Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any Arlington posters tell me about their family's experience in the ASA U9 boys travel program? I'm trying to get a sense of the environment for the U9 boys. Also interested in what a typical week looks like (how many practices? How many games? How much actual travel?). I've read the ASA commitment letter, but I don't know how that abstract "commitment" translates in a real life basis.

My first grader DS particulated in the ASA U9 tryouts, and he's been offered a roster spot. We've got 48 hours (less now) to accept or decline. We're completely new to the travel soccer scene, and it seems like a big commitment. I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth it for DS (who is a good player, but not gifted, and really enjoys soccer - and competition, generally- but also has other activities and interests). I'm open to the idea of travel soccer, but I do have significant reservations. I'm considering ADP (if DS gets through the tryout) as an alternative.

DS is really excited to have "made the travel team" but he has no idea what he's signing up for. I've asked him to consider what he'd be willing to give up tone on the travel team (other sporting activities? Birthday parties for friends? Hanging out with neighborhood kids after school some nights?).

Any input from more experienced parents would be much appreciated!

you really have to try it for at least a season to know whether it's worth it for your family.

Agree. Out of our friends it's 50-50 on what kids want to do it again at u10. Two former soccer-loving kid's friends are quitting after first year. The other 2 are going back.

It's a lot for a 2nd grader. Everyone used to start in 3rd, but birth year change has pushed it into even younger grades. You can always try it, bit if you see it is too much--just sit them out one of the 3 practices and drop to ADP following year.

Don't let others scare you into thinking doors close if you don't accept. By U12-there are a ton of free roster spots again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can any Arlington posters tell me about their family's experience in the ASA U9 boys travel program? I'm trying to get a sense of the environment for the U9 boys. Also interested in what a typical week looks like (how many practices? How many games? How much actual travel?). I've read the ASA commitment letter, but I don't know how that abstract "commitment" translates in a real life basis.

My first grader DS particulated in the ASA U9 tryouts, and he's been offered a roster spot. We've got 48 hours (less now) to accept or decline. We're completely new to the travel soccer scene, and it seems like a big commitment. I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth it for DS (who is a good player, but not gifted, and really enjoys soccer - and competition, generally- but also has other activities and interests). I'm open to the idea of travel soccer, but I do have significant reservations. I'm considering ADP (if DS gets through the tryout) as an alternative.

DS is really excited to have "made the travel team" but he has no idea what he's signing up for. I've asked him to consider what he'd be willing to give up tone on the travel team (other sporting activities? Birthday parties for friends? Hanging out with neighborhood kids after school some nights?).

Any input from more experienced parents would be much appreciated!

you really have to try it for at least a season to know whether it's worth it for your family.

...guess you didn't read the last 5-10 pages of this thread to see what you are in for!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do all the larger clubs train 3 days a week at girls u10? I see some that go 2 days a week plus a skills day. What is a skills day and is it optional? We want her to stay with karate.

Our current large club does 3x 1 hour practices and the ones I have been looking at do 2x 1.5 hour practices. About the same time and allows for less travel commitments or other sports.

oUr u9sand u10s have three 90 minute team practices per week; 1 game.[/quot

Are the three practices all on weeknights? Is this Arlington?

[Anonymous]

^^ take it all with a grain of salt but you really do need to try it for a year.
Everyone has different opinions/experiences because it depends on the team and your expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do all the larger clubs train 3 days a week at girls u10? I see some that go 2 days a week plus a skills day. What is a skills day and is it optional? We want her to stay with karate.

Our current large club does 3x 1 hour practices and the ones I have been looking at do 2x 1.5 hour practices. About the same time and allows for less travel commitments or other sports.

oUr u9sand u10s have three 90 minute team practices per week; 1 game.[/quot

Are the three practices all on weeknights? Is this Arlington?

No- the three 90 minute team practices per week is not an Arlington poster.

Arlington U9s do not practice that much---they have 2 90 min team practices and 1 hour skills training. The skills practice (with multiple other age groups at same time) does not run the whole season like the 2 team practices---~ 5-6 of the skills sessions each season. All weeknights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do all the larger clubs train 3 days a week at girls u10? I see some that go 2 days a week plus a skills day. What is a skills day and is it optional? We want her to stay with karate.

Our current large club does 3x 1 hour practices and the ones I have been looking at do 2x 1.5 hour practices. About the same time and allows for less travel commitments or other sports.

oUr u9sand u10s have three 90 minute team practices per week; 1 game.[/quot

Are the three practices all on weeknights? Is this Arlington?

