Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to hold McLean in high regard. But after this weekend's tournament, they have definitely fallen quite a few notches in my opinion. The behavior on display from their (U9 and U10 boys) coaches and parents was appalling. We witnessed parents nearly fighting with each other on the sidelines. A parent pulling their child out of the 'good game' line at the end of a match. A coach nearly get thrown out over arguing with a ref about a throw-in! Are any of you with McLean? Is that kind of behavior normal/encouraged there? Or was this weekend just a fluke? We (like everyone) are looking around at clubs for spring tryouts and I absolutely have marked McLean off the list. Anyone else have this kind of experience?

PP my son played for McLean for a year, and I didn't encounter any behavior like you mention. Maybe it was just a really bad day or someone was really upset. I found the McLean parents to be pretty level headed and kind, well at least the ones on my son's team.

I have seen the type of behavior that you mention, from various teams, but no McLean. I would not dismiss McLean entirely because of that one incident.

[Anonymous]

Arlington Developmental Program (ADP) is great - U9 through U12. 75-minute practices with pro coaches once a week; 75-minute practices with parent volunteer coaches once a week; games only on Saturdays. A good mix of skill development, teamwork and strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to hold McLean in high regard. But after this weekend's tournament, they have definitely fallen quite a few notches in my opinion. The behavior on display from their (U9 and U10 boys) coaches and parents was appalling. We witnessed parents nearly fighting with each other on the sidelines. A parent pulling their child out of the 'good game' line at the end of a match. A coach nearly get thrown out over arguing with a ref about a throw-in! Are any of you with McLean? Is that kind of behavior normal/encouraged there? Or was this weekend just a fluke? We (like everyone) are looking around at clubs for spring tryouts and I absolutely have marked McLean off the list. Anyone else have this kind of experience?

PP my son played for McLean for a year, and I didn't encounter any behavior like you mention. Maybe it was just a really bad day or someone was really upset. I found the McLean parents to be pretty level headed and kind, well at least the ones on my son's team.

I have seen the type of behavior that you mention, from various teams, but no McLean. I would not dismiss McLean entirely because of that one incident.

Oh hey there, McLean coach. Keep reading and you will see that your club is one ongoing "incident."

[Anonymous]

As to our U9 McLean Gold coach who went ballistic over a throw in. I was pissed. We are trying to teach the kids to respect referees and understand that everyone makes mistakes and you need to bounce back from a bad call, let it go, and refocus on the next play. That a-hole wouldn't let it go. That ref should have sent him off.

For some reason, the score of the Mclean Gold v Great Falls game wasn't posted on the website. I asked the site official and they said they weren't sure what they were going to do because, in all their years of running tournaments, they NEVER saw such a verbal attack on the 14 year old referee of that game by McLean.

Keep in mind that these games were in the lowest division of the tournament. These are clubs' 3rd and 4th teams maybe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As to our U9 McLean Gold coach who went ballistic over a throw in. I was pissed. We are trying to teach the kids to respect referees and understand that everyone makes mistakes and you need to bounce back from a bad call, let it go, and refocus on the next play. That a-hole wouldn't let it go. That ref should have sent him off.

For some reason, the score of the Mclean Gold v Great Falls game wasn't posted on the website. I asked the site official and they said they weren't sure what they were going to do because, in all their years of running tournaments, they NEVER saw such a verbal attack on the 14 year old referee of that game by McLean.

Keep in mind that these games were in the lowest division of the tournament. These are clubs' 3rd and 4th teams maybe.

I am not sure why your last statement matters. These are 8 and 9-year olds. This type of behavior should not be happening. Their parents pay the same amount of $ for coaches and training. They are 8 and 9 many could be on the green team by 14. That's how it usually works.

[Anonymous]

Purely from a crazy parent standpoint, McLean parents are indeed "privileged" and expect favors due to power and money but are saints compared to FCV and PWSI in that list below. FCV parents are among the worst in Virginia instigating and engaging opposing teams' parents and players in combative conversations and are notorious for recruiting young players immediately after games right on the field without their parents present. Completely despicable behavior from the top down at FCV.

BRYC is a good club that does an above-average job at developing talent at the younger age groups. VSA is an unknown to me that seems hit or miss based on the teams they field.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster who left Mclean and went elsewhere.. where are the good clubs in NOVA? I can't seem to find any that don't have huge issues from coaches to parents to club chaos to overly political to a lack of competitive soccer. Any advise would be great. thanks.

The clubs that people (including my family and other McLean "defectors") have been happy with:


- FCV
- BRYC
- PWSI
- VSA
- Stoddert


I have known a lot of talented players who played for MHS varsity soccer (boys and girls) over the last 7 years. Not many of them played for their home club (which would be McLean MPS). That should tell you something. You just have to keep an open mind and have your player's best interest at heart. An insane coach cares about himself, not the team or the player.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know what happened to the thread from yesterday about clubs in the Vienna/Oakton area? It seems to have disappeared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As to our U9 McLean Gold coach who went ballistic over a throw in. I was pissed. We are trying to teach the kids to respect referees and understand that everyone makes mistakes and you need to bounce back from a bad call, let it go, and refocus on the next play. That a-hole wouldn't let it go. That ref should have sent him off.

For some reason, the score of the Mclean Gold v Great Falls game wasn't posted on the website. I asked the site official and they said they weren't sure what they were going to do because, in all their years of running tournaments, they NEVER saw such a verbal attack on the 14 year old referee of that game by McLean.

Keep in mind that these games were in the lowest division of the tournament. These are clubs' 3rd and 4th teams maybe.

