Girls' Academy has also been approved to become a U.S. Soccer member!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The problem with sites like DCUM is that for whatever reason it attracts girls parents and most never played a sport at a high level.

For girls, parents get exposed to pay to play and ECNL and ultimately College development styles. What they don't understand is this style of development does not create the best possible players. However it does generate the most amount of money for clubs.

Boys have MLS Next and the Academy system of development. In general it's a pale reflection of what European Acadamies implement but even that is better than pay to play. Girls players and parents generally have no concept of why you want to play up, or why clubs might pay transfer fees for potential new talent.

Very few girls are interested either in a pathway to the pros or being the best possible players. What they are interested in is playing in college. p4 if they can do it and down from there. A large percentage of girls are looking for strong academic colleges where soccer can help them get into places that are tough to get into. You are trying to create a product that few will buy.

I love how you know exactly what girls want.

Ridiculous....

Hilarious I agree. Watch what happens when NWSL implements Acadamies. The same idiot club hoppers that beg to be on whatever girls ECNL team is hot at the moment will do the same thing and beg to be on whatever NWSLN team is hot.

You laugh at someone who says most girls don’t want to go pro yet here you are making similar assumptions.

Girls may choose to play in a NWSL academy but many will do so as a pathway that still allows the choice of going to college. There are more college roster spots than pro.

What’s hilarious is that kids think because they are in MLSNext that they will go pro. If your kid is still on SYC at 15 and not on DC United, it ain’t happening.

What you don't understand is that if players play on a youth academy team in MLS Next or NWSL Next when it becomes available they're still considered amateur.

What this means is MLS Next / NWSL Next players can choose to play professionally or in college.

This is why all the boys want to play for MLSN teams.

I understand that perfectly well but there are only 14 NWSL teams to even play for. Playing pro just won’t be an option for most anyways.

How is the number of professional opportunities relevant when you can always choose to play in College as a backup plan?

Because you’re trying to sell a pro pathway when very little of one actually exists.

Hmm...
Not really sure what you're trying to say.

With MLSN you have the ability to play professionally or in college.

With Boys ECNL you have the ability to play in college.

Which option sounds better to you?

Of the options that actually exist now and in the near future? ECNL is the best option for girls. If the market shifts, then players will shift with the market. There will be know loyalty for getting ahead. In fact, if NWSL does what you have proposed it would be an open cattle call to a Spirit Academy anyways. So you might as well play at the highest level possible until your dream scenario happens a decade sooner than it will.

That said:
With MLSN you have the ability to play professionally or in college.

The only ability to play professionally in MLSN is if you are on DC United. EVERYONE else in non-MLS clubs are all looking to play college.

With Boys ECNL you have the ability to play in college.
Literally the same opportunity for college as every non-MLS Academy MLSN player has. Neither ECNL Boys or MLYSN like SYC are not on a pathway to pro.

I LOVE how you're applying the girls knowledge you've acquired and are now such an authority that you feel it applies to boys/mens high level soccer. However sorry, it's not how mens Soccer works.

The biggest difference is that college coaches can recruit from anywhere in the world including foreign Academies. What this means is that it's much harder for boys to get noticed by college coaches.

Imagine if you're a college coach and you have a choice between a 24 year old Liverpool FC or PSG Acadamy washout and an 18 year old from an ECNL club. Which one would you choose? This is going on at all the big D1 teams. You don't see this as much on the womens side because foreign Acadamies for women haven't matured enough that they're on that level. But, it's coming.

Here's what the top Mens college coaches prioritize.

1. Foreign high level Academy players
2. MLS Academy players
3. MLS Non Academy players
4. ECNL and Everyone else

The other thing you don't understand about MLS next is that it's not an US vs Them mentality. MLSN is more like all the MLSN clubs in a certain geography are feeders for the main MLS Academy. What this means is that even if you're not playing on the MLSN Academy team it's very likely that you'll be given an opportunity to practice with the team to see how you fit. MLSN Academies do look at other leagues for talent as well but you're just more likely to get noticed playing in a non MLSN Academy.

Does any of this make sense?

See how different things are when a "pro Pathway" is introduced to youth sports?

You forgot to mention that MLSN doesn't care about age.

Sure, there are age defined levels but the overall goal is to get players playing at a professional level so they can play on an MLS team via the homegrown rule (which means the club can pay them whatever they want, and it doesn't count against their salary cap) or to a high enough level that they can be traded off for a transfer fee.

This is something girls parents just don't understand. It's also why you don't see boys parents raging against each other online about how much better or worse their kids team is. It doesn't matter when the top players just get sucked up by the local MLSN Academy team.

Again, if your kid is actually playing for DC United I completely agree, but for those kids playing on SYC's or Bethesda's MLS Next teams there is no real shot at playing professionally. None, zero. They are playing to hopefully get recruited in college just like their ECNL counterparts. College roster competition is stiffer because there are far fewer men's college soccer programs than on the women's side and the international aspect is more prevalent on the men's side than the women's side. That said, women internationals is growing significantly but the far larger number of women's programs offset that a bit for now.

