Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

You are talking about why you and most families do it. That's not the problem US Soccer is trying to solve. We have a failing MNT program and the WNT will find itself fighting for survival in a few years. US Soccer is trying to make Soccer here competitive with the rest of the world and to make both teams world cup winners. And the MLS is trying to be viable. It too wants a viable DA program to feed its professional base. Right now, the best players are great players from overseas using the MLS as the last step before retirement.

What US Soccer wants DA to be is irrelevant to the motives of parents and players. 99% of the parents in these leagues know that their kid isn’t going pro or onto the National Team. They know this because they play with or against kids who just might. The gap is staggering when you see that .0001% kid play.

These kids are playing in these leagues in hopes of playing in college. That draws talent and a pool of talent is all US Soccer cares about. It is a symbiotic relationship between players and leagues. And frankly, such a league can accommodate two very different motives.

Not happily or effectively it can't IMO.

I have to disagree. If there is one thing I am sure as a parent, it is my money and the money of all the other parents that drives the youth soccer machine here.

More kids put on rosters then are even permitted to dress for competition where they can put all their training to a test? Sorry - only explanation for that is maximum extraction of dollars from parental wallets.. that is NOT serving the players well. And that is one of many many other examples.

Talent and skill advancement is not driving the youth soccer machine. Sorry. The jig is up on that one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

You are talking about why you and most families do it. That's not the problem US Soccer is trying to solve. We have a failing MNT program and the WNT will find itself fighting for survival in a few years. US Soccer is trying to make Soccer here competitive with the rest of the world and to make both teams world cup winners. And the MLS is trying to be viable. It too wants a viable DA program to feed its professional base. Right now, the best players are great players from overseas using the MLS as the last step before retirement.

What US Soccer wants DA to be is irrelevant to the motives of parents and players. 99% of the parents in these leagues know that their kid isn’t going pro or onto the National Team. They know this because they play with or against kids who just might. The gap is staggering when you see that .0001% kid play.

These kids are playing in these leagues in hopes of playing in college. That draws talent and a pool of talent is all US Soccer cares about. It is a symbiotic relationship between players and leagues. And frankly, such a league can accommodate two very different motives.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

You are talking about why you and most families do it. That's not the problem US Soccer is trying to solve. We have a failing MNT program and the WNT will find itself fighting for survival in a few years. US Soccer is trying to make Soccer here competitive with the rest of the world and to make both teams world cup winners. And the MLS is trying to be viable. It too wants a viable DA program to feed its professional base. Right now, the best players are great players from overseas using the MLS as the last step before retirement.

If they seriously are interested in pursuing world cup wins there are countless examples of countries that set out to do that with varying amounts of success. And we do almost nothing in our system that those success stories would indicate work. I am just an idiot soccer parent and I can see that. They have some other agenda.

You are right. You are just a soccer parent. I won't say idiot. Your perspective is through the lens of your own child. They are all about making soccer here great and world class. There are a lot of reasons it fails, but that's what they want. And why? Maybe love of the sport, but that's also where the money is at. And while it has failed in some ways, if you had seen soccer 10 years ago, this is levels better. 20 years ago...massive. The problem is while we get better, so does the rest of the world. But we have more professional American soccer players than ever. And that's what all drives the machine.

But it also gives us all trickle down benefits. While they try to do all that, it leads to changes that our better for all our own individual kids.

The reality is everyone seems to have a hard-on for High School soccer and that is what has screwed things. The DMV could almost single handily support a self contained ECNL division if not for MD and VA opposing HS soccer seasons.

Bethesda
Maryland
McLean
BRYC
Loudoun
VDA

But the lines for club soccer regional leagues are drawn to accommodate High School soccer and for our unique geography of bordering states we can’t play closer teams. This is what U12 and U13 parents who bitch about travel distances within a league don’t understand downstream.

Give up High School if you want to play college soccer and have tighter regional leagues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

You are talking about why you and most families do it. That's not the problem US Soccer is trying to solve. We have a failing MNT program and the WNT will find itself fighting for survival in a few years. US Soccer is trying to make Soccer here competitive with the rest of the world and to make both teams world cup winners. And the MLS is trying to be viable. It too wants a viable DA program to feed its professional base. Right now, the best players are great players from overseas using the MLS as the last step before retirement.

If they seriously are interested in pursuing world cup wins there are countless examples of countries that set out to do that with varying amounts of success. And we do almost nothing in our system that those success stories would indicate work. I am just an idiot soccer parent and I can see that. They have some other agenda.

Anonymous wrote:And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

You are talking about why you and most families do it. That's not the problem US Soccer is trying to solve. We have a failing MNT program and the WNT will find itself fighting for survival in a few years. US Soccer is trying to make Soccer here competitive with the rest of the world and to make both teams world cup winners. And the MLS is trying to be viable. It too wants a viable DA program to feed its professional base. Right now, the best players are great players from overseas using the MLS as the last step before retirement.

