Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

1. My daughters ECNL team costs are ubsidized by nothing other than fundraising that her team does.

2. BRYC clearly says that they will have a capital fundraising organization to keep down ECNL cost (whatever that means). So that 1800 cost fed to parents must have the projected savings added into it. Much like a sticker price on a car that doesn't include the tax, tags, and title cost that adds another 2000.

3. BRYC putting up everyone else's "cost "on a PP slide while artificially lowering theirs cost is a true lack of transparency that will come back too bite them when the true cost is seen.

4. I very much respect BRYC and believe they are a fantastic club. I hope the best for them...but they will lose out to Spirit once/if DA establishes themselves as the top league. Although, I hope ECNL can hold on so there is more than one path in NOVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spirit will always cost more than other clubs because other clubs have more players to spread the shared expenses over. Take for example the girls technical director. Spirit VA (or MD) will only have ~80 players total but a DA that's part of a club can spread those costs over at least all of the female travel players, and probably the house female players too. The same inability to spread costs will apply to fields, goalkeeping coach, administrative expenses, equipments, etc.

ANother thing to consider is that the professional Spirit team is not a money making operation so they are not going to be funneling much, if any, money down to the DA. Unlike a club which may be having tournaments and other events where the profits will be used to defray club costs. Even with the NWSL's new TV contract, parents should be worried about the long-term viability of the Spirit organization. Can anyone dispute that PWSI and VSA are more likely to be around in 5 years than Spirit?

But turning to the Spirit DA now, they did announce the technical director for the Virginia program - http://washingtonspirit.com/youth/washington-spirit-selects-tom-torres-as-u-s-soccer-development-academy-director-in-virginia/

Of course, you can tell by the blurb at the bottom that they wrote this last week, before this past Sunday's ID sessions that they encouraging people to attend, without realizing that the press release wouldn't come out until after the event.

As a parent who's been there, I think it's more problematic to have 2nd and 3rd teams' fees in a youth-only organization subsidizing the 1st team's fancy extras and travel. Makes those kids feel like second class citizens and their parents feel like chumps.

Not clear on why you would feel like chumps in this situation. There are lots and lots of clubs around here, and you can always find out the fees before you sign up with a club. If you don't appreciate whatever surcharge a club may add to help fund its DA or ECNL teams, then you can choose a team at a club that is not a member of the elite leagues. You won't always find that the fees are cheaper if you switch though, because many of the clubs in DA or ECNL have big tournaments, corporate sponsors, and donors that help defray the costs for players at all levels within the club.

[Anonymous]

The $1900 for BRYC is the actual club fee for this year, so there is nothing being misrepresented in that figure. They said in the meeting that there were going to be increases for next year just based on rising county fees. They will have a capital committee to bring in sponsor dollars to offset costs next year and in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The $1900 for BRYC is the actual club fee for this year, so there is nothing being misrepresented in that figure. They said in the meeting that there were going to be increases for next year just based on rising county fees. They will have a capital committee to bring in sponsor dollars to offset costs next year and in the future.

Ok..club fee is just a part of ECNL expenses. So who is misrepresenting...the parent on this forum or the club? Someone clearly is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Credit where credit is due. We had a negative 30 goal differential, approximately (yeah, I know), but the boys played on a very nice turf field at a facility that was easy to get to for our club and I'm not making this up but the refereeing was some of the best we've ever experienced. Now we will head back to our low-level NCSL play with tails between our legs.

That's odd because in many of the divisions across the age group it was non-CCL teams in the Finals and taking home the medals: PWSI, SAC Premier, Achilles, Team America, VSA, MD RUSH...even if they were outnumbered by the CCL teams in attendance. There was not a clear dominance by anyone across the age groups---even amongst the Clubs with the most teams entered. Which--is great---shows variety and lets them get outside of their box once in awhile.

Man do you have some kind of agenda. You must be a coach or TD with an ax to grind against Arlington.

Winners in the highest bracket of each age group:

U10 - Arlington
U11 - Arlington
U12 - LMVSC (Arlington was finalist)
U13 - Arlington
U14 - Arlington

DS's team played at U11 in top bracket and Arlington was definitely the cream of the crop, as they should be with that roster. We were on the other side of the bracket and every match was a one-goal difference with great matches all around. I thought the tournament was very well-run and the refereeing above average. I expect my feet and hands to thaw out by next Wednesday.

