Anonymous
11/22/2025 12:14
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Boggles my mind that grown men who have absolutely no stake in the dcu academy through themselves or their kids are living and dying daily off every element of other people's kids
Define stake?
The fact that current DCU parents are so apathetic about the only professional academy in the DMV being a laughing stock boggles my mind.
Anonymous
11/22/2025 12:10
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DCUA only made it harder on themselves recruiting the best talent by requiring paid online school. Not all families can afford that expense, and those who are financially savy wouldn't waste $10K for their online schooling. The ROI isn't there. Cheaper to play at the local clubs.
Again, I will state that the online school, while available at considerable cost, is not required if alternatives are available to the player. A family member is playing at DCU and is using their home Maryland's districts online school program at no additional cost to them and will graduate with their home district's diploma and not the DCU school diploma.
Carry on.
We know Uncle of D1 player who is at DCU because they don’t know what they are doing and need to fill an open spot. He “married up” for his senior year. Kudos. I am sure you are proud of him and he is a great player but the problem with DCU is that he is actually there.
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:46
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Boggles my mind that grown men who have absolutely no stake in the dcu academy through themselves or their kids are living and dying daily off every element of other people's kids
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:44
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I like it when DC United ties teams that they recruited all the best players from when those teams were u13. It’s kinda funny.
But they do not recruit all the best players from those teams. With one or two exceptions, it’s a mystery to me why they selected certain players from our team this year. In some cases it’s borderline laughable.
what age group are you talking about?
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:43
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DCUA only made it harder on themselves recruiting the best talent by requiring paid online school. Not all families can afford that expense, and those who are financially savy wouldn't waste $10K for their online schooling. The ROI isn't there. Cheaper to play at the local clubs.
Again, I will state that the online school, while available at considerable cost, is not required if alternatives are available to the player. A family member is playing at DCU and is using their home Maryland's districts online school program at no additional cost to them and will graduate with their home district's diploma and not the DCU school diploma.
Carry on.
Also heard there's not a single family paying the listed price and many are on significant scholarships
sorry if those truths are not as sensational as the toxic folks desire
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:40
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Someone should definitely seek the help of a therapist to understand why the thought of successful parents with kids going to elite colleges gives them nightmares
No one has any issues with parents wanting their kids to go to elite schools. Do what is best for you. The issue is saturating our player pool in the professional pathway with kids that have no intention of becoming pros. Just stay in pay to play. You'll get the same result. Another reason why DCU sucks. Soft kids that don't really want it. But have entitled parents that think it gives them an edge.
If the successful people and their kids of financial and social privileges didn't bother you, you wouldn't mention it dozens of times on this one thread alone.
Doesn't take a trained psychologist.
The Pulisics and Sullivans and Weahs and Reynas and Aaronsons etc etc etc are from upper socioeconomic families.
So try a new theory drum to beat
But Gio Reyna IS soft. so soft.
Exactly. He is THE example of the system. Dad brokered all his opportunities. So many kids were better than him at youth ages but he had the silver spoon.
I can't believe someone tried to use Reyna as a good example
His mom and dad brought up stuff that happened 20 years prior with the national team coach to get him fired because their son isn't good enough to get playing minutes. At Dortmund he was on the bench, he went to Forest... BENCH!! Back to Dortmund with new coach... BENCH now he went to Monchengladbach and guess what... BENCH!!
Funny enough he played in the last 2 USA friendlies, I wonder if mommy and daddy had anything to do with that. So you mean to tell me that doesn't happen with younger kids when it happens in the national team. OK
Someone listed Reyna as an example to show kids of privilege exists everywhere, not just the DMV, as was being alleged
Reading with comprehension is fundamental
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:37
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:DCUA only made it harder on themselves recruiting the best talent by requiring paid online school. Not all families can afford that expense, and those who are financially savy wouldn't waste $10K for their online schooling. The ROI isn't there. Cheaper to play at the local clubs.
Again, I will state that the online school, while available at considerable cost, is not required if alternatives are available to the player. A family member is playing at DCU and is using their home Maryland's districts online school program at no additional cost to them and will graduate with their home district's diploma and not the DCU school diploma.
Carry on.
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:37
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I like it when DC United ties teams that they recruited all the best players from when those teams were u13. It’s kinda funny.
But they do not recruit all the best players from those teams. With one or two exceptions, it’s a mystery to me why they selected certain players from our team this year. In some cases it’s borderline laughable.
Translation: they didn't select your son and you're hurt because in your mind your kid is better than the ones selected 😉
Anonymous
11/22/2025 09:31
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
DCUA only made it harder on themselves recruiting the best talent by requiring paid online school. Not all families can afford that expense, and those who are financially savy wouldn't waste $10K for their online schooling. The ROI isn't there. Cheaper to play at the local clubs.
