Virginia Valor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what would people suggest besides Valor for young players that are in geographical areas where CYA and SYA play? Is it an ok place to start out for a first experience with travel soccer? We're still in rec but it's becoming clear that our son is definitely better than a lot of kids out there and he loves it. He is getting frustrated playing with kids who don't seem to care or don't have much experience (I'm guessing some sat out all of last year due to Covid whereas we let our son play last spring). I think he could benefit from some professional (meaning not parent) coaching next year. But I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a crappy product, so if there's somewhere else in western Fairfax County that is better I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Try out the Valor Rising program. The U9 and U10 Boys are really strong. I think in the past people have left because of the coaching, but I have a U10 kid and it is solid this year. I am hoping the boys can stick together in both the younger age groups and grow together. I would recommend it highly. Coach Gabe, Coach Tony and the others are fun and professional.

[Anonymous]

Try out for valor, if your kid doesn't make the top team, just do rec. There is no point paying travel fees to play on a rec level team (which is what the lower Valor teams are).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try out for valor, if your kid doesn't make the top team, just do rec. There is no point paying travel fees to play on a rec level team (which is what the lower Valor teams are).

That is a very ignorant answer. I have seen many kids from not top level teams improve and make the top team. Some of the better coaches coach 2nd and 3rd level teams. Jeff Jones is one of the best and he coaches a 2nd and 3rd team. Both are doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try out for valor, if your kid doesn't make the top team, just do rec. There is no point paying travel fees to play on a rec level team (which is what the lower Valor teams are).

That is a very ignorant answer. I have seen many kids from not top level teams improve and make the top team. Some of the better coaches coach 2nd and 3rd level teams. Jeff Jones is one of the best and he coaches a 2nd and 3rd team. Both are doing well.

Np- Don't take it personal..this is said about a lot of travel clubs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know there used to be a thread with the SYA/CYA merger but it is locked now.

How are things at Valor? We were SYA and moved out of the area, but are moving back soon. We had multiple boys playing and the experience was okay. How is it now? Are the teams competitive?

When we left there was a lot of talk about the new CCL, ECNL, ECNL-RL etc. How is the new CCL?

The last thread spoke a lot about the 07 and 09 Boys. Both seem to have strong first and second teams. How are they doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there used to be a thread with the SYA/CYA merger but it is locked now.

How are things at Valor? We were SYA and moved out of the area, but are moving back soon. We had multiple boys playing and the experience was okay. How is it now? Are the teams competitive?

When we left there was a lot of talk about the new CCL, ECNL, ECNL-RL etc. How is the new CCL?

The last thread spoke a lot about the 07 and 09 Boys. Both seem to have strong first and second teams. How are they doing?

07s top two teams are solid. Majority are made up of SYA players. Both have had some injuries but are near top there CCL divisions. . 09s as well are good. That one was more of a 50/50 of CYA and SYA. The B team and A team are essentially equal.

[Anonymous]

Is CCL really better than top NCSL divisions?

[Anonymous]

CCL1 probably is a little better.

There are 10 teams in NCSL Division 1.

CCL1 top third teams are better than teams in NCSL D1.
CCL1 middle third are about equal with the top teams in D1
CCL1 bottom third are equivalent with bottom level D1 NCSL teams

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CCL1 probably is a little better.

There are 10 teams in NCSL Division 1.

CCL1 top third teams are better than teams in NCSL D1.
CCL1 middle third are about equal with the top teams in D1
CCL1 bottom third are equivalent with bottom level D1 NCSL teams

What about CCL2?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there used to be a thread with the SYA/CYA merger but it is locked now.

How are things at Valor? We were SYA and moved out of the area, but are moving back soon. We had multiple boys playing and the experience was okay. How is it now? Are the teams competitive?

When we left there was a lot of talk about the new CCL, ECNL, ECNL-RL etc. How is the new CCL?

The last thread spoke a lot about the 07 and 09 Boys. Both seem to have strong first and second teams. How are they doing?

07s top two teams are solid. Majority are made up of SYA players. Both have had some injuries but are near top there CCL divisions. . 09s as well are good. That one was more of a 50/50 of CYA and SYA. The B team and A team are essentially equal.

Buddy, stop trying to justify to yourself that your 2nd team is as good as the first team. That just isn’t true. You may have 1 or 2 players that can compete with first teamers, but kids are placed on teams with similar skills. Coaches miss a player or two, but not entire teams. Take your kid and do an honest comparison to the player that plays that same position. Coaches are looking for best 11, not top 11. We are at a neighboring club we get the same comments as to the 2nd being as good as 1st and 3rd being as good as 4th. You are playing in lower tournament brackets and lower level leagues. Also, the OP asked about a club, not your sons’ team. Unless they are in the same age group it doesn’t matter. Is your assessment the same across the club?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there used to be a thread with the SYA/CYA merger but it is locked now.

How are things at Valor? We were SYA and moved out of the area, but are moving back soon. We had multiple boys playing and the experience was okay. How is it now? Are the teams competitive?

