Development Options For U13 Kids Between Rec and Travel Level
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Anonymous
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What are some development options for U13 travel kids get cut from travel as there are less teams, but still have potential and need development? Kids that are better and more committed to the sport than rec level, but not able to secure a spot on travel when there are few roster spots available.
Private coaching seems OK, but that does not allow for playing with other kids, real game situation, etc. Rec league seems like it will not continue to develop a kid like this enough due to playing with less skilled players, etc. Where do these in between kids go for continued growth? |
Anonymous
| In Arlington, ADP. McLean just started a similar program called MDP. |
Anonymous
| Where are you located? If Montco, check out MSI Classic. |
Anonymous
| Tysons area, so MDP could work. Thank you, will check that out. Other suggestions welcome. |
Anonymous
| Actually, just checked and MDP ends at U12 |
Anonymous
DC Soccer and Alexandria Soccer each have their own mid-tier program, https://www.dcsoccerclub.org/accelerated-development-program and https://alexandria-soccer.org/programs/agp/. However, each top out at 6th grade. Similarly, I think Arlington's ADP tops out at U11. PPA seems to go through 8th grade |
Anonymous
| Why do they all stop at U12? Is that when they feel kids that can’t make travel aren’t good enough to continue to pursue seriously? If so, that seems crazy, especially when there are so many kids in this area for so few roster spots above U12. |
Anonymous
| Clubs stop any mid level programs just before 11v11. Your best bet is continue with personal training and play rec games. Perhaps try and coordinate a second rec practice so your kid has two team practices, one personal training, and a game each week. Also, doing drills at home is key. Just 10-15 minutes a day makes a huge difference. |
Anonymous
| MSI Classic continues past U12. |
Anonymous
Field Space, Available Coaches and Lack of interest in kids once they get older |
Anonymous
| Thanks everyone, good info |
Anonymous
The bottom team at McLean and Arlington is really not that different from the talent in ADP. I had kids in these programs and the majority of the ADP kids went on to join travel teams around 12/13. |
Anonymous
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Depending on where you live, I think there are some above average rec programs. My son plays on a NCSL-Rec team, and from what I've seen:
-all of the Herndon rec teams are pretty competitive, and their players have some skills, but might not have the means to play travel. -the Fredericksburg rec teams are pretty solid all around -Sterling had some good rec teams last season (I haven't seen the same quality this season) |
Anonymous
I think part of the reason many of these rec+ programs end at U12 is the jump to full field/bigger rosters makes it more difficult to sustain enough teams for an in house league (not totally sure how ADP and MDP work though, so an assumption there it’s an in house league), plus it’s a natural point of attrition as kids might focus more on other activities if soccer was secondary. I think the PPA dev program ends up combining all middle school teams rather than trying to break out by age/grade group. I suspect MSI Classic is able to sustain through all age groups because MSI isn’t trying to run all the teams — it just runs the league and provides practice permits, field space, and refs (and MSI can combine age groups for a division if there aren’t enough teams). The teams are all independently run, whether parent run or a small club with paid coaches. |
Anonymous
| look for club neutral training |