Girls DA 2018-19 Season

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of whether I go or stay, that's irrelevant. The comment was that WS loses consistently across multiple teams by wide margins in the name of development, whereas FCV and Arlington win because they don't care about development. They just care about winning. That's a cop out. They win because they have a deeper talent pool *and* they develop.

It does matter, because if your DD was so exceptional that she should not be playing with play-ups then she would be on a FCV roster right now.

Spirit is a start-up and in general their older groups will never catch the head start that FCV had due to established ECNL rosters. You went to Spirit to get a foot in the door at a DA and you took advantage of the watered down player pool that got your kid on a roster in the first place.

Worry more about what your DD needs to do to improve and stop worrying about the roster. Also, if you want to strengthen the roster and bring in stronger players a good place to start is stop posting all your complaints here. You can't complain about talent not coming when all you do is run the club down on a public forum. All you are doing is pissing in your own drinking water.

Remember too that this WS parent is complaining because the play ups are taking time away from his DD who instead sits on the bench. That's the real complaint here...

Oh, are we recycling that lame comeback again? Of course, must be that. It can’t be that I’m concerned about the watered down training environment or the watered down level of play or the black hole the passes go into when sent to a play up...

There are at least a half dozen players who chose to leave as starters for ECNL teams to play for Spirit VA teams this year.

You can't have it both ways either. You complain the WS is not good enough or deep enough to play up players. You complain these players are terrible. Yet your DD is losing playing time to these same younger players - in the weakest DA/ECNL program. Your DD would have never made another DA or ECNL team. Do you really think you know more than these WS coaches? Do you really think anyone on this board does not see you have sour grapes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of whether I go or stay, that's irrelevant. The comment was that WS loses consistently across multiple teams by wide margins in the name of development, whereas FCV and Arlington win because they don't care about development. They just care about winning. That's a cop out. They win because they have a deeper talent pool *and* they develop.

It does matter, because if your DD was so exceptional that she should not be playing with play-ups then she would be on a FCV roster right now.

Spirit is a start-up and in general their older groups will never catch the head start that FCV had due to established ECNL rosters. You went to Spirit to get a foot in the door at a DA and you took advantage of the watered down player pool that got your kid on a roster in the first place.

Worry more about what your DD needs to do to improve and stop worrying about the roster. Also, if you want to strengthen the roster and bring in stronger players a good place to start is stop posting all your complaints here. You can't complain about talent not coming when all you do is run the club down on a public forum. All you are doing is pissing in your own drinking water.

Remember too that this WS parent is complaining because the play ups are taking time away from his DD who instead sits on the bench. That's the real complaint here...

Oh, are we recycling that lame comeback again? Of course, must be that. It can’t be that I’m concerned about the watered down training environment or the watered down level of play or the black hole the passes go into when sent to a play up...

You can't have it both ways either. You complain the WS is not good enough or deep enough to play up players. You complain these players are terrible. Yet your DD is losing playing time to these same younger players - in the weakest DA/ECNL program. Your DD would have never made another DA or ECNL team. Do you really think you know more than these WS coaches? Do you really think anyone on this board does not see you have sour grapes?

There are at least a half dozen players who chose to leave as starters for ECNL teams to play for Spirit VA teams this year.

[Anonymous]

Any idea where one can find the videos of the games of the different DA teams - Spirit, FCV and Arlingon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any idea where one can find the videos of the games of the different DA teams - Spirit, FCV and Arlingon?

They are for the team primarily. Some clubs may use YouTube but for the most part the clubs use propriety hosting sites that require a link or a guest code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of whether I go or stay, that's irrelevant. The comment was that WS loses consistently across multiple teams by wide margins in the name of development, whereas FCV and Arlington win because they don't care about development. They just care about winning. That's a cop out. They win because they have a deeper talent pool *and* they develop.

It does matter, because if your DD was so exceptional that she should not be playing with play-ups then she would be on a FCV roster right now.

Spirit is a start-up and in general their older groups will never catch the head start that FCV had due to established ECNL rosters. You went to Spirit to get a foot in the door at a DA and you took advantage of the watered down player pool that got your kid on a roster in the first place.

