Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After reading through the whole thread, the gist of it is this. DCU is a no brainer if it's your only option. But be proactive and try reaching out to outside academies. And if your DS is good enough to receive multiple offers, look elsewhere. Sound about right?

The thread is about whether DCU is a good academy and the answer to that is is simple - it isn't. Whether your kid should go to DCU is a separate but related issue. On that issue I agree with your post. Although DCU is never a no brainer. You have to seriously consider whether it is the right fit for your child and their developmental needs when they enter. And that calculation is different for each kid and situation

After reading through this thread, the answer is clear and simple.

A few people feeling aggrieved airing their emotions and a lot of conjecture.

Also, its obvious the serious soccer people with relevant connections to dcua aren't a part of this gossip circus.

WEAK and FALSE

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After reading through the whole thread, the gist of it is this. DCU is a no brainer if it's your only option. But be proactive and try reaching out to outside academies. And if your DS is good enough to receive multiple offers, look elsewhere. Sound about right?

The thread is about whether DCU is a good academy and the answer to that is is simple - it isn't. Whether your kid should go to DCU is a separate but related issue. On that issue I agree with your post. Although DCU is never a no brainer. You have to seriously consider whether it is the right fit for your child and their developmental needs when they enter. And that calculation is different for each kid and situation

After reading through this thread, the answer is clear and simple.

A few people feeling aggrieved airing their emotions and a lot of conjecture.

Also, its obvious the serious soccer people with relevant connections to dcua aren't a part of this gossip circus.

Must be so hard wishing and hoping that was true...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After reading through the whole thread, the gist of it is this. DCU is a no brainer if it's your only option. But be proactive and try reaching out to outside academies. And if your DS is good enough to receive multiple offers, look elsewhere. Sound about right?

The thread is about whether DCU is a good academy and the answer to that is is simple - it isn't. Whether your kid should go to DCU is a separate but related issue. On that issue I agree with your post. Although DCU is never a no brainer. You have to seriously consider whether it is the right fit for your child and their developmental needs when they enter. And that calculation is different for each kid and situation

After reading through this thread, the answer is clear and simple.

A few people feeling aggrieved airing their emotions and a lot of conjecture.

Also, its obvious the serious soccer people with relevant connections to dcua aren't a part of this gossip circus.

😂

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After reading through the whole thread, the gist of it is this. DCU is a no brainer if it's your only option. But be proactive and try reaching out to outside academies. And if your DS is good enough to receive multiple offers, look elsewhere. Sound about right?

The thread is about whether DCU is a good academy and the answer to that is is simple - it isn't. Whether your kid should go to DCU is a separate but related issue. On that issue I agree with your post. Although DCU is never a no brainer. You have to seriously consider whether it is the right fit for your child and their developmental needs when they enter. And that calculation is different for each kid and situation

After reading through this thread, the answer is clear and simple.

A few people feeling aggrieved airing their emotions and a lot of conjecture.

Also, its obvious the serious soccer people with relevant connections to dcua aren't a part of this gossip circus.

Anonymous wrote:After reading through the whole thread, the gist of it is this. DCU is a no brainer if it's your only option. But be proactive and try reaching out to outside academies. And if your DS is good enough to receive multiple offers, look elsewhere. Sound about right?

The thread is about whether DCU is a good academy and the answer to that is is simple - it isn't. Whether your kid should go to DCU is a separate but related issue. On that issue I agree with your post. Although DCU is never a no brainer. You have to seriously consider whether it is the right fit for your child and their developmental needs when they enter. And that calculation is different for each kid and situation

After reading through the whole thread, the gist of it is this. DCU is a no brainer if it's your only option. But be proactive and try reaching out to outside academies. And if your DS is good enough to receive multiple offers, look elsewhere. Sound about right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And getting back to the main point of the thread...lack of a grassroots program at the younger ages is just another, of the many many many, reasons why DCU is and will likely continue to be a subpar academy. And it is known that DCU is subpar. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just living a lie. It doesn't mean that you can't be proud to be in the organization, you can be. Just like there were proud Commanders fans when the organization was being run into the ground by incompetent ownership and management. But those same fans knew that the organization was crap but still supported them. This is similar for DCU. Crap organization with a solid fan base and this extends to the academy.

