Soccer: General Discussion

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

There is some good young talent in the United States. The growth of Major League Soccer and their academies helps a great deal. I highly recommend purchasing those tickets and supporting our young team.

How many on the US roster came up through MLS Academies?

[abdullah_sharif]

not sure how many downtown but it’s becoming more popular. sporting kansas coach vermes made note a while back that the club is spending more time developing talent through the academies then relying on college. His thought with that was you can monitor a young person‘s progress in Academy much better than you can in a college season as the academies tend to be year-round while the college season is maybe a quarter.

case in point is busio for sporting kansas. his play has been impressive on the first team, especially for a 16 year old.

i cant imagine what it’s like to be a 16yr old playing against guys twice his age. it’s gotta make him better.

[Dark Lord]

I do not know how many have gone through the academies, but I also mentioned the growth of Major League Soccer, and seventeen of the twenty-three do play in the United States. I do know there are a number of academy players on the younger national teams as well. The future looks pretty good, relatively speaking.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

That is one good example. McKennie is another. He came up through the Dallas academy.

MLS has helped increase overall awareness of soccer in the US, but after 20+ years the devwlopment part is just kicking in.

Pulisic gained his by going to Dortmund when he was 15.

Tyler Boyd was in New Zealand.

Tim Weah spent a year on NYRB Academy before moving to PSG at 15.

Paul Arriola spent one year with LA Galaxy Academy, then went to Tijuana.

DeAndre Yedlin spent one year in Seattle Sounders academy then one year in college before moving up to Senior team for Seattle.

Zach Steffen spent one year in Philadelphia academy them moved to Germany.

McKennie, Trapp (3 years with Crew academy), and Tyler Adams I believe are the only notable players who spent quality time in MLS academies.

[BOBB]

MLS is entertaining provided you don't watch the early season matches when the European seasons are finishing up and you can compare directly. Hoping to see more selling from MLS so developing players from around the world see it as a good option. We need fewer Wayne Rooneys and more Zack Steffens.

[Kung Wu]

The Academy is now the way, if you are a high-level D1 or professional prospect.

One problem with the D.A. is, as usual, tons of talent in rural America gets overlooked.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

The Academy is now the way, if you are a high-level D1 or professional prospect.

One problem with the D.A. is, as usual, tons of talent in rural America gets overlooked.

Lots of talent period being overlooked. Many youngsters without money being overlooked.

[Kung Wu]

Lots of talent period being overlooked. Many youngsters without money being overlooked.

The FVV's of the soccer world, that live too far away from a metropolis will not get the opportunities they deserve, because they can't travel 3 times per week to train in a metro area at 4 hours per round trip each time. Their path to the USMNT is still very much through the collegiate system. They won't have the chances of making the youth national camps/teams that they otherwise could.

That said, I will admit that the D.A. is the right thing for US Soccer, and it just needs to be thought out how to start including serious talent outside of the metro areas. I think having multiple divisions and promotion/relegation system plus sponsorships might be something that could help.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

The FVV's of the soccer world, that live too far away from a metropolis will not get the opportunities they deserve, because they can't travel 3 times per week to train in a metro area at 4 hours per round trip each time. Their path to the USMNT is still very much through the collegiate system. They won't have the chances of making the youth national camps/teams that they otherwise could.

That said, I will admit that the D.A. is the right thing for US Soccer, and it just needs to be thought out how to start including serious talent outside of the metro areas. I think having multiple divisions and promotion/relegation system plus sponsorships might be something that could help.

The DA’s are a small step. But it is still pay to play. Without money, those are hard to get into. Plus then the parents have to be willing to relocate.

Promotion and relegation would be a huge step. Clubs would be enticed to invest the money in the Academy’s to produce the next group of players for thier club.

[Kung Wu]

One thing you may not realize ... the only U.S.S.F. cost to join a D.A. squad? $50/yr.

All the rest of the money is dictated by the sponsoring club. That gives me hope.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Where does a majority of the money paid to clubs go?

[Kung Wu]

Primarily kits, coaches and staff, and training facility rental. They are charged with providing a professional training environment, so the coaches, staff and facilities have to meet some pretty high standards.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

The DA’s are a small step. But it is still pay to play. Without money, those are hard to get into. Plus then the parents have to be willing to relocate.

Promotion and relegation would be a huge step. Clubs would be enticed to invest the money in the Academy’s to produce the next group of players for thier club.

Facilities is the big one. Trainers second. Then Insurance.

[Kung Wu]

Yeah, insurance, I left that beast out.

[Cdizzle]

Isn't the whole point of soccer that it takes like $5 to buy a ball and then anybody can be good? It's why literally every country has a chance to field a good team. USA seems to be getting in its own way a lot.

[Kung Wu]

One in McPherson and one in Salina. We play league games in Wichita Fall, Winter, and spring. 10-20 tournaments a year in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

Continuing from another thread ...

So the only Development Academy team for boys in Kansas is Sporting KC's up in Kansas City. Here are the rosters:

https://www.sportingkcacademy.com/academy-teams

Sporting has a bunch of affiliates around the state and the affiliates sort of imply they are an academy (and charge like they are THE academy), but there is only one true Development Academy team per club. It has rigorous training requirements and rules (e.g. if you try out and make the team, you are not allowed to play in high school). The training requirements practically make it impossible for rural America to participate, because you have to train with the squad 3 or 4 times per week. You can be on the roster as a guest and train with a C level coach or higher though (I believe C is the minimum threshold), so it IS possible for rural American Ron Baker/Fred Van Vleet-type kid to play, but it's very difficult.

[wufan]

Gotcha...last year we were a Sporting KC Wichita affiliate, and we won our age group, but it was D-2, not D-1. What I was specifically referring to was the ODP. We have 2 kids on the ODP State team, but not the regional team.

http://www.kansasyouthsoccer.org/programs/odp/

Last year we went 24-2 as D-2. We are currently playing D-1 at Striker fields fall and spring and Farha in the winter. My son plays most of his games on the D-2 affiliate and plays 1-5 minutes on the D-1. The difference in skill level is ridiculous and our best player just turned 9.

[Kung Wu]

Gotcha...last year we were a Sporting KC Wichita affiliate, and we won our age group, but it was D-2, not D-1. What I was specifically referring to was the ODP. We have 2 kids on the ODP State team, but not the regional team.

http://www.kansasyouthsoccer.org/programs/odp/

Last year we went 24-2 as D-2. We are currently playing D-1 at Striker fields fall and spring and Farha in the winter. My son plays most of his games on the D-2 affiliate and plays 1-5 minutes on the D-1. The difference in skill level is ridiculous and our best player just turned 9.

Small world. I have met you.

[jdshock]

Small world. I have met you.

Try texting that to a random cell phone number and see what happens.