Alexandria, Gunston or LMVSC

[Anonymous]

Any feedback on these soccer clubs? Trying to determine the best fit for my kids in terms of coaching, organization and competitive tryouts. (We are new to this area.) Looking for a U13 boy and U11 girl if that helps.

[Anonymous]

All I know is that I like the LMV parents I've come into contact with at games. Very positive, very nice. Not obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

DC is finishing our first season at Alexandria after several years at another club (not Gunston or LMVSC). While not perfect, Alexandria is generally well run and the coaching seems much better than what we experienced at the previous club. Alexandria is very much focused on playing a specific possession style of soccer--build out of the back, quick passing and movement to draw the defense out of position and/or create numerical advantages, immediate collective pressure to win the ball back when it is lost. Some teams and players do it better than others which is to be expected, but the emphasis is on striving to learn and play this style. For example, in-game passing and possession stats are tracked using an iphone app. While DC is not a superstar by any stretch, confidence on the ball, movement, and tactical awareness have really improved.

[Anonymous]

Do most try out for more than one club?

[Anonymous]

To PP: yes most kids try out for more than one club -- particularly above the U9 level -- in case they don't make the team at one tryouts. Same principle as applying to colleges.

LMVSC plays in CCL while Gunston and Alexandria play in WAGS/NCSL.

CCL is generally considered a more competitive league for bigger clubs than the other two leagues. That said, there are certain teams at Alexandria and at Gunston that are quite strong and play in Division 1 or 2 of NCSL/WAGS.

Also, it is more likely that your kids will play on the top team in their age group at Gunston or Alexandria as those clubs often have only one or at most two teams in an age group, while the larger LMVSC will usually have two or three teams at each age group.

What I have noticed, however, is that many of the very best players from Alexandra and Gunston move to more competitive teams at the larger area clubs when they reach U13 to U15 and are looking for a higher level of competition and exposure to college coaches.

I would have your kids contact the clubs and arrange to practice/tryout with teams from all three clubs and then go with whichever club and team and coach seems like the best fit for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To PP: yes most kids try out for more than one club -- particularly above the U9 level -- in case they don't make the team at one tryouts. Same principle as applying to colleges.

LMVSC plays in CCL while Gunston and Alexandria play in WAGS/NCSL.

CCL is generally considered a more competitive league for bigger clubs than the other two leagues. That said, there are certain teams at Alexandria and at Gunston that are quite strong and play in Division 1 or 2 of NCSL/WAGS.

Also, it is more likely that your kids will play on the top team in their age group at Gunston or Alexandria as those clubs often have only one or at most two teams in an age group, while the larger LMVSC will usually have two or three teams at each age group.

What I have noticed, however, is that many of the very best players from Alexandra and Gunston move to more competitive teams at the larger area clubs when they reach U13 to U15 and are looking for a higher level of competition and exposure to college coaches.

I would have your kids contact the clubs and arrange to practice/tryout with teams from all three clubs and then go with whichever club and team and coach seems like the best fit for your kids.

Alexandria's top teams are in EDP next year. Arguably as competitive or more so than CCL.

CCL doesn't pro/rel so tends to be less competitive. Alexandria has 5 teams in many age groups. Much of your information is incorrect.

[Anonymous]

I thought Gunston was part of the new YDL League
http://www.vaydl.com/

[Anonymous]

Alexandria's top teams are in EDP next year.

Alexandria's U11-U14 boys and U13 girls are already playing in EDP this spring. The plan for fall is for all the top boys and girls teams at all age groups (starting with 2006s) to play EDP with the lower teams playing NCSL/WAGS or ODSL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any feedback on these soccer clubs?

Easy question. Alexandria. Not even close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any feedback on these soccer clubs?

Easy question. Alexandria. Not even close.

Thank you for the feedback -- is Alexandria the best fit in terms of competition and coaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Gunston was part of the new YDL League
http://www.vaydl.com/

That's for U9 and U10.

I have no idea what question that league is trying to answer. NCSL does club scheduling as well, with a little bit of flexibility built in to juggle things for more competitive games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To PP: yes most kids try out for more than one club -- particularly above the U9 level -- in case they don't make the team at one tryouts. Same principle as applying to colleges.

LMVSC plays in CCL while Gunston and Alexandria play in WAGS/NCSL.

CCL is generally considered a more competitive league for bigger clubs than the other two leagues. That said, there are certain teams at Alexandria and at Gunston that are quite strong and play in Division 1 or 2 of NCSL/WAGS.

Also, it is more likely that your kids will play on the top team in their age group at Gunston or Alexandria as those clubs often have only one or at most two teams in an age group, while the larger LMVSC will usually have two or three teams at each age group.

What I have noticed, however, is that many of the very best players from Alexandra and Gunston move to more competitive teams at the larger area clubs when they reach U13 to U15 and are looking for a higher level of competition and exposure to college coaches.

I would have your kids contact the clubs and arrange to practice/tryout with teams from all three clubs and then go with whichever club and team and coach seems like the best fit for your kids.

Alexandria's top teams are in EDP next year. Arguably as competitive or more so than CCL.

CCL doesn't pro/rel so tends to be less competitive. Alexandria has 5 teams in many age groups. Much of your information is incorrect.

CCL teams won 7 of 8 state cup titles in Virginia .... hardly less competitive http://www.clubchampionsleague.com/2015/11/01/ccl-clubs-claim-7-of-8-state-titles/

[Anonymous]

Any league can have one or 2 good teams, but what I find more persuasive is that the article says 21 of 32 state cup Semifinalists were CCL clubs.

[Anonymous]

Interesting statistic. I would point out that any league can have one or 2 good teams at the top of the league so what I find more persuasive is that stat in the article that says 21 of 32 state cup Semifinalists were CCL clubs. There's only 12 (?) or so CCL clubs in Virginia so shows a lot of league strength.

[Anonymous]

When researching clubs at the U9 level, State Championships mean shit. Many of those clubs have players from all over the DMV in later years.

Look for development.