Everyone can see that you're trying to disparage MLSN in favor of ECNL.

Unfortunately for you boys/mens soccer doesn't care. MLSN is the top league.

I'm not trying to disparage anything. yes, MLSN is the top but because of the 29 MLS Clubs. The rest of the clubs, in our area, are just clubs.

Kids on DC United at worst will be able to play in college but those at a SYC or a Bethesda? The recruitment is much harder and not much easier than ECNL. The men's side is just a different beast for college.

Boys/Mens soccer isn't "different". I would argue that it's closer to the international norm than Girls/Women's soccer.

What throws a wrench into everything in America is College soccer. College soccer has a low standard to entry but all kinds of ridiculous drama and social games involved to play. If college soccer didn't exist ECNL wouldn't exist. (in its current form)

MLSN is trying to cut through all the nonsense and be more like the rest of the world when it comes to development. But it's hard because there's so many parents who are willing to throw money at clubs for playing time and development.

Regarding SYC and Bethesda, their teams aren't blocked out of the DC United. Their players will be asked to join DC United sessions to see how they work out. Again MLSN isn't an us vs them construct. It's more like a giant talent pool that MLS Acadamies pull from. They just happen to play games against each other. If you're stuck in the girls soccer mindset MLSN games are like showcases but the end goal is playing for DC United not a college team.

SYC kids aren’t on DC United because they aren’t good enough.

We do have college soccer in America so it is a consideration here. SYC is just a club and not a MLS academy. You’re either on an actual academy team or you’re playing club soccer in a league hoping to get recruited for college. It’s that simple.

Again boys are different than girls.

By 16 most girls are done growing.

With boys some might get a growth spurt at 16 and go from average player to top talent in their group.

With boys there's just a lot more variables involved.

Its obvious that you're trying to apply what you've observed with girls to boys but many things don't translate. Maybe it will make more sense for you when NWSL Acadamies start up and a "NWSL Next" style league is implemented to support them.

And your trying to apply MLS academy structure and success to NWSL.

You realize this is exactly what the rest of the world is doing and why Spain beat the USWNT in the last women's world cup.

That isn’t point I’m arguing against. I agree with that I just don’t see any meaningful NWSL academy system for a decade.

Sigh...

Guess we have to go full circle again.

https://equalizersoccer.com/2024/01/12/berman-speaks-of-future-of-nwsl-draft-updates-on-local-broadcasts-and-more/

"Berman also addressed the future of youth academies, a mechanism that helped spawn exponential growth for Major League Soccer in recent years. Currently, teams are free to sign youth players but there is no direct line to an NWSL through an academy. MLS, which is in many more cities than NWSL has a home-grown rule that allows clubs to retain players who come up through their youth system.

“It is one of the areas we really hope to make progress on in 2024 as we chart our strategic initiatives. There are a bunch of clubs that are very interested in figuring out the most strategic ways to build academies or invest in youth."

You can keep posting this but she says some very broad things. It isn’t an announcement of eminent plans just general statements of hopeful general goals. It is far from an announcement.

Her saying this at all the way she did is why I’m putting a decade on the rollout of a fully funded self sustaining NWSL league.

There are only 14 NWSL teams currently. That’s just not enough teams if it isn’t a fully funded and residential academy.

Doesn't need to be a "fully funded residential academy" just to start up.

This is not how MLS Next works.

Actual MLS academies are fully funded. The last thing we need is another tier of pay to play

Correct MLS Academies are fully funded but they are not residential. There are a few situations where players stay with host families but it's not like entire teams are doing this.

I'm pointing this out because you're trying to exaggerate how much needs to occur before NWSL implements Academies.

They are heading towards residential as a next phase. Local player pools are not enough for a true pro academy.

San Diego Surf tried doing that in the DA days and it failed. Barca Academy and a few other residential MLSN Clubs exist but they're pay to play. What I've seen work the most is top players stay with host families and the host families generally receive a small amount of $$$ in exchange. I've even heard of top youth teams doing this.

Philadelphia is residential. There are fees, but there are also scholarships if a kid is promising enough

And those that don't do residential need to provide some form of school because the demanding soccer schedule and public school simply don't mix. The decision to go to an academy is a big decision and one that is a major lifestyle change.

[Anonymous]

Tracker...

1. GA was Promoted by US Soccer
2. GA added Liverpool FC International Academy (CA)
3. GA added SYC
4. GA added Revolution
5. GA added Seattle Celtic
6. GA added Westside Metros FC
7. GA added Oregon Premier
8. GA added South Valley Surf
9. GA added KC Scott Gallagher
10. GA added Coppermine SC
11. GA added Cap City SC
12. GA added Columbus United SC

1. DPL added FC Sarasota
2. DPL added Georgia Impact
3. DPL added Inter Connecticut FC
4. DPL added San Antonio FC
5. DPL added Idaho Inferno
6. DPL added Augusta Arsenal
7. DPL added Wasatch SC
8. DPL added Dallas Hornets SC
9. DPL added 956 United
10. DPL added North Coast FC
11. DPL OPEN added Lanier Soccer Academy (Not sure what DPL Open is)
12. DPL added NEFC South
13. DPL added Western Washington Surf
14. DPL added San Antonio Athenian SC

1. ECNL added Colorado Rush
2. ECNL added Nationals
3. ECNL added Ukies
4. ECNL added South Shore Select

1. ECRL added Lonestar

[Anonymous]

Wow, GA and DPL are bringing on a lot of teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, GA and DPL are bringing on a lot of teams.

