Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Loudoun U9 White Boys coach is very good at teaching individual skills and technique, and he keeps it fun for the kids. Some parents complain the practices aren't serious enough, and he doesn't really teach much in the way of tactics or decision making.

This is the second reference to teaching tactics (or "positioning") I've seen in recent days. But the U.S. Soccer curriculum calls for very little tactical work for U9 and U10. "Creating space" is the tactical priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So birth year 2005 got the royal screw job in terms of Developmental Academies:

For the 2016-2017 seasonal year, the U-12 Development Academy (a program of U.S. Soccer not U.S. Youth Soccer) is available to players born in 2004 and younger. Yet 2005 are U12 everywhere else.
In the 2017-2018 seasonal year, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy will implement the birth year shift, and the U-12 Development Academy for that season will be offered to players born in 2006 and younger.

So 2005 never gets a year where they are the first incoming group. Now you'll have some of the '05s dropping down next year to play with their correct birth year.

Man--talk about drawing the short straw--Fall/Winter 05 birthdays.

That is messed up. On that note---does McLean only have U12 developmental academy next year as well? Will that mean the current DA McLean 2004/2005 U12 players will be heading to Loudon or Arlington to tryout for those DA teams?

Or they can try out for DC United or Bethesda, both of which may be closer than Loudoun, depending where the families live.

It will increase competition significantly. The 2005s are really at a disadvantage.

Won't McLean carry the current DA team? They have to release them--next year? Was the DA status conditional and possible to move through the next age groups?

All players will age out of Loudon/Arlington DA at age 13 unless these clubs get an Academy past U14, correct? U14 next year for academy will mean players that are 12&13 years old according to birth year (2003 will be U14 in the following year 2017-18). I am guessing this may have the impact of the DA players going back to their Clubs A teams and pushing down players there now. There are only a few spots at DC united Academy so they will not absorb the majority of the players from these other Clubs.

Unless there is anyone with inside scoop here, there's no way to know if any of the clubs that currently have only U12 or U12-U14 might be in line to get full DA status. Some clubs that started with only U14 a couple years ago were eventually awarded U16 and U18, but others weren't.

I doubt McLean would have additional age groups added since they only have a sole DA team now. If there is no change in their status, then they'll just have a younger group cycle into the U12 DA team for next year. As for what happens to kids aging out of their current DA club, their games are basically scouting opportunities for the other area DA clubs. Some will likely end up at DC or Bethesda, and others will go back to play outside DA.

After a year of enjoying DA status the very top players could go to Arlington or DCU . . . here is announcement - http://www.mcleansoccer.org/Academy_Overview

The rest can look around elsewhere or "settle" for going back to CCL on their green team Word among parents is that Mclean is not getting a boys academy back after screwing up a few years ago and u.s. soccer taking it away.

Any idea why they didn't mention 'Loudoun' in that press release? Does Loudoun have U13, U14 DA? That is 26 players moving to look for spots at Arlington's current DA team of 26 unless they want to deal with traffic into DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Any idea why they didn't mention 'Loudoun' in that press release? Does Loudoun have U13, U14 DA? That is 26 players moving to look for spots at Arlington's current DA team of 26 unless they want to deal with traffic into DC.

Probably because Loudoun is not a DC United affiliate--it does have U13 and U14 DA teams. Here's a perhaps out of date list of clubs that are: http://www.dcunited.com/academy/academy-affiliates

But I think the "affiliate" thing is likely just meaningless marketing. DC United and the other academy clubs will take whomever they think is good at the older ages, regardless of where they come from, and kids leaving McLean's DA program can certainly look at Loudoun, VDA or other DA clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Any idea why they didn't mention 'Loudoun' in that press release? Does Loudoun have U13, U14 DA? That is 26 players moving to look for spots at Arlington's current DA team of 26 unless they want to deal with traffic into DC.

Probably because Loudoun is not a DC United affiliate--it does have U13 and U14 DA teams. Here's a perhaps out of date list of clubs that are: http://www.dcunited.com/academy/academy-affiliates

But I think the "affiliate" thing is likely just meaningless marketing. DC United and the other academy clubs will take whomever they think is good at the older ages, regardless of where they come from, and kids leaving McLean's DA program can certainly look at Loudoun, VDA or other DA clubs.

Loudoun is a DC United affiliated academy. It partnered with Arlington last Spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun Fact of the Day: Only 6 of the 24 teams who clenched a semi-final spot in the Va State Cup thus far are non-CCL teams.

