Bethesda Offers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BSC is still looking for girls to play 2007 ECNL (2). The original Facebook message said ECNL 2, but it was corrected to just read ECNL. So, I wonder if they're really looking for only ECNL2, but want to draw a larger crowd?

Speaking of disdain for the 3rd Team ... No one "good enough" to move up?

So...I assume that if 2007 DD hasn’t heard back from BSC by now, she’s NOT making one of the ECNL teams.

BSC moved to a new system this year and the software is not all sorted out. Call or email one of the directors to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of kids are leaving Bethesda this spring/summer for other clubs due to dissatisfaction with subpar coaching and the power of pushy parents to get undeserved advantages for their kids, including playing time and team placements. Top teams in many age groups, including DA, are slipping in quality. Bethesda’s reputation is way out of step with its actual quality. The administration of the club is a mess and the club badly needs its own practice and game facilities. Muldoons, in particular, is a disgrace. Send your kid to this club at your peril!

Got some evidence for Bethesda DA "slipping"? In all three Boys DA age groups for which standings are kept, Bethesda's teams have finished the year in the top 4 in the highly competitive Atlantic division. U16/17 and U18/19 teams have qualified for the playoffs. U15s have not in spite of having an even better record than the older teams because DA this year decided to have only the top team in each division qualify for the playoffs (plus one wildcard for all divisions combined). For every age group, the Bethesda DA team has finished ahead of every other local DA team in the area, with the exceptions of Baltimore Armour (finshed ahead of Bethesda in U18/19) and DC United (U16/17). You can guess how much of a "slippage" that has been from previous years (not). There are not many non-MLS DAs in the country who have all their three higher age groups finishing in the top 4 of their DA divisions in a single year. In this region, PDA might be the only other one.
http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/league/standings.php?leagueId=MTA3Ng%3D%3D

And the U14s have sent 3 players to the national team camp.

Bethesda is a developing club more than a recruiting club. Should be proud of that.

I think I just threw up in my mouth.

Bethesda attracts some of the top talent but they aren't bringing kids up and making them better, rather taking good kids and letting them play with other good kids. Many of the DAs have more external imports than they do internal promotions every year.

All top clubs attract top talent, you’re saying that none of the kids on Bethesda DA developed out of lower teams?

At one of the tryouts one of the bros who runs the club told parents that the green team was for kids who played soccer as a second sport, took it less seriously and who would miss games for other events like family parties. This does not sound like a club that values the kids it supposedly wants to develop.

How old is your son? I have kids ranging from college to middle school and have been involved in 3 travel and many recreational sports over the years. The reality is, at a big club like bethesda, the lowest team is frequently for kids who want to do multiple sports (or would like to go to a birthday party rather than their soccer game once in a while). It is also holding ground for players who are passionate about soccer, but don't have the athletic chops for higher teams. The benefit of taking these spots is having access to a large, professional coaching staff, multiple camps, and other specialized training opportunities that a small club can't offer. It may be worth it for your kid, it may not be. I think it is okay for a club to be up front to parents about their expectations for "development" of players on their lowest teams. You know and can assess year-to-year, what will be best for your child.

I guess I could just sum it up to say that your kid is probably not as athletically talented as you think. Consider whether focusing just on soccer, rather than other sports, academic activities, arts, family/friend time, etc., makes the most sense for your family.

[Anonymous]

PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

Well, sure.
Generally speaking you'd expect to be able to join a higher team on a smaller club if you're leaving a big club.
And I think it's great that the coach was being honest with you...that if you're on green or lower, you should probably leave the club if you still want to take it seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of kids are leaving Bethesda this spring/summer for other clubs due to dissatisfaction with subpar coaching and the power of pushy parents to get undeserved advantages for their kids, including playing time and team placements. Top teams in many age groups, including DA, are slipping in quality. Bethesda’s reputation is way out of step with its actual quality. The administration of the club is a mess and the club badly needs its own practice and game facilities. Muldoons, in particular, is a disgrace. Send your kid to this club at your peril!

Got some evidence for Bethesda DA "slipping"? In all three Boys DA age groups for which standings are kept, Bethesda's teams have finished the year in the top 4 in the highly competitive Atlantic division. U16/17 and U18/19 teams have qualified for the playoffs. U15s have not in spite of having an even better record than the older teams because DA this year decided to have only the top team in each division qualify for the playoffs (plus one wildcard for all divisions combined). For every age group, the Bethesda DA team has finished ahead of every other local DA team in the area, with the exceptions of Baltimore Armour (finshed ahead of Bethesda in U18/19) and DC United (U16/17). You can guess how much of a "slippage" that has been from previous years (not). There are not many non-MLS DAs in the country who have all their three higher age groups finishing in the top 4 of their DA divisions in a single year. In this region, PDA might be the only other one.
http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/league/standings.php?leagueId=MTA3Ng%3D%3D

And the U14s have sent 3 players to the national team camp.

Bethesda is a developing club more than a recruiting club. Should be proud of that.

I think I just threw up in my mouth.

Bethesda attracts some of the top talent but they aren't bringing kids up and making them better, rather taking good kids and letting them play with other good kids. Many of the DAs have more external imports than they do internal promotions every year.

All top clubs attract top talent, you’re saying that none of the kids on Bethesda DA developed out of lower teams?

At one of the tryouts one of the bros who runs the club told parents that the green team was for kids who played soccer as a second sport, took it less seriously and who would miss games for other events like family parties. This does not sound like a club that values the kids it supposedly wants to develop.

