DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pipeline’s Jacob Mays (USYNT 2011 national team) gets off DCUA’s protected list and immediately signs with Philadelphia Union’s Academy.

To be clear, because everyone misquotes this. The team is a 'futures' camp. The futures camp per the website is " for players from ages 14 to 16 years old, with the goal of identifying, supporting and developing high-potential players who physically mature later than their peers."

Futures is different from the regular camp. Still an accomplishment.

Also to note, 3 players from dcua are on the 2010 actual national team roster.

What is a 'futures' camp? How does it differ from an actual academy? Are you saying he joined Philly Union 'futures' versus their academy?

It's similar to the national team. But it's camp only for late physical developers. I'm guessing may look at them in coming years for the national team.

But everyone on ig that has any relationship with the kids keeps saying national team when it's 100% incorrect.

It has nothing to do with Philly union.

And yes, Philly is much closer to those players than dcu. Some of them have declined due to travel to dcu.

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2026/02/ynt/us-soccer-names-rosters-for-new-us-u-15-and-u-16-boys-national-team-futures-camp-february-fayetteville-georgia?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNTY3MDY3MzQzMzUyNDI3AAGnf4t7KMnKHHQY2SLc6H0eGTSHxLnSR4LnDAuXFy-JFVTcAFPiNXmasOs8VC0_aem_unt8QOCTFuPFnISpbBS5zg

You mean the pay-for-hype IG pages

[Anonymous]

DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

This is exactly what VPSL/NCSL are putting together along with USSoccer/USYS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

This is exactly what VPSL/NCSL are putting together along with USSoccer/USYS

Really?? Is there a website about more information about this or is it just an idea right now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

This is exactly what VPSL/NCSL are putting together along with USSoccer/USYS

This will help in terms of playing better competition closer, however there is still way to many clubs and way too many MLS next teams. Parents switch clubs if their kids are placed on the "B" teams and chase some low skilled "A" team. Can only imagine what they would do if a kid as placed on a "D" team. After U-13, the clubs need to merge together. We cant' have 5 clubs within a 5 mile radius and create teams 5 A teams, when none of them are any good. Richmond United and Beach FC have a much better understanding of what needs to be done and why they have better consistency of talent at each age group with far fewer kids. However, there is too much money in NOVA and too many egos of pro's and d1 players which are sub par coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this young kid being brought into someone's gripe with dcu and even being identified by name?

While not the original poster who mentioned his name, it is plastered all over IG with Pipeline and Philly promoting it among others. My kid's name is on the internet but I specifically ask people to keep it off of IG and the request is usually granted. I think it is something parents should pay attention to. Unfortunately, I think many parents like the attention.

This is not the kid's team or parents or the kid posting an announcement on IG

It's a grown adult stalker obsessed with DCU and apparently also Philly Union who is throwing out the kid's name in their unhealthy crusade

DCU keeping information private which leads to parents not having much information to make informed decisions on their child's future = healthy
Philly publicizes information so parents can gather information to make informed decisions on their child's future = unhealthy

I am not the brightest bulb in the pack so want to make sure I follow your logic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this young kid being brought into someone's gripe with dcu and even being identified by name?

While not the original poster who mentioned his name, it is plastered all over IG with Pipeline and Philly promoting it among others. My kid's name is on the internet but I specifically ask people to keep it off of IG and the request is usually granted. I think it is something parents should pay attention to. Unfortunately, I think many parents like the attention.

This is not the kid's team or parents or the kid posting an announcement on IG

It's a grown adult stalker obsessed with DCU and apparently also Philly Union who is throwing out the kid's name in their unhealthy crusade

DCU keeping information private which leads to parents not having much information to make informed decisions on their child's future = healthy
Philly publicizes information so parents can gather information to make informed decisions on their child's future = unhealthy

I am not the brightest bulb in the pack so want to make sure I follow your logic.

Not the PP but the PP is not saying Philly publicizing kid’s name is unhealthy but rather the person on the forum publicizing the kid’s name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

Have to agree on the SYC comment. Appears the SYC coaches have picked up the DCU playbook and scouting for similar player profile. Look at their u16 team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

Agree - whatever problems DCUA may or may not have, only picking "athletic freaks" and "man children" players doesn't seem totally accurate, at least not what I have seen with my own eyes the few times my sons' teams have played them over the years. Do they have some big fast athletic players, usually defenders and maybe strikers? Of course; who doesn't? But is their whole team a bunch of massive fast kids without talent? 100% no. If people want to focus on what is wrong over there, and if it is truly as bad as people claim, the facts should speak for themselves without adding to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

Agree - whatever problems DCUA may or may not have, only picking "athletic freaks" and "man children" players doesn't seem totally accurate, at least not what I have seen with my own eyes the few times my sons' teams have played them over the years. Do they have some big fast athletic players, usually defenders and maybe strikers? Of course; who doesn't? But is their whole team a bunch of massive fast kids without talent? 100% no. If people want to focus on what is wrong over there, and if it is truly as bad as people claim, the facts should speak for themselves without adding to them.

They may not be athletic freaks but they are not small and typical lack iq for the game because they do not pick up on patterns the best. This is not unique to the US. As a lot of premier league players talk about how they were average at 13,14. There are some exceptions and those are usually the Messi and mbappes of the world. As the kids get older the game involves into a more thinking game. Being in the right position solves most problem and makes average players look great. If you can’t can figure this out as a player you will never go pro. And a coach can help but can’t tell you exactly where to be in every scenario. I don’t know dcu coaching but it is something most coaching in the area does not concentrate on at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

I think Bethesda has 4 bio banded 2009s on their U16 team, which is nuts. Bio banding really is for middle schoolers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

I think Bethesda has 4 bio banded 2009s on their U16 team, which is nuts. Bio banding really is for middle schoolers.

isn't three the limit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

You are a clown.

They just signed a U-14 from SYC that's 6'1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCU has the same problem as most of US soccer. They are selecting a bunch of man children at 13 and 14 and can't figure out how to develop them. Players that are athletic freaks may make great outside or wing backs but they are not successful at other positions. Identifying the correct kids that will develop is hard and ultimately something that can't be done in a multi-day tryout. It would help if we had bigger youth clubs with a A,B,C,D,E,F,G team for each age group, but the US parent and club director egos would never be for this.

My DS plays for a MLS Next team since U13 and we've seen at least 3 years of DCU and all other MLS Next U14s and U15s play against our club.
Whatever views I may have, the one thing I can honestly say is that this urban legend about dcu having giant players is pure myth. Several teams like SYC and Bethesda has bigger players on average from my estimate

I think Bethesda has 4 bio banded 2009s on their U16 team, which is nuts. Bio banding really is for middle schoolers.

isn't three the limit?

Not sure. Maybe it is and they only have 3. But they have HUGE bio banded 2009s on the team which seems like a blatant abuse of the bio banded policy. No shade to the kids, it’s to the club. I thought bio banding was for late bloomers, kids who were still going through puberty and just small for their age, typically in middle school and not for kids 6 ft tall who are in 11th grade.