I’m all for more clubs that are healthier and moving the game forward. The more (quality clubs) the better from my standpoint. Sidenote: noticed Sockers coach RC posted something about new program initiatives at NISL. Anyone know anything about those?
Can someone tell me Soccers current presence in Naperville for girls. I see them practicing at Players indoor and JD seems to be part of that with JR. Ducci had a brother at step ahead sports also in BB. They had poor girls team in IWSL at 07. Curious if they are getting back into Naperville as a hub or simply trying to attract for Palatine. What options do they offer for top naperville players?
Not entirely sure but I saw they're now hosting D Licenses for less money than IYSA. Maybe they're also evolving that Northern Illinois Select thing too...heard that's been pretty well-received. I can just picture it now: GB at IYSA soiling himself as NISL undermines both their monopolies on coaching education and ODP. Maybe they'll have to reconsider that red Porsche SUV that they always have parked in the first parking spot in Arlington Hgts lol! I'm glad there's league competition. It keeps them both evolving to stay ahead and drives costs down.
Top players will always end up in Schaumburg since that's where they have enough resources to run the DA program. Not so familiar with their Naperville program anymore but they used to be very aggressive in rostering talented players at older ages. Had a pretty good U12 DA there in its first year. Been awhile tho.
Soccers is trying to re enter the Naperville market. I don’t know how they going to do. The name doesn’t have the cache here if you are not tuned in. They are going to have to build from the younger ages out. It will take 3-4 years that way. And I always say Naperville is fragmented: Galaxy, TC ,BVB,Windy City, Eagles, Evolution, Ajax. And the numbers just aren’t there kids wise.
For Sockers parents: Out of curiosity, what percentage of players do you know who are making that trek from naperville on your kid's teams? Are they car pooling? It sounds unbearable unless doing so.
Not a Sockers parent but just browsing their DA rosters it looks like just about every team has 2-3 at least. I'd imagine they're carpooling to some degree.
Naperville is nothing to the folks that come in from Wisconsin (Milwaukee burbs mainly). They have multi age carpools from what I hear. No clue how many come from Naperville on avg, but the ones that I’m aware of are usually pretty good. And yes carpools are critical. Re: Naperville hub, etc - no clue but my guess would be very smart to establish a solid beachhead and per IncolnPK no doubt it will have to grow from the u-littles. but presume that will always be tricky for a couple of reasons: 1. Palatine is the mothership and that’s not changing I presume 2. Most parents don’t have the long term view nor appreciation of the style/methodology/training they employ and how (in the long view) thats by far and away best for their kids to develop as soccer players. 3. The “stars” will be focused on #1 and will come no matter the drive so that’s always going to weight on Naperville location I would presume. 4. I hope JR succeeds. It’s a it bed of talent but more importantly it sounds like it’s the Wild West. Totally cut throat. Sockers could be an oasis in that environment. Maybe. Then again probably not because it’s all about winning and SFC Naperville might have a tough time competing for the reasons I already gave.
100% They’re definitely evolving the select thing. Funny you mention that just saw them announce players that were selected for winter session. No clue if it’s good or NISL version of ODP re: ODP. Seems like a Renaissance is going on and I can’t figure it out. Randomly have heard people signing up for it and I just can’t figure out why. I get they don’t understand that top kids go nowhere near ODP (in this market anyway) but my stance is softening a bit. Maybe it’s just better competition many of these kids can be exposed to that don’t go to the competitive clubs? Good for parents to get exposed to a higher level too maybe? It’s still weak sauce vis a vis top talent but maybe their is value in that...even though I’m confident it’s yet another mirage that parents will have to learn the hard way to finally “see”. Those that think their kid is one of the best in the State are going to be in for a seriously rude awakening when they’re exposed to the12th-24th best kids in the state!
ODP is getting hot because kids are talking about it and hanging their hat on it. I had to explain to a parent what it is cause they were going to tryout.
