Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Makai Wells, since you brought up his name for the record, was at the U17s camp and didn't make the cut for the WC squad

Since he gave up a top class education to pursue soccer dreams, you sure hope he makes it

What is your point? The player left DCUs system and has achieved more than ANY player in his age group at DCU or even in any age group at DCUs academy. FACTS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which players from the DC area that chose to go to another academy other than DCU are on the USYNT at the U17s World Cup?

Not sure what the point of your question is. Everyone on this forum already knows you want people to think DCUA is good enough. That’s fine.

If you’re still trying to argue that DCUA is comparable to any other academy, not a single person in this forum or in the DMV community believes that. I mean many in DMV soccer thinks it’s the same as any other P2P club in the area. 🤷🏽‍♀️

You can make your same tired arguments over and over again, it won’t change any minds, unless it’s to turn someone anti-DCUA.

Actually, you're making the same copy and paste tires emotional biased arguments and I just point out the personal biased narrative not backed by facts, logic and reality

If all the so-called ballers from the DMV that you claim have chosen other academies than DCU because DCU would hold them back from reaching highest heights, then logic suggests they will be at the highest heights

All you have to do, simply, to prove your thesis is show the successful end results that can be proven and verified

Since no kids from the DC area chose a path other than DCU and are at the U17 WC, that means your assertions are a pipe dream-state versus reality.
For that age group definitely.

Let's revisit at the next Youth WC, shall we?

Interesting. You keep moving the goal posts. First, it is why try to be a professional, less than 1% make it. Now it is become the top 20-ish player in your age group and have the political connections to make it happen? That is the only reason it is justified to leave.

Listen, I get it. I was not prepared to send my kid away until I learned that the best way for my kid to pursue his passion is to send him away. Let's play by your new limited rules though.

I honestly don’t know how final selections work but Makai Wells has recently featured for USMNT U17 although he may not be on the final WC roster. I think most people on this board would settle for that achievement, correct? He plays for Rev II. He left to be developed. If he were in DCU, he would NOT have an opportunity to be to further “developed” under DCU II because it does not exist.

A second team is ideal standard for professional football development to bridge the academy to professional development. Per their most recent interview, DCU owners want a 2nd team but have been ineffective for years in securing one.

USMNT U-16’s have two players from the DMV who left:

Andoulaye Diogo and Samuel Gallego. Both from the DMV at Philly Union in spite of DCU. That is a pretty high ratio of DMV kids to left to states in the Union to roster spots if you follow my logic .

I only chimed back in originally because of the U8 parent who appeared to be a novice. His now deleted comment shows that if it was him he may have the same limited mindset of those currently at DCU. It's okay if you don't want to leave. I did not originally either and I am not sending my kid away this young.

The only people who think you have to go to DCU are the same pretentious parents who think you need to be at Bethesda to develop these days. The old days are gone. Look at our tournament participation. People are questioning why they need to participate in WAGS, Bethesda Premier Cup and Jefferson. Local teams that traditionally attended Potomac Memorial head up north for FC Delco and EDP tournaments. The cat is out of the bag in the younger age groups. Philly openly talks about its commitment to serving our community at events up there. Alexandria and SYC play their pre-academy teams in the Acela league with the Red Bulls and Philly Union academy teams.

At the end of the day, each person makes their own choice. Just don't believe that if you want to become a professional footballer, playing at DCU out of the DMV is your only choice or even the preferred one based on your family circumstances and how good your kid is. If you do stay with DCU, good luck and I'll still be rooting for you.

So no player left the dmv for another academy and is at the U17s World Cup representing the USA, but players from the academy they went to are?

Newsflash, u17 world cup participation doesn't make a good academy. Flawed argument

I believe PP was pointing out just going to a name brand academy isn't enough for the individual to become cream of the crop

But going to a name brand academy can increase your chances. DCU is not even close to that.

Anonymous wrote:Makai Wells, since you brought up his name for the record, was at the U17s camp and didn't make the cut for the WC squad

Since he gave up a top class education to pursue soccer dreams, you sure hope he makes it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which players from the DC area that chose to go to another academy other than DCU are on the USYNT at the U17s World Cup?

Not sure what the point of your question is. Everyone on this forum already knows you want people to think DCUA is good enough. That’s fine.

If you’re still trying to argue that DCUA is comparable to any other academy, not a single person in this forum or in the DMV community believes that. I mean many in DMV soccer thinks it’s the same as any other P2P club in the area. 🤷🏽‍♀️

You can make your same tired arguments over and over again, it won’t change any minds, unless it’s to turn someone anti-DCUA.

Actually, you're making the same copy and paste tires emotional biased arguments and I just point out the personal biased narrative not backed by facts, logic and reality

If all the so-called ballers from the DMV that you claim have chosen other academies than DCU because DCU would hold them back from reaching highest heights, then logic suggests they will be at the highest heights

All you have to do, simply, to prove your thesis is show the successful end results that can be proven and verified

Since no kids from the DC area chose a path other than DCU and are at the U17 WC, that means your assertions are a pipe dream-state versus reality.
For that age group definitely.

Let's revisit at the next Youth WC, shall we?

Interesting. You keep moving the goal posts. First, it is why try to be a professional, less than 1% make it. Now it is become the top 20-ish player in your age group and have the political connections to make it happen? That is the only reason it is justified to leave.

