Best MLS Youth Academy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a DCU scout at many of my son's U13 MLS Next matches last season, especially during the fall. Because DCU Academy doesn't start until U14, this is an easy way for them to scout many of the region's best players. I also heard they have invited a fair number of 2011s into the academy. I know of two, at least.

So they only scout little kid mlsnext matches? Quite a waste. A lot of those doors are political and early growers/puberty.

There is a huge region of players and they miss out on serious future talent with their stupid limitations.

They scout ECNL clubs too and there are a few clubs that have relationship/programs with them like PPA. You can often see what clubs DCU kids are coming from - BSC, Alexandria, Arlington, Pipeline, Achilles, PPA, etc.

Those clubs will like already have close relationship with DCU scouts. But occasionally they’ll get someone from a smaller less known club like Cerritos. I think it would be more work to get scouted if you are not at a major club but if the club and coach go to bat for your kid, I think it can be done.

Playing at an MLS Next club or one of the P2P clubs is probably the surest way to get in. DCU has a relationship with those clubs and thus your kid benefits from a getting evaluated by his own coach all year, and potentially recommended. Relying on a DCU scout seeing your kid once or twice is very hit or miss - they don't have the resources to watch many games and nor are there any dedicated scouts - just the academy coaches when they have time. So DCU relies on the best kids rising to the top teams and recommendations from those coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a DCU scout at many of my son's U13 MLS Next matches last season, especially during the fall. Because DCU Academy doesn't start until U14, this is an easy way for them to scout many of the region's best players. I also heard they have invited a fair number of 2011s into the academy. I know of two, at least.

So they only scout little kid mlsnext matches? Quite a waste. A lot of those doors are political and early growers/puberty.

There is a huge region of players and they miss out on serious future talent with their stupid limitations.

I'm sure they miss out on some talent. But the MLS Next and ECNL clubs do end up with most of the best players - and for the most part it's not because they are early growers.

[Anonymous]

Partly. You lose out on the chance of an admissions boost to a top school if you won’t be able to play there. Also, you’ll hear talk on here and other forums about how hard/impossible it is for US boys to get any significant athletic scholarship money for soccer. But many kids do every year, including most of the former college players playing in MLS now.

It is getting harder and harder to get roster spots on good D1 teams. Many of the top teams are now recruiting 20+ year olds out of European academies who didn;t get a professional contract.

Money is also quite hard for freshmen to get. A lot, although not all, of D1 teams reserve money for kids they know will start - and 9.9 scholarships spread between 30 players doesn't leave much for a freshman who's not sure of a starting spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Partly. You lose out on the chance of an admissions boost to a top school if you won’t be able to play there. Also, you’ll hear talk on here and other forums about how hard/impossible it is for US boys to get any significant athletic scholarship money for soccer. But many kids do every year, including most of the former college players playing in MLS now.

It is getting harder and harder to get roster spots on good D1 teams. Many of the top teams are now recruiting 20+ year olds out of European academies who didn;t get a professional contract.

Money is also quite hard for freshmen to get. A lot, although not all, of D1 teams reserve money for kids they know will start - and 9.9 scholarships spread between 30 players doesn't leave much for a freshman who's not sure of a starting spot.

Agree it’s not easy to do and that it’s getting harder. But all the top domestic recruits I know got enough money as freshmen to make the schools offer worthwhile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Partly. You lose out on the chance of an admissions boost to a top school if you won’t be able to play there. Also, you’ll hear talk on here and other forums about how hard/impossible it is for US boys to get any significant athletic scholarship money for soccer. But many kids do every year, including most of the former college players playing in MLS now.

It is getting harder and harder to get roster spots on good D1 teams. Many of the top teams are now recruiting 20+ year olds out of European academies who didn;t get a professional contract.

Money is also quite hard for freshmen to get. A lot, although not all, of D1 teams reserve money for kids they know will start - and 9.9 scholarships spread between 30 players doesn't leave much for a freshman who's not sure of a starting spot.

Agree it’s not easy to do and that it’s getting harder. But all the top domestic recruits I know got enough money as freshmen to make the schools offer worthwhile.

I don’t know who you know, but for the boys I know (DC area) who were at DCU and top players for non-MLS Academy MLS Next/ECNL clubs, it’s a struggle just to get a roster spot at a D1 school. The top 3-4 players who are from an MLS academy, and likely have some YNT pedigree, might be an exception, but even for the bulk of MLS Academy kids I know, D1 is not a lock and most have to earn their way up the roster over their first couple of years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Partly. You lose out on the chance of an admissions boost to a top school if you won’t be able to play there. Also, you’ll hear talk on here and other forums about how hard/impossible it is for US boys to get any significant athletic scholarship money for soccer. But many kids do every year, including most of the former college players playing in MLS now.

