2010 Girls Discussion

[SDSoccerDad]

Visited DC area with my DD during her spring break to check out 6 different area clubs. She's a high level player and got ECNL/GA team offers/interest from all 6, but the 3 I'd to hear more perspectives about are Arlington, VA Union, and Bethesda. Here is my take, what am I missing?

Arlington - Trained with 2010 age group which was the weakest of the three but the club was far and way the most communicative which matters to me since I don't live here yet. Its closest to our would be home in DC, the new Director from Ukrainian Nationals seems legit, and the opportunity to play up with 2009's is on the table as well.

VA Union - Trained with 2009's and some 2008's from ECNL player pool, felt like a factory, pretty impersonal but those girls could definitely play, I guess the player pathway track record speaks for itself. I've heard 2010's ECNL squad will be all SYC players except for 3 from McLean, and continued to be coached by EM from SYC. Is this a good thing, continuity and all; or will it be hard for outside players to break in? They will roster 20+ players which I'm not in favor of but if your DD is good enough than it may be worth the risk? To me it seems like too much for 12 year old girls but I guess its the price of competition.

Bethesda - The coach DG is intense but my DD played her best futbol over two trainings with his 2009 ECNL and the 2010 Pre-ECNL squads. MD clubs seem to be on a completely different schedule form the VA clubs, which is confusing. Don't believe they have a had tryouts so their roster seems to be in flux and they definitely need some more players as the squad is small. The only club where there was no offer from but Trained multiple times and my DD was invited to play in a Memorial Day tournament. This was the most united squad of the three and the girls welcomed my DD, knew her name from the get go, complimented her play and as a result this is where she wants to play. I have my reservations, but would like to hear more perspectives, what am I missing?

Last option, would be playing EDP with 2010 Boys with her first coach, someone's perspective I trust above all, and he believes if my DD is good enough the ECNL clubs will still be an option 2-3 years from now when it really matters what club you are at from a college id/recruiting stand point. At this age, working on technique daily and challenging yourself with the increased speed and physicality of the boys game will be more impactful for my DD. I really don't know...?

So what is the 2010 Girls soccer landscape shaking out like as the u-12 year is wrapping up?

[soccer_dc]

This is a troll post, right? Traveling to scout clubs for a 12 year old? Just start with the one closest to where you’ll live

[SDSoccerDad]

soccer_dc wrote:This is a troll post, right? Traveling to scout clubs for a 12 year old? Just start with the one closest to where you’ll live

You haven't observed soccer outside of this cozy DMV bubble clearly, but thanks for your input on our spring break travel decisions. Any 2010 parents with insights/perspectives on how those three 2010 team's rosters are shaking out for the upcoming u-13 season as the OP asked would be appreciated.

[SuburbanDad]

All three are respected/respectable programs. I know a high level girls player who moved from VA Union (well, McLean) to Arlington because, if I recall correctly, the family felt that there was a bit too much drama and politics with the VA Union club. I didn’t pry, so can’t really give too much perspective on that front; probably turbulence from the merging of the two clubs. I know a few families on the boys side who love it. My one caveat, I’d be cautious of a 20+ kid roster. Not sure how much fun the kids riding the pine are having, and I wonder how much individualized coaching/development they’re all getting with that many kids.

One thing that may be good to do: plug in the address from your new place and Bethesda’s practice into Waze for the time that her practices would be. The beltway around rush hour here is… um, challenging. That may help you weigh the overall cost/benefit in your decision-making.

I suppose it sounds like I’m pro-Arlington, but I’ve got no dog in the hunt in this one (we’re part of a different club). Best of luck and welcome to the area.

[SoccerWatcher]

Won't matter for this year or next year but once your DD reaches HS age the ECNL games are either in the fall or spring. If you live in DC and do HS soccer your season will be the fall and a VA ECNL team will be having lots of games during that time whereas the MD ECNL teams are on a break. I know there are MD families who chose Union anyways but it makes for a very crazy fall season and a long dead spring season.

And it is true that Union does giant rosters. The current U14 team has 22 players and U16 has 29. U17-U19 has over 30 players. No other ECNL clubs operate like this. Even if you have a top player the trickle down of such a huge roster is felt by every player on the team. I don't know a single parent happy with rosters that large.

