Good Luck Soccer/Track Athletes!

[Unregistered]

You are wrong and have taken things out of context. "Outside competition" is referencing non DA soccer. You have a minimum number of training session per week. As long as you meet the training requirements, you can do whatever you want as longs as it does not include another soccer team.

Correct...and to take it a step further, DA players can play pickup soccer, play with friends, etc. The terminology US Soccer staff uses is that players cannot play for another "sanctioned team"

[Unregistered]

USSF doesn't care about multisport athletes. They want a 100% soccer commitment. Does that mean great players won't do DA? Definitely. But they don't care about 99% of the players anyway. If any NT players are multisport kids USSF will quickly squash that

This is very confusing. So will the girls be able to do basketball, track, cross country?

[Unregistered]

From the US Soccer Girls DA rules:

"players will not be allowed to play simultaneously in the Academy and in outside competition"

Outside competition means any other sport. They want you all in for the DA if you are in. You will have four minimum required practices per week and extensive weekend travel. Where are you going to find the time to do anything else?

[Unregistered]

Outside competition means any other sport. They want you all in for the DA if you are in. You will have four minimum required practices per week and extensive weekend travel. Where are you going to find the time to do anything else?

That is not true. You can play outside sport, but not sure where you will find the time because the DA events (including training) is mandatory.

[Unregistered]

Getting a Range Rover this weekend with the money we saved from joining DA! ECNL and Club suckas keep driving your old cars. We gonna be styling our way to Providence Park. Parking is nearly free there with the DA savings! Watching practice from the Key Bank Club! Mojito please. "NWSL THORNS: please exit the field now for the DA practices and the group that will be taking your spots in 4 years." We were going to get an Audi to get the Porsche Audi suites for practices but the Range Rover is more fitting for our lifestyle.

[Unregistered]

Getting a Range Rover this weekend with the money we saved from joining DA! ECNL and Club suckas keep driving your old cars. We gonna be styling our way to Providence Park. Parking is nearly free there with the DA savings! Watching practice from the Key Bank Club! Mojito please. "NWSL THORNS: please exit the field now for the DA practices and the group that will be taking your spots in 4 years." We were going to get an Audi to get the Porsche Audi suites for practices but the Range Rover is more fitting for our lifestyle.

Yo Dogg, making it rain with hundies and $1k bottles of champaigne Maybe use some money you save from Geico to take some English classes? Just a thought brother. You sound like you jus got outta the joint. Yo, bro you cool.

[Unregistered]

Outside competition means any other sport. They want you all in for the DA if you are in. You will have four minimum required practices per week and extensive weekend travel. Where are you going to find the time to do anything else?

So basketball and cross country and track are outlawed or not?

[Unregistered]

Yo Dogg, making it rain with hundies and $1k bottles of champaigne Maybe use some money you save from Geico to take some English classes? Just a thought brother. You sound like you jus got outta the joint. Yo, bro you cool.

I very well might "Let it Rain" with all the hundies I pocketed! (possibly will change some down to GWs & Lincolns to not let things get out of hand). Suggestions always appreciated!

[Unregistered]

Many soccer players are represented in the student-athletes competing in the Oregon HS track championships this weekend. Congrats to all competing for balancing a busy life of school, dual sports, and family.

To the GDA girls competing this weekend, enjoy your final weekend of HS sports. I'm sure it will be bittersweet. No sarcasm here - I hope you are making the right decision. I'm sure that weighs heavily on you and you are sacrificing a lot. I hope it's worth it.

Luckily, most GDA players didn't even compete in the State track championships, much less place. The good news is it won't be a problem for the GDA girls to give up track. Basketball might be another story. I'm hoping Oregon can finally field an elite soccer-only team that can compete vs other top elite soccer programs.
Did see a few former soccer player track stars and a few non-GDA track stars that might well be switching out of soccer to track soon. To be elite in any sport, a player can't really afford to play multiple sports anymore. Sad but true.

