Anonymous
11/22/2019 11:47
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
They should be. What I'm arguing is that which team that is should be a meritocracy, not an MLS by USSF divine right.
I'm with those that disagree. Of course the MLS DA teams should be the ultimate destination for serious kids. The goal of the DA program is to produce more and better pros, which is going to require training with the first team of the top pro team in the area. Plus, all MLS DAs other than DCU and MN United are free. It is only in our area (and Minneapolis, where you are much better off going to Shattuck St. Mary's DA) that the non-MLS DA clubs are often better and offer better training than DCU.
And if the MLS club isn't doing its job? Competition for tier 1 spots would certainly light a fire under some clubs. If DCU had proven itself, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but a youth player needs to be developed well to even be able to go pro. And let's be honest. Most MLS DA players won't/can't go pro. I agree with the goal, but the MLS club has to get the job first, and be rewarded for that second.
And what exactly has Arlington done to demonstrate that it would do anything better than DCU at this point?
Let's put Arlington aside for a moment. Maybe that club isn't Arlington or maybe it is. Maybe that club is VDA. Whatever.
What about the principle? How grossly does DCU have to fail and to manipulate the system to be held to a lower standard and get away with it? When does it finally get held accountable?
Anonymous
11/22/2019 11:44
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
They should be. What I'm arguing is that which team that is should be a meritocracy, not an MLS by USSF divine right.
I'm with those that disagree. Of course the MLS DA teams should be the ultimate destination for serious kids. The goal of the DA program is to produce more and better pros, which is going to require training with the first team of the top pro team in the area. Plus, all MLS DAs other than DCU and MN United are free. It is only in our area (and Minneapolis, where you are much better off going to Shattuck St. Mary's DA) that the non-MLS DA clubs are often better and offer better training than DCU.
And if the MLS club isn't doing its job? Competition for tier 1 spots would certainly light a fire under some clubs. If DCU had proven itself, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but a youth player needs to be developed well to even be able to go pro. And let's be honest. Most MLS DA players won't/can't go pro. I agree with the goal, but the MLS club has to get the job first, and be rewarded for that second.
And what exactly has Arlington done to demonstrate that it would do anything better than DCU at this point?
Anonymous
11/22/2019 11:39
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
They should be. What I'm arguing is that which team that is should be a meritocracy, not an MLS by USSF divine right.
I'm with those that disagree. Of course the MLS DA teams should be the ultimate destination for serious kids. The goal of the DA program is to produce more and better pros, which is going to require training with the first team of the top pro team in the area. Plus, all MLS DAs other than DCU and MN United are free. It is only in our area (and Minneapolis, where you are much better off going to Shattuck St. Mary's DA) that the non-MLS DA clubs are often better and offer better training than DCU.
And if the MLS club isn't doing its job? Competition for tier 1 spots would certainly light a fire under some clubs. If DCU had proven itself, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but a youth player needs to be developed well to even be able to go pro. And let's be honest. Most MLS DA players won't/can't go pro. I agree with the goal, but the MLS club has to get the job first, and be rewarded for that second.
Anonymous
11/22/2019 11:27
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
They should be. What I'm arguing is that which team that is should be a meritocracy, not an MLS by USSF divine right.
I'm with those that disagree. Of course the MLS DA teams should be the ultimate destination for serious kids. The goal of the DA program is to produce more and better pros, which is going to require training with the first team of the top pro team in the area. Plus, all MLS DAs other than DCU and MN United are free. It is only in our area (and Minneapolis, where you are much better off going to Shattuck St. Mary's DA) that the non-MLS DA clubs are often better and offer better training than DCU.
Anonymous
11/22/2019 11:16
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
They should be. What I'm arguing is that which team that is should be a meritocracy, not an MLS by USSF divine right.
Anonymous
11/22/2019 11:14
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
+100
It was much better when it used to be this way. I am harking way back to the State team days. But- these really were the best from every area top team. Consoidate the leagues too. One DMV w/in a 30-45 mile radius. They can play farther away teams in tournaments. There is enough VERY TOP talent if everyone in the local area was not playing in a different league and criss-crossing each other around the Beltway and down I-95 S and 295 N every single weekend. There is nothing that gets me more riled up then driving 1.5-2 hours for a blowout game in either direction....especially when there are so many teams that would be a very competitive close game in our backyard.
Anonymous
11/22/2019 10:38
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Completely disagree. The best players in the area should be funneled to single team.
Anonymous
11/22/2019 09:54
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
That is the argument that another poster was making. Once it is the only tier 1 DA, it will get better because kids will naturally choose the higher tier.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
The reason players haven't been choosing it is it is a crap program. VDA was on their heels last year, and even Richmond United''s U19 team last year was ahead of DCU in its standings. (No one is more shocked than I by that).
