Bethesda Soccer On Way Down

[Anonymous]

SM works great with U littles at PSA, and they respond well to him. It’s a great time to build the technical foundation at that age. It’s interesting that certain parents didn’t align and even more interesting that BSc leadership listened to them given how they typically don’t care much what parents say. Feels like there might have been some long-time disconnect happening for a while and this was the inflection point for moving in different directions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh wow good to know. I did notice Next Star moved its training to Bethesda facilities! Maybe SM was under pressure to do the same? I hope this was SM's decision. He's just a good coach. He should be with the U11s and higher, not the Ulittles. U littles need a different touch. That's a good spot for CM! AAAhhhhhh I would love to see PD sidelined to the U littles with his imperious tones, cold demeanor and douchey personality. Instead he's taking a top spot and i don't think he's showing much for it. When my U little comes up I think I would consider Armour or another club over this one if it was under him and I wanted to stay on the MLS next pathway.

The TM boys have been working hard to get high-level kids into their Friday training and other BSC programs and I don’t think BSC likes that many kids opt for SM or Next Star Friday training outside of the facility.

I wonder it is as simple as PG agreed to bring the Next Star Friday training to the facility and SM declined to bring his.

The TM boys are connected with management but the kids aren’t better with them over SM and others so the new leadership better be careful on these decisions. We are on the doorstep of MLS Next and these new options do not look promising to stay. We are not drinking the club > coach philosophy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh wow good to know. I did notice Next Star moved its training to Bethesda facilities! Maybe SM was under pressure to do the same? I hope this was SM's decision. He's just a good coach. He should be with the U11s and higher, not the Ulittles. U littles need a different touch. That's a good spot for CM! AAAhhhhhh I would love to see PD sidelined to the U littles with his imperious tones, cold demeanor and douchey personality. Instead he's taking a top spot and i don't think he's showing much for it. When my U little comes up I think I would consider Armour or another club over this one if it was under him and I wanted to stay on the MLS next pathway.

The TM boys have been working hard to get high-level kids into their Friday training and other BSC programs and I don’t think BSC likes that many kids opt for SM or Next Star Friday training outside of the facility.

I wonder it is as simple as PG agreed to bring the Next Star Friday training to the facility and SM declined to bring his.

The TM boys are connected with management but the kids aren’t better with them over SM and others so the new leadership better be careful on these decisions. We are on the doorstep of MLS Next and these new options do not look promising to stay. We are not drinking the club > coach philosophy.

That is what I heard. SM fought against the establishment and was removed.

[Anonymous]

TM (the younger bro) worked a lot with SM and learned his ways. Not surprising they would corner the market and create a cash generator for themselves with the support of leadership and new facility. SM is the man and most parents know it.

[Anonymous]

No defender of BSC or the families in the business, money is always a factor. But, at the end of the day, the SM practices were repetitive, monotonous and very boring for 7 and 8 year olds. That’s a big part of it. He seemed to have lost some motivation.

[Anonymous]

It only looks that way to the MoCo know it all parents who only ever played fantasy sports. Repetition is the foundation of technique for any sport. Consider your child fortunate if SM was dedicating practice time to help your kid with technique

[Anonymous]

Oh wow yes now that you say it I can see it. Maybe he was done with them too. I still think it is their loss! The TMs are no replacement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It only looks that way to the MoCo know it all parents who only ever played fantasy sports. Repetition is the foundation of technique for any sport. Consider your child fortunate if SM was dedicating practice time to help your kid with technique

No doubt that there are some young kids who will do will well with repetitive technical work, but that’s not the majority. I understand soccer, played in college, never had a good coach who had the exact same practices every day with only technical ball work. All these kids want to have fun and we want them to fall in love with the game. These are not little professionals, and most will not even play in college. If it’s not fun, you lose them, they’re kids. There are easy ways to make practices fun and technical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It only looks that way to the MoCo know it all parents who only ever played fantasy sports. Repetition is the foundation of technique for any sport. Consider your child fortunate if SM was dedicating practice time to help your kid with technique

No doubt that there are some young kids who will do will well with repetitive technical work, but that’s not the majority. I understand soccer, played in college, never had a good coach who had the exact same practices every day with only technical ball work. All these kids want to have fun and we want them to fall in love with the game. These are not little professionals, and most will not even play in college. If it’s not fun, you lose them, they’re kids. There are easy ways to make practices fun and technical. Let the record state