They clenched semifinal spots? Man, must've been tough games.

So here's who made it (* - non-CCL):

BRYC: U20G, U20B, U18B, U16B
Arlington: U18G, U18B, U17B, U16B
Loudoun: U18G, U20B, U18B, U17B

*VYS: U20G, U18G
SOCA: U20G, U17B
Beach FC: U20B, U17B

*Annandale: U20G
*Herndon: U18G
*SYC: U20B
SYA: U18B
Virginia Legacy: U16B
McLean: U16B

I may have miscounted somewhere, because I'm only coming up with five non-CCL teams.

But, as we've all said all along, 12 of the 24 berths went to three clubs. They're the three best clubs in the state, and it doesn't matter what league they're in. Beach FC and SOCA, each the dominant club in a fairly large area, also are pretty good. Then everyone else, CCL or not, is fighting over scraps.

Which is as it was and likely shall be in the future, CCL or not.

Zero chance those are the three best clubs in the state. They do nothing more than any other club around them and typically focus on winning and size in the younger ages. Maybe by best you mean they make the most money, have the highest paid directors, and run lots of tournaments?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun Fact of the Day: Only 6 of the 24 teams who clenched a semi-final spot in the Va State Cup thus far are non-CCL teams.

They clenched semifinal spots? Man, must've been tough games.

So here's who made it (* - non-CCL):

BRYC: U20G, U20B, U18B, U16B
Arlington: U18G, U18B, U17B, U16B
Loudoun: U18G, U20B, U18B, U17B

*VYS: U20G, U18G
SOCA: U20G, U17B
Beach FC: U20B, U17B

*Annandale: U20G
*Herndon: U18G
*SYC: U20B
SYA: U18B
Virginia Legacy: U16B
McLean: U16B

I may have miscounted somewhere, because I'm only coming up with five non-CCL teams.

But, as we've all said all along, 12 of the 24 berths went to three clubs. They're the three best clubs in the state, and it doesn't matter what league they're in. Beach FC and SOCA, each the dominant club in a fairly large area, also are pretty good. Then everyone else, CCL or not, is fighting over scraps.

Which is as it was and likely shall be in the future, CCL or not.

Zero chance those are the three best clubs in the state. They do nothing more than any other club around them and typically focus on winning and size in the younger ages. Maybe by best you mean they make the most money, have the highest paid directors, and run lots of tournaments?

OK then -- what clubs are better and why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Any idea why they didn't mention 'Loudoun' in that press release? Does Loudoun have U13, U14 DA? That is 26 players moving to look for spots at Arlington's current DA team of 26 unless they want to deal with traffic into DC.

Probably because Loudoun is not a DC United affiliate--it does have U13 and U14 DA teams. Here's a perhaps out of date list of clubs that are: http://www.dcunited.com/academy/academy-affiliates

But I think the "affiliate" thing is likely just meaningless marketing. DC United and the other academy clubs will take whomever they think is good at the older ages, regardless of where they come from, and kids leaving McLean's DA program can certainly look at Loudoun, VDA or other DA clubs.

Loudoun is a DC United affiliated academy. It partnered with Arlington last Spring.

Yes. Loudon and Arlington are currently DC United affiliated for Developmental Academies for U12-U-14 boys. McLean just has it for U12.

Now, why the Mclean website just mentions the players going to DC or Arlington and not Loudon after U12---that I could not tell you. Unless, Loudon is not running their next year. No idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun Fact of the Day: Only 6 of the 24 teams who clenched a semi-final spot in the Va State Cup thus far are non-CCL teams.

They clenched semifinal spots? Man, must've been tough games.

So here's who made it (* - non-CCL):

BRYC: U20G, U20B, U18B, U16B
Arlington: U18G, U18B, U17B, U16B
Loudoun: U18G, U20B, U18B, U17B

*VYS: U20G, U18G
SOCA: U20G, U17B
Beach FC: U20B, U17B

*Annandale: U20G
*Herndon: U18G
*SYC: U20B
SYA: U18B
Virginia Legacy: U16B
McLean: U16B

I may have miscounted somewhere, because I'm only coming up with five non-CCL teams.

But, as we've all said all along, 12 of the 24 berths went to three clubs. They're the three best clubs in the state, and it doesn't matter what league they're in. Beach FC and SOCA, each the dominant club in a fairly large area, also are pretty good. Then everyone else, CCL or not, is fighting over scraps.

