Girls DA = $10,000/yr & NO high school sports???

[Unregistered]

You miss understood me, why does it have to be a black and white issue?

Not being a 100% true means not all girls who had the choice ECNL/finals game chose ECNL. There are two girls that played in that final game and missed ECNL in Phoenix this year. I clearly stated that, but you instead choose to argue and say I am wrong, but 2 chose HS over ECNL. I am not saying there were not others girls who chose the opposite.

Its 100 percent true that girls have opted to play with their local club team or Regional ODP vs osaa state finals over the years.

To say this isnt fact is a lie.

[Unregistered]

The GDA will not have a cost structure like most clubs so the fees you pay will likely result in a nice profit for the Timbers. The Timbers pay for travel for boys. So I suppose in a roundabout way the parents of girls will get to help pay for boys travel. But it is very indirect.

You are part of something larger than just yourself. Funding the boys is important to our national honor and you should feel great pride in doing so as the parent of a girl.

[Unregistered]

You're a little over the top maestro. The requirements that the GDA is putting on the players is only acceptable to a very few players that are truly elite and have dedicated themselves to achieving a place on the National Team or a Pro career. This is an extremely small percentage of all good to great soccer players. Less then 1%.
The vast majority of good to great players have no delusion of this. Their focus is playing at the highest level that fits their reality. Their reality is individually balanced. (between HS classes / Grades / College recruiting / HS sports / other interests / travel / co$t / sacrifice /etc.)
The US Soccer GDA is assuming the female player and the players parents are willing and able. Only a very few are.
The GDA will most certainly get it's share of players but they won't be all the best players because many will determine the sacrifice is too great for what? The reality for 99.x% of them is they will be right where they would be without the GDA. Yet they will have spent their teenage years focused on the GDA and miss so much of a normal healthy kid / HS experience.
Kids that are national team / pro caliber sacrifice a lot to achieve their dreams. The other 99.x% need to really think hard if the GDA is the right fit for their soccer and life goals.
This post is not a slam on the GDA but more of a reality check on who is it really benefiting?

Let's assume 60 clubs to start. That's over 1300 kids for one age group alone. Are these girls all delusional? Do you really think they all have WNT aspirations? Of course not. When ODP was going strong a few years ago (pre-OPL), there were some very strong teams and players, many of whom are still playing D1 around the country. Many skipped HS soccer and they weren't even required to. A few had WNT aspirations, but very, very few. They did it because (a) they love soccer, (b) it was a good experience for them and helped ready them for college, and (c) it helped many of them end up playing high level college soccer.
I can't speak for all the girls, but the vast majority were quite "normal, healthy kids." Heck, there are kids who specialize in music, art, other sports, science, etc. and make sacrifices. This idiocy about what makes a good HS experience is just that - idiocy. One size doesn't fit all.

[Unregistered]

Let's assume 60 clubs to start. That's over 1300 kids for one age group alone. Are these girls all delusional? Do you really think they all have WNT aspirations? Of course not. When ODP was going strong a few years ago (pre-OPL), there were some very strong teams and players, many of whom are still playing D1 around the country. Many skipped HS soccer and they weren't even required to. A few had WNT aspirations, but very, very few. They did it because (a) they love soccer, (b) it was a good experience for them and helped ready them for college, and (c) it helped many of them end up playing high level college soccer.
I can't speak for all the girls, but the vast majority were quite "normal, healthy kids." Heck, there are kids who specialize in music, art, other sports, science, etc. and make sacrifices. This idiocy about what makes a good HS experience is just that - idiocy. One size doesn't fit all.

Completely true. However, with 4 practices/wk, zero other sports, many fewer games, lots of travel, no summer tourneys or guesting, no HS soccer or other HS sports/activities...all with the end goal of national team soccer will be a size that certainly doesn't fit many of the top female players in Oregon.

[Unregistered]

Its 100 percent true that girls have opted to play with their local club team or Regional ODP vs osaa state finals over the years.

To say this isnt fact is a lie.

Yes it has happened but it was the exception not the rule. To think you will find the best 18 in Oregon and they will all be for it is a stretch. You might get 5.

[Unregistered]

Completely true. However, with 4 practices/wk, zero other sports, many fewer games, lots of travel, no summer tourneys or guesting, no HS soccer or other HS sports/activities...all with the end goal of national team soccer will be a size that certainly doesn't fit many of the top female players in Oregon.

The USWNT is a dream for all female players. Just like going to play for UNC is a college dream for girls as well. Only a handful will get to these levels. Oregon's had Tiffany Millbrett as it's lone shining star from humble, backwater origins in Hillsboro Oregon.

Streamlining and creating a platform for the top clubs and their female players is something US Soccer has complete reign and governance over now. Whether you or I like the methodology and practices, doesn't really matter, it's their baby and they have complete and utter confidence in how they handle their affairs. US Soccer fields the best female National teams on the globe, no matter how small the globe of women's soccer is. It's called authority and power and until you can take that away from them, they run the show.

