The Revolution Academy needs to make some changes.

[Unregistered]

Just stop it. Stop. Alternative facts. No one is making enough money playing soccer here to justify any of this silly crap. Study. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. Play soccer to keep from getting fat. That's it.

Let me guess, you have a daughter (or a son who plays high school soccer)?

With attitudes like yours, the US is really going to become a future soccer powerhouse.

[Unregistered]

get over yourself

Let me guess, you have a daughter (or a son who plays high school soccer)?

With attitudes like yours, the US is really going to become a future soccer powerhouse.

I have a son. Multiple year DA player. Means to an end. Parents like you are the problem with soccer.

[Unregistered]

"I have spoken and my word is law! What is good for my family and our financial well-being is good for everyone!!"

[Unregistered]

On that note, I'm going to take her out piano lessons, too. She's no Mozart.

And, all that skiing we used to do? No chance she's going to be Lindsay Vonn, so we'll just stick to Wachooooooset since there is no need to challenge themselves. Heck, we may just get rid of the boards all together and just take 'em sleddin'.

[Unregistered]

I have a son. Multiple year DA player. Means to an end. Parents like you are the problem with soccer.

Yes they and think their kid is special, going "pro" or "playing in Europe" yet not good enough to play and dominate in DA at their own age.

[Unregistered]

I have a son. Multiple year DA player. Means to an end. Parents like you are the problem with soccer.

So you've seen top players on many DA teams. Wouldn't you agree that the top one or two players from many of the DA teams at the U14 or U15 level could probably fit right in at many European academy clubs?

It seems to me we're doing fine developing our strongest players up until that point. After that, they really need a more concentrated group of talent around them and much better quality coaching than they can get here at the U15-U18 age levels in order to really develop. There is enough of that talent in concentrated areas in Europe (where soccer isn't competing with other sports for top athletes) to have a much deeper talent pool for academy teams. Europeans aren't born with a special soccer gene that Americans are lacking. It's simply a case that the difference between the top players and bottom players on their academy rosters is very narrow, rather than the huge gap you see on most DA rosters, so that the quality of training and match play is elevated in comparison (superior coaching helps, too, of course).

[Unregistered]

So you've seen top players on many DA teams. Wouldn't you agree that the top one or two players from many of the DA teams at the U14 or U15 level could probably fit right in at many European academy clubs?

It seems to me we're doing fine developing our strongest players up until that point. After that, they really need a more concentrated group of talent around them and much better quality coaching than they can get here at the U15-U18 age levels in order to really develop. There is enough of that talent in concentrated areas in Europe (where soccer isn't competing with other sports for top athletes) to have a much deeper talent pool for academy teams. Europeans aren't born with a special soccer gene that Americans are lacking. It's simply a case that the difference between the top players and bottom players on their academy rosters is very narrow, rather than the huge gap you see on most DA rosters, so that the quality of training and match play is elevated in comparison (superior coaching helps, too, of course).

Sure, your kid is all that. Go send your kid to Europe then. Nobody is stopping you and your kid from doing just that and many have.

[Unregistered]

On that note, I'm going to take her out piano lessons, too. She's no Mozart.

And, all that skiing we used to do? No chance she's going to be Lindsay Vonn, so we'll just stick to Wachooooooset since there is no need to challenge themselves. Heck, we may just get rid of the boards all together and just take 'em sleddin'.

Are you looking for her to play piano for a living?

Will the kids be skiing for a living?

See how stupid those questions are?

[Unregistered]

Are you looking for her to play piano for a living?

Will the kids be skiing for a living?

See how stupid those questions are?

Maybe I am. I mean...until she tries and goes as far as she can, one doesn't know.

See how stupid THOSE questions are?

[Unregistered]

So you've seen top players on many DA teams. Wouldn't you agree that the top one or two players from many of the DA teams at the U14 or U15 level could probably fit right in at many European academy clubs?

It seems to me we're doing fine developing our strongest players up until that point. After that, they really need a more concentrated group of talent around them and much better quality coaching than they can get here at the U15-U18 age levels in order to really develop. There is enough of that talent in concentrated areas in Europe (where soccer isn't competing with other sports for top athletes) to have a much deeper talent pool for academy teams. Europeans aren't born with a special soccer gene that Americans are lacking. It's simply a case that the difference between the top players and bottom players on their academy rosters is very narrow, rather than the huge gap you see on most DA rosters, so that the quality of training and match play is elevated in comparison (superior coaching helps, too, of course).

No idea if they can hang in Europe. It's sink or swim there. Kids wash out completely all the time. Citizenship issues come into play. Language barriers pose a problem. Assimilation may be difficult. Homesickness. Be glad to get rid of their parents.

[Unregistered]

Maybe I am. I mean...until she tries and goes as far as she can, one doesn't know.

See how stupid THOSE questions are?

Parenting has become one big charicature.

[Unregistered]

So you've seen top players on many DA teams. Wouldn't you agree that the top one or two players from many of the DA teams at the U14 or U15 level could probably fit right in at many European academy clubs?

It seems to me we're doing fine developing our strongest players up until that point. After that, they really need a more concentrated group of talent around them and much better quality coaching than they can get here at the U15-U18 age levels in order to really develop. There is enough of that talent in concentrated areas in Europe (where soccer isn't competing with other sports for top athletes) to have a much deeper talent pool for academy teams. Europeans aren't born with a special soccer gene that Americans are lacking. It's simply a case that the difference between the top players and bottom players on their academy rosters is very narrow, rather than the huge gap you see on most DA rosters, so that the quality of training and match play is elevated in comparison (superior coaching helps, too, of course).

This is a good post. The amount of time that teen European players dedicate to training is 10 fold higher than that by Americans. In contrast, I watch my kid standing around at the 1.5 hr Rev practices.

[Unregistered]

Parenting has become one big charicature.

Could be...but for one to mock the other as the all-knowing, no matter what the subject (math whiz, soccer whiz, skiing whiz, gymnastics, art, etc.) is borderline offensive. And, this is coming from a parent of a kid who will be lucky play at a D3 college.

[Unregistered]

I have a son. Multiple year DA player. Means to an end. Parents like you are the problem with soccer.

If your kid is a multiple year DA player and he is doing it as a "means to an end" or just to "stay out of trouble" and "keep from getting fat. That's it.", did you ever think maybe DA is not really the place he should be playing? Maybe this is part of the reason the gap between the top and bottom players is so huge.

As people have mentioned before, it seems that some players in the DA have very different goals than those intended by the USSF when they created the program. Unfortunately, due to our geography, those players whose goals actually do align with the USSF are sprinkled all over the country, and the only concentration seems to be in Bradenton, which offers opportunities for too few players.

[Unregistered]

Could be...but for one to mock the other as the all-knowing, no matter what the subject (math whiz, soccer whiz, skiing whiz, gymnastics, art, etc.) is borderline offensive. And, this is coming from a parent of a kid who will be lucky play at a D3 college.

If you're blind and I tell you the sky is blue am I potentially wrong or offensive? How many professional soccer players have come from your town?