[Unregistered]

Luckily, most GDA players didn't even compete in the State track championships, much less place. The good news is it won't be a problem for the GDA girls to give up track. Basketball might be another story. I'm hoping Oregon can finally field an elite soccer-only team that can compete vs other top elite soccer programs.
Did see a few former soccer player track stars and a few non-GDA track stars that might well be switching out of soccer to track soon. To be elite in any sport, a player can't really afford to play multiple sports anymore. Sad but true.

Very sad considering every sports physiology and psychology study supports high schoolers being multi sport athletes. But I'm sure the people who run thorns academy know better.

[Unregistered]

Luckily, most GDA players didn't even compete in the State track championships, much less place. The good news is it won't be a problem for the GDA girls to give up track. Basketball might be another story. I'm hoping Oregon can finally field an elite soccer-only team that can compete vs other top elite soccer programs.
Did see a few former soccer player track stars and a few non-GDA track stars that might well be switching out of soccer to track soon. To be elite in any sport, a player can't really afford to play multiple sports anymore. Sad but true.

I saw 4 freshmen from the 01/02 team compete at the State meet. At least 2 earned medals.

[Unregistered]

So basketball and cross country and track are outlawed or not?

As has been said a million times in the countless GDA threads - non soccer HS sports are not necessarily "banned" but the clubs will make it as difficult as possible to participate in anything else but GDA. You can't miss DA for anything. A HS coach won't be sympathetic if you tell them you have to miss a game or practice for club soccer either. It's just not very workable. USSF doesn't care about multi sport athletes. It's wants you solely focused on soccer and that's it.

Is doing both even realistic? Seriously. Think about it. HS sports easily 5-6 days per week. GDA 4/week (in theory but at least 3) plus one game with frequent long travel. When does your D recover physically? Get her homework done? See friends? I'm a huge proponent of d oing multiple sports. But today's professionalization of youth sports makes it impossible past middle school

[Unregistered]

I saw 4 freshmen from the 01/02 team compete at the State meet. At least 2 earned medals.

6A? Like I said, "Most". Only 6A medal I noticed was 7th place in a throwing event. Another freshman that didn't compete at all collected a team medal. In any case, no fear about giving up an elite track career for any of those GRA players. Soccer is where it's at.

[Unregistered]

6A? Like I said, "Most". Only 6A medal I noticed was 7th place in a throwing event. Another freshman that didn't compete at all collected a team medal. In any case, no fear about giving up an elite track career for any of those GRA players. Soccer is where it's at.

Oh yay. Here comes "it's meaningless unless it's 6A" guy. Here's a secret for you. The only thing 6A means is your kid attends a school with higher enrollment. Yes, there were 4 girls from the 01 academy team competing at the state track finals. Significant? Depends on your perspective. All 4 are starters who play significant minutes on the academy team. All 4 are obviously good enough track athletes to make the state finals in their respective sports. As far as giving up an "elite track career," this may come as a surprise to you, but the vast majority of high schoolers compete in sports for the love of the sport, not because of career potential. Regarding the wisdom of kids giving up things they obviously love to chase an "elite soccer career..." I will defer to their parents on that. Remind me how many female pro soccer players have come from Oregon?

[Unregistered]

As has been said a million times in the countless GDA threads - non soccer HS sports are not necessarily "banned" but the clubs will make it as difficult as possible to participate in anything else but GDA. You can't miss DA for anything. A HS coach won't be sympathetic if you tell them you have to miss a game or practice for club soccer either. It's just not very workable. USSF doesn't care about multi sport athletes. It's wants you solely focused on soccer and that's it.

Is doing both even realistic? Seriously. Think about it. HS sports easily 5-6 days per week. GDA 4/week (in theory but at least 3) plus one game with frequent long travel. When does your D recover physically? Get her homework done? See friends? I'm a huge proponent of d oing multiple sports. But today's professionalization of youth sports makes it impossible past middle school

Precisely the problem. Oregon players are already behind other states even when they specialize in one sport. The elite players in other states concentrate on their top sport. The Oregon player that tries to split their time will fail vs the elite players that pick one sport to specialize in. Only chance is to pick your best and go for it. Never forget the small pond our Oregon players live in. Even local colleges look outside our little pond.