[Runnrmom]

There are lots of great options besides these 3 teams. I have found that some of the parents on some of these top teams are not very nice and the attitude of competition at all costs can make the girls not so nice either. Examples include yelling at players who are NOT THEIR GIRLS during games; allowing certain cliques to form; denigrating other players to coaches. I have seen all of this. My strong DD is happier playing up on a different club and gets far more in terms of playing time and development than on any of your named clubs, in a kinder (though still intense) environment. To each their own, of course, but thought I would throw it out there.

[SDSoccerDad]

Runnrmom wrote:There are lots of great options besides these 3 teams. I have found that some of the parents on some of these top teams are not very nice and the attitude of competition at all costs can make the girls not so nice either. Examples include yelling at players who are NOT THEIR GIRLS during games; allowing certain cliques to form; denigrating other players to coaches. I have seen all of this. My strong DD is happier playing up on a different club and gets far more in terms of playing time and development than on any of your named clubs, in a kinder (though still intense) environment. To each their own, of course, but thought I would throw it out there.

There are so many options! Its overwhelming once you decide not to just go to your closest driving distance club. Thank you for this helpful feedback and perspective my DS really likes another ECNL club in the area not mentioned that has really courted her and is saying all the right things about developing her as a player and not forcing her to fit into an open position that the team needs filled. There is a saying out in San Diego, that if you're good enough you will end up at SD Surf during the HS years either way. I'm starting to think that may end up being the case for some of these large factory type clubs that have a reputation for hoarding talent. The success is inevitable but is it the best option at this critical development stage for the player? I don't know but its an interesting discussion; I always go back to my DS to make the final decision once I've put all the options in front her. Good luck to all the players still settling on a club for the upcoming season!

[soccerx3kidsss]

Stay far away from Mclean (VA UNION now) ECNL program. So-so-sooooo disorganized. Poor management at every level. Toxic teams and club as a whole. They make promises they have no intention of keeping. The coaching staff is like a mafia. You can tell weird shady crap is happening behind the scenes. We left mid-way through the year it was so bad and it was the best decision we ever made. Our player started loving the sport again. They love to brag and take credit for players they poached from other clubs but never actually developed. They just try and manufacture teams and will cut your player as soon as something they think better comes along. They have a small handful of coaches that are coaching a million teams at once. They will do as good of a job as you'd expect them to do when working 12 jobs at once. It's just SO disorganized. It's just not the environment you need at any age. Soccer should be fun. Find a place that's fun, where they play and learn, and where your coach cares about you on a deeper level than just knowing your first name. They really love boasting about how amazing they think are though. Makes me laugh.

[SoccerDad703]

soccerx3kidsss wrote:Stay far away from Mclean (VA UNION now) ECNL program. So-so-sooooo disorganized. Poor management at every level. Toxic teams and club as a whole. They make promises they have no intention of keeping. The coaching staff is like a mafia. You can tell weird shady crap is happening behind the scenes. We left mid-way through the year it was so bad and it was the best decision we ever made. Our player started loving the sport again. They love to brag and take credit for players they poached from other clubs but never actually developed. They just try and manufacture teams and will cut your player as soon as something they think better comes along. They have a small handful of coaches that are coaching a million teams at once. They will do as good of a job as you'd expect them to do when working 12 jobs at once. It's just SO disorganized. It's just not the environment you need at any age. Soccer should be fun. Find a place that's fun, where they play and learn, and where your coach cares about you on a deeper level than just knowing your first name. They really love boasting about how amazing they think are though. Makes me laugh.

Sounds like a bitter McLean parent who thought their kid was Ronaldo and didn't make a VA Union ECNL roster for next season. Hope people can read through that.

[whothey]

SDSoccerDad wrote:Visited DC area with my DD during her spring break to check out 6 different area clubs. She's a high level player and got ECNL/GA team offers/interest from all 6, but the 3 I'd to hear more perspectives about are Arlington, VA Union, and Bethesda. Here is my take, what am I missing?

Arlington - Trained with 2010 age group which was the weakest of the three but the club was far and way the most communicative which matters to me since I don't live here yet. Its closest to our would be home in DC, the new Director from Ukrainian Nationals seems legit, and the opportunity to play up with 2009's is on the table as well.

