HOUSTON MEGA DA CLUB

Anyone else catch wind of the Mega Merger in Houston.

RUSH ECNL and RUSH DA as well as Space City FC merge into Dynamo and Dash. Finally Dallas will have some Houston competition it appears. Says now the biggest club in Texas.

http://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2017/02/08/houston-dynamo-dash-texas-rush-soccer-club-space-city-fc-join-forces-form-new-youth


Will FC Dallas follow lead of growing professional women's team? Every MLS team seems to be aligning themselves to have DA boys and Girls.

Multivitamin wrote:Anyone else catch wind of the Mega Merger in Houston.

RUSH ECNL and RUSH DA as well as Space City FC merge into Dynamo and Dash. Finally Dallas will have some Houston competition it appears. Says now the biggest club in Texas.

http://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2017/02/08/houston-dynamo-dash-texas-rush-soccer-club-space-city-fc-join-forces-form-new-youth


Will FC Dallas follow lead of growing professional women's team? Every MLS team seems to be aligning themselves to have DA boys and Girls.

^ Yes ... already in the works.  This is the direction USSF have been headed for the past decade but we're just beginning to see it come to the forefront ... hence the regional MLS expansion.  This is intended to bring in top youth talent from each of these areas to the future youth clubs of each of the MLS teams ... (surprise, surprise) similar to the YourApeeIn model.  Already happening at many of these clubs ... some of which haven't even started playing yet --

In another decade, you likely won't see many competitive clubs that aren't aligned with MLS ... eventually Texans, Solar and Sting may go FCD.

BigErn wrote:

Multivitamin wrote:Anyone else catch wind of the Mega Merger in Houston.

RUSH ECNL and RUSH DA as well as Space City FC merge into Dynamo and Dash. Finally Dallas will have some Houston competition it appears. Says now the biggest club in Texas.

http://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2017/02/08/houston-dynamo-dash-texas-rush-soccer-club-space-city-fc-join-forces-form-new-youth


Will FC Dallas follow lead of growing professional women's team? Every MLS team seems to be aligning themselves to have DA boys and Girls.

^ Yes ... already in the works.  This is the direction USSF have been headed for the past decade but we're just beginning to see it come to the forefront ... hence the regional MLS expansion.  This is intended to bring in top youth talent from each of these areas to the future youth clubs of each of the MLS teams ... (surprise, surprise) similar to the YourApeeIn model.  Already happening at many of these clubs ... some of which haven't even started playing yet --

In another decade, you likely won't see many competitive clubs that aren't aligned with MLS ... eventually Texans, Solar and Sting may go FCD.

Won't happen unless something fundamentally changes in the pay-to-play model on the girls' side, and I just don't see an NWSL team generating the type of revenue to change that...

I think we are failing to see the bigger picture. The Endorsement market hasn't tapped in yet! Right now endorsements pertain to national team players. USSF knows there women NWSL are being picked off internationally and is structuring it stronger and more financially fiscal to keep talent here for the almighty dollar. I would give it 3-5 years at the pace ECNL is fighting with DA. Each is pushing this into a whirlwind. I do think they are sacrificing development at the same time they are setting their chess pieces around.

Your thoughts?

ECNL was never about development as an organization. It is a showcase league of the the top kids that can afford to travel and be seen.

DA has curriculum that its members are supposed to be following. A standard of play, etc. Game reports, team reports, National team scouting per club couple of times a year to ensure training sessions are being followed correctly. Will it be more cost conscious?? Only time will tell.

So while you say sacrificing development, I can only believe that one of the organizations itself promotes any brand of development.

Tpitty - you are mistaken

Please read the Mission/Vision statement of the ECNL. Even easier Control F the word development.

http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com/2016/07/01/elite-clubs-national-league-mission/

You cannot promote any league of soccer without the word development. Even professionals have agents to help them develop unique characteristics like "Posture" and "Choice wording".

tpitty wrote:ECNL was never about development as an organization. It is a showcase league of the the top kids that can afford to travel and be seen.

DA has curriculum that its members are supposed to be following. A standard of play, etc. Game reports, team reports, National team scouting per club couple of times a year to ensure training sessions are being followed correctly. Will it be more cost conscious?? Only time will tell.

