Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 20:30     Subject: Re:Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:Thinking of my son's future...

I have an 05' very competitive teen, who's been playing Travel soccer since U9 in top teams. We live in Fairfax and I (mom) don' really care (refuse) to drive to Arlington or Loudoun....any decent options in the area? Interested in a good solid coach and competitive teammates.

With two sons playing, I'm exhausted of all the driving... and secretly glad with the "break".


Ask him. He should know. If he's been playing since U9, how do you not know?
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 20:29     Subject: Re:Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:Thinking of my son's future...

I have an 05' very competitive teen, who's been playing Travel soccer since U9 in top teams. We live in Fairfax and I (mom) don' really care (refuse) to drive to Arlington or Loudoun....any decent options in the area? Interested in a good solid coach and competitive teammates.

With two sons playing, I'm exhausted of all the driving... and secretly glad with the "break".


It depends on your objective and his talent. Are you looking to get him a college scholarship or enjoy really competitive soccer without too much time in commutes? Also depends on where you are in Fairfax.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 20:20     Subject: Re:Post-DA future - Boys
Thinking of my son's future...

I have an 05' very competitive teen, who's been playing Travel soccer since U9 in top teams. We live in Fairfax and I (mom) don' really care (refuse) to drive to Arlington or Loudoun....any decent options in the area? Interested in a good solid coach and competitive teammates.

With two sons playing, I'm exhausted of all the driving... and secretly glad with the "break".
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 15:56     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
I think the previous poster who hinted at a U16 and above MLS league might be on the right track. They may have a U14 and U15 team, but it will include a bigger pool of clubs, whittling down to a smaller more select group at the older age brackets.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 13:56     Subject: Re:Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Posted at 6:55 pm today.

Major League Soccer announced the launch of a new elite youth competition platform intended to provide year-round high-level matches for MLS club academy teams and non-MLS academy teams that previously participated in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy which ceased operations.

The new platform will provide elite competition against domestic and international teams, and MLS is evaluating expanding participation to include clubs beyond the former Development Academy.

“Major League Soccer is deeply committed to developing world-class players through an elite competitive pathway, from our academy teams through the professional game,” said Todd Durbin, MLS EVP of Competition & Player Relations in a statement. “As we look ahead to the 2026 FIFA MLS World Cup here in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, now more than ever it is incumbent on us to establish a competition that sets a new standard for elite youth play and allows athletes to achieve their full potential.”

“We are seeing significant contribution to the quality of play in MLS from homegrown talent,” said Jeff Agoos, MLS Senior Vice President of Competition, Operations, and Medical Administration, two-time World Cup veteran with the U.S and five-time MLS Cup winner. “As we currently have 2,500 elite players and 250 top youth coaches in our academies, MLS is uniquely positioned to provide a new and enhanced platform that will include high quality coaching, professionalized environments and enhanced player identification.”

The new platform will include league season matches and both regional and national tournaments with international teams. It will also expand coaching education and improve the approach to player identification to ensure top players have the opportunity to participate in a high-level development environment.

“Participating in high quality, competitive matches on a consistent basis is essential to the development of our young players,” said Fred Lipka, Vice President and Technical Director of MLS Player Development. “Launching this new competition will allow us to consistently challenge players, staffs and teams, optimizing the potential of every player on the field.”

In addition, MLS is evaluating the potential to provide future competition opportunities for girls.


https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/04/15/major-league-soccer-launches-new-elite-competition-youth-academies


This is PP. If the MLS league news is true, which it apparently is as of now, DA will be replaced by..... DA plus? Which non-MLS teams will be in it? In this area, Baltimore and Bethesda, maybe Arlington? With PDA, PA Classics, and a few others? But why have Richmond and VDA then joined ECNL? The confusion (and mystery) deepens.




I understand from a good source that Bethesda's (former) DA will be joining the new MLS league, with an announcement to that effect coming soon. The individual I spoke with was unsure about which other teams from the greater DC area would be joining.


Bethesda and Baltimore Armour where the only two clubs in DA's top tier DA with the MLS clubs that they started this year so makes sense.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 12:14     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If this MLS league comes to fruition I wonder if they will start in the younger years or just older. U16 or something. Younger teams could all be "Pre-Academy" like the U12's in DA were this past year, and EDP (or whoever) could set up a tier for them before they enter the MLS league age group.


Agreed but no need to make it clubs. Just have individual teams compete on merits via edp. Why not that? Why not just compete instead of creating a walled garden that insulates top teams from competing against others? It is pretty evident that at least half of those U12 teams from a similar effort last year would have a really tough time competing against other top clubs outside of it, and the rest at the top could have used better competition from other teams. Just throw them into edp and see which cream rises. Younger DCU teams used to do this.


