When the Academy program began in SC, the teams were composed entirely of kids from the Lowcountry. Two years ago, after the association with SCUtd, the pool expanded greatly to include kids from the Midlands and beyond. For the 2011-12 season there are a few kids coming from the Upstate. No one has suggested that every single player in the state who is good enough to play in the DA is doing so, or always will do so. There will always be reasons that individual players will choose a different course (e.g. finances, personality conflicts, ability to get to training, etc.).
Many clubs around the state are more than willing to encourage their best players to try out for the DA and take pride in their having developed them to point where they are good enough to train and compete at that level. Some clubs (not many) choose, for their own reasons, to hang on to their players like grim death, regardless of whether it is in the best interest of the player. I can only say that with each passing year that becomes more difficult, as the landscape of elite soccer changes.
Having now recovered from nearly choking on the irony of your comment about money, let me put your mind at ease. SCUtd Development Academy runs on a break even basis. We operate on a shoestring and our coaches often waive part of their fees in order to meet budget (translation: to keep the cost to players as affordable as possible). You are free to make any criticisms you want. However, implying that our folks are somehow in this for the money is beyond the pale.
