Rapids Home Grown/ Youth updates

Interesting HG rule I didn't know about

The most highly regarded player on the U.S. U-17s just might be forward and St. Louis native Josh Sargent, and though he wasn't a part of any MLS academy during his development, his homegrown player rights have already been determined by the league...

MLS teams are allowed to submit claims on players from their geographic territory even if the player wasn't part of their academy, and if there isn't enough strong interest in the player from other teams in the league, then the player's local team can be given his homegrown player rights within MLS.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110...atlanta?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

MLS at its best for transparency...at least there is a rule now.

 

And MLS is okay with indenturing High School age kids to a specific team before they are old enough to sign a contract as an adult (17 YO in the example cited).

 

I know it sounds like 17 is a young age, but just for comparison ... Terry Cooke was 13 when he signed with Man U as a pro.

 

Any update on this one? I think if RFO could get him under contract prior to Draft next week, no need wasting 15th pick on the CB we all know they're going to draft.

 

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/06/kortne-forde-ricardo-perez-sign-colorado-rapids/

Answered my own question!!
Like the signings.

 

Rankings of the MLS academies:

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/how-they-rank:-the-best-mls-academies_aid41352

 

Not surprised. I know that Atlanta went out and gobbled up the main youth program in their area as their academy. I don't know what the Rapids did in terms of trying to reach out to Real Colorado or Colorado Rush, but in retrospect, it would have been really nice had they been able to incorporate one or both of those programs under their umbrella.

 

There is no way Portland should be ranked higher then ours, they literally have done nothing Player wise.

 

Oh, the Rapids tried, but neither Rush nor Real were interested. So they work with what was an Aurora club:

http://rapidsyouthsoccer.org/

 

I thought one of them is Nation wide so not likely to ever want to partner with Rapids.

 

That's Real, though I believe it got its start here.

 

I could be wrong, but I recall the Rapids intent was to establish a club funded youth program. Can't imagine that approach sat well with either Rush or Real, which are very much "pay to play" organizations.

 

Rush started in Lakewood/Littleton but expanded into VA sometime 2002-2003ish. Since then, they have started clubs in many states, Caribbean, Africa ... Did not know that Real had gone the same way. I thought they were more absorbing clubs here in CO.

EDIT ~ My bad ... it was Storm (not Real) that absorbed Edge.

 

Oops, I confused Rush and Real. My bad.

 

I think you were correct the first time. Real absorbed Edge.

 

Oh dear ... I need coffee!!! Thanks for correcting that

 

Thanks all - it's been 14.5 years (holy crap) since I was last involved with any of that.

 

My understanding is all the MLS club youth teams are "free".

 

I will disagree with many of the statements in this article but call out two in particular:
1. "The technical skill leaves something to be desired." I don't know how many matches the author has actually seen, but at least one, highly rated D1 coach has said that the Rapids' U18 team was one of the best technical teams at the latest showcase (their win/loss record for the tournament wasn't so shabby either). If you look at the current U18 team's college commitments (that will be announced on Feb 1) combined with the current folks playing in college, you will see an abundance of very good, highly technical college soccer teams.
2. " There’s a surplus of defenders, defensive midfielders and keepers, which isn’t a bad thing necessarily. Some will make good pros. But it’s a sign the player pool isn’t filling needs for the senior team." Developing top class attacking talent is something many teams struggle with all around the globe, let alone MLS. Virtually every single MLS team chooses to fill their attacking core with foreign signings (Seattle may be the exception with one homegrown striker). No one in top 10 in scoring or top 24 in assists was a homegrown and each of the top 10 scorers is a foreign singing.

 

Though to be fair to the point few other MLS teams are as starved for attacking success as Colorado.

 

National signing day today. Quite a few of the U18 players will be signing with some high profile D1 schools.

Many of the high schools would not let the players participate in their school signing festivities because they didn't play for their HS teams, so the Rapids are having a ceremony at DSGP for the players tonight which is a nice touch.

I hope the Rapids website does a nice writeup like FC Dallas has been doing on all their players who will be playing in college as well.

 

I believe Rapids did the same signing day "press conference" and write up last year.

 

Per DP, there were only 2 Rapids players who signed today. However, the whole list of Colorado seniors who signed is massive!
Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club
Name, College, High School
Belle Helgerson, Dordt College, Rangeview High School
Jackson Meyers, Concordia University

 

What's the difference between the players listed under Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club and those under Colorado Rapids Development Academy?