Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Many of us are parents and we spend half our lives driving these kids around, going to practices and games, and getting to know the kids and families. We get invested in them and just might be interested to know how they did in relation to other clubs and what division they will be playing in next season. That's not gross. What is gross is trolling a message board and firing off dismissive anonymous comments to those who see things slightly differently than you do.

[Anonymous]

Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

The only thing that matters is where you need to drive your kids on Sunday's this spring, anything else is trying to crow about some perceived status in relation to others of your little 10 year old. NCSL Division 1, congrats, hopefully they sell a bumper sticker that you can put next to your Elementary Honor Roll bumper sticker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

No, in fact this is not the place to ask about what teams will be in the first division, there is a website for that and it is the NCSL site and it will be posted when it is posted. But to go online and speculate what ten year old teams will be in D 1 of a local soccer league like it is the BCS rankings is laughably pathetic.

Sure, folks come here to talk about coaching issues, club issues and the process in general but talking about the rankings of ten year olds as if it matters is over investment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

No, in fact this is not the place to ask about what teams will be in the first division, there is a website for that and it is the NCSL site and it will be posted when it is posted. But to go online and speculate what ten year old teams will be in D 1 of a local soccer league like it is the BCS rankings is laughably pathetic.

Sure, folks come here to talk about coaching issues, club issues and the process in general but talking about the rankings of ten year olds as if it matters is over investment

I'm the one who posted about the NCSL U11 standings being up, and the main reason I did that was simply to alert people that the information was now available. A few days prior, it was not.

I figured I would do a short summary for people who were curious, given our previous discussion on the topic. I'm sorry if you find that so offensive or disturbing.

Believe me -- I didn't post it to brag. I have a U11 kid, and he's not on one of those teams. And the impression I got was that most of the people who were curious about it had kids who had played AGAINST these teams and might be curious to know which of them had gone on to win the rest.

If you're a parent watching your kid's team get pummeled by a Herndon or a Bethesda South (or, more surprisingly, an SYC), you'll be naturally curious to know if that team also pummeled everyone else. No, results don't tell the whole story -- you can have an 8-2 game that's total domination or you can have an 8-2 game that would've been 5-5 if you switched the goalkeepers. But it's a starting point for a legitimate conversation.

And yes, I'm frankly amazed at SYC. They had one team that went 9-0-0 and another that went 7-1-1 while outscoring opponents 60-15. At U9 last year, where we would've seen many of the same players, they weren't getting those results -- and the coaches clearly had the message about development over winning. For example: They encouraged their goalkeeper to go up to midfield and play with his feet, and they reassured the team it didn't matter when the other team got possession and simply outraced the keeper to the other end of the field.

So is that approach working? Or were last year's SYC teams dominant at U10, and this is all a fluke of the birth-year change?

That's not bragging -- I have no tie whatsoever to SYC. It's curiosity about how other clubs are doing things.

Which would be the main point of this thread, would it not? It's certainly an improvement over the days when people would cherry-pick U11 scores because they had some vendetta against Eddie Lima for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

No, in fact this is not the place to ask about what teams will be in the first division, there is a website for that and it is the NCSL site and it will be posted when it is posted. But to go online and speculate what ten year old teams will be in D 1 of a local soccer league like it is the BCS rankings is laughably pathetic.

Sure, folks come here to talk about coaching issues, club issues and the process in general but talking about the rankings of ten year olds as if it matters is over investment

I'm the one who posted about the NCSL U11 standings being up, and the main reason I did that was simply to alert people that the information was now available. A few days prior, it was not.

I figured I would do a short summary for people who were curious, given our previous discussion on the topic. I'm sorry if you find that so offensive or disturbing.

Believe me -- I didn't post it to brag. I have a U11 kid, and he's not on one of those teams. And the impression I got was that most of the people who were curious about it had kids who had played AGAINST these teams and might be curious to know which of them had gone on to win the rest.

If you're a parent watching your kid's team get pummeled by a Herndon or a Bethesda South (or, more surprisingly, an SYC), you'll be naturally curious to know if that team also pummeled everyone else. No, results don't tell the whole story -- you can have an 8-2 game that's total domination or you can have an 8-2 game that would've been 5-5 if you switched the goalkeepers. But it's a starting point for a legitimate conversation.

And yes, I'm frankly amazed at SYC. They had one team that went 9-0-0 and another that went 7-1-1 while outscoring opponents 60-15. At U9 last year, where we would've seen many of the same players, they weren't getting those results -- and the coaches clearly had the message about development over winning. For example: They encouraged their goalkeeper to go up to midfield and play with his feet, and they reassured the team it didn't matter when the other team got possession and simply outraced the keeper to the other end of the field.

So is that approach working? Or were last year's SYC teams dominant at U10, and this is all a fluke of the birth-year change?

That's not bragging -- I have no tie whatsoever to SYC. It's curiosity about how other clubs are doing things.