So while you say sacrificing development, I can only believe that one of the organizations itself promotes any brand of development.

I think the "curriculum" angle is overrated.  Much like Texas enforces a curriculum on our schools but are all schools of the same quality?  Hardly. The successful youth clubs will continue to be successful due to how the clubs are run and the coaches they employ.  I'm for the DA but would not expect a major improvement/change by these same clubs just because they are now DA members.  They were already good.  Now providing scholarships for players, which is a preference but not a mandate, would definitely be the game changer.  Players still have to fly to CO, KS, national events, etc

While I do believe that GDA will eventually be funded (happening at some clubs already), I'm not convinced that it's initial success will depend so much on 'pay to play' ... hasn't made any difference in the ECNL. DA may end up completely replacing ECNL regardless of the $.

And I certainly believe there is some "fundamental" change coming shortly -- around the US and in NTX. Think ... Why is Dynamo/Dash now the largest club in TX?
(it's not due to the number of registered competitive players)

A lot of the clubs think these kids are going to be flocking to the DA like they did ECNL. I have not heard anyone interested in 4 day a week practices, giving up High school soccer, and giving up their personal trainers they have been with since younger ages. Also cant imagine the strain on a families time/marriage that would come into play.

I have also heard the comments "yeah we will do DA and then play High school soccer and wait and see what happens." "If they kick me off DA then so be it."

We as a country have formulated a model based on smaller YourApeeIn Countries. Which is working fine for the Revenue. BUT apply this model to say basketball, baseball, football. because the size of our country we need to have an Allstar group that gets organized like the old USSF youth invites or the summer/winter Allstar leagues. its what Baseball, football, basketball, and even tennis are doing.

USSF needs to realize they cant do every soccer model the Europeans are doing.

Yeah, I have heard exactly the opposite. Top players don't mind not playing high school and are looking forward to working on their games 4 days a week. Not much change here, dedicated players are already working out three four times a week.

Players doesn't translate to "Teams".
Mine as well doesn't get but 1 day off a week. But my child tells me already the loopholes some of the "best" players are plotting.

Dedication will be the true proof/testament to the organizations involved. I would key in on the u11/u12 age groups and see what happens after a few years. I still think the Allstar method is the American way because of our countries size. Sending the best to practice and play with each other out of dallas all area clubs would be more beneficial then DA clubs IMO.

Multivitamin wrote:A lot of the clubs think these kids are going to be flocking to the DA like they did ECNL. I have not heard anyone interested in 4 day a week practices, giving up High school soccer, and giving up their personal trainers they have been with since younger ages. Also cant imagine the strain on a families time/marriage that would come into play.

4 days a week training takes quite a bit of getting used too. Try and find a talented kid around you and car pool.

Multivitamin wrote:A lot of the clubs think these kids are going to be flocking to the DA like they did ECNL. I have not heard anyone interested in 4 day a week practices, giving up High school soccer, and giving up their personal trainers they have been with since younger ages. Also cant imagine the strain on a families time/marriage that would come into play.

I have also heard the comments "yeah we will do DA and then play High school soccer and wait and see what happens." "If they kick me off DA then so be it."

We as a country have formulated a model based on smaller YourApeeIn Countries. Which is working fine for the Revenue. BUT apply this model to say basketball, baseball, football. because the size of our country we need to have an Allstar group that gets organized like the old USSF youth invites or the summer/winter Allstar leagues. its what Baseball, football, basketball, and even tennis are doing.

USSF needs to realize they cant do every soccer model the Europeans are doing.

DA sounds like a dream for this difficult parent:

Getting all the training in one place.
Saving money.
Playing less games.
Having an actual offseason.
Not traveling to play weak teams or NTX teams (U-little comment).

Very funny to catch a label as difficult parent. I will however accept the comment difficult coach

Sincerely speaking though I am involved in the soccer community and do volunteer my time to the youth sport. I am not disputing even though it sounds like I am. What I am simply clarifying is let's clean it up a bit more because change can be good but to what sacrifice. There is still unanswered questions and the vision of the future of youth advancement in this sport still has looming questions.

