Thorns academy and basketball

[Unregistered]

It sucks they don’t let them play basketball!! I know they want to cut them off from high school connections but it’s wrong.

So funny! Didn’t you know that high schoolers are already identifying DA teams as the top in Oregon!! If a boy is on Timbers DA this is a huge social bonus. He’s on the top team. Same with girls! Who cares about rec basketball???

[Unregistered]

It sucks they don’t let them play basketball!! I know they want to cut them off from high school connections but it’s wrong.

You have to cut them off from their high school buddies to get them to be more serious about pro soccer. The sooner you get them off high school stuff the better.

[Unregistered]

It sucks they don’t let them play basketball!! I know they want to cut them off from high school connections but it’s wrong.

So then the player should not choose to try out for a club with those rules.

[Unregistered]

Are the Thorns academy players being allowed to play basketball for their H.S.s?

Same as other high school sports. Don’t ask, don’t tell.

[Unregistered]

You have to cut them off from their high school buddies to get them to be more serious about pro soccer. The sooner you get them off high school stuff the better.

Women’s pro soccer pays huge money so the sacrifice is worth it. You can get $7k per year if you are on the big girls pro thorns team. Serious money.

[Unregistered]

Thorns have collected $50,000.00 - $60,000.00 in fees from families. I doubt they’ve spent anywhere close to that for travel so the assumption they have invested in the players and own them would be false.

That’s a lot of cash. They don’t travel that much. So parents pay for all or most of the travel?

[Unregistered]

Women’s pro soccer pays huge money so the sacrifice is worth it. You can get $7k per year if you are on the big girls pro thorns team. Serious money.

I would rather spend $40,000 on club team travel over 5 years, never play in college and help fund the delusions of the other club parents. I'm very well liked, as you can imagine, my dd doesn't play much but she enjoys the girls. Is their something I'm missing?

[Unregistered]

The Salem newspaper did an article about the great sacrifices the academy girls are making for this once in a lifetime opportunity, and there was a very telling quote by one of the academy honchos. I'm paraphrasing but basically he said we have invested financially in these players and in return we expect loyalty and 100% commitment.

That sort of unspoken "owning" of a 14-18 year old player is I think what makes some of us uneasy with the academy in its current derivation. I don't want strangers dictating what my child and I decide. I want our freedom to do what works for her. That's why I think academy may not be the best choice unless you are legitimately too poor to afford other equivalent options, or you are that legitimate next Alex or Mia. I'm not sure there's one player on any current academy roster who fits either one of those groups. So you're left with a bunch of girls who, while talented, have no greater prospects than any birth years produced in Oregon's history, allowing academy honchos to dictate how they spend their time away from soccer because they believe the lie that they are going pro. It's actually pretty sad and I think a lot of these girls will look back on their high school years with regret.

The Salem player also said she's willing to do whatever because she plans to play pro soccer in the senior Thorn's league and then play on the USWNT. These days you don't make it to the USWNT messing around with 5A small town basketball. And no one owns anyone but the girls Academy is paying for the majority of the program so the players have less say. The GDA players are getting about as much money paid for as some Thorns senior team players make in salary. That's an amazing deal.

[Unregistered]

Multiple sports is very good for injury prevention. They should let them play basketball. It would be better for the players.

Playing multiple sports is good if they are at different times. Attempting to play 6A basketball & top club soccer concurrently is the problem and causes overuse injuries and burnout. Gone are the days of getting to go from sport to sport with each season in high school. Year round club soccer had already ruined it well before GDA

[Unregistered]

Thorns have collected $50,000.00 - $60,000.00 in fees from families. I doubt they’ve spent anywhere close to that for travel so the assumption they have invested in the players and own them would be false.

That’s per team. That’s a lot of cash. So they don’t own the rights to the players since the thorns company is only paying a little bit?

[Unregistered]

Women’s pro soccer pays huge money so the sacrifice is worth it. You can get $7k per year if you are on the big girls pro thorns team. Serious money.

Seven thousand per year? That’s it’s? You better have a couple second jobs.

[Unregistered]

Thorns have collected $50,000.00 - $60,000.00 in fees from families. I doubt they’ve spent anywhere close to that for travel so the assumption they have invested in the players and own them would be false.

If they are pulling in $50,000 per team in fees from parents then thorns company is only paying a small part.

[Unregistered]

If they are pulling in $50,000 per team in fees from parents then thorns company is only paying a small part.

Really... you think that travel is the only expense that a team incurs??? WOW...

[Unregistered]

If they are pulling in $50,000 per team in fees from parents then thorns company is only paying a small part.

You are an idiot if you believe it is only $50K to run a travel team for a 10 month season.

You are so stupid.

[Unregistered]

Playing multiple sports is good if they are at different times. Attempting to play 6A basketball & top club soccer concurrently is the problem and causes overuse injuries and burnout. Gone are the days of getting to go from sport to sport with each season in high school. Year round club soccer had already ruined it well before GDA

Over use injuries and grades suffer too. Grades are the biggest issue. Grades and SAT/ACT scores are the biggest predictor of college selection. Top grades will also earn more aid than soccer.