Thanks for the info. That's disappointing. I've heard good things about RAMP and Pablo but I'm not totally surprised to hear it's mostly just a marketing/"synergy" ploy on behalf of SYC. In that case, Alexandria could offer a real, and integrated, sports performance program to set themselves apart from SYC, since they have the same player pool. |
Thanks for the additional info. Good stuff. That last sentence seems unnecessary. |
Have not seen any yet |
Dang, I did miss your point...I agree with you now! |
RAMP is a joke. Another one of SYC's gimmick. Pablo came out to our first practice to do agility testing. We were STRONGLY encouraged to sign up for 1 week RAMP training which of course was extra cost. |
Thanks for chiming in, coach |
| GA offers were handed out before ID sessions. Same goes with their MLS Next offers. |
SYC? Why would you make offers before ID sessions? Seems like a lot going on behind the scenes. |
It's pretty standard practice for clubs to prioritize current players who have consistently performed throughout the year when making offers. These players have already proven themselves and bring a level of reliability to the team. It's a smart strategy to secure their top talent, but it also minimizes the chance of losing them to other clubs that will be more than happy to pick them up. While it's true that a new player could show up at an ID session and potentially impress, the chances of them outshining top-performing, long-term players are slim. Clubs also face the challenge of building team cohesion and continuity, which is often smoother with players who are already integrated into the system. |
This approach might work for established players, but for new players, it’s a frustrating and inefficient process. It wastes time when they could be given a fair shot instead of being overlooked in favor of those already in the system. |
| It's SYC they have bags full of tricks. |
| They are trying to make money. They don't care about giving random kids a fair shake.. |
Clubs want to lock in strong players before they have a chance to accept offers from other clubs. The ID session is to fill gaps in the roster when players decide to switch clubs. I would also argue that an ID session is more fair than a cattle call tryout with 60 kids trying to fill 2-3 spots. |
It applies to long time players too. Equally frustrating to see new players get opportunities that long timer players grinding away hoping for that support or short which just goes to new additions. See other posts |
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The best time to make team is in the middle of the fall season, when coaches are searching for one more player when there are none available.
Just e-mail the club you want to go to and say you just transferred here from Brazil and you wonder if you kid could come out to join a few team practices as you'll be scouting around for clubs. (Yes this happened at or old club. In reality, the kid only attended 1 5-day Brazilian training camp while on vacation in Brazil on their move to NoVa from North Carolina. Parents know how to use that to their advantage.) The coach was already convinced they needed this kid and he didn't even have to rock the boat to get her. They made an offer just after 1 practice session. |