SYC

[Anonymous]

This thread took off and it is only a matter of time before the apologists and apparatchiks swoop in calling out the "haters" "keyboard warriors" "your kid sucks" etc. Coming soon...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:From what I've seen at the younger ages, SYC is very good about recruiting fast, strong kids with some technical teaching them how to play a rough, physical game. The boys get yelled at a lot by parents and coaches throughout games. They know how to win. But at what cost?

+1000 very hostile environment at the younger ages. Since teams play up, they always have 1 year older kids play down an age to help stack wins.

How does this happen since refs are required to check roster player cards prior to the game?

If a team is playing up a year, a year older player is playing on age.

Yeah, teams that play up are full of talented kids but we’ve played enough of them to know a few of the kids are on age, especially goalkeepers.

SYC sort of "plays up" some age groups, but then will put a few key on-age players on the team (e.g., a strong on-age goalkeeper) making it just a mixed team with some players playing up and some players playing on-age. They get to pretend they're "playing up" though because they are all such superstars lol.

Oh come on, there's no "pretending" when it's 3/4 of the team an age below and a couple on age. It's about getting the right competition level for the kids, and if having 2 on-age kids makes it a more even match, then great for both teams. They're younger and can develop on both sides. You prefer they play on age like they have in a few locals and decimate the competition 13-0? That's no good for either team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I've seen at the younger ages, SYC is very good about recruiting fast, strong kids with some technical teaching them how to play a rough, physical game. The boys get yelled at a lot by parents and coaches throughout games. They know how to win. But at what cost?

+1000 very hostile environment at the younger ages. Since teams play up, they always have 1 year older kids play down an age to help stack wins.

How does this happen since refs are required to check roster player cards prior to the game?

If a team is playing up a year, a year older player is playing on age.

Yeah, teams that play up are full of talented kids but we’ve played enough of them to know a few of the kids are on age, especially goalkeepers.

SYC sort of "plays up" some age groups, but then will put a few key on-age players on the team (e.g., a strong on-age goalkeeper) making it just a mixed team with some players playing up and some players playing on-age. They get to pretend they're "playing up" though because they are all such superstars lol.

FWIW, it’s not only SYC that does this. I think Coppermine does this too. Again, that shouldn’t take away from the fact that there are fantastic kids on these teams. But it does a disservice to the other age groups who are *just* playing on age esp at the younger ages where there is so much time and room for growth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I've seen at the younger ages, SYC is very good about recruiting fast, strong kids with some technical teaching them how to play a rough, physical game. The boys get yelled at a lot by parents and coaches throughout games. They know how to win. But at what cost?

+1000 very hostile environment at the younger ages. Since teams play up, they always have 1 year older kids play down an age to help stack wins.

How does this happen since refs are required to check roster player cards prior to the game?

If a team is playing up a year, a year older player is playing on age.

Yeah, teams that play up are full of talented kids but we’ve played enough of them to know a few of the kids are on age, especially goalkeepers.

SYC sort of "plays up" some age groups, but then will put a few key on-age players on the team (e.g., a strong on-age goalkeeper) making it just a mixed team with some players playing up and some players playing on-age. They get to pretend they're "playing up" though because they are all such superstars lol.

Oh come on, there's no "pretending" when it's 3/4 of the team an age below and a couple on age. It's about getting the right competition level for the kids, and if having 2 on-age kids makes it a more even match, then great for both teams. They're younger and can develop on both sides. You prefer they play on age like they have in a few locals and decimate the competition 13-0? That's no good for either team.

I think it’s the marketing that’s prob off. My club has 2/3s of a team playing up and it was still named as a combined age group team.

In one season, when promotion was on the line, a clubs team playing up had to win one more game to secure promotion. They benched a few of their regular kids who all showed up, and played starters on their top on-age team. Since then, I’m just very skeptical of clubs touting their teams playing up.

[Anonymous]

If a team is playing up and in the top division/bracket for that higher age group, then I give zero F’s about how many “on-age” players are on the team. Is that the case here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a team is playing up and in the top division/bracket for that higher age group, then I give zero F’s about how many “on-age” players are on the team. Is that the case here?

The team isn’t playing up if there’s on age kids on the the team. It’s just a combined age group team. False advertising but I guess the parents give zero Fs so long as they can show off about it.

And if entire teams are playing up at SYC, why doesn’t DCU recruit more from SYC? Or have they recently?

[Anonymous]

Honest question: Why would a parent have their DC play up if their DC is at best average with the on age players on a below average club? I see it now and I don’t get it. They’d be a star at the right age. Or could move to a better club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And if entire teams are playing up at SYC, why doesn’t DCU recruit more from SYC? Or have they recently?

Because SYC isn't part of their pathway to pro program. But a few SYC kids here and there gets picked up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the promotion of the SYC players from lower teams to their upper team, as I do on other clubs. They almost never promote players to their upper team from within their Academy. They are one of the best Academies around at actively recruiting players from other clubs, or their sister clubs like Manassas United, directly onto their upper team.

Plus, SYC is great at branding and selling both players and parents on the MLS Next name and logo. I've personally talked to several parents who where sold on being part of the MLS Next team, but were later told their player would only be able to practice with the MLS team.

