Empowering Female Soccer Players to try go Pro ver.2018-2019
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Anonymous
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Instead of the usual topic, I'd like to discuss opportunities and empowering talented female players trying to go pro. In the last few years, some recent pro players did go the college route and instead went pro in US or abroad.
I'd like my DD to beat the odds. I'd like to hear about the obstacles and thoughts to overcome them. Not interested in the low salaries discussion, that's irrelevant to this thread. Not interested in finding talent in atypical places for USWNT, that's a different thread. Not interested in value propositions and ROI, again not this thread... get my drift? This thread is about opportunities, challenges and empowering females who are in the SIC system. As a thought, I would hope that the USSF development pyramid starts to works as they intend (without the politics) and the NWSL related DAs starts to find a way to attract THE top talent and afford willing and committed player opportunities outside of pay to play. Is anyone aware of discussion on the potential viability? Does it really come down to tickets, hot dogs, and beer/soda sales? or is something like USSF discussing grant like opportunities to NWSL GDA teams? Is USSF going to really start to turn the pegs on scouting for YNTs? to centralize top talent? I also think the mentality of female players may not be in tune with potential professional careers like boys. Maybe a few are, but i'd guess when a female kindergartner says they want to play soccer when they want to grow up (as a career) and age 13, that changes and they aren't thinking that anymore. if they are good enough, is it our culture, our schooling? AND they are good enough potential-wise.. how do we re-light that potential inside. How do we get the best players together to minimize dilution with the best training that are all dreaming and working towards being a pro? not just D1 This thread should be looking to help females meet the challenge, not tell us they aren't good enough and the chances are slim to none... so that they should move on. |
Anonymous
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https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/nwsl-womens-soccer-retirements-uswnt-121516
The players with the highest chances of success are those who are on the U20 women's national team and are make it to the U23 national team and then make the full WNT. So like Mallory Pugh, Rose Lavelle, etc. Unfortunately now we're talking about only 1-2 players out of an entire age group nationally every year. Those players will be taken care of. Outside of that, of all the draft picks each year, only picks #1-#5 (out of the whole draft) tend to stay in the league long term. The next best option is to try and get a homegrown contract through an NWSL team. That's where you are part of the youth programs and then you get signed to the pro team. Washington Spirit for example, you basically have to be a youth national team level player to get those opportunities even to train with the professional team. So it comes down to this - if you're not a youth national team caliber player to begin with, it's very hard to make it to the professional level here in the US. Even if you are a YNT caliber player, every other player in your age group is also pushing towards the same goal, so only the exceptional few players will be selected for the professional ranks. Female players who were U20 / U23 national team players have regularly come into NWSL and been waived or released. Some of them go to places like Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Australia, or other places to play for a few years. http://washingtonspirit.com/tag/crystal-thomas/ https://guhoyas.com/news/2017/6/27/Crystal_Thomas_Signs_to_Play_Professional_Soccer_in_Norway.aspx If you're not already in the pipeline to be part of the full NT, Be prepared to go overseas for your opportunities. From there, you just have to keep getting better day in and day out and then if you want to return to the US when you have more experience, you can do that. Or you can stay overseas. If you're still trying to make it, you definitely need to have some type of other skills. Most schools have online programs these days, or at least work towards an associate's degree so you can attend the school of your choice later on. |
Anonymous
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Honestly, here in the US, playing in college is the best route if you're not on the fast track to being a professional player. During your 4 years, go to the best soccer school possible, and do as much training on your own or outside of the school setting as you can.
Then after your 4 years, go try out the professional ranks. Now you have a college degree and a support system, and can always go to graduate school if you choose, plus a 22 year old is ready to make more decisions independently than a 19 year old is. |
Anonymous
Anonymous
| NWSL is facing the same problem that MLS did before they started producing homegrown players |
Anonymous
If you want to be a pro soccer player, college is a waste of time. This is what DA is about. It’s not really for the player who wants to go to college. Can we stop with the empowerment talk? Pro women soccer is not about empowering women. It’s a very hard and extremely competitive environment. Anyone who has the skill drive and athleticism to play a pro sport is already empowered. |
Anonymous
| By empowerment I meant keeping the pro dream aspiration alive through things like the DA and not shitting on the dream by whinging about the sad realities of odds, salaries, win driven clubs and toxic parents. |
Anonymous
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Has anyone heard about the opportunities via FC Bordeaux? Apparently a U19 player here playing for them is actually being recruited to their D1 team in France. First serious opportunity *by design*. This is a quote from another thread I found and am copying:
"Girondins de Bordeaux. They have a serious relationship which is linked to a Division I club in France with a strong womens team. They actually sent a player from their U-19 team to practice with the professional women's team in France. https://www.fcgirondinsdebordeauxusa.com/. I am not affiliated with them but did take my DD for a tryout. The U19 team is the real deal but the younger teams are not as strong bu these guys know how to develop. Worth a look. https://www.fcgirondinsdebordeauxusa.com/" |
Anonymous
+1. I'm interested in learning about pathways for my DD's sake, not having people try to step on her for wanting to try. |
Anonymous
| The only reason that u19 player was signed is because she's inexpendive and therefore low risk. If they wanted a player who could contribute right away there are hundreds of other established players out there in europe. It's also possible they are paying lip service to this US partnership which honestly they don't really need. |
Anonymous
| Actually, correction, did she even sign a contract? Or is this just one of those training freebies |
Anonymous
| Training freebies happen all the time, spirit does it come a DC United does it, how often does it actually result in anything? The players they already having mind are the ones that end up signing a contract |
Anonymous
Why would a European club not need US Women Soccer players? Is there a larger women's/girls soccer player pool that I'm not aware of? |
Anonymous
https://www.soccerwire.com/notes/girondins-usa-player-dani-fuentes-called-to-bordeaux-first-team-in-france/ My understanding is she is under consideration for their pro team. As a general comment, i'm surprised at some of the cynicism of some of these posts. This thread is about pro opportunities for USA players. Certainly this is one of them. Spirit is not offering contracts to any its academy players, so until that starts happening, even Spirit players need to look elsewhere for a pro team option. |
Anonymous
The French women are a rising power in soccer. They beat the US 3-0. A chance to train for free is a great opportunity. I'm not saying training with Spirit isn't by the way. Both are great. Plus, this is a tryout. She is a great player and could always make the team. |