Arlington Boys to ENCL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Arlington DA parents and not excited about this. We'll find out more details on our conference call, but we may stick it out for the next "year" (i.e. who knows what will happen this Fall) and sort it out the season after when things are a bit clearer.

Not impressed by level of ECNL competition nor the travel, but suspect they didn't have many options.

Hang in there. I think it was a difficult decision for them. A DA-caliber son will have plenty of really good options when things resume, and I suspect a lot of other top clubs in the area who will compete elsewhere would be thrilled to have him.

I really suspect they didn't have an option. Maybe as a PP mentioned they'll form a DMV division if they can bring in another team or two. That would reduce everyone's travel and probably make many parents very happy, along with lowering the club's expenses.

My suspicion is the same of yours. Given the USL league, I wonder if there even is an MLS league any more - or whether the MLS teams are basically planning on using their relationships with the USL clubs tto be a part of that. As the parent of an Arlington DA boy I'm not thrilled myself. But I'm not sure there are any better options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Arlington DA parents and not excited about this. We'll find out more details on our conference call, but we may stick it out for the next "year" (i.e. who knows what will happen this Fall) and sort it out the season after when things are a bit clearer.

Not impressed by level of ECNL competition nor the travel, but suspect they didn't have many options.

Hang in there. I think it was a difficult decision for them. A DA-caliber son will have plenty of really good options when things resume, and I suspect a lot of other top clubs in the area who will compete elsewhere would be thrilled to have him.

I really suspect they didn't have an option. Maybe as a PP mentioned they'll form a DMV division if they can bring in another team or two. That would reduce everyone's travel and probably make many parents very happy, along with lowering the club's expenses.

My suspicion is the same of yours. Given the USL league, I wonder if there even is an MLS league any more - or whether the MLS teams are basically planning on using their relationships with the USL clubs tto be a part of that. As the parent of an Arlington DA boy I'm not thrilled myself. But I'm not sure there are any better options.

A lot of MLS clubs are going to be struggling for survival, with MLS looking to cut costs, so being a Tier 2 academy club would be a tenuous position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Arlington DA parents and not excited about this. We'll find out more details on our conference call, but we may stick it out for the next "year" (i.e. who knows what will happen this Fall) and sort it out the season after when things are a bit clearer.

Not impressed by level of ECNL competition nor the travel, but suspect they didn't have many options.

Hang in there. I think it was a difficult decision for them. A DA-caliber son will have plenty of really good options when things resume, and I suspect a lot of other top clubs in the area who will compete elsewhere would be thrilled to have him.

I really suspect they didn't have an option. Maybe as a PP mentioned they'll form a DMV division if they can bring in another team or two. That would reduce everyone's travel and probably make many parents very happy, along with lowering the club's expenses.

My suspicion is the same of yours. Given the USL league, I wonder if there even is an MLS league any more - or whether the MLS teams are basically planning on using their relationships with the USL clubs tto be a part of that. As the parent of an Arlington DA boy I'm not thrilled myself. But I'm not sure there are any better options.

I feel the same way!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Arlington DA parents and not excited about this. We'll find out more details on our conference call, but we may stick it out for the next "year" (i.e. who knows what will happen this Fall) and sort it out the season after when things are a bit clearer.

Not impressed by level of ECNL competition nor the travel, but suspect they didn't have many options.

Hang in there. I think it was a difficult decision for them. A DA-caliber son will have plenty of really good options when things resume, and I suspect a lot of other top clubs in the area who will compete elsewhere would be thrilled to have him.

I really suspect they didn't have an option. Maybe as a PP mentioned they'll form a DMV division if they can bring in another team or two. That would reduce everyone's travel and probably make many parents very happy, along with lowering the club's expenses.

My suspicion is the same of yours. Given the USL league, I wonder if there even is an MLS league any more - or whether the MLS teams are basically planning on using their relationships with the USL clubs tto be a part of that. As the parent of an Arlington DA boy I'm not thrilled myself. But I'm not sure there are any better options.

A lot of MLS clubs are going to be struggling for survival, with MLS looking to cut costs, so being a Tier 2 academy club would be a tenuous position.

