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Message: [QUOTE="djct1999, post: 3518638, member: 2281"] Forgive me in advance for being so scattered but I really have conflicted thoughts on all of this. I am coming from a perspective of having my oldest be u-10 in southern CT and some one who grew up playing when premier soccer started to gain momentum in the early 90s. To be perfectly blunt, there are no answers. Without question, this comes at the expense our talent pool. That said, does it really matter? I have seen first hand the deterioration of many participating DA non-mls academy soccer clubs in my area. 10 years ago these clubs were at the height of youth soccer and development. Today, they are as guilty as anyone in the pay for play model, often taking kids who have paid more in camps, private coaching, etc than are actually talented. You see the results of that clearly in the u-15 table. I would guess the gap in talent even widens as you get younger. There isn't a single kid in the tri-state area u-12 or under that would choose a local club over the two MLS academies. There is a reason for that. The academies know this as well. I am certain they view the DA as a lifeline for these other clubs to remain relevant (and profitable) and has little to do with overall development. My guess is this week marks the slow death of the pay for play model. This news, coupled with Cincinnati eliminating mens soccer, makes these clubs who charge ridiculous fees grasping for air and sustainability. Before they sold the false premise of playing against the top competition with the lure of a D-1 scholarship. Quickly, neither will exist. So now what? Who knows. The future of US youth soccer appears bleak. Sadly, this weeks news might have only brought to the forefront what was already present. A bleak future. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach