u/AddressPrize859

I understand when people join an MLS academy, a college team, or semi-pro. I can even get it for making an ECNL or MLS Next HG team, for older kids.... But these "COMMITTED" posts for 9-12 year olds... It's excessive, folks. This isn't helping anyone enjoy soccer more or play it better. What are we doing here.

ETA: I'm not talking about JUST "announcing" it. I'm talking about a specific genre of the dramatic-looking graphics made up as promotional items, as if kids are signing onto pro teams or college, posted on socials. They are basically advertisements for the kid and the club.

I need to book a room for someone else. I have just used the app to reserve the room, and added the person's name as an additional guest. My Hilton amex is in the reservation as payment. (It is a flexible rate so the payment won't go through until the stay.)

Will the person have a problem checking in without me being there? It's at a Spark.

I have a lot of Free Spirit points and even already months ago was trying to understand if I could redeem them for anything other than flights. Because nervous. I had seen the message on the website about being able to redeem with partners, but there was no other info, so I asked customer service and they said the only other redemption option is for credit at restaurant.com which is a service where you buy certificates for discounts at restaurants.

In my area, the restaurants all appear to be small local businesses, and mostly "ethnic" (Mexican, Indian, African, Caribbean) which is kind of awesome! Is it a great value in the scheme of things? No, I don't think so. Is it SOME value? I think so???

I have yet to redeem a restaurant.com certificate to see if it works (and if you search online you'll find mixed reviews of the service), but should you want to liquidate some points in this way, it is still currently an option. NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD DO THIS so please you make your own risk assessments...

You can find it in "Offers" - from your Dashboard scroll across the options in view where you see "Dashboard", "Activity," "Status" then "Offers." Then down to "Partner offers." Then restaurant.com - redeem for points, then you get an email from SPIRIT giving you a code to redeem at restaurant.com, and you cash that in for credits to buy certificates. Fin.

Godspeed fellow travelers.

There is probably not real data on this, so anecdotal/observational evidence is fine. Sorry for the long post but I want to explain clearly. Also, I know the different academies work somewhat differently; I am describing how the program works in my market. We are in the orbit but not the inner circle of MLS Academy-level kids/families, so I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on general operations, but of course there is a LOT I'm not privy to in how it all works. Edited to clarify: I am asking about TRUE MLS Academies and their pre-U14-U15 programs!

So, I am really curious about the numbers as to which clubs or playing environments the kids selected at the younger ages for the MLS Academy "pre-academy" or "pre-formation" come from. This is ages 9-13, roughly. Part of the promise of the academies is to eliminate barriers imposed by the "pay to play" system; if they identify you, the training is free. At the "pre-" academy ages this isn't a full club program, it's a supplemental training program. But the idea is if you could get into pre-academy you're then in the pipeline for consideration up the ladder to the full academy. (Realistically they cut kids every year, so your spot on the pathway is never guaranteed. But getting in to pre-academy, or even getting a trial, is still seen as a huge deal here and as some kind of indication of future opportunities.)

A lot of the rhetoric in the youth soccer space is that serious kids should get into the "big club" pipeline as soon as possible to have a chance at later success. While some people think this is necessary only because of the exposure it offers, others believe it's truly necessary for strong development as well ("iron sharpens iron" or a belief that the best coaches are there). At the same time, people are often saying "you have time," "it doesn't matter until U13 as long as you have great coaching," "that's just marketing," etc. And there also seems to be a belief that "the academies will find the best kids wherever they are playing," whether that is a big-name club, a local club, a community league, or even rec. For a host of reasons, it seems highly unlikely to me that by the age of 9-10-11-12, all the most talented kids are already only playing at "elite" clubs. It just stands to reason that truly there is still real talent at those ages that isn't in the big clubs yet--and who potentially never would be, due to financial or other reasons.

AND YET, in our local MLS Academy, it seems like all of the kids identified for pre-academy already play for the "big" clubs, even at age 9-10. Basically there are 3 local clubs I see them playing at, and a handful from elsewhere in the state. I am wondering if my perception is just skewed though, because the kids we know who've been selected all happen to play for those clubs, and maybe there are other kids who are coming from other settings. There are no open tryouts, so all the scouting is by invitation. (Our academy does have a pay-for training program you can try out for, which can get you seen--but it is very expensive, so I assume you'd only try out if you could afford it, and it is definitely not considered a direct pathway to the academy.)

So, I just wonder if there are numbers on this, or if anyone has observations to add who is more in-the-know than me. Are there kids getting selected for these early-age academy programs who are playing in local clubs, rec league, Hispanic league, town travel...etc.? It seems, again, like one of the great promises of these programs that they could make opportunities available to kids who can't afford or whose families can't commit to the higher-level cost- and travel-heavy clubs....are they actually doing that? Am I crazy for expecting them to, or delusional to think there is probably great talent in those spots at those ages?

ETA: I am not looking for advice. I am interested in data!

ETA: I know it's hard to believe but I am seriously not looking for advice or a suggested "pathway" for my own kid. I would have just asked that if I were. If anyone actually cares, this post was somewhat prompted by a conversation on the page of the ihatesoccer podcast where people were talking about whether great players "slipping through the cracks" is or is not a thing in US soccer.