Development Academy Article

[Unregistered]

Anybody care to comment about the article in today's Oregonian about the Timbers DA barring participants from playing HS soccer? Not smart in my opinion. Soccer needs growth, not marginalization. Plus, the "we're too good for you" attitude is probably the fastest way to turn people off. Here's the link in case you missed it:

http://highschoolsports.oregonlive.c...n-prep-soccer/

[Unregistered]

Just read the article, and one thing that stood out to me was the quote that pointed out that even though those kids who are selected for the academy are probably the "best of the best" in the area, only a few of them will be playing soccer at a professional level later on. Yes, most club players are already playing at a higher level than most high school teams, but the opportunity to play for your school, with your friends, in front of your comomunity, shouldn't be lost on the Timbers DA. You gotta have some fun in there!

[Unregistered]

It seems like they are digging their own hole. We will see where it goes. As the Parent of a child who might be eligible I would really have to think twice. Memories and friendships of participating in High school, vs a still low chance of ever being pro, but essentially an indentured servitude.

It is hard to know.

[Unregistered]

It seems like they are digging their own hole. We will see where it goes. As the Parent of a child who might be eligible I would really have to think twice. Memories and friendships of participating in High school, vs a still low chance of ever being pro, but essentially an indentured servitude.

It is hard to know.

I do agree they can have a compromise and allow both high school play and academy, but on the other hand if we as a country want to consistently close the gap with South America, or Europe, I think we have to go this route. In my opinion, we have to identify the best and develop them. Out of 23 players, you may get one that can play at the National level, but the remaining players might be very good D1 players, that feed into the MLS, which will improve the league as well. The alternative is the current system. Just my opinion and I could be wrong. this is a tough one, mainly because the US has so many other options for the youth soccer player, unlike other countries where the dream of playing soccer professional is all they have as a future.

[Unregistered]

Where do you want to go and do?

Forgive me, but I would take the Development Academy over HS Soccer any day.

If we are about what is best for developing players and getting into college, this is it.

HS is a short time frame for soccer. Club is where is it at. If you kid is at the highest level in Oregon, then why would you not want this for them. Guess where the high end College Coaches are going to look for players.

Change is hard. I understand. But, this only effect a few players in general. Lets not down play those that remain and still play for their HS.

I can not wait for this to happen for the Girls Program. This one can not be to far behind. Watch.

[Unregistered]

Forgive me, but I would take the Development Academy over HS Soccer any day.

If we are about what is best for developing players and getting into college, this is it.

HS is a short time frame for soccer. Club is where is it at. If you kid is at the highest level in Oregon, then why would you not want this for them. Guess where the high end College Coaches are going to look for players.

Change is hard. I understand. But, this only effect a few players in general. Lets not down play those that remain and still play for their HS.

I can not wait for this to happen for the Girls Program. This one can not be to far behind. Watch.

Ditto.

[Unregistered]

Developing Players

I do agree they can have a compromise and allow both high school play and academy, but on the other hand if we as a country want to consistently close the gap with South America, or Europe, I think we have to go this route. In my opinion, we have to identify the best and develop them. Out of 23 players, you may get one that can play at the National level, but the remaining players might be very good D1 players, that feed into the MLS, which will improve the league as well. The alternative is the current system. Just my opinion and I could be wrong. this is a tough one, mainly because the US has so many other options for the youth soccer player, unlike other countries where the dream of playing soccer professional is all they have as a future.

A couple of things: first, finding players who can play at the highest level is a crap shoot. WSM just sent two to the national team that didn't have DA experience or connections. The idea that letting them play high school soccer (they were both really good at it) held them back, or they would have been even better had they done DA and not HS and club is doubtful.

Second, the "it's all they have" argument doesn't hold up. Other countries produce plenty of athletes who participate in sports other than soccer including at the highest level. Look at how many European players now play in the NBA. Spain, Italy, Germany, all have well developed professional leagues that are closer to the NBA than MLS is to the La Liga, Serie A or the Bundesliga. English people can't play basketball for some reason so I'll leave the EPL out. There are other professional sports leagues in Brazil and Argentina as well and there are also other sports that are big business elsewhere that barely register here. For example, rugby. Soccer is clearly the biggest game throughout the world, but the "it's all they have" and "they're all so poor so that's all they can play" just isn't true--particularly in EU countries.

[Unregistered]

A couple of things: first, finding players who can play at the highest level is a crap shoot. WSM just sent two to the national team that didn't have DA experience or connections. The idea that letting them play high school soccer (they were both really good at it) held them back, or they would have been even better had they done DA and not HS and club is doubtful.

Second, the "it's all they have" argument doesn't hold up. Other countries produce plenty of athletes who participate in sports other than soccer including at the highest level. Look at how many European players now play in the NBA. Spain, Italy, Germany, all have well developed professional leagues that are closer to the NBA than MLS is to the La Liga, Serie A or the Bundesliga. English people can't play basketball for some reason so I'll leave the EPL out. There are other professional sports leagues in Brazil and Argentina as well and there are also other sports that are big business elsewhere that barely register here. For example, rugby. Soccer is clearly the biggest game throughout the world, but the "it's all they have" and "they're all so poor so that's all they can play" just isn't true--particularly in EU countries.

Like I said, I could be wrong. Excellent points made here. thx

[Unregistered]

We Should be About Developing Kids

Forgive me, but I would take the Development Academy over HS Soccer any day.

