kids do you seriously think can leave our DMV area and get into Philly Union and Red Bulls when they have a huge talent pool in their areas?
smdh

Again, all we're saying is that if your kid is good enough to be watched by DCU, reach out to other academies and have them take a look as well. If your kid gets multiple offers, take a good look at each program and their resources. Of course DCU is a no brainer if you get no other interest.

This is not France, Spain, Brazil, Holland etc...
What's the big difference between your kid at DCU at home versus another academy 8 states away for a 13 year old alone?

Unless kid is a Cavan Sullivan or other generational talent.

The big difference is that it is a significant commitment for the child and the family for a organization that isn't making the same type of commitment to your son.

If your kid goes to Columbus or Nashville or LA or Philly instead of DC and they aren't a Cavan Sullivan or have a EU or UK passport, what happens differently?
Nothing.

They'll go play college ball or end up in MLS making $70K just like DCU kids who aren't generational level talent.

Someone make a liar out of me.

So are you saying if a player has an EU or UK passport, any academy would be better than DCU?

Yes, absolutely. & if u dont get it it’s prolly cause ur a hardcore born and bred USA person. Even anywhere in South America is better for soccer development than the shoddy, shady, and corrupt system in the land of Stars and Stripes.

[Anonymous]

Watched match video dcu out played syc 2010, won by a cheap pk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Clear Whats Happening at DC United Academy!

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the leadership at DC United Academy is not just out of touch but completely failing to manage one of the region’s key development programs. It’s telling when an organization can’t even keep its website updated—an absolute minimum standard for any professional operation.

But the bigger issue isn’t their inability to maintain a basic online presence. Rumors are circulating about a yearly mass exodus of coaches and directors, citing a toxic work environment and the Academy Director’s incompetence. The Academy is hemorrhaging talent, and in their place, the leadership is bringing in the cheapest staff they can find—individuals with little to no track record in serious player development.

How is this supposed to help nurture the next generation of players? It’s clear that DC United’s Academy is prioritizing cost-cutting over quality, and the results are showing in the lack of consistency and overall decline in player development standards. A couple of years ago when experienced directors & coaches choose to leave and the replacements lack the expertise to fill the gap, the program is headed in one direction: downhill.

You should lead our concerned caring citizens dcum brigade and send a strongly worded email to the owners.

Let them know how it impacts us directly and what changes we need to see so we can sleep comfortably knowing the thousands of kids in our area have a good academy option.

[Anonymous]

There are threads all over the forum with someone hell bent on a personal agenda to denigrate the club they feel have wronged them, while trying to recruit others to their cause. Bethesda, Achilles, Union, SYC and the list goes on

Difference here is, the majority of us are far removed from the dc academy and it means nothing.
There are probably less than a hundred kids at the entire academy and they're from the elite 1% pool.
Bethesda or Arlington has more kids in one age group

This crusade has nothing to do with the rest of us.
But some comments were entertaining

[Anonymous]

The "facts, truths and verifiable evidence" guy with a kid in DCU, he's got a legit stake in this post!

[Anonymous]

DCU summer camps, do they ID kids through these camps or is it just a money grab? Other academies hold these camps to feed kids into their pre-academy programs. Does DCU do the same?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are threads all over the forum with someone hell bent on a personal agenda to denigrate the club they feel have wronged them, while trying to recruit others to their cause. Bethesda, Achilles, Union, SYC and the list goes on

Difference here is, the majority of us are far removed from the dc academy and it means nothing.
There are probably less than a hundred kids at the entire academy and they're from the elite 1% pool.
Bethesda or Arlington has more kids in one age group

This crusade has nothing to do with the rest of us.
But some comments were entertaining

It seems like there are a few former employees and parents in the system trying to blow the whistle here. Didn’t DC United just lose a lot of staff right before and during the season? Interestingly, one of the individuals who was let go of quit is still listed on the website as a director.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCU summer camps, do they ID kids through these camps or is it just a money grab? Other academies hold these camps to feed kids into their pre-academy programs. Does DCU do the same?

What pre-acadeny program?

If your kid is at a camp or game with DC staff watching and they’re good, money grab or not, I'll sure they'd try to recruit your kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "facts, truths and verifiable evidence" guy with a kid in DCU, he's got a legit stake in this post!

Free stake too

ps I can't be trying to knock anyone who's kid is at DCU.
We all wish our kids were good enough or we lying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Watched match video dcu out played syc 2010, won by a cheap pk

bitter are we? a single lost doesn't break a team or club. none of the points made about the academy in this thread is a result of this match/lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watched match video dcu out played syc 2010, won by a cheap pk

bitter are we? a single lost doesn't break a team or club. none of the points made about the academy in this thread is a result of this match/lost.

True
this thread is like Festivus with the airing of grievances lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watched match video dcu out played syc 2010, won by a cheap pk

bitter are we? a single lost doesn't break a team or club. none of the points made about the academy in this thread is a result of this match/lost.

True
this thread is like Festivus with the airing of grievances lol

Yeah, definitely must be frustrating for the DCU to lose an sub-par coach mid-season and then have him replaced by someone thrown into the fire without proper introduction or time to prepare. Then to top it off, losing to a team you constantly undermine and try to raid, all while they just lost their best player to an actual MLS academy and told DCU to kick rocks. Not to mention, once that orange team loses a game, they’ll probably try to get the coach or director fired. But beating DCU should buy them some time—at least until they all realize their organization is terrible, and they all want a chance to be on the team they just beat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watched match video dcu out played syc 2010, won by a cheap pk

bitter are we? a single lost doesn't break a team or club. none of the points made about the academy in this thread is a result of this match/lost.

True
this thread is like Festivus with the airing of grievances lol

Yeah, definitely must be frustrating for the DCU to lose an sub-par coach mid-season and then have him replaced by someone thrown into the fire without proper introduction or time to prepare. Then to top it off, losing to a team you constantly undermine and try to raid, all while they just lost their best player to an actual MLS academy and told DCU to kick rocks. Not to mention, once that orange team loses a game, they’ll probably try to get the coach or director fired. But beating DCU should buy them some time—at least until they all realize their organization is terrible, and they all want a chance to be on the team they just beat.

Well, all this must be the gospel truth if written anonymously here 😉