Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

To be honest I am not surprised at what you describe. I have been a paid coach in this area for over a decade and that is what I usually see from Vienna players - they are the same players at 11 that they were at 9. The trainer + parent coach scenario usually does not work. 9-11 is a very important part of a player's development. To put a player with a disinterested trainer and then send him to matches with a well intentioned but inappropriate coach will not provide the player the development they need. These players should be playing with flair, taking players on, taking risks - it should be taught in training and reinforced/encouraged in the matches. Even if the trainer is teaching them foot skill at training, chances are the parent coach is discouraging it at the match, which makes it worthless.

Vienna is a place for decent coaches to grab an extra check - no real commitment, no real expectations, just show up, run a session, get paid. They have multiple coaching companies that provide coaches for different age groups, no real plan, vision, or cohesion.

Bethesda is the place to be right now - good coaches, best opportunities (until DCU at 12), largest player pool. Behind them, Loudoun, PWSI, and Arlington. All three have good coaches, a plan, stability, and good opportunities for players of every level. Arlington is really the only one from that group that may be doable for you.

The next step down would be McLean or BRYC (or Ashburn, but they are too far from you). Both have had a lot of turnover recently at the younger ages as far as coaches, so it is hard to see where they are headed. McLean has been a mess the past couple years politically, but the appointment of KK should bring a lot of positives into the situation.

If I were you I would take your son to Arlington, mclean, and BRYC for some training sessions (tell the coach you are unhappy with your current club, you would like to attend a training session to see if their club is a better fit prior to tryouts). Watch the session carefully - are they encouraging the boys to dribble and take chances? Are they constantly active and organized? Did your son learn anything in the session? Did he have fun? Watch the coach at a match - is it a screaming kickball fest or are the players creative with the ball? Is the coach telli.g the kids what decision to make on the field while they play or are the players making their own decisions and the coach provides feedback and guidance? Are the parents losing their minds giving instruction to the players?

Vienna has been a mess for a long time, it will not change any time soon. They are as big a club as McLean or BRYC and get similar, even better athletes, but the training and environment is such that those players either don't develop or they leave. The club has a ton of potential given the location and the players that start there, but there is no vision or leadership to bring about positive change - it's more about the parents, politics, and the money than the kids. There aren't enough parents that understand the game and youth development to know any better, so anyone with an accent can sell them a story.

As an aside - it's not about a college scholarship or making 50k in MLS. You want your kid to find a sport that they love and can keep for life. Sports build character and provide exercise, they teach you to manage time, push yourself, work with others, and deal with failure and feedback. Soccer can be that sport - but if the player isn't having fun and isn't getting the training to develop into a better player, they will stop having success, they will stop having fun, and they will stop playing.

[Anonymous]

I agree that Bethesda is good. But only if you are academy or on the Blue team. The other teams white/green don't get the coaching or the attention needed. They pay the same price but seem to be subsidizing the academy and blue players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that Bethesda is good. But only if you are academy or on the Blue team. The other teams white/green don't get the coaching or the attention needed. They pay the same price but seem to be subsidizing the academy and blue players.

Bethesda parent here. I think it's generally true at Bethesda and most big clubs the top teams are going to get the best coaches (or the coaches the leadership thinks are the best) and more attention and resources than the lower-level teams, but many of the lower level teams at Bethesda are very good and serious as well. For the last few years both the A team and the B team in my son's age group have performed very well in tournaments like the Jefferson Cup, and the C and D teams have done well in local tournaments and leagues. And our middle school soccer team, for which probably a hundred kids tried out, includes players who were on the A,B,C, and D team for Bethesda last year--they all are very good players.

[Anonymous]

I'll speak up just once more on Vienna's behalf -- I think the main goal at VYS is to represent the community, not to build monster soccer teams. At times, they've shown themselves capable of building monster teams anyway (see the current girls teams). They're reticent to take players from other clubs. It's VIENNA, not "best players we can get from Fairfax County."

And there's nothing wrong with that. It's simply their mission. Just like FPYC isn't known for great travel teams but has outstanding programs for U6 through U9.

Vienna tends to be very deep. Look at U10, and you'll see a couple of OK teams in NCSL and then two teams doing well in top division in ODSL. They send many All-Star teams to the House All-Star tournaments.

It's a program for everyone in the community with the possible exception of the upper two percent of players. If you're honestly in that upper two, or if you simply feel you've drawn a bad coach, by all means go elsewhere. But don't judge the club for what it's not and what it's not intended to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest I am not surprised at what you describe. I have been a paid coach in this area for over a decade and that is what I usually see from Vienna players - they are the same players at 11 that they were at 9. The trainer + parent coach scenario usually does not work. 9-11 is a very important part of a player's development. To put a player with a disinterested trainer and then send him to matches with a well intentioned but inappropriate coach will not provide the player the development they need. These players should be playing with flair, taking players on, taking risks - it should be taught in training and reinforced/encouraged in the matches. Even if the trainer is teaching them foot skill at training, chances are the parent coach is discouraging it at the match, which makes it worthless.