Most of the big clubs do all of this. They are trying to build the best team, not promoting from within. The sooner you realize this the sooner you will make the best decisions for your child and not trust the club to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I've seen at the younger ages, SYC is very good about recruiting fast, strong kids with some technical teaching them how to play a rough, physical game. The boys get yelled at a lot by parents and coaches throughout games. They know how to win. But at what cost?

+1000 very hostile environment at the younger ages. Since teams play up, they always have 1 year older kids play down an age to help stack wins.

How does this happen since refs are required to check roster player cards prior to the game?

If a team is playing up a year, a year older player is playing on age.

Yeah, teams that play up are full of talented kids but we’ve played enough of them to know a few of the kids are on age, especially goalkeepers.

SYC sort of "plays up" some age groups, but then will put a few key on-age players on the team (e.g., a strong on-age goalkeeper) making it just a mixed team with some players playing up and some players playing on-age. They get to pretend they're "playing up" though because they are all such superstars lol.

Oh come on, there's no "pretending" when it's 3/4 of the team an age below and a couple on age. It's about getting the right competition level for the kids, and if having 2 on-age kids makes it a more even match, then great for both teams. They're younger and can develop on both sides. You prefer they play on age like they have in a few locals and decimate the competition 13-0? That's no good for either team.

They don't brand the team as being a mixed team. They always brand it as being a younger age. The rankings also officially give credit to the younger ages when it's actually not (making them #1 in the state). If it's branded as a mixed aged team, they should be ranked with the older age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I've seen at the younger ages, SYC is very good about recruiting fast, strong kids with some technical teaching them how to play a rough, physical game. The boys get yelled at a lot by parents and coaches throughout games. They know how to win. But at what cost?

+1000 very hostile environment at the younger ages. Since teams play up, they always have 1 year older kids play down an age to help stack wins.

How does this happen since refs are required to check roster player cards prior to the game?

If a team is playing up a year, a year older player is playing on age.

Yeah, teams that play up are full of talented kids but we’ve played enough of them to know a few of the kids are on age, especially goalkeepers.

SYC sort of "plays up" some age groups, but then will put a few key on-age players on the team (e.g., a strong on-age goalkeeper) making it just a mixed team with some players playing up and some players playing on-age. They get to pretend they're "playing up" though because they are all such superstars lol.

Oh come on, there's no "pretending" when it's 3/4 of the team an age below and a couple on age. It's about getting the right competition level for the kids, and if having 2 on-age kids makes it a more even match, then great for both teams. They're younger and can develop on both sides. You prefer they play on age like they have in a few locals and decimate the competition 13-0? That's no good for either team.

I think it’s the marketing that’s prob off. My club has 2/3s of a team playing up and it was still named as a combined age group team.

In one season, when promotion was on the line, a clubs team playing up had to win one more game to secure promotion. They benched a few of their regular kids who all showed up, and played starters on their top on-age team. Since then, I’m just very skeptical of clubs touting their teams playing up.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a team is playing up and in the top division/bracket for that higher age group, then I give zero F’s about how many “on-age” players are on the team. Is that the case here?

The team isn’t playing up if there’s on age kids on the the team. It’s just a combined age group team. False advertising but I guess the parents give zero Fs so long as they can show off about it.

And if entire teams are playing up at SYC, why doesn’t DCU recruit more from SYC? Or have they recently?

On age kids aren't on the team, they frequently guest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question: Why would a parent have their DC play up if their DC is at best average with the on age players on a below average club? I see it now and I don’t get it. They’d be a star at the right age. Or could move to a better club.

It does a disservice to the younger players development. They should be training with above average players on age. Not below average players above age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the promotion of the SYC players from lower teams to their upper team, as I do on other clubs. They almost never promote players to their upper team from within their Academy. They are one of the best Academies around at actively recruiting players from other clubs, or their sister clubs like Manassas United, directly onto their upper team.

Plus, SYC is great at branding and selling both players and parents on the MLS Next name and logo. I've personally talked to several parents who where sold on being part of the MLS Next team, but were later told their player would only be able to practice with the MLS team.

Most of the big clubs do all of this. They are trying to build the best team, not promoting from within. The sooner you realize this the sooner you will make the best decisions for your child and not trust the club to do it.

From what I've seen, its not really about building the best team.
They are always trying to bring in more people willing to pay. Why move up a current second or third or fourth team player when thst family has shown they will pay for the lower team when they could bring over a family who will only pay for top team and get their money and keep the lower team family paying as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the promotion of the SYC players from lower teams to their upper team, as I do on other clubs. They almost never promote players to their upper team from within their Academy. They are one of the best Academies around at actively recruiting players from other clubs, or their sister clubs like Manassas United, directly onto their upper team.

Plus, SYC is great at branding and selling both players and parents on the MLS Next name and logo. I've personally talked to several parents who where sold on being part of the MLS Next team, but were later told their player would only be able to practice with the MLS team.

Most of the big clubs do all of this. They are trying to build the best team, not promoting from within. The sooner you realize this the sooner you will make the best decisions for your child and not trust the club to do it.

From what I've seen, its not really about building the best team.
They are always trying to bring in more people willing to pay. Why move up a current second or third or fourth team player when thst family has shown they will pay for the lower team when they could bring over a family who will only pay for top team and get their money and keep the lower team family paying as well.

+1000 it’s all business and the “tryout”process in the spring reflected that. In the the immortal words of Method Man Cash. Rules. Everything. Around. Me