Oakwood

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not really. the market/economics dictate the structure. You miss the point. they may well be headed to grad school, so why play soccer? Please tell me what this system is designed to actually do? We agree its not to develop players. So what exactly? there is already a well established system to get into College. Are parents simply paying thousands of dollars for a resume filler ?

OW is in business to make money for the directors. Period and they run it that way. Now go fly a kite

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You want there to be universal generalities that apply but the players are all individuals. My players has her reasons and your player has hers.

I would imagine my players team is fairly typical. It is full of strong and some not as strong players from families that are fortunate enough to provide them the opportunity to participate in high level soccer. They have different goals for their soccer futures. Some of these future plans include college soccer and some do not and that does not necessarily align with talent level. It is what it is.

Im asking you what the system is designed to do. The answer you seem to offer is whatever the paying parent wants. Why do parents pay thousands for Club soccer? What are they hoping to get from it?

You "answers" seem to be non answers

[Unregistered]

OW is in business to make money for the directors. Period and they run it that way. Now go fly a kite

another person who will not answer basic questions.

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Im asking you what the system is designed to do. The answer you seem to offer is whatever the paying parent wants. Why do parents pay thousands for Club soccer? What are they hoping to get from it?

You "answers" seem to be non answers

Why do parents pay thousands for their daughter to ride horses/compete in shows? Because they can afford it and their daughter loves it. For a select few, to try to make the Olympics? It’s not complicated.

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Why do parents pay thousands for their daughter to ride horses/compete in shows? Because they can afford it and their daughter loves it. For a select few, to try to make the Olympics? It’s not complicated.

Exactly. How is soccer different from any other of these activities parents try to provide exposure to for their children? kids ride, dance, swim, play soccer, baseball, basketball, paint, sing and on and on. Why does your kid play?

[Unregistered]

Why? how many of the top 1% actually go pro and stick with an NWSL roster? Do you really think the GDA or the ECNL are the solution to anything relating to improving players?

The ECNL is a for profit reaction to the demand created by Title IX

The GDA is a reaction the the fact that the ECNL are moving further and further away from actually developing high end players and more into running them inot the ground to attract coaches to recruit the other 50 pct of the players who can play at anywhere from # 51-350.

Except until there is a real professional track for girls, nothing will change. Currently the USSF probably spend close to 100k per player per year in the U17/20 teams on core group of about 15 players per team. the fact that the already think those are the best players is itself a problem. The $$ they spend would be far better spent on scouting and real evaluation of all the game film that is now available from clubs within and outside the GDA. When they select a player, it should be based on exhaustive research, not the whim of one guy.

I wont name any names, but some of the kids they repeat select CANNOT be end game choices and even if they end up being that, we need to cast the net so much wider than we do.

GDA as a league is not the solution. I think the solution should have been ONE ECNL A team per club made up of the best players period irrespective of age. Any kid can be rostered for any week. when not rostered, kids can play for regular ECNL team. reduce ECNL to one game per week. Any player looking to play ECNL A must be selected in the ECNL A pool by club at start of year. Pool size would be say 30 players. Can be updated 2x per year and you can also have exceptions for injury. ECNL A pool players cannot play HS and will train as per GDA schedule.

im sure ive missed something, but you get the general idea.

Some solid ideas and analysis, but in my opinion, the main issue isn’t the leagues, it’s that people simply don’t care about playing at the highest level at the expense of an education or social aspect. Even the better players. There simply isn’t a demand for it. There are other factors involved from geography, no real track to a professional career nor demand for it (as you mention). I think someone else already mentioned this, but setting up a system for the top 1% (not even probably) never makes sense. I do agree that the NT needs to do a better job in analysis of players, but ultimately the system for the most part works. Players end up playing at some level, get an education, make some friends and move on to the real world. The difference between youth soccer and AAU basketball is that there are huge sponsors in AAU that help keep the costs down. Why? Because the demand is there. The interest is there. On the men’s side. That is not the case on the women’s side in basketball either. And yet we are consistently the best. There are also many different levels within AAU. It is very similar to the way Soccer is set up. And no one hammers on about it.

Realistically I think two things would help. 1) a better ID process. 2) investments from some type of not for profits that ensure kids that can’t afford to play, can play. But to be honest, I think that’s less a problem than you think. Clubs absorb those costs. The issue is often transportation, having to work...etc.

[Unregistered]

On the boys side have all the MLS academies be residency programs. That broadens the geographic reach and would allow more intensive training more frequently. Use clubs and ramp up scouting to help find the talent. Ideally make it easier tor clubs to make money off players (a bigger political issue but without it clubs have little incentive to seriously invest). For the women, multiple residencies probably isn't realistic but maybe a few are. For sure the system is too big given the demand and talent and focus on education for most girls. Cut off at least 1/3 of the deadwood. Then the players who really want it have to truly compete for those spots, not just have the cash in hand. NY Metro could lose three clubs and be just fine.

