MLS Next

[Anonymous]

U14 Bethesda and Alexandria are at the top in the Mid-Atlantic Division and they play each other this Saturday. Should be a good one!

https://www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext/standings/2021-2022/u14_mls-next-standings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what age can you try out for DC United and how competitive are tryouts? That is, how many kids show up and how many are selected?

DC United does occasionally hold open tryouts. My guess is that they will do so at some time in the Spring for 2009 birth years and above. The open tryout level is fairly mixed, but the level to make the team is competitive. DC United does get 9 or 10 of the top dozen kids in the area for each age group, although the bottom half of the roster is probably on a par with other top area teams.

Most of the kids make the team through being scouted and/or the "pathway to pro" program which is a partnership with five local clubs: Loudoun Soccer, Arlington Soccer Association, Player Progression Academy, Virginia Development Academy, and Pipeline Soccer Club. If you think your kid is on that level then you should
(a) reach out directly to DC United through the web-site
(b) talk to your DS' coach to get his opinion on your kid's ability and whether this is a realistic goal
(c) consider moving to a P2P, or MLS Next, team.

You forgot Alexandria, they are a part of MLS Next and the P2P: https://www.dcunited.com/news/dc-united-academy-announce-dmv-pathway-2-pro-program

Why SYC is not included? are they doing that bad???

Gonna throw out a theory here...

Back when EM and PM were at LMVSC, my DS played on one of PM's teams. A few months into U13 a kid moved from LMVSC to DCU academy. PM didn't like it. He straight-up told me, "They'll ruin him." On PM's teams over the years there have been several kids who could have made the move to DCU or another of the DA clubs (back when there was the DA). He kept most of them.

Whatever their concept of successfully developing kids is, I don't think it includes sending players to higher-level clubs. Rather, it seems like their project is that they want to build a rival to DCU, not a feeder.

My experience is similar but I’ll say it differently: the kids serves the club more than the club serves the kid. Having had DS on EM team, what they do is always different than what they say. We were promised kids would move up and down accordingly, yet almost never happens because they don’t want to “rock the boat”. EM completely ruined his 2006 team, but look at the program on a wider scale. Can’t compete in MLS Next, almost no boy players on VA Union because that’s the “top” league, and the girls side is a failing CCL side with virtually no representation on VA Union.

It’s the same as it was when at LMVSC, except a new league.

EM is always looking for the next shinny new player until the next one comes along. Just like most parents who followed him from LMVSC they soon realized the grass is not always greener on the other side. Empty promises. Glad we moved on quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I was trying to guess/describe why SYC isn't in the P2P program--not offering judgment on the idea.

My guess is they weren't invited when the program started because they weren't good enough back then. I would imagine they will be invited if they continue to improve, assuming DCU remains committed to the program.

I also don't know how the program even works this year. Given that DCU no longer has younger age groups they can't do what they used to do and have kids from the P2P clubs practise with their own kids at those age groups. And I don't think they are yet doing anything with the older age groups either - so maybe the whole thing is defunct.

[Anonymous]

They haven’t continued to improve. If anything, it’s stagnating or regressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They haven’t continued to improve. If anything, it’s stagnating or regressing.

Well then perhaps they won't get invited. I have no skin in the SYC love them or hate them game.

[Anonymous]

So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

No. That ended some time ago. Generally, DAs had started pushing play to later ages, eliminating u12, then U13. In MLS Next, inter-MLS Academy play begins at U15, though the MLS Academy teams also play non-MLS clubs in regional play. Some other MLS Academies have U13 and U14 teams (in this area, Union and Red Bulls). DCU does not. I don’t think it really matters given the variability in growth rates at U13 and 14, and even U15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

DC United had a U12 team 3 years ago. The parents and sidelines were so toxic that it contributed to DCU deciding that it just wasn't worth it. The U12 and U13 ended after that season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

No. That ended some time ago. Generally, DAs had started pushing play to later ages, eliminating u12, then U13. In MLS Next, inter-MLS Academy play begins at U15, though the MLS Academy teams also play non-MLS clubs in regional play. Some other MLS Academies have U13 and U14 teams (in this area, Union and Red Bulls). DCU does not. I don’t think it really matters given the variability in growth rates at U13 and 14, and even U15.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Just took a look at the standings and WOW. Can SYC get relegated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

DC United had a U12 team 3 years ago. The parents and sidelines were so toxic that it contributed to DCU deciding that it just wasn't worth it. The U12 and U13 ended after that season.

I’m quite certain that the toxic sideline had nothing to do with the decision. The DCU owners are notoriously cheap and if they see an opportunity to pay less for any part of the club they will take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

DC United had a U12 team 3 years ago. The parents and sidelines were so toxic that it contributed to DCU deciding that it just wasn't worth it. The U12 and U13 ended after that season.

What was so toxic about them? Was it the coaches and parents or just the parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

DC United had a U12 team 3 years ago. The parents and sidelines were so toxic that it contributed to DCU deciding that it just wasn't worth it. The U12 and U13 ended after that season.

I’m quite certain that the toxic sideline had nothing to do with the decision. The DCU owners are notoriously cheap and if they see an opportunity to pay less for any part of the club they will take it.

Agree on DCU being cheap.

Also the way I heard the story was that the parents got so fed up with DCU they all pulled their kids and DCU didn't have a team left. I don't have direct knowledge of what happened, so no idea which version is correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does dc united not have a u13 or u14 team at all? I looked at some previous players whose bio says they were there for their u13-14 years. Did they have a team years ago but just not this year?

DC United had a U12 team 3 years ago. The parents and sidelines were so toxic that it contributed to DCU deciding that it just wasn't worth it. The U12 and U13 ended after that season.

I’m quite certain that the toxic sideline had nothing to do with the decision. The DCU owners are notoriously cheap and if they see an opportunity to pay less for any part of the club they will take it.

Agree on DCU being cheap.

Also the way I heard the story was that the parents got so fed up with DCU they all pulled their kids and DCU didn't have a team left. I don't have direct knowledge of what happened, so no idea which version is correct.

Not saying that didn’t happen, but we actually know for a fact that DC United cut the budget for their academies by about half and let go of many of their coaches and administrators.
At the same time, they announced that we everything would eventually move to their new Loudon facilities, which angered many, many parents who had no idea how to get the kids out there for daily practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the local teams, how has it been going?

Wanted to share the disparity between SYC and ALX. DS has played both and the noticeable difference has been style of play (you could see ALX building up and looking to play with the ball), SYC is press heavy, long ball, or dribble. The coaching sides were also different, ALX was more professional in appearance and most importantly their utility. Parents were supportive on both sides and no difference there. If best SYC players went to ALX, ALX would be a dominating force.

U19 PTs PPG MP W/L/T GF GA GD
SYC 7 1 7 2/4/1 3 15 -12
ALX 0 0 8 0/8/0 6 24 -16

U17
SYC 0 0 8 0/8/0 2 18 -16
ALX 8 1.14 7 2/3/2 1 17 -7

U16
SYC 3 0.43 7 1/6/0 6 18 -12
ALX 8 1.14 7 2/3/2 11 8 3

U15
SYC 12 1.33 9 3/3/3 13 17 -4
ALX 16 2 8 5/2/1 13 7 6

U14
SYC 15 1.67 9 5/4/0 19 15 4
ALX 17 2.13 8 5/1/2 32 6 26

U13
SYC 16 1.78 9 5/3/1 20 14 6
ALX 11 1.38 8 3/3/2 9 11 -2