VA Union - Trained with 2009's and some 2008's from ECNL player pool, felt like a factory, pretty impersonal but those girls could definitely play, I guess the player pathway track record speaks for itself. I've heard 2010's ECNL squad will be all SYC players except for 3 from McLean, and continued to be coached by EM from SYC. Is this a good thing, continuity and all; or will it be hard for outside players to break in? They will roster 20+ players which I'm not in favor of but if your DD is good enough than it may be worth the risk? To me it seems like too much for 12 year old girls but I guess its the price of competition.

Bethesda - The coach DG is intense but my DD played her best futbol over two trainings with his 2009 ECNL and the 2010 Pre-ECNL squads. MD clubs seem to be on a completely different schedule form the VA clubs, which is confusing. Don't believe they have a had tryouts so their roster seems to be in flux and they definitely need some more players as the squad is small. The only club where there was no offer from but Trained multiple times and my DD was invited to play in a Memorial Day tournament. This was the most united squad of the three and the girls welcomed my DD, knew her name from the get go, complimented her play and as a result this is where she wants to play. I have my reservations, but would like to hear more perspectives, what am I missing?

Last option, would be playing EDP with 2010 Boys with her first coach, someone's perspective I trust above all, and he believes if my DD is good enough the ECNL clubs will still be an option 2-3 years from now when it really matters what club you are at from a college id/recruiting stand point. At this age, working on technique daily and challenging yourself with the increased speed and physicality of the boys game will be more impactful for my DD. I really don't know...?

So what is the 2010 Girls soccer landscape shaking out like as the u-12 year is wrapping up?

The negatives of the clubs:

Arlington = kickball. They have success early on but tend to fade when kids get older and other teams learn to match the physical style.

Bethesda coach is a horrible screamer. He has some success but he can really only coach one type of player. If your kid can't handle his yelling you'll be looking elsewhere with a ruined kid.

McLean, large rosters due to location which draws form MD and VA which accommodates both HS seasons. The only people who should worry about large rosters are kids who are not starters.

Both Bethesda and McLean offer the most long term proven track record of college placement over the years and are generally both well respected clubs. Arlington is a bit new to "elite" soccer and hasn't built up their reputation with colleges yet but they are a large and generally good club beyond their kickball style.

[soccerx3kidsss]

OR someone who spent several years with the club and had enough. We lived through it. She is now committed to playing soccer in college. She's no Ronaldo but she's pretty darn good. I'm more of a Messi fan anyways. This is just a straight-up personal experience that almost wrecked another kid who loves the game.

[Godot]

Is staying in San Diego an option? Kidding not kidding. She should be fine at any of those three clubs, understanding that teammate and coaching fit may result in another move in another year or so. I’d recommend paying attention to the ECNL/HS seasons split. As someone mentioned earlier, MD HS season is in the fall, so the ECNL season is in the spring. Virginia is opposite - ECNL in the fall, HS in the spring. Private schools play school soccer in the fall regardless of location in MD or VA. Whether your daughter intends to play HS soccer, it might make sense to sync the HS season where you live with a club that accommodates that HS season.

[soccer424]

soccerx3kidsss wrote:OR someone who spent several years with the club and had enough. We lived through it. She is now committed to playing soccer in college. She's no Ronaldo but she's pretty darn good. I'm more of a Messi fan anyways. This is just a straight-up personal experience that almost wrecked another kid who loves the game.

Looking for the positive, where did your DD move and what's the insider perspective on the new club that might be helpful to other kids considering options? Were there any clubs under close consideration that might be helpful for others considering a move?

[soccermom2010]

BSC coaching slate just came out. DG isn't coaching 2010 team next year.

[soccerx3kidsss]

soccer424 wrote:

soccerx3kidsss wrote:OR someone who spent several years with the club and had enough. We lived through it. She is now committed to playing soccer in college. She's no Ronaldo but she's pretty darn good. I'm more of a Messi fan anyways. This is just a straight-up personal experience that almost wrecked another kid who loves the game.

Looking for the positive, where did your DD move and what's the insider perspective on the new club that might be helpful to other kids considering options? Were there any clubs under close consideration that might be helpful for others considering a move?

We moved to Bethesda. New Club is much more organized, and we can see they have a development plan and that they care. More than anything our DD feels good and is happy, and is motivated again. These clubs need to realize that it's about the players (ALL OF THEM no matter what level they are at).