DA is Dead! Good Riddance.

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https://theathletic.com/1746877/2020...demy-programs/

https://www.soccertoday.com/u-s-socc...demy-to-close/

Maybe now we can get back to creating one league for all Washington clubs.

[Unregistered]

That would be the smart thing to do but it won't happen. Their is a big misconception that jamming all the best players on one team makes them better. It actually in my opinion has the opposite effect The team is better yes but their is only one ball. Look at Chris Bosh with the big 3. he clearly took a backseat to the other two, but on his own he thrived. Look at Kevin Love he was a 25 and 10 guy but once he joined with others he took a backseat. meaning he didn't maximize his potential. the better route for development and competition is to spread it out. I have seen first hand when some stars leave a team, other kids step up and become stars. That might not have happened had everyone stayed. So my point is the more you spread the wealth the better the competition and development will be across the board. if you take all the most talented players and put them in one spot than some of them will be forgotten or not allowed to develop because they are taking a backseat to others.

[Unregistered]

I was waiting for a snarky post like this...

It's fine if you think DA was bad for development etc but maybe take a moment to think about all the kids who play and enjoy DA who have had the rug pulled out from under them at a time when their worlds are already falling apart. US Soccer mishandled DA from start to finish, and as usual, it's the kids who suffer.

I have one kid who went through DA had a great experience before college, and another who started there and moved into ECNL for a better fit. DA is not perfect, but that's beside the point. This process has been hadled badly, with rumors leaking out and news reports before any official announcement, and the decision made by folks who've been running US Soccer for less than a month.

[Unregistered]

The rest of the world does not talk about leagues the way we do in this country. Consider the previous post. Their kid was “DA“ or “ECNL“. That apparently is the most important thing go parents in the US. In all the major soccer nations, the emphasis is on clubs. Players everywhere else in the world identify with and are loyal to their clubs, not a league or Federation.

[Unregistered]

The rest of the world does not talk about leagues the way we do in this country. Consider the previous post. Their kid was “DA“ or “ECNL“. That apparently is the most important thing go parents in the US. In all the major soccer nations, the emphasis is on clubs. Players everywhere else in the world identify with and are loyal to their clubs, not a league or Federation.

You make an interesting point -- but identifying a kid as "DA" in this context matters, because we now have a whole bunch of kids across the country who belong to teams that no longer have a league and are left high and dry. Can ECNL absorb all these teams? Should they? More questions than answers at the moment. Yes, the club system in other parts of the world is great in many ways -- but girls are left out of those clubs in a lot of places too.

[Unregistered]

The rest of the world does not talk about leagues the way we do in this country. Consider the previous post. Their kid was “DA“ or “ECNL“. That apparently is the most important thing go parents in the US. In all the major soccer nations, the emphasis is on clubs. Players everywhere else in the world identify with and are loyal to their clubs, not a league or Federation.

I’ve lived in England, Germany, Italy and Japan. They each had competing soccer leagues.

Maybe your post is accurate, “the rest of the world”... but this isn’t unique to the US.

[Unregistered]

The solution is simple: Regionalize, Open access and institute real promotion/relegation.

If you are a club with at least 3 teams, you are in. That's all there is to it. No club gets in automatically because of brand, size, territory or money.

Two-tier structure in Year 1

Base Level: Regional Leagues

Second Level: State League

Top 2 finishers in each division move up, bottom two finishers drop down.
(To move up, you must keep 75% of the roster, otherwise you stay down)

Ban ECNL participation in WA State for 1 year.

Three-tier structure in Year 2

In Year 2, ECNL can be added above the State League

Top Finishers in State League go up to ECNL

YEAR 3 - ECNL is pro/rel. If you are at the bottom of ECNL, you drop down to State. If you are at the top of State, you are promoted to ECNL.

Tons of details to sort out, but this is how it should work to really focus on merit ad quality of coaching, etc. Of course, if your club wants to attract players based on exclusive access to a league, then everyone will go back to forming "elite" leagues and we'll be back to square one.

Leave the National League issue for another day. Take care of Washington first.

[Unregistered]

It won’t happen in this state as long as Terry Fischer and Stanley Holmes are running the two entities.

[Unregistered]

I am parent of kid PSPL premier club team. You thinking haw many of talented kids playing there? Why there not have chance to play versus strong teams in state? Because a lot of parents not agree to pay 10K a year?

[Unregistered]

I am parent of kid PSPL premier club team. You thinking haw many of talented kids playing there? Why there not have chance to play versus strong teams in state? Because a lot of parents not agree to pay 10K a year?

Honest question, would your kid not qualify for financial aid?

[Unregistered]

I am parent of kid PSPL premier club team. You thinking haw many of talented kids playing there? Why there not have chance to play versus strong teams in state? Because a lot of parents not agree to pay 10K a year?

Not all teams require $10k a year to play. Some RCL teams do not travel out of state. Btw, what does this have to do with DA?

[Unregistered]

It's funny that so many arm chair coaches are posting what they want to happen...and none of it will.

OL reign (former) DA teams are not going away. It's not being dissolved. It's a club, and a very well funded club. Guess what? The Predmores have a lot more money than Bernie as well.

There will be a new league, supported by pro teams. Arsenal and other teams are already swooping in to provide financial support for former DA teams. The boys DA know about this two months ago. You really think they didn't have the all planned out? There are also other leagues that are currently in California and the East coast. There may be a year long hiccup, but it will all be settled right after. Who knows, ECNL and College sports may be done till fall of 2021. Plenty of time to create a new system.

MLS supported DA teams will play each other in their own leagues. Non supported teams will soon have support as they are gobbled up by Teams in Europe who want a foot hold in the U.S.

It's already started.

[Unregistered]

MLS today also announced a new elite competition platform whatever that means
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/...HORoK72IyQV3Gk

[Unregistered]

Honest question, would your kid not qualify for financial aid?

I know plenty of families who make too much toqualify for financial aid but are on a budget, so if the choice is between soccer and tutoring, or soccer and some other thing the family needs, soccer is cut. Middle class kids get left out.

[Unregistered]

It's funny that so many arm chair coaches are posting what they want to happen...and none of it will.

OL reign (former) DA teams are not going away. It's not being dissolved. It's a club, and a very well funded club. Guess what? The Predmores have a lot more money than Bernie as well.

There will be a new league, supported by pro teams. Arsenal and other teams are already swooping in to provide financial support for former DA teams. The boys DA know about this two months ago. You really think they didn't have the all planned out? There are also other leagues that are currently in California and the East coast. There may be a year long hiccup, but it will all be settled right after. Who knows, ECNL and College sports may be done till fall of 2021. Plenty of time to create a new system.

MLS supported DA teams will play each other in their own leagues. Non supported teams will soon have support as they are gobbled up by Teams in Europe who want a foot hold in the U.S.

It's already started.

Yes, MLS was ready on the boys side, and it's great if Reign has money to survive -- but there's no guarantee girls have a place to play. MLS is vaguing promising "future opportunties" for girls. ECNL has said it's near capacity. The kids are the ones getting jerked around, especially the girls. You're enjoying the drama of Bernie vs the PRemores that exists in your mind -- this sucks for the kids right now.