When we left there was a lot of talk about the new CCL, ECNL, ECNL-RL etc. How is the new CCL?

The last thread spoke a lot about the 07 and 09 Boys. Both seem to have strong first and second teams. How are they doing?

07s top two teams are solid. Majority are made up of SYA players. Both have had some injuries but are near top there CCL divisions. . 09s as well are good. That one was more of a 50/50 of CYA and SYA. The B team and A team are essentially equal.

Buddy, stop trying to justify to yourself that your 2nd team is as good as the first team. That just isn’t true. You may have 1 or 2 players that can compete with first teamers, but kids are placed on teams with similar skills. Coaches miss a player or two, but not entire teams. Take your kid and do an honest comparison to the player that plays that same position. Coaches are looking for best 11, not top 11. We are at a neighboring club we get the same comments as to the 2nd being as good as 1st and 3rd being as good as 4th. You are playing in lower tournament brackets and lower level leagues. Also, the OP asked about a club, not your sons’ team. Unless they are in the same age group it doesn’t matter. Is your assessment the same across the club?

As long as you kid ZOOMBA butt at McLean tournament next month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there used to be a thread with the SYA/CYA merger but it is locked now.

How are things at Valor? We were SYA and moved out of the area, but are moving back soon. We had multiple boys playing and the experience was okay. How is it now? Are the teams competitive?

When we left there was a lot of talk about the new CCL, ECNL, ECNL-RL etc. How is the new CCL?

The last thread spoke a lot about the 07 and 09 Boys. Both seem to have strong first and second teams. How are they doing?

07s top two teams are solid. Majority are made up of SYA players. Both have had some injuries but are near top there CCL divisions. . 09s as well are good. That one was more of a 50/50 of CYA and SYA. The B team and A team are essentially equal.

Buddy, stop trying to justify to yourself that your 2nd team is as good as the first team. That just isn’t true. You may have 1 or 2 players that can compete with first teamers, but kids are placed on teams with similar skills. Coaches miss a player or two, but not entire teams. Take your kid and do an honest comparison to the player that plays that same position. Coaches are looking for best 11, not top 11. We are at a neighboring club we get the same comments as to the 2nd being as good as 1st and 3rd being as good as 4th. You are playing in lower tournament brackets and lower level leagues. Also, the OP asked about a club, not your sons’ team. Unless they are in the same age group it doesn’t matter. Is your assessment the same across the club?

As long as you kid ZOOMBA butt at McLean tournament next month.

That should be Zumba, the forbidden exercise. McLean tournament is a mid level tournament, move on and Zumba!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there used to be a thread with the SYA/CYA merger but it is locked now.

How are things at Valor? We were SYA and moved out of the area, but are moving back soon. We had multiple boys playing and the experience was okay. How is it now? Are the teams competitive?

When we left there was a lot of talk about the new CCL, ECNL, ECNL-RL etc. How is the new CCL?

The last thread spoke a lot about the 07 and 09 Boys. Both seem to have strong first and second teams. How are they doing?

07s top two teams are solid. Majority are made up of SYA players. Both have had some injuries but are near top there CCL divisions. . 09s as well are good. That one was more of a 50/50 of CYA and SYA. The B team and A team are essentially equal.

Buddy, stop trying to justify to yourself that your 2nd team is as good as the first team. That just isn’t true. You may have 1 or 2 players that can compete with first teamers, but kids are placed on teams with similar skills. Coaches miss a player or two, but not entire teams. Take your kid and do an honest comparison to the player that plays that same position. Coaches are looking for best 11, not top 11. We are at a neighboring club we get the same comments as to the 2nd being as good as 1st and 3rd being as good as 4th. You are playing in lower tournament brackets and lower level leagues. Also, the OP asked about a club, not your sons’ team. Unless they are in the same age group it doesn’t matter. Is your assessment the same across the club?

As long as you kid ZOOMBA butt at McLean tournament next month.

That should be Zumba, the forbidden exercise. McLean tournament is a mid level tournament, move on and Zumba!

What does the McLean tournament have anything to do? Good the age groups are doing well. Looking at CCL2, there are some really bad teams. Valor will get tested by Bethesda and Barca Academy

[Anonymous]

We played one of the Valor teams last weekend, what a bunch of prickly parents. Must be a Fairfax thing, kids were ok…but the parents are embarrassing. They need to be educated about the rules of the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CCL1 probably is a little better.

There are 10 teams in NCSL Division 1.

CCL1 top third teams are better than teams in NCSL D1.
CCL1 middle third are about equal with the top teams in D1
CCL1 bottom third are equivalent with bottom level D1 NCSL teams

Not true. Especially after so many teams left. More like:

A few CCL1 teams are better than teams in NCSL D1.
Top NCSL1 teams are the same as CCL1 middle, all competitive.
Bottom NCSL D1 will get relegated to D2 next season. Bottom CCL1 are very weak and only there because it's a club-wide commitment.

I have three boys in travel soccer and CCL is by far the most uneven and inconsistent league.