Boys DA

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I thought ADF had reserves who trained with the team and competed for spots, but did not play if unable to make the A team.

Reserves can train with team but there is no "competing" for spots. Club makes it clear from the onset they can train with the Premiere team but they will not play in any season games.

[Unregistered]

Reserves can train with team but there is no "competing" for spots. Club makes it clear from the onset they can train with the Premiere team but they will not play in any season games.

Interesting.

Is Premier team roster fixed at tryouts, or are there midseason opportunities to get promoted?

Do kids who don't play pay same fees?

[Unregistered]

Interesting.

Is Premier team roster fixed at tryouts, or are there midseason opportunities to get promoted?

Do kids who don't play pay same fees?

Do any clubs bump rostered players after tryouts or post season? Never heard of that. If the player was good enough she/he would have made the roster or is placed on the second team.

[Unregistered]

Do any clubs bump rostered players after tryouts or post season? Never heard of that. If the player was good enough she/he would have made the roster or is placed on the second team.

Quite a few clubs will promote or demote players between the teams; though I'm not sure of anyone who will kick a player out of the club for reasons of skill. (I've known one kid who got kicked out of a club for disciplinary issues--a fate which was well-earned in his case; I've heard lots of stories of disruptive parents being asked to leave clubs, though don't know any such examples firsthand).

Clubs that do academy-style may not even have fixed teams, picking different kids for the A, B, C teams each week (depending on things like availability, who did well in practice, etc).

[Unregistered]

Quite a few clubs will promote or demote players between the teams; though I'm not sure of anyone who will kick a player out of the club for reasons of skill. (I've known one kid who got kicked out of a club for disciplinary issues--a fate which was well-earned in his case; I've heard lots of stories of disruptive parents being asked to leave clubs, though don't know any such examples firsthand).

Clubs that do academy-style may not even have fixed teams, picking different kids for the A, B, C teams each week (depending on things like availability, who did well in practice, etc).

Can the Development Academy clubs train academy-style?

[Unregistered]

Do any clubs bump rostered players after tryouts or post season? Never heard of that. If the player was good enough she/he would have made the roster or is placed on the second team.

Some clubs follow this philosophy - and should - but many do not. Needless to say parents want to know where their kid stands all year long. You can bet an A team family would be ti**ing if they got moved down midyear, especially if at recruiting age. Moving players around can become a nightmare even when it is handled well. Many clubs don't handle it well because there often there is politics and favoritism going on (real and perceived).

[Unregistered]

Some clubs follow this philosophy - and should - but many do not. Needless to say parents want to know where their kid stands all year long. You can bet an A team family would be ti**ing if they got moved down midyear, especially if at recruiting age. Moving players around can become a nightmare even when it is handled well. Many clubs don't handle it well because there often there is politics and favoritism going on (real and perceived).

Kids change every 30 days. Some more than others. My sons club trains in large pools. This eliminates the thought of A and B teams

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Kids change every 30 days. Some more than others. My sons club trains in large pools. This eliminates the thought of A and B teams

While some kids thrive in that environment, large pool play is not for every kid. Spending every week at practice feeling like it's a tryout so they can be chosen to play in weekend games on the top team or tournament team is a lot of pressure.. especially when you are only 9,10,11,12 years old. So great for some, but can be a sport killer for others.

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While some kids thrive in that environment, large pool play is not for every kid. Spending every week at practice feeling like it's a tryout so they can be chosen to play in weekend games on the top team or tournament team is a lot of pressure.. especially when you are only 9,10,11,12 years old. So great for some, but can be a sport killer for others.

that is true. and as the poster above said, it creates political issues

[Unregistered]

would you please stop with the this is stressful on the children nonsense. This creates an atmosphere of work hard and you will be rewarded. Not you worked hard for three days and tryouts and you are done. So funny, so willing to criticize Oregon soccer as poor but when someone tries to do something to increase the intensity of training to improve development People scream it's too stressful fun little johnny. You can't have it both ways pick a lane and stay there