ODP isnt bad to take your local club kid to and see if they can handle the higher competition. My kid walked on as a keeper and they beat a Fire DA team 3-1. So we researched Fire/Sockers/FCU and landed at sockers. It's being talked about by the kids because the women just won the cup and something like 20 of the rostered girls came up through ODP at some point in their youth career.
USWNT is what I think youre5asking in the first question? Boy, he was u12 when he played Indiana ODP after a direct invite from his club in Indiana. Currently at Sockers.
Oh makes sense re: USWNT and media broadcasting that. It was the pathway back in the day to be sure. confused by this below...your son went to Sockers, made the DA team and beat fire 3-1? That’s great if I understand correctly. “My kid walked on as a keeper and they beat a Fire DA team 3-1. So we researched Fire/Sockers/FCU and landed at sockers.“
Walked onto the ODP first team no tryout. The ODP first team beat the Indiana Fire DA squad. Should probably add we looked at the chicago fire jrs, sockers, and fcu. Indiana fire would be a 2 hour drive. He chose Sockers of the 3, not me. For what its worth.
That's how the world used to be. Kids played locally, and a program like ODP was far and away the most efficient and accessible way to identify talent worthy of being plucked out and further evaluated for national team training. Then ECNL came along and began their own 'identification' program, id2. This naturally lowered the quality and importance of ODP. Now we have GDA, set up specifically to provide 'the' platform for training and identifying national team talent. (Overkill, to say the least, to set up a second national league to try and find a handful of GNT quality players- but that is a different thread). USSF would have you believe that by being rostered in GDA you are, in theory, being scouted by GNT reps. So now, the vast majority of girls (and their parents) who are interested in playing in college are compelled to join one of these two leagues, not for the purpose of ending up on the GNT, but to enhance their resumes and increase exposure to college coaches through showcases. The Olympic Development Program, is no longer the first stop for GNT scouts, and the unicorns out there have no reason to participate in ODP. Unfortunately, very few kids on GDA or ECNL rosters see the need to participate - the thinking is, hey, I'm wearing the fancy badge, I've already passed the tests, and my resume is tight. I'm elite. That's too bad, and I hope it is changing with a resurgent ODP program. Yes, you have to be pretty good to make an ECNL or GDA roster, but by no means do you need to be elite; and while the structure and selection process of ODP isn't great, it is a multi-step selection process based on merit, and it is more accessible than ECNL or GDA, where your ability to write checks is part of the selection criteria. I hope the recent changes in NCAA recruiting rules keep more kids from feeling the pressure to jump into GDA or ECNL prior to sophomore year. If state and regional ODP team selection gain a bit of luster in the eyes of kids and parents I think that can only be good for some of the other things discussed on this board in terms of keeping the smaller clubs relevant past U-12.
Nike started ID2 camps - all expenses paid camps for top talent. Wasn’t ECNL ODP is still viable in places like Alabama, et al where soccer resources are scant. Some amazing talent is still found. One kid from Alabama is now playing at Bayern Munich. ODP in a market like Chicago is now rendered superfluous because of DA. Why waste the resources when all the college/YNT scouts go to these tournaments (and ECNL girls) and have plenty to pick from? Makes complete sense how this is organized now and ODP (formgoid or bad is a relic - but again perhaps one that can serve in certain contexts) The problem, inmho, is too many great players don’t get an opportunity because in this country it’s pay to play. There is no free academy dynamics where a club has a massive financial incentive to develop top notch talent (boys side obviously). Then they can subsidize kids training, education, etc. because a bug transfer fee brings in enormous sums of $. In the Women’s side of things, prior to the existence of ODP, you had Anson Dorrance scouting track meets to find girls who were athletic and fast (ie Mia Hamm was found this way) In the end US Soccer is trying to create the European Model but with a monopolist organization that won’t allow for the free market dynamics and financial incentives that Europe academies thrive on.... its ironic really that European soccer is basically 100% free market driven and the US is nearly the opposite.
