My problem with the FAQs is that US Soccer asks appropriate questions but in a manner that makes high school soccer sound like a picnic where everyone has juice boxes and sings songs. I know I don't have juice boxes at my training sessions.
I wonder how many US Soccer representatives have been to a high quality high school training session or do they just buy into the myth that all high school soccer is crap and all club soccer is great.
What US Soccer fails to realize is that a 10-month DA schedule is not the ultimate solution to improving the quality of our national team. I do believe that this could be a step in the right direction, but soccer in the US needs to have one governing body. I believe that US Soccer and USSF must merge. Does England have two governing bodies for soccer? For that matter, we actually have four when you factor in NCAA and NFHS. You now have US Soccer promoting it's DA product as the ultimate way for players to improve but USSF making all the coaching decisions?! I would be interested to hear what USSF has to say about this. Do they support this move or do they still champion their methods as the best?
I do not think that this single move will kill high school soccer as long as other leagues do not follow suit.
It will be interesting to see how this impacts the top level. Years ago ODP was supposed to be the solution... then State League... then Super Y... then Region 3 Premier League... then ECNL... now a 10-month DA schedule.
By the way, how much does US Soccer charge for this privilege? If you want to really mirror what the rest of the world is doing perhaps you should start there.
