Realistic Chances of Moving Up Loudoun United

[Anonymous]

Hello, we recently moved to Loudoun and so decided to join Loudoun United. My son was coming from SYC where he was 3rd team and was improving a lot and had a great chance to keep moving up. After the Loudoun United tryouts we were offered a spot on a very low team. I spoke to them about it but was told they don't know my son and his skill level. I got the impression all the new kids were put on this low team. I'm not saying he is the next Messi, but my son is a star on the team and they are destroying all the competition so far. They have soundly beat a higher level team within Loudoun United multiple times. The coach has been great also so all is not lost.

I think not just my son but others on the team deserve better based on their skill. But, looking to the future, is this common with Loudoun United? Is there a future with Loudoun United or should we be looking at other clubs?

[Anonymous]

How old is your son? Big difference if you're saying this about a U8 boy vs U15 boy. What's your goal?

Of course your son will move up if it helps the club's prestige.

[Anonymous]

Loudoun United is a USL Championship club. They don’t have a youth program. They are not affiliated with Loudoun Soccer.

Loudoun Soccer makes you pay your dues to earn your way up to a higher level team.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, brain fart, Loudoun Soccer.

Yes, he is in the younger age group.

[Anonymous]

Ask to move up at Christmas. Or stay the year and try out elsewhere. If he doesn't move up 2 teams (if he's that far below), then leave.

[Anonymous]

I say this on every thread. At uLittle, stop worrying about what team your son is on, and worry about two things only:

- Is he having fun? Soccer is a game, and the most successful players will be the ones with the greatest love for the game. As a kid in Europe, I knew a lot of far better players early on, but the ones that never developed a live for the game never got as good as those of us who loved it.

- Is he improving? I see players make and stay on the top team early on by doing the same thing over and over again. Run really fast. Be a great dribbler. Knock other kids over with their aggression. Those are all great, but literally every facet of your kid’s game should improve every season at uLittle. If not, you have a problem.

If you have the above two, you’ll do well.

[Anonymous]

This is spot on. It applies to many youth sports. My son is a stronger player on a middle of the road baseball team. While we often think what it would be like for him to be on a better/more prestigious team, we realize how much fun he's having with his teammates and how each season he's improving in his key positions, working hard, and loving the game.

[Anonymous]

This is common at loudoun soccer. There are so many players to choose from the travel teams are basically set from the pre-travel academy, and tryouts are mostly a formality as the teams don’t change much unless someone leaves. Since the teams were set early they tend to be made of the biggest fastest kids at young ages. Loudoun Soccer teams tend to do better at younger ages for this reason and then at high school ages they fall back into the pack.
There is some opportunity to move up at U13 when the team rosters increase as they move to 11v11. I would at least take a look at some other clubs in the spring.

[Nova2Euro]

I understand it can be tough for the kid if either a) they feel that they are not challenged enough, or b) they're operating at a different level from perhaps less talented/committed/athletic teammates and therefore have little opportunity to employ their own talents. I had a son experience that at the U11 level. It frustrated him to the point that he dreaded matches, where the team would regularly lose 0-8.

My suggestions:

1) ask if your player can train 1-2 times/week with a higher-level team;
2) Each game, focus on one particular area/goal and make that "victory," i.e. "pass 5 times with my weaker foot," or "beat 3 players on the dribble";
3) Ask if you can join a higher-level team for a tournament;
4) Encourage him to relax and be friends with his teammates. Yeah, they might not be great at football. But at least some of them are probably awesome kids and could be good friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is common at loudoun soccer. There are so many players to choose from the travel teams are basically set from the pre-travel academy, and tryouts are mostly a formality as the teams don’t change much unless someone leaves. Since the teams were set early they tend to be made of the biggest fastest kids at young ages. Loudoun Soccer teams tend to do better at younger ages for this reason and then at high school ages they fall back into the pack.
There is some opportunity to move up at U13 when the team rosters increase as they move to 11v11. I would at least take a look at some other clubs in the spring.

This is true from our experience. One or two do move down each year leaving room for lower kids to move up. Your son could be one that has that opportunity but honestly everyone thinks they should be moved up. We were on 2nd team for years and left for a change and my son has become such a better player. Loudoun doesn’t develop kids. New to Loudoun county, check out HP elite in chantilly for supplemental training.