Top boys teams in or near MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achilles may be another option.

Achilles practices in NW DC and silver spring tho.

Wouldn't that fit the definition of "in or near Montgomery County"?

+1. Achilles" DC practice is at SJC. It is literally right on the DC/MoCo line.

That may not be the atmosphere "new to the state"is looking for.

Why? What am I missing?

-- OP

Google Achilles, Sal in the archives and get your popcorn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone said "it's on the DC Silver Spring border tho". Implying that wasn't what I might want.

So, I asked why that wouldn't count as "in or close to MoCo".

Someone said "Yes it's close to MoCo but not what someone new to the state might want." and then linked this which doesn't say anything about his interactions with players.

I'm just not following.

Yes. I was referring to his reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone said "it's on the DC Silver Spring border tho". Implying that wasn't what I might want.

So, I asked why that wouldn't count as "in or close to MoCo".

Someone said "Yes it's close to MoCo but not what someone new to the state might want." and then linked this which doesn't say anything about his interactions with players.

I'm just not following.

Yes. I was referring to his reputation.

What does that have to do with being new to the state?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

[Anonymous]

Where does DCU practice? What is their schedule like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

Thank you for that context. I had no idea although Ive always wondered why BSC and Achilles never posts about their kids that go to DCU academy. Would you still say that BSC, Achilles, Armour, etc. has good a chance of developing players to get into pro youth academies or clubs abroad without going through an MLS academy? Wouldn’t an MLS Academy have more connections and name recognition? I guess if a kid an option to go to DCU academy or stay with their club and the end goal was to go pro, what should they decide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

Thank you for that context. I had no idea although Ive always wondered why BSC and Achilles never posts about their kids that go to DCU academy. Would you still say that BSC, Achilles, Armour, etc. has good a chance of developing players to get into pro youth academies or clubs abroad without going through an MLS academy? Wouldn’t an MLS Academy have more connections and name recognition? I guess if a kid an option to go to DCU academy or stay with their club and the end goal was to go pro, what should they decide?

There’s a thread going on the best MLS academies. Others will have different opinions, but mine is that in a perfect world, you’d want your talented kid with pro ambitions at Philadelphia Union. If moving him is not the cards, then DC United is ideally where you want to be by HS age. That being said, BSC has produced several pros, lots of D1 and tons of D3 players, and some other local clubs have had decent success too. Much of the good college placements has more to do with the players’ families and access to great local trainers than anything the clubs are doing though. Whatever else you do, make sure your kid works hard in school so he has options down the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

Thank you for that context. I had no idea although Ive always wondered why BSC and Achilles never posts about their kids that go to DCU academy. Would you still say that BSC, Achilles, Armour, etc. has good a chance of developing players to get into pro youth academies or clubs abroad without going through an MLS academy? Wouldn’t an MLS Academy have more connections and name recognition? I guess if a kid an option to go to DCU academy or stay with their club and the end goal was to go pro, what should they decide?

There’s a thread going on the best MLS academies. Others will have different opinions, but mine is that in a perfect world, you’d want your talented kid with pro ambitions at Philadelphia Union. If moving him is not the cards, then DC United is ideally where you want to be by HS age. That being said, BSC has produced several pros, lots of D1 and tons of D3 players, and some other local clubs have had decent success too. Much of the good college placements has more to do with the players’ families and access to great local trainers than anything the clubs are doing though. Whatever else you do, make sure your kid works hard in school so he has options down the road.

With training compensation now being requested by MLS clubs, I imagine there are kids who are trying to get to Europe or abroad without having to go through an MLS academy. Seems to be best scenario is to have dual citizenship - hopefully European or South American, go to a youth academy abroad by high school. Either try to go pro abroad or have an advantage for college recruitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

Bingo. This is what I was saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

Thank you for that context. I had no idea although Ive always wondered why BSC and Achilles never posts about their kids that go to DCU academy. Would you still say that BSC, Achilles, Armour, etc. has good a chance of developing players to get into pro youth academies or clubs abroad without going through an MLS academy? Wouldn’t an MLS Academy have more connections and name recognition? I guess if a kid an option to go to DCU academy or stay with their club and the end goal was to go pro, what should they decide?

There’s a thread going on the best MLS academies. Others will have different opinions, but mine is that in a perfect world, you’d want your talented kid with pro ambitions at Philadelphia Union. If moving him is not the cards, then DC United is ideally where you want to be by HS age. That being said, BSC has produced several pros, lots of D1 and tons of D3 players, and some other local clubs have had decent success too. Much of the good college placements has more to do with the players’ families and access to great local trainers than anything the clubs are doing though. Whatever else you do, make sure your kid works hard in school so he has options down the road.

With training compensation now being requested by MLS clubs, I imagine there are kids who are trying to get to Europe or abroad without having to go through an MLS academy. Seems to be best scenario is to have dual citizenship - hopefully European or South American, go to a youth academy abroad by high school. Either try to go pro abroad or have an advantage for college recruitment.