Anonymous
11/22/2025 02:55
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I like it when DC United ties teams that they recruited all the best players from when those teams were u13. It’s kinda funny.
But they do not recruit all the best players from those teams. With one or two exceptions, it’s a mystery to me why they selected certain players from our team this year. In some cases it’s borderline laughable.
Laughable, or Maddening
Agree. The reason why DCUs scouting decisions are puzzling is because they scout by word of mouth only. What that means is that they get names from coaches and staff they know at the clubs, come out and watch those players that are referred and then make an assessment. THATS IT. Literally that's it. There is no proactive scouting happening. Meaning that the scout(s) don't actually scout. They just go to games where people have told them to watch a player or several players. Pretty easy job. But if done correctly, scouting is much harder than this.
When word of mouth is your primary scouting method, your entire system is subject to the whims of the pay to play system and by default influential parents will have preferential treatment. Why you scratch your head wondering why some kids, with minimal talent, both short and long term, make the cut.
Scouting done correctly requires real work. Work that DCU isn't putting in. And a real eye for talent, an eye that DCU doesn't really have because it's scouting team is only one person that has only been involved in the US system, which is weak in terms of talent identification. Nationwide.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 21:02
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I like it when DC United ties teams that they recruited all the best players from when those teams were u13. It’s kinda funny.
But they do not recruit all the best players from those teams. With one or two exceptions, it’s a mystery to me why they selected certain players from our team this year. In some cases it’s borderline laughable.
Laughable, or Maddening
Anonymous
11/21/2025 09:35
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Someone should definitely seek the help of a therapist to understand why the thought of successful parents with kids going to elite colleges gives them nightmares
No one has any issues with parents wanting their kids to go to elite schools. Do what is best for you. The issue is saturating our player pool in the professional pathway with kids that have no intention of becoming pros. Just stay in pay to play. You'll get the same result. Another reason why DCU sucks. Soft kids that don't really want it. But have entitled parents that think it gives them an edge.
If the successful people and their kids of financial and social privileges didn't bother you, you wouldn't mention it dozens of times on this one thread alone.
Doesn't take a trained psychologist.
The Pulisics and Sullivans and Weahs and Reynas and Aaronsons etc etc etc are from upper socioeconomic families.
So try a new theory drum to beat
But Gio Reyna IS soft. so soft.
Exactly. He is THE example of the system. Dad brokered all his opportunities. So many kids were better than him at youth ages but he had the silver spoon.
I can't believe someone tried to use Reyna as a good example
His mom and dad brought up stuff that happened 20 years prior with the national team coach to get him fired because their son isn't good enough to get playing minutes. At Dortmund he was on the bench, he went to Forest... BENCH!! Back to Dortmund with new coach... BENCH now he went to Monchengladbach and guess what... BENCH!!
Funny enough he played in the last 2 USA friendlies, I wonder if mommy and daddy had anything to do with that. So you mean to tell me that doesn't happen with younger kids when it happens in the national team. OK
Precisely. The entire Reyna family epitomizes what is wrong with US Soccer. Claudio became TD at NYCFC and boom, where did Gio all of a sudden become the chosen one? At NYCFC. Again, players were better than him at NYCFC. But no one talks about that.
Claudio spent most of his career in Germany. Most people don't know that. And you think it is by chance he got chances at Dortmund? There were no better kids in the German system better than Gio at u16?? Come on. Politics matter in this sport for sure and so does money.
National team debacle with the Reyna's is the straw that broke the camels back with respect to how bad the youth system is in America. Calling your friend, who is the national team head coach, and yelling at him for your son not playing??? I'm mean it's absurd. And then trashing this same fries and coach in the media when your son doesn't play? It's just ridiculous.
You think Berhalters son is better than everyone else in the US pool? He isn't. Same with Jurgen Klinsmanns son who was in the last USMNT roster. Michael Bradley was the same, list goes on and on...
Anonymous
11/21/2025 09:22
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:I like it when DC United ties teams that they recruited all the best players from when those teams were u13. It’s kinda funny.
But they do not recruit all the best players from those teams. With one or two exceptions, it’s a mystery to me why they selected certain players from our team this year. In some cases it’s borderline laughable.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 09:00
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Someone should definitely seek the help of a therapist to understand why the thought of successful parents with kids going to elite colleges gives them nightmares
No one has any issues with parents wanting their kids to go to elite schools. Do what is best for you. The issue is saturating our player pool in the professional pathway with kids that have no intention of becoming pros. Just stay in pay to play. You'll get the same result. Another reason why DCU sucks. Soft kids that don't really want it. But have entitled parents that think it gives them an edge.