I care about kids not the money. Others feel differently and let that be it as this thread is not staying on original subject - yes we got off base a little.

Coffee - will do that.

Multivitamin wrote:
Will FC Dallas follow lead of growing professional women's team? Every MLS team seems to be aligning themselves to have DA boys and Girls.

FCD Women already have a WPSL team right? Just a matter of time before they are in the NWSL.

Multivitamin wrote:
We as a country have formulated a model based on smaller YourApeeIn Countries. Which is working fine for the Revenue. BUT apply this model to say basketball, baseball, football. because the size of our country we need to have an Allstar group that gets organized like the old USSF youth invites or the summer/winter Allstar leagues. its what Baseball, football, basketball, and even tennis are doing.

USSF needs to realize they cant do every soccer model the Europeans are doing.

Expand on this for me. I have been under the impression the DA does this.
They hold YNT sessions all across DA programs. DA teams send 4-5 of the either requested or heralded players. They train for the U-Whatever coach and scouts, and are selected to national camp. Then from there to YNT. Is that not an allstar method?

BigErn wrote:While I do believe that GDA will eventually be funded (happening at some clubs already), I'm not convinced that it's initial success will depend so much on 'pay to play' ... hasn't made any difference in the ECNL.  DA may end up completely replacing ECNL regardless of the $.

And I certainly believe there is some "fundamental" change coming shortly -- around the US and in NTX.  Think ... Why is Dynamo/Dash now the largest club in TX?  
(it's not due to the number of registered competitive players)

Rush/SCFC field Rec teams for both boys/girls from u littles on up with parent volunteer coaches.  They will simply wear orange jerseys now.  Its easier to tack on an extra $25 (hidden DA) fee to all players when you have 5k in the system.  Revenue brings the financial stability that attracts top coaches, etc and keeps the machine going.

SoccerTexas wrote:

BigErn wrote:While I do believe that GDA will eventually be funded (happening at some clubs already), I'm not convinced that it's initial success will depend so much on 'pay to play' ... hasn't made any difference in the ECNL.  DA may end up completely replacing ECNL regardless of the $.

And I certainly believe there is some "fundamental" change coming shortly -- around the US and in NTX.  Think ... Why is Dynamo/Dash now the largest club in TX?  
(it's not due to the number of registered competitive players)

Rush/SCFC field Rec teams for both boys/girls from u littles on up with parent volunteer coaches.  They will simply wear orange jerseys now.  Its easier to tack on an extra $25 (hidden DA) fee to all players when you have 5k in the system.  Revenue brings the financial stability that attracts top coaches, etc and keeps the machine going.

ding, ding, ding ... look at the big brain on SoccerTexas -- well done!

tpitty wrote:

Multivitamin wrote:
We as a country have formulated a model based on smaller YourApeeIn Countries. Which is working fine for the Revenue. BUT apply this model to say basketball, baseball, football. because the size of our country we need to have an Allstar group that gets organized like the old USSF youth invites or the summer/winter Allstar leagues. its what Baseball, football, basketball, and even tennis are doing.

USSF needs to realize they cant do every soccer model the Europeans are doing.

Expand on this for me. I have been under the impression the DA does this.
They hold YNT sessions all across DA programs. DA teams send 4-5 of the either requested or heralded players. They train for the U-Whatever coach and scouts, and are selected to national camp. Then from there to YNT. Is that not an allstar method?

Spot on tpitty -- DA does exactly that.

And it seems Multivitamin missed the very first reply to his topic ... "hence the regional MLS expansion" --
MLS expansion on a regional level (say 32 teams spread out in soccer hotbeds across the nation) solves the 'huge country' issue, and in my opinion, will eliminate the need for too many DA programs.

As has been my contention on this forum for years ... individual market talent consolidation = higher quality teams = higher quality players.

We have some events that work and we have some events that don't work when it comes to identifying players. We can go back and forth on this but ultimately we see players and scratch our heads why they haven't been given a chance sometimes. I will step into a IMO now. So don't kill the poster who is cooking in the kitchen here.