Anonymous wrote:And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

Entry is not barred from the sport. We just have no reasonable progression from youngsters starting out and learning the game to advance to more challenging environments and leagues based on skill. Advancement is based on skill and money. the two must combine in some form in one package unless you are near a funded boys da. So our high level soccer players are big fish from a small pond. frustrating situation but oh well. high level soccer is a luxury product.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We play in the leagues. It is not required that sit like stupid door mats and quietly tolerate the nonsense inserted into these leagues.

You can choose another league. There is choice.

I’m not sure how you think having a monopoly would make it more accessible.

Do colleges offer free ID camps? They have an actual vested interest in turning over every stone and yet they charge. The truth is, more kids have an opportunity to be seen now than ever before.

I will give you that. I just wish it were different kids.

I am entitled to that opinion and you are entitled to like it the way it is.

Let me guess, you think that Little Rich Mia on your team is holding your kid back because you think there is some poor kid out there who would serve your child better.

Since you’ve stated that you can afford it then why not just pay for the poor kid yourself? Convince some other parents of the same.

Be the change you demand.

Oh sure. that solves it.

Look - these are leagues for kids with the talent and the cash. it is not for cashless talent. It is that cash that drives the entire business model.

I understand why we dont have the business model common in other places where soccer taelnt drives the business model and it is the talent that is valuable - not the bank accounts of the player's parents.

Is there a better solution to this? I don't know. The obvious low hanging fruit is to dispense with the most of the needless travel. All lower leagues and other soccer countries already do this.

Every bit helps http://www.ussoccerda.com/scholarship_donate

Anonymous wrote:You simpletons do't realize that the following produce competitive teams in most age groups:

Pipeline and SAC (BA), Bethesda, Frederick, Navy Premier, Baltimore Union, Baltimore Celtic, Bethesda, MUFC, McLean, BRYC, Loudoun, Arlington, VDA, Herndon and Richmond.

If you play the above teams and maybe a few other, you get 30+ games without traveling more than two or three hours. Add JefCup, Bethesda and a few other showcases and you are getting good exposure If you team makes it to regionals or finals, then you can travel.

We need to get the egos out of the sport in order to find sensible solutions.

The programs that go to Jeff Cup suit the teams that play there. Just sayin.

You simpletons do't realize that the following produce competitive teams in most age groups:

Pipeline and SAC (BA), Bethesda, Frederick, Navy Premier, Baltimore Union, Baltimore Celtic, Bethesda, MUFC, McLean, BRYC, Loudoun, Arlington, VDA, Herndon and Richmond.

If you play the above teams and maybe a few other, you get 30+ games without traveling more than two or three hours. Add JefCup, Bethesda and a few other showcases and you are getting good exposure If you team makes it to regionals or finals, then you can travel.

We need to get the egos out of the sport in order to find sensible solutions.

And almost every kid in DA is there for college.

That some kids go pro is of little consequence to the majority. We still have thousands of college football players even though only 200 get selected to go pro every year.

Again most people don’t give a flip about the National team, Pro soccer or the international game as it relates to their kid.

ECNL and DA account for a very small percentage of the soccer playing population that it simply is not barring entry to the game for kids.

American parents are so focused on winning and competing and chasing after the elite title that they are willing to fork over thousands and travel to the ends of the universe just so that they can say, "My kid is elite and yours is not."

This is about creating a soccer system that makes sense. Who the hell wants t travel to AZ or CA or NV for competition when you literally have more than a half dozen nationally ranked teams between Richmond and Baltimore?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We play in the leagues. It is not required that sit like stupid door mats and quietly tolerate the nonsense inserted into these leagues.

You can choose another league. There is choice.

I’m not sure how you think having a monopoly would make it more accessible.

Do colleges offer free ID camps? They have an actual vested interest in turning over every stone and yet they charge. The truth is, more kids have an opportunity to be seen now than ever before.

I will give you that. I just wish it were different kids.

I am entitled to that opinion and you are entitled to like it the way it is.

Let me guess, you think that Little Rich Mia on your team is holding your kid back because you think there is some poor kid out there who would serve your child better.

Since you’ve stated that you can afford it then why not just pay for the poor kid yourself? Convince some other parents of the same.

Be the change you demand.

Oh sure. that solves it.

Look - these are leagues for kids with the talent and the cash. it is not for cashless talent. It is that cash that drives the entire business model.

I understand why we dont have the business model common in other places where soccer taelnt drives the business model and it is the talent that is valuable - not the bank accounts of the player's parents.

Is there a better solution to this? I don't know. The obvious low hanging fruit is to dispense with the most of the needless travel. All lower leagues and other soccer countries already do this.