D/FW Academy Leagues

Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

https://www.txsoccer.net/t9582-clue-me-in-on-leagues-tgpl-sdl-eal-what-else

From another thread on this site.

Infinity04Dad wrote:https://www.txsoccer.net/t9582-clue-me-in-on-leagues-tgpl-sdl-eal-what-else

From another thread on this site.

.

Thanks

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

not all of them

Seven wrote:

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

not all of them

Yeah I know. The league you represent, your kid plays in, or you coach in is different and an elite players only league.

BackDraft wrote:

Seven wrote:

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

not all of them

Yeah I know. The league you represent, your kid plays in, or you coach in is different and an elite players only league.

wow are you clairvoyant?

Seven wrote:

BackDraft wrote:

Seven wrote:

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

not all of them

Yeah I know. The league you represent, your kid plays in, or you coach in is different and an elite players only league.

wow are you clairvoyant?

No I am not. I do know a snake oil salesperson when I see one! Just say it! Your kid, coach, club, and league is the best.

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

I don't have a kid in Academy at this time but you're totally wrong in your assumption.
The more competitive teams in the league are for kids that need to move out of rec.
However, if you're in one of the lower level team you would probably compare them to rec teams.

Is there value in the Academy leagues for paying a coach I would say yes.
Also, it depends on the club and coach as to their goals.

BackDraft are you bitter because when you moved your DD to academy they stopped doing the Parent tunnel after the game and there are no more orange slices and juice boxes? I can see how you could think your not getting your moneys worth

Seven wrote:BackDraft are you bitter because when you moved your DD to academy they stopped doing the Parent tunnel after the game and there are no more orange slices and juice boxes? I can see how you could think your not getting your moneys worth

Go look at BackDraft's short history of posts since he graced us with his presence...

I would say it's more a case of him needing a little more fiber (o.k. maybe A LOT more fiber) in his diet...

Seven wrote:BackDraft are you bitter because when you moved your DD to academy they stopped doing the Parent tunnel after the game and there are no more orange slices and juice boxes? I can see how you could think your not getting your moneys worth

WHAT? Did they stop the Tunnel?

Yes, please go back and look at BackDrafts posts, he takes the extreme in almost every topic he posts in. I believe he is just trying to start an issue to see how many pages it will go.
All clubs and academy teams are not the same and yes some may actually misrepresent themselves and claim to be more than what they are, but most are a large step above rec as far as training, facilities and capabilities. (there of course is an exception on both ends in every situation)
What about coaches that have played pro and semi-pro, have been and or are assistant or head coaches in some top colleges across the country and are trained in their jobs to coach, which many do full time, what makes these clubs or coaches snake oil salesmen? Please... your statement is rediculous. I take nothing away from the parents that coach rec and even some of the trained coaches as a matter of fact I commend them, but please dont take anything away from academy and club teams for providing the girls who want to go to a higher level the opportunity to do so.

Its Me wrote:

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

I don't have a kid in Academy at this time but you're totally wrong in your assumption.
The more competitive teams in the league are for kids that need to move out of rec.
However, if you're in one of the lower level team you would probably compare them to rec teams.

Is there value in the Academy leagues for paying a coach I would say yes.
Also, it depends on the club and coach as to their goals.

I have kids that did, is, and probably will go thru the academy system. I have no doublt what the academy is! The Good, Bad,and the Ugly. You have about 5 teams that are consider top talent teams in each age group. That leaves about 50 or 60 more teams.Maybe more. That are pretty much rec teams that are given a tag of academy team. The snake oil part is when people that you assume they know how to teach children because they played soccer at some point. Whatever the level they claim to have played. You know the part where a coach tells you " I believe that your daughter has the ability to play at a high level". Of course that is if she works her tail off and you pay your payments every year to your club". Don't get me wrong. I think the Academy has a place. If your kid truly does have the ability to play at a high level it will be addressed later. It is rarely noticed at 7,8,9 or 10 years old. Plain and simple the player will be about 15 to 16. Before they can be truly judged for high level soccer play.

So ask yourself. Why do we really need all the upstart academy leagues? Well. The so called academy teams have to have somewhere to play! It's truly almost all rec. People! Rec soccer programs are a dying breed. They are struggling to stay around. Because many clubs have figured a way to take the revenue from them. By saying the are high level trainers and basically your kid will be left behind if you do not get into a program. Alot of people don't like hearing that. So they join the academy programs. Which are just rec programs. The only thing that has changed is who controls the revenue. When you get down to it.

I have to admit that. The DOCs and Club Owners know how to increase the bottom line and keep it rolling.

I will get off the box for now and shut up.

Seven wrote:BackDraft are you bitter because when you moved your DD to academy they stopped doing the Parent tunnel after the game and there are no more orange slices and juice boxes? I can see how you could think your not getting your moneys worth

Yes very upset. Now that extra money that parents spent on the kids goes to coaches for per diem during that tournament that everyone must go too. Or they will be considered ducking the high level academy teams.

