9 clubs to join girls' development academy for 2018-2019 seaso

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http://www.ussoccerda.com/20180618-n...demy-2018-2019

The nine new clubs being introduced for the second year of Girls' programming will account for 29 additional teams. The 2018-19 Girls' Development Academy season will welcome a total of nine new teams to U-14, eight to U-15, eight to U-16/17 and four to U-18/19.



While the number of divisions remains the same, clubs from two new geographical regions are joining the Girls' Development Academy: Oklahoma Energy FC (Oklahoma City, Ok.) and Sporting Omaha (Omaha, Neb.). The nine new clubs were selected from a sizeable pool of applicants.



With the addition of Utah Royals FC, eight of nine NWSL clubs will be represented in the Academy.



BY THE NUMBERS:
•At the start of the 2018-19 Development Academy season: ◦U-18/19: eligible for players born Jan. 1, 2000 or later
◦U-16/17: eligible for players born Jan. 1, 2002 or later
◦U-15: eligible for players born Jan. 1, 2004 or later
◦U-14: eligible for players born Jan. 1, 2005 or later
◦U-13: eligible for players born Jan. 1, 2006 or later
◦U-12: eligible for players born Jan. 1, 2007 or later

•In 2015-16, the Development Academy registered 5,916 players across 231 teams from 96 clubs that played in 3,509 games.
•The 2016-17 Development Academy season concluded with 10,783 players registered across 461 teams from 150 clubs playing 8,036 games.
•The 2017-18 Development Academy season will conclude with over 19,000 players across 896 teams from 197 clubs playing over 13,000 games.



ABOUT THE ACADEMY

Following a comprehensive review of elite player development in the United States and around world, U.S. Soccer created the Development Academy program in 2007 to improve everyday environments with standards focused on individual player development. The Academy launched with two combined age groups for male players, U-15/16 and U-17/18. In 2013, the Academy expanded to include the U-13/14 age group, and in 2016, the Academy launched the U-12 program, which has continued to build a player pathway for elite players and clubs.



In 2017, the Girls' Development Academy was launched with a mission to improve the player development landscape and create a pathway for elite female players. Today, the Academy is comprised of teams across six age groups in the Boys' program: U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16/17, and U-18/19 and four age groups in the Girls' program: U-13/14, U-15, U-16/17, and U-18/19.



As Boys' Academy alumni have progressed to play at elite amateur and professional levels with MLS paving the way, NWSL clubs have also created Academy teams to develop the same pathway for future female players to progress to the professional level.

"The 2017-18 Development Academy season will conclude with over 19,000 players across 896 teams from 197 clubs playing over 13,000 games. "

I thought the Boys and Girls DA was supposed to be the "tip of the pyramid" and the "top 1%" that were destined for the NTs.

You're telling me it's the Top 19,000?

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"The 2017-18 Development Academy season will conclude with over 19,000 players across 896 teams from 197 clubs playing over 13,000 games. "

I thought the Boys and Girls DA was supposed to be the "tip of the pyramid" and the "top 1%" that were destined for the NTs.

You're telling me it's the Top 19,000?

Correct and those 19,000 are competing for 26 Women's NT roster spots and 26 Men's NT roster spots.

Or as Loyd said in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" - "So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”

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It must really suck to be you. Try to avoid having sharp objects in your home.

Filling in geographic holes with lousy clubs means they're still lousy clubs. Example Albertson finished last or nearly last in almost every ECNL age group this year and Seacoast is a mid level NPL club and weak BDA club.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2291985]"The 2017-18 Development Academy season will conclude with over 19,000 players across 896 teams from 197 clubs playing over 13,000 games. "

I thought the Boys and Girls DA was supposed to be the "tip of the pyramid" and the "top 1%" that were destined for the NTs.



Priorities for USSF

1). The top few hundred players in the US
2) Filling rosters and coffers with thousands of players that are practice cones for the above, as well as exerting their own blueprint on youth soccer

It's never been about the soccer

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292006]

"The 2017-18 Development Academy season will conclude with over 19,000 players across 896 teams from 197 clubs playing over 13,000 games. "

I thought the Boys and Girls DA was supposed to be the "tip of the pyramid" and the "top 1%" that were destined for the NTs.



Priorities for USSF

1). The top few hundred players in the US
2) Filling rosters and coffers with thousands of players that are practice cones for the above, as well as exerting their own blueprint on youth soccer

It's never been about the soccer

The cry of the angry and unworthy.

[Unregistered]

Filling in geographic holes with lousy clubs means they're still lousy clubs. Example Albertson finished last or nearly last in almost every ECNL age group this year and Seacoast is a mid level NPL club and weak BDA club.

You are no different than Sunrise daddy screaming out the window how great you are. All the clubs that ECNL has added as knee jerk reaction to GDA and that is what you come up with. Not to mention the worthless start up of ECNL boys which is a joke in and of itself. Keep trying to justify 2nd rate club in a 2nd rate league.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292030]

The cry of the angry and unworthy.

DA is littered with the unworthy. Too many clubs, not enough talent. Weaker clubs have to take who they can get

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Correct and those 19,000 are competing for 26 Women's NT roster spots and 26 Men's NT roster spots.

Or as Loyd said in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" - "So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”

This is pretty much the same as it is in Women's basketball. Limited professional prospects and national team glory.