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It only looks that way to the MoCo know it all parents who only ever played fantasy sports. Repetition is the foundation of technique for any sport. Consider your child fortunate if SM was dedicating practice time to help your kid with technique

No doubt that there are some young kids who will do will well with repetitive technical work, but that’s not the majority. I understand soccer, played in college, never had a good coach who had the exact same practices every day with only technical ball work. All these kids want to have fun and we want them to fall in love with the game. These are not little professionals, and most will not even play in college. If it’s not fun, you lose them, they’re kids. There are easy ways to make practices fun and technical. Let the record state

Agreed. We had a coach who would stop every time a kid made a mistake and then spend 10 minutes telling the kids how to do it better. The range of talent varied a lot on this team, so there were those who always made mistakes (less technically proficient and others who put in the work). This would go on and on every practice. The coach was a very high level player back in the day and would get very frustrated when the kids (9/10 couldn’t execute). The kids quickly got bored and my child lost engagement. My kid started to practice elsewhere and when I asked if they liked it more, they emphatically said yes because they got to play more. The positive environment, skill of the team was secondary. Kids want to play.

[Anonymous]

BSC has a decision to make on what type a club they want to be. I hope management is listening to the right voices. I know they lost 3-4 of DCU Academy potential candidates by simply demoting SM last year from the 2013-2014's. BSC was once the home for the technical player vs SYC which was home to "just win, baby" cohort. Now, it seems like it has taken on a Cyndi Lauper "just want to have fun" vibe. It will be interesting to see where the club is in 5 years as parents of top talent do not seem very happy with the clubs direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BSC has a decision to make on what type a club they want to be. I hope management is listening to the right voices. I know they lost 3-4 of DCU Academy potential candidates by simply demoting SM last year from the 2013-2014's. BSC was once the home for the technical player vs SYC which was home to "just win, baby" cohort. Now, it seems like it has taken on a Cyndi Lauper "just want to have fun" vibe. It will be interesting to see where the club is in 5 years as parents of top talent do not seem very happy with the clubs direction.

In whose opinion were these 9 and 10 year olds “3-4 DCU Academy potential candidates”? He was moved off of working with this year’s 2015 team whose kids are currently 10. This feels like a huge stretch. (And I think SM is a great coach but that statement is nonsense.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BSC has a decision to make on what type a club they want to be. I hope management is listening to the right voices. I know they lost 3-4 of DCU Academy potential candidates by simply demoting SM last year from the 2013-2014's. BSC was once the home for the technical player vs SYC which was home to "just win, baby" cohort. Now, it seems like it has taken on a Cyndi Lauper "just want to have fun" vibe. It will be interesting to see where the club is in 5 years as parents of top talent do not seem very happy with the clubs direction.

In whose opinion were these 9 and 10 year olds “3-4 DCU Academy potential candidates”? He was moved off of working with this year’s 2015 team whose kids are currently 10. This feels like a huge stretch. (And I think SM is a great coach but that statement is nonsense.)

First, 2013 and 2014's are currently 11 and 12.

Second, okay, let's say 1-2 are DCU Academy potential candidates who left. I would also rephrase that to say MLS academy candidates. DCU is not a good barometer of talent evaluation. I guess we will see in 2-3 years. Keep the receipts.

Third, the 2015's are talented and win but they play like SYC under TM. If I wanted to win, I would go to SYC. I wanted technical development and IQ.

Finally, let's compare the resume of SM and TM for the 2015's:

SM: https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/simone-mariotti/

TM: https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/tyler-martin/

That seems comparable. This is the season for shenanigans in our government so why not bring it into soccer development.

Tell me BSC is promoting coaches who are generating revenue outside of team fees. Tell me SM is arrogant (he is at times) and BSC admin wants compliant coaches. Tell me BSC prefers forcing all coaches and partners to fall in line with the facility or they lose access to their database and referral base (confirmed by a 3rd party servicer). Just don't try to tell me BSC is about development anymore putting a kid with a D license who maxed out at D3 through BSC's system in charge over an established coach known for producing many of the most talented kids in the area.

[Anonymous]

Yes, 2013s and 2024s are now 11 & 12. But he coached those 2014s last year already. And the 2013s the year before that. Are you saying he was supposed to stay with the 2014s another year? That was not my understanding.