Which is as it was and likely shall be in the future, CCL or not.

Zero chance those are the three best clubs in the state. They do nothing more than any other club around them and typically focus on winning and size in the younger ages. Maybe by best you mean they make the most money, have the highest paid directors, and run lots of tournaments?

I'm sorry but you don't know what your are talking about. As has been pointed out by many on this board, BRYC has very average teams until about U13 or U14 and older precisely because they do not coach to win at the earlier ages.

Instead they teach technical skills and possession soccer, passing the ball out of the defense, etc. which leads to lots of give away goals and losses at the earlier ages but pays dividends at the older ages. BRYC is not the only club that operates that way, but it is most pronounced at BRYC among the bigger clubs. And no I am not a BRYC coach but I did know enough to look at the playing styles and track records at the older ages of bigger clubs before my kid moved to BRYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun Fact of the Day: Only 6 of the 24 teams who clenched a semi-final spot in the Va State Cup thus far are non-CCL teams.

They clenched semifinal spots? Man, must've been tough games.

So here's who made it (* - non-CCL):

BRYC: U20G, U20B, U18B, U16B
Arlington: U18G, U18B, U17B, U16B
Loudoun: U18G, U20B, U18B, U17B

*VYS: U20G, U18G
SOCA: U20G, U17B
Beach FC: U20B, U17B

*Annandale: U20G
*Herndon: U18G
*SYC: U20B
SYA: U18B
Virginia Legacy: U16B
McLean: U16B

I may have miscounted somewhere, because I'm only coming up with five non-CCL teams.

But, as we've all said all along, 12 of the 24 berths went to three clubs. They're the three best clubs in the state, and it doesn't matter what league they're in. Beach FC and SOCA, each the dominant club in a fairly large area, also are pretty good. Then everyone else, CCL or not, is fighting over scraps.

Which is as it was and likely shall be in the future, CCL or not.

Zero chance those are the three best clubs in the state. They do nothing more than any other club around them and typically focus on winning and size in the younger ages. Maybe by best you mean they make the most money, have the highest paid directors, and run lots of tournaments?

OK then -- what clubs are better and why?

Within the state Beach is a better club and it's not because they pull from a larger area but the direction they are taking the club. They have an academy system between U6-U10 that focuses on development. They are building their own futsal facility so their teams can play year round. I don't see what BRYC, Loudoun or Arlington are doing to compete with that? They might be winning all the games now but I think in a few years they are going to have a hard time competing against Beach.

http://www.beachfc.com/beach-fc-to-develop---build-futsal-facility-in-2016/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun Fact of the Day: Only 6 of the 24 teams who clenched a semi-final spot in the Va State Cup thus far are non-CCL teams.

They clenched semifinal spots? Man, must've been tough games.

So here's who made it (* - non-CCL):

BRYC: U20G, U20B, U18B, U16B
Arlington: U18G, U18B, U17B, U16B
Loudoun: U18G, U20B, U18B, U17B

*VYS: U20G, U18G
SOCA: U20G, U17B
Beach FC: U20B, U17B

*Annandale: U20G
*Herndon: U18G
*SYC: U20B
SYA: U18B
Virginia Legacy: U16B
McLean: U16B

I may have miscounted somewhere, because I'm only coming up with five non-CCL teams.

But, as we've all said all along, 12 of the 24 berths went to three clubs. They're the three best clubs in the state, and it doesn't matter what league they're in. Beach FC and SOCA, each the dominant club in a fairly large area, also are pretty good. Then everyone else, CCL or not, is fighting over scraps.

Which is as it was and likely shall be in the future, CCL or not.

Zero chance those are the three best clubs in the state. They do nothing more than any other club around them and typically focus on winning and size in the younger ages. Maybe by best you mean they make the most money, have the highest paid directors, and run lots of tournaments?

OK then -- what clubs are better and why?

Within the state Beach is a better club and it's not because they pull from a larger area but the direction they are taking the club. They have an academy system between U6-U10 that focuses on development. They are building their own futsal facility so their teams can play year round. I don't see what BRYC, Loudoun or Arlington are doing to compete with that? They might be winning all the games now but I think in a few years they are going to have a hard time competing against Beach.

http://www.beachfc.com/beach-fc-to-develop---build-futsal-facility-in-2016/

The facts are that Beach is a good club but has produced fewer state cup finalists and champions than the other three NOVA clubs over the last several years. So they have not demonstrated they are better at producing top teams. Nor do they have a track record of producing as many players for the national team pools as the other three NOVA clubs.