Listen, I get it. I was not prepared to send my kid away until I learned that the best way for my kid to pursue his passion is to send him away. Let's play by your new limited rules though.

I honestly don’t know how final selections work but Makai Wells has recently featured for USMNT U17 although he may not be on the final WC roster. I think most people on this board would settle for that achievement, correct? He plays for Rev II. He left to be developed. If he were in DCU, he would NOT have an opportunity to be to further “developed” under DCU II because it does not exist.

A second team is ideal standard for professional football development to bridge the academy to professional development. Per their most recent interview, DCU owners want a 2nd team but have been ineffective for years in securing one.

USMNT U-16’s have two players from the DMV who left:

Andoulaye Diogo and Samuel Gallego. Both from the DMV at Philly Union in spite of DCU. That is a pretty high ratio of DMV kids to left to states in the Union to roster spots if you follow my logic .

I only chimed back in originally because of the U8 parent who appeared to be a novice. His now deleted comment shows that if it was him he may have the same limited mindset of those currently at DCU. It's okay if you don't want to leave. I did not originally either and I am not sending my kid away this young.

The only people who think you have to go to DCU are the same pretentious parents who think you need to be at Bethesda to develop these days. The old days are gone. Look at our tournament participation. People are questioning why they need to participate in WAGS, Bethesda Premier Cup and Jefferson. Local teams that traditionally attended Potomac Memorial head up north for FC Delco and EDP tournaments. The cat is out of the bag in the younger age groups. Philly openly talks about its commitment to serving our community at events up there. Alexandria and SYC play their pre-academy teams in the Acela league with the Red Bulls and Philly Union academy teams.

At the end of the day, each person makes their own choice. Just don't believe that if you want to become a professional footballer, playing at DCU out of the DMV is your only choice or even the preferred one based on your family circumstances and how good your kid is. If you do stay with DCU, good luck and I'll still be rooting for you.

So no player left the dmv for another academy and is at the U17s World Cup representing the USA, but players from the academy they went to are?

Newsflash, u17 world cup participation doesn't make a good academy. Flawed argument

I believe PP was pointing out just going to a name brand academy isn't enough for the individual to become cream of the crop

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The truth is DCU isn't a credible academy in the MLS academy landscape. It is FAR behind the best academies and not even really on par with the worst considering it doesn't have its own facilities and makes many of their players and families pay money to participate. No teaching methodology, no consistent results and leadership that gives no craps about the academy. Recipe for failure and DCUs academy is in fact failing. Overall, just not a good place to be.

Every academy doesn't have players in final USYNT camps. DCU has representation.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

DCU has players in the Premier League.
All other academies don't.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

All other academies aren't selling players regularly and consistently to top leagues.
So how is DC far behind them?

This is like saying Messi and Benteke are the same because they are both past their prime players playing in the MLS. Or that Tottenham is the same quality club as Wrexham because neither club has won the premier league. Or that the MLS is just as good as the Belgian league because neither has produced Ballon d'or winners. Or that Ajax and La Masia academies are the same as Philly Union because they all have boarding houses and full campuses for their academies. It has already been proven, over and over, that your line of logic fails miserably in this regard.

DCU is behind almost every other MLS academy in the country because of some very simple facts:

It doesn't own a facility for the academy and isnt investing in one. Every other MLS academy has its own facility and most are planning to build bigger ones

It doesn't have enough personnel to run a credible academy. DCU has 9 people dedicated to football in the academy. NINE. And most of them aren't full time employees Many of the MLS academies in this country just have more people focused on development. And they pay them more than DCU does which attracts better developers

It has poor scouting and recruiting. With one scout to cover a vast amount of territory, many talents are overlooked. Couple this with the fact that the primary scouting methodology is word of mouth not proactive scouting and you see why the DCU rosters don't always have the top kids.

It doesn't properly invest in the academy. Other academies are investing tens of millions of dollars in their academies. DCU doesnt invest in the academy and only tries to keep it running so the MLS doesnt take action against them.

Every other MLS academy in the US has a second team to further develop their players. DCU does not have this. This alone puts them way behind other Academies and has caused other MLS academies to petition the league to take DCUs homegrown territory rights away because it doesn't provide a real pro pathway to its players so why should they get to protect those players from systems that actually have a legit pro pathway.

DCUs academy doesn't consistently produce players for the first team. It has been years since an academy product has played real minutes for the first team.

DCU has no grassroots program to cultivate young players No real rationale needed. This fact stands on its own.

DCU has an inferior methodology and system. You can see this every week when the teams play real academies. DCU always looks behind and unorganized

The academy itself is unorganized and unprofessional. This is clear from how they communicate with the external world, their own players and families and their own staff.

Local clubs have more infrastructure and more to offer local players. With good academies, the delta between what they are offering and what a local club is offering is massive.

DCUs reputation on a national level is far behind the best academies. This is just known and uncontroverted. On an international level DCUs academy is no where.

Some of the best players from this region in the last years have actually left DCU or decided not to go to DCU for better environments after they either saw first hand what the program is about or because they already knew DCU was poor and didn't want to involve themselves with the operation.

Could write a lot more and much more is offered on this thread in the pages before. You just have to read it.

💯

Stiven Jimenez, Chris Applewhite are just two examples (there are more) who are both pros now and deliberately left this area to play for better academies because they knew DCU was not going to be the best environment for their development. Both grew up here and played for local DMV clubs.