[quote="BackDraft"]

Its Me wrote:

BackDraft wrote:

Soccerkid wrote:Have a couple of questions : how many academy leagues are there in dfw and how do they rank skill-wise?

The academy leagues are really just rec leagues were you have to pay a club coach!

Rec soccer programs are a dying breed. They are struggling to stay around. Because many clubs have figured a way to take the revenue from them.

Rec soccer is dying? Um, not so much bro. I have two kids playing rec and one Academy. I coach my kids rec teams and challenge you to drive out the Keller Soccer fields next weekend. You'll see thousands of kids playing soccer. Keller Soccer Association is alive and very well and I imagine the same is true in other NTX cities.

It's only a matter of time. With the abundance of new academy leagues starting up. The leagues are going to need to players. Where do you think they are going to get them?

BackDraft wrote:It's only a matter of time. With the abundance of new academy leagues starting up. The leagues are going to need to players. Where do you think they are going to get them?

At least we're making progress... first the rec leagues were dying and not it's a matter of time before they die.

Turn that frown upside down and put on a big giant smile BackDraft. It's all good!

And, for the record, my 03 DD tried Academy and didn't like two practices a week and the competitive nature of the games. So she made the decision to only play rec. She plays soccer to be with her friends and have fun which is perfectly fine with me. She also has an amazing rec coach who has had the same core group of girls for several seasons.

My 05 DD, on the other hand, lives and breathes soccer and has an outstanding Academy coach who is teaching her FAR more than I ever could as her rec coach. She'd practice 8 days a week if it were possible. So, for her, Academy soccer is perfect.

So, in my opinion, it's all about the kid. If they love soccer and want more than most rec teams can provide give Academy a try. But if the kid clearly plays soccer for the social side of things (which, again, is perfectly fine) rec soccer may be ideal as it is for my 03 DD.

I think the issue I have is when you have a child or an entire team even that could be better served by remaining in rec.

A child that might get more playing time in rec and less pressure to produce might develop a better love for the game as opposed to being the 12th one off the bench and is never given the honest statement of " he/she needs to go back to rec and mature a bit".

No one can deny their are clubs out there that will take anyone's money and hand them a uniform, place on a team, and form a team when all that team is is a glorified rec team.

Its quality not quantity.

Androfan wrote:I think the issue I have is when you have a child or an entire team even that could be better served by remaining in rec.

A child that might get more playing time in rec and less pressure to produce might develop a better love for the game as opposed to being the 12th one off the bench and is never given the honest statement of " he/she needs to go back to rec and mature a bit".

No one can deny their are clubs out there that will take anyone's money and hand them a uniform, place on a team, and form a team when all that team is is a glorified rec team.

Its quality not quantity.

I do agree with this. I have seen some kids come through the Academy scene who clearly aren't interested, or able, to compete with the stronger kids.

With this said, many clubs offer multiple teams in the same age group. The stronger teams play "gold" while the teams with newer kids play "silver" or "bronze." Smaller clubs don't always have this luxury as they simply don't have enough kids... but bigger clubs should be able to find an appropriate team for the child who wants to play at a higher level.

But, AGAIN, the child must want this. If it is the parent attempting to live vicariously through their child without the child being on board with the journey... you will have problems.

What I find amusing about this is many parents assume because they are paying more it is better. I know of a big 4 club coach who coached 96B CL D1 who took on his younger child's rec team. Part of the way into the season kids started to miss practices. The parents told him they were playing academy too and they were paying alot of money for it, therefore would miss practices or games if there was a conflict. Other parents told him the other coach did about the same exact things but the practice was much less organized, i.e. the rec practice was better. I have seen it before in older rec too. Players go to a low level APL or PPL team because they say they were not learning in rec. Most of the time these are players that rarely show up for two practices in a row. Get a D license and charge 10 to 20 times more than rec and then they will show up to practice. Go figure.

My DD still plays both (Yes, Insane) but she litterally LOVES her rec team, no pressure, her coach is also her 3v3 coach. The girls have all played together since they were old enough to play. Now almost every one of them also plays Academy and continues to keep playing Rec cause they have fun, our coach focuses on just having fun and it has worked. Few extra touches on a Saturday and head to the Double Dip for Frozen Custard. We are a 70/30% mix of '05/'04 and play '04.

So no clue what my point was, but we have found value in both formats!

FriscoSoccer05 wrote:

So no clue what my point was, but we have found value in both formats!

How can we work this topic into a survey? There must be a way!

kellersoccerdad wrote:

FriscoSoccer05 wrote:

So no clue what my point was, but we have found value in both formats!

How can we work this topic into a survey? There must be a way!

Let me think on that one...

Androfan wrote:

No one can deny their are clubs out there that will take anyone's money and hand them a uniform, place on a team, and form a team when all that team is is a glorified rec team.

This is the hard truth. If you watch many of these younger academy teams, you see 1-2 exceptional players surrounded by a group of players that might be better suited to getting the touches in a smaller-sided rec environment. I do like to see kids playing both as there is value in both up to a certain age.