NWSL Academies

Discussion in 'NWSL' started by Blaze20, Jan 14, 2016.

  1. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    The difference is it's up to Pugh whether she plays at UCLA & NT or Pro & NT. The kids who want to play DA & HS dont get a choice. Do u think anyone believes playing in college is as good for development as playing Pro?

    As to Pugh it's just about Math. When Horan made this decision it was go to UNC or make $50k a year at PSG. Horan choose $200K over a 4 year degree. Pugh could make over $200K this year alone if they win the Olympics and still the decision is Pugh's to make. Teens in DA dont get a dime and dont get a decision either.
     
  2. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    #52 Blaze20, Feb 28, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2016
    They absolutely get a decision. They can still play on high school and play in other leagues that are not the DA.

    Also funny that you mention choice because you can also look at it the other way. We can say hey let's maintain the status quo and let kids play in the laxed environment that is high school soccer. But what about those very talented kids that are ahead of their peers development wise. What options do they have? Their growth could potentially be stunted. This is exactly the situation we see with Pugh but she atleast have the option of going pro on being on the full NT. For a 13/14 year old, they will be stuck playing in an environment that doesn't cater to their talent.
     
  3. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    At the end of the day there is no difference here between the way USSoccer controls the NT players in the NWSL and the DA program. It's all about establishing control over ur assets not what is best for the players.
     
  4. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    True...and if enough key players snubbed their nose at DA because of this there would be a change.
     
  5. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Free market at work. USSF can afford to make this as cheap as they want. Can the competition afford to?
     
  6. WNYChelseaFan

    WNYChelseaFan Member

    Apr 5, 2014
    NY
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Doesn't the men's side already have a DA? Aren't these young men making the same decisions that the girls will have to make? To play in HS or the DA? In the end it all comes down to what is the best choice for further play for the athlete. Nowadays, most D1 colleges scout from High Level tournaments, not from HS. To get this exposure you would have to play DA, ODP, or a Premier Club that attends these college showcase tournaments.
     
  7. kernel_thai

    kernel_thai Member+

    Oct 24, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Well Im just generally obstinate about all this crap. The teen years should be about trying things not making life decisions at 14. Not terribly crazy about players making verbal commitments to colleges long before they figure out what they want to go to college to study. Color me old fashion.
     
  8. 8MiLLeNiuM

    8MiLLeNiuM Member

    Jan 14, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #58 8MiLLeNiuM, Feb 28, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2016
    That's taking it a bit to the extreme. I would love to see a poll of the kids opinions after 3 years in the DA in order to see what THEY think of the program. There is a huge assumption being made here that the kids themselves don't want this program and that it's being forced upon them. There is no way to know that unless you actually ask them. I'm under the assumption, that if I were a star athlete at that level and got called into one of these DA programs, I would see it as a huge honor. I'm curious as to the percentage of players that get called in versus those who don't get an invite. Or am I wrong here? Is this like a private school where parents pay to have their kids sent there, regardless of the quality of talent?
     
  9. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Not exactly. Kids do not apply, teams do. So parents have to worry about getting their kids on those teams first and than teams apply to join the DA.
     
  10. 8MiLLeNiuM

    8MiLLeNiuM Member

    Jan 14, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree that this is the road taken for most kids in high school. However, the issue here is that for most great/elite athletes it's important to work hard during their early teen years, regardless of the sport. Look at football (hand-egg) or tennis players. It's very rare to find an athlete who came into the sport in their late teens and is successful. Without proper development in the early teen years, you cannot expect to be great. It just doesn't work.
     
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  11. 8MiLLeNiuM

    8MiLLeNiuM Member

    Jan 14, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    OK, so once the teams are in the DA, can any kid just come in and start playing after their parents pay the dues?
    Or does the kid have to have some kind of really good track record?
     
  12. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    I would guess so yeah but at that point it comes down to individual team politics and I think there are others more qualify to speak about that than myself.
     
  13. WNYChelseaFan

    WNYChelseaFan Member

    Apr 5, 2014
    NY
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    I believe that a team has to petition for acceptance into the DA. Once in the DA it looks as they other teams in the league. I would assume that an athlete has to try out to make the team. If they make the team, then the parent would pay the fees due to the organization, at which point the athlete is no longer able to play any sport for their HS. They still live at home, still go to school. Training occurs within the club.
     
  14. billf

    billf Member+

    May 22, 2001
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I really don't want this question to be taken the wrong way because I am genuinely curious, but what's the goal of an NWSL academy team? I really doubt any talented young woman will forgo a free college education to be a homegrown pro player at 18, so what's the benefit here? IS it just avoiding a draft after a solid college career and a desire to play pro?
     
  15. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    At this point in time, I think it's RP and fanbase-building more than anything else. It doesn't look good if boys can play in the youth system of their favorite MLS team but girls don't have the same option for their favorite NWSL team. Also, the more the NWSL teams serve the community and provide playing opportunities, the stronger and wider-reaching fanbase they cultivate, so it does potentially help attendance.

    Also, if anyone wants to pull the Horan or the almost-Pugh, being on an NWSL Academy is liking going to provide way more visibility that being on your high school team, so it is providing a little better platform to be noticed for girls currently considering that route. And even if they don't go that route, it still provides a better pipeline for joining NWSL teams down the road, using their reserve sides as a bridge between the academy and the pro team.

    Besides, even if there wasn't much point at the moment, it's good to lay the groundwork. As the league grows and draws in stronger and stronger ownership, sooner or later you're going to have teams that want salary cap exemptions, especially as allocation is phased out. Establishing a good definition now of what a "homegrown player" would be prevents future problems.
     
  16. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    The youth soccer scene is a money maker and NWSL teams want in on the action as well. For a more altruistic answer, see above.
     
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  17. 8MiLLeNiuM

    8MiLLeNiuM Member

    Jan 14, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What's RP? Or do you mean PR?
     
  18. Gilmoy

    Gilmoy Member+

    Jun 14, 2005
    Pullman, Washington
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Revenue Privatization :D
     
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  19. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Yes, PR. Fingers went flipsy there. X-D
     
  20. steelers07

    steelers07 Member

    Apr 8, 2014
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    It's interesting to watch all this discussion as someone who grew up watching youth soccer players go through academies (whereas in other sports they went through high school but that's not the discussion at hand). Since I don't have any first-hand experience with playing high school and club soccer at the same time, I've always been in favour of academies especially if they're tied to the local team. No kids that went through the academy system that I knew ever felt like they missed out on their high school experience but again, that's only the ones I'm aware of.

    I think I'll keep in the background with this discussion and see where it goes. Just wanted to say keep the discussion going :thumbsup:
     
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  21. 8MiLLeNiuM

    8MiLLeNiuM Member

    Jan 14, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh, that must be what Mamalia was referring too earlier in the thread.
     
  22. 8MiLLeNiuM

    8MiLLeNiuM Member

    Jan 14, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good one.
     
  23. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Right on.

    I coached a high school sport for 20 years. Most high school sports practice 5 days a week. With DA play in addition to high school play, that's 9 practices a week. Even with current club play in addition to high school play, that's 7 practices a week. High school practice is after school, so on DA or club practice days, assuming their practices are in the evening, that's basically practice from ~3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, followed by dinner, followed by practice from ~ 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Or, as in some states, club play closes down during the high school season -- which is something the DA system is designed to avoid. Trying to do both simultaneously is unrealistic and not for the benefit of the players.
     
  24. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
  25. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    holden repped this.

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