It is getting harder and harder to get roster spots on good D1 teams. Many of the top teams are now recruiting 20+ year olds out of European academies who didn;t get a professional contract.

Money is also quite hard for freshmen to get. A lot, although not all, of D1 teams reserve money for kids they know will start - and 9.9 scholarships spread between 30 players doesn't leave much for a freshman who's not sure of a starting spot.

Agree it’s not easy to do and that it’s getting harder. But all the top domestic recruits I know got enough money as freshmen to make the schools offer worthwhile.

I don’t know who you know, but for the boys I know (DC area) who were at DCU and top players for non-MLS Academy MLS Next/ECNL clubs, it’s a struggle just to get a roster spot at a D1 school. The top 3-4 players who are from an MLS academy, and likely have some YNT pedigree, might be an exception, but even for the bulk of MLS Academy kids I know, D1 is not a lock and most have to earn their way up the roster over their first couple of years.

Would that be because the other D1 kids are players trained at academies abroad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Partly. You lose out on the chance of an admissions boost to a top school if you won’t be able to play there. Also, you’ll hear talk on here and other forums about how hard/impossible it is for US boys to get any significant athletic scholarship money for soccer. But many kids do every year, including most of the former college players playing in MLS now.

It is getting harder and harder to get roster spots on good D1 teams. Many of the top teams are now recruiting 20+ year olds out of European academies who didn;t get a professional contract.

Money is also quite hard for freshmen to get. A lot, although not all, of D1 teams reserve money for kids they know will start - and 9.9 scholarships spread between 30 players doesn't leave much for a freshman who's not sure of a starting spot.

Agree it’s not easy to do and that it’s getting harder. But all the top domestic recruits I know got enough money as freshmen to make the schools offer worthwhile.

I don’t know who you know, but for the boys I know (DC area) who were at DCU and top players for non-MLS Academy MLS Next/ECNL clubs, it’s a struggle just to get a roster spot at a D1 school. The top 3-4 players who are from an MLS academy, and likely have some YNT pedigree, might be an exception, but even for the bulk of MLS Academy kids I know, D1 is not a lock and most have to earn their way up the roster over their first couple of years.

I pretty much agree with this, although I think that some schools are a lot easier than others. Unsurprisingly everyone wants to go to the same schools - and they are the ones where it is hardest to get a spot. Not too difficult to get a spot at a non-academic school in the middle of nowhere though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Partly. You lose out on the chance of an admissions boost to a top school if you won’t be able to play there. Also, you’ll hear talk on here and other forums about how hard/impossible it is for US boys to get any significant athletic scholarship money for soccer. But many kids do every year, including most of the former college players playing in MLS now.

It is getting harder and harder to get roster spots on good D1 teams. Many of the top teams are now recruiting 20+ year olds out of European academies who didn;t get a professional contract.

Money is also quite hard for freshmen to get. A lot, although not all, of D1 teams reserve money for kids they know will start - and 9.9 scholarships spread between 30 players doesn't leave much for a freshman who's not sure of a starting spot.

Agree it’s not easy to do and that it’s getting harder. But all the top domestic recruits I know got enough money as freshmen to make the schools offer worthwhile.

I don’t know who you know, but for the boys I know (DC area) who were at DCU and top players for non-MLS Academy MLS Next/ECNL clubs, it’s a struggle just to get a roster spot at a D1 school. The top 3-4 players who are from an MLS academy, and likely have some YNT pedigree, might be an exception, but even for the bulk of MLS Academy kids I know, D1 is not a lock and most have to earn their way up the roster over their first couple of years.

Would that be because the other D1 kids are players trained at academies abroad?

Yeah, exactly. For instance, my son was at a D1 ID camp recently where the school’s players were training and at times mixing in with the ID camp kids. He said all of the guys in the starting group had accents, while the 3rd stringers were all domestic freshmen and sophomores. He said it was frustrating, but also completely understandable based on the quality of the play - in his view, there was a pretty big gap between 3rd string and 1st string when he played with/against them.

[Anonymous]

So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

I think you're mixing cause and effect. This is a symptom, not a cause, of underperformance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

I think you're mixing cause and effect. This is a symptom, not a cause, of underperformance.

I think you're downplaying a serious problem with one of the primary "feeder" systems into the USMNT. As in every other sport, NCAA collegiate athletics is an important step in the development of professional-quality sportsmen. Sure, there is a path to professional soccer that does not run through college (as is the case for baseball and other sports) but NCAA athletics is still a major pathway.

