The Revolution Academy needs to make some changes.

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I agree - not sure that parents aiming for their kids to be soccer pros is healthy. Talk about crazy pressure. That poster wrote "...if more parents in the US thought of professional soccer as a real future for their kids...." uh - what about what the kids want? And this sentence irked me "How many kids are being held back from reaching their true potential by parents who think the only future path for them is through college?"

Seriously?! You think parents in the US are holding their kids back - if anything parents push their kids and think they're entitled to be on the best team, with the best coach, wearing the best kit, and the best boots.....

Tell you what - go bring your kid to Europe and push him to be a pro and find his true potential. My wife and I both work so I guess since we aren't going to Europe with our son, we're holding him back.

Give me a break.

If he was that good, you'd find a way, just like parents of Olympic level athletes do every single day. And yes, parents do hold kids back in a way if they think college is the end game, the only way, or life would end.

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If he was that good, you'd find a way, just like parents of Olympic level athletes do every single day. And yes, parents do hold kids back in a way if they think college is the end game, the only way, or life would end.

I agree that college isn't the only end game. I mean, the flexibility of being homeless has to be somewhat liberating.

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Meaningless stat, by someone who has no clue. You have to look at age of kids. Nothing against the Bolts, but if all true U16 players played for the Revs it would be a much different result. It's not all about wins and losses. So many kids play up across the board for the Revs. This Bolts vs Revs is so stupid. How about the kids have two great options in DAP?

One of the best days in the New England revolution academy history was the day someone came up with the 'playing up' alibi.

Any time the lack of success of a team is pointed out, fall back on the 'most kids are playing up' alibi.

Well, if this is true, then the U18's should be a stellar juggernaut because there's nowhere for the 18 year olds to go so they must all be playing right? And now that they are playing boys their own age, they must be destroying them, right? Well, sorry but they just aren't doing that. And that's because the fact is that very little development goes on in US academies. The U18's that never were properly developed are simply supplanted by younger players who the same thing will happen to.

Watch Friday night to see the true ugliness of US soccer.

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The thing is, he doesn't have to be that one in a million if more parents in the US thought of professional soccer as a real future for their kids. How many kids are being held back from reaching their true potential by parents who think the only future path for them is through college?

Aiming for a pro career is a long shot, yes, and many won't make it (however, they can still get a college education), but the only way we will have more US kids getting to that level is by having more players, and their parents, actually putting everything in to getting there. We're kind of in a vicious circle right now, few kids are making it, so few kids are trying. Our youth training U14 and younger has gotten so much better, that a lot more players could have a shot if they can find quality training U16-U20. Unfortunately, that's not easy to find in the US and it certainly isn't to be found in college programs. Players and parents need to have the courage to look elsewhere in these older age groups to continue their development and reach their true potential.

Where to even start with this one

- Parents don't see pro soccer as a viable path because in large part it is not. Virtually no player in the US will make the kind of money found abroad at the highest levels. MLS salaries are a joke.

- Parental demographics for youth soccer means most care more about education than professional athletics. To them education is the way for their children to reach their true potential for life. For many, high level soccer is a way to a better education/get help to pay for college. That won't change any time soon with our pay to play system that shuts out large portions of the population

- Few kids are "making it" because few kids are good enough

- Poor training for U14+ - blame USSF. They've had this system for nearly TEN YEARS

- Poor training at the college level - again blame USSF. If they worked with college coaches and helped raise the level of college coaching then the sport could run more like it does for basketball and football - gives players great competition and a place to improve and mature before going into professional sports

- It isn't about "courage", it's about REALITY as in 1) few kids truly have the potential and most families know that 2) most families can't just up and leave and move abroad.

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If he was that good, you'd find a way, just like parents of Olympic level athletes do every single day. And yes, parents do hold kids back in a way if they think college is the end game, the only way, or life would end.

you're forgetting about the countless olympic hopefuls that fail. and most of the olympic hopefuls will continue with their education during the process. there isn't much money in just about any olympic sport save the international superstars like michael phelps who get rich endorsement deals.