And yet . . . . those are two of the most successful national women's programs in the world. Soooo . . . . apparently players buy in. There are enough top players that either dream of glory or love the sport to push themselves to compete at the highest level. Now not everyone is going to be making what the top USWNT players are or raking dollars on the side through sponsorship deals like Alex Morgan or Mallory Pugh but . . . there are some women who can make very good money playing both soccer or basketball professionally. A far cry that how things were a decade ago in both sports. And I don't hear the roar of complaints when the horrible statistical chances of male athletes actually achieving financial success in the same sports are pointed out to the masses. I think everyone understands that only elite level players make elite level income. Even though there are more high paying positions on the men's side, there are also far more athletes competing for those spots so the percentages remain terribly low.

"A rising tide lifts all boats." ~ JFK

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292125]

DA is littered with the unworthy. Too many clubs, not enough talent. Weaker clubs have to take who they can get

DA and ECNL both. ECNL went on a huge expansion binge. Adding clubs and allowing existing clubs to field double teams. The overall quality in both leagues will suffer for it.

At the same time, in the most fertile US soccer areas (Cali and Tex) USDA has a strong presence. In fact a lot of ECNL clubs are also GDA clubs which means the GDA team will be their stronger team. ECNL will remain a legitimate option for top players as long as GDA doesn't change any of their core rules regarding player restrictions (which I don't think they will).

But anyone on here trying to say that USSF adding 9 teams will somehow dilute the product compared to ECNL is obviously ignoring the dozen or so new sets of teams that US Club has added to their "elite" girls program.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292202]

DA and ECNL both. ECNL went on a huge expansion binge. Adding clubs and allowing existing clubs to field double teams. The overall quality in both leagues will suffer for it.

At the same time, in the most fertile US soccer areas (Cali and Tex) USDA has a strong presence. In fact a lot of ECNL clubs are also GDA clubs which means the GDA team will be their stronger team. ECNL will remain a legitimate option for top players as long as GDA doesn't change any of their core rules regarding player restrictions (which I don't think they will).

But anyone on here trying to say that USSF adding 9 teams will somehow dilute the product compared to ECNL is obviously ignoring the dozen or so new sets of teams that US Club has added to their "elite" girls program.

It's all local. In some regions GDA is doing well; in others it is not. Families pick based on what they have to chose from in their area. Whichever has the best coaching and a success getting recruited - which for now remains both leagues - they'll pick whatever works. The aren't and shouldn't fret about badges. Training with a bad club is a bad idea no matter what league they play in,

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292262]

It's all local. In some regions GDA is doing well; in others it is not. Families pick based on what they have to chose from in their area. Whichever has the best coaching and a success getting recruited - which for now remains both leagues - they'll pick whatever works. The aren't and shouldn't fret about badges. Training with a bad club is a bad idea no matter what league they play in,

Agreed. While it is terribly messy at the local level right now, in those areas the have both - GDA and ECNL within a reasonable driving distance - it is forcing clubs to offer a better experience which is a good thing. In the span of just one season, certain clubs are gaining a foothold over others because they are focusing on the basic experience for the families (as it should be). If you read the posts on TS for other regions this is playing out everywhere (New England, Pacific Northwest, etc.).

We'll be done after the 2018-19 season but the landscape will certainly evolve over the next 2-3 years.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292202]

DA and ECNL both. ECNL went on a huge expansion binge. Adding clubs and allowing existing clubs to field double teams. The overall quality in both leagues will suffer for it.

At the same time, in the most fertile US soccer areas (Cali and Tex) USDA has a strong presence. In fact a lot of ECNL clubs are also GDA clubs which means the GDA team will be their stronger team. ECNL will remain a legitimate option for top players as long as GDA doesn't change any of their core rules regarding player restrictions (which I don't think they will).

But anyone on here trying to say that USSF adding 9 teams will somehow dilute the product compared to ECNL is obviously ignoring the dozen or so new sets of teams that US Club has added to their "elite" girls program.

Dilution is all "relative": adding another 800 girls to the almost 9,000 current GDA players is not going to dilute it that much more - it's already way beyond being diluted given it's stated purpose.

Pouring a 5 gallon bucket of water into a swimming pool is not going to dilute the pool!

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292125]

DA is littered with the unworthy. Too many clubs, not enough talent. Weaker clubs have to take who they can get

Sounds like sour grapes whining. Certainly the college coaches don't agree since every coach going to your Nationals is coming to the DA National as well as a number of prominent schools that haven't bothered signing up yet. With your playoffs being first, looks like they are choosing DA over ECNL.

Now run along and do a side by side comparison so you can find a couple sorry local west coast schools coming to yours instead of ours to make yourself feel better.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292030]

The cry of the angry and unworthy.

Actually, its just the cry of the shut out. If you don't live in a major metropolitan area and don't have money, you can't play the game. The game, by the way, is run by an institution which has little to no real world class soccer experience, and views every aspect of the game - from the youth sports leagues to the US National teams, as a way to sell MLS franchises. If they cared about the quality of players they were creating we would not be watching other countries' teams playing in the world cup right now.

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Here is the USSF President's wikipedia page. Other than noting that he is the president of USSF there is nothing. No playing experience, no relevant coaching experinence, just a hedge fund guy. What are his qualifications? That he was a USSF insider and his mother was columbian? Please. And we are supposed to believe DA is some golden bullet.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Cordeiro