Is more better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, GA and DPL are bringing on a lot of teams.

Is more better?

For GA and DPL yes... $$$

Remains to be seen if GA/DPL can keep everyone interested while the same big clubs seem to always play in champions cup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, GA and DPL are bringing on a lot of teams.

Is more better?

For GA and DPL yes... $$$

Remains to be seen if GA/DPL can keep everyone interested while the same big clubs seem to always play in champions cup.

Next year in Champions Club will be a bunch of new clubs as 25% of the existing CC clubs are leaving or imploding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Remains to be seen if GA/DPL can keep everyone interested while the same big clubs seem to always play in champions cup.

A lot of the Champions Cup field has left the last couple years. There may be some opportunities for new/smaller clubs to break in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, GA and DPL are bringing on a lot of teams.

Usually adding too many teams weakens the pool of players and competition. We will see where this goes, but the best majority of the best teams are in ECNL. ECNL has a lot more clubs so that means it also has a lot of dud's too. In pure numbers ECNL has a lot more weak teams than GA.

[Anonymous]

Yeah... who cares, as long as your team can get to the champions/playoffs/finals week for your ABC league you will be fine and be seen by more than enough scouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah... who cares, as long as your team can get to the champions/playoffs/finals week for your ABC league you will be fine and be seen by more than enough scouts.

At any event, the only recruiter that matters is the one that's there to watch your kid.

I find it interesting when recruiters are watching u13 or u14 players/teams. Are there actually players reaching out to college coaches at u13? If yes what purpose does it serve?

[Anonymous]

Haven’t seen that enough to comment. National team scouts for USA and Mexico were certainly on Richmond fields for elite 8 games last summer for these youngest age groups. That is confirmed ✅

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tracker...

1. GA was Promoted by US Soccer
2. GA added Liverpool FC International Academy (CA)
3. GA added SYC
4. GA added Revolution
5. GA added Seattle Celtic
6. GA added Westside Metros FC
7. GA added Oregon Premier
8. GA added South Valley Surf
9. GA added KC Scott Gallagher
10. GA added Coppermine SC
11. GA added Cap City SC
12. GA added Columbus United SC

1. DPL added FC Sarasota
2. DPL added Georgia Impact
3. DPL added Inter Connecticut FC
4. DPL added San Antonio FC
5. DPL added Idaho Inferno
6. DPL added Augusta Arsenal
7. DPL added Wasatch SC
8. DPL added Dallas Hornets SC
9. DPL added 956 United
10. DPL added North Coast FC
11. DPL OPEN added Lanier Soccer Academy (Not sure what DPL Open is)
12. DPL added NEFC South
13. DPL added Western Washington Surf
14. DPL added San Antonio Athenian SC

1. ECNL added Colorado Rush
2. ECNL added Nationals
3. ECNL added Ukies
4. ECNL added South Shore Select

1. ECRL added Lonestar

This is like getting excited about another new Subway opening down the street.

[Anonymous]

Tracker...

1. GA was Promoted by US Soccer
2. GA added Liverpool FC International Academy (CA)
3. GA added SYC
4. GA added Revolution
5. GA added Seattle Celtic
6. GA added Westside Metros FC
7. GA added Oregon Premier
8. GA added South Valley Surf
9. GA added KC Scott Gallagher
10. GA added Coppermine SC
11. GA added Cap City SC
12. GA added Columbus United SC
13. GA added Bayside FC

1. DPL added FC Sarasota
2. DPL added Georgia Impact
3. DPL added Inter Connecticut FC
4. DPL added San Antonio FC
5. DPL added Idaho Inferno
6. DPL added Augusta Arsenal
7. DPL added Wasatch SC
8. DPL added Dallas Hornets SC
9. DPL added 956 United
10. DPL added North Coast FC
11. DPL added Lanier Soccer Academy
12. DPL added NEFC South
13. DPL added Western Washington Surf
14. DPL added San Antonio Athenian SC

1. ECNL added Colorado Rush
2. ECNL added Nationals
3. ECNL added Ukies
4. ECNL added South Shore Select

1. ECRL added Lonestar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This is like getting excited about another new Subway opening down the street.

I think about it more as there are a lot of clubs and players that have been overlooked.

[Anonymous]

Adding Bayside FC continues this narrative of this shadow war on the boys side. Bayside FC has MLS Next. None of the clubs that have switched to ECNL from GA have MLSN on the boys side and none of the clubs that have come into GA or DPL have any ECNL affiliation from the boys side, NL or RL.