Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you play in a U10 age group with a mix of U9 and U10 players, you are asking for trouble. If you went up against a "true" U10 team there were probably big physical and skill differences that the U9's couldn't keep up with... especially if the other teams had U10 players that were more physically developed or born earlier in their birth year.

I get your point, but I think this is where Soccer differs from other sports. IQ and grit will always beat out speed and strength. I've seen little guys (compared to other kids on the pitch) kill it on the field. A quick double cut and they are off.

Not at U10, unless the whole team is more skilled than the opponent.

For development, of course, you want IQ, grit and skills. But in terms of a matchup, it's pretty rare that the less athletic team dominates a U10 game. Just the nature of the beast.

Soccer is a sport ...speed, strength, endurance, quickness, soccer iq, etc are all selected for as you move up the age and skill groups. As the kids hit puberty and mature they get sorted out. It happens in all sports. You can have all the Rudies you want but in the end you will lose if you go against elite athletes. Speed is really important because it allows you to recover from mistakes.

Does skill ever factor in or is just about a 40 yard dash?

Speed is a skill -- an athletic skill.

Speed is not a skill it is an attribute and is not one that can be taught. It can be improved upon through technique and form but everyone has a threshold of their personal top speed based on their genetics. Height is also an attribute that cannot be taught.

There are athletic skills and there are sport-specific technical skills. The first create a foundation for the second. That's just the way it is, no matter how slow your kid is.

Wrong, athletic ability can enhance the technical skills. You do not need to be strong, fast, agile, tall, naturally muscular, etc. to learn how to dribble, shoot with both feet, pass/received with both feet, decide the right touch for a 50/50 ball, lob pass, and then further on understand which pass is best suited for the type of play you want to initiate, and separately based on your position in the formation where should you be if your team has the ball vs. if your team doesn't have the ball. A "slow" player can learn how do all of the things I just outlined.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5128455/Skillful-footballers-likely-win-matches.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a DA program right now at the younger age group and during a meeting I found out my coworker's son is also doing DA for Sporting KC. They pay $0!!! I'd reconsider driving my son from the burbs to DC if they cover the cost. Until then, no way in hell. $30 just top hop on 66.

Most MLS-affiliated DAs are free. DC United's is not. They'll be under some pressure to make it free once they move to Audi Field and rejuvenate the club, but it'll probably take some time.

Anonymous wrote:My son is a DA program right now at the younger age group and during a meeting I found out my coworker's son is also doing DA for Sporting KC. They pay $0!!! I'd reconsider driving my son from the burbs to DC if they cover the cost. Until then, no way in hell. $30 just top hop on 66.

Anonymous wrote:My son is a DA program right now at the younger age group and during a meeting I found out my coworker's son is also doing DA for Sporting KC. They pay $0!!! I'd reconsider driving my son from the burbs to DC if they cover the cost. Until then, no way in hell. $30 just top hop on 66.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you play in a U10 age group with a mix of U9 and U10 players, you are asking for trouble. If you went up against a "true" U10 team there were probably big physical and skill differences that the U9's couldn't keep up with... especially if the other teams had U10 players that were more physically developed or born earlier in their birth year.

I get your point, but I think this is where Soccer differs from other sports. IQ and grit will always beat out speed and strength. I've seen little guys (compared to other kids on the pitch) kill it on the field. A quick double cut and they are off.

Not at U10, unless the whole team is more skilled than the opponent.

For development, of course, you want IQ, grit and skills. But in terms of a matchup, it's pretty rare that the less athletic team dominates a U10 game. Just the nature of the beast.

Soccer is a sport ...speed, strength, endurance, quickness, soccer iq, etc are all selected for as you move up the age and skill groups. As the kids hit puberty and mature they get sorted out. It happens in all sports. You can have all the Rudies you want but in the end you will lose if you go against elite athletes. Speed is really important because it allows you to recover from mistakes.

Does skill ever factor in or is just about a 40 yard dash?

Speed is a skill -- an athletic skill.