How old is your son? I have kids ranging from college to middle school and have been involved in 3 travel and many recreational sports over the years. The reality is, at a big club like bethesda, the lowest team is frequently for kids who want to do multiple sports (or would like to go to a birthday party rather than their soccer game once in a while). It is also holding ground for players who are passionate about soccer, but don't have the athletic chops for higher teams. The benefit of taking these spots is having access to a large, professional coaching staff, multiple camps, and other specialized training opportunities that a small club can't offer. It may be worth it for your kid, it may not be. I think it is okay for a club to be up front to parents about their expectations for "development" of players on their lowest teams. You know and can assess year-to-year, what will be best for your child.

I guess I could just sum it up to say that your kid is probably not as athletically talented as you think. Consider whether focusing just on soccer, rather than other sports, academic activities, arts, family/friend time, etc., makes the most sense for your family.

Anyone care to comment on the girls U13 green/lowest/state cup team? Acknowledging all of the above, does this team provide a better platform than other local teams' lower teams (think Potomac or Stoddert). I get that it's the lowest team at BSC girls U13, but is it/could it be better than other clubs' lowest team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BSC is still looking for girls to play 2007 ECNL (2). The original Facebook message said ECNL 2, but it was corrected to just read ECNL. So, I wonder if they're really looking for only ECNL2, but want to draw a larger crowd?

Speaking of disdain for the 3rd Team ... No one "good enough" to move up?

So...I assume that if 2007 DD hasn’t heard back from BSC by now, she’s NOT making one of the ECNL teams.

BSC moved to a new system this year and the software is not all sorted out. Call or email one of the directors to ask.

If they do not get anyone else to show up, she will be on the team. Just go in with your eye open because they will replace her at the first opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

Well, sure.
Generally speaking you'd expect to be able to join a higher team on a smaller club if you're leaving a big club.
And I think it's great that the coach was being honest with you...that if you're on green or lower, you should probably leave the club if you still want to take it seriously.

We were never part of BSC so thus couldn’t “leave.” Actually my son was leaving a smaller club. And offers were from comparably large clubs. Don’t assume

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

I can easily imagine a variety of BSC administrators making a clumsy or irritating speech, but are you sure they said that green is a place for the non-serious kids in a condescending way vs. saying that green and below are good options for kids who don't want to play soccer as their only or primary sport? Because that's actually true, and is useful information to have going in to the program. My kids have been on A and B teams at Bethesda, and have seen a number of very promising kids dropped to lower level teams because they missed a lot of practices and games for other sports. It actually can be a good choice for someone who wants to focus on multiple sports for a few years before they decide which one to choose as their primary.

[Anonymous]

I’ll also add this - my son plays with some very talented kids who left BSC green precisely because they were treated as somehow less than higher team players. They have gone on to play state cups. So again, it’s narrow-minded to assume those kids are less committed or less talented. DEVELOP all the players to the best of their ability. Don’t IGNORE them based on assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

I can easily imagine a variety of BSC administrators making a clumsy or irritating speech, but are you sure they said that green is a place for the non-serious kids in a condescending way vs. saying that green and below are good options for kids who don't want to play soccer as their only or primary sport? Because that's actually true, and is useful information to have going in to the program. My kids have been on A and B teams at Bethesda, and have seen a number of very promising kids dropped to lower level teams because they missed a lot of practices and games for other sports. It actually can be a good choice for someone who wants to focus on multiple sports for a few years before they decide which one to choose as their primary.

NP here - oh it was condescending. I was there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

Well, sure.
Generally speaking you'd expect to be able to join a higher team on a smaller club if you're leaving a big club.
And I think it's great that the coach was being honest with you...that if you're on green or lower, you should probably leave the club if you still want to take it seriously.

We were never part of BSC so thus couldn’t “leave.” Actually my son was leaving a smaller club. And offers were from comparably large clubs. Don’t assume

What do you consider a comparably large club?
I'd say Arlington is the only comparably large club in the area, and I can't see someone trying out for both, for geographic reasons.
I imagine your feelings got hurt, and you're trying to rationalize it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll also add this - my son plays with some very talented kids who left BSC green precisely because they were treated as somehow less than higher team players. They have gone on to play state cups. So again, it’s narrow-minded to assume those kids are less committed or less talented. DEVELOP all the players to the best of their ability. Don’t IGNORE them based on assumptions.

It's narrow minded to assume that kids on a lower team tend to be less talented?
Uh...ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here - That’s funny, because my kid got higher level offers from 3 other clubs. So I guess he does have some athletic talent. That’s really not why I posted though. I think it’s incredibly rude and myopic to assume that young kids are not committed or are washed up simply because they play on a green team at BSC.

Well, sure.
Generally speaking you'd expect to be able to join a higher team on a smaller club if you're leaving a big club.
And I think it's great that the coach was being honest with you...that if you're on green or lower, you should probably leave the club if you still want to take it seriously.

We were never part of BSC so thus couldn’t “leave.” Actually my son was leaving a smaller club. And offers were from comparably large clubs. Don’t assume

What do you consider a comparably large club?
I'd say Arlington is the only comparably large club in the area, and I can't see someone trying out for both, for geographic reasons.
I imagine your feelings got hurt, and you're trying to rationalize it now.

Hey, no hurt feelings here. Just offering opinions. DS’ former greenies just won the state cup so guess their talent was overlooked. DS is playing for DA elsewhere because it’s what he wants. Hope all of our kids are happy with their clubs and teams since it’s about them not us.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to say that former green players won the state cup only though 6 or 7 gifted academy players(even guest players maybe) but not by themselves. They are mostly likely only got to play 7-10 min per game if they are lucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry to say that former green players won the state cup only though 6 or 7 gifted academy players(even guest players maybe) but not by themselves. They are mostly likely only got to play 7-10 min per game if they are lucky.

Wrong!