US decouples High Schools from football development

[Assasin]

Those are not the elite clubs. The states all have different elite clubs. State like GA and FL have no MLS teams. Even now Red Bulls academy is a money earner. They offer services to the local clubs around at a fee, same thing with St.Johns academy.

Don't be fooled, many are not for profit but it doesn't mean they are not making money. 8000 kids at 100-150 dollars for 3 months plus sponsorship from local businesses. Some of them even have volinteer coaches. Teenagers are running about 1200=2000 for half a year and it doesn't include travel.

[Don1]

this is just a natural progression as soccer is growing and a few people is been paid and soccer academies in the US are VERY PROFITABLE.

... Is this post of yours addressing the relativity issue I raised or economics?? The economic issue is valid but is tangential to my point...not sure why you introduce that in response to me

My point was US performance vs the expectations the people of a hyper power have

In that context most in the US who pay attention to futbol would perceive US under-performance

They would be correct in that assessment

[Assasin]

I totally disagree with you. I don't know who consider the US a soccer superpower. Most people who follow soccer knows the US have years to even consider a credible soccer team on the world stage. Anybody who know about soccer will tell you the US has improved. As you and I know soccer was an after thought in the US for many, many years. You can't win internationally if you con't even have a pro team, that is not under achieve.

A country like England in my opinion is an under achiever.

[Gamma]

If I wanted to do that I would have. I can do what I bloody well like when I like. Again, thanks for you contribution.

[Zeppo]

What an idiot...

Yeah, someone who clearly fails to see the bigger picture.

[Don1]

You still do not understand my point

This is truly disappointing

To disagree is fine...but please understand first

[Assasin]

only politicans I can see look and say the US should be a soccer superpower as they don't know what's involved. If you read the US soccer federation plan it will tell you they don't think they can win a world cup not for another 10-20 years and that is been optimistic.

[Karl]

High School Players Forced to Choose in Soccer’s New Way

By SAM BORDEN
Published: March 3, 2012

Professional sports leagues in the United States have long relied on high schools to help cultivate the country’s best athletes. Rosters in Major League Baseball, the N.F.L. and the N.B.A. are filled with former scholastic stars, many of whom hold tightly to their quintessentially American memories of homecoming, letterman jackets and games played under the Friday night lights.

But for the organization charged with producing soccer players who can compete with the world’s best, that system has been deemed inadequate. The United States Soccer Federation announced a new policy recently that will uncouple high school soccer and the training of top youth players, a move that is unique among major team sports in this country and, some believe, is indicative of a trend in the way the United States develops elite athletes.

The shift by the federation applies to its top boys teams around the country, requiring players on those teams — known as Development Academy teams — to participate in a nearly year-round season and, by extension, forcing them and their soccer moms and dads to decide whether they should play for their club or play for their school.

The move has stirred a fierce debate among players, coaches and parents from California to Connecticut. In community forums, during town-hall-style meetings and on Internet message boards, those in favor have lauded the move as a requisite (and obvious) step to raising the quality of soccer in the United States, while critics have labeled it misguided, overzealous and an unnecessary denial of a longstanding American experience for children.

More

2 things - a) Was it just 10 or so days past, before othe matters had me stay away from the board, that there was a scream that the USA never used schools as method of unearthing talented players and there was no development work being done through the schools?

b) ...and is this not a parallel (an specialist academy type system) system being proposed? ...i.e. the USSF scouts, identifies "most talented" at particular age-groups and move them into specialist schools i.e. academies?
...i.e. the USA is treating the playing of...teaching learning soccer as they do other subjects/disciplines...creating specialist programs for each subject?

Hey I have a 14 year old granddaughter in a specialist program/school geared to developing vets!!! What is different about doing this for the discipline of 'soccer'?

Just asking!

--- Please forgive me for 'absence' from the forum. I shall be on regularly in a week or so. For peace of mind I just have to throw myself in 'normal activities' asap.

I noted the support and welcomed the e-mails and calls...It is just time availability and emotional overload that has not had me posting responses. I ...and my family deeply appreciate the support. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts. I shall respond to the thread.

Again, I thank you all!

[Time]

Prof. Rene Simoes wanted to do a similiar thing in Jamaica. His plan was more extreme, he wanted to scrap secondary school football but the alumni associations and the school boards were never going to allow that.

[Bricktop]

Biggup yuhself Karl...

Isn't that what we are advocating for Jamaica? High School football for those who play for recreation and academies for those specially scouted with the talent to become professional players?

[Don1]

only politicans I can see look and say the US should be a soccer superpower as they don't know what's involved. If you read the US soccer federation plan it will tell you they don't think they can win a world cup not for another 10-20 years and that is been optimistic.

[Don1]

Scrapping school football would be a hare-brained idea. Schools are not football academies.... they are places for learning and for kids to express themselves in representing the institutions

Jamaica has just been ducking the core issue...investing in academies for the game to develop

It's not complicated

[Karl]

Prof. Rene Simoes wanted to do a similiar thing in Jamaica. His plan was more extreme, he wanted to scrap secondary school football but the alumni associations and the school boards were never going to allow that.

Scraping school (boy and or girls) football would be a nonsense move!!!

[Assasin]

Can't sprap it but 19 year old kids who have potential and want to go pro shouldn't be having DCUP and Manning cup as their biggest competition. There is no development in DCup for our 18 and 19 year old playing Manning cup. 16 and 17 years old I can understand.

[Skeng DX]

maybe the jff or some private groupp(s) can set up a type of sixth form academy for footballers, with scouts(European clubs or american colleges) coming in every couple of months

at this 6 form they will prepare students for sat 1 and 2 maybe some APs or cxc CAPE/A LEVELs (or to resit cxc for the slow ones)

in case the football thing nuh work out