Timbers Academy 2013-2014

[Unregistered]

Please don't sign little Jonny up for DA tryouts unless you're ready to keep your mouth shut while he watches the game from the bench! The DA is loaded with politics, even more than you were used to at the club level. The coaching is intense, feelings aren't spared and the coaches don't care if your kid is supposed to have more minutes. Likely your kid won't start and no one will come to watch the benchwarmers. Soooooo if this still sounds like you and your son's dream of his "pathway to the pros." Then go for it. Just don't bitch and throw a fit when it doesn't work out. And.... No I'm not a disgruntled parent.... Just a realist trying to give you some good advice. If Jonny lives, and breathes soccer then this is a high intensity "club" experience with even more intense parent drama. It's not for everyone.

[Unregistered]

Not sure what you mean by politics. Picking the best player from the coach's point of view is not necessarily politics. Now, if the coach is picking a player based upon former club or if the kid's parent has money or whatever, then that is politics. By this definition, politics at most clubs are much worse than the academy as contact between parents and coaches are limited.

Go to the academy only if your kid is nuts about soccer and is in the top 15 for the age group. Otherwise, it is not worth it.

[Unregistered]

Go to the academy!!

In OREGON it's the 'Pathway to the PRO's!'

[Unregistered]

In OREGON it's the 'Pathway to the PRO's!'

Hahaha...so true! :)

[Unregistered]

Players leaving U16 accademy

My son is friends with a couple of the Timbers U16s. Don't be surprised if at least 4 U16s don't return after this season. They have their college commitments (verbal anyway) in hand and had more fun playing with their clubs.

I can not imagine many players staying with the Timbers all through high school unless they believe they are the rare exception that can eventually turn pro.

[Unregistered]

While they're many Improvements that can be made with the Academy, Your comment that they play glorified clubs Is not one of them unless yoe regard crossfire, which is average, since crossfire teams by any measure are used to evaluate and confirm if we think we have a quality team here in Portland. Rather, we need to evaluate play time, coaching decisions etc. Within that context, parents need to decide whether they want to put their child into that pressure cooker as the confidence of more kids have have gone down then have gone up. The irony is that the parents seem to take it worse than the kids. As for the hundred dollars to try out, we pay that much to play in a inferior tournament. Just don't listen to them when they tell you not to come watch. Pretend that you don't speak English like the many people on the sidelines and watch two days of fun.

Your "average" Crossfire teams swept the Timbers over the weekend.

[Unregistered]

Not sure what you mean by politics. Picking the best player from the coach's point of view is not necessarily politics. Now, if the coach is picking a player based upon former club or if the kid's parent has money or whatever, then that is politics. By this definition, politics at most clubs are much worse than the academy as contact between parents and coaches are limited.

Go to the academy only if your kid is nuts about soccer and is in the top 15 for the age group. Otherwise, it is not worth it.

Well, the best player in OR, Eddie S., was not deemed good enough.

[Unregistered]

what will happen this weekend

Not sure how this works but I thought players had to start 25% of the games. 28 games mean 7 starts.

On the U-16's 2 players will not reach the 25% and 4 have to start all of the reamaining games to reach the 25%.

Is this right?

[Unregistered]

Please don't sign little Jonny up for DA tryouts unless you're ready to keep your mouth shut while he watches the game from the bench! The DA is loaded with politics, even more than you were used to at the club level. The coaching is intense, feelings aren't spared and the coaches don't care if your kid is supposed to have more minutes. Likely your kid won't start and no one will come to watch the benchwarmers. Soooooo if this still sounds like you and your son's dream of his "pathway to the pros." Then go for it. Just don't bitch and throw a fit when it doesn't work out. And.... No I'm not a disgruntled parent.... Just a realist trying to give you some good advice. If Jonny lives, and breathes soccer then this is a high intensity "club" experience with even more intense parent drama. It's not for everyone.

".... No I'm not a disgruntled parent.... Just a realist trying to give you some good advice." So i don't missunderstand - you have no experience with the program as your kids are not in it, and yet you know all about it and can pass judgment on it even though you have not had any kids pass through the program?

[Unregistered]

can't wait

Not sure how this works but I thought players had to start 25% of the games. 28 games mean 7 starts.

On the U-16's 2 players will not reach the 25% and 4 have to start all of the reamaining games to reach the 25%.

Is this right?

Can't wait for the weekend, what will the Timber DA coaches do? Portland Timbers character test for sure. The Portland Timbers failed with the U-18's and this situation and still have one player not meeting the 25% requirment and will have to start the reamining games.

This is youth sports drama at its best.

[Unregistered]

Various solutions for the Timbers...

Can't wait for the weekend, what will the Timber DA coaches do? Portland Timbers character test for sure. The Portland Timbers failed with the U-18's and this situation and still have one player not meeting the 25% requirment and will have to start the reamining games.

This is youth sports drama at its best.

...say they were injured, deactivate them, or just cut them. Problem solved!

[Unregistered]

...say they were injured, deactivate them, or just cut them. Problem solved!

bitter much? guess your kid was cut (or too lazy to even tryout.)

[Unregistered]

Can't wait for the weekend, what will the Timber DA coaches do? Portland Timbers character test for sure. The Portland Timbers failed with the U-18's and this situation and still have one player not meeting the 25% requirment and will have to start the reamining games.

This is youth sports drama at its best.

If it's a character test, smart money says they come up short. I hope those that need to play do, and I hope that they do well. The boys aren't short on character.

Yes the DA is filled with politics and no you don't need to be a parent, disgruntled or otherwise, to have views. You might know some of those involved and talk to them. Or, you might know something about soccer yourself. Being a parent of a kid who made the team doesn't make a person an expert. Remember, the kid made or didn't make the team, not the parent. And, yes, Eddie is widely considered the best player in that age group -- especially by players, college coaches and most anyone else familiar with this age group.

[Unregistered]

bitter much? guess your kid was cut (or too lazy to even tryout.)

Remember, the kids are on the team, not the parents. If you're a parent of a player, good for you, but you didn't make the team, and you didn't work hard at tryouts. Be proud, not obnoxious.

[Unregistered]

Hmmm

Not sure how this works but I thought players had to start 25% of the games. 28 games mean 7 starts.

On the U-16's 2 players will not reach the 25% and 4 have to start all of the reamaining games to reach the 25%.

Is this right?

Coaching test for sure, what will the coaches do. Play, cut or lie.