Improving Football Product without high overhead

[Assasin]

Part 1

ISSA needs to do more.

ISSA is only concern about rules and regulation and satisfyingthe top schools.

In my days there was All D/All Manning team that playedagainst each other and some of the top players showcased themselves.

Now that is no more. ISSA could make a Top tier for schoolsto play against each other, or they could select four all regional teams andcompete with each other to showcase the players. This should be done by a panelof coaches, not one or two.

ISSA doesn’t have information readily available on playersso if coaches want info, it is impossible to get it in a timely manner fromthem. The College scholarship window is closed pretty much by January, andunless players don’t take up offers then there is no money after that. It is acrying shame to get basic information from them.

If ISSA had their students at heart, they would have ayearly organized scouting missions for the top players with decent grades whohave interest in playing in college to showcase them. ISSA could invite topcolleges. I am sure somebody would be willing to sponsor such an event. Thecollege coaches have to pay their own way, hotel and travel expenses as statedby NCAA rules. If ISSA had such an event and info on the players I am sure thescholarship offering would quickly double. They also need to make players awareof the importance of SAT scores but there are some NAIA schools and Comm.colleges who are willing to take a few of the players who didn’t have greatgrades but are willing to put in the time.
ISSA need to track their top players better, do more for them and make it public knowledge. Their major concern can't just be to monitor local games and punish players and some schools. Make it more rewarding for these kids.

[Don1]

Part 1

ISSA needs to do more.

ISSA is only concern about rules and regulation and satisfyingthe top schools.

In my days there was All D/All Manning team that playedagainst each other and some of the top players showcased themselves.

Now that is no more. ISSA could make a Top tier for schoolsto play against each other, or they could select four all regional teams andcompete with each other to showcase the players. This should be done by a panelof coaches, not one or two.

ISSA doesn’t have information readily available on playersso if coaches want info, it is impossible to get it in a timely manner fromthem. The College scholarship window is closed pretty much by January, andunless players don’t take up offers then there is no money after that. It is acrying shame to get basic information from them.

If ISSA had their students at heart, they would have ayearly organized scouting missions for the top players with decent grades whohave interest in playing in college to showcase them. ISSA could invite topcolleges. I am sure somebody would be willing to sponsor such an event. Thecollege coaches have to pay their own way, hotel and travel expenses as statedby NCAA rules. If ISSA had such an event and info on the players I am sure thescholarship offering would quickly double. They also need to make players awareof the importance of SAT scores but there are some NAIA schools and Comm.colleges who are willing to take a few of the players who didn’t have greatgrades but are willing to put in the time.
ISSA need to track their top players better, do more for them and make it public knowledge. Their major concern can't just be to monitor local games and punish players and some schools. Make it more rewarding for these kids.

This appears to be a plan for "improving football product".... in US colleges

[Assasin]

How so???? How many second tier players get a second change to go pro by going to a US college? How many degrees have gone the way of marginal players??? Isn't it about improving our football??

I guess it better they go player corner leagues and major league ball? Right now US college is a part of our soccer development, like it or not, just like it is for our track athletes. One hand wash the other. Development by better organization mi a deal wid.

[Don1]

I'm not against student athletes going to US colleges to improve their life chances... it's a positive

However the best way to develop players is to institute a proper system at home that will improve the product... i.e. by making the local leagues higher in standard of play and local players more attractive to clubs abroad

The old way of prepping kids for US college ball is mostly good for providing an education and economic opportunity (which is great) with an entirely SECONDARY benefit of only a handful of the scores of kids playing college ball reaching MLS standard

We've seen the US college thing for decades... and as far as developing Jamaican football players is concerned... it's not going to improve our football development

[Assasin]

Also if you notice there is a complete section Voip of US colleges of making the best players compete against each other.

[Assasin]

Do you have the money??? You same one saying don't spend the money on football, spend it on education. You can't have it both ways. I am thinking of a series of ways we can improve our football players without high overhead.

