Boys 05

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The Washington League for DA is playing only in Washington with the exception of tournaments. One of the highlights of DA in Washington is less travel. The 04 and 05 Timbers mls DA teams area going off grid.

Are games being played at a central location, or home-and-away?

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They're going off grid because there's no workable solution for OR kids to catch up in terms of training and competition.

I seriously have to wonder about all the people on here lobbying for less training, lower competition, more time to play baseball, more focus on meaningless competitions like state cup, etc. DA IS OPTIONAL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT.

The whole idea here is that if parents and children want a less intense, more "healthy for the whole child", less time-costly alternative, they have one. Heck, they have many. DA isn't one of them. It's not supposed to graduate healthy kids, it's supposed to graduate professionals.

I get the feeling that many parents don't want their kids in a true DA environment, which is totally fine. But then they choose to go a step further and say that NO kids should be doing it, or if they are doing it, then it should be more like the current club/rec options. Maybe they're concerned about children in general, but I'm guessing it's more the case that they just want to feel more comfortable about their choice not to have their kid pursue the DA route.

OR is behind other states. I've never seen so many arguments about procedure (tryout dates! Are kickarounds legal?! who stole my players!?) as I do in OR. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is getting on with the hard work and the hard choices.

This. Carlin's Maxim ("everyone who drives faster than you is a maniac, everyone who drives slower than you is an idiot") strikes again. Anyone who plays in a lower-quality league than my kid is a second-rater; anyone who players in a tougher league is a nutcase with an abusive tiger mom. We get it--your choices are the only correct ones. For anyone.

There seems to be an attitude of "I want my little Messi to have a path to the pros that doesn't involve any real commitment or pressure, at least not until high school". Perhaps we're spoiled by other sports (in which the US dominates), which this is more the case. But soccer--fair or not--requires players commit to the sport at a younger age, IF THEY WANT TO BE ON A PROFESSIONAL TRACK.

Take a good look at your kids, people. Most of your DSs and DDs will never play the game for money. Even if you get to a DA team, or ODP, or ECNL for the girls, your odds of making it are still long. If the DA gets its rate of homegrown players promoted to the first team to one per year--that's one kid, out of thousands in the age group, each year--the Timbers will consider that a success.

If your kid loves the game, but doesn't have the skill or desire to be a pro prospect, there are other paths to take--and there are nothing wrong with these paths.

(And for those parents whose kids are interested in the pro path and doing ODP or DA or ECNL--please, for the love of Mike, quit using "rec" as a put-down. Recreational soccer leagues are a vital part of our soccer infrastructure and culture. So are lower levels of classic soccer, where they have tryouts and such, but nobody is dreaming of being a pro. 90% of kids who play organized soccer only do rec. The quality of play is lower, of course--but that's OK; nobody expects the office league here at work to be as good as the Portland Timbers.)

[Unregistered]

Nice to see some sanity. Above post is spot on.

[Unregistered]

Are games being played at a central location, or home-and-away?

If an Oregon team decides to play in a Washington league and Oregon has no "home fields" in Washington the presumption is every game is an "away" game. Washington Timber 05s are in the same league. Maybe Timbers can borrow that field unless it's under construction?

[Unregistered]

If an Oregon team decides to play in a Washington league and Oregon has no "home fields" in Washington the presumption is every game is an "away" game. Washington Timber 05s are in the same league. Maybe Timbers can borrow that field unless it's under construction?

Why would Timbers have no home fields? There are plenty of fields around town they could rent for this purpose.

If games are all being played at a central location (say, Seattle) that's one thing. If the Washington teams are travelling to play each other, but a condition of Timbers Academy joining the Washington league is none of the WA teams have to come down to Portland, and all games are road games... the Timbers didn't negotiate very well....

[Unregistered]

This. Carlin's Maxim ("everyone who drives faster than you is a maniac, everyone who drives slower than you is an idiot") strikes again. Anyone who plays in a lower-quality league than my kid is a second-rater; anyone who players in a tougher league is a nutcase with an abusive tiger mom. We get it--your choices are the only correct ones. For anyone.

There seems to be an attitude of "I want my little Messi to have a path to the pros that doesn't involve any real commitment or pressure, at least not until high school". Perhaps we're spoiled by other sports (in which the US dominates), which this is more the case. But soccer--fair or not--requires players commit to the sport at a younger age, IF THEY WANT TO BE ON A PROFESSIONAL TRACK.

Take a good look at your kids, people. Most of your DSs and DDs will never play the game for money. Even if you get to a DA team, or ODP, or ECNL for the girls, your odds of making it are still long. If the DA gets its rate of homegrown players promoted to the first team to one per year--that's one kid, out of thousands in the age group, each year--the Timbers will consider that a success.

If your kid loves the game, but doesn't have the skill or desire to be a pro prospect, there are other paths to take--and there are nothing wrong with these paths.

(And for those parents whose kids are interested in the pro path and doing ODP or DA or ECNL--please, for the love of Mike, quit using "rec" as a put-down. Recreational soccer leagues are a vital part of our soccer infrastructure and culture. So are lower levels of classic soccer, where they have tryouts and such, but nobody is dreaming of being a pro. 90% of kids who play organized soccer only do rec. The quality of play is lower, of course--but that's OK; nobody expects the office league here at work to be as good as the Portland Timbers.)

