Smaller NOVA clubs

[Anonymous]

A good way to judge these things for yourself is to take some time, attend a few tournaments or league games, and watch how your teams of interest play. Watch the style of play, execution, tactics. Speak with parents on the sideline. I’ve found these are a better guide than making judgements based on 2nd hand sources or rumors or just scores.

[Anonymous]

If you want to watch a program develop players, go visit FC Bordeaux. This is a very small club with one team in each age group. I doubt any big club is providing this type of attention. Last year's U19 club was State Champ and ranked nationally. Most of the players from that team are playing DI soccer this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkvAwW_Vz44&feature=share

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A good way to judge these things for yourself is to take some time, attend a few tournaments or league games, and watch how your teams of interest play. Watch the style of play, execution, tactics. Speak with parents on the sideline. I’ve found these are a better guide than making judgements based on 2nd hand sources or rumors or just scores.

Good tip, but I'm curious...DMV is such a big area. Where are you? Keeping your sanity is key to a successful soccer experience and you can't do that if you are trekking 20 miles one way. If you want to follow the tip given at observation, I'd go to the Arlington Tournament in Feb/March, they attract many of the clubs and you can see the teams play all i none location.

[Anonymous]

Or the Columbia tournament in May.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good way to judge these things for yourself is to take some time, attend a few tournaments or league games, and watch how your teams of interest play. Watch the style of play, execution, tactics. Speak with parents on the sideline. I’ve found these are a better guide than making judgements based on 2nd hand sources or rumors or just scores.

Good tip, but I'm curious...DMV is such a big area. Where are you? Keeping your sanity is key to a successful soccer experience and you can't do that if you are trekking 20 miles one way. If you want to follow the tip given at observation, I'd go to the Arlington Tournament in Feb/March, they attract many of the clubs and you can see the teams play all i none location.

Yes, those are good places to check some action out. I'd also restrict my search/scouting to those clubs within a "reasonable" distance for you. It doesn't make sense to check out the swanky club over an hour away if you can't commit to doing that commute 3x plus a week. Also, make sure you consider the level of competition, both in terms ot bracket and opponents, when you are scouting the games. A team that may look like superstars when compared with a bad/poorly seeded team in one match may look like a disaster against a competent opponent. If you are looking at the top level clubs in the area (one of these two, Loudoun or Arlington, for example) then try to find matches that pair equivalent levels with one another (for example Loudoun Red v Arlington Red, etc...)

[Anonymous]

Spring preseason tournaments when no one has had any time to practice or get in a rhythm is not a great measurement of a team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spring preseason tournaments when no one has had any time to practice or get in a rhythm is not a great measurement of a team

I know! It is almost as if the entire Fall season never happened!

[Anonymous]

The U19 Bordeaux team was a holdover from OBGC (Olney) that had been together for many years with the same coach, who got together with a few other coaches to start the Bordeaux program. So I don't know if the success of that team has much to do with the younger kids right now.

[Anonymous]

The U19 Bordeaux team was a holdover from OBGC (Olney) that had been together for many years with the same coach, who got together with a few other coaches to start the Bordeaux program. So I don't know if the success of that team has much to do with the younger kids right now.

[Anonymous]

(my 2 cents)

[Anonymous]

If you want to know more about teams, email the coaches and ask about their philosophy about working with players. Most will be happy to answer you. Then go watch a game and see if they are walking the walk with the style/quality of play. It helps to chat with a coach, then you can get a feel for different personalities and what is out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The U19 Bordeaux team was a holdover from OBGC (Olney) that had been together for many years with the same coach, who got together with a few other coaches to start the Bordeaux program. So I don't know if the success of that team has much to do with the younger kids right now.

I have followed them the past year. The player pool is no the strongest but the teams are steadily improving. If you want to see how a good coach can develop, check out these coaches. There training regime is by far the best I have seen. Check out their youtube videos.

The U16 team was new last year but has developed into a competitive team playing in WAGS, Bethesda, Disney and PA Classic. If you want an example of club that develops, this is the club. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPt_cowf8ZA

[Anonymous]

many players standing 'round in lines

[Anonymous]

I have visited every top club in the area and have yet to see a coach run these types of drills on a consistent basis. The coach took one group of glorified classic players and turned them into an elite team that won the MD State Cup last year and was ranked nationally while sending more than half the team to DI programs. He appears to be doing the same with the U16 team. I honestly doubt any player in the club at u14 or above could have made an elite team elsewhere at u13 but the coach is developing good players and competitive teams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfO8W0QpTA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have visited every top club in the area and have yet to see a coach run these types of drills on a consistent basis. The coach took one group of glorified classic players and turned them into an elite team that won the MD State Cup last year and was ranked nationally while sending more than half the team to DI programs. He appears to be doing the same with the U16 team. I honestly doubt any player in the club at u14 or above could have made an elite team elsewhere at u13 but the coach is developing good players and competitive teams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfO8W0QpTA

I think this club should be given a look as well. Outside of the results they have made, the couple of Bordeaux parents I’ve met in person are just like those few who have posted here. They are happy to be with the club, but are not obnoxiously overbearing, like other clubs some may have dealt with personally or through this forum.