As for the future, you might be right or you might be wrong about where Beach will be "in a few years." Only time will tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun Fact of the Day: Only 6 of the 24 teams who clenched a semi-final spot in the Va State Cup thus far are non-CCL teams.

They clenched semifinal spots? Man, must've been tough games.

So here's who made it (* - non-CCL):

BRYC: U20G, U20B, U18B, U16B
Arlington: U18G, U18B, U17B, U16B
Loudoun: U18G, U20B, U18B, U17B

*VYS: U20G, U18G
SOCA: U20G, U17B
Beach FC: U20B, U17B

*Annandale: U20G
*Herndon: U18G
*SYC: U20B
SYA: U18B
Virginia Legacy: U16B
McLean: U16B

I may have miscounted somewhere, because I'm only coming up with five non-CCL teams.

But, as we've all said all along, 12 of the 24 berths went to three clubs. They're the three best clubs in the state, and it doesn't matter what league they're in. Beach FC and SOCA, each the dominant club in a fairly large area, also are pretty good. Then everyone else, CCL or not, is fighting over scraps.

Which is as it was and likely shall be in the future, CCL or not.

Zero chance those are the three best clubs in the state. They do nothing more than any other club around them and typically focus on winning and size in the younger ages. Maybe by best you mean they make the most money, have the highest paid directors, and run lots of tournaments?

I'm sorry but you don't know what your are talking about. As has been pointed out by many on this board, BRYC has very average teams until about U13 or U14 and older precisely because they do not coach to win at the earlier ages.

Instead they teach technical skills and possession soccer, passing the ball out of the defense, etc. which leads to lots of give away goals and losses at the earlier ages but pays dividends at the older ages. BRYC is not the only club that operates that way, but it is most pronounced at BRYC among the bigger clubs. And no I am not a BRYC coach but I did know enough to look at the playing styles and track records at the older ages of bigger clubs before my kid moved to BRYC.

BRYC and Loudon, yes, they matter. Not going to argue there. The rest of CCL is a waste of time though. HOWEVER, as long as you are on the top 2 teams, Arlington cannot be topped . . . talking overall as a club, without the benefits of the luck you get at any club by getting assigned a specific coach. Had kids play at 4 other local clubs around Arlington, and I'm sorry, but the best development we saw came from being at the top at that club. I am talking 9U - 12U, not the older ages. I agree, if you are on one of the bottom teams it is a joke there, and you should go to a smaller club, but as long as you are in the top 25 players in your age group, you are better off there then BRYC or driving out to loudon. Credit the TDs who are overpaid but do spot the talent and treat them right to get the best travel teams in every age group. There is harmony there for the tip players. They do NOT focus on winning for the top kids, what a bunch of crap. If your kid sucks,.then you get treated like every kid at every other club and might as well go to PAC or FPYC where you'll get some attention.

Strapping on the helmet for all the crap I will have to endure for speaking the truth . . . . FU to all you haters (in advance). Sad, but that is the way this thread runs . . . pile on and hate the people who like CCL and debate who the best of the three is (Loudon, Arlington, or BRYC). We like all 3 actually . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BRYC and Loudon, yes, they matter. Not going to argue there. The rest of CCL is a waste of time though. HOWEVER, as long as you are on the top 2 teams, Arlington cannot be topped . . . talking overall as a club, without the benefits of the luck you get at any club by getting assigned a specific coach. Had kids play at 4 other local clubs around Arlington, and I'm sorry, but the best development we saw came from being at the top at that club. I am talking 9U - 12U, not the older ages. I agree, if you are on one of the bottom teams it is a joke there, and you should go to a smaller club, but as long as you are in the top 25 players in your age group, you are better off there then BRYC or driving out to loudon. Credit the TDs who are overpaid but do spot the talent and treat them right to get the best travel teams in every age group. There is harmony there for the tip players. They do NOT focus on winning for the top kids, what a bunch of crap. If your kid sucks,.then you get treated like every kid at every other club and might as well go to PAC or FPYC where you'll get some attention.

Strapping on the helmet for all the crap I will have to endure for speaking the truth . . . . FU to all you haters (in advance). Sad, but that is the way this thread runs . . . pile on and hate the people who like CCL and debate who the best of the three is (Loudon, Arlington, or BRYC). We like all 3 actually . . .