Worry more about what your DD needs to do to improve and stop worrying about the roster. Also, if you want to strengthen the roster and bring in stronger players a good place to start is stop posting all your complaints here. You can't complain about talent not coming when all you do is run the club down on a public forum. All you are doing is pissing in your own drinking water.

Remember too that this WS parent is complaining because the play ups are taking time away from his DD who instead sits on the bench. That's the real complaint here...

Oh, are we recycling that lame comeback again? Of course, must be that. It can’t be that I’m concerned about the watered down training environment or the watered down level of play or the black hole the passes go into when sent to a play up...

You can't have it both ways either. You complain the WS is not good enough or deep enough to play up players. You complain these players are terrible. Yet your DD is losing playing time to these same younger players - in the weakest DA/ECNL program. Your DD would have never made another DA or ECNL team. Do you really think you know more than these WS coaches? Do you really think anyone on this board does not see you have sour grapes?

There are at least a half dozen players who chose to leave as starters for ECNL teams to play for Spirit VA teams this year.

Yes, the McLean ECNL 05 team. That’s true. Seems there was discontent with the coach over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how people are quick to defend WS VA or dismiss the negative comments without knowing what is going on.

Here is the reality on the 04 team. The majority (won't say all because haven't spoken to everyone) of the families are unhappy. There are 25 players on the roster. That is a fact and you cant dispute it. There are 2 younger girls that practice and play with the 04 team and are included on the 04 team. There is one player who was supposed to be 'EDP Only' already rostered by the 2nd weekend. Add that to the 22 that were listed and you get 25. There is no way to defend a roster of 25 when the Spirit website specifically states there will be no more than 18 players on the team.

There is no such thing as development when there are 25 players on a roster. Almost every other team rosters less than 18 or 18. That is how you develop - by playing; not by being held off a roster because you roster 25 and it is your turn to arbitrarily sit when sitting is not based on your level of play.

At practice there are 28 when you add the EDP players. You cannot effectively develop when there are 28 players of varying talent levels at every practice. You develop when it is a smaller group and everyone is of 'like talent'. Go to a WS VA game and try to argue that the talent level is similar across the board. It is like night and day.

And you don't develop by playing a random position every week. Yesterday was an embarrassment - everyone was in the wrong place. The coach actually asked the girls who he should put in a certain position. 7 girls that aren't starters started the game. Are you kidding me - this is DA soccer. Defenders were playing in mid, mids were playing defense, strikers were playing as mids, and no idea why the 2 starting forwards were nowhere to be found. The harsh reality is there are at least 8 players that don't deserve to play DA. But WS VA was more interested in taking money from families and brought the mess on themselves.

If people had it to do over again, the talented players would be gone and would not have come back. Again, can't speak for everyone but confident that the majority would have gone elsewhere.

Someone said why don't you just leave. Well that is an ignorant statement. Where are you going to go in the middle of September to play high level soccer. And don't forget the close to $3k that has already been invested. Most families aren't looking to throw away $3k so easily.

So we are mad, we are disappointed, and we have a right to be. And we post it here so that other families outside of the club understand what they may be getting themselves into. I would think it is a good thing to post here so that the negative reviews get out there. Just like when you aren't happy with an Amazon purchase, people leave a comment so that others learn from your mistake.

If you don't believe this you are either blinded by some promise from the TD or you aren't part of the club. Come to a practice or a game and see for yourself.

We let it slide last year because the team had just started up. But we have had it and unfortunately there is no viable option and we are stuck. So we are warning everyone else out there not to make the mistakes we made.

+1000. Thank you for summarizing the issue. And anyone who calls up can get invite down to come see the madness that is practice for themselves. Come watch a game. Watch several. Watch multiple age groups.

These kool-aid drinkers just keep spewing the same crap and try to sweep everything under the rug. It’s either a couple of interns or the husband and wife of a play up. They scour the forum ready to steamroll anyone who dares speak up.

