Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't the one posting about driving to VA Beach, but I don't think there's anything wrong with saying...I don't see the point of having to drive to VA Beach, Roanoke, Richmond, etc when there is plenty of other competition much closer. It's valid point that I agree with. I also understand that people can vote with their feet, but sometimes that's not what is best overall so people stay and just bitch about it. Human nature. Not sure why local clubs needed to create a league with these distant clubs. I don't know the history. Maybe it was necessary at some point.

I have absolutely no problem with anyone not liking the road trips, the problem is there are leagues that would satisfy their needs. Don't play in CCL and play in NCSL. But that apparently isn't good enough for them or they would have made the move already. My suspicion is, they don't really believe their own words. They simply want CCL to be what they want CCL to be and it simply isn't a local league, it is a regional league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I think a good portion of the smaller clubs like where they are at. Again, we bemoan these leagues and the travel but not everyone wants to be a part of them, just accept that. Smaller clubs often like their role, which provides lower cost competitive soccer that kids and families can enjoy. Not everyone wants to be a part of the "rat race".

To the "I hate driving to VA Beach for a league game" join a excellent small club and just enjoy the experience.

Not about the "rat race" but the small clubs wanting the exposure to better competition and the opportunity to continue growing. Small clubs can continue to offer competitive soccer at a lower cost. Most of the cost goes to paying coaches. Most ODSL small clubs just want to have access to NCSL just to play against better opposition. The travel time in ODSL and NCSL is about the same. Why should ODSL clubs/teams only be allowed exposure to better teams via tournaments? Like everyone else, they want competition on a weekend basis. It is what it is but the structure and set-up in NCSL and ODSL is not very different.

TBH, they should probably merge like NCSL/WAGS and just expand the divisions where all teams will have the opportunity to move up or down. The cost per team to play in each is about the same.

Not a great idea. NCSL is already huge. ODSL is where clubs put their 3rd, 4th, 5th etc teams. My small club's 1st and 2nd teams are far better and the games would not be even. Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids. It's a pretty big league as is, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think a good portion of the smaller clubs like where they are at. Again, we bemoan these leagues and the travel but not everyone wants to be a part of them, just accept that. Smaller clubs often like their role, which provides lower cost competitive soccer that kids and families can enjoy. Not everyone wants to be a part of the "rat race".

To the "I hate driving to VA Beach for a league game" join a excellent small club and just enjoy the experience.

Not about the "rat race" but the small clubs wanting the exposure to better competition and the opportunity to continue growing. Small clubs can continue to offer competitive soccer at a lower cost. Most of the cost goes to paying coaches. Most ODSL small clubs just want to have access to NCSL just to play against better opposition. The travel time in ODSL and NCSL is about the same. Why should ODSL clubs/teams only be allowed exposure to better teams via tournaments? Like everyone else, they want competition on a weekend basis. It is what it is but the structure and set-up in NCSL and ODSL is not very different.

TBH, they should probably merge like NCSL/WAGS and just expand the divisions where all teams will have the opportunity to move up or down. The cost per team to play in each is about the same.

Not a great idea. NCSL is already huge. ODSL is where clubs put their 3rd, 4th, 5th etc teams. My small club's 1st and 2nd teams are far better and the games would not be even. Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids. It's a pretty big league as is, no?

Just not true. Our 3rd team is in CCL2 which is horrible. Zero competition.

In the top division of NCSL you have the A team of many great smaller clubs---many that can beat CCL A teams in tournaments. Our 4th team was in NCSL and faced much tougher competition than our B and our C team in CCL/CCL2. Our B team was winning by double digits in CCL, as was our C team in CCL2. There is no relegation so it doesn't get better over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:QUESTION:

If, per NCAA rules, college coaches aren't allowed to contact players for recruiting purposes until their junior/senior year, then how do we have all these verbal commits from high school freshmen and eighth graders?

Contact is through club coaches to start. Players can talk to college coaches while they're on campus visiting -- that's when the commits happen.

