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    Interesting article. Amusing though how Dorrance goes from saying that the game is over by U11 to giving so much credence to either the ECNL or DA. Sort of like bayonetting the dead after the battle.

    Comment


      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      They should. Then everyone with half a brain can laugh at them for being so naïve to fall for Fred's hype. Imagine swapping regional NPL travel for ECNL national travel when you are trying to land at some local program like URI or Fairfield. That's the height of foolish.
      People with "half a brain" don't even imagine wasting their time laughing at other people over girls' soccer decisions. And then there's you, BTDT.

      Comment


        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        They should. Then everyone with half a brain can laugh at them for being so naïve to fall for Fred's hype. Imagine swapping regional NPL travel for ECNL national travel when you are trying to land at some local program like URI or Fairfield. That's the height of foolish.
        Fred is a bad hombre. Walk away fast and don't look back.

        Comment


          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          There's a lot to digest in there but this is an interesting shot across the bow at the arrogance of the DA:


          SA: One measure of success for youth clubs and leagues is whether they attract college coaches. Now that there will be a Girls DA and the ECNL, where are the college coaches going to scout?

          ANSON DORRANCE: They’re going to go wherever they’re embraced and encouraged. And sometimes I fear for some of the people on U.S. Soccer’s side, the collegiate coaches are a pain in their rear ends. And they’re not going to be as embracing and engaging as the ECNL, and that obviously concerns me.

          We have a culture where the collegiate education still is something that is a priority for most of the families whose kids play elite soccer, so I think the collegiate thing should be embraced, at least considered within our culture. And I think there’s a way to have the best of both possible worlds.
          And then there's the follow up article on the same site with the Miriam Hickey interview posted today. Hickey is very disparaging of ECNL and basically says it's only for kids who want to play HS soccer or other HS sports.

          Question I have is - if GDA's only purpose is developing players for the national team (Hickey says as much), and national team pools are 20 or so, and there are 80 plus GDA clubs with 10 girls per age year (figuring teams of 20 that span two age years), that's 800 players per age year, giving up HS sports and HS soccer and opportunities to play in front of college scouts...to compete for 20 positions. And it's really not even 20 because the national teams encompass more than one age year per team. So at least 780 of those players PER AGE YEAR in GDA are completely wasting their time. And why exactly do people think this is a good idea? Do you really all think that your child is one of the chosen 20 in the nation? If you do, 780-plus of you (per age year) are completely delusional.

          Comment


            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            They should. Then everyone with half a brain can laugh at them for being so naïve to fall for Fred's hype. Imagine swapping regional NPL travel for ECNL national travel when you are trying to land at some local program like URI or Fairfield. That's the height of foolish.
            BTNT, why are you always so concrete? Even the kids who end up at your lowly Fairfield want to be on the best teams they can, so they can be as good as they can for their level.

            Comment


              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              And then there's the follow up article on the same site with the Miriam Hickey interview posted today. Hickey is very disparaging of ECNL and basically says it's only for kids who want to play HS soccer or other HS sports.

              Question I have is - if GDA's only purpose is developing players for the national team (Hickey says as much), and national team pools are 20 or so, and there are 80 plus GDA clubs with 10 girls per age year (figuring teams of 20 that span two age years), that's 800 players per age year, giving up HS sports and HS soccer and opportunities to play in front of college scouts...to compete for 20 positions. And it's really not even 20 because the national teams encompass more than one age year per team. So at least 780 of those players PER AGE YEAR in GDA are completely wasting their time. And why exactly do people think this is a good idea? Do you really all think that your child is one of the chosen 20 in the nation? If you do, 780-plus of you (per age year) are completely delusional.
              I am not a fan of ECNL or USYSA. Neither consistently show that their first priority is player development. Even so, the idea that GDAP is only to develop NT players is typical, deluded T-S fiction. USYSA knows the high odds against making WNT. They also know that a lot of players need to get a whole lot better so the level of play rises throughout the country for the level of the few that make it to the top is substantially better.

              I have still not read a credible argument detailing how replicating ECNL, and diluting the system further, will improve the level of play and trickle up to WNT.

