Where did McLean go wrong?

[Anonymous]

If Arlington and mclean formed a vda-like partnership (take the top half of their top team and merge them together) it would be an instant winner. The problem is dilution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When VDA did not exist, there was no option in that part of NOVA for higher level soccer.

PWSI and VDA are not exactly small, back-water clubs, so if you take 50% of their top teams at U12, you can form a pretty competitive squad starting at U13. Those squads are formed of kids who live in that area, so it's tough to get parents to start driving 1 hour each way to mclean several days a week. It's just not happening.

Before VDA existed, a few of them probably would!

MVP’s of SEC (Vanderbilt) and ACC (Florida state) tournaments are former PWSI players.

Both are phenomenal but neither played for VDA.

The general point, which you did not make directly but which is implied, is that you don't have to play for FCV or McLean to make an impact at the next level.

So who did they play for?

Pwsi (which is a part of vda)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When VDA did not exist, there was no option in that part of NOVA for higher level soccer.

PWSI and VDA are not exactly small, back-water clubs, so if you take 50% of their top teams at U12, you can form a pretty competitive squad starting at U13. Those squads are formed of kids who live in that area, so it's tough to get parents to start driving 1 hour each way to mclean several days a week. It's just not happening.

Before VDA existed, a few of them probably would!

MVP’s of SEC (Vanderbilt) and ACC (Florida state) tournaments are former PWSI players.

Both are phenomenal but neither played for VDA.

The general point, which you did not make directly but which is implied, is that you don't have to play for FCV or McLean to make an impact at the next level.

So who did they play for?

Neither bio references PWSI nor VDA. BRYC is mentioned for one and FFC the other.

Pwsi (which is a part of vda)

[Anonymous]

Wonder why the new PWSI/VDA fields are called "Ali Krieger Sports Complex"? Well, a USWNT member like Krieger had her club time with PWSI. Seems to me some talent can come from a team not named McLean or FCV. VDA is newer and based on the lower U-ages performance, doing very well attracting and building quality girls.

bUt mCleAn gEtS bEtTeR wItH aGeS....

[Anonymous]

Why was the list of 2022 commits from Top Drawer Soccer taken down? It’s public information.

[Anonymous]

Here’s the less-complete but not-behind-a-pay-wall commitment list from SoccerWire.com, if people are interested in seeing which clubs are actually sending kids to college teams NOW, rather than relying on their reputations from the years before the soccer landscape changed entirely: https://www.soccerwire.com/recruiting/

[Anonymous]

Again, this is a strong list with impressive showings from FCV, BRYC and Richmond. If McLean doesn't produce any produce any 2022 recruits to elite college programs (Power 5, Ivies, NCAA tournament invites) and VDA does, then we can have a discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the less-complete but not-behind-a-pay-wall commitment list from SoccerWire.com, if people are interested in seeing which clubs are actually sending kids to college teams NOW, rather than relying on their reputations from the years before the soccer landscape changed entirely: https://www.soccerwire.com/recruiting/

Based on SoccerWire for boys commitments in 2020 VDA has 4 and MYS has 2. For 2021 VDA has 1 and MYS 0.

Based on that it looks like McLean will have one last good U18/19 team and then it assume its position as a perennial bottom feeder.

[Anonymous]

The success of any club going forward is going to be somewhat random and probably age group based. Even clubs like Loudoun, whom everyone loves to trash on this board, has one great team at U14 who can compete and win against McLean’s very strong U14 team that is in 3rd place in the division. Ditto for VDA at the U15 level.

Also, what happens when Clyde Watson eventually retires? McLean doesn’t really have anyone to fill his shoes. He was grooming a younger coach to take his place who left this year, so then who?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The success of any club going forward is going to be somewhat random and probably age group based. Even clubs like Loudoun, whom everyone loves to trash on this board, has one great team at U14 who can compete and win against McLean’s very strong U14 team that is in 3rd place in the division. Ditto for VDA at the U15 level.

Also, what happens when Clyde Watson eventually retires? McLean doesn’t really have anyone to fill his shoes. He was grooming a younger coach to take his place who left this year, so then who?

Success will be random at 13-15 but not at the older age groups. McLean will be better 16-18 among the nova clubs.

When Clyde retires, McLean will go from four coaches to three coaches that are still more accomplished then what other clubs have so don’t hold your breath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The success of any club going forward is going to be somewhat random and probably age group based. Even clubs like Loudoun, whom everyone loves to trash on this board, has one great team at U14 who can compete and win against McLean’s very strong U14 team that is in 3rd place in the division. Ditto for VDA at the U15 level.

Also, what happens when Clyde Watson eventually retires? McLean doesn’t really have anyone to fill his shoes. He was grooming a younger coach to take his place who left this year, so then who?

Success will be random at 13-15 but not at the older age groups. McLean will be better 16-18 among the nova clubs.

When Clyde retires, McLean will go from four coaches to three coaches that are still more accomplished then what other clubs have so don’t hold your breath.

Why so sensitive McLean U15 parent?

[Anonymous]

I think it is clear that there are three major clubs in the area that consistently send kids to the top programs at the next level: MYS, FCV and MUFC. There are also clubs that produce more than a few players every year that go on to top programs and are also capable of producing a national caliber team: BCS, BRYC. There are other clubs that just don't have a track-record but are capable of producing talent: VDA, LS and ASA. Finally, there is one club that will likely implode by the end of the year even if GA survives: MU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is clear that there are three major clubs in the area that consistently send kids to the top programs at the next level: MYS, FCV and MUFC. There are also clubs that produce more than a few players every year that go on to top programs and are also capable of producing a national caliber team: BCS, BRYC. There are other clubs that just don't have a track-record but are capable of producing talent: VDA, LS and ASA. Finally, there is one club that will likely implode by the end of the year even if GA survives: MU.

What will the club implode and what indications exist that GA would not survive?

[Anonymous]

Why* will the club implode

[Anonymous]

People just hate Metro and say these things...