Thank you for these. If possible, can you share more? It looks like they both played for Arlington. I am not trying to argue about DCU merits. I am simply looking for successful kids who came out of the DMV to see what they were doing at my son's age and network with the people who helped develop these kids. I was only aware of Parades and Yow who play my son's position. Akinmboni is a defender and completely different with his physical profile.

Here are a few names that I know of personally. And this is just off the top of my head. If I really did research I could find more.

These players are all from the DMV and either never stepped foot in DCU or were in DCU for a short period of time (even when they had younger ages and a longer pathway): All reached professional soccer either in the MLs or overseas. All could have chosen DCU for extended periods of time.but didn't.

Aaron Heard (Leverkusen)
Jack Sullivan (Colorado Rapids)
Gabe Segal (Houston Dynamo)
Jeremy Ebobisse (LAFC)
Gideon Zelalem (Arsenal and NYCFC)
Nicholas Gioacchini (Asteras Tripolis)
Byang Kayo (OH Leuven)
Joe Gyau (Dortmund, Hoffenheim, FC Cincy and several other clubs)

There are also several younger kids (u14-u17) in top European academies from the DMV that will make waves very soon as well.

If you're genuinely interested like your post says, here you are. Many of these players had coaches that are still around the DMV. If you're the PP masquerading as someone else thinking there are no other players to list, you feel about as dumb as your post right about now. 👍

I guess you forgot all of the above players that left the DMV for better environments who made it PROFESSIONALLY. not some u17 world cup. And there are others that aren't mentioned. You can't win...

Players who left the DMV for European academies would leave EVERY MLS Academy for a European academy.

Don't be disingenuous !

Where are the above players listed now and what was their peak professional levels?

Many many many average footballers spend years jumping around from bench to bench and practice squad to practice squad with the name of the club on their resume

Does it matter? They were pros. Some at some of the best clubs in the world.

Then nothing matters

Unless you're saying a player left Philly area to go to Bayern Munich academy automatically makes Philly Union a bad academy

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The truth is DCU isn't a credible academy in the MLS academy landscape. It is FAR behind the best academies and not even really on par with the worst considering it doesn't have its own facilities and makes many of their players and families pay money to participate. No teaching methodology, no consistent results and leadership that gives no craps about the academy. Recipe for failure and DCUs academy is in fact failing. Overall, just not a good place to be.

Every academy doesn't have players in final USYNT camps. DCU has representation.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

DCU has players in the Premier League.
All other academies don't.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

All other academies aren't selling players regularly and consistently to top leagues.
So how is DC far behind them?

This is like saying Messi and Benteke are the same because they are both past their prime players playing in the MLS. Or that Tottenham is the same quality club as Wrexham because neither club has won the premier league. Or that the MLS is just as good as the Belgian league because neither has produced Ballon d'or winners. Or that Ajax and La Masia academies are the same as Philly Union because they all have boarding houses and full campuses for their academies. It has already been proven, over and over, that your line of logic fails miserably in this regard.

DCU is behind almost every other MLS academy in the country because of some very simple facts:

It doesn't own a facility for the academy and isnt investing in one. Every other MLS academy has its own facility and most are planning to build bigger ones

It doesn't have enough personnel to run a credible academy. DCU has 9 people dedicated to football in the academy. NINE. And most of them aren't full time employees Many of the MLS academies in this country just have more people focused on development. And they pay them more than DCU does which attracts better developers

It has poor scouting and recruiting. With one scout to cover a vast amount of territory, many talents are overlooked. Couple this with the fact that the primary scouting methodology is word of mouth not proactive scouting and you see why the DCU rosters don't always have the top kids.

It doesn't properly invest in the academy. Other academies are investing tens of millions of dollars in their academies. DCU doesnt invest in the academy and only tries to keep it running so the MLS doesnt take action against them.

Every other MLS academy in the US has a second team to further develop their players. DCU does not have this. This alone puts them way behind other Academies and has caused other MLS academies to petition the league to take DCUs homegrown territory rights away because it doesn't provide a real pro pathway to its players so why should they get to protect those players from systems that actually have a legit pro pathway.

DCUs academy doesn't consistently produce players for the first team. It has been years since an academy product has played real minutes for the first team.

DCU has no grassroots program to cultivate young players No real rationale needed. This fact stands on its own.

DCU has an inferior methodology and system. You can see this every week when the teams play real academies. DCU always looks behind and unorganized

The academy itself is unorganized and unprofessional. This is clear from how they communicate with the external world, their own players and families and their own staff.

Local clubs have more infrastructure and more to offer local players. With good academies, the delta between what they are offering and what a local club is offering is massive.

DCUs reputation on a national level is far behind the best academies. This is just known and uncontroverted. On an international level DCUs academy is no where.

Some of the best players from this region in the last years have actually left DCU or decided not to go to DCU for better environments after they either saw first hand what the program is about or because they already knew DCU was poor and didn't want to involve themselves with the operation.

Could write a lot more and much more is offered on this thread in the pages before. You just have to read it.

💯

Stiven Jimenez, Chris Applewhite are just two examples (there are more) who are both pros now and deliberately left this area to play for better academies because they knew DCU was not going to be the best environment for their development. Both grew up here and played for local DMV clubs.

