Euro 2012

[NochNoch]

I don't see that being as big an issue. It's not like high school soccer is a big deal, and it's going to be very clear which is the better route.

Could be I'm overestimating the time it will take to transition but I can tell you that I'm seeing it happen first hand right now in my area. For the first time kids are being told to choose between playing for their club or their HS and the reaction from the kids and their parents is not exactly favorable.

 

[NochNoch]

Especially when kids see they can start getting paid at fifteen or sixteen years old if they're good enough.

Good enough for what? I think it'll take a while for anyone to have the faith in the development process of any club team in this country. The kids might like the idea of going off and training with a club but mom and dad usually aren't as eager to get on board, especially when we're talking about someone who is good enough to guarantee themselves a scholarship to some pretty strong colleges and universities.

Slightly apples to oranges because it involves the added element of going a very long way from home but I played with a kid who was invited to train with a German club academy at 16. He was also in the process of being recruited and offered a full ride at UVA, Duke, William & Mary and I'm sure many others. He flamed out in less than 3 years, came back was in no mans land for his options because he couldn't go to any of those schools bc he didn't finish any sort of recognized HS curriculum.

 

[slh1089]

Even though our tennis is lacking right now, we could base it some what off of how tennis does it now. With academies and such.

 

[milohimself]

Good enough for what? I think it'll take a while for anyone to have the faith in the development process of any club team in this country. The kids might like the idea of going off and training with a club but mom and dad usually aren't as eager to get on board, especially when we're talking about someone who is good enough to guarantee themselves a scholarship to some pretty strong colleges and universities.

Slightly apples to oranges because it involves the added element of going a very long way from home but I played with a kid who was invited to train with a German club academy at 16. He was also in the process of being recruited and offered a full ride at UVA, Duke, William & Mary and I'm sure many others. He flamed out in less than 3 years, came back was in no mans land for his options because he couldn't go to any of those schools bc he didn't finish any sort of recognized HS curriculum.

Rough deal.

As far as clubs, their development programs are partly coordinated through mls and the us soccer federation. So it's not like europe where every club does its own thing

 

[SWIL]

With the astronomical unemployment rate in Spain - they have had plenty of time to work on their soccer skills

 

[bleedorange0037]

Good enough for what? I think it'll take a while for anyone to have the faith in the development process of any club team in this country. The kids might like the idea of going off and training with a club but mom and dad usually aren't as eager to get on board, especially when we're talking about someone who is good enough to guarantee themselves a scholarship to some pretty strong colleges and universities.

Slightly apples to oranges because it involves the added element of going a very long way from home but I played with a kid who was invited to train with a German club academy at 16. He was also in the process of being recruited and offered a full ride at UVA, Duke, William & Mary and I'm sure many others. He flamed out in less than 3 years, came back was in no mans land for his options because he couldn't go to any of those schools bc he didn't finish any sort of recognized HS curriculum.

Good point. Whereas it's not difficult at all to convince a poor kid and his family from Ivory Coast or Ghana to start getting paid at 14 or 15. Even if he amounts to nothing in the big scheme of things, the money he gets during his developmental years with a club will likely be more than he ever could have made if he stayed at home. That's not really the case for a lot of kids in the USA.

 

[orange parmejohn]

Good enough for what? I think it'll take a while for anyone to have the faith in the development process of any club team in this country. The kids might like the idea of going off and training with a club but mom and dad usually aren't as eager to get on board, especially when we're talking about someone who is good enough to guarantee themselves a scholarship to some pretty strong colleges and universities.

Slightly apples to oranges because it involves the added element of going a very long way from home but I played with a kid who was invited to train with a German club academy at 16. He was also in the process of being recruited and offered a full ride at UVA, Duke, William & Mary and I'm sure many others. He flamed out in less than 3 years, came back was in no mans land for his options because he couldn't go to any of those schools bc he didn't finish any sort of recognized HS curriculum.

these points seem pretty valid. could U.S. soccer academies ever create a way to continue these kid's education along with their soccer development? maybe through specific universities? education is a highly regarded privelage(sp) in our country. if soccer recruiters can go into a kids home and tell his partents "we will pay your son, continue his education, and give him the opportunity to play all over the world," it would be a much easier sell.

 

[milohimself]

Not the way it's been going with the Adidas development program, which is where a good chunk of the top level talent has been coming from. Most of the people who pass through that skip college.