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If he was that good, you'd find a way, just like parents of Olympic level athletes do every single day. And yes, parents do hold kids back in a way if they think college is the end game, the only way, or life would end.

Say I do think my kid is "that good". One, I'd seek multiple professional opinions because I'm smart enough to know what I don't know Two, say he's "good enough. How do we move abroad without multiple passports? How do I make a living? How do I uproot my other kids or tell my spouse to leave her job? Three, he's "that good" means he's got offers galore to attend some of the country's top prep schools, colleges and universities. How do we walk away from those opportunities?

Yes college is the end game for most in DA. Obviously it isn't the end game for USSF. The two sides are at odds with one another. It's one of the biggest issues with DA - they only care about the maybe top 1% that fits the skill set and drive USSF or pro teams want. But to make the system work they have to include the other 99% who have a different end game in mind. Until that changes nothing else will

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Say I do think my kid is "that good". One, I'd seek multiple professional opinions because I'm smart enough to know what I don't know Two, say he's "good enough. How do we move abroad without multiple passports? How do I make a living? How do I uproot my other kids or tell my spouse to leave her job? Three, he's "that good" means he's got offers galore to attend some of the country's top prep schools, colleges and universities. How do we walk away from those opportunities?

Yes college is the end game for most in DA. Obviously it isn't the end game for USSF. The two sides are at odds with one another. It's one of the biggest issues with DA - they only care about the maybe top 1% that fits the skill set and drive USSF or pro teams want. But to make the system work they have to include the other 99% who have a different end game in mind. Until that changes nothing else will

And your kid is in that 1% "going pro" group that is being derailed by the riff raff?

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And your kid is in that 1% "going pro" group that is being derailed by the riff raff?

Not the poster and I think riff raff is a mighty strong term. My kid is part of that group, as are 98% of DA players. But there is support for making the system much smaller than it is currently. If teams on average have maybe 1-3 NT or pro level players (and at some clubs that's a real stretch) then wouldn't those players progress at a much faster pace if their entire squads were filled with similar talent? How you make a smaller system work with our geography I don't know - residency or something. We also need a lot more practicing (we don't come close to how much players train international at U14+) and better coaching.

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Not the poster and I think riff raff is a mighty strong term. My kid is part of that group, as are 98% of DA players. But there is support for making the system much smaller than it is currently. If teams on average have maybe 1-3 NT or pro level players (and at some clubs that's a real stretch) then wouldn't those players progress at a much faster pace if their entire squads were filled with similar talent?

Not necessarily. Depends on the skills and improvement individual players require. Seeing the field requires different environment and work than taking on a defender which is different than striking a ball or finishing. All are different skills and the level of game competition and practices can be fine tuned to allow best opportunity to improve a desired skill. Barca youth teams don't solely play against the best competition they can find. Often it makes sense to play lesser or better to work on specific individual and team aspects.

It is a myth that players ONLY improve against and with other top players. Makes parents and players feel exclusive and special and willing to open their wallets, but not completely true from a development perspective.

We also need a lot more practicing (we don't come close to how much players train international at U14+) and better coaching.

I agree 100%. And you nailed the age that US players typically taper off their playing time and their skills plateau or even erode.

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Sleep well

The revolution have made their bed. It doesn't mean you have to sleep in it so never

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The revolution have made their bed. It doesn't mean you have to sleep in it so never

Are all the 02/03 kids the revs took this year still on the teams?

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Are all the 02/03 kids the revs took this year still on the teams?

Yes although they clearly have no idea who is who still.

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Yes although they clearly have no idea who is who still.

They know one of your kids real well. He is always sitting next to them.

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Yes although they clearly have no idea who is who still.

They fixed it.

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Go check out today's top drawer Article: Academy players to watch in the USL. Sure would be nice if the Revs actually really cared about their players development. Revs club needs this desperately.