Thank you for these. If possible, can you share more? It looks like they both played for Arlington. I am not trying to argue about DCU merits. I am simply looking for successful kids who came out of the DMV to see what they were doing at my son's age and network with the people who helped develop these kids. I was only aware of Parades and Yow who play my son's position. Akinmboni is a defender and completely different with his physical profile.

Here are a few names that I know of personally. And this is just off the top of my head. If I really did research I could find more.

These players are all from the DMV and either never stepped foot in DCU or were in DCU for a short period of time (even when they had younger ages and a longer pathway): All reached professional soccer either in the MLs or overseas. All could have chosen DCU for extended periods of time.but didn't.

Aaron Heard (Leverkusen)
Jack Sullivan (Colorado Rapids)
Gabe Segal (Houston Dynamo)
Jeremy Ebobisse (LAFC)
Gideon Zelalem (Arsenal and NYCFC)
Nicholas Gioacchini (Asteras Tripolis)
Byang Kayo (OH Leuven)
Joe Gyau (Dortmund, Hoffenheim, FC Cincy and several other clubs)

There are also several younger kids (u14-u17) in top European academies from the DMV that will make waves very soon as well.

If you're genuinely interested like your post says, here you are. Many of these players had coaches that are still around the DMV. If you're the PP masquerading as someone else thinking there are no other players to list, you feel about as dumb as your post right about now. 👍

I guess you forgot all of the above players that left the DMV for better environments who made it PROFESSIONALLY. not some u17 world cup. And there are others that aren't mentioned. You can't win...

Players who left the DMV for European academies would leave EVERY MLS Academy for a European academy.

Don't be disingenuous !

Where are the above players listed now and what was their peak professional levels?

Many many many average footballers spend years jumping around from bench to bench and practice squad to practice squad with the name of the club on their resume

Does it matter? They were pros. Some at some of the best clubs in the world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which players from the DC area that chose to go to another academy other than DCU are on the USYNT at the U17s World Cup?

Not sure what the point of your question is. Everyone on this forum already knows you want people to think DCUA is good enough. That’s fine.

If you’re still trying to argue that DCUA is comparable to any other academy, not a single person in this forum or in the DMV community believes that. I mean many in DMV soccer thinks it’s the same as any other P2P club in the area. 🤷🏽‍♀️

You can make your same tired arguments over and over again, it won’t change any minds, unless it’s to turn someone anti-DCUA.

Actually, you're making the same copy and paste tires emotional biased arguments and I just point out the personal biased narrative not backed by facts, logic and reality

If all the so-called ballers from the DMV that you claim have chosen other academies than DCU because DCU would hold them back from reaching highest heights, then logic suggests they will be at the highest heights

All you have to do, simply, to prove your thesis is show the successful end results that can be proven and verified

Since no kids from the DC area chose a path other than DCU and are at the U17 WC, that means your assertions are a pipe dream-state versus reality.
For that age group definitely.

Let's revisit at the next Youth WC, shall we?

Interesting. You keep moving the goal posts. First, it is why try to be a professional, less than 1% make it. Now it is become the top 20-ish player in your age group and have the political connections to make it happen? That is the only reason it is justified to leave.

Listen, I get it. I was not prepared to send my kid away until I learned that the best way for my kid to pursue his passion is to send him away. Let's play by your new limited rules though.

I honestly don’t know how final selections work but Makai Wells has recently featured for USMNT U17 although he may not be on the final WC roster. I think most people on this board would settle for that achievement, correct? He plays for Rev II. He left to be developed. If he were in DCU, he would NOT have an opportunity to be to further “developed” under DCU II because it does not exist.

A second team is ideal standard for professional football development to bridge the academy to professional development. Per their most recent interview, DCU owners want a 2nd team but have been ineffective for years in securing one.

USMNT U-16’s have two players from the DMV who left:

Andoulaye Diogo and Samuel Gallego. Both from the DMV at Philly Union in spite of DCU. That is a pretty high ratio of DMV kids to left to states in the Union to roster spots if you follow my logic .

I only chimed back in originally because of the U8 parent who appeared to be a novice. His now deleted comment shows that if it was him he may have the same limited mindset of those currently at DCU. It's okay if you don't want to leave. I did not originally either and I am not sending my kid away this young.

The only people who think you have to go to DCU are the same pretentious parents who think you need to be at Bethesda to develop these days. The old days are gone. Look at our tournament participation. People are questioning why they need to participate in WAGS, Bethesda Premier Cup and Jefferson. Local teams that traditionally attended Potomac Memorial head up north for FC Delco and EDP tournaments. The cat is out of the bag in the younger age groups. Philly openly talks about its commitment to serving our community at events up there. Alexandria and SYC play their pre-academy teams in the Acela league with the Red Bulls and Philly Union academy teams.

At the end of the day, each person makes their own choice. Just don't believe that if you want to become a professional footballer, playing at DCU out of the DMV is your only choice or even the preferred one based on your family circumstances and how good your kid is. If you do stay with DCU, good luck and I'll still be rooting for you.

So no player left the dmv for another academy and is at the U17s World Cup representing the USA, but players from the academy they went to are?

Newsflash, u17 world cup participation doesn't make a good academy. Flawed argument

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which players from the DC area that chose to go to another academy other than DCU are on the USYNT at the U17s World Cup?