Many love to use the clubs, the teams, the coaches, the refs, the other parents etc as red herrings, distractions, excuses for why they failed their child.

And many hold on the false dreams that what they are doing is great even in the face of real facts that what they are doing is stupid

If a kid being at dcu academy for free is stupid, then what should the rest of us paying $4K a year to be at Paragon or Achilles do? lol

It's all relative. If you're talking about professional academies and your kid is in that ecosystem/at that level, then DCU isn't a smart choice (if you have other options). If you don't have other options then DCU is where you have to go and just accept their academy and what it does have to offer. If you're not in that ecosystem then, by default, you're in pay to play and the calculations are different. We could devote an entire new thread to pay to play clubs in our area.

Nothing about any other MLS Academy says DCU is not a smart choice.
It's obviously personal opinions

DCU have players going to top colleges and to Pros

There are no MLS Academies churning out high numbers of players to top level professional clubs.

No MLS Academy has a high percentage of graduates going to high level professional clubs.

How many kids from the DMV are getting into MLS Academies nationally?
Then where are they going from there?

You're spewing BS like anyone can just go to Philly and be Cavan Sullivan.
If being at Philly Union was enough for high level success, then there would be dozens of Cavan Sullivans coming out of Philly.

If your kid can't be elite and exceptional nationally being at DCU, they can't be exceptional and elite anywhere in America.

And if they are exceptional at DCU, imagine what they could be in a better system that cares about their development

Nothing you just said is factual.

Just your biased toxic opinion based on personal grievances and a need to spread negativity.

Since DCU is spending thousands per player, why wouldn't they care about developing players?
You're a moron.

They do care about developing players. It's just that they suck at it compared to other academies.

What are these other academies producing consistently and in significant numbers at high levels?
Definitely not to the USMNT nor in European Leagues top divisions

They are producing national team players and also players that are being sold overseas. https://www.soccerwire.com/resources/which-youth-clubs-have-the-most-u-s-mens-youth-national-team-players-2022-2023/
DCU rounds out the bottom four.

It’s mind-blowing how DCU academy claims to develop top talent and is run by people with barely credible resumes. Looking at their director and coaches, it’s clear they lack the experience and expertise needed to shape future stars. How can anyone expect real player development when the staff themselves don’t even have a clue? This isn’t just disappointing—it’s a waste of potential for every player who walks through their doors.
DCU academy is the laughingstock of MLS academies. Other MLS academies see them as incompetent, and even local clubs have zero respect for them. Just look at that list of usynt players: they have either have left that organization, been poorly managed or were written off—it says it all. They’re moving on for a reason: poor management and lack of direction. The academy’s leadership has driven talent away instead of nurturing it, and it’s the players who pay the price. What are the DCU success stories?

I'm sure like all the criticisms of every club, team and coach on this forum, this comment is filled with hyperbole.

There are several former players of the dcu academy who have parents that have made it their life mission to smear and denigrate the organization because they feel their phenomenal son wasn't treated fairly.
Even if his performance and mentality was below par.

Those personal agendas makes it difficult for neutrals to decipher what issues are really real, which I'm sure there are things that need improvement, as with any and every organization.

Fact of the matter is this...I'm new to this thread (and area) and I actually just read all 28 pages of the thread because I'm genuinely interested in learning more about DCU because it is the only MLS academy in our area and there is no detailed information available about it elsewhere really. There are a ton of very thoughtful, well reasoned and quite thorough posts that support DCU being a bad academy that ranks very low in comparison to their peers. There is not one post that supports DCU being a good or one of the best academies (which was the ask of the thread to begin with). Whether people have personal agendas/grudges or not, this fact alone is pretty strong evidence that DCU is more likely than not an underperforming/weak MLS academy that leaves a lot to be desired for an aspiring player and a player/family can do better if they have options (which is my conclusion).

