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Is DA really the best option for our kids?

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    Is DA really the best option for our kids?

    My son has played DA for the last two seasons but I found this interesting. Article on Yahoo about Christian Pulisic's training growing up. Here's the quote that really stood out:

    “When you are the best player on your team but your team is not as good, it means you handle the ball more, you have to do more to carry your team and in the process, you are developing your game,” says Richie Williams, an assistant coach with the U.S. men’s national team who coached Christian, then 15, at the U-17 residency program in Bradenton and in the 2015 U-17 World Cup. “If it is a loaded team, that same player might be identified as a role player and never develop those skills.”



    Here's the link to the article
    https://www.yahoo.com/sports/christi...210726336.html

    #2
    The alternative is if you are the best player on the team, there is nobody to ever push you and help you reach your full potential.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      The alternative is if you are the best player on the team, there is nobody to ever push you and help you reach your full potential.
      That's the way I always thought, you have to play with better players to get better.

      Comment


        #4
        To answer your question, yes, currently the DA is absolutely the best option available for boys in the US.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          To answer your question, yes, currently the DA is absolutely the best option available for boys in the US.
          Just because it's the best available doesn't mean it's the optimal system. Much of CP's development in the teenage years wasn't in DA but the many overseas opportunities his family connections, passport and funds could provide.

          Overall I'm a big believer that playing with strong players makes you stronger. If my kid wanted to be a stud he could have stayed on his premier team, but it wouldn't improve his game nearly as much as moving up. And that is an issue with DA - given its vast size each team will only have a few "top" players (pro or NT potential and even less on many pay to play teams). So then those "top" players aren't challenged by weaker teammates and similar competition. I know we've got geographic reason to make it so large, but I'm not convinced it's the best system.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            My son has played DA for the last two seasons but I found this interesting. Article on Yahoo about Christian Pulisic's training growing up. Here's the quote that really stood out:

            “When you are the best player on your team but your team is not as good, it means you handle the ball more, you have to do more to carry your team and in the process, you are developing your game,” says Richie Williams, an assistant coach with the U.S. men’s national team who coached Christian, then 15, at the U-17 residency program in Bradenton and in the 2015 U-17 World Cup. “If it is a loaded team, that same player might be identified as a role player and never develop those skills.”



            Here's the link to the article
            https://www.yahoo.com/sports/christi...210726336.html
            My son was at a regular club team where he was by far the best player and he would get the ball constantly and he did develop in that situation. At some point though, he realized, that he was not getting pushed to a higher level. Now he is at the DA and has had to fight for a position and the players around him have pushed to a much higher level. I believe that both situation have been good, but at some point the DA is a better situation for the long term for development. The ceiling is much higher at a DA.

            Comment


              #7
              South Florida DA

              Weston DA kids miss 20/30 days of school a year. If you don't live close to Weston and or kendall (Boca is too new to judge) it would seem to me, because of traffic, that it is a huge sacrifice. There is no doubt that coaching and level of play create better players. If you have a good club team it might be a better option depending on your school and where you live.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                My son has played DA for the last two seasons but I found this interesting. Article on Yahoo about Christian Pulisic's training growing up. Here's the quote that really stood out:

                “When you are the best player on your team but your team is not as good, it means you handle the ball more, you have to do more to carry your team and in the process, you are developing your game,” says Richie Williams, an assistant coach with the U.S. men’s national team who coached Christian, then 15, at the U-17 residency program in Bradenton and in the 2015 U-17 World Cup. “If it is a loaded team, that same player might be identified as a role player and never develop those skills.”



