Or they poach talented kids from town teams as they get older? I’m talking about teams like PDA, CSA, MF, STA, how many of those kids in teen years are actually developed in-house from early ages?
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I think this same question can be asked about any soccer club or town team. If you've been around youth soccer in NJ for any amount of time, you start seeing that clubs have homegrown players that they are "developing" but the minute a shiny, new player comes for an ID session or attends open training that is stronger than some on the current team, those kids get offers and bam, the team is performing better. Most clubs I've seen poach players rather than develop them; it's not an academy only thing. If anything, playing for an academy will develop your kid faster because they generally have better coaches. We've been at both town clubs and at academies, and if I could do it over again, I'd start at an academy hands down.Originally posted by Guest View Post -
No one is poaching these players(customers), they are looking for a more challenging situation. The ECNL/GA clubs listed above do not have a magic training program that other clubs don't but, being around and training with like minded players(customers) helps in development. To make it clear all the clubs listed above are not equal as clubs and extremely different in each age group. You can tell this by the same coach training 2 teams in the club, one is very successful the other not so much. The training is exactly the same what is the difference, the players(customers). If the players(customers) goal is to play beyond HS (college/Pro) they need to train and play against player that have the same goal, not to win trophies at some tournament.
So to put it simply, no Clubs do not develop the players with their training programs but, they do develop players through the player(customer) completing against other like minded players(customers).Comment
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Are you asking about academies -- Red Bulls being the only one in New Jersey? Or are you asking about pay to play outfits that use the term "academy" in their names?Comment
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The answer is no. If the only time your kids picks up a soccer ball is on their way to practice no amount of training is going to get them to a top level. The academies and/or trainers are there to help those kids who are making the sacrifices that no one sees.Comment
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Unlikely. If you are lucky to have a good coach they will teach tactics. Skills forget it.Comment
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yes! The only way my kiddos are managing to be above average on their current teams is extra effort via working on their own and asking for and getting extra training, watching games (not just for fun, but to learn), etc. Coach's job is to mainly manage/develop a TEAM, less so an INDIVIDUAL player. This is a team sport after all :) One of mine is lucky - coach played the same position and gives extra pointers, but this is not necessarily typical. College / professional teams have a large staff to work with specific groups to HONE them, but this simply can't/wont' happen at the clubs where most of our kids play. So to get better, players need to do extra work on a side. If you have $, it's easier. If you don't, then youtube and creativity in training methods are your best friends.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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Those clubs have poached players in the past with PDA being the most blatant. Friend has been getting calls and emails about her D from Blue even though she's never been to an ID clinic for PDA.
To answer the question though, clubs like STA, SJEB, Real and even CSA still have a good number of players who were brought up through their youth development while others clubs have brought in players from those clubs. You always hear about players from those clubs and several USYS ones moving to PDA, PF, MF, WC, SUSA but you don't hear much about players from those ECNL clubs moving to GA.
Each year is different usually while some clubs are known better for their early development. In the years I have been around SJEB and STA have always had strong development in the youth stages.Comment
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Keep in mind the system is a funnel. As kids get older the funnel narrows A LOT. Better players move up the ladder to the better leagues, regardless of where they played earlier. Clubs will take players that improve teams and help them win, again regardless of where they were developed.Originally posted by Guest View Post
Some players just won't turn into top players no matter where they play, who coaches them. They either have skills or they don't. They either have the drive or they don't (and at U14+ the drive really starts to matter). Many will drop out in middle school because they prefer something else. The greatest coaches on earth can only do so much with what's in front of them.Comment
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