Hi coach - this is O/T but I hope you don't mind... my son (not in Vienna, not playing Travel) just turned 10 last month, yet i feel he's not playing better than last year or even the year before. He's taller and faster but the foot skills haven't improved, and actually seemed to have lost 'the touch' that helped him shine in the early years. we've hired a coach to work with him once a week since last Nov but nothing translated to games yet. i'd really appreciate any thoughts you could share. also why is 9-11 a critical period for their development? tks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son 9, years old is on a travel soccer team. He's good, but not great. This is something he has worked for and we were happy to allow him to participate. Well, VYS travel has not been for him what we thought it would be. As for developmental skills the kid is as far along as he was last fall. The coaches are parent volunteer coaches, we have trainers, they work with the kids maybe an hour a week. The duration of the 3 hours of practice are conducted by the parent volunteer coaches. While I respect the parent volunteer coaches and my gosh, they have given up a lot of their time to coach my son and the rest of his team mates. These coaches just do not have what it takes to build a team. I asked my son just last week why the coach played him in a certain position his response "I asked the coach to play that position so that my friend and I could play the same position but at opposite ends. REALLY??? You are telling the coaches what positions you want to play!? My son really likes soccer, no I don't think he's going to get a scholarship (it would be nice) but I know reality and it's just not going to happen. Soccer is physical and he's a high energy kid and needs it.

So my question is, why travel soccer team does your child play on and are you happy with it. Also, if you are inclined please let me know how much you are paying.

TIA!

Honestly, it sounds to me based on your description of his abilities and attitude that he might be happier playing rec than travel. You might be, too. Bonus: Rec is cheaper.

I understand where you are coming from and I would have agreed in the past... but the benefit of non-parent coaches in worth alot of money (if you have it). She has a high energy child, he needs to be challenged.

PP, who I bolded the comment. Thank you thank you, for understanding, yes I do have a high energy boy who needs to exercise daily and be challenged physically, he enjoys it and notices he's not be challenged. So again, thank you for understanding.

[Anonymous]

He has zero chance of playing in Europe. Don't kid yourself.

If they move to Europe he will play in Europe, how is that hard to understand. If I move to VA, my kids will play for a league in VA.

Thanks, PP for understanding, yes, if we move to Europe in the next couple of years, and it has to be before my son is 13, otherwise there will be no chance and league will accept him; the skill and level of playing in Europe is much more advanced than it is here in the US, I understand that. I'm not talking high school or college level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest I am not surprised at what you describe. I have been a paid coach in this area for over a decade and that is what I usually see from Vienna players - they are the same players at 11 that they were at 9. The trainer + parent coach scenario usually does not work. 9-11 is a very important part of a player's development. To put a player with a disinterested trainer and then send him to matches with a well intentioned but inappropriate coach will not provide the player the development they need. These players should be playing with flair, taking players on, taking risks - it should be taught in training and reinforced/encouraged in the matches. Even if the trainer is teaching them foot skill at training, chances are the parent coach is discouraging it at the match, which makes it worthless.

Vienna is a place for decent coaches to grab an extra check - no real commitment, no real expectations, just show up, run a session, get paid. They have multiple coaching companies that provide coaches for different age groups, no real plan, vision, or cohesion.

Bethesda is the place to be right now - good coaches, best opportunities (until DCU at 12), largest player pool. Behind them, Loudoun, PWSI, and Arlington. All three have good coaches, a plan, stability, and good opportunities for players of every level. Arlington is really the only one from that group that may be doable for you.

The next step down would be McLean or BRYC (or Ashburn, but they are too far from you). Both have had a lot of turnover recently at the younger ages as far as coaches, so it is hard to see where they are headed. McLean has been a mess the past couple years politically, but the appointment of KK should bring a lot of positives into the situation.

If I were you I would take your son to Arlington, mclean, and BRYC for some training sessions (tell the coach you are unhappy with your current club, you would like to attend a training session to see if their club is a better fit prior to tryouts). Watch the session carefully - are they encouraging the boys to dribble and take chances? Are they constantly active and organized? Did your son learn anything in the session? Did he have fun? Watch the coach at a match - is it a screaming kickball fest or are the players creative with the ball? Is the coach telli.g the kids what decision to make on the field while they play or are the players making their own decisions and the coach provides feedback and guidance? Are the parents losing their minds giving instruction to the players?