Defensive, but actually well-reasoned. Arlington's a huge club, for better and for worse. They'll always attract a lot of talent, and then they'll have some good coaches and some not-so-good. If you're lost in the shuffle, you may be better off somewhere smaller.

I wouldn't be surprised if Beach FC also does well in the future. Like Arlington, they're a big club with a lot of resources, and that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BRYC and Loudon, yes, they matter. Not going to argue there. The rest of CCL is a waste of time though. HOWEVER, as long as you are on the top 2 teams, Arlington cannot be topped . . . talking overall as a club, without the benefits of the luck you get at any club by getting assigned a specific coach. Had kids play at 4 other local clubs around Arlington, and I'm sorry, but the best development we saw came from being at the top at that club. I am talking 9U - 12U, not the older ages. I agree, if you are on one of the bottom teams it is a joke there, and you should go to a smaller club, but as long as you are in the top 25 players in your age group, you are better off there then BRYC or driving out to loudon. Credit the TDs who are overpaid but do spot the talent and treat them right to get the best travel teams in every age group. There is harmony there for the tip players. They do NOT focus on winning for the top kids, what a bunch of crap. If your kid sucks,.then you get treated like every kid at every other club and might as well go to PAC or FPYC where you'll get some attention.

Strapping on the helmet for all the crap I will have to endure for speaking the truth . . . . FU to all you haters (in advance). Sad, but that is the way this thread runs . . . pile on and hate the people who like CCL and debate who the best of the three is (Loudon, Arlington, or BRYC). We like all 3 actually . . .

Defensive, but actually well-reasoned. Arlington's a huge club, for better and for worse. They'll always attract a lot of talent, and then they'll have some good coaches and some not-so-good. If you're lost in the shuffle, you may be better off somewhere smaller.

I wouldn't be surprised if Beach FC also does well in the future. Like Arlington, they're a big club with a lot of resources, and that helps.

The top 25 U9-U12 players in the last decade (that started and stayed with Arlington) have not achieved much at all. They haven't even go on to play for great NCAA soccer colleges. One went to DC United early on--but that kid would have been good no matter where he played.

They recently got some really great outside players come over for their DA teams---but nah--developmentally they do not produce great players. It's crazy somebody is trying to tout them as a developmental club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BRYC and Loudon, yes, they matter. Not going to argue there. The rest of CCL is a waste of time though. HOWEVER, as long as you are on the top 2 teams, Arlington cannot be topped . . . talking overall as a club, without the benefits of the luck you get at any club by getting assigned a specific coach. Had kids play at 4 other local clubs around Arlington, and I'm sorry, but the best development we saw came from being at the top at that club. I am talking 9U - 12U, not the older ages. I agree, if you are on one of the bottom teams it is a joke there, and you should go to a smaller club, but as long as you are in the top 25 players in your age group, you are better off there then BRYC or driving out to loudon. Credit the TDs who are overpaid but do spot the talent and treat them right to get the best travel teams in every age group. There is harmony there for the tip players. They do NOT focus on winning for the top kids, what a bunch of crap. If your kid sucks,.then you get treated like every kid at every other club and might as well go to PAC or FPYC where you'll get some attention.

Strapping on the helmet for all the crap I will have to endure for speaking the truth . . . . FU to all you haters (in advance). Sad, but that is the way this thread runs . . . pile on and hate the people who like CCL and debate who the best of the three is (Loudon, Arlington, or BRYC). We like all 3 actually . . .

Defensive, but actually well-reasoned. Arlington's a huge club, for better and for worse. They'll always attract a lot of talent, and then they'll have some good coaches and some not-so-good. If you're lost in the shuffle, you may be better off somewhere smaller.

I wouldn't be surprised if Beach FC also does well in the future. Like Arlington, they're a big club with a lot of resources, and that helps.

The top 25 U9-U12 players in the last decade (that started and stayed with Arlington) have not achieved much at all. They haven't even go on to play for great NCAA soccer colleges. One went to DC United early on--but that kid would have been good no matter where he played.

They recently got some really great outside players come over for their DA teams---but nah--developmentally they do not produce great players. It's crazy somebody is trying to tout them as a developmental club.

Agreed. I can name players from many small clubs that have gone on to play Internationally over the years....can somebody name some Arlington players (not recruited in their later years) but actually trained by the Club that have done that?

[Anonymous]

^^yep. Yea-those TDs really do a great selection process.

3 of the current top U13 DA players were relegated to the crap field at tryouts and not even selected--multiple years.

As it's been said before, it's a recruitment club. Not a development club.