Speed is not a skill it is an attribute and is not one that can be taught. It can be improved upon through technique and form but everyone has a threshold of their personal top speed based on their genetics. Height is also an attribute that cannot be taught.

There are athletic skills and there are sport-specific technical skills. The first create a foundation for the second. That's just the way it is, no matter how slow your kid is.

Wrong, athletic ability can enhance the technical skills. You do not need to be strong, fast, agile, tall, naturally muscular, etc. to learn how to dribble, shoot with both feet, pass/received with both feet, decide the right touch for a 50/50 ball, lob pass, and then further on understand which pass is best suited for the type of play you want to initiate, and separately based on your position in the formation where should you be if your team has the ball vs. if your team doesn't have the ball. A "slow" player can learn how do all of the things I just outlined.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?

It absolutely matters because if what you are doing locally is not working, you need to improve. DCUnited is one of the worst clubs of ID-ing local talent and getting them promoted to the Senior team. It is also the last full pay to play "Pro Club" Academy. Consumers want the best options available and if we are not getting it we should be asking for it. Similar with the way we are finally asking for change at all levels and hopefully a change in the USSF Presidency in the coming months will bring the needed change. Including change to the way the youth system is currently being run.

Then you should be rooting for VDA to expand and succeed in order to offer choice and force some of the things you noted. I have girls so I have no dog in the fight but I would also hope that the new stadium is able to drive up the fan base as well as revenue that can be poured back into the academy. It is pretty lame that DC United is the last Academy to not go fully funded.

Some of the bigger clubs need to start going under so that there is talent consolidation (both kids and coaches) on both the boys and the girls sides at the U12-18 levels. We have far too many clubs and supposedly 'elite' options in this area and that's what's resulting in mediocre performance across the board. And far too many affluent parents who are willing to pay for the supposedly 'elite' option -- which is keeping those big clubs afloat.

I don't think that there is a need for clubs to go under. What needs to happen is that there needs to be better ID-ing/Scouting in place and for the top Academy to have a better working relationship with the smaller clubs. Solidarity payment is one way to do it b/c now most of the smaller clubs feel like DCU is just stealing their better players. Give smaller clubs an incentive to develop players and want to feed their players to academies like DCU. Right now there is nothing like that going locally. Maybe a small $. Once DCU becomes a true academy find ways to compensate lower clubs as well for players found and that may be a way for those smaller clubs to keep fees lower and open even more doors. Create a true "pathway" (current hot buzzword in youth soccer).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?

It absolutely matters because if what you are doing locally is not working, you need to improve. DCUnited is one of the worst clubs of ID-ing local talent and getting them promoted to the Senior team. It is also the last full pay to play "Pro Club" Academy. Consumers want the best options available and if we are not getting it we should be asking for it. Similar with the way we are finally asking for change at all levels and hopefully a change in the USSF Presidency in the coming months will bring the needed change. Including change to the way the youth system is currently being run.

Then you should be rooting for VDA to expand and succeed in order to offer choice and force some of the things you noted. I have girls so I have no dog in the fight but I would also hope that the new stadium is able to drive up the fan base as well as revenue that can be poured back into the academy. It is pretty lame that DC United is the last Academy to not go fully funded.

Some of the bigger clubs need to start going under so that there is talent consolidation (both kids and coaches) on both the boys and the girls sides at the U12-18 levels. We have far too many clubs and supposedly 'elite' options in this area and that's what's resulting in mediocre performance across the board. And far too many affluent parents who are willing to pay for the supposedly 'elite' option -- which is keeping those big clubs afloat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?

It absolutely matters because if what you are doing locally is not working, you need to improve. DCUnited is one of the worst clubs of ID-ing local talent and getting them promoted to the Senior team. It is also the last full pay to play "Pro Club" Academy. Consumers want the best options available and if we are not getting it we should be asking for it. Similar with the way we are finally asking for change at all levels and hopefully a change in the USSF Presidency in the coming months will bring the needed change. Including change to the way the youth system is currently being run.