Vienna has been a mess for a long time, it will not change any time soon. They are as big a club as McLean or BRYC and get similar, even better athletes, but the training and environment is such that those players either don't develop or they leave. The club has a ton of potential given the location and the players that start there, but there is no vision or leadership to bring about positive change - it's more about the parents, politics, and the money than the kids. There aren't enough parents that understand the game and youth development to know any better, so anyone with an accent can sell them a story.

As an aside - it's not about a college scholarship or making 50k in MLS. You want your kid to find a sport that they love and can keep for life. Sports build character and provide exercise, they teach you to manage time, push yourself, work with others, and deal with failure and feedback. Soccer can be that sport - but if the player isn't having fun and isn't getting the training to develop into a better player, they will stop having success, they will stop having fun, and they will stop playing.

this is bs. there is no such thing as a critical age of 9 to 11. calm down parents. Let your children have fun running around. The mclean league is a mess of pressure and status. Similar speech about how they have to have training while young. Meanwhile you spend 2500 a year for having organized practices for young kids. Kids jump from club to club trying to out do the other. And the kids still play in high school just fine.

Vienna has the right idea to focus on children from Vienna, not the "best" from Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest I am not surprised at what you describe. I have been a paid coach in this area for over a decade and that is what I usually see from Vienna players - they are the same players at 11 that they were at 9. The trainer + parent coach scenario usually does not work. 9-11 is a very important part of a player's development. To put a player with a disinterested trainer and then send him to matches with a well intentioned but inappropriate coach will not provide the player the development they need. These players should be playing with flair, taking players on, taking risks - it should be taught in training and reinforced/encouraged in the matches. Even if the trainer is teaching them foot skill at training, chances are the parent coach is discouraging it at the match, which makes it worthless.

......
The next step down would be McLean or BRYC (or Ashburn, but they are too far from you). Both have had a lot of turnover recently at the younger ages as far as coaches, so it is hard to see where they are headed. McLean has been a mess the past couple years politically, but the appointment of KK should bring a lot of positives into the situation.

If I were you I would take your son to Arlington, mclean, and BRYC for some training sessions (tell the coach you are unhappy with your current club, you would like to attend a training session to see if their club is a better fit prior to tryouts). Watch the session carefully - are they encouraging the boys to dribble and take chances? Are they constantly active and organized? Did your son learn anything in the session? Did he have fun? Watch the coach at a match - is it a screaming kickball fest or are the players creative with the ball? Is the coach telli.g the kids what decision to make on the field while they play or are the players making their own decisions and the coach provides feedback and guidance? Are the parents losing their minds giving instruction to the players?

Vienna has been a mess for a long time, it will not change any time soon. They are as big a club as McLean or BRYC and get similar, even better athletes, but the training and environment is such that those players either don't develop or they leave. The club has a ton of potential given the location and the players that start there, but there is no vision or leadership to bring about positive change - it's more about the parents, politics, and the money than the kids. There aren't enough parents that understand the game and youth development to know any better, so anyone with an accent can sell them a story.

As an aside - it's not about a college scholarship or making 50k in MLS. You want your kid to find a sport that they love and can keep for life. Sports build character and provide exercise, they teach you to manage time, push yourself, work with others, and deal with failure and feedback. Soccer can be that sport - but if the player isn't having fun and isn't getting the training to develop into a better player, they will stop having success, they will stop having fun, and they will stop playing.

OP here, Coach, thank you so much for your insight, very helpful and unbiased, again, thank you for time and suggestion. I was already planning on checking out other clubs, but your suggestions were very enlightening and helpful. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

this is bs. there is no such thing as a critical age of 9 to 11. calm down parents. Let your children have fun running around. The mclean league is a mess of pressure and status. Similar speech about how they have to have training while young. Meanwhile you spend 2500 a year for having organized practices for young kids. Kids jump from club to club trying to out do the other. And the kids still play in high school just fine.

Vienna has the right idea to focus on children from Vienna, not the "best" from Fairfax.

Not "bs" at all. Anyone with a kid who is obsessed with soccer and is a serious athlete would do very well to listen to all the advice of the very knowledgeable coach who posted at 9:41. Soccer is not like football or some of the other sports where all you need to succeed is athleticism regardless of the age at which you pick it up. Soccer is heavily skills based, and if you don't start working on your touch until after the critical learning period (which we've always heard to be 8-12), you will have a very hard time catching up with other talented players who have had years of building on the foundation they learned when young. None of this matters if your kid mostly wants to have fun, play with friends, etc., but it's hugely important if your kid is serious enough to want to play in college or beyond eventually. With respect to high school, it depends where you are. If you are in close in MoCo or another area obsessed with soccer, it is very difficult to make a high school team without top skills. There is lots of competition from kids who have been playing club since they were little. The exception tends to be kids who were raised in families with a very strong soccer culture who have taught their kids at home.