Not sure what the point of your question is. Everyone on this forum already knows you want people to think DCUA is good enough. That’s fine.

If you’re still trying to argue that DCUA is comparable to any other academy, not a single person in this forum or in the DMV community believes that. I mean many in DMV soccer thinks it’s the same as any other P2P club in the area. 🤷🏽‍♀️

You can make your same tired arguments over and over again, it won’t change any minds, unless it’s to turn someone anti-DCUA.

Actually, you're making the same copy and paste tires emotional biased arguments and I just point out the personal biased narrative not backed by facts, logic and reality

If all the so-called ballers from the DMV that you claim have chosen other academies than DCU because DCU would hold them back from reaching highest heights, then logic suggests they will be at the highest heights

All you have to do, simply, to prove your thesis is show the successful end results that can be proven and verified

Since no kids from the DC area chose a path other than DCU and are at the U17 WC, that means your assertions are a pipe dream-state versus reality.
For that age group definitely.

Let's revisit at the next Youth WC, shall we?

Interesting. You keep moving the goal posts. First, it is why try to be a professional, less than 1% make it. Now it is become the top 20-ish player in your age group and have the political connections to make it happen? That is the only reason it is justified to leave.

Listen, I get it. I was not prepared to send my kid away until I learned that the best way for my kid to pursue his passion is to send him away. Let's play by your new limited rules though.

I honestly don’t know how final selections work but Makai Wells has recently featured for USMNT U17 although he may not be on the final WC roster. I think most people on this board would settle for that achievement, correct? He plays for Rev II. He left to be developed. If he were in DCU, he would NOT have an opportunity to be to further “developed” under DCU II because it does not exist.

A second team is ideal standard for professional football development to bridge the academy to professional development. Per their most recent interview, DCU owners want a 2nd team but have been ineffective for years in securing one.

USMNT U-16’s have two players from the DMV who left:

Andoulaye Diogo and Samuel Gallego. Both from the DMV at Philly Union in spite of DCU. That is a pretty high ratio of DMV kids to left to states in the Union to roster spots if you follow my logic .

I only chimed back in originally because of the U8 parent who appeared to be a novice. His now deleted comment shows that if it was him he may have the same limited mindset of those currently at DCU. It's okay if you don't want to leave. I did not originally either and I am not sending my kid away this young.

The only people who think you have to go to DCU are the same pretentious parents who think you need to be at Bethesda to develop these days. The old days are gone. Look at our tournament participation. People are questioning why they need to participate in WAGS, Bethesda Premier Cup and Jefferson. Local teams that traditionally attended Potomac Memorial head up north for FC Delco and EDP tournaments. The cat is out of the bag in the younger age groups. Philly openly talks about its commitment to serving our community at events up there. Alexandria and SYC play their pre-academy teams in the Acela league with the Red Bulls and Philly Union academy teams.

At the end of the day, each person makes their own choice. Just don't believe that if you want to become a professional footballer, playing at DCU out of the DMV is your only choice or even the preferred one based on your family circumstances and how good your kid is. If you do stay with DCU, good luck and I'll still be rooting for you.

So no player left the dmv for another academy and is at the U17s World Cup representing the USA, but players from the academy they went to are?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The truth is DCU isn't a credible academy in the MLS academy landscape. It is FAR behind the best academies and not even really on par with the worst considering it doesn't have its own facilities and makes many of their players and families pay money to participate. No teaching methodology, no consistent results and leadership that gives no craps about the academy. Recipe for failure and DCUs academy is in fact failing. Overall, just not a good place to be.

Every academy doesn't have players in final USYNT camps. DCU has representation.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

DCU has players in the Premier League.
All other academies don't.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

All other academies aren't selling players regularly and consistently to top leagues.
So how is DC far behind them?

This is like saying Messi and Benteke are the same because they are both past their prime players playing in the MLS. Or that Tottenham is the same quality club as Wrexham because neither club has won the premier league. Or that the MLS is just as good as the Belgian league because neither has produced Ballon d'or winners. Or that Ajax and La Masia academies are the same as Philly Union because they all have boarding houses and full campuses for their academies. It has already been proven, over and over, that your line of logic fails miserably in this regard.

DCU is behind almost every other MLS academy in the country because of some very simple facts:

It doesn't own a facility for the academy and isnt investing in one. Every other MLS academy has its own facility and most are planning to build bigger ones

It doesn't have enough personnel to run a credible academy. DCU has 9 people dedicated to football in the academy. NINE. And most of them aren't full time employees Many of the MLS academies in this country just have more people focused on development. And they pay them more than DCU does which attracts better developers

It has poor scouting and recruiting. With one scout to cover a vast amount of territory, many talents are overlooked. Couple this with the fact that the primary scouting methodology is word of mouth not proactive scouting and you see why the DCU rosters don't always have the top kids.

It doesn't properly invest in the academy. Other academies are investing tens of millions of dollars in their academies. DCU doesnt invest in the academy and only tries to keep it running so the MLS doesnt take action against them.

Every other MLS academy in the US has a second team to further develop their players. DCU does not have this. This alone puts them way behind other Academies and has caused other MLS academies to petition the league to take DCUs homegrown territory rights away because it doesn't provide a real pro pathway to its players so why should they get to protect those players from systems that actually have a legit pro pathway.