Stuffing "American" universities full of European soccer players for short-term gains eliminates those advanced development opportunities for American 18 year-olds and reduces the chances of the USA strengthening its own talent. It's not a "symptom" of anything but shortsightedness and selfishness on behalf of these "American" universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

I think you're mixing cause and effect. This is a symptom, not a cause, of underperformance.

I think you're downplaying a serious problem with one of the primary "feeder" systems into the USMNT. As in every other sport, NCAA collegiate athletics is an important step in the development of professional-quality sportsmen. Sure, there is a path to professional soccer that does not run through college (as is the case for baseball and other sports) but NCAA athletics is still a major pathway.

Stuffing "American" universities full of European soccer players for short-term gains eliminates those advanced development opportunities for American 18 year-olds and reduces the chances of the USA strengthening its own talent. It's not a "symptom" of anything but shortsightedness and selfishness on behalf of these "American" universities.

Honestly, I'm OK with this. Strengthening US talent means improving development prior to college. If American universities are taking foreign students, they're coming from training that is better. The US should emulate that youth development training. No one believes their kid is getting better development in college to be competitive for a pro career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

I think you're mixing cause and effect. This is a symptom, not a cause, of underperformance.

I think you're downplaying a serious problem with one of the primary "feeder" systems into the USMNT. As in every other sport, NCAA collegiate athletics is an important step in the development of professional-quality sportsmen. Sure, there is a path to professional soccer that does not run through college (as is the case for baseball and other sports) but NCAA athletics is still a major pathway.

Stuffing "American" universities full of European soccer players for short-term gains eliminates those advanced development opportunities for American 18 year-olds and reduces the chances of the USA strengthening its own talent. It's not a "symptom" of anything but shortsightedness and selfishness on behalf of these "American" universities.

NCAA athletics has not been a major path to the USMNT for years and years. Now it’s not even a minor path. There are a few guys who will make it to MLS or similar level leagues from college each year, but virtually none of them will end up on the national team (though a few may end up on the national team of a country that’s not remotely competitive internationally). I’m a fan of college athletics for a lot of reasons, but don’t see how anyone thinks it’s a viable path for developing high-level male pros anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

I think you're mixing cause and effect. This is a symptom, not a cause, of underperformance.

I think you're downplaying a serious problem with one of the primary "feeder" systems into the USMNT. As in every other sport, NCAA collegiate athletics is an important step in the development of professional-quality sportsmen. Sure, there is a path to professional soccer that does not run through college (as is the case for baseball and other sports) but NCAA athletics is still a major pathway.

Stuffing "American" universities full of European soccer players for short-term gains eliminates those advanced development opportunities for American 18 year-olds and reduces the chances of the USA strengthening its own talent. It's not a "symptom" of anything but shortsightedness and selfishness on behalf of these "American" universities.

NCAA athletics has not been a major path to the USMNT for years and years. Now it’s not even a minor path. There are a few guys who will make it to MLS or similar level leagues from college each year, but virtually none of them will end up on the national team (though a few may end up on the national team of a country that’s not remotely competitive internationally). I’m a fan of college athletics for a lot of reasons, but don’t see how anyone thinks it’s a viable path for developing high-level male pros anymore.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So American universities are recruiting soccer players from Europe to play on their college teams?

And people wonder why the USA woefully underperforms in soccer — both in its subpar MLS league and on the international stage.

300M+ people in the USA and yet “our” universities are importing soccer players from other countries.

Sad.

I think you're mixing cause and effect. This is a symptom, not a cause, of underperformance.

I think you're downplaying a serious problem with one of the primary "feeder" systems into the USMNT. As in every other sport, NCAA collegiate athletics is an important step in the development of professional-quality sportsmen. Sure, there is a path to professional soccer that does not run through college (as is the case for baseball and other sports) but NCAA athletics is still a major pathway.

Stuffing "American" universities full of European soccer players for short-term gains eliminates those advanced development opportunities for American 18 year-olds and reduces the chances of the USA strengthening its own talent. It's not a "symptom" of anything but shortsightedness and selfishness on behalf of these "American" universities.

Look college soccer both men’s and women’s is not a developmental path way. It is an end goal for travel soccer. The amount of playing time, level of competition, practice time, coaching, skill level, etc in college soccer is way below what you would find in a professional club’s second team or academy. The lack of technical skill is particularly glaring.

The coaching is 15-30 years behind what is going on at the top of the soccer world because there is no pressure to change. As a college coach you can go 10 years with no NCAA appearances and a break even or losing record. No one cares about college soccer- the colleges and universities presidents, major alumni, student body, general public, etc. Go to some games you will see it.

If college soccer was similar to the professional ranks, 90-95% of the players would be cut with the goal of offering a contract to 25% of those who are left.