BLC or M&D DC? And will M&D DC ever rival the OG M&D?

[Anonymous]

We live in NWDC and are looking to get started in club. Is there a big difference between BLC and M&D DC -- other than location?

And the OG M&D appears to be dominating the NGLL this year. Do the best M&D resources / recruiting efforts focus on their most elite team, to the detriment of M&D DC? I know M&D DC is very new.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

What year are you looking for?

[Anonymous]

Which team?

[Anonymous]

On the first question on the comparison between BLC vs M&D DC, there are two big differences:

(1) BLC's team are much better in the 5-8th grade levels than M&D DC. BLC's average current ranking across these grades is #10, while M&D DC's is #84 (with the 2032s at #151 pulling the average down). Their highest ranked team (2029s) is #26. M&D DC is newer, but if you want your DD in the more competitive program in elementary and middle school, BLC is it.

(2) BLC does not have a high school team. Girls will need to try out for a club with a high school team, most often Capital, and less often one of the MD clubs, to continue. If you want to continue with one club into high school, between the two you have offered, only M&D DC provides that.

On your second question, there is a massive gap between the flagship franchise, M&D Black, and their satellites. This is true across the big clubs that have established new teams in different geographies (Yellow Jackets, MDU, HHH, etc). They will absolutely focus the most on their top team from recruiting on down. They can get a few players from satellites access to top showcases, even if their team ranking wouldn't warrant it, which is a plus, but its just not the same to play for M&D DC, or Orlando, or Shore, as it is to play for M&D--the top club in the country.

[Anonymous]

OP here - looking for 2035 (and 3037 eventually).

Interested in whether people expect the difference in point (1) above to flatten out for the younger grades/as time progresses since M&D DC is so new. Or is M&D DC just a continuation of Next Level and its youth doesn't mean much/people expect it to remain second fiddle to BLC.

[Anonymous]

BLC is superior to M&D DC.

M&D DC is just Next Level, which got bought by 3Step and rebranded.

[Anonymous]

There typically is little involvement between branches of a club, they are just letting other people use their name. M&D Maryland isn't prioritizing the main club, they just have little to do with its management, and let local leadership be responsible for local recruiting. The exception is M&D Orlando, which was overseen by Chris Robinson, not sure if that is still the case.

[Anonymous]

The funny thing is the name M&D originally meant Maryland and D.C., before I guess the initials lost all meaning.

So now they have a team called Maryland & D.C. D.C.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The funny thing is the name M&D originally meant Maryland and D.C., before I guess the initials lost all meaning.

So now they have a team called Maryland & D.C. D.C.

Funny. Maybe it should have been M&D Blue.

[Anonymous]

I think M&D dc would be better than the lower BLC team (which I think is orange), if BLC has 2 for that year?
Since the recent deal w/ capital and BLC, the older girls are all clamoring the be on BLC.

[Anonymous]

I think everything that was said here already is valid, but just wanted to add that rather than focusing so much on the club right now, I think I’d be more interested in who the coach is and how they plan to develop players. Even the best clubs can employ mediocre coaches. Your daughter is really young, so I think helping her develop as a player is most important over worrying about the reputation of the club. This is probably going to require more work on your part, but I think it will benefit her in the long run. There is always time later on to switch clubs as she gets older and more competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think everything that was said here already is valid, but just wanted to add that rather than focusing so much on the club right now, I think I’d be more interested in who the coach is and how they plan to develop players. Even the best clubs can employ mediocre coaches. Your daughter is really young, so I think helping her develop as a player is most important over worrying about the reputation of the club. This is probably going to require more work on your part, but I think it will benefit her in the long run. There is always time later on to switch clubs as she gets older and more competitive.

+1 - "club rankings" mean very little to 9 year olds (they mean very little in general, actually). But especially with a new player that is starting out in 3rd grade, find a coach and teammates that your kid gels with. It will be no good for you if she's one the #1 team in the country if she doesn't play, her coach is terrible, she has no friends on the team, you hate it because practice is an hour away, etc.

[Anonymous]

Stay away from BLC. Terrible experience. Know of both boys & girls who left.

[Anonymous]

wasn't there another forum saying that MDDC 2035 had 4 coaches and there was also a combined team of MDDC 2035/36 which they had bad experience with?

BLC parents can be unbearable at some point, I don't know why. Maybe its the just the competitiveness of being in Bethesda, and the buy in of the cult.

In terms of kids on the teams, I think most kids at this age usually get along. You might find some cliques due to school/location, this happens on all teams. Some teams have girls on the team who will bridge those gaps and be inclusive, but some teams do not.

[Anonymous]

BLC is by far the better program. Especially true now with their partnership with Capital for high school.