[Unregistered]

Some solid ideas and analysis, but in my opinion, the main issue isn’t the leagues, it’s that people simply don’t care about playing at the highest level at the expense of an education or social aspect. Even the better players. There simply isn’t a demand for it. There are other factors involved from geography, no real track to a professional career nor demand for it (as you mention). I think someone else already mentioned this, but setting up a system for the top 1% (not even probably) never makes sense. I do agree that the NT needs to do a better job in analysis of players, but ultimately the system for the most part works. Players end up playing at some level, get an education, make some friends and move on to the real world. The difference between youth soccer and AAU basketball is that there are huge sponsors in AAU that help keep the costs down. Why? Because the demand is there. The interest is there. On the men’s side. That is not the case on the women’s side in basketball either. And yet we are consistently the best. There are also many different levels within AAU. It is very similar to the way Soccer is set up. And no one hammers on about it.

Realistically I think two things would help. 1) a better ID process. 2) investments from some type of not for profits that ensure kids that can’t afford to play, can play. But to be honest, I think that’s less a problem than you think. Clubs absorb those costs. The issue is often transportation, having to work...etc.

I dont understand this comment

it’s that people simply don’t care about playing at the highest level at the expense of an education or social aspect.

the best players/practitioners in everything make sacrifices for their craft. To me, all you are saying is that there are too many kids drawn in to club soccer who are not there because they love the sport. They love the social or some other aspect.

My comments above are based on a recognition of hat you imply. So leave the ECNL how it is and add a much smaller non age limited, merit based layer that caters to those who want more.

Your basketball comparisons (for women) serve to illustrate one thing- the power of culture. Basketball has it, soccer in the US does not. People hammer on about soccer becaue the audience is largely clueless as to the finer points of what they are seeing AND it has bigger teams. Its not so obviously stat based so there is much more room for subjectivity.

Access to any sport is always a function of the $$ available at the top of it. The reason middle class and higher white families pour into girls soccer is because the end game is College, something that they value.

More lower income families would have access to the game IF the end game was million dollar contracts in the pros. Teams would have an incentive to find them. For women, they just dont.

[Unregistered]

GDA is too big for the true demand/number of players that should be in a supposed "top flight" system. I thought pyramids were just that, not trapezoids

[Unregistered]

GDA is too big for the true demand/number of players that should be in a supposed "top flight" system. I thought pyramids were just that, not trapezoids

They are still pyramids, they are just upside down ....... plenty of room for mediocre and less than mediocre kids at every top level .... this is 'murica! A trophy on every shelf and a medal on every headboard.

[Unregistered]

It is just not feasible to run this super elite super exclusive league. It would cost a fortune and there are not enough very high level players around that are willing or able to invest that much time and money. If there was such a demand for it, it would exist.

[Unregistered]

It is just not feasible to run this super elite super exclusive league. It would cost a fortune and there are not enough very high level players around that are willing or able to invest that much time and money. If there was such a demand for it, it would exist.

It would if USSF put some real skin in the games instead of families and clubs. MLS clubs spend a fortune training close to 100 players a year and they might get one home grown every other year that they can't even make much money from if they want to move him. USSF presses clubs to lower fees and offer scholarships - again, that puts the burden on the clubs. Make the top level more elite in terms of quality (like an actual pyramid with a tiny point at the top) and more broad in terms of affordability.

[Unregistered]

It would if USSF put some real skin in the games instead of families and clubs. MLS clubs spend a fortune training close to 100 players a year and they might get one home grown every other year that they can't even make much money from if they want to move him. USSF presses clubs to lower fees and offer scholarships - again, that puts the burden on the clubs. Make the top level more elite in terms of quality (like an actual pyramid with a tiny point at the top) and more broad in terms of affordability.

The money has to come from somewhere. Where does the ussf get the money,?

[Unregistered]

None of this works without promotion or relegation. Without some "risk" built into the system, there are no consequences for making an inferior product. If a MLS Club/Academy were to risk being relegated (and the big $ taken away) then they would be trying much, much harder. Go drop in on the Mass thread and read about how terrible the Revs are, and have been. They are an entire afterthough for the crafts, They dont give a heck and have no reason to, they do not ever risk losing their MLS slot. When and if MLS takes off, they have a seat at the table and drill cash into the program, but why bother now? Let other clubs take the cash hit and lift the who organization. They just get to ride the coat tails. Its like this with a lot of clubs, all half *****ed.

On the boys side have all the MLS academies be residency programs. That broadens the geographic reach and would allow more intensive training more frequently. Use clubs and ramp up scouting to help find the talent. Ideally make it easier tor clubs to make money off players (a bigger political issue but without it clubs have little incentive to seriously invest). For the women, multiple residencies probably isn't realistic but maybe a few are. For sure the system is too big given the demand and talent and focus on education for most girls. Cut off at least 1/3 of the deadwood. Then the players who really want it have to truly compete for those spots, not just have the cash in hand. NY Metro could lose three clubs and be just fine.

[Unregistered]

The money has to come from somewhere. Where does the ussf get the money,?

Exactly. there is no incentive for any club or the USSF to make it cheaper. You have limited access based on geography so its not like a price cut would attract better players. Increasing numbers increases problems as it increases competition and potentially alienates fee paying cusootmers

Reality is the status quo is perfect for everyone other than anyone who actually want to get better at the game !!

If that is your goal, then you need to use the parts of the Club that do that, avoid the rest and build your own network to assist you. Take full accountability for your own development and accept it will not make you popular.