I don't think they will be beyond a B level club on the girls side - they never have and are not currently and as other said - the smart parents who want to commit will make the drive to Palatine. Otherwise there a s*** ton other clubs who develop at the younger ages better and have far stronger teams then even the pre-academy teams in Palatine - much moreso the Naperville teams in the area. I think there is also this sort of pride issue - with these other clubs to not run off to Eclipse and Sockers - saw this with CL Force and Pauli M's club in the Crystal Lake area and now that Sockers location has no girls teams at all. They may be better getting a merger deal with Campton or Strikers a bit further west IMO.
Parents on the North Shore/Naperville/St Charles value high school soccer massively. That is one reason MANY players do not go to the big 3. It's a completely different soccer world here altogether. High School is the mother load and most of the schools perform very well in this regard - in these areas. Additionally there is $$$ here. Many of these players are involved in other sports/activities - have tutors and exel in other avenues. College is not a financial issues for many of the parents in these more wealthy areas so the $ for college is not really on their radar - nor is dropping volleyball, tennis and other "stuff" to fully commit to a Sockers or Eclipse. Sockers/Eclipse will (as they always have) get a trickle and that's it. To make an attempt to change this will never have any significant impact at all IMO. You will always have a ton of players who under the finishing schools would kill existing players... but they will just never commit to that amount of time on the ball.
[QUOTE="Ryan7852, post: 38482024, member: 333169"Sidenote: noticed Sockers coach RC posted something about new program initiatives at NISL. Anyone know anything about those?[/QUOTE] I was at the NISL meeting the other night. A few things. Northern Illinois Select is going to be adding a program in the spring for girls and H.S. Junior boys. Sounds like they are not trying to recreate ODP. They have training sessions and no games. They have college experienced coaches come in who have no club affiliations. Seems like a nice program. On the side of education, they were proud to say that they can now provide a training pathway and they are going to do it cheaper than the state does it. They also said that in bulk, they'll do it even cheaper. They also said that they would be having more "on off" coaching clinics as they pass through town.
Based on the discussions on the forum, it seems like ODP doesn't matter and also matters very much, especially now. It seems like Sockers "B" team 'sucks' and is lucky to play at B level but also benefits from the Socker's internal focus on consistent training and that allows many of those players to make the DA later. It seems like FCU has a ton of people coming from Wisconsin and inconsistent coaching and making FCU DA isn't really better than being a top player on many other clubs, and you'll be lucky if you get a good coach for this year, but if you don't, next year might be worse, but it is also a pathway to being showcased to colleges even though it drains your love of the game and takes away your creativity. Also, Eclipse OB is good, but also has coaching problems and NB is kind of meh but could be good. Also, getting to the DA at U14 isn't worth it, so it is better to wait until U16 because you'll probably just get frozen out with new recruits and PT players. This stuff is super confusing guys! Like anything else, I guess it is about fit and your particular perspective!
Saw a NISL select 04 boys session a few sundays ago. The winter sessions at least are no more than opportunity for kids who's clubs dontnoffer much training to get indoor sessions in winter. They didn't even have enough tio roster 2 teams to scrimmage. Coaches were like babysitters. Our fall sockers hs boys 03-04's, PA mish mosh roster, beat two DA teams I think including an FCU team... don't if anything is relative to anything else! I know most of you are on girls side and I understand it must be harder as a player or parent with an overall thinner player pool, but I look at my sons opportunity to practice and scrimmage against probably one if the best regional DA squads and a PA pool that's like a shark tank as a great opportunity...especially after we stopped worrying about college sports and look at it as just getting better. Big 3 ain't for everyone
Hi everyone - I'm RC. A colleague turned me on to this forum. Sounds like some of you already know who I am. Wanted to say thank you to those who support what we're doing. We as in all youth coaches. I think we all are trying to help kids succeed in different ways. It's not always easy and sometimes hard decisions have to be made, but I'll at least speak for myself and say that they aren't taken lightly. It's great that this forum allows the opportunity to share experiences and opinions. Nice to see many of you offering guidance. I'd also like to offer assistance to any that might have questions or looking for clarification on this ever-evolving landscape. Don't have all the answers but might have some. If anyone is interested feel free to PM me and we can talk otherwise keep fighting the good fight. See you out on the fields!