[Anonymous]

A great example of something Vienna's doing right -- simple pick-up soccer. Every youth soccer guru says American players don't do enough of this. Vienna does.

http://www.soccerwire.com/blog-posts/friday-nights-done-right-at-vienna-youth-soccer-va/?loc=psw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria. Seems fine for us, I think we pay around $800. Picked it because we live here, and I'm not interested in schlepping for practices as well as games.

How many tournaments do the U14 teams do? We're looking for a team that takes league play seriously, but doesn't overdo with a tournament at every turn.

[Anonymous]

My kid played for a powerhouse on not-the-elite team.

My kid has played for a small club on their only team.

Big club has big club problems: crazy parents, over-the-top ambition regarding kids who are good but not spectacular, too much money, and the C team gets the crumbs while paying nearly the same money. Bench too deep so not enough playing time. Some excellent coaches, but some crazies.

Small club has small club problems: hard to recruit, a family moves away and you are short players, a kid isn't really getting better and you can't always cut. With no B-team to raid, things are always a bit tenuous. Bench too shallow. But the team the club cares about is the team your kid is on.

Pick the version that bothers you less.

Also note there are tons of kids playing in other towns. I hear good things about Annandale Boys and Girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

He has zero chance of playing in Europe. Don't kid yourself.

If they move to Europe he will play in Europe, how is that hard to understand. If I move to VA, my kids will play for a league in VA.

Thanks, PP for understanding, yes, if we move to Europe in the next couple of years, and it has to be before my son is 13, otherwise there will be no chance and league will accept him; the skill and level of playing in Europe is much more advanced than it is here in the US, I understand that. I'm not talking high school or college level.

If I recall from my own years in Europe, the local clubs are very, very deep, with a team for every skill level. Don't be so sure your kid can't play. Yeah, it may be too late for a more elite experience there, but there's always a way to play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To be honest I am not surprised at what you describe. I have been a paid coach in this area for over a decade and that is what I usually see from Vienna players - they are the same players at 11 that they were at 9. The trainer + parent coach scenario usually does not work. 9-11 is a very important part of a player's development. To put a player with a disinterested trainer and then send him to matches with a well intentioned but inappropriate coach will not provide the player the development they need. These players should be playing with flair, taking players on, taking risks - it should be taught in training and reinforced/encouraged in the matches. Even if the trainer is teaching them foot skill at training, chances are the parent coach is discouraging it at the match, which makes it worthless.

Hi coach - this is O/T but I hope you don't mind... my son (not in Vienna, not playing Travel) just turned 10 last month, yet i feel he's not playing better than last year or even the year before. He's taller and faster but the foot skills haven't improved, and actually seemed to have lost 'the touch' that helped him shine in the early years. we've hired a coach to work with him once a week since last Nov but nothing translated to games yet. i'd really appreciate any thoughts you could share. also why is 9-11 a critical period for their development? tks!

Footskill and confidence on the ball are difficult to teach properly. Any one can't reach a technique or a move, but in order for it to really work it has to be taught, practiced, and reinforced.

A player should not only be taught the proper technique for a move or turn, but when to use it, why they should use it, and what result they are looking for.

The player should be practicing the on their own time, working until they can do it at speed and until such time that they go from occasionally doing it right to occasionally doing it wrong to doing it right every time.

The most overlooked step in the process is pressure and reinforcement. Using the skill he is learning has to be reinforced and encouraged at training, where there is light pressure, so the player can build confidence and eventually start doing it in matches, where there is much more pressure. This is where the coaches guidance and support is needed- because it won't work the first time and it won't work every time, but the player has to be forced to keep trying. The coach can also help with the decision making process - identifying the situations where he could have used a move, help the player to identify the situation on his own. If the player tries a move in a match and is berated for being a selfish ballhog (the American nickname for a creative player) he will most likely not try a second time.

9-11 is super important because players have to learn techniques and motions that are not common to any other sport. In order to be successful they have to be able to use turns and moves to escape pressure and get defenders off balance. You can teach a player a technique after 12, but he will always have to think about it, it will always be labored. A player that has been properly trained at 9-11 has done it so many times he doesn't have to think about it - instead of thinking about what he has to do, he is watching the defenders feet and weight, looking for teammates and space, etc. He has made the decision so many times before it has become an instinct.

A player can come to the game at any age and learn to pass or learn to play old school british/american kick and chase, may even have success a little while before players learn to defend properly as individuals and teams. A great player has to be able to keep the ball under pressure in tight space and get defenders off balance to create an advantage for his team - those players aren't new to the sport at 13.

Hope that makes sense.