1) PDP/ECNL works to a degree - they only want stats when it boils down to selection process for National pool. But look at Iniesta no stats but incredible player!

2) USSF invites - run by a club selected appointee with US Soccer title under his/her name. ( Look at the bigger picture on this one please) Ever notice there is a "National Player" at each USSF event? Oh Why you may ask??? - wait for it...
Ever ask one of these US Soccer club trainers how they selected the group attended - answer - " We reach out to the clubs for their most TECHNICAL PLAYERS". - again wait for it....
What is US Soccer weakness and addresses vocally all the time about their youth and what they would like to see get better? - again wait for it...
Answer = USSF training centers is a way to keep tabs on all of their national team players. Why - because they cannot practice with each other as much as the USSF wants them too. So, second best option grab the best technical players put them with our National players monthly to keep the technical development savy.
!!!Oh Nooo the doors are open now with this answer - backing out of this smoke filled kitchen quickly...

3) ID2 - No Comment - if your in the know you already know.

4) ODP - Fair but Politics still get involved.


And to open another can of worms here - No DA in Austin Tx or San Antonio Tx - IMO actually leaves room for ____________. That's a good swath of land excluded wouldn't you say? Is that about 315 miles of I-35 through several metro-plexes lost talent boys and girls DA I see. left to ECNL/PDP route I'm assuming?

Again to that guy - I lookout for the soccer community and see some loopholes that need sealing. Call the damn fire department now - this house is on FIRE!!

Austin Lonestars sends DA players nationally. Think Gaines x 2, and a couple of others whom I am too lazy to look up.-- and rumor is they will in fact go the DA route on the girls side as well after originally turning it down.

SA was a mess, but just getting back into DA. That product will soon be presented to us.

At some point the top players have to find their way to DA clubs. Scouting alone in this wide open US of A can't be on the coaches alone. The parent has to lead the kid to the pool.

BigErn wrote:

SoccerTexas wrote:

BigErn wrote:While I do believe that GDA will eventually be funded (happening at some clubs already), I'm not convinced that it's initial success will depend so much on 'pay to play' ... hasn't made any difference in the ECNL.  DA may end up completely replacing ECNL regardless of the $.

And I certainly believe there is some "fundamental" change coming shortly -- around the US and in NTX.  Think ... Why is Dynamo/Dash now the largest club in TX?  
(it's not due to the number of registered competitive players)

Rush/SCFC field Rec teams for both boys/girls from u littles on up with parent volunteer coaches.  They will simply wear orange jerseys now.  Its easier to tack on an extra $25 (hidden DA) fee to all players when you have 5k in the system.  Revenue brings the financial stability that attracts top coaches, etc and keeps the machine going.

ding, ding, ding ... look at the big brain on SoccerTexas -- well done!

Fcd fields a ton of rec teams and charges full boat now. They should be in great position to move forward.

Foxysoccermom wrote:

BigErn wrote:

SoccerTexas wrote:

BigErn wrote:While I do believe that GDA will eventually be funded (happening at some clubs already), I'm not convinced that it's initial success will depend so much on 'pay to play' ... hasn't made any difference in the ECNL.  DA may end up completely replacing ECNL regardless of the $.

And I certainly believe there is some "fundamental" change coming shortly -- around the US and in NTX.  Think ... Why is Dynamo/Dash now the largest club in TX?  
(it's not due to the number of registered competitive players)

Rush/SCFC field Rec teams for both boys/girls from u littles on up with parent volunteer coaches.  They will simply wear orange jerseys now.  Its easier to tack on an extra $25 (hidden DA) fee to all players when you have 5k in the system.  Revenue brings the financial stability that attracts top coaches, etc and keeps the machine going.

ding, ding, ding ... look at the big brain on SoccerTexas -- well done!

Fcd fields a ton of rec teams and charges full boat now. They should be in great position to move forward.

I must commend you on this one ^ Foxy ... couldn't agree more --

However, what we're alluding to is the recreational aged player (U4-U6) that don't compete with the clubs' u7-u10 'youth academy' programs.  There are more than 5,000 in these age groups participating each season in recreational programs across Denton + Collin Counties alone.