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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]So Stanford was #2 and Georgetown #13. Georgetown had the run of play and maybe could have had 1 or 2 goals more. Watching the game I think most would predict a 2-1 or 1-0 Georgetown win. A Georgetown player gave up a free kick outside of the box late in the game and the Stanford player put a nice bending ball in for a 1 -1 tie. That’s how it ended.

Before the game I thought it would be a fairly high level soccer game. There were a few players who stood out(#8 for Georgetown former Union/McLean as midfielder) but over all the speed of play was slow, there was a lot of time and space in the final 1/3(even around the box), whiffs on open crosses, passes going out of bounds with no pressure, etc. I know it’s not professional but this was two top 10(this weeks ranking) teams playing. I was hoping for a bit more.

I walked away with doubts that college soccer is the answer to competing with what was on display at this last World Cup. [/quote]

This country is wrestling with an idea that no one really wants to say out loud, because it would call for a seismic shift in the way we do things.  But, I think we have to at least ask ourselves does the college sports model work anymore as it relates to developing our nation's best players in any given sport?  I actually think most of us know the answer, but again, don't want to say it out loud.  No one else cares about college sports the same we do, but we've poured sooooo much money into it.  "College" football is in the midst of breaking away from the NCAA and shedding any myth of amateurism.  Look at the NBA -- how many players come from college basketball anymore?  There's an increasing number of players drafted from Europe who went through their youth systems.  European countries have always produced better mens soccer players through their clubs, and now that there's financial incentives in the womens' game, clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Bayern Munich are all starting to add their collective resources to developing girls/women.  Any coincidence that the WWC final featured the two countries with arguably the most robust women's clubs?  What would you want for your daughter if soccer was the final goal -- play for a D1 school or go to the Barcelona youth academy?

We're also holding on to the well-roundedness factor, which I get.  Can't tell you how many parents I know who want their daughters to play sports, excel at STEM, be confident and emotionally balanced, and go to an Ivy League school or top state school.  I probably want that too for my individual daughters.  But for the good of the national team product, is that the wisest way to field a team to go against players who have been developed in a completely different environment?    [/quote]

With so few people still making very good money in women's soccer, I actually expect more good international players to come to the US for college, which will improve the college game, at least in the short-to-medium terms.
You need to be an Alyssa Thompson level talent with knowledge that you'll be in the senior national team pool for skipping college to be a good idea now. 
The financial incentives you mention are so limited and concentrated at this point that unless she is a phenom, I'd probably want her to come back from Spain for college. 
Also, France didn't exactly do great this summer and their clubs are especially well respected for women. Lyon regularly has the world's most impressive roster and PSG is no slouch and has had Americans too.

[/quote]

France lost in PKs - a virtual toss up to host Australia who was playing some of the most spirited soccer of their lives in the Final 8.  A disappointing result for France for sure, but I disagree that they didn't "exactly do great."  [b]Any team in the final 8 was good enough to win that tournament.[/b]

About 5-6 years ago, there actually was a small influx of non-US players coming to college here to get some run. Alessia Russo played a year for UNC.  That trend stopped -- they can stay in Europe now and get developed better.

Look - for any one individual situation, it's easy to say:  since the odds are so low, why bother - let's just focus on broader pursuits; college is therefore better.  But from the perspective of the interests of fielding the best possible team, which approach is better?  I hope I'm wrong, but my concern is that we're in the midst of a pretty big shift, and yes, money is driving the boat here.  There will have to be a readjustment, at least, - and I think most would say it's already happening.   [/quote]

No they weren't. Australia never had a chance to win that tournament and it showed in the semifinal.[/quote]

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