Girls DA

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Hearing that USSDA will announce that the girls academy will launch a U13 age group addition for 2018/2019 season any day

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Hearing that USSDA will announce that the girls academy will launch a U13 age group addition for 2018/2019 season any day

Oh goody. I was hoping there would be the opportunity to spend more money on soccer and travel for my 12 year old next year.

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Hearing that the may not even have a GDA next season 2018/2019.

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Oh goody. I was hoping there would be the opportunity to spend more money on soccer and travel for my 12 year old next year.

Easy - don't do it. Not only is it absurd to travel that much at that age, it is also unnecessary to get involved at that age, possibly even ever. Play locally at a good club with good coaching and see where she's at in two years developmentally and commitment wise. Lots of middle school kids lose their drive, and puberty can be a cruel bit*ch

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Hearing that USSDA will announce that the girls academy will launch a U13 age group addition for 2018/2019 season any day

Of course they are, let the pi$$ing match with ECNL continue!

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Of course they are, let the pi$$ing match with ECNL continue!

It is all about putting ECNL out of business, little else. It's also rumored the 16/17s will be split next year, leaving only 18/19s as a combined age group. The more teams under the USSF DA umbrella the fewer players for ECNL. That is their goal. Market share.

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It is all about putting ECNL out of business, little else. It's also rumored the 16/17s will be split next year, leaving only 18/19s as a combined age group. The more teams under the USSF DA umbrella the fewer players for ECNL. That is their goal. Market share.

Well that is a more realistic goal for them then competing for world cup trophies.

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Well that is a more realistic goal for them then competing for world cup trophies.

Travel is absurd for kids this age. There has to be a better way. Maybe making the divisions even smaller and adding a team or two. I know that dilutes the product, but the travel is a problem for many.

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Travel is absurd for kids this age. There has to be a better way. Maybe making the divisions even smaller and adding a team or two. I know that dilutes the product, but the travel is a problem for many.

There is a better way. Play in a league that does not require so much silly travel.

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Travel is absurd for kids this age. There has to be a better way. Maybe making the divisions even smaller and adding a team or two. I know that dilutes the product, but the travel is a problem for many.

Easy - make DA about the nation;s truly top talent, let the rest play in ECNL or other leagues, play HS sports and play in college, That's all 99% of the players want anyway. Work with the leagues on training and development. Give the top 1% the intensive training they need in a residence program. Scout the other leagues for the talent. Make it a true pyramid with a very small pinnacle rather than what is essentially a rectangle at this point.

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Travel is absurd for kids this age. There has to be a better way. Maybe making the divisions even smaller and adding a team or two. I know that dilutes the product, but the travel is a problem for many.

It's already too diluted. The degree of overlap between DA and ECNL is already massive. Find the club with the best coaching that's a reasonable distance from your house. Save the travel for HS if that's what she wants later on.

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Easy - make DA about the nation;s truly top talent, let the rest play in ECNL or other leagues, play HS sports and play in college, That's all 99% of the players want anyway. Work with the leagues on training and development. Give the top 1% the intensive training they need in a residence program. Scout the other leagues for the talent. Make it a true pyramid with a very small pinnacle rather than what is essentially a rectangle at this point.

Some one is always talking about residence programs. They already exist but are frightfully expensive. just not a realistic option.

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Hahaha, not many GDA lovers here, such is life. My daughter plays for NYCFC and we are very happy with the training she has received, its much better than her former ECNL team, much. We are not interested in NT, we are only interested in getting her into the best school, and hopefully this was the correct decision.

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Hahaha, not many GDA lovers here, such is life. My daughter plays for NYCFC and we are very happy with the training she has received, its much better than her former ECNL team, much. We are not interested in NT, we are only interested in getting her into the best school, and hopefully this was the correct decision.

loving nycfc and loving gda are two entirely different things. One is a good club and the other is another over size, over done league with some good clubs and some bad clubs.

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Hahaha, not many GDA lovers here, such is life. My daughter plays for NYCFC and we are very happy with the training she has received, its much better than her former ECNL team, much. We are not interested in NT, we are only interested in getting her into the best school, and hopefully this was the correct decision.

Some GDA clubs are just terrible; come on your kid has played some of them already, admit it. You happen to be at a better one. Not every player has a good club nearby and have to chose based on what is available to them. All GDA has done is split the talent and resources and it's strengths/weaknesses varies a great deal location to location.