The Revolution Academy needs to make some changes.

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Now what they do without a college degree if they don't do well, I don't know.

They’ll coach club soccer for chump change. What other marketable skills would they have? Diego is financially one of the more successful HG players. Arena is moving him around on the field and sporadically starting him. That’s not an encouraging sign. Hopefully he saved a bunch of money.

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They can make up to $200k signing bonus and $175-200k salary on the MLS roster. You are talking about reserve team and not 1st team when you mention USL. Yes, FC Dallas has more homegrown, but frankly there is just more talent down there being so close to Mexico. The talent pool here is smaller. Also, as evidenced by many posts on this thread, too many really don’t want to go pro. They think the academy exists to get them into college.

Because the vast majority are realistic - that going pro isn't going to happen and that even amongst those who do make it, the pay is low and careers short. So what if they want to play at the highest level and leverage that for a better college? If the Revs and MLS want to eliminate those players then they need to shrink their DA teams down to just one (all ages). Even then many won't make the final cut. The goals for MLS teams aren't consistent with the goals of the majority of players and that is one of the biggest flaws in the DA system

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Oakwood? CFC?

Beachside is too far. CFC ECNL sucks, FSA a much better club. He's not on an OW roster but that doesn't mean OW won't add players later (they usually add some prep school kids in November, sound familiar?). Neither OW or BS are a step up, not even lateral, but I guess if OW gives you a waiver and you're not getting what you want at the Revs, why not?

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Because the vast majority are realistic - that going pro isn't going to happen and that even amongst those who do make it, the pay is low and careers short. So what if they want to play at the highest level and leverage that for a better college? If the Revs and MLS want to eliminate those players then they need to shrink their DA teams down to just one (all ages). Even then many won't make the final cut. The goals for MLS teams aren't consistent with the goals of the majority of players and that is one of the biggest flaws in the DA system

Exactly. The problem with DA is that they think they can have their cake and eat it too. This is NOT Europe or South America where SO MANY players live, dream and breathe soccer (and most of these kid's dreams are shattered early btw- which is what we don't read/hear much about).

DA needs to be smarter- splitting into two leagues and not giving out waivers to age 16+ players here in the Northeast (where good players are even harder to find) are two big mistakes.

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DA needs to be smarter- splitting into two leagues and not giving out waivers to age 16+ players here in the Northeast (where good players are even harder to find) are two big mistakes.

Wait until the Revs miss the DA Cup but Beachside, Bolts or Oakwood make it and do okay.

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Exactly. The problem with DA is that they think they can have their cake and eat it too. This is NOT Europe or South America where SO MANY players live, dream and breathe soccer (and most of these kid's dreams are shattered early btw- which is what we don't read/hear much about).

DA needs to be smarter- splitting into two leagues and not giving out waivers to age 16+ players here in the Northeast (where good players are even harder to find) are two big mistakes.

There certainly are players here who live, dream, and breathe soccer, but what crushes most of their dreams are parents who turn their kid’s passion into a way to pay for college. The whole athletic scholarship thing and colleges making money off athletes is a perversion that you don’t see in Europe. It’s one of the reasons soccer there is better with a clear path to pros and good pay for the best. And it’s not as brutal a system as here BECAUSE players are told at a young age whether they are good enough to enter academies. Here they are strung along because of parents willingness to pay and the belief that everyone deserves a “shot”. So better than average, but not great, players get pushed along into their teens here. That’s the real problem.

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There certainly are players here who live, dream, and breathe soccer, but what crushes most of their dreams are parents who turn their kid’s passion into a way to pay for college. The whole athletic scholarship thing and colleges making money off athletes is a perversion that you don’t see in Europe. It’s one of the reasons soccer there is better with a clear path to pros and good pay for the best. And it’s not as brutal a system as here BECAUSE players are told at a young age whether they are good enough to enter academies. Here they are strung along because of parents willingness to pay and the belief that everyone deserves a “shot”. So better than average, but not great, players get pushed along into their teens here. That’s the real problem.

Pro soccer here is terrible as is the compensation. Soccer is a college track. That isn’t changing. The ONLY reason people push their kids to the Revs is because it’s free and they perceive a status component that honestly doesn’t exist.

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There certainly are players here who live, dream, and breathe soccer, but what crushes most of their dreams are parents who turn their kid’s passion into a way to pay for college. The whole athletic scholarship thing and colleges making money off athletes is a perversion that you don’t see in Europe. It’s one of the reasons soccer there is better with a clear path to pros and good pay for the best. And it’s not as brutal a system as here BECAUSE players are told at a young age whether they are good enough to enter academies. Here they are strung along because of parents willingness to pay and the belief that everyone deserves a “shot”. So better than average, but not great, players get pushed along into their teens here. That’s the real problem.