There should be no special status to MLS academies. It should be a meritocracy.
Anonymous
11/22/2019 08:27
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DCU academy will get better when academy is fully tiered
DCU academy will get better if DCU owners ever fully invest in it, pay DA coaches enough that they want to stay long term, and make it free for players.
+1. Tiering instiutionalizes them, but it doesn't create a quality program.
I'm not even sure what "tiering" means, but I agree DCU academy is not doing a good job. I think there was maybe a narrow window of time when they were - and the 03 age group might give a glimpse of the potential that exists in this area - but not now.
Does $$ fix it though? I'm not so sure. The problem is their overall philosophy and quality of coaches. They might need to clean house and start over.
Tiering in principle is not terrible. If done right, it is some version of what they are doing now where some portion of your games are within the conference and another portion are based on the quality of the team's. The DA is dividing them into blue groups and red groups. It's more pronounced on the boys' side where the bulk of the games are based on your group. On the girls' side, it's a smaller portion.
On the girl's side, it is purely based on competitiveness and being an NWSL is relevant. There is no effort to force players into an NWSL Academy.
On the boy's side, being an MLS places you in the higher tier with the bulk of your games against mostly other MLS academies, whether you deserve to be there or not. And not being an MLS means it is much harder to get into that upper tier. This year is the first year of this whole cup thing.
They won't, but I'd love to see a relegation/promotion within the tiers. DCU is at the bottom of all of its cup groups.
Got it. I had thought the poster who wrote, "DCU academy will get better when the academy is fully tiered" was referring to some sort of tiering within the academy itself.
So is the argument basically that fully tiering the DA - and guaranteeing DCU a spot in the top tier at every age group regardless of whether it's deserved or not - will help with recruiting?
The problem with that argument is that they already have an huge recruiting advantage, just by virtue of being the only pro club in the area, and it doesn't seem to be helping.
Anonymous
11/21/2019 21:26
Subject: Re:Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:^I have a girl and a boy. Very different experiences with the 2 genders. Almost like 2 separate clubs.
I'm interested in hearing your observations about the differences. I have a DD at Arlington now and 2 younger boys still in rec.
Also interested. I have a dd and have been happy with the development. What’s different on the boys side?
Anonymous
11/21/2019 21:00
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:There is a lot of bias and MLS institutionalization with the tiers. They didn't just divide the club's up evenly between the tiers, or even based on performance. It was very political.
Soccer = politics. All the way up to the National team.
Anonymous
11/21/2019 19:22
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
There is a lot of bias and MLS institutionalization with the tiers. They didn't just divide the club's up evenly between the tiers, or even based on performance. It was very political.
Anonymous
11/21/2019 18:37
Subject: Re:Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:^I have a girl and a boy. Very different experiences with the 2 genders. Almost like 2 separate clubs.
I’m the PP with the girl player. My ds also played rec and ADP but didn’t make an Arlington travel team. He plays for a different club now and he’s doing fine.
Anonymous
11/21/2019 18:29
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Autocorrect is the bane of my iPhone:
^being an NWSL is irrelevant.
^being an NWSL is irrelevant.
Anonymous
11/21/2019 18:28
Subject: Arlington Getting Boys DA Expansion?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DCU academy will get better when academy is fully tiered
DCU academy will get better if DCU owners ever fully invest in it, pay DA coaches enough that they want to stay long term, and make it free for players.
+1. Tiering instiutionalizes them, but it doesn't create a quality program.
I'm not even sure what "tiering" means, but I agree DCU academy is not doing a good job. I think there was maybe a narrow window of time when they were - and the 03 age group might give a glimpse of the potential that exists in this area - but not now.
Does $$ fix it though? I'm not so sure. The problem is their overall philosophy and quality of coaches. They might need to clean house and start over.
Tiering in principle is not terrible. If done right, it is some version of what they are doing now where some portion of your games are within the conference and another portion are based on the quality of the team's. The DA is dividing them into blue groups and red groups. It's more pronounced on the boys' side where the bulk of the games are based on your group. On the girls' side, it's a smaller portion.
On the girl's side, it is purely based on competitiveness and being an NWSL is relevant. There is no effort to force players into an NWSL Academy.
On the boy's side, being an MLS places you in the higher tier with the bulk of your games against mostly other MLS academies, whether you deserve to be there or not. And not being an MLS means it is much harder to get into that upper tier. This year is the first year of this whole cup thing.
They won't, but I'd love to see a relegation/promotion within the tiers. DCU is at the bottom of all of its cup groups.