DC United Academy

[Anonymous]

Anyone heard that they are expanding the Academy program back to the lower age groups?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone heard that they are expanding the Academy program back to the lower age groups?

I have not heard that. Have you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone heard that they are expanding the Academy program back to the lower age groups?

I have not heard that. It would have a big impact on ECNL clubs, especially VDA and Loudoun. It’s a good idea. People are way too harsh on the academy. They have consistently produced excellent talent and put top players in a position to go pro or play top D1. I am not saying it’s unique. But they have done an excellent job getting 16/17 year old talents into the system to see what they can do before they decide to dedicate themselves to other pursuits or solely college soccer. My kid has no chance of making their teams but would benefit indirectly from earlier dcu participation in developing other talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But they have done an excellent job getting 16/17 year old talents into the system to see what they can do before they decide to dedicate themselves to other pursuits or solely college soccer. My kid has no chance of making their teams but would benefit indirectly from earlier dcu participation in developing other talent.

With all due respect, what puts you in a position to judge the quality of the job hey have done. If your kid has no chance of making the team, I'm guessing you've never even see a practice, interacted with a coach, and perhaps not even seen a game? If so, I would suggest that your opinion isn't worth all that much compared to people who have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But they have done an excellent job getting 16/17 year old talents into the system to see what they can do before they decide to dedicate themselves to other pursuits or solely college soccer. My kid has no chance of making their teams but would benefit indirectly from earlier dcu participation in developing other talent.

With all due respect, what puts you in a position to judge the quality of the job hey have done. If your kid has no chance of making the team, I'm guessing you've never even see a practice, interacted with a coach, and perhaps not even seen a game? If so, I would suggest that your opinion isn't worth all that much compared to people who have.

It’s not worth any more than what others think, and probably less than those familiar with that program. That is why I qualified (or disqualified) my opinion. Please share if you have something more valuable than third rate epistemology to offer. We are all waiting with baited breath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But they have done an excellent job getting 16/17 year old talents into the system to see what they can do before they decide to dedicate themselves to other pursuits or solely college soccer. My kid has no chance of making their teams but would benefit indirectly from earlier dcu participation in developing other talent.

With all due respect, what puts you in a position to judge the quality of the job hey have done. If your kid has no chance of making the team, I'm guessing you've never even see a practice, interacted with a coach, and perhaps not even seen a game? If so, I would suggest that your opinion isn't worth all that much compared to people who have.

It’s not worth any more than what others think, and probably less than those familiar with that program. That is why I qualified (or disqualified) my opinion. Please share if you have something more valuable than third rate epistemology to offer. We are all waiting with baited breath.

I've shared my opinion before, as have others with actual knowledge. DC United fails to invest in its Academy, runs with a skeleton staff (most of whom leave before they can establish any consistent methodology), and doesn't provide facilities at the same level as most other MLS academies. It doesn't support its players academically while they are in high school, nor does it provide any assistance with college applications or scholarships. It only operates three age groups, one of which it can't even be bothered to pay a league entrance fee for, and has to beg for scrimmages from local ECNL teams.

You have only to watch the teams play to observe the tactical naivete of the players (a consequence of the revolving door for the coaching team), and the fact that they still manage to produce professional players at all is a testament to the depth of the talent pool in this area far more than to DC United's development. It is very telling both how many kids turn down offers from DC United to move to other MLS academies, and how quickly coaches move on to better paying jobs with more supportive environments elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

DC United has not developed a single player. VDA,Loudoun,Bethesda,Arlignton,HP Elite,Barca, PG Young Boys, PSA and others have developed players that DC acquired along the way. DC has done a terrible job fostering these kids and should feel ashamed.

[Anonymous]

DC is not adding lower age groups. They are fully funding their academy now so they have a financial incentive not to. They will continue to let other teams develop players, and take them when they are older.

Don't be surprised if DC drops the U15 age group in the next couple of years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is not adding lower age groups. They are fully funding their academy now so they have a financial incentive not to. They will continue to let other teams develop players, and take them when they are older.

Don't be surprised if DC drops the U15 age group in the next couple of years.

And yet they will still claim the right to huge transfer payments from other clubs should these players actually make it in spite of all the obstacles DC United throws in their path - even if those players never played a single day for DCU.

[Anonymous]

I was actually curious about that...Who does DCU Academy actually play against (in league games)? Only other MLS academies?

[Anonymous]

The academy doesn’t produce great players. They select great players. Players who were already on a path to somewhere.

Another worthless shiny object

[Anonymous]

We spoke to a former academy player who was at a local D1 University. His description of "online high school" while in the DC United Academy was appalling. He worked with a tutor who would do all his school work for him while he practiced...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We spoke to a former academy player who was at a local D1 University. His description of "online high school" while in the DC United Academy was appalling. He worked with a tutor who would do all his school work for him while he practiced...

Yeah. No f***ing way. My kid is at that level but also has a 4.3 at private HS Freshmen year in all honors and an AP. There is no way we are sacrificing strength of a University or education over soccer. Unless he was at the level of playing over in Europe (NOT). No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We spoke to a former academy player who was at a local D1 University. His description of "online high school" while in the DC United Academy was appalling. He worked with a tutor who would do all his school work for him while he practiced...

So is he now at UNC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We spoke to a former academy player who was at a local D1 University. His description of "online high school" while in the DC United Academy was appalling. He worked with a tutor who would do all his school work for him while he practiced...

Yeah. No f***ing way. My kid is at that level but also has a 4.3 at private HS Freshmen year in all honors and an AP. There is no way we are sacrificing strength of a University or education over soccer. Unless he was at the level of playing over in Europe (NOT). No way.

Well - to be fair - your kid can attend regular high school. DC United only practises in the evenings - which is another knock on it as compared to academies which both provide a proper education and a great deal more soccer time.