Timbers Discovery Program

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I feel like you're talking about the best path for kids who aren't among the top 30 in their age group for any given year. Not producing players who can replace one of the Chara's isn't an indictment of a program. Even if they were perfect with their player development, maybe only 1 or 2 additional players would have been good enough to push for a 1st team spot. If coaching really was the problem, then why doesn't the 3rd team from a local club train with the 1st team from the club? A good coach should be able to solve the lower skilled player limitation problems, right? Show me a local club where this is happening while still benefiting the top players through multiple age groups.

Not being able to replace journeymen South Americans from Columbia is the sad reality of the in house TA chop shop experiment. Ideally your in house Academy would produce or sell off players better than the low value with high mileage South Americans you mention or at least have some offspring that are sure bets to break into the 1st team.

Which begs the question, what is the point of the TA flunkie staffer throwing darts blindfolded at local middle school aged boys and those that get impaled by this errant dart are now begged to join environments that crush their spirit and development as young American kids, forget about players. Then at age 16 or younger they are cast back into the now diluted & mediocre local club and HS scene and they come to find out they are just the same as those now playing at this level?

Suggestion, stick to day camps in the metro area for kiddos it's just 5 days of living in Timbers incredible world of soccer and you will recover much quicker after the day camp experience than the TA experiment. But please note the camp ain't free.

Having club coaches mix talent pools of (1) best, (2) average to (3)worst across one age group and gender happens all the time on training nights. Who it benefits is a matter of opinion, some of the best players may love it or hate it, who knows and more importantly who cares. You went off the random thought grid with that example.

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Think of a good coach as a teacher who also defines a team culture of accountability and sets expectations for players during and outside practice. Think of outside practice expectations as homework. A good coach will hold ALL of their players accountable. Easier said than done but this is what top coaches do and committed players respond to it. Look around Oregon, all you see are lazy coaches strutting around leaning on their best athletes to carry their teams. What does that produce? Lazy, low skilled and low IQ soccer everywhere. It starts with quality coaching and we have very little of that in Oregon.

While I see what you're saying, I disagree. Setting up expectations for kids outside of practice will have no effect if the kid doesn't like to practice and/or the parent isn't buying in. I remember as a kid taking drum lessons because my dad was really into music and wanted me to love it also. I only practiced when I was told I had to and it never had my full focus. I wasn't very good even after several years of private lessons.

Like in everything, it really will come down to the individual. If they love it, give them more opportunities to improve. If they don't like it, homework isn't gonna do much. Maybe just drive them away sooner, which honestly isn't the worst outcome.

[Unregistered]

While I see what you're saying, I disagree. Setting up expectations for kids outside of practice will have no effect if the kid doesn't like to practice and/or the parent isn't buying in. I remember as a kid taking drum lessons because my dad was really into music and wanted me to love it also. I only practiced when I was told I had to and it never had my full focus. I wasn't very good even after several years of private lessons.

Like in everything, it really will come down to the individual. If they love it, give them more opportunities to improve. If they don't like it, homework isn't gonna do much. Maybe just drive them away sooner, which honestly isn't the worst outcome.

Why do they need to love it? On the girls side, if parents force a fairly athletic girl into training and playing a boat load of soccer, they will be able to play soccer in college. It’s a job to help pay for college. Most people don’t like their jobs even when they are good at them.

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Why do they need to love it? On the girls side, if parents force a fairly athletic girl into training and playing a boat load of soccer, they will be able to play soccer in college. It’s a job to help pay for college. Most people don’t like their jobs even when they are good at them.

While I assume your tongue is planted firmly in cheek, it is sad that a lot of parents think of it that way. To rob your kid of an enjoyable childhood so that they might get a scholarship for something they don't like, when you could have just put all of that soccer money into a 529... insanity.

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While I assume your tongue is planted firmly in cheek, it is sad that a lot of parents think of it that way. To rob your kid of an enjoyable childhood so that they might get a scholarship for something they don't like, when you could have just put all of that soccer money into a 529... insanity.

Agree. It’s all for the parent’s misguided soccer egos. Feel bad for the kids.

[Unregistered]

Good debate- my thoughts on the process are this-
At the end of the day my son loves to compete and has enjoyed the process to this point. Now, if he is offered a position with the team we will have a discussion of the plusses and minuses of leaving his club for the TA. I hope he remains at his current club as we have a good coach, good players and parents. My son will be allowed to make the final decision on where to play though and we will support him. We have discussed this along the way and at this point he is unsure of what he wants.