                Here's the link to the article
                https://www.yahoo.com/sports/christi...210726336.html
                So the way i see this, is that the landscape in the US has changed because there are just so many and too many organizations in youth soccer. Years ago, talent was evenly distributed more or less among different teams, so whether you were the best or not in you team, you always would encounter some good competition against other teams. (this is how it is in Europe most of the time) Now, most of the talent is on specific teams with many different organizations and levels, and in order to play, the team needs points, etc, etc ,or to be at a specific level. So all competitive and best players are in DA or other high level teams, which does not allow others that have great potential to grow and develop as much, since they are not yet in those teams. If you now pair this up with the way we scout talent in the US, it adds to the problem. You have some kids at 11 or 12 which have wonderful technical skills ,but are not tall enough or aggressive enough so they are not chosen for the better team. But they are more creative and smart. But here that (we have to be honest) does not weight as much. In Europe that weights a lot when you are young (very hard to coach that) Those kids could be gold at 18 but we discount them too early in the process.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  So the way i see this, is that the landscape in the US has changed because there are just so many and too many organizations in youth soccer. Years ago, talent was evenly distributed more or less among different teams, so whether you were the best or not in you team, you always would encounter some good competition against other teams. (this is how it is in Europe most of the time) Now, most of the talent is on specific teams with many different organizations and levels, and in order to play, the team needs points, etc, etc ,or to be at a specific level. So all competitive and best players are in DA or other high level teams, which does not allow others that have great potential to grow and develop as much, since they are not yet in those teams. If you now pair this up with the way we scout talent in the US, it adds to the problem. You have some kids at 11 or 12 which have wonderful technical skills ,but are not tall enough or aggressive enough so they are not chosen for the better team. But they are more creative and smart. But here that (we have to be honest) does not weight as much. In Europe that weights a lot when you are young (very hard to coach that) Those kids could be gold at 18 but we discount them too early in the process.
                  It is a waste of time to compare America to Europe. We can take trips to Europe and play top teams but does that really help us against European teams? To get really good at soccer a kid needs to move to a country where the play is enlighten and magisterial. America is still in the dark ages.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    It is a waste of time to compare America to Europe. We can take trips to Europe and play top teams but does that really help us against European teams? To get really good at soccer a kid needs to move to a country where the play is enlighten and magisterial. America is still in the dark ages.
                    I just don't think parents need to try to be so analytical about this. Your player needs to be obsessed with soccer to the exclusion of everything else to be at the top. it's not really a very well rounded life. you can't force them to become obsessed. Lots of kids will private train, and agility train, and be on high level teams, and watch pros play, do all the things our coaches tell us will make our kids better players. But at the end of the day, if they are not driving it all because of their own very strong obsession with soccer, then its college soccer at best. Nice thing to talk about with friends as a parent, but at the end of the day, just young grown ups playing soccer for school.

                    Regarding playing super high level vs a level where your player is one of the best, it's good to have some years when a player is behind others on their team so long as the player uses that to drive themselves to get better. Some kids use it to identify themselves and will become a worse player. so there is no one right answer; no one size fits all. it depends upon the mentality of your child. but at the end of the day, all the analysis parents put into this doesn't really do much if your kid isn't putting 10 x's as much analysis into for their own part. because they need to be obsessed. they need to be begging you to practice and play more. If they aren't, then soccer will become an anchor for you to be disappointed with your child and them to know it.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      To answer your question, yes, currently the DA is absolutely the best option available for boys in the US.
                      As a coach I can say stay away from the DA. Players become stagnant and our misguided by the coaching staff always telling them they are the best. In most cases they are only as good a top 8 team in the state.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        As a coach I can say stay away from the DA. Players become stagnant and our misguided by the coaching staff always telling them they are the best. In most cases they are only as good a top 8 team in the state.
                        I know asking what team you saying this as a coach but can you tell us what club?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          As a coach I can say stay away from the DA. Players become stagnant and our misguided by the coaching staff always telling them they are the best. In most cases they are only as good a top 8 team in the state.
                          You are so full of crap. We are in DA and came from top 8 team, and I can clearly say the level is higher. Also, coaches telling kids how good they are, what a load. A and B level coaches don't just praise players, they also show and tell them what they need to work on. You clearly are a F or E license coach with a ridiculous comment like that. Basically, no different than an idiot parent.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Exactly.... the only program available it doesn't mean is the best.
                            I can tell you no DA if your kid is on the early stage.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              Exactly.... the only program available it doesn't mean is the best.
                              I can tell you no DA if your kid is on the early stage.
                              Definitely wait for DA when you can - kids burn out, their interests can change, DA can be a meat grinder - oh, and not all DA clubs are good. Find the best training possible within a reasonable distance (travel is a big issue with DA too), maybe do supplemental training if the player really wants it and has the drive. See where he is at U14+. Well run DA clubs will take the talent - again there's lots of churn. Sure DA may be the "best" league, but it isn't consistently the best at the club level, nor is it the best for each player at certain stages.

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