Why not Alexandria MLS Next?

[Anonymous]

If anyone on here was considering ASA MLS Next for this season or next, got an offer, and chose to go with an ECNL squad or other option, would you mind sharing your reasoning?

My son plays for ASA and I like the organization. It has a lot going for it, but there are definitely things I'd like to see added to the program. With the platform, resources, and regional talent pool at its disposal, it has a chance to build something really special, but it isn't there right now.

What things would you like to see changed to make it more attractive to top players and more successful on the pitch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If anyone on here was considering ASA MLS Next for this season or next, got an offer, and chose to go with an ECNL squad or other option, would you mind sharing your reasoning?

My son plays for ASA and I like the organization. It has a lot going for it, but there are definitely things I'd like to see added to the program. With the platform, resources, and regional talent pool at its disposal, it has a chance to build something really special, but it isn't there right now.

What things would you like to see changed to make it more attractive to top players and more successful on the pitch?

And not to be too limiting, I'd also love to hear from parents of top players who have knowledge of the program but didn't think it was a good fit. Not just folks who got to the offer stage.

[Anonymous]

Car pooling or bussing options to attract talent from other parts of NoVa, similar to what DC United Academy does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If anyone on here was considering ASA MLS Next for this season or next, got an offer, and chose to go with an ECNL squad or other option, would you mind sharing your reasoning?

My son plays for ASA and I like the organization. It has a lot going for it, but there are definitely things I'd like to see added to the program. With the platform, resources, and regional talent pool at its disposal, it has a chance to build something really special, but it isn't there right now.

What things would you like to see changed to make it more attractive to top players and more successful on the pitch?

If you are currently there, what things do you want to see added?

[Anonymous]

Adding competent coaches at high levels would help. The 2010 boys have been assigned what can only be explained as jokes the last two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adding competent coaches at high levels would help. The 2010 boys have been assigned what can only be explained as jokes the last two years.

That squad has taken but seems to have been forgotten about by ASA which is shameful. Hanna was supposed to coach them and ditched them for the 2011s. FYI I believe 2010s will have the same coach again next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adding competent coaches at high levels would help. The 2010 boys have been assigned what can only be explained as jokes the last two years.

That squad has taken but seems to have been forgotten about by ASA which is shameful. Hanna was supposed to coach them and ditched them for the 2011s. FYI I believe 2010s will have the same coach again next year.

Talent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adding competent coaches at high levels would help. The 2010 boys have been assigned what can only be explained as jokes the last two years.

That squad has taken but seems to have been forgotten about by ASA which is shameful. Hanna was supposed to coach them and ditched them for the 2011s. FYI I believe 2010s will have the same coach again next year.

Yes, same coach for next season.

[Anonymous]

OP here - this sure sounds like current ASA parents. . Do outside parents have the same opinion of coaching? And was wondering about more than one age group, but I hear you.

I'm happy to say what I think could be improved but I didn't want to start the conversation there. I didn't want it to be responses to my opinions.

[Anonymous]

DS decided against ASA bc we didn’t think the training and practices did much for individual development. Practice time was not maximized and there wasn’t enough touches. DS was and still does technical training outside club training (I think most MLSNext/ECNL kids do this) but I still think clubs shd teach proper technique and give kids the opportunity to execute them in practices and games.

DS didn’t have the best technical skills at that time and we were looking for a club where more kids had better skills than him. That was not the case at ASA.

Finally, Im skeptical of the ASA curriculum that coaches are expected to implement. I think the way some coaches implement it can be rigid and not allow kids to trust their instincts or be creative.

[Anonymous]

I know the current u12 Pre-mls next coach there is well liked and that team is strong, with several of the kids playing up for the u13s. I believe most, if not all, of the kids hope to stick around for MLS Next next year.

[Anonymous]

I know the current u12 Pre-mls next coach there is well liked and that team is strong, with several of the kids playing up for the u13s. I believe most, if not all, of the kids hope to stick around for MLS Next next year.

[Anonymous]

I am curious to know if anyone is currently with ASA MLSN and decided to leave for ECNL.

[Anonymous]

Current ASA parent and considering leaving for ECNL bc my child really wants to be able to continue playing other sports. So not really an ASA issue, but a MLSN one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know the current u12 Pre-mls next coach there is well liked and that team is strong, with several of the kids playing up for the u13s. I believe most, if not all, of the kids hope to stick around for MLS Next next year.

U12 would seem to be the most relevant data point for someone considering MLS Next, since MLS Next starts at U13; so the 2012 team is relevant.

It looks like Alexandria's 2012 "pre-MLS Next" team is strong -- they are certainly competitive with Bethesda and SYC as the other local "pre" MSL Next teams.

So much depends on the specific coaches and the mix of players -- whether they are good kids, whether they have a good relationship with one another, etc. And of course, the quality of the parents plays a role in all of that.