If we are about what is best for developing players and getting into college, this is it.

HS is a short time frame for soccer. Club is where is it at. If you kid is at the highest level in Oregon, then why would you not want this for them. Guess where the high end College Coaches are going to look for players.

Change is hard. I understand. But, this only effect a few players in general. Lets not down play those that remain and still play for their HS.

I can not wait for this to happen for the Girls Program. This one can not be to far behind. Watch.

We should be about developing kids, not soccer players. Slightly more than none will make soccer a career for even a short time. The ones who do won't be negatively affected by playing HS, or by opting not to. The friends and experiences from school last a lifetime. The high end coaches will watch them play in the DA the other 10 months of the year. It shouldn't be an either/or, it can be both.

[Unregistered]

We should be about developing kids, not soccer players. Slightly more than none will make soccer a career for even a short time. The ones who do won't be negatively affected by playing HS, or by opting not to. The friends and experiences from school last a lifetime. The high end coaches will watch them play in the DA the other 10 months of the year. It shouldn't be an either/or, it can be both.

I would agree, it should be both. Baseball and basketball players quite often play on elite teams in addition to their HS teams. AAU teams in basketball take kids from all over the country to play in tournaments/exhibitions while still playing on their HS teams.

[Unregistered]

And we wonder why Oregon is a soccer backwater? Read above.

[Unregistered]

MEBjHT

And we wonder why Oregon is a soccer backwater? Read above.

Can someone tell me how it works? If the Timbers develop a player and they go of to college, will they not lose that player in the draft?

[Unregistered]

Don't blame Timbers, they don't have a choice

Whether the Timbers want their DA player to participate in HS Soccer or not is most likely a moot point. The fact is that the NW, Cal South, and Texas USDA divisions have all gone to a 10 month season, and by 2012 the rest will follow. See link:

http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Develop...-Overview.aspx

The Timbers are REQUIRED by MLS to have a youth component, and for that type of financial investment, they need to be in the USDA in order to develop players. If USSF decides that there will not be HS soccer, it is really nothing the Timbers can do about it.

For the 45 players not playing HS, it is amazing opportunity to make a huge commitment to take their soccer to the next level, maybe professional, probably college, and certainly the highest level of youth soccer available in the US. Will they miss out on some of the great aspects of being a HS soccer player, of course. But for them, that does not outweigh the potential to play a higher level of soccer year round, and they should be commended for showing such commitment, not criticized for it. Sure, some kids might want to do both, but we often have choices in life. Gavin cannot force a kid to play DA, and a HS cannot force a kid to play for them. In the end, the kids and their parents get to choose, what a novel concept.

For the 100s of other players still playing HS soccer, and playing for other clubs not in the DA, or playing other sports, it is more of an opportunity for them on the HS level.

Lets face it, in sports like track, basketball, baseball and football, HS sports is where you get recruited, where you get seen by colleges, and pros, etc, but not in soccer. So why not commend these young men for taking a leap, and the Timbers for providing them that opportunity which has not existed in OR.

[Unregistered]

Similar to Baseball & Hockey

Whether the Timbers want their DA player to participate in HS Soccer or not is most likely a moot point. The fact is that the NW, Cal South, and Texas USDA divisions have all gone to a 10 month season, and by 2012 the rest will follow. See link:

http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Develop...-Overview.aspx

The Timbers are REQUIRED by MLS to have a youth component, and for that type of financial investment, they need to be in the USDA in order to develop players. If USSF decides that there will not be HS soccer, it is really nothing the Timbers can do about it.

For the 45 players not playing HS, it is amazing opportunity to make a huge commitment to take their soccer to the next level, maybe professional, probably college, and certainly the highest level of youth soccer available in the US. Will they miss out on some of the great aspects of being a HS soccer player, of course. But for them, that does not outweigh the potential to play a higher level of soccer year round, and they should be commended for showing such commitment, not criticized for it. Sure, some kids might want to do both, but we often have choices in life. Gavin cannot force a kid to play DA, and a HS cannot force a kid to play for them. In the end, the kids and their parents get to choose, what a novel concept.

For the 100s of other players still playing HS soccer, and playing for other clubs not in the DA, or playing other sports, it is more of an opportunity for them on the HS level.

Lets face it, in sports like track, basketball, baseball and football, HS sports is where you get recruited, where you get seen by colleges, and pros, etc, but not in soccer. So why not commend these young men for taking a leap, and the Timbers for providing them that opportunity which has not existed in OR.

This approach is similar to how hockey and baseball recruit and hire their players. Ones that are deemed to have the potential are offered a similar choice to forsake college in the case of baseball and the final year of high school in the case of hockey.

Does that mean that all of the best players in each sport forgo that route? No just look at the quality of college baseball and hockey to see that not every player who has been anointed at a young age will forgo their "formative" years for the outside chance of making the pros'. No if they were taking about paying as much as the top level baseball recruits get then you would see a different result but as far as I know they are not.

So expect to see some of the best go DA and others to stay on the HS to College track just like they do in Baseball & Hockey!

[Unregistered]

In some cases (definately ours) high school soccer is so bad that it may take awhile to get the bad habits worked out when you go back to club and ODP. What I see is more opportunity than ever to get injured since the level of play is so much lower. It appears to be more of a slug fest at times than anything remotely akin to skill. So, we would gladly give up high school play in order to participate in the academy. Unfortuneately, it isn't an option for girls.