Anyone have any info on how the AYSO United program is doing? I met a senior doing the AYSO United program as part of my college interviews. She had stepped down from a tier 1 team to focus on her academics, but she still wanted to play soccer while she could. She told me some stuff I knew: that AYSO United is moving down the age groups, replacing the Extras programs at earlier ages; the United coaches, even though volunteers, are pretty experienced, often being parents that have played, and more experienced than some club coaches I've met; they play in tournaments against regular club teams. But she told me as well that United Teams aren't just competing in leagues against other United Teams, but also in silver and bronze level club leagues. That surprised me...I wasn't aware...I hadn't seen any United or Extras teams in the littles games I reffed nor in the leagues my son played. And while they have reciprocity with the coaching licenses, that reciprocity doesn't always run smooth (since there is some discretion involved) and in the leagues IIUC the AYSO players would have to go through the same age verification standards as the club players including carding. She told me too that some of the United Teams are holding their own on the silver level. That surprised me too...in tournaments the United/Extras Teams I've encountered are generally eaten up even by the middling bronze club teams. Any one (particularly the refs out there) seen the United teams play against the club teams? Is this really wide spread? Are they competitive? How are they doing? I was under the impression that they generally just played each other, but apparently not.
I'm interested in keeping apprised because if my DS hits high school several years from now and decides he wants to do the academic route, instead of committing himself to GKing, but wants to keep playing soccer (yet not go into the mess that is upper age AYSO rec ball) if this might be an option for him to continue playing (assuming he has no aspirations of playing in college or achieving a high level).
I'm interested in keeping apprised because if my DS hits high school several years from now and decides he wants to do the academic route, instead of committing himself to GKing, but wants to keep playing soccer (yet not go into the mess that is upper age AYSO rec ball) if this might be an option for him to continue playing (assuming he has no aspirations of playing in college or achieving a high level).