Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Not directly but 2 kids who were playing in my DS team last year left for Joga. They were more aggressive than most of the other players and I think there dads were looking for a more competitive environment.
What is strange is that my DS team played against them in a tournament this Spring and defeated them soundly ( as did another team). To a large extent, it reflected the fact that many of the other players in the Joga team played up.
I was not sure what was the point. If it might be good for younger kids to play up, losing soundly many games may not enhance their love of the game. Also I was wondering whether my DS former teammates benefited from playing with these younger kids (even if I understand that they were also playing up in another older Joga team).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not directly but 2 kids who were playing in my DS team last year left for Joga. They were more aggressive than most of the other players and I think there dads were looking for a more competitive environment.
What is strange is that my DS team played against them in a tournament this Spring and defeated them soundly ( as did another team). To a large extent, it reflected the fact that many of the other players in the Joga team played up.
I was not sure what was the point. If it might be good for younger kids to play up, losing soundly many games may not enhance their love of the game. Also I was wondering whether my DS former teammates benefited from playing with these younger kids (even if I understand that they were also playing up in another older Joga team).

Thanks for the info. Looking for a place with a focus on player development, but less pricey than travel clubs.

[Anonymous]

I can honestly say I don't think any of the players in my kids' age group at our big club are good enough to play for Joga. And, no, I'm not affiliated with them in anyway.

The level of ball skill those kids have is amazing. They are so quick. I don't follow their teams, but I am familiar with many of their players through camps and the like and they have been developed incredibly well. My own child is in awe and strives to play like that. The possession style play may not translate in the younger years, but I'm sure it will later on. I do know they've beat some big clubs A teams by a large margin in the past.

Well, all big clubs claim they don't care about winning, yet here we go about winning.

I don't care if my kid lost every game if he developed individually like many of those players.

I did recently hear that a large number of them made the newly formed Develoimental Academy teams. I don't know if they will accept those spots and I'm not sure it will be the best for them, but that alone should tell you something about their ability to develop players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can honestly say I don't think any of the players in my kids' age group at our big club are good enough to play for Joga. And, no, I'm not affiliated with them in anyway.

The level of ball skill those kids have is amazing. They are so quick. I don't follow their teams, but I am familiar with many of their players through camps and the like and they have been developed incredibly well. My own child is in awe and strives to play like that. The possession style play may not translate in the younger years, but I'm sure it will later on. I do know they've beat some big clubs A teams by a large margin in the past.

Well, all big clubs claim they don't care about winning, yet here we go about winning.

I don't care if my kid lost every game if he developed individually like many of those players.

I did recently hear that a large number of them made the newly formed Develoimental Academy teams. I don't know if they will accept those spots and I'm not sure it will be the best for them, but that alone should tell you something about their ability to develop players.

It's so nice to hear from someone so clearly unaffiliated with Joga.

For the OP, there are discussions in this thread about Joga. Suffice to say it draws a certain mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can honestly say I don't think any of the players in my kids' age group at our big club are good enough to play for Joga. And, no, I'm not affiliated with them in anyway.

The level of ball skill those kids have is amazing. They are so quick. I don't follow their teams, but I am familiar with many of their players through camps and the like and they have been developed incredibly well. My own child is in awe and strives to play like that. The possession style play may not translate in the younger years, but I'm sure it will later on. I do know they've beat some big clubs A teams by a large margin in the past.

Well, all big clubs claim they don't care about winning, yet here we go about winning.

I don't care if my kid lost every game if he developed individually like many of those players.

I did recently hear that a large number of them made the newly formed Develoimental Academy teams. I don't know if they will accept those spots and I'm not sure it will be the best for them, but that alone should tell you something about their ability to develop players.

It's hard to gauge in an area as large as nova what the differences are in all the various programs and clubs ... I just want my kid to be challenged without being surrounded with overzealous parents and coaches who obsess about winning. My kid acts the same whether he wins or loses, he just loves to play and improve. Overall, I guess it's just trial and error, finding a good fit. Thanks for the information.

[Anonymous]

Joga isn't having any more teams starting next year. Just supplemental training from what I hear.

[Anonymous]

Please forgive the ignorance, but I have a question about the various leagues. What is the difference between CCL, NCSL, EDP?

Is one more competitive than the others? Will one find the level of play to be more difficult or does this depend entirely on the clubs involved?

[Anonymous]

are we doing this again?

[Anonymous]

the "difference" can be answered with the help of google and reading the league pages

the "level of competitiveness" has been debated for some part of these 145 pages, so....

the ultimate advice is don't get caught up in the league but find the right fit for your kids in terms of coach, training, team, etc

[Anonymous]

Wow. There are some rude people on this message board. If you don't want to answer the question, then don't.

