Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 19:22     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:France.

Seriously, and this is a long-discussed topic. "Success" in the American youth system is team-based. Clubs don't do well creating great players, they do well by becoming a winning program that draws in more parents to the lower sides paying fees every year. The bonuses for having a player go pro are minuscule and nothing compared to Europe.

If you have a chance to move to Europe, take it.


If a player has a chance to move to Europe, where should they go? Are there countries or clubs more inviting to players coming from the US? Wouldn’t you have to be coming from an MLS Academy to be marketable?
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 19:13     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
France.

Seriously, and this is a long-discussed topic. "Success" in the American youth system is team-based. Clubs don't do well creating great players, they do well by becoming a winning program that draws in more parents to the lower sides paying fees every year. The bonuses for having a player go pro are minuscule and nothing compared to Europe.

If you have a chance to move to Europe, take it.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 17:06     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anyone know if there are plans to start a U13 team which I believe all other MLS academies do?
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:53     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


I don’t think they hold many ID sessions at all. If they do, they’re not advertised, ie, those who know about them were informed ahead of time.

That said, I think you would have to be scouted which I imagine is easier to do if your DS is playing at a major club (eg, those that have MLSNext or ECNL) that do have direct connections to DCU, and have a consistent history of sending kids to DCU Academy.


If you follow them on social media, they will post it, and it's usually just one day. But yes, the main way is to get scouted. They watch a lot of games and tournaments. The director of scouting said the Talent IDs are in case there's someone they completely missed from that age group or to get younger players on their radar. So this coming Feb/Mar, they might be looking for 2011s, but would also invite 2012s. DCU starts at U14 right now.


Looking at the link posted above, it seems even if you reach out to them to be scouted, they need your coach and team info as well, and will reach out to them first? That is, you would need your coach and club’s support and belief that your DS is academy material.


Well of course. Do you think they go scout every kid that asks to be scouted?

DP. This is going to be kid/club/team dependent. A lot of coaches and trainers in this area know each other, so if they see the name of a coach they like or trust as a reference, they might reach out to get opinions on that player. They are not going to make that call if a kid is playing for BSC, as one example. But most talented kids are known quantities by this age unless they are new to town.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:48     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
There was a DCU scout at many of my son's U13 MLS Next matches last season, especially during the fall. Because DCU Academy doesn't start until U14, this is an easy way for them to scout many of the region's best players. I also heard they have invited a fair number of 2011s into the academy. I know of two, at least.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:45     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


I don’t think they hold many ID sessions at all. If they do, they’re not advertised, ie, those who know about them were informed ahead of time.

That said, I think you would have to be scouted which I imagine is easier to do if your DS is playing at a major club (eg, those that have MLSNext or ECNL) that do have direct connections to DCU, and have a consistent history of sending kids to DCU Academy.


If you follow them on social media, they will post it, and it's usually just one day. But yes, the main way is to get scouted. They watch a lot of games and tournaments. The director of scouting said the Talent IDs are in case there's someone they completely missed from that age group or to get younger players on their radar. So this coming Feb/Mar, they might be looking for 2011s, but would also invite 2012s. DCU starts at U14 right now.


Looking at the link posted above, it seems even if you reach out to them to be scouted, they need your coach and team info as well, and will reach out to them first? That is, you would need your coach and club’s support and belief that your DS is academy material.


Well of course. Do you think they go scout every kid that asks to be scouted?


😆 I guess not. Maybe breathing a sigh of relief that we’ve not burned any bridges with past coaches.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:41     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


I don’t think they hold many ID sessions at all. If they do, they’re not advertised, ie, those who know about them were informed ahead of time.

That said, I think you would have to be scouted which I imagine is easier to do if your DS is playing at a major club (eg, those that have MLSNext or ECNL) that do have direct connections to DCU, and have a consistent history of sending kids to DCU Academy.


If you follow them on social media, they will post it, and it's usually just one day. But yes, the main way is to get scouted. They watch a lot of games and tournaments. The director of scouting said the Talent IDs are in case there's someone they completely missed from that age group or to get younger players on their radar. So this coming Feb/Mar, they might be looking for 2011s, but would also invite 2012s. DCU starts at U14 right now.


Looking at the link posted above, it seems even if you reach out to them to be scouted, they need your coach and team info as well, and will reach out to them first? That is, you would need your coach and club’s support and belief that your DS is academy material.


Well of course. Do you think they go scout every kid that asks to be scouted?
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:39     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


I don’t think they hold many ID sessions at all. If they do, they’re not advertised, ie, those who know about them were informed ahead of time.

That said, I think you would have to be scouted which I imagine is easier to do if your DS is playing at a major club (eg, those that have MLSNext or ECNL) that do have direct connections to DCU, and have a consistent history of sending kids to DCU Academy.


If you follow them on social media, they will post it, and it's usually just one day. But yes, the main way is to get scouted. They watch a lot of games and tournaments. The director of scouting said the Talent IDs are in case there's someone they completely missed from that age group or to get younger players on their radar. So this coming Feb/Mar, they might be looking for 2011s, but would also invite 2012s. DCU starts at U14 right now.


Looking at the link posted above, it seems even if you reach out to them to be scouted, they need your coach and team info as well, and will reach out to them first? That is, you would need your coach and club’s support and belief that your DS is academy material.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:34     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


I don’t think they hold many ID sessions at all. If they do, they’re not advertised, ie, those who know about them were informed ahead of time.

That said, I think you would have to be scouted which I imagine is easier to do if your DS is playing at a major club (eg, those that have MLSNext or ECNL) that do have direct connections to DCU, and have a consistent history of sending kids to DCU Academy.


If you follow them on social media, they will post it, and it's usually just one day. But yes, the main way is to get scouted. They watch a lot of games and tournaments. The director of scouting said the Talent IDs are in case there's someone they completely missed from that age group or to get younger players on their radar. So this coming Feb/Mar, they might be looking for 2011s, but would also invite 2012s. DCU starts at U14 right now.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:24     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


https://www.dcunited.com/academy/recruitment

Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 15:18     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.


I don’t think they hold many ID sessions at all. If they do, they’re not advertised, ie, those who know about them were informed ahead of time.

That said, I think you would have to be scouted which I imagine is easier to do if your DS is playing at a major club (eg, those that have MLSNext or ECNL) that do have direct connections to DCU, and have a consistent history of sending kids to DCU Academy.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2023 14:57     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
So what's the best way to try out for DCU? Reach out and attend an ID session down the road? I have a current 2012/u12.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2023 23:33     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:Top five in 2020 according to chasingacup

https://chasingacup.com/2020-ranking-of-mls-academies-final-10-1/

Fc Dallas
Philadelphia Union
Seattle sounders
Real salt lake
La galaxy



I missed the more recent list - from 2022

https://chasingacup.com/2022-youth-series-mls-club-youth-talent-rankings/

Philadelphia Union
Real salt lake
Fc Dallas
Chicago fire
San Jose earthquakes

Anonymous
Post 08/08/2023 22:36     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Anonymous wrote:Top five in 2020 according to chasingacup

https://chasingacup.com/2020-ranking-of-mls-academies-final-10-1/

Fc Dallas
Philadelphia Union
Seattle sounders
Real salt lake
La galaxy



Wow, DCU was pay to play up until 2020? I had no idea!
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2023 21:43     Subject: Best MLS Youth Academy
Top five in 2020 according to chasingacup

https://chasingacup.com/2020-ranking-of-mls-academies-final-10-1/

Fc Dallas
Philadelphia Union
Seattle sounders
Real salt lake
La galaxy