I watched the game, saw her play a few times at academy level, couple points: 1. Interesting that the Portland team seems to like her, 2. her first pass that sent a forward in was terrific, 3. after that she really did nothing and had some bad touches, 4. I wonder if this is best for her development or this is the nike machine making decisions, she does not seem ready minus set pieces and passing and 5. wish her the best and playing Lyon may not be the best litmus test... but I hope someone with the Thorns will do the best for her long term growth.
Turning Pro at 13
- Thread starter sdb
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I never said I wasn't a nut job either. He went after Wat Fly for some reason and that was crazy nut job attack, moo. I just think were all nut jobs if were on here in the first place, Dude from Canada knows his soccer but he's a nut job too, just like you. Were crazy soccer nuts
Watfly and Canada can handle their own battles. Agreed we're all a little nutty here.I never said I wasn't a nut job either. He went after Wat Fly for some reason and that was crazy nut job attack, moo. I just think were all nut jobs if were on here in the first place, Dude from Canada knows his soccer but he's a nut job too, just like you. Were crazy soccer nuts
Funny you said that and Wat Fly agreed. I see my error. I suck at this btw. I have no manners because I feel like time is short and were all getting robbed. I'll let those two handle things and mine my own business.
Minor aged prodigies have gotten the benefit of the doubt for a long time. See Freddy Adu. I guess the fact that they do doesn't really bother me that much. Maybe because of my background, Im just not a fan of negative comments about minors. Being labeled a PR stunt is a tough description to put on a 15 year old. (im not attributing that to you Emma). Plenty of adult pros have played worse and not be labeled such.
Letting minors play professional sports is a tough balancing act between being a professional and being a kid. You cannot deny her that opportunity if boys can and she has earned it. I don't think middle aged, armchair coaches like me should be microanalyzing her play. Only time will tell if she earned her spot and whether the decision to play, and be played, is a mistake or not. It's far too early to reach that conclusion.
Don't read too much into it, I appreciate your support.
Like OhCanada said I might be on a lonely island. You may be stuck there too, but I'd strongly suggest separate palm trees.
We can each have a palm tree on this lonely Island. Pick your seven bro. Remember, were stuck here together so choose wisely.
kickingandscreaming
PREMIER
I watched the game. Thanks for posting it @Emma. Congrats to the Thorns. They won a hard-fought battle. My impression was that OM's touches were above the average for her team. There were quite a few bad ones and a handful of very bad ones for the Thorns as Lyon pressured well and appeared very athletic - although I don't know if they are pretty typical for women's professional soccer as I don't see much of it. Isn't Lyon considered to be among the top teams in the world? That should probably be taken into consideration when evaluating the play of the Thorns and OM in this game.
I can see the argument that OM can be helpful to the Thorns now. I agree with @Sunil Illuminati in terms of one or two moments a game that can tilt the outcome. Having that special talent for putting the ball exactly where it needs to be is game-changing in soccer. Sure, basketball can come down to the final shot, but there have been many, many shots that go in prior to the last shot. In soccer, there may not be any. It was also apparent that she is not as explosive as any of the better attackers in this game. While she didn't stand out in this game, there was nothing I saw that indicated she didn't belong on her own merits.
Every player will have one or two impact moments, as most bench parents will dwell on these to push for more play time, but a true impact player creates these moments consistently throughout the game. The one ball that went over the defender for a speed race was tough as her teammate was not in a position to win that foot race and OM had more space and time to move the ball herself to give her teammate time. OM was unable to retain possession or intercept balls but for maybe 2-3 plays, not counting simple negative passes to defenders. There were moments I was excited as I thought OM created great plays but in rewinding it, the player was not OM. Sunil's comments made me pay more attention to those things. After OM left the game, the team had more opportunities. The stats first half were very lopsided because Thorns were backtracking to help her. The Portland Coach knew it too. Lyon is a tough team to play against but a 15 year old prodigy that belongs on the Thorns starting line up should be able to handle it because Thorns is a great team too.
I'm a sucker for young players and cheering them on. Putting young players in a position where they are just floating doesn't help all players succeed. Watching OM through the years (because my daughter and I are fans), she's the type of player that builds confidence through being on top, not the bottom. Some players grow more when they are the bottom players or mid players, but some thrive more as the top players. Maybe the Coach realized this and is trying to put her in positions where she can feel this way. OM thrives on teams where she's a top player. One soccer mom's observation through the years.
What an experience for OM, to play in an international Pro championship game at 15, nothing will take that away regardless of why she was given that opportunity. Still routing her on and hoping she finds her way to be an impact player consistently in the NWSL in the near future because Freddy is not the future our family had envisioned for OM.
I'm not sure how I feel about HS players going pro.
It's wrong that there were rules not allowing under 18s to not go professional. But at the same time women professional players earnings is peanuts.
Maybe bringing on younger exciting talent will expand the audience. However I doubt if there's additional revenue that it will trickle down from leadership to players (unless agents get involved).
It would be cool to see the youngest / hottest new players on the field (assuming they earn the position) vs the purple haired dinosaurs.
The "peanuts" idea is not quite as true today as it was before.
The minimum salary is now $35k. Average salary is $54k.
Lets take the minimum, and tack on $15k/yr in soccer sponsorships and soccer side hustles. That equates to a girl earning $200k over the 4 years she would otherwise be in college.
That $200k is more than enough to pay for 4 years of college if the soccer thing doesn't ultimately work out. It is enough to reasonably justify and offset the foregoing of a soccer scholarship.
For many girls, I gotta think this is now a viable option.
Do you think that after 4 years of living on $50k salary a girl would have $200k in the bank?
No, and good point.
But in all likelihood the living costs over those 4 years wouldn't be too far off from the typical out-of-pocket costs of the same girl going to college for those 4 years. And it only matters if the professional career in soccer doesn't work out and the girl wants to go back to college. If it does work out, then obviously the player is in a much better position than they would have been if they chose college.
I do concede your point, but the professional situation is much more viable and justifiable now than it ever has been. It isn't like the men and probably never will be, but it's closer.
Or she’s just training with them to stay sharp during the ECNL down time (which has been done before as I know someone who went to train in Europe with a pro team’s u20’s). One can only speculate.
Look at the San Diego Waves Preseason Highlights Video, you will see a YNT player for the OC.
Ah the beauty of a blank canvas.
Dreams of children are a beautiful thing.
Haven't had to tell my kid yet that sure it's possible but 0.0000001% is a lot closer to 0 than 1.
For now, I'll let them dream and I'll dream with them.
Ah the beauty of a blank canvas.
Dreams of children are a beautiful thing.
Haven't had to tell my kid yet that sure it's possible but 0.0000001% is a lot closer to 0 than 1.
For now, I'll let them dream and I'll dream with them.
The one one the preseason video has more going for her than that percent age. Look closely and you may be able to spot this youth player.
Very well known in the OC clubs.