I agree 100%, they should just compete in regular EDP but I'm assuming clubs would want that walled garden so they can say they are special and try attract players from other clubs.


Well that is unfortunate. The irony is that really good soccer families are gonna look at the walled garden and ask whether they are really playing with and against the best kids. Tournaments expose those weaknesses in a hurry. But there are plenty of suckers out there.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 11:07     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If this MLS league comes to fruition I wonder if they will start in the younger years or just older. U16 or something. Younger teams could all be "Pre-Academy" like the U12's in DA were this past year, and EDP (or whoever) could set up a tier for them before they enter the MLS league age group.


Agreed but no need to make it clubs. Just have individual teams compete on merits via edp. Why not that? Why not just compete instead of creating a walled garden that insulates top teams from competing against others? It is pretty evident that at least half of those U12 teams from a similar effort last year would have a really tough time competing against other top clubs outside of it, and the rest at the top could have used better competition from other teams. Just throw them into edp and see which cream rises. Younger DCU teams used to do this.


I agree 100%, they should just compete in regular EDP but I'm assuming clubs would want that walled garden so they can say they are special and try attract players from other clubs.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 10:52     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So this is going to be a $hit show. Kids scrambling clubs to get to the pinnacle of DMV soccer.

When is DCU moving to Loudoun, seems to be something they need to disclose to attract the right players.


Have you been living under a rock? People have known about the new facilities being built in Loudoun and the move of the academy once it’s ready for well over a year now.

You do know they have a feeder team as well?:

Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019


Not sure why you have to be such a tool in providing a response...suggest you show some grace and just stick to the facts...
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 10:50     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So this is going to be a $hit show. Kids scrambling clubs to get to the pinnacle of DMV soccer.

When is DCU moving to Loudoun, seems to be something they need to disclose to attract the right players.


Have you been living under a rock? People have known about the new facilities being built in Loudoun and the move of the academy once it’s ready for well over a year now.

You do know they have a feeder team as well?:

Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019


Thanks captain obvious, I was referring to the final decision to move the academy activities out to Leesburg. They had still be practicing at RFK and had not made any announcement to a move yet.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 10:49     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:If this MLS league comes to fruition I wonder if they will start in the younger years or just older. U16 or something. Younger teams could all be "Pre-Academy" like the U12's in DA were this past year, and EDP (or whoever) could set up a tier for them before they enter the MLS league age group.


Agreed but no need to make it clubs. Just have individual teams compete on merits via edp. Why not that? Why not just compete instead of creating a walled garden that insulates top teams from competing against others? It is pretty evident that at least half of those U12 teams from a similar effort last year would have a really tough time competing against other top clubs outside of it, and the rest at the top could have used better competition from other teams. Just throw them into edp and see which cream rises. Younger DCU teams used to do this.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 10:34     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:If this MLS league comes to fruition I wonder if they will start in the younger years or just older. U16 or something. Younger teams could all be "Pre-Academy" like the U12's in DA were this past year, and EDP (or whoever) could set up a tier for them before they enter the MLS league age group.


Same thought, new MSL league may have 15/16, 17/18, and adult teams only.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 10:31     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
If this MLS league comes to fruition I wonder if they will start in the younger years or just older. U16 or something. Younger teams could all be "Pre-Academy" like the U12's in DA were this past year, and EDP (or whoever) could set up a tier for them before they enter the MLS league age group.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 09:35     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So this is going to be a $hit show. Kids scrambling clubs to get to the pinnacle of DMV soccer.

When is DCU moving to Loudoun, seems to be something they need to disclose to attract the right players.


Have you been living under a rock? People have known about the new facilities being built in Loudoun and the move of the academy once it’s ready for well over a year now.

You do know they have a feeder team as well?:

Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019


but but but Arlington in MLS
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 09:12     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
Anonymous wrote:So this is going to be a $hit show. Kids scrambling clubs to get to the pinnacle of DMV soccer.

When is DCU moving to Loudoun, seems to be something they need to disclose to attract the right players.


Have you been living under a rock? People have known about the new facilities being built in Loudoun and the move of the academy once it’s ready for well over a year now.

You do know they have a feeder team as well?:

Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2020 09:09     Subject: Post-DA future - Boys
From what I heard a major concern of the MLS was a lack of flexibility in their scheduling given the US Soccer demands that all teams play the same number of games and same number of practices. They had situations where say Liverpool U16s would be on an East Coast tour and ask for a friendly and the MLS teams had to say no or work some other thing out. This would probably not be as much of a problem in their new league, where the MLS teams could drop out of the schedule to play their opportunities.