Anonymous wrote:DCU had a 2015 practicing with the 2011.. why....

Probably the same philosophy or close to it why they have players training/playing up 1 or 2 years on all 4 teams

Including U16's training with the Senior Mens team

Anonymous wrote:DCU had a 2015 practicing with the 2011.. why....

Why not? DCU being criticized for only starting at the U14 age group. Isn't it a good thing for the academy to identify young talents and invite them to train with the U14 a good thing? It seems like the organization is being criticized regardless.

Anonymous wrote:DCU had a 2015 practicing with the 2011.. why....

Usually deep connections, someone's important's child or a little brother of a current member.

This is how some girls magically get invited to train with the Washington Spirit. I think there was thread about a 13 year old girl who got to train with 3 different NWSL pro-teams last spring/ summer. It was someone with influence and connections. Not saying those kids aren't good, but the process isn't exactly transparent sometimes.

DCU had a 2015 practicing with the 2011.. why....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And getting back to the main point of the thread...lack of a grassroots program at the younger ages is just another, of the many many many, reasons why DCU is and will likely continue to be a subpar academy. And it is known that DCU is subpar. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just living a lie. It doesn't mean that you can't be proud to be in the organization, you can be. Just like there were proud Commanders fans when the organization was being run into the ground by incompetent ownership and management. But those same fans knew that the organization was crap but still supported them. This is similar for DCU. Crap organization with a solid fan base and this extends to the academy.

Many love to use the clubs, the teams, the coaches, the refs, the other parents etc as red herrings, distractions, excuses for why they failed their child.

And many hold on the false dreams that what they are doing is great even in the face of real facts that what they are doing is stupid

If a kid being at dcu academy for free is stupid, then what should the rest of us paying $4K a year to be at Paragon or Achilles do? lol

It's all relative. If you're talking about professional academies and your kid is in that ecosystem/at that level, then DCU isn't a smart choice (if you have other options). If you don't have other options then DCU is where you have to go and just accept their academy and what it does have to offer. If you're not in that ecosystem then, by default, you're in pay to play and the calculations are different. We could devote an entire new thread to pay to play clubs in our area.

Nothing about any other MLS Academy says DCU is not a smart choice.
It's obviously personal opinions

DCU have players going to top colleges and to Pros

There are no MLS Academies churning out high numbers of players to top level professional clubs.

No MLS Academy has a high percentage of graduates going to high level professional clubs.

How many kids from the DMV are getting into MLS Academies nationally?
Then where are they going from there?

You're spewing BS like anyone can just go to Philly and be Cavan Sullivan.
If being at Philly Union was enough for high level success, then there would be dozens of Cavan Sullivans coming out of Philly.

If your kid can't be elite and exceptional nationally being at DCU, they can't be exceptional and elite anywhere in America.

And if they are exceptional at DCU, imagine what they could be in a better system that cares about their development

Nothing you just said is factual.

Just your biased toxic opinion based on personal grievances and a need to spread negativity.

Since DCU is spending thousands per player, why wouldn't they care about developing players?
You're a moron.

They do care about developing players. It's just that they suck at it compared to other academies.

What are these other academies producing consistently and in significant numbers at high levels?
Definitely not to the USMNT nor in European Leagues top divisions

They are producing national team players and also players that are being sold overseas. https://www.soccerwire.com/resources/which-youth-clubs-have-the-most-u-s-mens-youth-national-team-players-2022-2023/
DCU rounds out the bottom four.

