Sure, maybe a team or two would be out of place in ODSL, but a majority of the teams, especially younger would make a nice fit there, or in a lower division of NCSL, based on last years scrimmages and tournament play. Why do you see that as a negative or threatening? I personally want my DC to play at an appropriate speed, especially considering Barcelona's more complicated style. It's easier to learn it when the kid has time vs. against fast, quick, strong, big players that give them no time to think. |
Different poster here. Barca's technical staff knows what they are doing in terms of development and I am sure they carefully evaluated what league would be most appropriate for their teams. This is not a slight to ODSL, NCSL, CCL, ECNL, VPL or any other possible league, where they did not place their teams. |
They wear the FCB jerseys. People even confuse them with actual academies. It's fraud. |
When they open an Escola in MD. They’ll be given 2 options. They can either keep being FCB by joining the Escola, or they can change their club’s name just like Doradus had to. |
I don't think anyone indicated the staff didn't know what they were doing. I had the same observation that ODSL or the lower divisions of NCSL seemed appropriate for the teams I saw and the level of play in those leagues. I don't think there should be a stigma associated with that and I hope it doesn't strike any nerves. It shouldn't. |
No nerves were struck. The coaching staff probably evaluated the teams differently than you did. You may have also seen the teams at an earlier point in time. I know that one girls team played a game against Annandale and lost by a big score, by mid season they played the same team and tied them, by the end of the season they played the same team for the third time and won by a big score. |
| My team started in ODSL, worked our way up through NCSL and I’d say they play some of the best soccer in the state (I’m biased of course). There’s no shame in it, some people just can’t afford to play in the other leagues. There’s also nothing wrong with starting in EDP if they think they can cut it. Best of luck, I’m rooting for FCB to do well due to the style of play they adhere to. |
NCSL isn't what it used to be which is too bad. |
Usually the teams in the top half of D1-D2 are fairly strong. |
I love the pro/rel format and how deep with divisions it can get. My biggest problem with NCSL is the officiating. Big clubs often get favored with calls. |
No stigma/nerves struck. But you realize, these broad statements are akin to going and watching a big Club's Gold teams and judging the entire Club by those few teams. Additionally, some of those fcb teams you watched had never played a game prior to one tournament and were mixed with many younger players. The posters have no idea which level team they were watching. I'm guessing from the response it wasn't one of the top ones as spectators had the opposite reaction at many of the tournaments we were at with parents from other teams/states coming up to find out more about the academy they were so impressed by what they saw on the field. So they do have several top teams in some of the age Groups that certainly belong in these tougher leagues/divisions. These teams have beaten top local teams and top teams in other parts of the Country. Some of these teams never lost a game since they started competing, much less let in a goal. Since there is pro/rel if they aren't quite there they can move out of the first division. But, it is because of the teams they have beaten and the tournaments they won that they were ranked accordingly. And, certain fcb teams might fit better in different leagues than the ones they are placing their top teams in just like any other Club. That remains to be seen if they will do just that as many teams won't start league play this Fall. |
It's funny. Many of the toughest teams my kid's teams have encountered over the years aren't the big names in the fancy leagues. Leagues and counties work against the little guy. You need to start at the very, very bottom and scrap for field space. |
That is often the case. Then when the smaller club has developed the kid into something, the big club swoops in to try and recruit the player. |
| What I find interesting is the drift of players from big clubs to Barca. I wonder where it will head. |
| Is there any inter-academy communication between like Charlotte and Nova? And I’m curious what one is a DA but the others are not. Is there a good FCB “historian” in the house? |