Quote Originally Posted by sapdad View Post
All fair points.My post was only about TDs and coaches having the better opinion and using the largest sample size available.Its clear those opinions are very different in even such a small space as NNSW.TSP is just another program to try and develop the kids in the same way that JDL is a way to develop them as opposed to traditional community football.None of these pathways is the correct one,especially at this age as these kids coming through will be the first graduates of the new system.Hopefully NNSW continually tweaks the program every year in order to make it even better.Kids will drop out, kids will come from outside the program and all of it is fine.Wherever kids end up,either Jets/NPL or All Age with their mates, I just want them to give it their best and not think that if they havent been selected at 12 for some extra training thats its all over.
Times are so different now with opportunity and I feel for the kids (in the sense that there seems a lot of pressure to make these teams or their football dreams are over).
Newcastle United Youth teams folded the year I trialled as a bit of fun, got told I wasn’t in the picture for the squad atm, but there was a chance if there were cancellations. They folded, that squad basically went into Macquarie and NPS SYL which had replaced the older club based SYL. Played inter district juniors in like G-B grade until 15s when ID senior coach invited me to play and train. Which I thought was the top tier at the time. He then told me about NBN trials and off I went into the NBN/NPL system at 16 with no previous “elite” training. Imo, held my own and maybe lacked the skill of some but made up for it with effort, communication and willingness to learn.

I guess now, kids are so lucky that parents like you, know about and are aware and able to access these elite programs. My parents has NFI. My cousin married an ex breakers who played first grade at Edgy, and my parents thought it was their All age A grade....
kids can develop and make it at any age. Preserve fence and effort go just as far as natural talent imo.