Arlington U9 = 1 monday 60 min. practice + 2 other weeknight 105 min. practices {you show up 15 early} + 1 weekend 3-4 hour game {60 min. play, 45 min. warm-up, 60+ minutes on average car time depending on league and whether home or away}

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do all the larger clubs train 3 days a week at girls u10? I see some that go 2 days a week plus a skills day. What is a skills day and is it optional? We want her to stay with karate.

Our current large club does 3x 1 hour practices and the ones I have been looking at do 2x 1.5 hour practices. About the same time and allows for less travel commitments or other sports.

oUr u9sand u10s have three 90 minute team practices per week; 1 game.[/quot

Are the three practices all on weeknights? Is this Arlington?

No- the three 90 minute team practices per week is not an Arlington poster.

Arlington U9s do not practice that much---they have 2 90 min team practices and 1 hour skills training. The skills practice (with multiple other age groups at same time) does not run the whole season like the 2 team practices---~ 5-6 of the skills sessions each season. All weeknights.

I just counted and they had eight Monday practices in the fall and seven Monday practices in the spring. You also have one or two tournaments in each of the seasons depending on what team you are placed on. Tournaments consists of basically your entire weekend all day Saturday and all day Sunday and always are on holiday weekends. In the winter you train once a week with your team and you play one indoor match on the weekend. Optional stuff are the winter outdoor development camps and the Summer League Y program when a little older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So do all the larger clubs train 3 days a week at girls u10? I see some that go 2 days a week plus a skills day. What is a skills day and is it optional? We want her to stay with karate.

Our current large club does 3x 1 hour practices and the ones I have been looking at do 2x 1.5 hour practices. About the same time and allows for less travel commitments or other sports.

oUr u9sand u10s have three 90 minute team practices per week; 1 game.[/quot

Are the three practices all on weeknights? Is this Arlington?

No- the three 90 minute team practices per week is not an Arlington poster.

Arlington U9s do not practice that much---they have 2 90 min team practices and 1 hour skills training. The skills practice (with multiple other age groups at same time) does not run the whole season like the 2 team practices---~ 5-6 of the skills sessions each season. All weeknights.

I just counted and they had eight Monday practices in the fall and seven Monday practices in the spring. You also have one or two tournaments in each of the seasons depending on what team you are placed on. Tournaments consists of basically your entire weekend all day Saturday and all day Sunday and always are on holiday weekends. In the winter you train once a week with your team and you play one indoor match on the weekend. Optional stuff are the winter outdoor development camps and the Summer League Y program when a little older.

The Monday practices are called skills sessions and are done Academy style -- and only mandatory for the red and white U9 teams

That never made much sense to us as you would think the skills development should be focused on the lower teams

[Anonymous]

U9 parent in Arlington here (the one with all the questions about U9 travel soccer and schedules). Thanks to everyone for their input. I really appreciate it.

This seems like a LOT for a second grader (next year), but I understand that the only way we can tell whether it is worth it is by giving it a try for a year. Still undecided about whether to do that, or just default to ADP now. But that's my problem. Thanks to you all for being so helpful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our 2009 born DS is a very gifted player who has played w/ Stoddert for 4 years -- now that he's old enough for travel we're torn b/c we want to attend to his development and he's gung ho to try out, but we're wary of the all consuming time commitment of travel soccer. Has anyone had experience with the DC Youth Futbol Club? Are there other options in DC or nearby MD where we wouldn't be sacrificing his skill development or future options for top tier play by going with a less intense travel schedule? Thanks for any advice!

Stoddert travel isn't as intense as some other programs reported here. (Most of the parents aren't quite as intense, either, from what we witnessed on the fields.) For the youngest boys (don't know about the girls), it was practice twice/week and one match on weekends. Two tournaments per year, not that far away. Winter practices were optional. The coaches at this level are great with the boys. The focus is on individual development, not on wins/losses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our 2009 born DS is a very gifted player who has played w/ Stoddert for 4 years -- now that he's old enough for travel we're torn b/c we want to attend to his development and he's gung ho to try out, but we're wary of the all consuming time commitment of travel soccer. Has anyone had experience with the DC Youth Futbol Club? Are there other options in DC or nearby MD where we wouldn't be sacrificing his skill development or future options for top tier play by going with a less intense travel schedule? Thanks for any advice!

Stoddert travel isn't as intense as some other programs reported here. (Most of the parents aren't quite as intense, either, from what we witnessed on the fields.) For the youngest boys (don't know about the girls), it was practice twice/week and one match on weekends. Two tournaments per year, not that far away. Winter practices were optional. The coaches at this level are great with the boys. The focus is on individual development, not on wins/losses.