To the poster asking about leagues, it is difficult to know the landscape if you're new to it. Ignore the two previous posters and their attitude. It's not as easy as looking it up on google. And don't bother going through the 145 pages here because you won't find much to help with your question either.

What I know is that the bigger clubs seem to be CCL, but also often have teams that play in ODSL which leans more toward recreational play (but of course there are exceptions but I don't know specifically).

In general, someone here will argue to say that ODSL isn't as competitive (in all cases) as NCSL or CCL, but I'd say the majority of CCL clubs will be for more serious players.

[Anonymous]

The best CCL teams are better than the best EDP teams, which are probably equal to the best VPL teams, which are slightly better than the best NCSL teams.

The worst travel teams are usually in ODSL but sometimes in NCSL.

Some ODSL teams are actually quite good -- they just happen not to be in NCSL or CCL for whatever reason.

Some CCL teams aren't that good. Several VPL teams aren't that good. NCSL Division 1 and 2 teams generally have to be pretty good to get that high. NCSL Division 9 teams are struggling and would likely lose to most ODSL Division 1 teams.

Most EDP teams are at least somewhat good, because they're not bound by club-contractual obligation to play.

Does that help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best CCL teams are better than the best EDP teams, which are probably equal to the best VPL teams, which are slightly better than the best NCSL teams.

The worst travel teams are usually in ODSL but sometimes in NCSL.

Some ODSL teams are actually quite good -- they just happen not to be in NCSL or CCL for whatever reason.

Some CCL teams aren't that good. Several VPL teams aren't that good. NCSL Division 1 and 2 teams generally have to be pretty good to get that high. NCSL Division 9 teams are struggling and would likely lose to most ODSL Division 1 teams.

Most EDP teams are at least somewhat good, because they're not bound by club-contractual obligation to play.

Does that help?

Oh my God. This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best CCL teams are better than the best EDP teams, which are probably equal to the best VPL teams, which are slightly better than the best NCSL teams.

The worst travel teams are usually in ODSL but sometimes in NCSL.

Some ODSL teams are actually quite good -- they just happen not to be in NCSL or CCL for whatever reason.

Some CCL teams aren't that good. Several VPL teams aren't that good. NCSL Division 1 and 2 teams generally have to be pretty good to get that high. NCSL Division 9 teams are struggling and would likely lose to most ODSL Division 1 teams.

Most EDP teams are at least somewhat good, because they're not bound by club-contractual obligation to play.

Does that help?

Oh my God. This.

Oh my God. I'm just too awesome to tolerate the questions of other people. Why bother replying then? Get a life and maybe you won't feel so put out by others.

And to pp, yes it is helpful, I'm sure to many.

[Anonymous]

So ODSL, NCSL, and CCL are leagues. CCL is a league created by clubs who wanted a higher level of competition than the NCSL was providing. CCL includes teams like McLean, BRYC, Loudoun, Arlington, and other clubs. Maybe Richmond and Virginia Beach but you can look that up. Each of these clubs promises to send their top two teams to this league. NCSL is another league and includes most of the other NOVA teams...Vienna, Alexandria, Herndon, Great Falls, Reston, and MD and DC teams too. These clubs send their top teams to this league. NCSL also includes like the 3&4th teams from most of the CCL clubs like Loudoun and Arlington. ODSL is a league that basically gets everyone else. The 5&6th teams from the biggest clubs, 3&4th teams from medium clubs, and 1&2nd teams from small clubs. However, it really doesn't mean that CCL teams are better than NSCL team better than ODSL teams. Many 1st teams are competitive across leagues for sure. VPL I think is a league that starts at like U12 and includes Vienna, CYA, SYA, and some other teams. Not sure about that league. EDP is a supplemental league meaning...you play your regular league schedule and you play 5 additional EDP games and these teams in this league are supposed to be very competitive...teams out of NJ, PA, MD, VA. For example, teams from Baltimore Celtic, Joga, DC United, SAC, etc etc. I think all you have to do is apply season by season for EDP and your club doesn't enter, just individual teams.

Hope that helps and I really hope I'm accurate because it does get confusing. : )

[Anonymous]

I just wonder what value the VPL offers. I don't care. I don't have a horse in this harness racing circus exhibition, or whatever it's supposed to be, but I'd heard the teams don't actually get to play many games, NoVA teams have to drive to Virginia Beach all the time (an exaggeration, I would assume), and that the whole VPL idea is just a way to entice NoVa teams to drive to Richmond and Virginia Beach "all the time" when they could just play Olney Rangers and lose that way. What's the real story??