US S****r Moving from High School

Although I'm not familiar with this Socker Academy (thankfully) I have wondered if baseball might someday end up like hockey, where the best young players get relocated to an area or climate with this type of an academy for year-round development?

Yeah, like the eastern bloc countries we always complained about during the olympics. Who knew they were right the whole time?

the powers to be have already declared basebll a non olympic sport

This isn't just a club team. Therefore it's a bad example for the point you're trying to make. This is an organization that develops players for Team USA. It's not uncommon for kids playing other sports to miss part or all of their season due to playing for US developmental teams.

One of my daughter's friends is on the US Olympic Field Hockey team. She missed many high school field hockey and s0ccer games traveling the world with the 18U field hockey team. She would have made the Olympic team four years ago. She passed on being the youngest on the team and little playing time for one normal year of high school. She knew she would make the 2012 team.

I read the FAQs on the Development site. It's an association made up of club teams. Where Bulldog's article originates (STL) they have four development teams. Clubs have to 'apply' to USS*** for membership and meet the criteria. There are presently 78 clubs, with at least two teams and roster least 36 players- that's 2800 players minimum. It's way different than a US jr National team, or junior olympic team. If these *&* kids were that good, they'd already be on those teams.

RJM, did you read the article? US S****r Academy has something like 70+ clubs around the country that participate. 70x11=WAY TOO MANY.

I went to the website. My son was asked to play for a pre Olympic development s0ccer program when he was twelve. He was also asked to play for a premier program in the local area. Both involved a lot of money and the requirement of quitting all other sports. At that time he would have been allowed to play for his middle school and high school in the fall. My son was more into baseball and basketball even though s0ccer was his best sport. In middle school he played football at school. Summers were dedicated to baseball.

One of his teammates, whose father played World Cup s0ccer got his kid into the program. After traveling up and down the east coast three out out four weekends all year the kid nearly quit s0ccer despite being a stud. After that year the kid wanted to play rec basketball instead of winter indoor s0ccer. The dad did push him hard enough he refused to play major D1 s0ccer even though he was offered a substantial ride.

There are two circumstances regarding the situation in your post:

1) There are elite s0ccer coaches who believe there are too many high school coaches screwing up their players. One thing diffeent between s0ccer and baseball is a small number of high school coaches over age 40 played s0ccer at a high level (high school/college). My son was fortunate to have a former English player for a coach. Plus the coach knew little about goalie other than basic drills. My sons goalie skills were developed from private goalie instruction.

2) There are too many parents getting sucked into believing their kid is potentially "the one" and getting taken for a lot of money.