Girls Development Academy

ALL of the High School girls coaches I have talked too are not happy with the GDA. They all have ECNL players that plan to play GDA even though they know they will not be able to play high school soccer. Most of the coaches seemed pissed off that they would be losing their best players to GDA.
 
Good or bad, the one thing it continues to clarify is that the one's leading the pack have no idea what they're doing. More and more top US players are going to forge their careers in Europe. Other nations are catching up quickly and our response is to build a program on the fly with the same old dinosaurs who led us down this path calling the shots! Come on USSDA hire someone independent with experience and qualification, who isn't incestuously linked to one of the current US Staff and lets put a real program together.
 
Sunil Illuminati said:
Good or bad, the one thing it continues to clarify is that the one's leading the pack have no idea what they're doing. More and more top US players are going to forge their careers in Europe. Other nations are catching up quickly and our response is to build a program on the fly with the same old dinosaurs who led us down this path calling the shots! Come on USSDA hire someone independent with experience and qualification, who isn't incestuously linked to one of the current US Staff and lets put a real program together.
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I wouldn't say "no idea" what they are doing as they have setup the program and gave pretty good reasoning behind many aspects of the program. The whole age group part you are probably correct since they never really gave a sound reason for it. Anything else about the GDA give you the belief they have no idea? Any general questions you (or others) want answered by US Soccer?
 
Surfref said:
ALL of the High School girls coaches I have talked too are not happy with the GDA. They all have ECNL players that plan to play GDA even though they know they will not be able to play high school soccer. Most of the coaches seemed pissed off that they would be losing their best players to GDA.
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Then again, it is not like high schools, HS Athletic Directors and CIF have reached out and tried to make HS a better experience for elite players. CIF and many HS AD's still act as if it is still the 1980's and this whole annoying girls soccer thing has been forced on them by Title IX. I personally think that HS soccer could be an integral, positive part of youth soccer in the United States, but instead over the years the HS side has provided the absolute minimum support required by law and this allowed the club side to grow large enough to become the dominant force in youth soccer. CIF treats female soccer players as second class athletes and actively discourages them from college recruitment opportunities. Club soccer has no adult supervision looking out for the overall welfare of the players and is making a power grab where it sees an opening. On the plus side, soccer will continue to become more popular in the US and the absence of elite players in HS soccer will provide opportunities for others to play (further increasing the player base and popularity). Having said that, there are many, many great people doing their best for the kids at many levels, but unfortunately there are not enough to contain the power hoarding kingdom protectors.
 
LadiesMan217 said:
I wouldn't say "no idea" what they are doing as they have setup the program and gave pretty good reasoning behind many aspects of the program. The whole age group part you are probably correct since they never really gave a sound reason for it. Anything else about the GDA give you the belief they have no idea? Any general questions you (or others) want answered by US Soccer?
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Reason for age banding was the belief by US soccer that better players should play with older players to expedite development. I think that's a fairly logical reason and now it's seemingly deemed as "not that important!" I don't know that they have created anything that didn't already exist except in name. They've seen another organization have success and essentially hijacked the process by flexing their weight! The lack of clear communication to clubs, coaches, players and parents really does nothing to alleviate my opinion that they are winging it, but that's just my little old opinion. Imagine asking club's to apply to enter a program that would host 3 teams, accepting the clubs, then telling them that now they're in, they now need to budget for a new team, which will need another highly qualified coach, training field, game field etc.....oh and did I mention that we 're also thinking about adding a reserve team in each age group! Seems they're more intent on sticking it to ECNL than creating a clearly defined pathway for what's best for the kids.
 