If the successful people and their kids of financial and social privileges didn't bother you, you wouldn't mention it dozens of times on this one thread alone.
Doesn't take a trained psychologist.
The Pulisics and Sullivans and Weahs and Reynas and Aaronsons etc etc etc are from upper socioeconomic families.
So try a new theory drum to beat
But Gio Reyna IS soft. so soft.
Exactly. He is THE example of the system. Dad brokered all his opportunities. So many kids were better than him at youth ages but he had the silver spoon.
I can't believe someone tried to use Reyna as a good example
His mom and dad brought up stuff that happened 20 years prior with the national team coach to get him fired because their son isn't good enough to get playing minutes. At Dortmund he was on the bench, he went to Forest... BENCH!! Back to Dortmund with new coach... BENCH now he went to Monchengladbach and guess what... BENCH!!
Funny enough he played in the last 2 USA friendlies, I wonder if mommy and daddy had anything to do with that. So you mean to tell me that doesn't happen with younger kids when it happens in the national team. OK
Anonymous
11/21/2025 08:38
Subject: DC United Academy - aa strong academy or not
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Someone should definitely seek the help of a therapist to understand why the thought of successful parents with kids going to elite colleges gives them nightmares
No one has any issues with parents wanting their kids to go to elite schools. Do what is best for you. The issue is saturating our player pool in the professional pathway with kids that have no intention of becoming pros. Just stay in pay to play. You'll get the same result. Another reason why DCU sucks. Soft kids that don't really want it. But have entitled parents that think it gives them an edge.
If the successful people and their kids of financial and social privileges didn't bother you, you wouldn't mention it dozens of times on this one thread alone.
Doesn't take a trained psychologist.
The Pulisics and Sullivans and Weahs and Reynas and Aaronsons etc etc etc are from upper socioeconomic families.
So try a new theory drum to beat
As a recent poster just commented, you don't know who you are speaking against because your comments were targeted towards me. In the early parts of this thread, you and others common retort to any criticism of the DCU academy was that we were sore rejects. When you found out I have a high-quality U-little with options, you tried to call us "extra" for guesting up and down the eastern seaboard. I was just here asking questions as this space was brand new to me and quite overwhelming honestly. People who respond in this manner have fragile ego's who are simply defending their existence. Take that to your therapist and have them explain that to you as you probably have no clue like a character in White Lotus.
Let's just set the record straight. All of my kids will have elite colleges on their radar IF they feel any elite college is the best fit for them and their journey. We are in the elite high school/middle school space already but the difference is these labels do not define me or my kids success. I am successful like many of you but I don't talk down to anybody based on where I am. If anything, I am passionate about soccer, I rep the DMV and I am honestly tired of being dog walked by Philly and NJ. I want our area to do better and DCU is, by default, the head of the snake which needs to change if the DMV landscape will change.
Here is what I know about life and soccer. You will never get the best from any one demographic. In order to extract the best talent in sports, arts or science, you need rich and poor, the hood and the cornfields, the white picket fences and the gated communities. Whenever ANY demographic is dominating a space, you have a problem and blind spots in your perspective. Well, it seems DCU has that problem. You obviously don't care or else, you would welcome the criticism and fix it. My kid is not threatened when a new kid comes onto the pitch during practice for a trial. It is game time, competition, ready to battle and compete and let the results be what they are.
If you payed attention to something like The Swag in Philly Union, you will see a great blueprint. Those teams are melting pots of kids from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, the hood, wealthy Delaware County, South America, Latin America, etc. under one umbrella around the beautiful game regardless of socio economic status. It does not cost a lot to create that. You just have to give a $h!t.
Sure love to hear yourself speak
You've repeated the same things dozens of times to appease your insecurities and nothing changes. No one cares about your crusade
You may as well start a thread repeating that Galatasaray sucks
They DO care. Even you care. That is why you post and read it all.
I would start a thread about Galatasaray if it were true that they were mismanaging all of their youth talent in their academy and if they were inept as an organization like DCU. But, they aren't doing that. DCU IS.
Almost all of the success stories of US players come from instances where the families had means. All of who you mention...The Reyna's, Weahs, Aaronson, Sullivan's, Pulisic etc. came from some money. Without those advantages, they would have had much less of a chance.
When the player from the projects of DC has just a good a chance at becoming a pro as a wealthy kid from the DMV suburbs is when our country will be better at football. Until then, we won't be.
DCU perpetuates this state of play which is even worse because if any organization should be helping underprivileged youth players in the DMV it should be the only MLS and first tier professional club in the DMV.. but of course they don't take themselves seriously as an organization and definitely don't care about kids. Why the academy sucks and why they give no craps about serving underprivileged kids and introducing game to them