DCUs academy doesn't consistently produce players for the first team. It has been years since an academy product has played real minutes for the first team.

DCU has no grassroots program to cultivate young players No real rationale needed. This fact stands on its own.

DCU has an inferior methodology and system. You can see this every week when the teams play real academies. DCU always looks behind and unorganized

The academy itself is unorganized and unprofessional. This is clear from how they communicate with the external world, their own players and families and their own staff.

Local clubs have more infrastructure and more to offer local players. With good academies, the delta between what they are offering and what a local club is offering is massive.

DCUs reputation on a national level is far behind the best academies. This is just known and uncontroverted. On an international level DCUs academy is no where.

Some of the best players from this region in the last years have actually left DCU or decided not to go to DCU for better environments after they either saw first hand what the program is about or because they already knew DCU was poor and didn't want to involve themselves with the operation.

Could write a lot more and much more is offered on this thread in the pages before. You just have to read it.

💯

Stiven Jimenez, Chris Applewhite are just two examples (there are more) who are both pros now and deliberately left this area to play for better academies because they knew DCU was not going to be the best environment for their development. Both grew up here and played for local DMV clubs.

Thank you for these. If possible, can you share more? It looks like they both played for Arlington. I am not trying to argue about DCU merits. I am simply looking for successful kids who came out of the DMV to see what they were doing at my son's age and network with the people who helped develop these kids. I was only aware of Parades and Yow who play my son's position. Akinmboni is a defender and completely different with his physical profile.

Here are a few names that I know of personally. And this is just off the top of my head. If I really did research I could find more.

These players are all from the DMV and either never stepped foot in DCU or were in DCU for a short period of time (even when they had younger ages and a longer pathway): All reached professional soccer either in the MLs or overseas. All could have chosen DCU for extended periods of time.but didn't.

Aaron Heard (Leverkusen)
Jack Sullivan (Colorado Rapids)
Gabe Segal (Houston Dynamo)
Jeremy Ebobisse (LAFC)
Gideon Zelalem (Arsenal and NYCFC)
Nicholas Gioacchini (Asteras Tripolis)
Byang Kayo (OH Leuven)
Joe Gyau (Dortmund, Hoffenheim, FC Cincy and several other clubs)

There are also several younger kids (u14-u17) in top European academies from the DMV that will make waves very soon as well.

If you're genuinely interested like your post says, here you are. Many of these players had coaches that are still around the DMV. If you're the PP masquerading as someone else thinking there are no other players to list, you feel about as dumb as your post right about now. 👍

I guess you forgot all of the above players that left the DMV for better environments who made it PROFESSIONALLY. not some u17 world cup. And there are others that aren't mentioned. You can't win...

Players who left the DMV for European academies would leave EVERY MLS Academy for a European academy.

Don't be disingenuous !

Where are the above players listed now and what was their peak professional levels?

Many many many average footballers spend years jumping around from bench to bench and practice squad to practice squad with the name of the club on their resume

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The truth is DCU isn't a credible academy in the MLS academy landscape. It is FAR behind the best academies and not even really on par with the worst considering it doesn't have its own facilities and makes many of their players and families pay money to participate. No teaching methodology, no consistent results and leadership that gives no craps about the academy. Recipe for failure and DCUs academy is in fact failing. Overall, just not a good place to be.

Every academy doesn't have players in final USYNT camps. DCU has representation.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

DCU has players in the Premier League.
All other academies don't.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

All other academies aren't selling players regularly and consistently to top leagues.
So how is DC far behind them?

This is like saying Messi and Benteke are the same because they are both past their prime players playing in the MLS. Or that Tottenham is the same quality club as Wrexham because neither club has won the premier league. Or that the MLS is just as good as the Belgian league because neither has produced Ballon d'or winners. Or that Ajax and La Masia academies are the same as Philly Union because they all have boarding houses and full campuses for their academies. It has already been proven, over and over, that your line of logic fails miserably in this regard.

DCU is behind almost every other MLS academy in the country because of some very simple facts:

It doesn't own a facility for the academy and isnt investing in one. Every other MLS academy has its own facility and most are planning to build bigger ones

It doesn't have enough personnel to run a credible academy. DCU has 9 people dedicated to football in the academy. NINE. And most of them aren't full time employees Many of the MLS academies in this country just have more people focused on development. And they pay them more than DCU does which attracts better developers

It has poor scouting and recruiting. With one scout to cover a vast amount of territory, many talents are overlooked. Couple this with the fact that the primary scouting methodology is word of mouth not proactive scouting and you see why the DCU rosters don't always have the top kids.

It doesn't properly invest in the academy. Other academies are investing tens of millions of dollars in their academies. DCU doesnt invest in the academy and only tries to keep it running so the MLS doesnt take action against them.

Every other MLS academy in the US has a second team to further develop their players. DCU does not have this. This alone puts them way behind other Academies and has caused other MLS academies to petition the league to take DCUs homegrown territory rights away because it doesn't provide a real pro pathway to its players so why should they get to protect those players from systems that actually have a legit pro pathway.

DCUs academy doesn't consistently produce players for the first team. It has been years since an academy product has played real minutes for the first team.

DCU has no grassroots program to cultivate young players No real rationale needed. This fact stands on its own.