Then you should be rooting for VDA to expand and succeed in order to offer choice and force some of the things you noted. I have girls so I have no dog in the fight but I would also hope that the new stadium is able to drive up the fan base as well as revenue that can be poured back into the academy. It is pretty lame that DC United is the last Academy to not go fully funded.

Some of the bigger clubs need to start going under so that there is talent consolidation (both kids and coaches) on both the boys and the girls sides at the U12-18 levels. We have far too many clubs and supposedly 'elite' options in this area and that's what's resulting in mediocre performance across the board. And far too many affluent parents who are willing to pay for the supposedly 'elite' option -- which is keeping those big clubs afloat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you play in a U10 age group with a mix of U9 and U10 players, you are asking for trouble. If you went up against a "true" U10 team there were probably big physical and skill differences that the U9's couldn't keep up with... especially if the other teams had U10 players that were more physically developed or born earlier in their birth year.

I get your point, but I think this is where Soccer differs from other sports. IQ and grit will always beat out speed and strength. I've seen little guys (compared to other kids on the pitch) kill it on the field. A quick double cut and they are off.

Not at U10, unless the whole team is more skilled than the opponent.

For development, of course, you want IQ, grit and skills. But in terms of a matchup, it's pretty rare that the less athletic team dominates a U10 game. Just the nature of the beast.

Soccer is a sport ...speed, strength, endurance, quickness, soccer iq, etc are all selected for as you move up the age and skill groups. As the kids hit puberty and mature they get sorted out. It happens in all sports. You can have all the Rudies you want but in the end you will lose if you go against elite athletes. Speed is really important because it allows you to recover from mistakes.

Does skill ever factor in or is just about a 40 yard dash?

Speed is a skill -- an athletic skill.

Speed is not a skill it is an attribute and is not one that can be taught. It can be improved upon through technique and form but everyone has a threshold of their personal top speed based on their genetics. Height is also an attribute that cannot be taught.

There are athletic skills and there are sport-specific technical skills. The first create a foundation for the second. That's just the way it is, no matter how slow your kid is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?

It absolutely matters because if what you are doing locally is not working, you need to improve. DCUnited is one of the worst clubs of ID-ing local talent and getting them promoted to the Senior team. It is also the last full pay to play "Pro Club" Academy. Consumers want the best options available and if we are not getting it we should be asking for it. Similar with the way we are finally asking for change at all levels and hopefully a change in the USSF Presidency in the coming months will bring the needed change. Including change to the way the youth system is currently being run.

Then you should be rooting for VDA to expand and succeed in order to offer choice and force some of the things you noted. I have girls so I have no dog in the fight but I would also hope that the new stadium is able to drive up the fan base as well as revenue that can be poured back into the academy. It is pretty lame that DC United is the last Academy to not go fully funded.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?

It absolutely matters because if what you are doing locally is not working, you need to improve. DCUnited is one of the worst clubs of ID-ing local talent and getting them promoted to the Senior team. It is also the last full pay to play "Pro Club" Academy. Consumers want the best options available and if we are not getting it we should be asking for it. Similar with the way we are finally asking for change at all levels and hopefully a change in the USSF Presidency in the coming months will bring the needed change. Including change to the way the youth system is currently being run.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?

It absolutely matters because if what you are doing locally is not working, you need to improve. DCUnited is one of the worst clubs of ID-ing local talent and getting them promoted to the Senior team. It is also the last full pay to play "Pro Club" Academy. Consumers want the best options available and if we are not getting it we should be asking for it. Similar with the way we are finally asking for change at all levels and hopefully a change in the USSF Presidency in the coming months will bring the needed change. Including change to the way the youth system is currently being run.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why we care about the Red Bull’s when they are in NY and this is a metro DC board?

Because our local DA teams play against them twice a year in the older age groups.

And maybe they are doing something better than the local team such as not having pay to play, or having a better recruiting/ID process with local clubs vs stealing them instead, and I'm sure many others.

Does it matter here if they are doing something better if they are 200 miles away?