Honestly just curious: Why does Herndon Soccer have a few teams in EDP

[Anonymous]

and almost all their other teams are NCSL or ECNL-R?

My impression was EDP was basically NCSL level but with more Maryland teams. ???

https://www.herndonyouthsoccer.org/travel/teams

[Anonymous]

EDP is, by and large, higher quality play than NCSL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:EDP is, by and large, higher quality play than NCSL

100% correct.

[Anonymous]

The bigger question is why are they having winter id sessions for most of their girls teams.

[Anonymous]

I guess the question for me is, is it an entirely different team the. Their ECNLR team? Lots of clubs play both, but usually with the same team.

[Anonymous]

I’m not familiar with Herndon but EDP is higher level than NCSL. My son has played both so we have experience to compare. I would say NCSL at the top could have a few decent teams but they aren’t going to have any real competition in league games. In terms of EDP vs RL, DS plays EDP1 (USYS NL) which I also see referred to as Premier 1. He considered moving to an ECNL club but decided it would not be worth it for an RL team because the level wouldn’t be higher. His team beats RL teams more than 50% of the time when they face them and the remaining games are often a draw. I hate that there are so many leagues. There should just be one league and you move up or down divisions based on performance.

[Anonymous]

If clubs around here participate in ECNL-RL, most if not all don't participate in EDP. EDP is where clubs that have MLS Next or GA put 2nd teams.

[Anonymous]

The three HYS teams that are playing in EDP are likely playing there because they are not good enough to play in ECNL-R but too snooty to play in NCSL which they see as beneath them.

None of the girls teams should be playing ECNL-R. The two remaining girls' teams that are playing Pre-ECNL are getting their butts kicked and they should be playing in NCSL.

Herndon is clinging to the idea that they are still an elite club when all they do is beg mediocre rec players to join their travel teams so that they can take their money and send any halfway decent players (boys only) over to VDA.

[Anonymous]

That's my guess as well. Some teams probably didn't want to play NCSL so they decided to play EDP. Some teams play both NCSL and EDP to get more games. And EDP has different levels. Lower levels of EDP are terrible (Rec +) and EDP D1 should be better NCSL D1...probably have a few NCSL D1 teams playing EDP D1 or D2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The three HYS teams that are playing in EDP are likely playing there because they are not good enough to play in ECNL-R but too snooty to play in NCSL which they see as beneath them.

None of the girls teams should be playing ECNL-R. The two remaining girls' teams that are playing Pre-ECNL are getting their butts kicked and they should be playing in NCSL.

Herndon is clinging to the idea that they are still an elite club when all they do is beg mediocre rec players to join their travel teams so that they can take their money and send any halfway decent players (boys only) over to VDA.

It really is a shame on the girls side. I don't know if it's the pool of players or leadership decisions why the boys side is far superior. I would love to have that 5 min commute back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The three HYS teams that are playing in EDP are likely playing there because they are not good enough to play in ECNL-R but too snooty to play in NCSL which they see as beneath them.

None of the girls teams should be playing ECNL-R. The two remaining girls' teams that are playing Pre-ECNL are getting their butts kicked and they should be playing in NCSL.

Herndon is clinging to the idea that they are still an elite club when all they do is beg mediocre rec players to join their travel teams so that they can take their money and send any halfway decent players (boys only) over to VDA.

It really is a shame on the girls side. I don't know if it's the pool of players or leadership decisions why the boys side is far superior. I would love to have that 5 min commute back.

So is Herndon ok for boys? Are they known for developing players? Do teams tend to improve over the years or is it more luck of the draw with certain age groups having more talent than others and not much upward movement in rankings etc as they get older?

[Anonymous]

Its way better than Valor! I only have the two to compare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The three HYS teams that are playing in EDP are likely playing there because they are not good enough to play in ECNL-R but too snooty to play in NCSL which they see as beneath them.

None of the girls teams should be playing ECNL-R. The two remaining girls' teams that are playing Pre-ECNL are getting their butts kicked and they should be playing in NCSL.

Herndon is clinging to the idea that they are still an elite club when all they do is beg mediocre rec players to join their travel teams so that they can take their money and send any halfway decent players (boys only) over to VDA.

