Arlington Travel Tryouts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Arlington’s problem may be that it is simply too big to manage. The same club that you want to succeed in ECNL is weighed down by its desire to field six teams at every age group. FVU and VDA specialize in just the top layer. Arlington ECNL can never be great because it always wants to be everything to everyone. It’s more a community association not a soccer academy.

New soccer mom here: my son plays ADP (I’d say he’s the 3rd best player on his team) and I didn’t let him try out for U9 travel this year because, frankly, it’s a lot of money for something I don’t really understand.

WHY does Arlington have 6 travel teams for each age and gender? That seems to imply they’ll take almost anyone willing to play—it doesn’t seem like the kids who make travel (particularly the lower level teams) are great players.

From reading this board, it seems like little kid travel is a road to nowhere. But my kid loves soccer and wants to play travel, so please tell me what I’m missing, beyond travel having one more practice each week and participation in tournaments.

Just so you know, it’s extremely difficult to make even the lowest team for boys when going from ADP to Arlington travel. The easiest way to get on a team is at that U9 stage. My son played ADP and tried out for travel before moving on to other sports and we were shocked at how many kids came to tryouts. My son’s a good athlete and has had no problem making other travel level teams in other sports, but he did not have the ball skills of other kids at that age that had been playing serious soccer for several years already. No one from his ADP team made it that year. This was heading into an U11 year.

My son and his friends made travel from ADP and many have moved up to the top teams over the years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 2016, so I want to understand more about the landscape.
1) So clubs assume kids on their first team to take supplemental training elsewhere to earn the spot, besides 4days team trains on games on weekends? So basically club soccer is 5day training?
2) will coach ever talk to parents about where /which areas they want the kid to develop/improve?
3) specifically for pa1, what does AK do during team practice to develop kids?
4) earlier post said some other teams/clubs develop players, what are they for 2016?

Thx!

Girls who receive supplemental training and put in extra hours will stand out as the stronger players on the team. If some girls cannot pass or receive a ball well, hard to blame AK when the other girls on the team can do so. If a girl consistently loses the ball in 1v1 situation but her teammates win in over 50% of the time, is it the coach’s fault?

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:2016 pa1 get two from pa2, don’t they?

I’m talking about girl side. How is girl’s 2016 pa1? Does it struggle or thrive this year so far?

they are middling in the standings, but are playing up a year. 4-6 kids on the team although identified as pa1 level pre-season, are just not - which is not a knock on them, but just reality. so it's not surprising to hear complaints that now there are more guest players than the fall.

so what are you saying? if you get picked for PA1 but half way into the fall the club/coach decides you are not on the level they will just bring in guest players and your kid gets to ride the bench for most of the time the rest of the year? what kind of shit show is this? who are the morons choosing kids for teams where they decide up to 6 kids are not on the level so they will just bring other players and they can ride the bench!?! why would any parent put up with that? what a complete disaster and for what so the club/coach and win a couple of meaningless ncsl league games which they don't seem to be winning anyways for the most part

those "bench" players seem to be getting 20-25 minutes at their lowest end. guest players seem to be coming to get their game roster to at least 13/14 which seems to be typical for 9v9 especially when it gets warmer (which hasn't really happened yet outside of one day this spring). just because you start out high doesn't mean you stay there. I can't speak to why those players didn't progress like their peers or perhaps even players on the second team. other sports, motivation, private coaching... who knows.

the people picking the teams aren't the morons... the morons are the people who think just because your kid starts somewhere means they deserve it forever and ever, without having to continuously prove, justify, or earn that right. the morons are the people who think the score is the most important thing instead of the 100 decisions or moments to get right during the game. the morons are the ones who think all their kid has to do is show up to practice three times a week and 1-2 games on the weekend and their spot is protected.

the hardest place for your kid to be and stay is on the top team; the players below your kid and outside the program are coming for your kids spot. they are many and they are relentless, and they will come to take that spot away whenever they get that chance.

