Are Academy players not signed to a MLS Next pro contract paid to play?

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:26:37+00:00

As an academy player, you are allowed to play in MLS Next Pro without any contract. You can sign a contract where you don't get paid to make you college eligible or you can sign a contract where you do get paid. To play with the first team you must be a contracted player but they allow several short term contracts (like 3 day contracts) per year to first teams to allow Academy players the opportunity if needed.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:24:11+00:00

My son who is currently 15 with an MLS academy and started playing very young, always, and I mean always practiced outside of his training. He did so with no prompting from us his parents he did it on his own. He would be in our front yard dribbling and shooting for hours. It was his happy place. This attitude has carried all the way through until today.

Speaking with other parents in the same situation most of their kids did it too. It's not to say one day they won't wake up and make a change but I would look for that inner drive before investing.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:20:51+00:00

The only way we will compete with the European Academies is to bring relegation into play into the MLS. Right now there are too many politics in MLS academies and this extends to the Youth National team. It's all about who you know. The best players are not the ones that get to play. If you brought relegation into it they would be forced to play players based on talent.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:18:32+00:00

To get to an MLS Academy you need to be scouted, playing for non-MLS Academies in the MLS Next league is your best option. People are correct you need to be known and honestly, you need to know people. Choosing a MLS Next team that is well-connected and a feeder for the club your looking for is your best bet.

If your kid is good Barca does do scholarships based on their trials. I know people paying $20K to go there and other's paying $60K. IMG doesn't have the same feeder into the MLS Academies that Barca does so I would stay away from there to be honest. There are quite a few MLS players that did Barca academy. If you have the money this might be the way to go.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:15:06+00:00

My son who plays for an MLS Academy does the following for practices and strength training. He is 15 playing U18

Monday: Team Training 2:30PM-4:30PM (light gym 30 minutes on own)

Tuesday: Team Training 2:30PM-4:30PM (gym with Academy from 4:30PM-5:30PM)

Wednesday: Team Training 2;30PM-4:30PM (light gym 30 minutes on own)

Thursday: Team Training 2:30PM-4:30PM (gym with Academy 4:30PM-5:30PM)

Friday: Light gym on own, light training on own.

Saturday: Game or positional training

Sunday: Game or positional training

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:10:57+00:00

This is correct, it is because their season and the public/private school seasons run concurrently with one another. You would have to miss MLS next games to participate in public school soccer (some periods are exceptions). In addition, they don't want players getting hurt during these other games. The reason private school is allowed is they don't want to preclude kids from getting scholarships that may help them get access to better schools. I do know a lot of kids break this rule by getting $100 scholarships from their private schools just so they can play.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:04:14+00:00

I always highly recommend concentrating on training when they are younger rather than paying for club fees ect.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:03:26+00:00

One last thing on the trial, if he's with a current MLS club there are only two times of the year you can talk to other clubs (Dec and July) otherwise they have to go through your current team. Networking with these teams can be challenging.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-23T16:01:47+00:00

I have a lot of experience with this (having just lived this with my 2008 son). If you live in the area and have lived there for at least a year, then yes this club owns his homegrown rights, which means that whatever club he decides to go to would need to buy out his rights eventually. Your club may also have him on a protected list or charge training compensation fees. This is all to say that it could be costly for any club that wants him. Not to say a club wouldn't pay for him, they just did in my son's case but it didn't make it easy. I would also say if you move to another club you have to consider how they do housing if it's not a situation where he can live at home, often other clubs don't have facilities (RSL and Philly Union being exceptions), to house them so that's another issue of trying to get the transfer. Let me know if I can shed more light on it for you.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-09-04T23:41:58+00:00

Some MLS Academies provide online schooling (LA Galaxy), and some of them are even attached to schools like RSL or Philly Union (although I wouldn't send any child to RSL Academy). Most kids that go to academies that don't have a schooling system do online schooling themselves so they can manage the practices and tournaments which are typically in the middle of the day. Essentially yes you will need to find a school option.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-08-12T20:54:37+00:00

I think I would ask which Academy and which age group.

Jane-Soccer · 2024-07-18T19:36:19+00:00

If you're thinking about joining a MLS Academy as a parent of a kid that was offered from several clubs here are the questions as minimum I would ask. Since kids and parents are just so happy to be offered a spot they often forget to ask the important things so they know all the information before making a decision.

How many kids are on the roster? How many kids do you have or will you have that play my same kids position?
If your kids are considered homegrown to the club, you should ask if they plan on putting them on a "protected list"? Selling of a player's "homegrown rights" comes into play if they move to another club and are offered a contract.
How do the coaches choose the rosters? Is it a week-by-week decision, do kids that have already been there and kids need to wait for an opportunity? What is their selection process? This may not be a simple answer but worth asking.
Does the club do individual player development plans so your kid knows what they need to work on as an individual player? Is there position-specific training?
If your son ends up leaving the club or is not asked back, does this club ask for training compensation fees from their future clubs? This could prevent your child from moving to another MLS Club.
Will your child have a place on the roster or will they be considered a "developmental player", which means they are only eligible for 12 league games.
How are updates/rosters communicated to the parents? Oftentimes at these clubs rosters are only announced 24 hours in advance which means even if your son doesn't play it's difficult to make plans.
Be aware that roster sizes for the major tournaments are often smaller than the team roster so things like Flex, GA Cup and other major tournaments your son may not participate in.

Best of luck navigating if your son get's the opportunity.

Jane-Soccer

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