What is the real reason...

[Unregistered]

Its hard to talk about College recruiting in the context of YNT players, when that applies to about 200 kids. as far as 6th grade goes, its hard to ID players when you have no real venue to do it. Its all word of mouth at that age and with a huge pinch of salt.

As far as the YNTs scouting for Colleges, I dont think so. YNTs have very little accountability. There are many political decisions, like calling in young kids, that are all about making a point. We have done terribly at U17 so following them would not be so smart. Look at Ekic for Louisville or Torres from UVA - not good enough for the U17 WC team - one ACC FoY, the other one of UVAs leading soccer. You really mean to tell me they could not have helped? I digress

YNT players are such a small %age that they are irrelevant to the general discussion.

The YNT and all the monitoring of that level player is actually much more relevant than you seem to think. First of all, that group is what initiates the recruiting cycles. 10 years ago those players were committing in their junior year and the process was starting at the end of the freshman year. Today they are committing at the beginning of their freshman year and the process is starting at the end of grammar school. One big impact from that is back in the day the process was a relatively time limited thing and all the levels were in play at roughly the same time frame whereas today the timeline spans years and there are more definitive waves of activity. The impact on team dynamics and morale can be significant as a result. Secondly, that YNT level player is essentially the target for the DA so if you are going to embrace the DA you need to pay attention to what is happening with the YNT level.

[Unregistered]

The YNT and all the monitoring of that level player is actually much more relevant than you seem to think. First of all, that group is what initiates the recruiting cycles. 10 years ago those players were committing in their junior year and the process was starting at the end of the freshman year. Today they are committing at the beginning of their freshman year and the process is starting at the end of grammar school. One big impact from that is back in the day the process was a relatively time limited thing and all the levels were in play at roughly the same time frame whereas today the timeline spans years and there are more definitive waves of activity. The impact on team dynamics and morale can be significant as a result. Secondly, that YNT level player is essentially the target for the DA so if you are going to embrace the DA you need to pay attention to what is happening with the YNT level.

so you think 200 players are setting the agenda? The YNT level player is the target of the GDA ? really? they why do they pick predominantly the same players over and over again? I think people like you have a perception of what they think the YNT is or should be. Reality is vastly different. Is your information based on having a kid on a YNT?

I dont know what embrace the DA entails. Its just another choice/league to me

[Unregistered]

The YNT and all the monitoring of that level player is actually much more relevant than you seem to think. First of all, that group is what initiates the recruiting cycles. 10 years ago those players were committing in their junior year and the process was starting at the end of the freshman year. Today they are committing at the beginning of their freshman year and the process is starting at the end of grammar school. One big impact from that is back in the day the process was a relatively time limited thing and all the levels were in play at roughly the same time frame whereas today the timeline spans years and there are more definitive waves of activity. The impact on team dynamics and morale can be significant as a result. Secondly, that YNT level player is essentially the target for the DA so if you are going to embrace the DA you need to pay attention to what is happening with the YNT level.

BTNT, how are you surviving with the rest of us not doing what you think we should be doing?

BTW, since you are an outspoken critic of many, many things and have a remarke inability to keep your mouth shut, how come you haven't been on the front lines fighting against recruitment at younger and younger ages??? When you write "grammar school," that doesn't cause you pause? Interesting how you insist we shouldn't accept many things about the youth soccer business, but in this instance you are silent at best and a cheerleader at worst (because anything that feeds your voracious narcissism is what you defend).