              Dorrance has it right. The various groups have to work together and appreciate other entities strengths. The idea that we need to place more talented coaches that instill skills and a play everyday love of the game in 6-12 year olds is 100% correct. This sort of initiative would get the US back on track within a decade, maybe quicker. Finally. A cogent positive suggestion.

              Comment


                Originally posted by Unregistered
                I am not a fan of ECNL or USYSA. Neither consistently show that their first priority is player development. Even so, the idea that GDAP is only to develop NT players is typical, deluded T-S fiction. USYSA knows the high odds against making WNT. They also know that a lot of players need to get a whole lot better so the level of play rises throughout the country for the level of the few that make it to the top is substantially better.

                I have still not read a credible argument detailing how replicating ECNL, and diluting the system further, will improve the level of play and trickle up to WNT.

                Dorrance has it right. The various groups have to work together and appreciate other entities strengths. The idea that we need to place more talented coaches that instill skills and a play everyday love of the game in 6-12 year olds is 100% correct. This sort of initiative would get the US back on track within a decade, maybe quicker. Finally. A cogent positive suggestion.
                I was in the only GDA camp but it is interesting how persuasive Dorrance is, and he has nothing to gain from either. Certainly makes me rethink.

                Comment


                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  I am not a fan of ECNL or USYSA. Neither consistently show that their first priority is player development. Even so, the idea that GDAP is only to develop NT players is typical, deluded T-S fiction. USYSA knows the high odds against making WNT. They also know that a lot of players need to get a whole lot better so the level of play rises throughout the country for the level of the few that make it to the top is substantially better.

                  I have still not read a credible argument detailing how replicating ECNL, and diluting the system further, will improve the level of play and trickle up to WNT.

                  Dorrance has it right. The various groups have to work together and appreciate other entities strengths. The idea that we need to place more talented coaches that instill skills and a play everyday love of the game in 6-12 year olds is 100% correct. This sort of initiative would get the US back on track within a decade, maybe quicker. Finally. A cogent positive suggestion.
                  The GDA is not replicating the ECNL. The only thing that is similar is the regionalized structure (which the ECNL ripped off from the BDA). The philosophies are completely different as are the training programs and competitive goals. If you can't see that just adopting a universal training curriculum and sticking to the concept of not over working the players is a monumental step up from what you find in the ECNL then you are too far deluded to even be taken seriously.

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by Unregistered
                    I was in the only GDA camp but it is interesting how persuasive Dorrance is, and he has nothing to gain from either. Certainly makes me rethink.
                    There are too many stooges for the clubs on this site who won't be able to read an article and think honestly about their kids.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      I am not a fan of ECNL or USYSA. Neither consistently show that their first priority is player development. Even so, the idea that GDAP is only to develop NT players is typical, deluded T-S fiction. USYSA knows the high odds against making WNT. They also know that a lot of players need to get a whole lot better so the level of play rises throughout the country for the level of the few that make it to the top is substantially better.

                      I have still not read a credible argument detailing how replicating ECNL, and diluting the system further, will improve the level of play and trickle up to WNT.

                      Dorrance has it right. The various groups have to work together and appreciate other entities strengths. The idea that we need to place more talented coaches that instill skills and a play everyday love of the game in 6-12 year olds is 100% correct. This sort of initiative would get the US back on track within a decade, maybe quicker. Finally. A cogent positive suggestion.
                      Sorry, what I have learned from close to 40 years in the working world is that the more stake holders you involve the more their separate agendas water down the end product. It's the whole "too many cooks in the kitchen ruin the soup" thing. What many don't seem to recognize is that USSF is taking control of the situation and picking 70 clubs out of the thousands in this country to be their business partners and implement their vision for player development. They are playing king maker with the intent of creating "super clubs" who will have the sort of resources and motivation to do exactly what Dorrance is talking about. It certainly isn't going to happen within the current system when you have the host of demagogue club owners like we have around here who all have their own ideas (good and bad) how to run a club and train players. Just read some of the negative threads about some of our small local clubs, does anyone really think groups like them will strictly follow a program? By fully buying into the DA philosophy a club gets to be almost a monopoly in a market and that in the end will marginalize all the little clubs. That is what is going to make the difference, not involving a whole bunch of self interested club owners like you have within the ECNL.

