What's your experience? "So many people" seems inaccurate. More likely the same person reviving old threads, like this one, and saying the same things without elaboration or any indication of what club or experience worked for their son. I suspect your, or whomever's, son doesn't play at a high level. And that's great, just no need to keep up this constant barrage of uninformed vitriol against the coaches and parents at Achilles. Achilles isn't perfect, for sure, and I've posted what I thought were balanced and specific descriptions of our experience there in other threads. Any chance you could do the same? What worked for you? |
Why do you keep trying to pivot away from the verbal abuse on young kids? Is it because its undeniable? EVERYONE involved the DMV soccer world knows. Someone else's experience at Cerritos or Pipeline doesn't change what's happening there. |
Because it wasn't our experience. No pivot. And different kids are treated differently. My son felt supported there and it wasn't our reason for leaving. If EVERYONE knows, why do you spend so much time on here trying to bring the club down? Now you're pretending to speak for the "DMV soccer world"? Please. And still nothing about your choices, while you deride others'. If you were genuinely trying to help people make decisions or provide information you would provide information. But it's just incessant attacks. |
The discussion from my standpoint is about the abusive coaching. You seem to be focused on the 'parenting' aspect. |
Because you chose to attack parents' choices as well as the coaches. And "abusive coaching" is your opinion. It's conclusory. You won't say what experience of yours you're basing it on. If it's a youtube gameday video then it's woefully under-supported. Those kids practice 4 days a week and spend hundreds of hours with the coaches. A coach yelling at kids in the midst of a tough defeat is probably not indicative of what those relationships are like for the majority of the time, especially over multiple years. You just keep saying "abusive coaching" as if it were true, and it's the reason I keep replying. You don't seem capable of entertaining another opinion. So much more goes into an experience with the club than match day. My son plays at a pretty high (not superstar) level and I've talked to lots of parents in the area. I know at least one parent at every MLS Next club, DCU, and several ECNL clubs. Some of them have had kids play at Achilles and many haven't. Achilles does not have a reputation as being "abusive" among these parents. It's a serious charge and one you shouldn't keep parroting, especially since you don't seem to have any real experience. My son is now at another MLS Next or ECNL club (being purposely vague) and there are definitely pros and cons to each experience. I think from an individual player development standpoint, Achilles would probably be a better choice. But there are lots of factors to be considered and culture is one of them. But, we never would have stayed at Achilles if I thought Sal was "abusive" and I certainly would have had a discussion with him about it. |
Your first mistake is assuming the posters against the cursing and abuse is the same person |
Would love to hear of people's experiences at other ECNL and MLSNext clubs, esp those outside Bethesda and PPA and Achilles. |
I'm with the first poster--he appears to be over the target. I'd suggest letting go. It isn't healthy to obsess. Sorry things didn't go your or your DC's way. |
I'll bite. Please post links to the studies, evidence, and even professional players! As it stands, any time I see the team Achilles mentioned on this website, there appears to be one or two parents with an axe to grind, going back 2 to 3 years at least. I don't have a horse in the race, but good grief, it's not a good look. |
While not a ECNL or MLSNext club yet, DCXI is a club on the rise with fabulous coaches, incredible team culture, and great families. If you live in Silver Spring or NW or NE DC, I'd highly recommend it. |
LOL Maybe the coaches in question should change their behaviors instead of saying people shouldn't mention it. As for no horse in the race, if you have kids and like soccer, you shouldn't want certain types of coaches in the arena. |
Didn't the whole girls side leave? |
I appreciate your diligence, and don't doubt the merits of positive reinforcement. In this specific case, as applied to Achilles though, your argument falls flat. One, it starts from a conclusion that Sal is abusive. Again, it's your opinion and shouldn't be anonymously levied against anyone dealing with kids, especially when you don't seem to have any actual experience. Two, it is objectively and demonstrably true that Sal is successful at player development. Since fall of 2022, 4 Achilles players in the 2009 (3l and 2010 (1) age groups have been invited to USYNT ID center events. All 4 have been at Achilles since they were little kids. Considering the much smaller pool with which he's working, this cannot be an accident. Looking at the same lists, my son's current, much larger, MLS Next club has had two. As noted in other threads, many other kids have gone from Achilles to DC United and at least two other MLS Academies. No matter your seemingly uninformed opinion about his style, you cannot honestly say he hasn't developed players. And for the love of God, I've gotten sucked into this again. I'm not the biggest Achilles booster but your illogical positions are infuriating. |
Lol. The DMV is consistently ranked as the most educated area in the nation with the highest number of degrees. Why would you bait someone to post links to studies? 🤣 They will! |