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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What about things like:  how are the coaches?  How is the training staff?  What is the focus of training?  what is the play style?  Do they tailor training to a style or concentrate on individual strengths?  (e.g. are they looking for kids to fit a system or the most talented players with disparate skills).  Are there positive aspects to the academy?[/quote]

Here are the positives of DCU from my pov:

Speed of play/level:  Each training cohort (age group) has some of the best kids in the area and that translates to higher speed of play in practice.  As you progress as a player, the speed of play only gets faster and the easier you can adapt to the speed of play the more successful a player will be.  Speed of play can't be adapted overnight so the sooner a player is tested at a high speed of play, the sooner they will know their current ceiling.  The more a player plays with slow speeds, the harder it will be for the player to make the jump to a higher level as they get older.  The body gets too conditioned to that (slower) speed.

Transportation to practice. They do provide a bus system to the kids which helps a lot of parents.

Its free:  Parents save money by having their kid at DCU.  Free gear and boots.  Kids and parents benefit.

Exposure:  MLS academies have the most exposure in our youth system to scouts.

Video:  They do take video of the kids in training and games and that is helpful for them to see themselves.  Coaches do use the video for feedback.  This is more common now everywhere so not something differentiating.

Pro Pathway:  The only place in the DMV with a pro pathway in house. They can sign a kid to a pro contract at any time.

I can't really think of much else.

Coaches aren't great.  Training is just ok.  Depends on how you evaluate a training.  If touches is important to you in a training, then DCU will disappoint.  Focus of training depends on the day and the team.  There is some thought into that.  But not too sophisticated.  Play style is direct football usually teams send the ball to the wings/forwards from the back line, usually in the air and have big and fast kids run with the ball.  Literally that.  Building up play is very uncommon.  Tailoring training to individuals is not something you'll experience. Its a drill based training environment with emphasis on the drills and how to execute the drills, less on how the drills translate to the games of help the players become better players (they just run the drills). They look for kids that fit the system with some exceptions.  Usually bigger and more developed kids are favored over the smaller kids.  Not in all cases, but most.

[/quote]

thanks for taking the time.  I appreciate what sounds like an informed and valid viewpoint.  [/quote]

Sorry, meant to say "valuable" not valid.  [/quote]

LOL.  Preparing for the troll to say "how do you know these are valid points?"  "What evidence do you have to say they are valid?"  LMAO.  Credit to you.  [/quote]

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