Bethesda Soccer Club v Potomac Soccer Ass

[fkhmckensie]

My rising U12 daughter has an offer from BSC for its U12 White EDP (4th team out of 4 teams) and an offer from PSA for its Premier II U12 NCSL (2nd team out of 2 teams). Of the two, which does she have a better chance of getting good development from so that she is competitive for a U13 ECNL team the following year?

[BunchlineDC]

Take the Potomac offer, but neither one is going to get her to an ECNL team any time soon. BSC is a stronger club, but being on the 4th team will not be fun and she'll get ignored. Also BSC is not known to move kids up easily - they'd prefer to take new kids from outside the club. Go with Potomac and hopefully, she'll make the top team in a year. She can play EDP there and have a great time.

[PitchPrfect]

With all due respect, what makes you think she is good enough for ECNL if she was offered Bethesda White this year? Not being rude, but that would be a huge jump.

Both clubs had a lot of turnover this year. BSC is great for first or second team, but by fourth team the competition and coaching are both going to suffer. PSA is hit or miss. 2012 PII is getting a new coach from outside the club, so you should do your homework there. They turned a lot of girls away this year instead of forming a third team, so the second team should be decent

[dmv_directkicks]

Agree with the above responses. ECNL play is a HUGE step from where your daughter may play this year and will not occur in a year. Bethesda's girls' program had major turnover last year and (from what I hear) even more attrition this year (except for the '06 girls). My daughter joined another ENCL club because she needed a more positive environment and structure. Some of their ENCL and RL teams are losing 8-10 players because the culture has become unhealthy. Watch one of their ENCL games (coached by their ECNL director) and you will understand. If a team rebuilds every year, how can they be competitive? Bethesda doesn't seem to care as their model is built around bringing in outside players to "develop" teams; advancement within the club rarely happens and their funnel of new players is full.

I wish your daughter the best, but she will need practice, plenty of outside training, and perhaps a growth spurt to compete at higher levels.

I would go with the PSA offer.

[CampChairCoffee]

OP, I’m not familiar with those clubs, so can’t help with your original question. But just so you know what you’re getting into with the whole ECNL thing (because I did not), my 2011 tried out this year and there were apparently 120 girls there. For a single team.

It’s nuts.

[jenR4567]

BSC will be a better option when they move to 11v11. If she plays on Potomac SA, she has the risk of making no team when her team moves to 11v11 next year.

She may not be playing ECNL now, but if she works hard this whole year he chances to make an ECNL team next year are decent. With Potomac she could be left without a team at all for u13

[BunchlineDC]

My experience suggests that this is not the case, particularly at BSC, unless you are prepared to do a lot of outside training. And if you do wind up on ECNL2, you will still be on a second team- and it feels like it. That said, BSC will give her a good soccer foundation for sure.

[Mocomom23]

I’d encourage you to gain a deeper understanding of your daughter's aspirations for her soccer journey in the coming year and beyond. Does she genuinely want to participate in ECNL, and if so, what are her reasons? Is her goal to prepare for the high school team or simply to enjoy the sport with friends, or perhaps a combination of these factors?

BSC is very competitive and the ECNL coaches get great results. However, there are times it feels too competitive and unhealthy. Eg when players from upper teams belittle fellow BSC on lower teams. In hindsight, I wish we had looked for a more humble and happy club, not just the BSC badge.