Which would be the main point of this thread, would it not? It's certainly an improvement over the days when people would cherry-pick U11 scores because they had some vendetta against Eddie Lima for some reason.

This whole post is the reason why talking about NCSL divisions is stupid. The problem is you don't see it. "Vendetta against Eddie Lima"? Oh my god how stupid. Lol and then this: "I'm frankly amazed at SYC. They had one team that went 9-0-0 a"

WOW!! "Frankly amazed". You realize that just two years ago half those kids couldn't tie their own shoes and you are saying things like, "At U9 last year, where we would've seen many of the same players, they weren't getting those results -- ". Shocking, just shocking that U11s don't play the same as they did at U9.

I was wrong keep posting because you are comedy gold.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

The only thing that matters is where you need to drive your kids on Sunday's this spring, anything else is trying to crow about some perceived status in relation to others of your little 10 year old. NCSL Division 1, congrats, hopefully they sell a bumper sticker that you can put next to your Elementary Honor Roll bumper sticker.

No one is bragging for pete's sake. Who the F is bragging? It's just shared information. The conversation would have dissipated by now, if it wasn't for the selct few who like to stand on their ivory tower and judge everyone else's conversations. You people are the ones that really need to get a life. WTF! Relax please.

[Anonymous]

Age 10 is in...the golden age of learning, isn't it? If some of these teams that are doing well and are close by to where one lives, it might help parents narrow a list of clubs to look at and see if they are playing the RIGHT way or if they just kick and chase with big, tall athletes. It's just information. People can choose to ignore it or do something else with it. And if people want to brag that their kid plays on one of these teams...which I don't see anyone doing. Who cares? Ignore the post. My kid doesn't play on any of these teams, but I found the list interesting. Thanks for posting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who needs to get a life? People wondering what the 1st division in U11 will look like in the spring or people telling those people to get lives and calling them names. Yes, if you don't like it, please leave. Does winning = good development, NO. We understand that. Does losing = bad product? NO. We understand that. So if a few people are curious as to which clubs might be in the 1st division, then this is the place to ask, isn't it? This list can create many side discussions similar to the discussion where so many people commented on the improvement of play for SYC from U9 to U11. This list for me makes me ask the question...I thought Calverton Ponce Eagles was their 1st team. Who is Calverton MD International? Same club? It also gets people thinking where they may have to travel to in the spring.

For those that only give a sh-t about their kid's individual development, then I'm not sure why you are here because not much information is provided on that topic. I think one time people asked what people do as supplemental training? Noone really posted anything. Noone really posts about individual teams and their trainers. Lots of mixed views on Arlington and Loudoun. That doesn't help much. And some people might not want to drive to VA Beach. All this BS about CCL vs NCSL vs ODSL. Who cares? There are great coaches and teams in all. How do you find them? No one knows. People talk about Alexandria and Reston playing the best soccer as a club. Maybe start there?

So if all you care about is your kid's individual development, then help us out. What is the path? Find a team that doesn't care about winning? OK. We discussed that...who has time to travel NOVA every night looking at training, games, etc.

So anyone who doesn't have a kid who plays soccer can look at this thread and tell us all to get lives. And that's fine. They can go back to trying to stay awake watching their kids play baseball. : ) But this is what we choose to do, so again, if you don't like the discussion on the board, leave. Not that complicated.

The only thing that matters is where you need to drive your kids on Sunday's this spring, anything else is trying to crow about some perceived status in relation to others of your little 10 year old. NCSL Division 1, congrats, hopefully they sell a bumper sticker that you can put next to your Elementary Honor Roll bumper sticker.

No one is bragging for pete's sake. Who the F is bragging? It's just shared information. The conversation would have dissipated by now, if it wasn't for the selct few who like to stand on their ivory tower and judge everyone else's conversations. You people are the ones that really need to get a life. WTF! Relax please.

I'm not saying you are bragging. I am saying that your observations and analysis is off base and stupid. Believe me, who would brag about their U11 NCSL kids team?

You are free to post I'm free to think your comments are stupid. You are free to disagree

[Anonymous]

I also have a boy who got pummeled by several of those top teams so thanks for posting. I'm hoping we end up in the bottom bracket in the Spring so we have a chance- our team is terrible although getting a little better. We are not a strong club and were really shaken up by the age change. Last Fall my child's team did really well in their division but this year the team is very different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey, remember when we were trying to guess who'd be in NCSL U11 Div1 in the spring?

NCSL just posted the fall standings. So my guess would be:

Herndon Estudiantes Black
Bethesda South Green
Bethesda South Blue
SYC Lions Blue
CALV MD International
Rush Academy Blue
Laurel Lions White
St. Mary's Scorpions Premi
A3 United
Arlington yea

Maybe instead of the second Bethesda South team ...
SAC United Blue
FCSC United Black
Reston Blue

Get a life, they are ten years old

+100

I only give a shit how my kid is developing not if a team is winning...at 10.