Our philosophy is to let kids be kids- allow them to make decisions that directly affect them and live with that choice. Likewise, if he chooses the TA and doesn't end up liking it we would switch back.

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Program has been postponed due to corona virus.

[Unregistered]

Program has been postponed due to corona virus.

And the fact that they failed to attract the areas best talent.

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For those of us that have been around long enough know what’s in store for these little dudes-

The excitement is overwhelming. You get to wear the Timbers kit and the first 4 months of training is a blast. Then sometime around November when school is grinding away players find it hard to finish training at 930/10pm and get up in the morning. Even worse off are the VANCOUVER kids that leave at 530pm and get home at 10pm or later. The second year they quit and go back to their clubs. Not because they aren’t good but because the program is broken and isn’t built to develop quality of to abuse the quality given to them.

And....if by some crazy way a player survives?
Then by U17 the Timbers replace that player with some kid from Florida/New Mexico etc. the player that gets replaced goes back to his club team all butt hurt because he was replaced by at most an equal player.

Instead of truly investing in local talent the Timbers abuse them and replace them.

For all of you out there drinking the cool aid STOP!
If the Timbers didn’t have to have an Academy they wouldn’t but they are mandated to do so. Their business model is to buy players that help win championships. It’s not a bad model given that the rules don’t entice clubs to develop players. The Timbers are doing what they can with the resources they have. Just look at the one turf pitch they have...ONLY ONE!!! A pro club with one pitch for everyone. There are local clubs with more access to field space than our own local pro club! And it’s not because there isn’t enough space or money to go around. It’s because they don’t want to incest in there youth academy.

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It’s because they don’t want to incest in there youth academy.

Well, I should HOPE they don't want to incest in their youth academy!

(Typo of the year, ladies and gentlemen!)

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And the fact that they failed to attract the areas best talent.

Your kid not invited I guess- > LOL.

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Your kid not invited I guess- > LOL.

That's how I know how dismal it is, my kid was invited.

[Unregistered]

That's how I know how dismal it is, my kid was invited.

What about it did you find to be dismal? I've watched a few sessions this year and thought it looked to be a highly competitive environment and a pretty good assemblage of skilled players. Where are the kids who are declining the invite or otherwise not being invited playing?

[Unregistered]

I've watched a few sessions this year and thought it looked to be a highly competitive environment and a pretty good assemblage of skilled players

Which makes it identical to the club training scene at this birth year that we all watched this year, what club are you at that would make this kickaround seem different than sessions in your own backyard.(high comp & good skilled?) This holds the answer to your belief system.


Where are the kids who are declining the invite or otherwise not being invited playing?

In the exact same environment you describe, some even have better trainers.. We are talking about kids who are 10-12 years old in kickarounds with other alliance club players. Nothing special by any stretch. From this vantage there is nothing better or different about it than playing at the local club, especially for a 10 to 12 year old kid..


What about it did you find to be dismal?

The identical club level talent is playing at multiple venues across the state on any given night. But the TA doesn't have any real concentration of top shelf players, just some early bloomers, which is sad and dismal. My kid is an early bloomer.

[Unregistered]

I've watched a few sessions this year and thought it looked to be a highly competitive environment and a pretty good assemblage of skilled players

Which makes it identical to the club training scene at this birth year that we all watched this year, what club are you at that would make this kickaround seem different than sessions in your own backyard.(high comp & good skilled?) This holds the answer to your belief system.


Where are the kids who are declining the invite or otherwise not being invited playing?

In the exact same environment you describe, some even have better trainers.. We are talking about kids who are 10-12 years old in kickarounds with other alliance club players. Nothing special by any stretch. From this vantage there is nothing better or different about it than playing at the local club, especially for a 10 to 12 year old kid..


What about it did you find to be dismal?

The identical club level talent is playing at multiple venues across the state on any given night. But the TA doesn't have any real concentration of top shelf players, just some early bloomers, which is sad and dismal. My kid is an early bloomer.

Here are the differences:
Free vs $1500-$3000
5 nights per week training vs 2
talent pool is significantly better overall vs any local club

It's comical for anybody to claim any other local team is offering more. If there is something better, than let's start naming names. Players with no shot at turning pro are replaced at the older ages in the same way they are at every MLS academy. Every player in the TA should know their own shortcomings and should expect to work on them on their own time or expect to be replaced. That's the program. No other club in the state is doing it better at the highest levels.