It’s mind-blowing how DCU academy claims to develop top talent and is run by people with barely credible resumes. Looking at their director and coaches, it’s clear they lack the experience and expertise needed to shape future stars. How can anyone expect real player development when the staff themselves don’t even have a clue? This isn’t just disappointing—it’s a waste of potential for every player who walks through their doors.
DCU academy is the laughingstock of MLS academies. Other MLS academies see them as incompetent, and even local clubs have zero respect for them. Just look at that list of usynt players: they have either have left that organization, been poorly managed or were written off—it says it all. They’re moving on for a reason: poor management and lack of direction. The academy’s leadership has driven talent away instead of nurturing it, and it’s the players who pay the price. What are the DCU success stories?

I'm sure like all the criticisms of every club, team and coach on this forum, this comment is filled with hyperbole.

There are several former players of the dcu academy who have parents that have made it their life mission to smear and denigrate the organization because they feel their phenomenal son wasn't treated fairly.
Even if his performance and mentality was below par.

Those personal agendas makes it difficult for neutrals to decipher what issues are really real, which I'm sure there are things that need improvement, as with any and every organization.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And getting back to the main point of the thread...lack of a grassroots program at the younger ages is just another, of the many many many, reasons why DCU is and will likely continue to be a subpar academy. And it is known that DCU is subpar. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just living a lie. It doesn't mean that you can't be proud to be in the organization, you can be. Just like there were proud Commanders fans when the organization was being run into the ground by incompetent ownership and management. But those same fans knew that the organization was crap but still supported them. This is similar for DCU. Crap organization with a solid fan base and this extends to the academy.

Many love to use the clubs, the teams, the coaches, the refs, the other parents etc as red herrings, distractions, excuses for why they failed their child.

And many hold on the false dreams that what they are doing is great even in the face of real facts that what they are doing is stupid

If a kid being at dcu academy for free is stupid, then what should the rest of us paying $4K a year to be at Paragon or Achilles do? lol

It's all relative. If you're talking about professional academies and your kid is in that ecosystem/at that level, then DCU isn't a smart choice (if you have other options). If you don't have other options then DCU is where you have to go and just accept their academy and what it does have to offer. If you're not in that ecosystem then, by default, you're in pay to play and the calculations are different. We could devote an entire new thread to pay to play clubs in our area.

Nothing about any other MLS Academy says DCU is not a smart choice.
It's obviously personal opinions

DCU have players going to top colleges and to Pros

There are no MLS Academies churning out high numbers of players to top level professional clubs.

No MLS Academy has a high percentage of graduates going to high level professional clubs.

How many kids from the DMV are getting into MLS Academies nationally?
Then where are they going from there?

You're spewing BS like anyone can just go to Philly and be Cavan Sullivan.
If being at Philly Union was enough for high level success, then there would be dozens of Cavan Sullivans coming out of Philly.

If your kid can't be elite and exceptional nationally being at DCU, they can't be exceptional and elite anywhere in America.

And if they are exceptional at DCU, imagine what they could be in a better system that cares about their development

Nothing you just said is factual.

Just your biased toxic opinion based on personal grievances and a need to spread negativity.

Since DCU is spending thousands per player, why wouldn't they care about developing players?
You're a moron.

They do care about developing players. It's just that they suck at it compared to other academies.

What are these other academies producing consistently and in significant numbers at high levels?
Definitely not to the USMNT nor in European Leagues top divisions

They are producing national team players and also players that are being sold overseas. https://www.soccerwire.com/resources/which-youth-clubs-have-the-most-u-s-mens-youth-national-team-players-2022-2023/
DCU rounds out the bottom four.

It’s mind-blowing how DCU academy claims to develop top talent and is run by people with barely credible resumes. Looking at their director and coaches, it’s clear they lack the experience and expertise needed to shape future stars. How can anyone expect real player development when the staff themselves don’t even have a clue? This isn’t just disappointing—it’s a waste of potential for every player who walks through their doors.
DCU academy is the laughingstock of MLS academies. Other MLS academies see them as incompetent, and even local clubs have zero respect for them. Just look at that list of usynt players: they have either have left that organization, been poorly managed or were written off—it says it all. They’re moving on for a reason: poor management and lack of direction. The academy’s leadership has driven talent away instead of nurturing it, and it’s the players who pay the price. What are the DCU success stories?