We are not Europe and one of USSF's biggest shortcomings is thinking we can operate like we are. Parents push the college piece not only because they're hoping for some scholarship assistance but also because soccer really isn't a viable career path in the US. In soccer to go pro you have to do it pretty much right out of high school. Even the most talented US players don't make nearly the same kind of money athletes do in the other top sports. In other words, there's a great deal of risk. There's far fewer teams to play on and leagues to play in. Internationally it's a completely different story with many different paths players can take. Plus basketball and football associations still use college sports as their farm teams. Baseball has their minor leagues to develop young talent.

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There certainly are players here who live, dream, and breathe soccer, but what crushes most of their dreams are parents who turn their kid’s passion into a way to pay for college. The whole athletic scholarship thing and colleges making money off athletes is a perversion that you don’t see in Europe. It’s one of the reasons soccer there is better with a clear path to pros and good pay for the best. And it’s not as brutal a system as here BECAUSE players are told at a young age whether they are good enough to enter academies. Here they are strung along because of parents willingness to pay and the belief that everyone deserves a “shot”. So better than average, but not great, players get pushed along into their teens here. That’s the real problem.

1) you miss the point. There are much fewer players here that dream soccer . Here many young athletes prefer baseball, b’ball, hockey, football. Throw in the much lower pay in soccer and it’s a done deal for many. The ones who try to go pro are more or less the academically weak ones from blue collar immigrant parents with rose colored glasses. DA is only perpetuating this reality by splitting up and limited/not offering waivers. College offers a much better option to players. If colleges didnt offer these incentives, the situation would be extremely dire for US soccer.

2) in Europe many are given low grade nods early in life which leads them to have hope and eventually puts them into 3rd, 4th 5th and even 6th tier teams with little chance of moving up. So these poor kids are in fact strung along and without any backup option. Here the kid who plays D1 soccer at a high level in college at least has a better longer term career chance should he go pro and it doesn’t work out or he retires early.

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Until the pay is better you’ll never attract low income minority athletes. They’ll continue to play the U.S. headcount sports that lead to full college scholarships and potential NFL/NBA fame and fortune.

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1) you miss the point. There are much fewer players here that dream soccer . Here many young athletes prefer baseball, b’ball, hockey, football. Throw in the much lower pay in soccer and it’s a done deal for many. The ones who try to go pro are more or less the academically weak ones from blue collar immigrant parents with rose colored glasses. DA is only perpetuating this reality by splitting up and limited/not offering waivers. College offers a much better option to players. If colleges didnt offer these incentives, the situation would be extremely dire for US soccer.

2) in Europe many are given low grade nods early in life which leads them to have hope and eventually puts them into 3rd, 4th 5th and even 6th tier teams with little chance of moving up. So these poor kids are in fact strung along and without any backup option. Here the kid who plays D1 soccer at a high level in college at least has a better longer term career chance should he go pro and it doesn’t work out or he retires early.

You are spot on. I would add that colleges will always win in the end. DA needs to work with the college bound players not against them. Wrong move by DA!

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You are spot on. I would add that colleges will always win in the end. DA needs to work with the college bound players not against them. Wrong move by DA!

Imagine if the Revs get relegated?

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You are spot on. I would add that colleges will always win in the end. DA needs to work with the college bound players not against them. Wrong move by DA!

Of course, the college vs pro debate is also a false choice as the two are not mutually exclusive. A significant majority of the current USMNT players spent some time playing soccer in college, and even among the handful who did not, most went through the college process and had commitments before choosing to go pro. There are very few Christian Pulisics out there. A truly good academy program encourages both option--perform your best, get recruited by colleges, get on the national radar and, if you are good enough, you can always leave go pro. Any academy that ignores the college pathway is not looking out for its players or, in the long run, for itself.

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Of course, the college vs pro debate is also a false choice as the two are not mutually exclusive. A significant majority of the current USMNT players spent some time playing soccer in college, and even among the handful who did not, most went through the college process and had commitments before choosing to go pro. There are very few Christian Pulisics out there. A truly good academy program encourages both option--perform your best, get recruited by colleges, get on the national radar and, if you are good enough, you can always leave go pro. Any academy that ignores the college pathway is not looking out for its players or, in the long run, for itself.

The Revs don’t care.

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Of course, the college vs pro debate is also a false choice as the two are not mutually exclusive. A significant majority of the current USMNT players spent some time playing soccer in college, and even among the handful who did not, most went through the college process and had commitments before choosing to go pro. There are very few Christian Pulisics out there. A truly good academy program encourages both option--perform your best, get recruited by colleges, get on the national radar and, if you are good enough, you can always leave go pro. Any academy that ignores the college pathway is not looking out for its players or, in the long run, for itself.

College vs pro is not JUST not mutually exclusive, college is an essential part of turning pro in this country for many players. DA and US soccer think they can change that but they are SO wrong. College and going pro are intricately connected and always will be. Anyone who’s thinks otherwise is foolishly naive.