Players can also call coaches prior to junior year, and coaches are permitted to answer and speak to the prospect. But coaches can't return the players call or initiate calls to the player. It's all pretty absurd.

So if my 8th-9th grader isn't being contacted by a college via club coach, and isn't verbally committed to a college by 8th-9th grade, then are they assed-out to play in college???

No, most girls don't commit until 11th grade (either the summer before or during that year), but 10th grade is not all that unusual any more. And plenty of girls don't commit until 12th grade. It really depends on the player.

Boys tend to get recruited later, so 11th grade is somewhat early for them and most are committing in 12th grade.

[Anonymous]

"My small club's 1st and 2nd teams are far better and the games would not be even. Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids. "

Your club is not small if you 3/4/5 teams. Your 1/2 teams would not play against current odsl teams unless they earned their right via promotion/relegation. Many teams in ODSL's 1st Division that can compete with higher division teams in NCSL, the problem is that their club is not in NCSL. Small clubs are those with 1/2 teams per age group. The kids are not "less-competitive" just because they are in ODSL otherwise these teams would not do as well as they have shown in tournament play.

[Anonymous]

"Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids."

Dumb statement assuming that just because big clubs put weaker teams there that ODSL is for less competitive players. Make it open access to all and then we'll really see who can compete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids."

Dumb statement assuming that just because big clubs put weaker teams there that ODSL is for less competitive players. Make it open access to all and then we'll really see who can compete.

Exactly how is ODSL "not open access to all"?

[Anonymous]

The issue is not whether ODSL is not open to all, it's whether the "higher" competitive leagues such as NCSL are since some of the smaller clubs are not able to participate in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue is not whether ODSL is not open to all, it's whether the "higher" competitive leagues such as NCSL are since some of the smaller clubs are not able to participate in it.

How are these "smaller clubs" not able to participate in NCSL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think a good portion of the smaller clubs like where they are at. Again, we bemoan these leagues and the travel but not everyone wants to be a part of them, just accept that. Smaller clubs often like their role, which provides lower cost competitive soccer that kids and families can enjoy. Not everyone wants to be a part of the "rat race".

To the "I hate driving to VA Beach for a league game" join a excellent small club and just enjoy the experience.

Not about the "rat race" but the small clubs wanting the exposure to better competition and the opportunity to continue growing. Small clubs can continue to offer competitive soccer at a lower cost. Most of the cost goes to paying coaches. Most ODSL small clubs just want to have access to NCSL just to play against better opposition. The travel time in ODSL and NCSL is about the same. Why should ODSL clubs/teams only be allowed exposure to better teams via tournaments? Like everyone else, they want competition on a weekend basis. It is what it is but the structure and set-up in NCSL and ODSL is not very different.

TBH, they should probably merge like NCSL/WAGS and just expand the divisions where all teams will have the opportunity to move up or down. The cost per team to play in each is about the same.

Not a great idea. NCSL is already huge. ODSL is where clubs put their 3rd, 4th, 5th etc teams. My small club's 1st and 2nd teams are far better and the games would not be even. Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids. It's a pretty big league as is, no?

Just not true. Our 3rd team is in CCL2 which is horrible. Zero competition.

In the top division of NCSL you have the A team of many great smaller clubs---many that can beat CCL A teams in tournaments. Our 4th team was in NCSL and faced much tougher competition than our B and our C team in CCL/CCL2. Our B team was winning by double digits in CCL, as was our C team in CCL2. There is no relegation so it doesn't get better over time.

CCL2 should partnet with NCSL or invite NCSL teams in, they definitely need more teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think a good portion of the smaller clubs like where they are at. Again, we bemoan these leagues and the travel but not everyone wants to be a part of them, just accept that. Smaller clubs often like their role, which provides lower cost competitive soccer that kids and families can enjoy. Not everyone wants to be a part of the "rat race".

To the "I hate driving to VA Beach for a league game" join a excellent small club and just enjoy the experience.