So the group for 25-26 he was moved off of is currently 10 year olds. You’re saying he coached a bunch of 2014 MLS academy candidates who moved clubs because they moved SM down even though he wasn’t going to be their coach this year anyway? I don’t understand your point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BSC has a decision to make on what type a club they want to be. I hope management is listening to the right voices. I know they lost 3-4 of DCU Academy potential candidates by simply demoting SM last year from the 2013-2014's. BSC was once the home for the technical player vs SYC which was home to "just win, baby" cohort. Now, it seems like it has taken on a Cyndi Lauper "just want to have fun" vibe. It will be interesting to see where the club is in 5 years as parents of top talent do not seem very happy with the clubs direction.

In whose opinion were these 9 and 10 year olds “3-4 DCU Academy potential candidates”? He was moved off of working with this year’s 2015 team whose kids are currently 10. This feels like a huge stretch. (And I think SM is a great coach but that statement is nonsense.)

First, 2013 and 2014's are currently 11 and 12.

Second, okay, let's say 1-2 are DCU Academy potential candidates who left. I would also rephrase that to say MLS academy candidates. DCU is not a good barometer of talent evaluation. I guess we will see in 2-3 years. Keep the receipts.

Third, the 2015's are talented and win but they play like SYC under TM. If I wanted to win, I would go to SYC. I wanted technical development and IQ.

Finally, let's compare the resume of SM and TM for the 2015's:

SM: https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/simone-mariotti/

TM: https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/tyler-martin/

That seems comparable. This is the season for shenanigans in our government so why not bring it into soccer development.

Tell me BSC is promoting coaches who are generating revenue outside of team fees. Tell me SM is arrogant (he is at times) and BSC admin wants compliant coaches. Tell me BSC prefers forcing all coaches and partners to fall in line with the facility or they lose access to their database and referral base (confirmed by a 3rd party servicer). Just don't try to tell me BSC is about development anymore putting a kid with a D license who maxed out at D3 through BSC's system in charge over an established coach known for producing many of the most talented kids in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 2013s and 2024s are now 11 & 12. But he coached those 2014s last year already. And the 2013s the year before that. Are you saying he was supposed to stay with the 2014s another year? That was not my understanding.

So the group for 25-26 he was moved off of is currently 10 year olds. You’re saying he coached a bunch of 2014 MLS academy candidates who moved clubs because they moved SM down even though he wasn’t going to be their coach this year anyway? I don’t understand your point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BSC has a decision to make on what type a club they want to be. I hope management is listening to the right voices. I know they lost 3-4 of DCU Academy potential candidates by simply demoting SM last year from the 2013-2014's. BSC was once the home for the technical player vs SYC which was home to "just win, baby" cohort. Now, it seems like it has taken on a Cyndi Lauper "just want to have fun" vibe. It will be interesting to see where the club is in 5 years as parents of top talent do not seem very happy with the clubs direction.

In whose opinion were these 9 and 10 year olds “3-4 DCU Academy potential candidates”? He was moved off of working with this year’s 2015 team whose kids are currently 10. This feels like a huge stretch. (And I think SM is a great coach but that statement is nonsense.)

First, 2013 and 2014's are currently 11 and 12.

Second, okay, let's say 1-2 are DCU Academy potential candidates who left. I would also rephrase that to say MLS academy candidates. DCU is not a good barometer of talent evaluation. I guess we will see in 2-3 years. Keep the receipts.

Third, the 2015's are talented and win but they play like SYC under TM. If I wanted to win, I would go to SYC. I wanted technical development and IQ.

Finally, let's compare the resume of SM and TM for the 2015's:

SM: https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/simone-mariotti/

TM: https://www.bethesdasoccer.org/tyler-martin/

That seems comparable. This is the season for shenanigans in our government so why not bring it into soccer development.

Tell me BSC is promoting coaches who are generating revenue outside of team fees. Tell me SM is arrogant (he is at times) and BSC admin wants compliant coaches. Tell me BSC prefers forcing all coaches and partners to fall in line with the facility or they lose access to their database and referral base (confirmed by a 3rd party servicer). Just don't try to tell me BSC is about development anymore putting a kid with a D license who maxed out at D3 through BSC's system in charge over an established coach known for producing many of the most talented kids in the area.

There was an exodus of 2013s and 2014s who left the club because SM was not coaching them and they don’t have confidence in the rest of the BSC coaching slate to stay. He may have been out of the rotation regardless after two years but BSC was not able to retain some of the most talented kids in the area as a result with the rest of the coaching appointments.