You only need to understand the history of the ownership to understand why DCU underperforms at the first team and also at the academy. You had an investment group come in when the team and league was valued much less than it is today and there was much less scrutiny by the league on ownership and their willingness to invest in the club. What happened next was the owners saw the rise of the league overall spurred by other clubs being more aggressive with investing (more than DCU was willing to do at the time and now) and they basically began this wait and see/holding approach to the asset (the club). The thought there was that as the rest of the league rises, their investment would rise as well without them doing or spending much of anything. And there you have it. Minimal spending posture unless absolutely required to stay competitive and keep a level of relevancy and a front office that is squarely focused on that. Why they make PR focused and over the hill signings on the first team and why they didn't invest in the academy until the league made them and why investment now is minimal. DCU is effectively a real estate holding that the owners are letting sit to appreciate while they wait to cash out. Like real estate, they do what it takes so that the asset doesn't depreciate, but the bare minimum. The owners have also realized that the revenue keeps flowing even without massive investment because the fan base is strong. If the fans stopped paying for tickets, stop going to the games and really started making a stink about the state of affairs, things could change. But until then, you will basically have the Commanders of the last 20 years at DCU and that backdrop sucks for the academy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And getting back to the main point of the thread...lack of a grassroots program at the younger ages is just another, of the many many many, reasons why DCU is and will likely continue to be a subpar academy. And it is known that DCU is subpar. anyone who thinks otherwise is just living a lie. It doesn't mean that you can't be proud to be in the organization, you can be. Just like there were proud Commanders fans when the organization was being run into the ground by incompetent ownership and management. But those same fans knew that the organization was crap but still supported them. This is similar for DCU. Crap organization with a solid fan base and this extends to the academy.

Many love to use the clubs, the teams, the coaches, the refs, the other parents etc as red herrings, distractions, excuses for why they failed their child.

And many hold on the false dreams that what they are doing is great even in the face of real facts that what they are doing is stupid

If a kid being at dcu academy for free is stupid, then what should the rest of us paying $4K a year to be at Paragon or Achilles do? lol

It's all relative. If you're talking about professional academies and your kid is in that ecosystem/at that level, then DCU isn't a smart choice (if you have other options). If you don't have other options then DCU is where you have to go and just accept their academy and what it does have to offer. If you're not in that ecosystem then, by default, you're in pay to play and the calculations are different. We could devote an entire new thread to pay to play clubs in our area.

Nothing about any other MLS Academy says DCU is not a smart choice.
It's obviously personal opinions

DCU have players going to top colleges and to Pros

There are no MLS Academies churning out high numbers of players to top level professional clubs.

No MLS Academy has a high percentage of graduates going to high level professional clubs.

How many kids from the DMV are getting into MLS Academies nationally?
Then where are they going from there?

You're spewing BS like anyone can just go to Philly and be Cavan Sullivan.
If being at Philly Union was enough for high level success, then there would be dozens of Cavan Sullivans coming out of Philly.

If your kid can't be elite and exceptional nationally being at DCU, they can't be exceptional and elite anywhere in America.

And if they are exceptional at DCU, imagine what they could be in a better system that cares about their development

Nothing you just said is factual.

Just your biased toxic opinion based on personal grievances and a need to spread negativity.

Since DCU is spending thousands per player, why wouldn't they care about developing players?
You're a moron.

They do care about developing players. It's just that they suck at it compared to other academies.

What are these other academies producing consistently and in significant numbers at high levels?
Definitely not to the USMNT nor in European Leagues top divisions

They are producing national team players and also players that are being sold overseas. https://www.soccerwire.com/resources/which-youth-clubs-have-the-most-u-s-mens-youth-national-team-players-2022-2023/
DCU rounds out the bottom four.