Not about the "rat race" but the small clubs wanting the exposure to better competition and the opportunity to continue growing. Small clubs can continue to offer competitive soccer at a lower cost. Most of the cost goes to paying coaches. Most ODSL small clubs just want to have access to NCSL just to play against better opposition. The travel time in ODSL and NCSL is about the same. Why should ODSL clubs/teams only be allowed exposure to better teams via tournaments? Like everyone else, they want competition on a weekend basis. It is what it is but the structure and set-up in NCSL and ODSL is not very different.

TBH, they should probably merge like NCSL/WAGS and just expand the divisions where all teams will have the opportunity to move up or down. The cost per team to play in each is about the same.

Not a great idea. NCSL is already huge. ODSL is where clubs put their 3rd, 4th, 5th etc teams. My small club's 1st and 2nd teams are far better and the games would not be even. Let ODSL remain for the less-competitive kids. It's a pretty big league as is, no?

Just not true. Our 3rd team is in CCL2 which is horrible. Zero competition.

In the top division of NCSL you have the A team of many great smaller clubs---many that can beat CCL A teams in tournaments. Our 4th team was in NCSL and faced much tougher competition than our B and our C team in CCL/CCL2. Our B team was winning by double digits in CCL, as was our C team in CCL2. There is no relegation so it doesn't get better over time.

CCL2 should partnet with NCSL or invite NCSL teams in, they definitely need more teams.

Nah--is argue the few teams in CCL2 should leave for NCSL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

CCL2 should partnet with NCSL or invite NCSL teams in, they definitely need more teams.

Nah--is argue the few teams in CCL2 should leave for NCSL.

Your right it may be in the teams best interest to leave for NCSL but I think that's where a lot of them used to play, and they must have left for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

CCL2 should partnet with NCSL or invite NCSL teams in, they definitely need more teams.

Nah--is argue the few teams in CCL2 should leave for NCSL.

Your right it may be in the teams best interest to leave for NCSL but I think that's where a lot of them used to play, and they must have left for a reason.

Yes--it was for the convenience of the coaching staff.

Also, to pander to the league.

The coaches could be at same fields, same day. They could build a monopoly.

As a parent of a player on a third team in CCL2, it sucked. NCSL was much, much competitive for our team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

CCL2 should partnet with NCSL or invite NCSL teams in, they definitely need more teams.

Nah--is argue the few teams in CCL2 should leave for NCSL.

Your right it may be in the teams best interest to leave for NCSL but I think that's where a lot of them used to play, and they must have left for a reason.

Yes--it was for the convenience of the coaching staff.

Also, to pander to the league.

The coaches could be at same fields, same day. They could build a monopoly.

As a parent of a player on a third team in CCL2, it sucked. NCSL was much, much competitive for our team.

+1. CCL2 was designed so the CCL and its clubs could make still more money off parents, while at the same time pulling more teams away from NCSL. It's not for the benefit of parents and kids. If your kid is a C-team level player, better to go to an NCSL/ODSL club where your kid's team can have competitive games and not travel across the state for no reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is not whether ODSL is not open to all, it's whether the "higher" competitive leagues such as NCSL are since some of the smaller clubs are not able to participate in it.

How are these "smaller clubs" not able to participate in NCSL?

If often comes down to how many fields the club is able to control. Read through the minutes this past year, and you'll see they rejected IFC again over issues like that. IFC is registering some teams through VISTA, and they're doing just fine in NCSL. I think they even put a team in EDP.

Cougars and Dynamite crank out teams that are simply overwhelming ODSL right now.

And we need the ODSL level of soccer. Some kids play ODSL for U9 and U10 and then emerge as strong NCSL/CCL players by U12/U13.

But ODSL is shrinking. Our pyramid is turning upside-down. Everyone wants to be "elite," so they pull their teams into CCL, CCL2, YDL (U9/U10) and whatever else. Clubs can now enter three teams in NCSL's lower age groups to keep up the numbers in NCSL, so ODSL is neglected.

It's ridiculous. At U9/U10, we should have tons of teams in ODSL or maybe NCSL. The "elite" competitions are generally delusional and totally lopsided.