That wouldn't have bothered me at all though. If that league collapsed - and it may have collapsed already - then we would simply be in the situation we are today. But at least while it was still alive it would have provided a decent level of competition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are Arlington DA parents and not excited about this. We'll find out more details on our conference call, but we may stick it out for the next "year" (i.e. who knows what will happen this Fall) and sort it out the season after when things are a bit clearer.

Not impressed by level of ECNL competition nor the travel, but suspect they didn't have many options.

Hang in there. I think it was a difficult decision for them. A DA-caliber son will have plenty of really good options when things resume, and I suspect a lot of other top clubs in the area who will compete elsewhere would be thrilled to have him.

I really suspect they didn't have an option. Maybe as a PP mentioned they'll form a DMV division if they can bring in another team or two. That would reduce everyone's travel and probably make many parents very happy, along with lowering the club's expenses.

My suspicion is the same of yours. Given the USL league, I wonder if there even is an MLS league any more - or whether the MLS teams are basically planning on using their relationships with the USL clubs tto be a part of that. As the parent of an Arlington DA boy I'm not thrilled myself. But I'm not sure there are any better options.

I feel the same way!

Lol seriously? EDP is a better option. CCL may be a better option.

[Anonymous]

Right, I think Arlington should have gone EDP instead of ENCL. Heck, CCL was great before all this DA hype!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than Alexandria, I think the ECNL now has most of the top boys clubs in VA.

Loudoun and VDA (including feeders) are solid across all ages in boys. Arlington is as well. BRYC and McLean are most definitely not solid on the boys side. We live near both and commute well away for our kid to play with better boys. Outside of it, and in this area, you have SYC, Alexandria, Bethesda, Achilles, Baltimore Union, Calverton Cerritos, SAC, Total Futbol. Herndon, Doradus have a few really good teams. Outside of this area, SOCA.

BRYC and McLean not solid? BRYC03 beat Arlington Academy03 7-1. BRYC split games against McLean in the league matches. Don't expect many easy games in the league play. Arlington might struggle in some age groups.

Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

Yes, I believe the conversation had turned to where they’d be better served. EDP and CCL came to mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

There was DA at that time, and this team wasn’t. When no longer DA, team composition obviously changed. Now that Arlington is simply one of five area ECNL teams, no obvious reason kids who came for Arlington DA would go there instead of other teams unless they keep DA coaching staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

It's certainly not coached or treated as part of the DA within Arlington. The DA coaching setup and teams are basically completely separate from the rest of the Arlingtion setup. The coaches only coach DA teams. The DA teams practice together on the same fields at the same times, and regularly scrimmage against each other. The 03 team is not part of this setup. The 04 team is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

There was DA at that time, and this team wasn’t. When no longer DA, team composition obviously changed. Now that Arlington is simply one of five area ECNL teams, no obvious reason kids who came for Arlington DA would go there instead of other teams unless they keep DA coaching staff.

Yes. I think this will be key for Arlington. If they keep the coaches they may well hang on to a good number of the kids. If they don't, I can't see why the kids that came from further afield would continue to go. Even with the coaches I wonder how many of the ones with offers from DC United will leave now, who would not have left if DA had continued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

There was DA at that time, and this team wasn’t. When no longer DA, team composition obviously changed. Now that Arlington is simply one of five area ECNL teams, no obvious reason kids who came for Arlington DA would go there instead of other teams unless they keep DA coaching staff.

Yep 03 team was never DA. Arlington got DA in 2016 with 04 team. They were awarded the U15 age group in 2018 (again the 04 team was the U15 team at this time) and were just awarded the U17 age group (again this would have been the 04 team. So Arlington DA is, or rather was, 04 and below.

If they are marketing the 03 team as "Academy", that seems a little dishonest to me.

Not that it matters any more I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington's oldest academy team is 04.

'05

There is no longer DA in any age group. Arlington itself lists its 03 team as "Arlington Academy" on gotsoccer. It's a former DA team that aged out, just like 04 team would have aged out if DA still existed. All top Arlington teams will be ECNL teams, including their 03 team.

Yes, I believe the conversation had turned to where they’d be better served. EDP and CCL came to mind.

My U15 son plays on a first division EDP team. Most of the teams we play are from Baltimore area, some independent VA teams. The competition is far superior to CCL and my kid’s team has beat DA teams.

EDP is very competitive in top brackets. But, elitist stay in their bubble thinking they are far superior in their “special” leagues.