Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Rock27]

the tryouts were this past week, Tuesday and Thursday at the "barn", corner of willows.  Haven't heard a thing how many were there, how many spots available, etc.

[El Matarife]

looks like Academy season is upon us once again.  I see Sounders open tryouts are later this month.  Past experience with the "open tryout" process suggests this is a public relations exercise for the Sounders.  Anyone else had experience with this process that would suggest otherwise? 

On Crossfire front, they have posted on their home page that tryouts are "this week" though actual dates are not specified.  Maybe I was just too dense to see on their site where dates are posted?  Otherwise "this week" could have been the week just ended, or the week to come...hmmm?

Past experience?   They have had ONE tryout and were folding an entire academy program into the Sounders.  If anyone going into the tryout thought that they weren't going to pick a lot of WPFC kids wasn't paying attention.

[sounderfan]

http://gosounders.com/2011/07/11/academy/

If you live in the state of Washington and have a child playing an elite level of soccer, chances are you know who Darren Sawatzky is and he knows who you are. To say that Sawatzky is a high energy guy is like saying it rains in the month of December in Washington–it just doesn’t do justice to the reality. Walk with Sawatzky through Starfire Sports on a Saturday afternoon and you’re struck by the fact that he seemingly knows everyone, he has a mental-rolodex of a Hollywood agent–knows everyone’s name, where they’re from, and if it’s a player he can give you a quick scouting report on the kid that would make ESPN’s draft expert, Mel Kiper, envious.
 
Sawatzky is a type-A personality and carries himself with a certain swagger and confidence that has no doubt ruffled the feathers of some folks along the way. It’s this confidence that enables him to excel at his job and instills confidence and inspires the kids he works with.

[EWSoccer64]

In a delicate situation, Sawatzsky has rarely put a toe wrong, let alone a foot.  He has earned the respect of most everyone who has dealt with him.

[Rock27]

You know I agree with a posting way back on page two or so for this thread that the US needs to step up development so we catch up with the world.  But here's the problem I see - why can't their be "other" academies besides the MLS academies?  Look at all the teams for example in little England and their academies?  The US is so spread out and big  and there are alot of fabulous player that will never be able to make the drive to get to a MLS academy.  There needs to be a way for other academies to get into the system.  Plus, it's just numbers - only so many can make the academy team - what about all the other great players - no place for them to go because the rosters are full.  Right now it seems that if you want to get into a MLS academy, just more the family to one of the smaller market teams and your kid will probably make it on the team.  Seems it's a numbers game.  Thoughts anyone?

[EWSoccer64]

The article here makes some salient points about how many view the "system" within WSYSA.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/935867/hubbard:-the-rules-of-attraction?cc=5901

[Old Dog]

You know I agree with a posting way back on page two or so for this thread that the US needs to step up development so we catch up with the world.  But here's the problem I see - why can't their be "other" academies besides the MLS academies? 

Hello Rock, I believe they have 80 Academy teams, so "no" not all Academys are MLS.