2011 Boys

[Guest]

Probably was told they couldn't go inside the training facility to watch their kid due to their covid protocols. I've seen many a parent standing on the utility boxes outside to try and sneak a peak.

Only for practices……spectators are allowed for games and scrimmages.

[Guest]

If by crumbs you mean anyone but the top 5-10 kids in the state, then yes. The absolute best kids will be at MLS clubs.. There are just a few that really stand out in each age... players 10-30 are probably much more similar than you think. Its not like there are just 15 good players in the state and everyone else is garbage.

In NY… NYCFC will get the top kids and BW Gottschee, Met Oval and NYSC will get the rest. In PA, Philadelphia Union will get the top kids and Real and Delco + PA Classics will get the rest.

After watching Red Bull South play I would describe crumbs by top 20 and below in the state. The gap is too wide for most 2011 kids to make the academy next fall. There are some extraordinary players at other smaller clubs currently but who knows if their parents will have them try out and if those players can hang with the agression and pressure of the environment because they will have to constantly compete for a spot unlike their current teams where they are at the best and nobody can touch them.

[Guest]

If by crumbs you mean anyone but the top 5-10 kids in the state, then yes. The absolute best kids will be at MLS clubs.. There are just a few that really stand out in each age... players 10-30 are probably much more similar than you think. Its not like there are just 15 good players in the state and everyone else is garbage.

In NY… NYCFC will get the top kids and BW Gottschee, Met Oval and NYSC will get the rest. In PA, Philadelphia Union will get the top kids and Real and Delco + PA Classics will get the rest.

I would even throw in SBP in the conversation for top players in NJ. The kids get tuition paid, travel the world, sign pro contracts and play an MLS academy schedule. In fact they are the crumbs that play at CSA on the ECNL team for the rest of the fall season…and just as an added bonus your kid would probably win a national championship.

[Guest]

I would even throw in SBP in the conversation for top players in NJ. The kids get tuition paid, travel the world, sign pro contracts and play an MLS academy schedule. In fact they are the crumbs that play at CSA on the ECNL team for the rest of the fall season…and just as an added bonus your kid would probably win a national championship.

I don't claim to have any knowledge about SBP, but curious why do you say they play an MLS academy schedule? I looked on their site at their schedule and it had: Don Bosco, Chatham, Walt Whitman, Hill, Pennington, Lawrenceville, Salesianum, Hun, PDA, Chaminade, Life Center Academy, Peddie, Pennington Prep, PDA, Red Bull. Seems just like a prep high school schedule with PDA and Red Bull added in as friendlies. Am I missing something? Also, as far as I know CSA doesn't have any ECNL teams. Just MLS Next as the top team and then North East Academy League as the 2nd team.

[Guest]

I don't claim to have any knowledge about SBP, but curious why do you say they play an MLS academy schedule? I looked on their site at their schedule and it had: Don Bosco, Chatham, Walt Whitman, Hill, Pennington, Lawrenceville, Salesianum, Hun, PDA, Chaminade, Life Center Academy, Peddie, Pennington Prep, PDA, Red Bull. Seems just like a prep high school schedule with PDA and Red Bull added in as friendlies. Am I missing something? Also, as far as I know CSA doesn't have any ECNL teams. Just MLS Next as the top team and then North East Academy League as the 2nd team.

That’s the NJ schedule which they play mostly during HS season. Which to your point is slightly more local than in past years. But they play a ton more games outside of HS schedule. They are invited to MLS tournaments, MLS academies for games and the kids are s

I can be wrong about what level of CSA they play now but like all clubs they are not allowed to play MLS next but they are part of CSA.

granted they may be the exception to the rule in many arguments but my overall point is that they are on the same level as an MLS academy without the politics and day to day scrutiny.

I have an older son in parochial HS soccer this year so I have been keeping an eye on them.

[Guest]

After watching Red Bull South play I would describe crumbs by top 20 and below in the state. The gap is too wide for most 2011 kids to make the academy next fall. There are some extraordinary players at other smaller clubs currently but who knows if their parents will have them try out and if those players can hang with the agression and pressure of the environment because they will have to constantly compete for a spot unlike their current teams where they are at the best and nobody can touch them.

I’m not sure I follow. Are you saying the boys on the RBNY South team are the top players in the state and it would be difficult to compete for an Academy spot within their environment. I saw them play in a tournament a few weeks back and I agree they have a few very very good players, but I would be surprised if more than 3 or 4 of them make the Academy team next year which should open up additional spots on the roster. I also know they have 2 other 2011 teams to draw from but I haven’t seen them play. With that said, I only watched the South team for 2 games so maybe I’m wrong.