This is part 1. It cost nothing, it improves our talent and give with a better chance of pro career and life and make ISSA do something worthwile to help so many kids who wouldn't be playing nothing but corner league.

You think local program can sustain all these players and develop them at the age of 19? Think again.

We may have seen the US college thing for decade but have we maximize it?
Ask any one here who try to get information on a Jamaican player for college and they can tell you how backwards it is and how it most time take two years of hard work to get a youth a scholarship.

That is part of our problem right there because of our hope for big things we don't improve on opportunities we currently have.

[Don1]

I've laid out development plans which are very affordable

The US college route costs Jamaica nothing.... but also leads to very little in our football development.

[Don1]

Also if you notice there is a complete section Voip of US colleges of making the best players compete against each other

.


what does voice over internet have to do with this???

[Assasin]

How does it lead to very little?? Look at the second tier players from Jamaica that end up representing the national team from US college system.

Omar Cummings, Obrien White, Damani Ralph, Darren Mattocks, Harris, Tyrone Marshall, just to name a few and others making the national team in Deshorn Brown, Andy Williams, Dane Richards,The right back from Columbus, Keeper Blake and others I can't even remember and this is over the last 10 years. Also check how many US college players end up playing EPL and other top European leagues.

Gwaan chat foolishness. The US college system has a role and will always have one in our football development.

[Don1]

I agreed with you that college ball had a role

The main role of the US college football route is providing opportunity for student athletes to improve their lives... so yes it does have a place

The fact that so many have gone the college route...while our results in football have been flat, would tend to prove my point

As far as developing Jamaican football.... US colleges are not the ticket

[Assasin]

look at the data, look at the results and take way your "US bias".

Sorry to leave out Ryan Johnson, Zaidie The Indian youth from HV and scores of others.

Look at the results and then you can talk. Does been a pro soccer player with a degree mean improving one's life?

[Don1]

The results in Jamaican football are on my side

[Jangle]

Sass, this is not the solution. I have said here before that ISSA's obligation is not to develop Jamaica's football program or our footballers. ISSA is responsible for administering high school sports in Jamaica. Yes, they could do better in their record keeping and tracking information on student athletes, but that is not a mandate. All schools in Jamaica need to improve on their record keeping. Have you ever tried to get a transcript from your high school? The JFF is responsible for football development in Jamaica and given Jamaica's financial constraints, it would be prudent for them to partner with the schools, through ISSA to implement a plan that would advance football in Jamaica. The schools already have the infrastructure and the kids. Of course, you can't leave out the clubs, but I have spoken on this already so I am not going to go over it.

[Jawge]

Sass did you see on ESPN when Ballack said the German FA took 2mil Euro from each club to start an academy? It's paying off now at the club and INT'L level. You have to move away from school boy football. Even before hearing this on ESPN (yes I watch them like a hawk I said the JFF has to become wealthier in order for Ja's football to improve. Well so far only Tilla and Karl (I think) signed up. Well "sight is of the eyes,vision is of the mind". We have to move away from the concept that this guy "ah go rich off ah it or dat one ah go rich" and look at the big picture.

[Assasin]

It is only one moving part of getting our football on better ground. We are looking for magic solution and it is the same attitude we use to solving Jamaica's economy problem and this will never happen. ISSA can contribute more and do their part.

What are they currently doing for their students who graduate and have a few CXC and a possible pro career ahead of them??? Think how many youths that is.

This doesn't need a lot of partnership, Some people colleges but it is not organized. ISSA can mandate Records be kept of each athlete so these schools will have to do it.

I am not saying this a bullet proof solution but we have to do these things a lot better so that talent get better opportunities. Instead of 20 kids getting scholarship and 4 making the national team, it could be 40 and a possibility of 6 making it. I can call so many youths who finish school and as decent ballas with decent grades.

Where are they now?