DCU has an inferior methodology and system. You can see this every week when the teams play real academies. DCU always looks behind and unorganized

The academy itself is unorganized and unprofessional. This is clear from how they communicate with the external world, their own players and families and their own staff.

Local clubs have more infrastructure and more to offer local players. With good academies, the delta between what they are offering and what a local club is offering is massive.

DCUs reputation on a national level is far behind the best academies. This is just known and uncontroverted. On an international level DCUs academy is no where.

Some of the best players from this region in the last years have actually left DCU or decided not to go to DCU for better environments after they either saw first hand what the program is about or because they already knew DCU was poor and didn't want to involve themselves with the operation.

Could write a lot more and much more is offered on this thread in the pages before. You just have to read it.

💯

Stiven Jimenez, Chris Applewhite are just two examples (there are more) who are both pros now and deliberately left this area to play for better academies because they knew DCU was not going to be the best environment for their development. Both grew up here and played for local DMV clubs.

Thank you for these. If possible, can you share more? It looks like they both played for Arlington. I am not trying to argue about DCU merits. I am simply looking for successful kids who came out of the DMV to see what they were doing at my son's age and network with the people who helped develop these kids. I was only aware of Parades and Yow who play my son's position. Akinmboni is a defender and completely different with his physical profile.

Here are a few names that I know of personally. And this is just off the top of my head. If I really did research I could find more.

These players are all from the DMV and either never stepped foot in DCU or were in DCU for a short period of time (even when they had younger ages and a longer pathway): All reached professional soccer either in the MLs or overseas. All could have chosen DCU for extended periods of time.but didn't.

Aaron Heard (Leverkusen)
Jack Sullivan (Colorado Rapids)
Gabe Segal (Houston Dynamo)
Jeremy Ebobisse (LAFC)
Gideon Zelalem (Arsenal and NYCFC)
Nicholas Gioacchini (Asteras Tripolis)
Byang Kayo (OH Leuven)
Joe Gyau (Dortmund, Hoffenheim, FC Cincy and several other clubs)

There are also several younger kids (u14-u17) in top European academies from the DMV that will make waves very soon as well.

If you're genuinely interested like your post says, here you are. Many of these players had coaches that are still around the DMV. If you're the PP masquerading as someone else thinking there are no other players to list, you feel about as dumb as your post right about now. 👍

I guess you forgot all of the above players that left the DMV for better environments who made it PROFESSIONALLY. not some u17 world cup. And there are others that aren't mentioned. You can't win...

Players who left the DMV for European academies would leave EVERY MLS Academy for a European academy.

Don't be disingenuous !

Where are the above players listed now and what was their peak professional levels?

Many many many average footballers spend years jumping around from bench to bench and practice squad to practice squad with the name of the club on their resume

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The truth is DCU isn't a credible academy in the MLS academy landscape. It is FAR behind the best academies and not even really on par with the worst considering it doesn't have its own facilities and makes many of their players and families pay money to participate. No teaching methodology, no consistent results and leadership that gives no craps about the academy. Recipe for failure and DCUs academy is in fact failing. Overall, just not a good place to be.

Every academy doesn't have players in final USYNT camps. DCU has representation.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

DCU has players in the Premier League.
All other academies don't.
So how are they far behind all other academies?

All other academies aren't selling players regularly and consistently to top leagues.
So how is DC far behind them?

This is like saying Messi and Benteke are the same because they are both past their prime players playing in the MLS. Or that Tottenham is the same quality club as Wrexham because neither club has won the premier league. Or that the MLS is just as good as the Belgian league because neither has produced Ballon d'or winners. Or that Ajax and La Masia academies are the same as Philly Union because they all have boarding houses and full campuses for their academies. It has already been proven, over and over, that your line of logic fails miserably in this regard.

DCU is behind almost every other MLS academy in the country because of some very simple facts:

It doesn't own a facility for the academy and isnt investing in one. Every other MLS academy has its own facility and most are planning to build bigger ones

It doesn't have enough personnel to run a credible academy. DCU has 9 people dedicated to football in the academy. NINE. And most of them aren't full time employees Many of the MLS academies in this country just have more people focused on development. And they pay them more than DCU does which attracts better developers

It has poor scouting and recruiting. With one scout to cover a vast amount of territory, many talents are overlooked. Couple this with the fact that the primary scouting methodology is word of mouth not proactive scouting and you see why the DCU rosters don't always have the top kids.

It doesn't properly invest in the academy. Other academies are investing tens of millions of dollars in their academies. DCU doesnt invest in the academy and only tries to keep it running so the MLS doesnt take action against them.

Every other MLS academy in the US has a second team to further develop their players. DCU does not have this. This alone puts them way behind other Academies and has caused other MLS academies to petition the league to take DCUs homegrown territory rights away because it doesn't provide a real pro pathway to its players so why should they get to protect those players from systems that actually have a legit pro pathway.

DCUs academy doesn't consistently produce players for the first team. It has been years since an academy product has played real minutes for the first team.

DCU has no grassroots program to cultivate young players No real rationale needed. This fact stands on its own.

DCU has an inferior methodology and system. You can see this every week when the teams play real academies. DCU always looks behind and unorganized

The academy itself is unorganized and unprofessional. This is clear from how they communicate with the external world, their own players and families and their own staff.

Local clubs have more infrastructure and more to offer local players. With good academies, the delta between what they are offering and what a local club is offering is massive.