                      Comment


                        Girls DA Director Miriam Hickey: Federation is best suited to support clubs and coaches
                        by Mike Woitalla, February 16th, 2017 3:40PM

                        http://www.socceramerica.com/article...on-is-bes.html

                        Miriam Hickey has been named Director of the U.S. Soccer Girls Development Academy, which kicks off its first season in August. Hickey, most recently Director of Coaching at the Troy Soccer Club in Michigan, is a FIFA women’s instructor who helped develop FIFA’s girls and women's master's program.
                        Her soccer experience dates back to her childhood in the Netherlands -- “In my family everybody played. My uncles, my father, my grandfather,” she said – where she enjoyed playing street soccer. “It was ages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 -- different ages playing together," she said. "We arranged it ourselves.”
                        After a stint as head coach of the LSU women’s team in the mid-1990s, she returned to the Netherlands where she served as team manager and National Development Officer for the Netherlands soccer federation (KNVB). She was part FIFA’s 2015 Women’s World Cup Technical Study Group, NSCAA Coach of the Year in 2013 and US Youth Soccer National Girls Coach of the Year in 2008.

                        Miriam Hickey
                        SOCCER AMERICA: Why do you think having a U.S. Soccer Girls Development Academy will be better than the status quo?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: What this program does is it simplifies the landscape. It also provides the pathway directly to professional clubs and the national youth teams … with U.S. Soccer being in charge. I’ve always believed the top leagues in a country should be run by the national association. Nobody can support the coaches and clubs as well as the [federation].
                        It’s a 10-month program where we create a consistent environment for the players to develop in. Playing with international rules [limited substitution] on a weekly basis will allow players to adapt to that and to make the decisions necessary to manage games, and not go a 100 mph for 15 minutes and go take a break for 10 and come back on.
                        The goal is to get as many youth players in the system as possible so the top players can compete at the international level.

                        SA: How will we be able to judge in the years to come whether the Girls DA is a success?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: Part of that is the performance of the national teams. How we’re doing at under-17, how we’re doing at under-20 at the World Cups.
                        We also want to see a big change in the speed of play of our players, the decision-making on the field. I look forward to watching that development.

                        SA: The Girls DA’s four age groups start at U-14, but obviously players’ experience at the younger ages are a crucial part of their development. How does the DA influence that?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: The clubs that are a part of the Development Academy of course also field teams of 8-, 9-, 10-year-olds. The coaches of the older ages have relationships with the coaches of the younger ages whom they influence to make sure the players are ready when they move up to the Academy teams.
                        The clubs will have pathway from 6-year-olds to when they’re ready to play in the Development Academy.
                        They will be looking to develop players to make decisions at a higher speed. With right foot and left foot, and all the aspects that you need to be successful. Not just attacking but team defending. That needs to be developed.
                        We also have the National Training Centers, at which we currently train players as young as the 2005-born to give them a taste of what it’s like to train at that higher level.

                        SA: The ECNL has since its launch in 2009 served elite girls players. What do you think its future will be in light of the Girls DA launch?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: What I expect is the elite players will gravitate toward the Development Academy because it will be the most direct pathway to make youth national teams, to develop at the highest level possible.
                        The ECNL league, I understand, will continue and they will do their thing and we will do our thing … The ECNL is good for some players and that will be the same for the Development Academy. You’ll have groups of players who will gravitate to ECNL if they want to play other sports and want to play in high school -- and the Academy is not for them. And there’s a market for both. Over a period of time, I think the elite players will gravitate toward the Development Academy.

                        SA: Give us an example of what your role will entail.
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: We’ll be hiring the Technical Advisors. There will be eight to 10 of them around the country and they will be working on a daily basis, with their feet on the ground, with the clubs in their regions. I’ll be leading them and helping them help the clubs and supporting them the best we can to help these players
                        Day-to-day, I’ll be in touch with our Technical Advisors. On a bigger scale, I’ll be looking at what we need to adapt to make the program better.
                        The USA has always been the country that has set the standard for women’s soccer and we want to stay at that top level. We want to win the World Cups and the Olympic gold medals. My goal is to get as many players from the Development Academy into the national team program. And be successful at the international level.
                        My day-to-day will include administrative duties, but also making sure the standards are high.