I am not sure why your last statement matters. These are 8 and 9-year olds. This type of behavior should not be happening. Their parents pay the same amount of $ for coaches and training. They are 8 and 9 many could be on the green team by 14. That's how it usually works.

Excellent point. I would delete it if I could.

[Anonymous]

Every club has some insane parents, though. To generalize McLean has them b/c of wealth may be accurate, but no more so than generalizing PWSI for being kind of trashy. There are jerks everywhere - and there are nice people everywhere, too.

Overall, find a club where you fit but know that there are @$$hole parents and coaches in every.single.club. I've been around travel soccer for many years, in several clubs and with several children and I've seen it first hand. There is not a single club I could say that is filled with genteel individuals from top to bottom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know what happened to the thread from yesterday about clubs in the Vienna/Oakton area? It seems to have disappeared.

I was wondering that too...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purely from a crazy parent standpoint, McLean parents are indeed "privileged" and expect favors due to power and money but are saints compared to FCV and PWSI in that list below. FCV parents are among the worst in Virginia instigating and engaging opposing teams' parents and players in combative conversations and are notorious for recruiting young players immediately after games right on the field without their parents present. Completely despicable behavior from the top down at FCV.

BRYC is a good club that does an above-average job at developing talent at the younger age groups. VSA is an unknown to me that seems hit or miss based on the teams they field.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster who left Mclean and went elsewhere.. where are the good clubs in NOVA? I can't seem to find any that don't have huge issues from coaches to parents to club chaos to overly political to a lack of competitive soccer. Any advise would be great. thanks.

The clubs that people (including my family and other McLean "defectors") have been happy with:


- FCV
- BRYC
- PWSI
- VSA
- Stoddert


I have known a lot of talented players who played for MHS varsity soccer (boys and girls) over the last 7 years. Not many of them played for their home club (which would be McLean MPS). That should tell you something. You just have to keep an open mind and have your player's best interest at heart. An insane coach cares about himself, not the team or the player.


I have not seen the crazy FCV or PWSI parent behavior, but I am not saying it's not true. Just not my experience. What I do know, from seeing it with my own eyes, it that at the PWSI preseason tournament in Aug 2013, a PWSI coach went ballistic because a girl was not playing well. He PUMMELED her with a soccer ball. PWSI fired him immediately. They do not put up with that crap. Guess who welcomed him with open arms? McLean. Yep, he is coaching there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know what happened to the thread from yesterday about clubs in the Vienna/Oakton area? It seems to have disappeared.

I was wondering that too...

Start it up again. what's the question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purely from a crazy parent standpoint, McLean parents are indeed "privileged" and expect favors due to power and money but are saints compared to FCV and PWSI in that list below. FCV parents are among the worst in Virginia instigating and engaging opposing teams' parents and players in combative conversations and are notorious for recruiting young players immediately after games right on the field without their parents present. Completely despicable behavior from the top down at FCV.

BRYC is a good club that does an above-average job at developing talent at the younger age groups. VSA is an unknown to me that seems hit or miss based on the teams they field.







I have not seen the crazy FCV or PWSI parent behavior, but I am not saying it's not true. Just not my experience. What I do know, from seeing it with my own eyes, it that at the PWSI preseason tournament in Aug 2013, a PWSI coach went ballistic because a girl was not playing well. He PUMMELED her with a soccer ball. PWSI fired him immediately. They do not put up with that crap. Guess who welcomed him with open arms? McLean. Yep, he is coaching there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purely from a crazy parent standpoint, McLean parents are indeed "privileged" and expect favors due to power and money but are saints compared to FCV and PWSI in that list below. FCV parents are among the worst in Virginia instigating and engaging opposing teams' parents and players in combative conversations and are notorious for recruiting young players immediately after games right on the field without their parents present. Completely despicable behavior from the top down at FCV.

BRYC is a good club that does an above-average job at developing talent at the younger age groups. VSA is an unknown to me that seems hit or miss based on the teams they field.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster who left Mclean and went elsewhere.. where are the good clubs in NOVA? I can't seem to find any that don't have huge issues from coaches to parents to club chaos to overly political to a lack of competitive soccer. Any advise would be great. thanks.

The clubs that people (including my family and other McLean "defectors") have been happy with:


- FCV
- BRYC
- PWSI
- VSA
- Stoddert


I have known a lot of talented players who played for MHS varsity soccer (boys and girls) over the last 7 years. Not many of them played for their home club (which would be McLean MPS). That should tell you something. You just have to keep an open mind and have your player's best interest at heart. An insane coach cares about himself, not the team or the player.

Sounds like you're mad because no FCV Coach took an interest in your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As to our U9 McLean Gold coach who went ballistic over a throw in. I was pissed. We are trying to teach the kids to respect referees and understand that everyone makes mistakes and you need to bounce back from a bad call, let it go, and refocus on the next play. That a-hole wouldn't let it go. That ref should have sent him off.

For some reason, the score of the Mclean Gold v Great Falls game wasn't posted on the website. I asked the site official and they said they weren't sure what they were going to do because, in all their years of running tournaments, they NEVER saw such a verbal attack on the 14 year old referee of that game by McLean.

Keep in mind that these games were in the lowest division of the tournament. These are clubs' 3rd and 4th teams maybe.

I am not sure why your last statement matters. These are 8 and 9-year olds. This type of behavior should not be happening. Their parents pay the same amount of $ for coaches and training. They are 8 and 9 many could be on the green team by 14. That's how it usually works.

Umm, kids with that kind of coaching usually do not end up on any A team.