And you are delusional if you think that that just being on a DA team at this age will make you a pro or even put you on that "path". There are many kids, statistically all of them, on the premier level teams and the new timbers DA group that will not ever make it as a pro, not a slight on the kids just reality. You guys are so sold on this notion that it's the only option, but you are sadly mistaken. As an ex pro there is not a single 05 or 04 in Oregon that shows the ability at this point. Remember that does not mean that cannot change with puberty and work, but that next homegrown might be playing "rec" right now and dominating basketball or baseball or you name any other sport and just has not decided yet. They are 11-13, way to early to limit their activities. In addition we all know your daddy Can get you and your buddies on a DA team, even the supposed highest level timbers team if the checkbook is big enough so save the politics and condescending attitude

[Unregistered]

As far as I am concerned, the real advantage to DA is 1 game a weekend! And not having to go to Bend and born having Eugene and Vancouver back to back!

[Unregistered]

As far as I am concerned, the real advantage to DA is 1 game a weekend! And not having to go to Bend and born having Eugene and Vancouver back to back!

Instead it will be Seattle one weekend, Everett the next, Woodinville the next, Redmond the next...

[Unregistered]

And you are delusional if you think that that just being on a DA team at this age will make you a pro or even put you on that "path". There are many kids, statistically all of them, on the premier level teams and the new timbers DA group that will not ever make it as a pro, not a slight on the kids just reality.

In case you failed to read my prior comment, I rather explicitly noted that most DA kids won't make the pros. So I'm in agreement with you.

You guys are so sold on this notion that it's the only option, but you are sadly mistaken.

Never said that either. It is a path, though--and the various US development academies are modelled, somewhat, on foreign pro academies which do regularly produce top-flight talent, although with a much larger talent pool.

As an ex pro there is not a single 05 or 04 in Oregon that shows the ability at this point. Remember that does not mean that cannot change with puberty and work, but that next homegrown might be playing "rec" right now and dominating basketball or baseball or you name any other sport and just has not decided yet. They are 11-13, way to early to limit their activities.

And here I tend to agree with you, though many folks "in the know" insist otherwise. Soccer, it is often said, is a More Technical Sport than, say, basketball--and it seems to be received wisdom that if you don't start the game at a very young age, by the time you acquire the necessary touch to play the game at a high level, you'll be too old. I'm not entirely sure I buy this--people differ in their capacity to develop muscle memory, just as the differ in height, lung capacity, reflexes, strength, and speed; what may take one kid ten years may take another five. But soccer all over the world has a belief that you need to start young.

In addition we all know your daddy Can get you and your buddies on a DA team, even the supposed highest level timbers team if the checkbook is big enough so save the politics and condescending attitude

I don't know if the rumors about the Billups's are true--but it wouldn't surprise me if indeed a local club will promote a wealthy player in this fashion in exchange for financial support. Many clubs are rumored to favor the kids of coaches or directors--in any place where judgement is subjective, there is room for politics and favoritism. And of course, many people assume that if their kid isn't picked, it's because of some bias in favor of someone else.

[Unregistered]

In case you failed to read my prior comment, I rather explicitly noted that most DA kids won't make the pros. So I'm in agreement with you.



Never said that either. It is a path, though--and the various US development academies are modelled, somewhat, on foreign pro academies which do regularly produce top-flight talent, although with a much larger talent pool.



And here I tend to agree with you, though many folks "in the know" insist otherwise. Soccer, it is often said, is a More Technical Sport than, say, basketball--and it seems to be received wisdom that if you don't start the game at a very young age, by the time you acquire the necessary touch to play the game at a high level, you'll be too old. I'm not entirely sure I buy this--people differ in their capacity to develop muscle memory, just as the differ in height, lung capacity, reflexes, strength, and speed; what may take one kid ten years may take another five. But soccer all over the world has a belief that you need to start young.



I don't know if the rumors about the Billups's are true--but it wouldn't surprise me if indeed a local club will promote a wealthy player in this fashion in exchange for financial support. Many clubs are rumored to favor the kids of coaches or directors--in any place where judgement is subjective, there is room for politics and favoritism. And of course, many people assume that if their kid isn't picked, it's because of some bias in favor of someone else.

I like your perspective...and your rational out look. May I ask, if you are affiliated with a club...or if you have a child in this age group?

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I like your perspective...and your rational out look. May I ask, if you are affiliated with a club...or if you have a child in this age group?

Yes (as a parent), and yes.

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Yes (as a parent), and yes.

Glad to hear there are some reasonable folks like you on here...

[Unregistered]

Glad to hear there are some reasonable folks like you on here...

Most of us on here are reasonable. It's the frequent trolls that spew most of the craziness.

[Unregistered]

Most of us on here are reasonable. It's the frequent trolls that spew most of the craziness.

All too true. Good luck to your son's team this weekend.

[Unregistered]

There are so many factors that are at play. The age and multisport argument are interesting points. Consider Jay Demerit's story - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CJM1KnzUPog