What is payment compensation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

Thank you for that context. I had no idea although Ive always wondered why BSC and Achilles never posts about their kids that go to DCU academy. Would you still say that BSC, Achilles, Armour, etc. has good a chance of developing players to get into pro youth academies or clubs abroad without going through an MLS academy? Wouldn’t an MLS Academy have more connections and name recognition? I guess if a kid an option to go to DCU academy or stay with their club and the end goal was to go pro, what should they decide?

There’s a thread going on the best MLS academies. Others will have different opinions, but mine is that in a perfect world, you’d want your talented kid with pro ambitions at Philadelphia Union. If moving him is not the cards, then DC United is ideally where you want to be by HS age. That being said, BSC has produced several pros, lots of D1 and tons of D3 players, and some other local clubs have had decent success too. Much of the good college placements has more to do with the players’ families and access to great local trainers than anything the clubs are doing though. Whatever else you do, make sure your kid works hard in school so he has options down the road.

With training compensation now being requested by MLS clubs, I imagine there are kids who are trying to get to Europe or abroad without having to go through an MLS academy. Seems to be best scenario is to have dual citizenship - hopefully European or South American, go to a youth academy abroad by high school. Either try to go pro abroad or have an advantage for college recruitment.

What is payment compensation?

When a player signs a pro contract with a club governed by a different football association (that is, a club in a different country), per FIFA rules, that club has to pay the player’s club from 12-23, training compensation for each year they were at that club.

The US only started complying with this in 2019 I think, and it is only allowing MLS academies to claim it. So for example, if someone was at BSC from 12–14, then at DCU academy for one year, only DCU will get any training compensation for the one year the player was at their academy.

Here is a primer from the MLS players association who are very against it:

https://mlsplayers.org/news/training-compensation-and-solidarity-payments?action=mailchimpSubscribe%2Flist%2Fsubscribe&redirect=newsletter%2Freceipt&email=cristina.vonspiegelfeld%40gmail.com

[Anonymous]

You can tell I know nothing about soccer development but how can DCU (or any other club) screw up development of the most talented kids in the area? Like exactly what are they doing or not doing to mess things up?

Also, is some of the failure to develop the responsibility of the player and parents? Ideally, a club, especially a MLS youth academy, provides all the training and guidance needed for a players soccer goals - whether college. But if they’re not, isn’t it the player and their parents who should be making sure the player is progressing, and are supplementing the training as necessary?

I’m assuming players and the parents take note and eventually move elsewhere? And by that logic, there would be regular open spots at all ages at DCU academy?

[Anonymous]

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Can someone tell me about DC United? I'm not saying my kid would play for them, just curious what "lost some players to DC United" means.

DC United's MLS Next teams start at U14. So when they started up their U14 team from scratch last year, they took many of the best players from other teams in the area.
Three players from PPA, two or three from Bethesda, a few from Pipeline, etc.

When you say they "took" someone, does DCU recruit, or do those kids chose to try out?

They scout, recruit, and make offers through the coaches/directors of the various clubs.

So would it be fair to say that the best players at each age group at the major clubs (or at least the clubs that have regularly sent kids to DCU) are already known to DCU maybe bc the club or coach have told them about these kids?

Is this something that a parent can ask a coach? Eg, is my kid good enough to be considered by DCU?

The club does not tell them about good players and they do not want DCU taking their best players. They compete against each other in mlsnext.

That doesn’t make sense. Isn’t one of the selling point of these big clubs is that they have track record of developing kids to be good enough to go to DCU academy or to get on a pro track?

Are you saying the club is actively sabotaging a kids chance of being scouted by DC United, for example, by saying a kid is not good, because they want to make sure the player doesn’t leave the club?

I mean that just sounds like the club didn’t think the kid was that good and DCU agreed, and then the parents thinking something nefarious happened as opposed to accepting their kid wasn’t good enough. That parent would probably pull the kid out of the club and find some other club.

DP. The dynamic in the DC area is different than in most areas with MLS teams. With few if any other exceptions, the MLS team’s MLSNext program will be at the top of the pyramid, all the best players will seek to make their teams, and non-pro clubs will indeed brag about their success in developing players who make it to the top team.

DC for many years had the worst (or maybe second worse after MN United) youth program. It was one of two that was not free for players, and the stinginess of the DC United owners meant there was constant turnover in the coaching ranks as coaches left for better salaries and more serious development programs elsewhere. During those years, BSC and Baltimore Armour often had stronger teams than DCU in some age groups, as did some non-DA clubs.

DCU finally seems to be getting its act more together the last few years, and it’s finally free. But there’s no love lost among their MLS program leadership and that of several other local clubs, and I can guarantee that BSC leadership and Sal would tell you that BSC and Achilles, respectively, do a better job developing players than DCU (not saying that’s true, just explaining the dynamic).

The scenario you mentioned about sabotaging a player by talking him down to DC United wouldn’t happen. The clubs that don’t like DCU wouldn’t be in touch with them, and DCU can figure out a kid’s level with no help from their former club. But BSC and others are extremely unhappy when any of their top players leave.

So I guess if your DS is at one of those clubs that don't like DCU, if you want your kid scouted, to reach out directly to them to get your kid on their radar screen? In other words, don't rely on the club - or any club - to advocate for your player.