[Guest]

I’m not sure I follow. Are you saying the boys on the RBNY South team are the top players in the state and it would be difficult to compete for an Academy spot within their environment. I saw them play in a tournament a few weeks back and I agree they have a few very very good players, but I would be surprised if more than 3 or 4 of them make the Academy team next year which should open up additional spots on the roster. I also know they have 2 other 2011 teams to draw from but I haven’t seen them play. With that said, I only watched the South team for 2 games so maybe I’m wrong.

What I am saying is that the level of the top players at RB is tough to match. Once the three teams combine their top players into the academy in the fall that team will be one of the best in the state.

Not many boys can play with that quality and intensity at that age.

[Guest]

What I am saying is that the level of the top players at RB is tough to match. Once the three teams combine their top players into the academy in the fall that team will be one of the best in the state.

Not many boys can play with that quality and intensity at that age.

I have seen all 3 Red Bull teams play. While I agree the top players at Red Bull are tough to match, and they are all very, very good players each team has 2-3 top kids max. That’s a total of 7-9 kids from 3 teams. As a team, the south is the strongest right now. After the top 2-3 individuals on each team though, The rest of the squads (approximately 9 kids) are right on the same level with the other top players that are on every other very good team in the state. You could take 8 kids off the south team and recycle them with a different player or 2 each from different teams like CSA, FA, Union, SJEB, PDA, Ironbound, Bloomfield, Liverpool, STA, Match Fit, Morris Elite. Same with the NY team and you could totally recycle the entire North Red Bull team other than maybe 1 player. With the coaches, style, and training they would be in the exact same spot or doing better. Don’t for a second think just because the team is good they aren’t actively trying to recruit players and replace those kids right now. They are. My guess is a minimum of 50% of the current players on the 2011 Red Bull squads will be looking for new teams come May. Hopefully no bridges were burned at the clubs that developed those players.

[Guest]

I have seen all 3 Red Bull teams play. While I agree the top players at Red Bull are tough to match, and they are all very, very good players each team has 2-3 top kids max. That’s a total of 7-9 kids from 3 teams. As a team, the south is the strongest right now. After the top 2-3 individuals on each team though, The rest of the squads (approximately 9 kids) are right on the same level with the other top players that are on every other very good team in the state. You could take 8 kids off the south team and recycle them with a different player or 2 each from different teams like CSA, FA, Union, SJEB, PDA, Ironbound, Bloomfield, Liverpool, STA, Match Fit, Morris Elite. Same with the NY team and you could totally recycle the entire North Red Bull team other than maybe 1 player. With the coaches, style, and training they would be in the exact same spot or doing better. Don’t for a second think just because the team is good they aren’t actively trying to recruit players and replace those kids right now. They are. My guess is a minimum of 50% of the current players on the 2011 Red Bull squads will be looking for new teams come May. Hopefully no bridges were burned at the clubs that developed those players.

100% agree with you. Too early to take 10 year old boys to RB. Why this early? RB is the ultimate destination, but not at this young age. just my thought on it.

[Guest]

Let's see if those players from other clubs try out in the spring and end up making the academy. From what I can see only FA and CSA have a few talents that can challenge for a spot.

[Guest]

Let's see if those players from other clubs try out in the spring and end up making the academy. From what I can see only FA and CSA have a few talents that can challenge for a spot.

Have you watched all of the teams play? If the red bulls players are so much better than everyone other than a few CSA and FA players, how come their results as a team are so poor? The Red Bull North team has 3 league wins and 3 league losses, but all of their kids are so much better? Their wins were very close games. The Red bull NY team has 3 wins, 2 losses and a draw. They are way better players than everyone else? Even the Red Bull south team has a couple 1 goal wins and a draw.

Every team I previously mentioned... CSA, FA, Union, SJEB, PDA, Ironbound, Bloomfield, Liverpool, STA, Match Fit, Morris Elite has at least one player that would easily drop a current Red Bull Player out if they decided to tried out. I only mentioned players from NJ teams. Throw into the mix the boys that will come in from New York, Connecticut, and Eastern PA and there are many, many more talented players out there. Congrats on your kid being on the pre-academy team..... but the pre-academy teams are currently just mid table teams with mainly mid-table players. Don't be ignorant and think because you are on that team that makes you automatically better. Most will be gone in a year.

[soccerinnj]

Have you watched all of the teams play? If the red bulls players are so much better than everyone other than a few CSA and FA players, how come their results as a team are so poor? The Red Bull North team has 3 league wins and 3 league losses, but all of their kids are so much better? Their wins were very close games. The Red bull NY team has 3 wins, 2 losses and a draw. They are way better players than everyone else? Even the Red Bull south team has a couple 1 goal wins and a draw.

Every team I previously mentioned... CSA, FA, Union, SJEB, PDA, Ironbound, Bloomfield, Liverpool, STA, Match Fit, Morris Elite has at least one player that would easily drop a current Red Bull Player out if they decided to tried out. I only mentioned players from NJ teams. Throw into the mix the boys that will come in from New York, Connecticut, and Eastern PA and there are many, many more talented players out there. Congrats on your kid being on the pre-academy team..... but the pre-academy teams are currently just mid table teams with mainly mid-table players. Don't be ignorant and think because you are on that team that makes you automatically better. Most will be gone in a year.