[Unregistered]

would you please stop with the this is stressful on the children nonsense. This creates an atmosphere of work hard and you will be rewarded. Not you worked hard for three days and tryouts and you are done. So funny, so willing to criticize Oregon soccer as poor but when someone tries to do something to increase the intensity of training to improve development People scream it's too stressful fun little johnny. You can't have it both ways pick a lane and stay there

US Soccer realizes the clubs that do obnoxious large pool play for $$ is not enriching development. Notice how DA has a firm capped roster? It's not 36 kids training together every week together in order to hopefully get picked to top 12 for a roster spoilt in for DA game.
Having a bad training day doesn't make a kid lazy, it makes them human.

[Unregistered]

Did anyone say a bad training day should drop a kid? Or that huge pools should be used? No! What is appropraite is a pool large enough to create competition. TO create an atmosphere that every session is a tryout. Again this is for the top level players only. At Academy level they are looking for consistency, that the bad days are not terrible and a player is willing to work and push thru a bad day. Yes it can be stressful at times but seeing how a player handles that is important. So, don't give me the nonsense that its too stressful for little johhny. If he does not like that setting then he is not ready for top level.

[Unregistered]

would you please stop with the this is stressful on the children nonsense. This creates an atmosphere of work hard and you will be rewarded. Not you worked hard for three days and tryouts and you are done. So funny, so willing to criticize Oregon soccer as poor but when someone tries to do something to increase the intensity of training to improve development People scream it's too stressful fun little johnny. You can't have it both ways pick a lane and stay there

Several things:

1) There are several layers of soccer between "elite" (kids of sufficient talent and skill that playing college or pro soccer is a possibility, even if remote), and "rec" (simply playing for fun, without any pressure, often including guaranteed playing time regardless of performance). In general, if you're not on the A team at one of the top clubs, you're not on the elite track. OTOH, those on the elite track should expect a more competitive environment and a higher level of commitment than those on the B or C team, which should in turn be a more competitive environment and higher level of commitment than rec.

2) That said, children are children--and will have bad days and engage in pouty behavior (or simply slack off when they should be hustling) in a matter that would be far less acceptable coming from an adult professional. Good coaches know this and adjust expectations appropriately.

3) Just as some kids lag behind others in physical development, others lag behind their peers in emotional development--there are talented and skilled 10-year-olds who may be unable to handle the pressure of some of the more intense A teams out there. A longstanding complaint I have with the sport of soccer is that it tends to identify prospects before puberty, and reject late-bloomers--the pro "lane" narrows far more quickly than in other team sports, where nobody really cares how good you are until high school. OTOH, this seems to be how it's done 'round the world, and in many ways soccer is like the ancient board game of Go--"a few minutes to learn, a lifetime to master".

[Unregistered]

I believe this thread is about boys DA and the players you described my be talented but are not ready for a DA program. Thats is not to say they will never be ready. The DA is for serious focused players. If this does not describe your child then don't consider a DA program you and your child will be happier someplace else. I am tired of people saying they want the DA opportunity but complain about the comitment needed or that it may be stressful. Just knock it off. The DA is a big commitment and it will be stressful at times. It is meant to be, so players can be evaluated in those situations. The DA is looking develop pro players they know if they get 1 every four years that is success.

[Unregistered]

I believe this thread is about boys DA and the players you described my be talented but are not ready for a DA program. Thats is not to say they will never be ready. The DA is for serious focused players. If this does not describe your child then don't consider a DA program you and your child will be happier someplace else. I am tired of people saying they want the DA opportunity but complain about the comitment needed or that it may be stressful. Just knock it off. The DA is a big commitment and it will be stressful at times. It is meant to be, so players can be evaluated in those situations. The DA is looking develop pro players they know if they get 1 every four years that is success.

My sons's DA experience has been less stressful than last year. Coaches aren't under pressure to win as much and the parent sideline is more calm. He is only U12 and I suspect the pressure gets more intense with time, but for now winning is secondary to quality.