I've seen kids in first teams with god-awful first touch.

Serious question: How do you know how your kid is developing...at age 10. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the question is written better as...How do I know if my 10 year old is developing appropriately. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the question is written better as...How do I know if my 10 year old is developing appropriately. Thanks.

You have to watch. See if they have individual skills, then see if they're able to pull off those skills under pressure in games. Don't get too discouraged if they're not able to do it in games -- at this age in particular, a fast, aggressive defender can easily nullify a more skilled but less athletic attacker.

I'm the one who was amazed at SYC, and it has a lot to do with having **seen them play**. I saw the approach they were taking at U9, and I was curious to see if it would help these players develop. Clearly, they've done something right. I don't think they're posting these scores by recruiting a bunch of athletes and stressing winning over development -- they certainly weren't at U9, so I'd be surprised if they did it at U11. (If they actually did recruit a bunch of fantastic players from somewhere else, or if they got a lot of good results with dubious tactics, please let me know.)

If you don't think those are legitimate topics of conversation, can I suggest you add something else to this thread? I also posted the link about the DA. Why aren't you talking about that?

(I actually know the answer -- because you have some strange need to demonstrate your soccer superiority on an anonymous message board, even though you don't have anything to say.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the question is written better as...How do I know if my 10 year old is developing appropriately. Thanks.

You have to watch. See if they have individual skills, then see if they're able to pull off those skills under pressure in games. Don't get too discouraged if they're not able to do it in games -- at this age in particular, a fast, aggressive defender can easily nullify a more skilled but less athletic attacker.

I'm the one who was amazed at SYC, and it has a lot to do with having **seen them play**. I saw the approach they were taking at U9, and I was curious to see if it would help these players develop. Clearly, they've done something right. I don't think they're posting these scores by recruiting a bunch of athletes and stressing winning over development -- they certainly weren't at U9, so I'd be surprised if they did it at U11. (If they actually did recruit a bunch of fantastic players from somewhere else, or if they got a lot of good results with dubious tactics, please let me know.)

If you don't think those are legitimate topics of conversation, can I suggest you add something else to this thread? I also posted the link about the DA. Why aren't you talking about that?

(I actually know the answer -- because you have some strange need to demonstrate your soccer superiority on an anonymous message board, even though you don't have anything to say.)

You were responding to a different poster than myself who thinks your comedy gold. So there are actually other people who think that U11 results don't mean anything.

You were right about noting particular skill development with your own kid. And frankly, Through U12, just worry about how your kid is developing and worry less about the team or the results or anyone else's results. That is why I think your caring beyond the schedule is dumb and misguided. Focus on the right coach for your kid and not much else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the question is written better as...How do I know if my 10 year old is developing appropriately. Thanks.

You have to watch. See if they have individual skills, then see if they're able to pull off those skills under pressure in games. Don't get too discouraged if they're not able to do it in games -- at this age in particular, a fast, aggressive defender can easily nullify a more skilled but less athletic attacker.

I'm the one who was amazed at SYC, and it has a lot to do with having **seen them play**. I saw the approach they were taking at U9, and I was curious to see if it would help these players develop. Clearly, they've done something right. I don't think they're posting these scores by recruiting a bunch of athletes and stressing winning over development -- they certainly weren't at U9, so I'd be surprised if they did it at U11. (If they actually did recruit a bunch of fantastic players from somewhere else, or if they got a lot of good results with dubious tactics, please let me know.)

If you don't think those are legitimate topics of conversation, can I suggest you add something else to this thread? I also posted the link about the DA. Why aren't you talking about that?

(I actually know the answer -- because you have some strange need to demonstrate your soccer superiority on an anonymous message board, even though you don't have anything to say.)

You were responding to a different poster than myself who thinks your comedy gold. So there are actually other people who think that U11 results don't mean anything.

You were right about noting particular skill development with your own kid. And frankly, Through U12, just worry about how your kid is developing and worry less about the team or the results or anyone else's results. That is why I think your caring beyond the schedule is dumb and misguided. Focus on the right coach for your kid and not much else.

Yes. We know that the results aren't important. I'm not sure you can say they don't mean *anything* -- they're one measure of whether you're getting competitive games that are good for development or games that are completely one-sided and neither fun nor developmentally appropriate.

I've studied the "winning vs. development" issue for years -- before I even had kids playing soccer. The real danger with emphasizing winning isn't parents who wonder which teams they faced were truly overwhelming the rest of the opposition or where they'll have to drive in the spring. It's coaches who stress athleticism over skills, run up the score by having packs of kids press defenders on every goal kick, encourage their kids to foul because they know refs aren't going to call anything at this level, yell a constant stream of joystick instructions, etc.

So I agree with the point of your snobbery. You're just directing it to the wrong people.