I thought PA1 is practicing 4 times a week and 2 games on the weekend. I think the real question is why are you not acknowledging the obvious failures of the club/directors/coaches etc that by your statement practicing 4 times a week and 2 games on the weekend doesn't seem to be enough for them to develop and keep pace with kids from around the area. Seems like a gross failure all around and maybe some reflection is needed

Some girls are developing faster than others. Some just need more time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:the new age requirements really impacted the U11 Boys, Red team is mostly 2015s dropping down. Those 2016s that were Red are mostly all getting moved down.

Red is the third team at this age or the top team? Does it go preacademy 1, preacademy 2, red?

Red is the third team but the same impact on PA1 who had almost half the team be 2015s dropping down

There are 0 kids from this year’s 2015 PA1 dropping down to repeat u11 so where did these kids come from? This year’s u11 PA2 and below? That doesn’t seem right but Arlington has botched this whole thing so badly that I guess I could see it.

The entire pre-academy program is a giant steaming pile of garbage. Here are a few things to consider. 1) if you are PA2 you will never make the ECNL team. Never. Don’t believe the hope they offer you. 2) when U13 rolls around the club prefers outside players to inside players all things being equal. It’s a tacit admission of the failure of their own club but they’ll never see it this way. 3) the training is crap, the PA teams are consistently underperforming expectations. Arlington has the potential to be a great program because it is so big but the inexperience and uncritical carelessness of the people running this program in particular is a handicap. 4) the program and its director are extremely susceptible to enterprising parents and show an obvious amount of favoritism that detracts from overall team performance and cohesion. This may be true at all clubs but Arlington is no different in this regard even though the director tries to show distance from parents. There is a small group of parents allowed in the back room and it shows through the veneer. 5) PA2 exists as a funding mechanism for PA1’s dead-end dreams.

+1

Exactly correct

[Anonymous]

Where are the coaches for 2027? Is JO making a comeback to coach after the "break"?

[Anonymous]

Anyone know if the U11 boys teams are all full?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are the coaches for 2027? Is JO making a comeback to coach after the "break"?

He lasted more than a year at Arlington? Color me shocked- what happened with TSJ directorship

[Anonymous]

I'm also curious of U12 boys teams are full

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the coaches for 2027? Is JO making a comeback to coach after the "break"?

He lasted more than a year at Arlington? Color me shocked- what happened with TSJ directorship

refering to the other JO.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the coaches for 2027? Is JO making a comeback to coach after the "break"?

He lasted more than a year at Arlington? Color me shocked- what happened with TSJ directorship

refering to the other JO.....

His reputation precedes him if the lack of returning players is any indicator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if the U11 boys teams are all full?

Some (maybe most) offers have gone out but all teams are not full yet.

I belive they will see who commits and who declines and then make additional offers.

As an observation, Arlington seems to keep rosters at U11 around 11-12 players which leaves room for 1 or 2 additional adds over the next few months. I have seen Arlington players move up a team over the summer and seen players from outside the club added right before the season starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know if the U11 boys teams are all full?

Some (maybe most) offers have gone out but all teams are not full yet.

I belive they will see who commits and who declines and then make additional offers.

As an observation, Arlington seems to keep rosters at U11 around 11-12 players which leaves room for 1 or 2 additional adds over the next few months. I have seen Arlington players move up a team over the summer and seen players from outside the club added right before the season starts.

U11 Red is at 12 players for what its worth... i think these teams usually have 14/15 kids since they play 9v9

[Anonymous]

U11 White is up to 13 kids registered. (Can see rosters on Playmetrics.)

Most U11/12 teams shoot for 12-14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the coaches for 2027? Is JO making a comeback to coach after the "break"?

He lasted more than a year at Arlington? Color me shocked- what happened with TSJ directorship

refering to the other JO.....

Coaches were posted on IG. JO has U12 boys Pre Academy 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U11 White is up to 13 kids registered. (Can see rosters on Playmetrics.)

Most U11/12 teams shoot for 12-14.

at least they are open about this. most clubs are really secretive while they are filling the rosters.