You mean you don't have parents bringing their kids out a full year early at 6/7 years old so that they can drop down to the A team the following year ?

[Anonymous]

Any feedback on CMSSL in Maryland for boys U9?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U9 parent in Arlington here (the one with all the questions about U9 travel soccer and schedules). Thanks to everyone for their input. I really appreciate it.

This seems like a LOT for a second grader (next year), but I understand that the only way we can tell whether it is worth it is by giving it a try for a year. Still undecided about whether to do that, or just default to ADP now. But that's my problem. Thanks to you all for being so helpful!

I see a lot of suggestions for parents to default to ADP, I assume this is a way to develop a player without being on a travel team? It sounds like this is something offered in Arlington? I am in MoCo, are there any clubs here with a similar set-up? Not sure I want to put my 8 year old in travel yet, but I also wonder how to make sure real development is happening in case she wants to join a travel team in a couple of years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U9 parent in Arlington here (the one with all the questions about U9 travel soccer and schedules). Thanks to everyone for their input. I really appreciate it.

This seems like a LOT for a second grader (next year), but I understand that the only way we can tell whether it is worth it is by giving it a try for a year. Still undecided about whether to do that, or just default to ADP now. But that's my problem. Thanks to you all for being so helpful!

Some advice

Find out which team you are on and research the coach. Go watch some of his/her current trainings. The quality and personality of the coach is probably the key to whether you will come back next year. Travel is a HUGE commitment, there is nothing really optional (lots of missed bday parties, vacations planned AROUND travel commitments, etc.) even at U9.

If great coach and teammates, these things won't be viewed as sacrifices and you may decide to become a travel soccer family. But, if training is poor, coach not reinforcing the development you want, and/or you can't play well as a team in at least a handful of games (play, not results), then you will probably not come back.

The cost of travel is not the dollars, but your time. We loved it at U9, but gave up many extracurricular things. No way around that.

FINALLY, ignore the negativity from posters caught up in the team makeups, or think the club is corrupt. Most parents are fine, supportive, and realistic about their player. Sounds like you are too. But there are some parents who do complain about this stuff and think there is some conspiracy against their player or that they got outsmarted by some other parent. You will see these parents at the U9 meeting if you decide to accept. You see them complain on this board about tryouts and everything else. From our experience, these players and families become known within the club in a year or two, and their player as it turns out was average at best. Just enjoy the season and ignore them. Other clubs we have been at have these same parents. U9 tryouts seem to bring out the worst in people.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U9 parent in Arlington here (the one with all the questions about U9 travel soccer and schedules). Thanks to everyone for their input. I really appreciate it.

This seems like a LOT for a second grader (next year), but I understand that the only way we can tell whether it is worth it is by giving it a try for a year. Still undecided about whether to do that, or just default to ADP now. But that's my problem. Thanks to you all for being so helpful!

Some advice

Find out which team you are on and research the coach. Go watch some of his/her current trainings. The quality and personality of the coach is probably the key to whether you will come back next year. Travel is a HUGE commitment, there is nothing really optional (lots of missed bday parties, vacations planned AROUND travel commitments, etc.) even at U9.

If great coach and teammates, these things won't be viewed as sacrifices and you may decide to become a travel soccer family. But, if training is poor, coach not reinforcing the development you want, and/or you can't play well as a team in at least a handful of games (play, not results), then you will probably not come back.

The cost of travel is not the dollars, but your time. We loved it at U9, but gave up many extracurricular things. No way around that.

FINALLY, ignore the negativity from posters caught up in the team makeups, or think the club is corrupt. Most parents are fine, supportive, and realistic about their player. Sounds like you are too. But there are some parents who do complain about this stuff and think there is some conspiracy against their player or that they got outsmarted by some other parent. You will see these parents at the U9 meeting if you decide to accept. You see them complain on this board about tryouts and everything else. From our experience, these players and families become known within the club in a year or two, and their player as it turns out was average at best. Just enjoy the season and ignore them. Other clubs we have been at have these same parents. U9 tryouts seem to bring out the worst in people.

Good luck.

I agree. From our experience, the big CCL clubs attract the worst of them. I think because people are under the false assumption that they do something better in the younger years. They also are so large there isn't a lot of personal attention or a feeling that whatever complaints a team has as a whole are being heard. That creates dissatisfaction for some. Some actually leave because OF THE PARENTS, not the Club or the Coach. There are some real crazies out there---you will eventually see their true colors.