Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

Not true. A kid from WJ left after 10th grade to play for arsenal. It is rare though, and you have to be willing to move over there. His father moved with him.

OP, European players really don't go the university route. It's direct to sports. That's happening more here too-and some good players who go to college don't stay.

I assume he's on a pre academy team? You need to decide if the academy route is the right thing for him long term. The kids we know who have done it found it was sometimes hard to balance with academics.

Hopefully the academy coaches can give him some guidance on realistic prospects.

NP here, just googled this because I was curiuos. Amazing! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gedion_Zelalem
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/post/arsenal-takes-look-at-gedion-zelalem-a-14-year-old-ethiopian-german-living-in-washington/2011/08/21/gIQAAbl5UJ_blog.html

My DS is the same age and played against him both in club and high school so we've seen him play multiple times - he really is good.

Rumors are that they are trying to get him to play for the USMNT.

my nephew played football from younger than 12 and really wanted to get into the NFL (like most boys). my sister supported him in football but kept on top of his homework, etc. He ended up getting into great colleges, attended an ivy, and still got drafted to the NFL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol at saying he's a future doctor at 12

NP

I sneak into my kids' rooms and whisper "MIT" and "Caltech" to them while they're sleeping.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

Not true. A kid from WJ left after 10th grade to play for arsenal. It is rare though, and you have to be willing to move over there. His father moved with him.

OP, European players really don't go the university route. It's direct to sports. That's happening more here too-and some good players who go to college don't stay.

I assume he's on a pre academy team? You need to decide if the academy route is the right thing for him long term. The kids we know who have done it found it was sometimes hard to balance with academics.

Hopefully the academy coaches can give him some guidance on realistic prospects.

Tons of kids pay to go to Europe to train... On their own dime... It is a scam and ODP is a part of the scam.

I still wonder how a kid who lived in the eastern part of moco played for WJ.

Before spouting off ignorant statements, realize that google is your friend.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

Not true. A kid from WJ left after 10th grade to play for arsenal. It is rare though, and you have to be willing to move over there. His father moved with him.

OP, European players really don't go the university route. It's direct to sports. That's happening more here too-and some good players who go to college don't stay.

I assume he's on a pre academy team? You need to decide if the academy route is the right thing for him long term. The kids we know who have done it found it was sometimes hard to balance with academics.

Hopefully the academy coaches can give him some guidance on realistic prospects.

NP here, just googled this because I was curiuos. Amazing! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gedion_Zelalem
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/post/arsenal-takes-look-at-gedion-zelalem-a-14-year-old-ethiopian-german-living-in-washington/2011/08/21/gIQAAbl5UJ_blog.html

OP sure lives in a fantasy world.

Anonymous wrote:
Interesting, OP.

My 9 year old son, also a future doctor, is rubbish at sports but a marvelous singer. He gets invited to sing in professional venues etc. However he discounts his talent completely and REALLY wants to be a doctor.
Worse, he is adamant he wants to do research!
Just like father!

You are funny!!! Come sit by me!

I think you can certainly assess your child's interest and commitment, but at age 12, this decision is yours.

Most people wash out of this kind of super elite pursuit -- sports, music, whatever. And what they lose along the way is a chance at normal teenage life, including an education and developing other interests. Obviously you don't want to deprive your future superstar of his big break, but it may not turn out that way and the consequences will mostly fall on your child. Are you willing to take that risk?

OP, if you kid is not invited to attend IMG in Florida, then he ain't shit.

That's a fact Jack.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

Not true. A kid from WJ left after 10th grade to play for arsenal. It is rare though, and you have to be willing to move over there. His father moved with him.

OP, European players really don't go the university route. It's direct to sports. That's happening more here too-and some good players who go to college don't stay.

I assume he's on a pre academy team? You need to decide if the academy route is the right thing for him long term. The kids we know who have done it found it was sometimes hard to balance with academics.

Hopefully the academy coaches can give him some guidance on realistic prospects.

Tons of kids pay to go to Europe to train... On their own dime... It is a scam and ODP is a part of the scam.

I still wonder how a kid who lived in the eastern part of moco played for WJ.

Anonymous wrote:European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

Not true. A kid from WJ left after 10th grade to play for arsenal. It is rare though, and you have to be willing to move over there. His father moved with him.

OP, European players really don't go the university route. It's direct to sports. That's happening more here too-and some good players who go to college don't stay.

I assume he's on a pre academy team? You need to decide if the academy route is the right thing for him long term. The kids we know who have done it found it was sometimes hard to balance with academics.

Hopefully the academy coaches can give him some guidance on realistic prospects.

Anonymous wrote:European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

I am not so sure. They want the next superstar. America has a pretty good youth soccer system, but it fails in the teen years: The american money goes to football, baseball and basketball.

European clubs are not scouting Americans. Ha!

Americans go over there to try and break in.

Anonymous wrote:No reason he can't do both.

We all know kids who are fabulous athletes and top-tier students. Some high schools see one or two every decade. Others see a handful or more each year.

Looking beyond high school, the Ivy League and Stanford, Duke etc. are full of these types of kids. Many go on to have wildly successful careers as doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, scientists, financiers, even politicians (Bill Bradley, anyone?)

My advice: encourage DS to follow his interests and don't limit his horizons by making him choose one over the other. Just keep an eye on things to be sure he's having FUN -- not burning out on either soccer or academics -- and help him as much as possible with organization and time management skills. These are a MUST for scholar/athletes.

Good luck and enjoy.

Soccer is different - if he wants to play pro at the highest level, development at 14-22 is crucial and this is where the US loses in the development process to german and other european countries.

He will have to make a choice.

You can see even in the USMNT, less and less of the share of players played in college as time goes on.

I would suggest if a top club that has a track record for developing players and 'doing right' by them then go - and also make sure they sign him to a contract that will set aside 300k usd/euro for college tuition in case he does burn out.

Medicine is field where where you go to UG doesn't matter. So perhaps the OP's son (if he is unsuccessful in europe) would come back to the US for college - then again it is an amazing hook and experience that a good college could use as bonus points to get him in.

Anonymous wrote:He's 12, have you asked him what he wants to do?

That's really the only answer.