Sunil Illuminati said:
Reason for age banding was the belief by US soccer that better players should play with older players to expedite development. I think that's a fairly logical reason and now it's seemingly deemed as "not that important!" I don't know that they have created anything that didn't already exist except in name. They've seen another organization have success and essentially hijacked the process by flexing their weight! The lack of clear communication to clubs, coaches, players and parents really does nothing to alleviate my opinion that they are winging it, but that's just my little old opinion. Imagine asking club's to apply to enter a program that would host 3 teams, accepting the clubs, then telling them that now they're in, they now need to budget for a new team, which will need another highly qualified coach, training field, game field etc.....oh and did I mention that we 're also thinking about adding a reserve team in each age group! Seems they're more intent on sticking it to ECNL than creating a clearly defined pathway for what's best for the kids.
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Do you know that these things were forced (as implied) on all the clubs or were they voted upon and the majority won?
 
Kicker4Life said:
I'm sure there are some '05's that will have a chance to play up.
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Real Deal said:
I see that Lambchop disagreed. Lambchop?
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LASTMAN14 said:
There is a G05 playing for TFA and playing ODP 04. I'm sure she will be playing up if they decide to go DA.
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LASTMAN14 said:
Sorry forgot to mention. She is playing on the boys side.
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Change in age bands separating the 04s from the 03s will definitely leave the door open for the top 05s to explore the DA option, including the player mentioned above and a few others.
 
So is it only a matter of time before they announce dedicated age pure '02 teams now too? That'll be in the nail in the coffin for high school and ECNL.
 
Real Deal said:
I see that Lambchop disagreed. Lambchop?
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There are a few 05s that could play (actually they already do) with 04s, just like there are a few 04s that can play up, while making an impact in the game. But why would you like to do that when you are currently playing in a top 05 team?
The main reasons would be the superior training and exposure to US Soccer trainers. But these girls are already getting this (I'm sure most practice two additional days with the older girls, and they are invited to YNT sessions), and the same diet will continue next year. On the other hand, when playing up they do not get to be total studs like they are right now in their age group, which actually is pretty important for the psychology of the player.
If she played in a top team and got the additional training with the older girls, I would rather have her playing one last year of great summer tournaments, CRL, National Cup, etc. In the worst case I would ask for a Developmental Player slot, but what is the point of taking it from an older girl that could be rewarded with this? DA is not going away, it will be there next year waiting for her.
 
wow.. so if the plans to split the U-14/15 age groups happen.. does that mean there will two DA teams for each age group as well.. 03 DA1, 03DA2, 04DA1, 04DA2 ? Will DA2 teams be allowed to play SCDSL/Coast,etc?

Does this basically mean SCDSL/Coast, etc just lost their entire Flight 1/Gold brackets for these age groups?
 
JCsoccer said:
wow.. so if the plans to split the U-14/15 age groups happen.. does that mean there will two DA teams for each age group as well.. 03 DA1, 03DA2, 04DA1, 04DA2 ? Will DA2 teams be allowed to play SCDSL/Coast,etc?

Does this basically mean SCDSL/Coast, etc just lost their entire Flight 1/Gold brackets for these age groups?
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No one team per club per age group in the ussda league for a total of (4) four per club......IE: LA Galaxy U14, U15 the other age groups are not split yet just like the boys: U16/17 & U18/19

No but those leagues will be diluted the first year just like boys were this past season; eventually things might level out but if more leagues and comp's are added, more dilution is possible.
 
tugs said:
So is it only a matter of time before they announce dedicated age pure '02 teams now too? That'll be in the nail in the coffin for high school and ECNL.
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Certainly not the nail in the coffin. As is most of the country is not participating in GDA. Again , what U.S. Is saying is that essentially the best players live in SoCal and the northeast part of the country. So, ECNL will continue to thrive with 3/4 of the country not able to participate in GDA.
 
shales1002 said:
Certainly not the nail in the coffin. As is most of the country is not participating in GDA. Again , what U.S. Is saying is that essentially the best players live in SoCal and the northeast part of the country. So, ECNL will continue to thrive with 3/4 of the country not able to participate in GDA.
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U.S. Soccer is not saying that (although probably true). Only two ECNL states are not represented IA and AL - no GDA options for the kids on those teams unless they want a 4 hour drive. All other kids have nearby GDA options.
 
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