Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

The boys side is a different animal than the girls side. Regardless of the MLS impact the kids who are playing at VDA DA or other non-MLS DA’s are still seeking the ability to play in college. The fact that there is a larger opportunity to play pro doesn’t really change either the odds or the player/parent motivation to play on a DA team.

Those different suck too. It's a shame that it has taken this long for the GDA to happen. Both should have been done from the beginning. And it's a shame that women's pro soccer leagues continue to flounder. The working model everywhere else is to have the men's side establish a women's side and I'm thinking that is the best fit. Portland Thorns has better support than Spirit because of that.

Kids starting over your kid are never unhappy about it. Parents with starting kids are never unhappy. You should never sign on where your kid will not play regardless of level. Not being able to play is never any fun but nothing more than ego and pride put your kid in or kept your kid in a bad spot.

It doesn’t mean your “kid sucks” but it doesn’t mean your kid will have a role on the current team either. Find a place where your kid will have a role. It is a game and the game should be played because it is fun.

I think you responded to the wrong post. That has nothing to do with this line of conversation.

Yup, I clicked the wrong one. Responding to your dumb post could only be an accident

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

The boys side is a different animal than the girls side. Regardless of the MLS impact the kids who are playing at VDA DA or other non-MLS DA’s are still seeking the ability to play in college. The fact that there is a larger opportunity to play pro doesn’t really change either the odds or the player/parent motivation to play on a DA team.

Those different suck too. It's a shame that it has taken this long for the GDA to happen. Both should have been done from the beginning. And it's a shame that women's pro soccer leagues continue to flounder. The working model everywhere else is to have the men's side establish a women's side and I'm thinking that is the best fit. Portland Thorns has better support than Spirit because of that.

Kids starting over your kid are never unhappy about it. Parents with starting kids are never unhappy. You should never sign on where your kid will not play regardless of level. Not being able to play is never any fun but nothing more than ego and pride put your kid in or kept your kid in a bad spot.

It doesn’t mean your “kid sucks” but it doesn’t mean your kid will have a role on the current team either. Find a place where your kid will have a role. It is a game and the game should be played because it is fun.

I think you responded to the wrong post. That has nothing to do with this line of conversation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Every team over rosters during high school years. It is how it is handled that matters and how delusional one is when they sign on knowing the roster size.

If your kid isn’t in the top 15 of a team then find another team. If your kid is number 20 then it is you who is to blame not the club. Sorry your kid isn’t playing but that disaster lies on your delusion in their place on the team.

Total BS. These clubs blab on about how they are soccer experts but they can't properly evaluate talent by teen years? Even the players themselves know the pecking order so I am pretty sure the club is aware.

Stop taking money from these players and putting them on the roster and then benching them or not even dressing them. Makes entire team unhappy when several players are miserable. this is one hundred percent on the clubs. My player is strong and starts and gets sent on ID opportunities by the club so dont even start with me with "your player sucks" stuff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

The boys side is a different animal than the girls side. Regardless of the MLS impact the kids who are playing at VDA DA or other non-MLS DA’s are still seeking the ability to play in college. The fact that there is a larger opportunity to play pro doesn’t really change either the odds or the player/parent motivation to play on a DA team.

Those different suck too. It's a shame that it has taken this long for the GDA to happen. Both should have been done from the beginning. And it's a shame that women's pro soccer leagues continue to flounder. The working model everywhere else is to have the men's side establish a women's side and I'm thinking that is the best fit. Portland Thorns has better support than Spirit because of that.

Kids starting over your kid are never unhappy about it. Parents with starting kids are never unhappy. You should never sign on where your kid will not play regardless of level. Not being able to play is never any fun but nothing more than ego and pride put your kid in or kept your kid in a bad spot.

It doesn’t mean your “kid sucks” but it doesn’t mean your kid will have a role on the current team either. Find a place where your kid will have a role. It is a game and the game should be played because it is fun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

The boys side is a different animal than the girls side. Regardless of the MLS impact the kids who are playing at VDA DA or other non-MLS DA’s are still seeking the ability to play in college. The fact that there is a larger opportunity to play pro doesn’t really change either the odds or the player/parent motivation to play on a DA team.

Those different suck too. It's a shame that it has taken this long for the GDA to happen. Both should have been done from the beginning. And it's a shame that women's pro soccer leagues continue to flounder. The working model everywhere else is to have the men's side establish a women's side and I'm thinking that is the best fit. Portland Thorns has better support than Spirit because of that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Every team over rosters during high school years. It is how it is handled that matters and how delusional one is when they sign on knowing the roster size.

If your kid isn’t in the top 15 of a team then find another team. If your kid is number 20 then it is you who is to blame not the club. Sorry your kid isn’t playing but that disaster lies on your delusion in their place on the team.

Total BS. These clubs blab on about how they are soccer experts but they can't properly evaluate talent by teen years? Even the players themselves know the pecking order so I am pretty sure the club is aware.

Stop taking money from these players and putting them on the roster and then benching them or not even dressing them. Makes entire team unhappy when several players are miserable. this is one hundred percent on the clubs. My player is strong and starts and gets sent on ID opportunities by the club so dont even start with me with "your player sucks" stuff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

The boys side is a different animal than the girls side. Regardless of the MLS impact the kids who are playing at VDA DA or other non-MLS DA’s are still seeking the ability to play in college. The fact that there is a larger opportunity to play pro doesn’t really change either the odds or the player/parent motivation to play on a DA team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Every team over rosters during high school years. It is how it is handled that matters and how delusional one is when they sign on knowing the roster size.

If your kid isn’t in the top 15 of a team then find another team. If your kid is number 20 then it is you who is to blame not the club. Sorry your kid isn’t playing but that disaster lies on your delusion in their place on the team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

No one cares which league wins other then the leagues and clubs.

that said - we have different definitions of "top" league. I do not think either one of them is really a top league until they become open to a bigger pool of talent competing for those top spots. Most likely way to do that is reduce the travel so more players can participate. Until then, the "top" league is big fish in a small pond.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

No one cares which league wins other then the leagues and clubs.

that said - we have different definitions of "top" league. I do not think either one of them is really a top league until they become open to a bigger pool of talent competing for those top spots. Most likely way to do that is reduce the travel so more players can participate. Until then, the "top" league is big fish in a small pond.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If that's all it were about, the MLS clubs wouldn't have the power they do. Professional leagues with professional DA programs drive the program, and to see that, see how the two tier system came about and has been implemented. US Soccer didn't try to have its league and the ECNL fight for top place, but it doesnt really care either. It's playing the long game. The DA will end up on top, and the ECNL will become second tier.

Anonymous wrote: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:

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:

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.