Being a GDA club is now the hottest title and level of play in the country for club female soccer players aged 14 to 18, as evidenced by the truly elite clubs that have been selected through the arduous screening process set forth by US Soccer. With the NWSL clubs also joining these elite club ranks to foster their developmental goals for women's soccer.

Yes, their will be a huge ripple effect on a league like the ECNL which is faced with the reality their elite member club players are joining the GDA and won't be allowed to play in the ECNL. They will adjust and find a different kind of model for the remaining non GDA players. Who knows how they will restructure conferences and divisions but they will adjust. State leagues & regional leagues will still have plenty of players remaining to support quality league play at the local levels. Life will go on.

The bigger picture GDA goals revolve around player development, on the surface.

OK, Oregon got a GDA program with the Portland Thorns. Girls and parents know the high level of teams, commitment & clubs in the league and if playing against that kind of competition is a good fit for them and the Portland Thorns select them from tryouts, only the best for them!

If they value playing with their HS teams or local club team more than this opportunity, that's their choice no one can knock them for it either.

The GDA is simply an opportunity that is directed by US Soccer and the Portland Thorns for our elite level girls.

[Unregistered]

You are part of something larger than just yourself. Funding the boys is important to our national honor and you should feel great pride in doing so as the parent of a girl.

It seems like the goal is to get the girls in the door and have their parents give them a lot of money.

The GDA is a non-starter. Most elite girls soccer players want to play high school sports and do other sports.

It's way too expensive.

Won't attract top talent.

This will be only bragging rights for rich parents with mediocre talent kids.

[Unregistered]

It seems like the goal is to get the girls in the door and have their parents give them a lot of money.

The GDA is a non-starter. Most elite girls soccer players want to play high school sports and do other sports.

It's way too expensive.

Won't attract top talent.

This will be only bragging rights for rich parents with mediocre talent kids.

Isn't it free for boys? Won't it be free for girls?

[Unregistered]

Why the extreme cost? Are they using girls parents money to fund boys travel?

This is America. Girls parents will shell out obscene amounts of cash to make their daughter seem better than she is.


If they use the profits from girls to fund boys travel that is just the way it works.

[Unregistered]

It seems like the goal of the ECNL League is to get the girls in the door and have their parents give them a lot of money.

At least that's the current perception of our Local Clubs who joined the ECNL.

Everyone say it's way too expensive!

It doesn't attract the top local talent to just one club or team.

Currently it is about bragging rights for rich parents with mediocre talent kids at neighborhood clubs.

Sound familiar?

[Unregistered]

The USWNT is a dream for all female players. Just like going to play for UNC is a college dream for girls as well. Only a handful will get to these levels. Oregon's had Tiffany Millbrett as it's lone shining star from humble, backwater origins in Hillsboro Oregon.

Streamlining and creating a platform for the top clubs and their female players is something US Soccer has complete reign and governance over now. Whether you or I like the methodology and practices, doesn't really matter, it's their baby and they have complete and utter confidence in how they handle their affairs. US Soccer fields the best female National teams on the globe, no matter how small the globe of women's soccer is. It's called authority and power and until you can take that away from them, they run the show.

Being a GDA club is now the hottest title and level of play in the country for club female soccer players aged 14 to 18, as evidenced by the truly elite clubs that have been selected through the arduous screening process set forth by US Soccer. With the NWSL clubs also joining these elite club ranks to foster their developmental goals for women's soccer.

Yes, their will be a huge ripple effect on a league like the ECNL which is faced with the reality their elite member club players are joining the GDA and won't be allowed to play in the ECNL. They will adjust and find a different kind of model for the remaining non GDA players. Who knows how they will restructure conferences and divisions but they will adjust. State leagues & regional leagues will still have plenty of players remaining to support quality league play at the local levels. Life will go on.

The bigger picture GDA goals revolve around player development, on the surface.

OK, Oregon got a GDA program with the Portland Thorns. Girls and parents know the high level of teams, commitment & clubs in the league and if playing against that kind of competition is a good fit for them and the Portland Thorns select them from tryouts, only the best for them!

If they value playing with their HS teams or local club team more than this opportunity, that's their choice no one can knock them for it either.

The GDA is simply an opportunity that is directed by US Soccer and the Portland Thorns for our elite level girls.

Winner!!

[Unregistered]

It seems like the goal is to get the girls in the door and have their parents give them a lot of money.

The GDA is a non-starter. Most elite girls soccer players want to play high school sports and do other sports.

It's way too expensive.

Won't attract top talent.

This will be only bragging rights for rich parents with mediocre talent kids.

GDA will get a few good players but not very many.

way too restrictive and way too expensive.

[Unregistered]

Isn't it free for boys? Won't it be free for girls?

Your daughter can try out for the boys team if you want.

Otherwise don't keep asking for fairness.

[Unregistered]

This is America. Girls parents will shell out obscene amounts of cash to make their daughter seem better than she is.


If they use the profits from girls to fund boys travel that is just the way it works.

As US Soccer says you are part of something larger than yourself and you need to stop being selfish. Girls parents helping to pay for boys travel should be a proud moment.

[Unregistered]

More Timbers marketing - yeh!