People need to understand the environment at RB. The training and coaching is great, but it is extremely competitive once they get to the academy. They usually give the kids a year (I've heard 2 years in most cases) to prove themselves once they make the academy roster, but those spots are golden. Keep in mind you don't pay anymore if they make it. I've known kids that have made it and don't take well to the level of internal competition and the commitment necessary to succeed. This doesn't make them bad at soccer or incapable of being a key player on a great team, but being on an academy is completely different than other clubs.

[Guest]

People need to understand the environment at RB. The training and coaching is great, but it is extremely competitive once they get to the academy. They usually give the kids a year (I've heard 2 years in most cases) to prove themselves once they make the academy roster, but those spots are golden. Keep in mind you don't pay anymore if they make it. I've known kids that have made it and don't take well to the level of internal competition and the commitment necessary to succeed. This doesn't make them bad at soccer or incapable of being a key player on a great team, but being on an academy is completely different than other clubs.

Good point. Just look at the retention rate on the U15 roster vs Pre academy (Maybe 2-3 kids). Everyone knows the environment at a younger age is more harmful than helpful and it takes kids with a mental toughness (that most 11yr olds don’t have yet) to withstand the pressure.

The far majority of the Red Bull success stories I.e Edelman, Bento Estrela etc. come in at the academy level from feeder programs like PDA, STA and CSA.

Also they get a larger number of people declining offers than you think. If you look deeper in NJ soccer there are other pathways as kids get older. There are other leagues like USL, GSSL or NPSL that produce pro/college players that sign all over not just RB.

[Guest]

Have you watched all of the teams play? If the red bulls players are so much better than everyone other than a few CSA and FA players, how come their results as a team are so poor? The Red Bull North team has 3 league wins and 3 league losses, but all of their kids are so much better? Their wins were very close games. The Red bull NY team has 3 wins, 2 losses and a draw. They are way better players than everyone else? Even the Red Bull south team has a couple 1 goal wins and a draw.

Every team I previously mentioned... CSA, FA, Union, SJEB, PDA, Ironbound, Bloomfield, Liverpool, STA, Match Fit, Morris Elite has at least one player that would easily drop a current Red Bull Player out if they decided to tried out. I only mentioned players from NJ teams. Throw into the mix the boys that will come in from New York, Connecticut, and Eastern PA and there are many, many more talented players out there. Congrats on your kid being on the pre-academy team..... but the pre-academy teams are currently just mid table teams with mainly mid-table players. Don't be ignorant and think because you are on that team that makes you automatically better. Most will be gone in a year.

The RB South hasn't lost a single game, they are on a different level than the rest. So my comment was related to the South, FA and CSA might have 1-2 kids that can come in and challenge for a spot. Also, the environment at RB is work and earn every minute. No cuddling or giving preference to the coach's family, or coach's friends. This why everyone complains about the RB, nothing is free and ass kissing doesn't get your kid playing time. The coaches run the team like a real academy. A lot of kids won't be able to handle the stress knowing only they can earn the spot regardless of any other factor. Plus the teammates will try to outwork them every practice without hesitation. At this level they dont work on technique so the boys that don't have private training on the side to continue improving their skills will fail. Taking summer off, winter off will be fatal for any kid trying to keep their spot at RB.

It's extreme and takes the fun out of the sport some may say but that's what a pro youth academy is looking for.

[Guest]

The RB South hasn't lost a single game, they are on a different level than the rest. So my comment was related to the South, FA and CSA might have 1-2 kids that can come in and challenge for a spot. Also, the environment at RB is work and earn every minute. No cuddling or giving preference to the coach's family, or coach's friends. This why everyone complains about the RB, nothing is free and ass kissing doesn't get your kid playing time. The coaches run the team like a real academy. A lot of kids won't be able to handle the stress knowing only they can earn the spot regardless of any other factor. Plus the teammates will try to outwork them every practice without hesitation. At this level they dont work on technique so the boys that don't have private training on the side to continue improving their skills will fail. Taking summer off, winter off will be fatal for any kid trying to keep their spot at RB.

It's extreme and takes the fun out of the sport some may say but that's what a pro youth academy is looking for.

Agree to disagree with you here.. I have seen pretty much every top 20 team in the state play including Red Bull South. They are a very, very good team, but I would still rate CSA Bergen above of them. As to maybe 1-2 kids from CSA and FA that could "challenge for a spot" ... there are plenty of kids on multiple different teams beyond the 2 you listed that could jump into that Red Bull squad and knock players off the roster completely... players that have been offered spots and declined... That is why red bull coaches are calling and asking players to come join. humility goes a long way.