They can only put one team in ECNL-R, so
the EDP team is likely their second team, the NCSL team is their third team etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The three HYS teams that are playing in EDP are likely playing there because they are not good enough to play in ECNL-R but too snooty to play in NCSL which they see as beneath them.

None of the girls teams should be playing ECNL-R. The two remaining girls' teams that are playing Pre-ECNL are getting their butts kicked and they should be playing in NCSL.

Herndon is clinging to the idea that they are still an elite club when all they do is beg mediocre rec players to join their travel teams so that they can take their money and send any halfway decent players (boys only) over to VDA.

It really is a shame on the girls side. I don't know if it's the pool of players or leadership decisions why the boys side is far superior. I would love to have that 5 min commute back.

So is Herndon ok for boys? Are they known for developing players? Do teams tend to improve over the years or is it more luck of the draw with certain age groups having more talent than others and not much upward movement in rankings etc as they get older?

They certainly have more players/teams on the boys side. At my daughters elementary school if boys play travel it's at Herndon. (Demographics play a role here soccer does happen at recess and she claims she is the only girl that plays) Herndon highschool boys do pretty good with a coach from HYS. I can't speak for the quality of Coaching it's just the understanding that it's a small club with perhaps a smaller pool on the girls side vs boys.
Perhaps it was timing but the fact that my dd's age doesn't have a travel team and their social media appears to be trying to recruit the rec all stars to start a team. If they could provide development instead of Arlington guest players to win the lowest bracket of a tournament maybe they would still have some girls teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The three HYS teams that are playing in EDP are likely playing there because they are not good enough to play in ECNL-R but too snooty to play in NCSL which they see as beneath them.

None of the girls teams should be playing ECNL-R. The two remaining girls' teams that are playing Pre-ECNL are getting their butts kicked and they should be playing in NCSL.

Herndon is clinging to the idea that they are still an elite club when all they do is beg mediocre rec players to join their travel teams so that they can take their money and send any halfway decent players (boys only) over to VDA.

It really is a shame on the girls side. I don't know if it's the pool of players or leadership decisions why the boys side is far superior. I would love to have that 5 min commute back.

So is Herndon ok for boys? Are they known for developing players? Do teams tend to improve over the years or is it more luck of the draw with certain age groups having more talent than others and not much upward movement in rankings etc as they get older?

They certainly have more players/teams on the boys side. At my daughters elementary school if boys play travel it's at Herndon. (Demographics play a role here soccer does happen at recess and she claims she is the only girl that plays) Herndon highschool boys do pretty good with a coach from HYS. I can't speak for the quality of Coaching it's just the understanding that it's a small club with perhaps a smaller pool on the girls side vs boys.
Perhaps it was timing but the fact that my dd's age doesn't have a travel team and their social media appears to be trying to recruit the rec all stars to start a team. If they could provide development instead of Arlington guest players to win the lowest bracket of a tournament maybe they would still have some girls teams.

Nope. that's not it at all. Herndon's TD and former administrator prioritized the boys side for years and did not give any attention or resources to the girls side. They contracted out coaches for the girls teams and then when they hired a new executive director, he tried to bring all coaches in house and the contracted girls coaches all left and took their teams with them and formed DMV. Then HYS hired a new girls travel director who lasted about a year and a half before she left after having conflict with the TD. The executive director lasted about a year after having conflict with the TD and then they hired another new girls travel director who they fired after one year after having conflict with the TD.

In addition, a large number of ethical and financial issues have been raised in the past year by a former boys' coach and a number of parents that involved the TD, staff and several members of the board of directors.

HYS USED to be a huge club with 3 teams at each level - boys and girls. Now they are much smaller and can't keep coaches or players because the TD seems to have conflict with everyone who doesn't kiss his butt and most people have left for other, better clubs. It's a shame because there is a huge soccer culture in Herndon - it's just that most of the players either can't afford travel, or can afford travel but choose to play for a team further away. Bottom line - the TD has basically ruined that club.

And the current HHS soccer coach does not have any ties to HYS. The HYS TD coached the high school team for only one year and that was 2 years ago.