See, this is how we know you are crazy. Not one person has said you don’t believe what you say, not one person has said you shouldn’t feel the way you feel. The difference is you can’t fathom or believe that not everyone shares your opinion.

Things will not get better for you or your DD. The only real option is to leave the club, and it would be best to just leave quietly at this point. It’s just soccer. Find a good fit for your DD and move on with life. All you are doing here is having a temper tantrum like a toddler. I’m glad you are so concerned with telling strangers the truth while you are simultaneously throwing your DDs teammates and their families under the bus. Your ranting is simply you being selfish. So if you are not going to be constructive then leave the club in a mature manner because those girls didn’t do anything to you for you to crap on them the way you’re doing here.

As a PP stated, at least we have made sure you go in with your eyes open. If you still choose it, then everyone has to play somewhere. Go for it. There are always enough kids, suckers and wallets to fill any roster of any club, and I have yet to see a single club ever fold due to lack of players in all my years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any idea where one can find the videos of the games of the different DA teams - Spirit, FCV and Arlingon?

They are for the team primarily. Some clubs may use YouTube but for the most part the clubs use propriety hosting sites that require a link or a guest code.

Some of the FCV and Spirit games from last year were posted. I don’t know if any are for this year.

[Anonymous]

Actually, of all the things I may say of Spirit, they are always appropriate in playing time. They make sure everyone gets not only their 25%, but when they do start, they get a good 60 or so minutes. And they allow all subs a decent share as well.

[Anonymous]

Can we start a separate WS thread? BRYC and McLean already have one and clearly these people need somewhere to go. Tying up a DA thread with pages and pages of Washington Spirit is getting old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we start a separate WS thread? BRYC and McLean already have one and clearly these people need somewhere to go. Tying up a DA thread with pages and pages of Washington Spirit is getting old.

The conversation goes where it goes. As has been stated many times if you feel another thread might better address a topic starting one is free. Here is the link:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/jforum.page?module=posts&action=insert&forum_id=76

Now, instead of wasting people's time with another useless post in a mostly useless thread you can be a change agent and be a big boy or girl and start your very own thread without the need to passive aggressively suggest someone else do it for you.

Now hopefully this thread can get back to ignoring your requests for DA game videos, DA game scores before they are posted and roster movements.

[Anonymous]

Do any DA teams travel via bus to NY and other away games or is it up to the parents to travel? Do clubs go up overnight and all stay at a hotel? Curious how the travel works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, of all the things I may say of Spirit, they are always appropriate in playing time. They make sure everyone gets not only their 25%, but when they do start, they get a good 60 or so minutes. And they allow all subs a decent share as well.

This is significant insight into the results. If spirit has the big rosters people keep posting about and they are generous in comparison to other DAs as far as playing time, i can see why the results arent there yet. If they can get the talent to stay when/where it counts, and they truly are developing, not just taking advantage of movement/churn and burn, maybe they can be successful. But it sounds like they need to be a bit more selective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, of all the things I may say of Spirit, they are always appropriate in playing time. They make sure everyone gets not only their 25%, but when they do start, they get a good 60 or so minutes. And they allow all subs a decent share as well.

This is significant insight into the results. If spirit has the big rosters people keep posting about and they are generous in comparison to other DAs as far as playing time, i can see why the results arent there yet. If they can get the talent to stay when/where it counts, and they truly are developing, not just taking advantage of movement/churn and burn, maybe they can be successful. But it sounds like they need to be a bit more selective.

I think that is a fair comment. Some of the ideas are good, and the foundations of a great club are there. If they would just shrink the rosters - probably by cutting some of the players that aren't there yet - and then normalize the quality with players playing in their own age groups because now there is room for them, it has the makings of a great club.

My fear is a repeat of last year: some of the talent leaving because of the way some of it has translated related to roster sizes and play ups. Some of the top level older players left because of that specifically. And some left because they wanted to play possession soccer and saw too many big boots from out of the back.

At the same time, it's still early in the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any DA teams travel via bus to NY and other away games or is it up to the parents to travel? Do clubs go up overnight and all stay at a hotel? Curious how the travel works.