DCUs reputation on a national level is far behind the best academies. This is just known and uncontroverted. On an international level DCUs academy is no where.

Some of the best players from this region in the last years have actually left DCU or decided not to go to DCU for better environments after they either saw first hand what the program is about or because they already knew DCU was poor and didn't want to involve themselves with the operation.

Could write a lot more and much more is offered on this thread in the pages before. You just have to read it.

💯

Stiven Jimenez, Chris Applewhite are just two examples (there are more) who are both pros now and deliberately left this area to play for better academies because they knew DCU was not going to be the best environment for their development. Both grew up here and played for local DMV clubs.

Thank you for these. If possible, can you share more? It looks like they both played for Arlington. I am not trying to argue about DCU merits. I am simply looking for successful kids who came out of the DMV to see what they were doing at my son's age and network with the people who helped develop these kids. I was only aware of Parades and Yow who play my son's position. Akinmboni is a defender and completely different with his physical profile.

Here are a few names that I know of personally. And this is just off the top of my head. If I really did research I could find more.

These players are all from the DMV and either never stepped foot in DCU or were in DCU for a short period of time (even when they had younger ages and a longer pathway): All reached professional soccer either in the MLs or overseas. All could have chosen DCU for extended periods of time.but didn't.

Aaron Heard (Leverkusen)
Jack Sullivan (Colorado Rapids)
Gabe Segal (Houston Dynamo)
Jeremy Ebobisse (LAFC)
Gideon Zelalem (Arsenal and NYCFC)
Nicholas Gioacchini (Asteras Tripolis)
Byang Kayo (OH Leuven)
Joe Gyau (Dortmund, Hoffenheim, FC Cincy and several other clubs)

There are also several younger kids (u14-u17) in top European academies from the DMV that will make waves very soon as well.

If you're genuinely interested like your post says, here you are. Many of these players had coaches that are still around the DMV. If you're the PP masquerading as someone else thinking there are no other players to list, you feel about as dumb as your post right about now. 👍

I guess you forgot all of the above players that left the DMV for better environments who made it PROFESSIONALLY. not some u17 world cup. And there are others that aren't mentioned. You can't win...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which players from the DC area that chose to go to another academy other than DCU are on the USYNT at the U17s World Cup?

Not sure what the point of your question is. Everyone on this forum already knows you want people to think DCUA is good enough. That’s fine.

If you’re still trying to argue that DCUA is comparable to any other academy, not a single person in this forum or in the DMV community believes that. I mean many in DMV soccer thinks it’s the same as any other P2P club in the area. 🤷🏽‍♀️

You can make your same tired arguments over and over again, it won’t change any minds, unless it’s to turn someone anti-DCUA.

Actually, you're making the same copy and paste tires emotional biased arguments and I just point out the personal biased narrative not backed by facts, logic and reality

If all the so-called ballers from the DMV that you claim have chosen other academies than DCU because DCU would hold them back from reaching highest heights, then logic suggests they will be at the highest heights

All you have to do, simply, to prove your thesis is show the successful end results that can be proven and verified

Since no kids from the DC area chose a path other than DCU and are at the U17 WC, that means your assertions are a pipe dream-state versus reality.
For that age group definitely.

Let's revisit at the next Youth WC, shall we?

Interesting. You keep moving the goal posts. First, it is why try to be a professional, less than 1% make it. Now it is become the top 20-ish player in your age group and have the political connections to make it happen? That is the only reason it is justified to leave.

Listen, I get it. I was not prepared to send my kid away until I learned that the best way for my kid to pursue his passion is to send him away. Let's play by your new limited rules though.

I honestly don’t know how final selections work but Makai Wells has recently featured for USMNT U17 although he may not be on the final WC roster. I think most people on this board would settle for that achievement, correct? He plays for Rev II. He left to be developed. If he were in DCU, he would NOT have an opportunity to be to further “developed” under DCU II because it does not exist.

A second team is ideal standard for professional football development to bridge the academy to professional development. Per their most recent interview, DCU owners want a 2nd team but have been ineffective for years in securing one.

USMNT U-16’s have two players from the DMV who left:

Andoulaye Diogo and Samuel Gallego. Both from the DMV at Philly Union in spite of DCU. That is a pretty high ratio of DMV kids to left to states in the Union to roster spots if you follow my logic .

I only chimed back in originally because of the U8 parent who appeared to be a novice. His now deleted comment shows that if it was him he may have the same limited mindset of those currently at DCU. It's okay if you don't want to leave. I did not originally either and I am not sending my kid away this young.

The only people who think you have to go to DCU are the same pretentious parents who think you need to be at Bethesda to develop these days. The old days are gone. Look at our tournament participation. People are questioning why they need to participate in WAGS, Bethesda Premier Cup and Jefferson. Local teams that traditionally attended Potomac Memorial head up north for FC Delco and EDP tournaments. The cat is out of the bag in the younger age groups. Philly openly talks about its commitment to serving our community at events up there. Alexandria and SYC play their pre-academy teams in the Acela league with the Red Bulls and Philly Union academy teams.

At the end of the day, each person makes their own choice. Just don't believe that if you want to become a professional footballer, playing at DCU out of the DMV is your only choice or even the preferred one based on your family circumstances and how good your kid is. If you do stay with DCU, good luck and I'll still be rooting for you.