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Post by 4theloveofsoccer on Oct 23, 2019 20:29:12 GMT -5
I suggest CF, UFA as those clubs have full DA. You can't go wrong with NTH and SSA due to logistics and close proximity to AU training grounds. If you are in Gwinnett I would go with GSA as it seems they pump a lot of players into Atlanta United. All those clubs mentioned are part of the original "Big 5" as well.
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Post by Keeper on Oct 23, 2019 21:38:02 GMT -5
Don’t listen to the above statement. Listen to the one above it though. Names are meaningless go find a coach that will develop your kid. Find a club where they know your kids name and don’t just see him as a number and $$$ signs.
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Post by oldcoach on Oct 23, 2019 22:27:48 GMT -5
Which clubs Academy do you recommend for Boys prior to Atlanta United starting at U-12? Which clubs would you look to avoid? This is definitely dependent on the area of atlanta and the surrounding areas you are in. There are a lot of good options but location is a major factor. |
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Post by oraclesfriend on Oct 24, 2019 7:03:24 GMT -5
The one with the best coach for the kid... And coach who emphasizes technical ability, composure under pressure, and independent problem solving in games, etc over winning games. And ideally close to home. Club name irrelevant. This is a great statement, but unfortunately difficult to find. One reason it is difficult is that coaches are often not announced until right before tryouts. Another is that people are sometimes not honest about their opinions of coaches. Seeing a coach in action once or twice doesn't give you an adequate picture of how they coach. The best coach for my kid might not be the best coach for your kid as kids have different things that motivate them, need different things to focus on in their game, etc. As I mentioned in another thread we have had great coaches, terrible coaches, and ok coaches. The ones we thought were great some people found scary and too harsh, but my kid needed feedback even if it was "you sucked in the first half, now go out there and dribble the ball and shoot!" That was accompanied by what we called the death stare. Some kids found the coach scary, but my kid lapped it up. My kid said that it didn't matter when the coach was harsh because she knew that the coach CARED ABOUT HER AS A PLAYER AND A PERSON! So good luck finding the best fit. |
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Post by atv on Oct 24, 2019 7:21:25 GMT -5
This is a tricky question and my answer might be dated by a few years. There are some very good small to medium sized clubs that have great coaches and seem to produce a few really good technical players every single year. (especially, if they have access to small group technical training) Getting very good on the ball is most important at that age, they can learn the tactical stuff later. To name a few, LSA, RYSA, Chiefs, DDY, KSA, GFC, Athens United, AFC, IA, Alianza, Roswell, TYSA, and others. All seem to develop their share of good players.
Larger clubs typically just develop a higher quantity of technical players based on numbers. They also have ECNL and DA so a fair share of players will end up migrating from smaller clubs. CF, GSA, UFA, AF, NASA, and SSA are all really good large clubs that have developed very technical players.
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Post by mistergrinch on Oct 24, 2019 8:58:22 GMT -5
While I totally agree that 'finding the right coach' is most important - keep in mind that unless you're a TOP player who can walk into any club and pick your spot, it's not a bad idea to be at the club you want to be at as the kid gets older. If you're a borderline top/second team player and they KNOW you - you have the better shot then an unknown at the same level.
Then again, lots of coaches love the shiny new toy.. so maybe it doesn't matter.
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Post by atlfutboldad on Oct 24, 2019 9:15:18 GMT -5
If you're a borderline top/second team player and they KNOW you - you have the better shot then an unknown at the same level. Then again, lots of coaches love the shiny new toy.. so maybe it doesn't matter. I was about to disagree with the first sentence, but then you said the 2nd sentence...and totally redeem yourself.  (Image for reference in case my response comes across as hostile)
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Post by 4theloveofsoccer on Oct 25, 2019 7:00:11 GMT -5
Don’t listen to the above statement. Listen to the one above it though. Names are meaningless go find a coach that will develop your kid. Find a club where they know your kids name and don’t just see him as a number and $$$ signs. Majority of players are from the clubs I have listed on the current U12 AU team. And that's not including the current AU players who came from the "Big 5". Are there players from smaller/other clubs that make AU?...without a doubt. Unless your kid is a total beast and stands out, if your kid wants to play at AU, IMO your chances are better with one of the "Big 5" due to the fact of the connections with AU, those clubs tend to pull players from smaller clubs, and etc. |
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Post by atv on Oct 25, 2019 7:38:49 GMT -5
This large pull of GSA players has been going on for years now. It’s sort of a catch 22, a great opportunity for these little rock stars but the depth of the teams tend to suffer. All the current teams at GSA are not as good as they could be.
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Post by Keeper on Oct 25, 2019 19:47:05 GMT -5
Don’t listen to the above statement. Listen to the one above it though. Names are meaningless go find a coach that will develop your kid. Find a club where they know your kids name and don’t just see him as a number and $$$ signs. Majority of players are from the clubs I have listed on the current U12 AU team. And that's not including the current AU players who came from the "Big 5". Are there players from smaller/other clubs that make AU?...without a doubt. Unless your kid is a total beast and stands out, if your kid wants to play at AU, IMO your chances are better with one of the "Big 5" due to the fact of the connections with AU, those clubs tend to pull players from smaller clubs, and etc. How many started at small clubs and actually were developed there before being poached by the mega mart clubs? CF, Gsa, NTH have all taken players from small clubs and then a season later they leave for something else all for the those big clubs to take credit for developing those players for years. |
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Post by 4theloveofsoccer on Oct 25, 2019 21:30:04 GMT -5
Majority of players are from the clubs I have listed on the current U12 AU team. And that's not including the current AU players who came from the "Big 5". Are there players from smaller/other clubs that make AU?...without a doubt. Unless your kid is a total beast and stands out, if your kid wants to play at AU, IMO your chances are better with one of the "Big 5" due to the fact of the connections with AU, those clubs tend to pull players from smaller clubs, and etc. How many started at small clubs and actually were developed there before being poached by the mega mart clubs? CF, Gsa, NTH have all taken players from small clubs and then a season later they leave for something else all for the those big clubs to take credit for developing those players for years. C'mon man really!? The fact of the reality is the "Big 5" clubs offer more than the other/smaller clubs. That is why there are more and more players leaving those other/smaller clubs for the "Big 5". Those players and families chose to leave whatever clubs they used to be at for whatever reason(s). |
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Post by fanatic21 on Oct 25, 2019 22:37:19 GMT -5
While the competition at bigger clubs might be better, in terms of player development, club doesn't matter nearly as much as #1, the player, and his/her passion for the game, and #2, the coach. These 2 factors significantly outweigh the club's impact.
Additionally, in the early years at least, I'd rather my kids be stars/impact players on their team than just role players - the likelyhood of them being the play maker is better at smaller clubs. Nothing against big clubs - I have a kid at a big club on the top team - absolutely loves her team, loves her coach, loves her club, and we definitely support the club and see that they are doing a lot of great things, but the smaller club she started at was more essential to her overall development.
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