go99 wrote:I am still not getting it? I would think everyone basically knows that a long college soccer career is a death nail to a pro one. Also I don't think the numbers are much better for any other sport either. If the point is you will never go pro so just enjoy highschool then why bother with the AL anyway.

Pro, really?? I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. DA is about effective recruiting. The end goal is to allow more direct access to the top players, and what better way than to use the coaches and clubs that already brings our best local players along to provide the conduit. This latest development is about DA wanting a bigger piece. My prediction, higher burnout rate. Then again time will tell.

DA is about improving the overall level of soccer in the US to turn out a better quality player.

go99 wrote:DA is about improving the overall level of soccer in the US to turn out a better quality player.

Let's not kid ourselves. DA is about garnering a bigger slice of a billion dollar pie.

Then why make it so resrictive? Opening it up to more clubs and even taking it down in age would have given it an even bigger slice

Yak Attack wrote:

starbuck wrote:

TennaLoma wrote:SO, I'm looking around the USSF site and see no "ban" from HS play mentioned ... Is this a Texas club decision only? Has Andro (if it still exists), Solar & DT joined this, too? Who's driving this bus?

If they're in a bus, it's a short one.

These guys have got to quit thinking they can somehow bring or tie top athletes to North Texas select soccer by making restrictive rule changes, changes to minimize the club population or inventing "new and improved" leagues to shake up the market. They just make it less attractive. Just provide a service to those that need it, for pete's sake.

Excellent point. These restriction only push many kids away, which for a non-soccer centric nation is not likely not the best decision.

Right. Everyone that is saying "it's a simple choice" is also right, but at the same time ignoring the fact that there are some terrific athletes out there that will not make the choice to give up everything else. The point is this rule only makes the pool of available soccer talent smaller. Cannot understand how that is a good thing. Shouldn't we all want every 13 year old to have every opportunity to develop and excel at as many things as possible? Yep, life = choices but c'mon, we're talking about 8th graders that are now faced with this choice.

RytMid wrote:

Yak Attack wrote:

starbuck wrote:

TennaLoma wrote:SO, I'm looking around the USSF site and see no "ban" from HS play mentioned ... Is this a Texas club decision only? Has Andro (if it still exists), Solar & DT joined this, too? Who's driving this bus?

If they're in a bus, it's a short one.

These guys have got to quit thinking they can somehow bring or tie top athletes to North Texas select soccer by making restrictive rule changes, changes to minimize the club population or inventing "new and improved" leagues to shake up the market. They just make it less attractive. Just provide a service to those that need it, for pete's sake.

Excellent point. These restriction only push many kids away, which for a non-soccer centric nation is not likely not the best decision.

Right. Everyone that is saying "it's a simple choice" is also right, but at the same time ignoring the fact that there are some terrific athletes out there that will not make the choice to give up everything else. The point is this rule only makes the pool of available soccer talent smaller. Cannot understand how that is a good thing. Shouldn't we all want every 13 year old to have every opportunity to develop and excel at as many things as possible? Yep, life = choices but c'mon, we're talking about 8th graders that are now faced with this choice.

Rumor has it that NTSSA might require contracts for fifth graders too - get used to it.

clueless wrote:

RytMid wrote:

Yak Attack wrote:

starbuck wrote:

TennaLoma wrote:SO, I'm looking around the USSF site and see no "ban" from HS play mentioned ... Is this a Texas club decision only? Has Andro (if it still exists), Solar & DT joined this, too? Who's driving this bus?

If they're in a bus, it's a short one.

These guys have got to quit thinking they can somehow bring or tie top athletes to North Texas select soccer by making restrictive rule changes, changes to minimize the club population or inventing "new and improved" leagues to shake up the market. They just make it less attractive. Just provide a service to those that need it, for pete's sake.

Excellent point. These restriction only push many kids away, which for a non-soccer centric nation is not likely not the best decision.

Right. Everyone that is saying "it's a simple choice" is also right, but at the same time ignoring the fact that there are some terrific athletes out there that will not make the choice to give up everything else. The point is this rule only makes the pool of available soccer talent smaller. Cannot understand how that is a good thing. Shouldn't we all want every 13 year old to have every opportunity to develop and excel at as many things as possible? Yep, life = choices but c'mon, we're talking about 8th graders that are now faced with this choice.

Rumor has it that NTSSA might require contracts for fifth graders too - get used to it.

I fear you are right Clue. Still doesn't make it a good thing.

it's not like they don't have them now

More perspective...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/us-youth-soccer-is-high-school-or-playing-on-an-elite-academy-team-the-best-route/2011/04/26/AFvKM59G_story.html