Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss Part II

[Anonymous]

Why do you have to take your kid somewhere to play artificial pick-up? Whatever happened to all the kids in the neighborhood playing pick-up games in the street?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you have to take your kid somewhere to play artificial pick-up? Whatever happened to all the kids in the neighborhood playing pick-up games in the street?

We live in a high traffic/urban area.

The “car’s coming” we used to yell as kids would be every 3 minutes.

There is a great playground with a turf field not being used by sports teams and surrounded by apartments—high volume of kids with different nationalities.

All the kids in our own neighborhood are at a scheduled activity or playing Fortnite—so we take our kids over to the pick-up site.

[Anonymous]

A parent was telling me that she saw on facebook that FPYC was imploding. What is going on there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A parent was telling me that she saw on facebook that FPYC was imploding. What is going on there?

I heard one girls team left (2004 maybe) and another folded (2007 maybe). I don't think they even bothered holding tryouts to replace these teams. They already didn't have a 2009 or a 2005 girls team. I don't think they held tryouts for these age groups either. The club basically handed the travel program over to UK Elite and UK Elite can't get their act together with just about anything there.

[Anonymous]

Don't they have an NCSL 2005 GIRLS team?-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't they have an NCSL 2005 GIRLS team?-

Yes they do have a 2005 girls and boys teams.

[Anonymous]

FPYCparent wrote:

Given the nearby competition of other clubs (VYS, BRYC, SYC, SYA, AUFC, PAC, BAC, etc.) ... and the arms race that seems to result from all of that competition, FPYC just isn't the biggest draw for soccer ....

In the local youth soccer arms race, FPYC is unilaterally disarming. It's a shame.

[Anonymous]

FPYCparent wrote:I cannot speak for all of FPYC, where soccer is just one of 10 or so team sports offered, but **I** think only one coach is involved in this case. He was coaching two teams (I think those are the ones mentioned). I believe he has a daughter on the older team, which he **may** be moving wholesale to SYA/SYC/some other club.

From my perspective, FPYC travel soccer teams operate almost as independent units. There is little, if any, official communication to parents across the entire soccer program. I have only heard tidbits from other parents on the 2008 girls team because they also have kids playing in the affected age groups. However, I can confirm, via the 2008 girls coach, that two girls from the 2007 team will be joining the 2008 team for the "U11" season. Apparently, these two had been playing up with the 2007s. The 2008 girls currently have a roster of 16 for next year, possibly with one more player willing to join if the 16th spot opens up.

Given the nearby competition of other clubs (VYS, BRYC, SYC, SYA, AUFC, PAC, BAC, etc.) ... and the arms race that seems to result from all of that competition, FPYC just isn't the biggest draw for soccer ... at least not to the point of fielding multiple teams in a single age group. So, when one team falls apart or one coach moves, the impact seems large. For better or for worse, you come to FPYC for the specific team experience and not for the overall club experience. That team experience will be shaped by the coach, players, and their families.

...

It is interesting to see that the rec teams at the 2008/2007 levels seem to be fairly robust. It makes you wonder if the economics/financial side of travel soccer just doesn't make it feasible for some families.

It's not only girls. I am told that many of the 2009 boys did not come back because of the total mismanagement and unfulfilled promises by UK Elite this year. Also, FPYC does not have a 2007 boys team and I saw a post on another forum about the 2007 tryouts although they did not mention FPYC in that post. It was FPYC who was totally unprepared for the 2007 boys tryouts that they posted on their website. No coaches or admin showed up. Several UK Elite coaches left after the season ended, so things will not get any better any time soon. I also heard that they (UK Elite) offered the 2009s that did show up for tryouts spots on the 2008 roster and will have 16 kids on that 7v7 roster next year. Because of this, I hear several of the 2008s are leaving for other clubs. Not sure where the bottom will be with this mess.

[Anonymous]

Like FPYCParent said, it just depends on the team. the 2005 and 2007 girls team folded b/c the dad coach left and didn't tell the club in enough time to find a new coach. Other teams are doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like FPYCParent said, it just depends on the team. the 2005 and 2007 girls team folded b/c the dad coach left and didn't tell the club in enough time to find a new coach. Other teams are doing just fine.

You may be talking about 2004, but the 2005 team did not fold.

[Anonymous]

RantingSoccerDad wrote:

FPYCparent wrote:It is interesting to see that the rec teams at the 2008/2007 levels seem to be fairly robust. It makes you wonder if the economics/financial side of travel soccer just doesn't make it feasible for some families.

They have decent numbers throughout SFL.

Someone brought up finances may be an issue. I think it's just that many parents find it hard to pay for the training that the club is providing the travel teams at the younger ages at least at the boys side. For example, the 2006 SFL team beat one of the 2006 travel teams in futsal this winter pretty handedly and the parents think...why should we pay $1000+ more a year for that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like FPYCParent said, it just depends on the team. the 2005 and 2007 girls team folded b/c the dad coach left and didn't tell the club in enough time to find a new coach. Other teams are doing just fine.

You may be talking about 2004, but the 2005 team did not fold.

The 04 team isn't folding either, just moving to a different club. The 07s are splitting up and going to a few different clubs.

There was a time a few years ago when FPYC was becoming something of a force at the younger travel ages. This is when the current 03-06s were U9-U12s. The current girls 04 team (NCSL D1) was one of those teams, but most of the strength was on the boys side. The Joga coach had a lot to do with that, but there was also a lot of work being done by some volunteer parents in the pre-travel years - including advanced training sessions and tons and tons of pick-up soccer year round.

It started to fall apart when they turned everything over to UK Elite and it's tempting to blame them for the downfall, but in truth the problems go much deeper than that. The club admins still live in the dark ages and don't support travel soccer the same way competing clubs do - especially when it comes to field space which is always an issue. The end result is FPYC has quickly dropped off the map when it comes to possible destinations for serious travel players.

Too bad, because they really had a good thing going for a while there. Many of the 03-06s that came through FPYC during that brief golden era are now playing for various DAs, including a 1-2 each at VDA & Loudoun, 3-4 at BSC, 5-6 at DCU, and 7-8 at Arlington. There are even a few of 03/04s who are playing in Europe. Not a bad track record of development for a tiny little multi-sport club.

[Anonymous]

wow I didn't know that! That is pretty impressive record for sure.... I've heard that the club admins are either volunteers or city employees, no one with soccer much less travel soccer experience. But again, I think some of the younger teams that are still there are strong and may have a future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

RantingSoccerDad wrote:

FPYCparent wrote:It is interesting to see that the rec teams at the 2008/2007 levels seem to be fairly robust. It makes you wonder if the economics/financial side of travel soccer just doesn't make it feasible for some families.

They have decent numbers throughout SFL.

Someone brought up finances may be an issue. I think it's just that many parents find it hard to pay for the training that the club is providing the travel teams at the younger ages at least at the boys side. For example, the 2006 SFL team beat one of the 2006 travel teams in futsal this winter pretty handedly and the parents think...why should we pay $1000+ more a year for that?

That 2006 SFL team is a good team - could beat many travel teams. But let's be fair - that travel futsal team was a mixed team in age and ability. A few weeks later there was a different result against a different mixed team. But it would be nice to compete together and not for who is best at FPYC. Together we could compete against top teams in Herndon, Reston, and around the area. But unfortunately it is unlikely to happen. Ever thought of leaving SFL and joining NCSL?

[Anonymous]

Their U17s are good