                        SA: When you go to watch DA games, what will you be looking for?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: There’s not one right way to play. Sometimes the team that plays the long ball wins the game. And at the top level, it’s about winning. But in youth development programs, it’s about players being able to recognize situations on the field. To be able to adjust what they’re doing and react to it and solve those soccer problems on their own without someone on the sidelines telling them what they need to do.
                        When I watch a team under pressure not use their goalkeeper to relieve pressure, and instead kicking the ball out of bounds to reset, that’s usually a sign that you have a coach who’s not developing their team.
                        If a goalkeeper makes a save and all she looks for is to punt it – she doesn’t look if there are opportunities to build out of the back -- that’s usually an indicator the team has not been given the opportunity to develop.
                        At 14 and 15, it’s already a little late. That needs to be taught when they’re 8, 9, 10. That’s when you don’t care if you get scored on five times -- as long as over the course of a year these players learn to recognize those situations.
                        For me, it’s a player’s game. I’m looking for coaches who inspire their players. Who let their players make decisions. Coaches who are giving information instead of, “Hey that was a good job” or just telling them what they did wrong.
                        I believe in short information and letting the game flow.

                        SA: When we spoke six years ago, we talked about the lack of female coaches. Have you seen an increase?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: I haven’t seen the numbers yet of all the clubs, but in general I do see more. I’d very much encourage our top level former players in this country to join the coaching ranks. We want to keep them in the system and be role models.

                        SA: What is a way to encourage female players to become coaches?
                        MIRIAM HICKEY: A lot comes down to how do you develop your players. If a male coach allows their female players to make decisions on the field, and if they see female coaches on the sideline, they’ll say, “That’s something I can do.” If you grow up only seeing male coaches, they’re not going to feel like that’s something they can do.
                        If you do have a male coach, he can help these girls understand that you’ve got to think as a coach on the field.
                        When a coach delivers information in an “I’m in charge” manner and the players better listen and do exactly what he says -- that’s not a way for them to become thinkers on the field.
                        The game is too complex to coach that way. When they’re coached in way that enables them recognize all the different situations and make their own decisions, they’re more likely to develop into thinkers on the field -- and to start believing that they too could become coaches.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Sorry, what I have learned from close to 40 years in the working world is that the more stake holders you involve the more their separate agendas water down the end product. It's the whole "too many cooks in the kitchen ruin the soup" thing. What many don't seem to recognize is that USSF is taking control of the situation and picking 70 clubs out of the thousands in this country to be their business partners and implement their vision for player development. They are playing king maker with the intent of creating "super clubs" who will have the sort of resources and motivation to do exactly what Dorrance is talking about. It certainly isn't going to happen within the current system when you have the host of demagogue club owners like we have around here who all have their own ideas (good and bad) how to run a club and train players. Just read some of the negative threads about some of our small local clubs, does anyone really think groups like them will strictly follow a program? By fully buying into the DA philosophy a club gets to be almost a monopoly in a market and that in the end will marginalize all the little clubs. That is what is going to make the difference, not involving a whole bunch of self interested club owners like you have within the ECNL.
                          My gosh you love to hear yourself talk, BTNT.

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            You have no incentive to move unless that's what you want, or your ECNL team is collapsing (unlikely in the next three years). Like you said you'd already be recruited or well on the way. Only incentive is if your future college coach encourages it. The ones I've spoken with aren't so sure how this is all going to shake out either so they aren't likely to start doing that until GDA proves it is the top dog. And even then plenty of lower level D1 and D3 coaches won't feel the need to press kids to do DA.
                            Does anyone really think that neither NEFC or the Stars will be able to field all the DA teams? Why does everyone think there will be any movement at all let alone a migration away from these two clubs to presumably a club like FCB who is entrenched in the ECNL? The only real issue around here is whether or not the stars put their top players in the DA or whether they keep them in the ECNL and Jason had better be very careful how he walks that line. Especially if the NEFC teams do well in the DA and the number of their players getting called into NT camps keeps increasing. The market is going to reward the DA clubs.

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              My gosh you love to hear yourself talk, BTNT.
                              This guy must have sustained a brain injury. All he can do is keep repeating the same things over and over again.

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                                This guy must have sustained a brain injury. All he can do is keep repeating the same things over and over again.
                                You're pathetic, BTNT. Just pathetic.

                                Comment

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