Can't speak for all the DA clubs, but Washington Spirit teams typically travel by bus to NY and CT games. They stay in a hotel. Parents are not required to travel or chaperone. Some parents choose to drive up and go to games - if they do, their daughter still rides and stays with the team. Last year, for PA games, teams did not take a bus - parents drove up and back same day. Flights were required last year for FL and CA showcases. Families were given some flexibility for flights (i.e., fly with team and chaperones, or fly with parent(s)/family), but players all had to stay in same hotel (in FL, they roomed only with fellow players; in CA some players stayed with parents, but had to be in team hotel).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how people are quick to defend WS VA or dismiss the negative comments without knowing what is going on.

Here is the reality on the 04 team. The majority (won't say all because haven't spoken to everyone) of the families are unhappy. There are 25 players on the roster. That is a fact and you cant dispute it. There are 2 younger girls that practice and play with the 04 team and are included on the 04 team. There is one player who was supposed to be 'EDP Only' already rostered by the 2nd weekend. Add that to the 22 that were listed and you get 25. There is no way to defend a roster of 25 when the Spirit website specifically states there will be no more than 18 players on the team.

There is no such thing as development when there are 25 players on a roster. Almost every other team rosters less than 18 or 18. That is how you develop - by playing; not by being held off a roster because you roster 25 and it is your turn to arbitrarily sit when sitting is not based on your level of play.

At practice there are 28 when you add the EDP players. You cannot effectively develop when there are 28 players of varying talent levels at every practice. You develop when it is a smaller group and everyone is of 'like talent'. Go to a WS VA game and try to argue that the talent level is similar across the board. It is like night and day.

And you don't develop by playing a random position every week. Yesterday was an embarrassment - everyone was in the wrong place. The coach actually asked the girls who he should put in a certain position. 7 girls that aren't starters started the game. Are you kidding me - this is DA soccer. Defenders were playing in mid, mids were playing defense, strikers were playing as mids, and no idea why the 2 starting forwards were nowhere to be found. The harsh reality is there are at least 8 players that don't deserve to play DA. But WS VA was more interested in taking money from families and brought the mess on themselves.

If people had it to do over again, the talented players would be gone and would not have come back. Again, can't speak for everyone but confident that the majority would have gone elsewhere.

Someone said why don't you just leave. Well that is an ignorant statement. Where are you going to go in the middle of September to play high level soccer. And don't forget the close to $3k that has already been invested. Most families aren't looking to throw away $3k so easily.

So we are mad, we are disappointed, and we have a right to be. And we post it here so that other families outside of the club understand what they may be getting themselves into. I would think it is a good thing to post here so that the negative reviews get out there. Just like when you aren't happy with an Amazon purchase, people leave a comment so that others learn from your mistake.

If you don't believe this you are either blinded by some promise from the TD or you aren't part of the club. Come to a practice or a game and see for yourself.

We let it slide last year because the team had just started up. But we have had it and unfortunately there is no viable option and we are stuck. So we are warning everyone else out there not to make the mistakes we made.

+1000. Thank you for summarizing the issue. And anyone who calls up can get invite down to come see the madness that is practice for themselves. Come watch a game. Watch several. Watch multiple age groups.

These kool-aid drinkers just keep spewing the same crap and try to sweep everything under the rug. It’s either a couple of interns or the husband and wife of a play up. They scour the forum ready to steamroll anyone who dares speak up.

+2

Thanks OP, I for one believe you and this is the place for this stuff. Our DD is a high level player looking at several local ECNL and DA clubs, and we've talked to WS parents (not your age group though), and nothing you are saying sounds totally surprising. We are positive on WS, but there are a lot of unknowns and things we are leery of. Mostly because it's so new. Anyway, ignore the haters who think you are some sock puppet. There are a lot of parents on here who read a lot, but don't post much. I decided to post because I was catching up on this thread and got sick of the unnecessary crap you got. Please keep the thread up to date on how things work out over the year. DD plays at a next door club with ECNL, and would loud to do DA if it makes sense. Still have some time.