Do you have any open spots on your team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The $1900 for BRYC is the actual club fee for this year, so there is nothing being misrepresented in that figure. They said in the meeting that there were going to be increases for next year just based on rising county fees. They will have a capital committee to bring in sponsor dollars to offset costs next year and in the future.

Sure then there are team fees which will vary widely by age. Depending on the tournaments beyond the age required ECNL events you will be asked to stroke a check for at least $2500 just to book travel ahead of time. So, yes $1900 might be doable for "Club fees" but that simply comes in at $500 or so less than other clubs in ECNL. The real money is in the travel expense and there is just no way around that.

[Anonymous]

No one is arguing that travel isn't a huge component of overall costs. How much depends on how much travel a particular team does. But to compare apples to apples, you start with club fees, which is what BRYC did.

But this discussion started with the statement about how the Spirit DAs will always cost more than the costs at other DA and ECNL clubs with other teams to spread the overhead/infrastructure costs over. And while the Spirit's costs may not be the 2 or 3 times the costs of those clubs once you factor travel in, the Spirit costs will always be several thousand more than their peer clubs, which includes the other local DA clubs and for at least next year, and probably a few more thereafter, the ECNL clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is arguing that travel isn't a huge component of overall costs. How much depends on how much travel a particular team does. But to compare apples to apples, you start with club fees, which is what BRYC did.

But this discussion started with the statement about how the Spirit DAs will always cost more than the costs at other DA and ECNL clubs with other teams to spread the overhead/infrastructure costs over. And while the Spirit's costs may not be the 2 or 3 times the costs of those clubs once you factor travel in, the Spirit costs will always be several thousand more than their peer clubs, which includes the other local DA clubs and for at least next year, and probably a few more thereafter, the ECNL clubs.

Where is this several thousands more than their peer clubs number coming from? You can't honestly take BRYC's price breakdown of other clubs seriously can you?

Why would Spirit DA cost more than FCV or VDA? Thousands more at that?

And how can the travel fees for BRYC be less than McLean? They would be comparable. So the only thing BRYC can claim to gain ground on is "Club Fee" but it costs what it costs and while $500 is nothing to sneeze at it is far from the statement that Spirit will be "Thousands more".

[Anonymous]

I explained why 15 posts ago. Try to keep up.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to know own why anyone would think that the Spirit DA will have more success than VDA or FCV. Both of them have player pools to recruit from already and established coaches in the area. The Spirit are partnering with Reston, a 4th tier club at best in this area, and are going to try to recruit players from teams and coaches they've been with for years. And the price is double on top of all of that? The whole line of them having an actual path to the pros is ridiculous. They've never done this, just like everyone else in the area. What are they going to do, take only players from their academy every year and not go out and get the best players in the draft and such? People are ridiculous. Stop buying bs, let your kid grow where they feel happy, and don't worry about what's going to happen to them 10 years down the line. No coach or organization can guarantee success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I explained why 15 posts ago. Try to keep up.

Try posting any prices that Spirit themselves have published.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I explained why 15 posts ago. Try to keep up.

Try posting any prices that Spirit themselves have published.

Even what they publish is not done correctly. FAQ has same question twice but with two different answers. No one is checking what is being put out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I explained why 15 posts ago. Try to keep up.

Try posting any prices that Spirit themselves have published.

Even what they publish is not done correctly. FAQ has same question twice but with two different answers. No one is checking what is being put out.

Exactly, which is why claims of Club Fees are $6000. And however the cost of DA is itemized, if Spirit is saying $6000 then they are simply being accurate and upfront with what playing in DA will cost. Do you really feel better with BRYC saying $1900 and THEN a variety of team fees start getting added and other nickel and diming starts getting added after the fact? Just tell me upfront what this will cost.

[Anonymous]

^^ Meant to say
Exactly, which is why claims of Club Fees of $6000 are not really unfounded but not unrealistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking for some opinions from more experienced parents. My son is currently in the BRYC travel program at U9. The program has been ok. Some positives and some negatives. They changed the training format this spring and it has been working out much better. Anyway with the move of BRYC out of the CCL and into the ECNL at the younger ages they will no longer be participating in a league for the younger years. Scrimmages and 2-3 tournaments for the year. My son enjoys the competitiveness of travel and enjoys the weekend games. Not planning in riding a college scholarship but looking for him to get quality training and compete at a higher level than Rec leagues. Curious to know what parents would consider doing if they prefer the league format? Move to another club in a league (CCL/NCSL) or stick it out with BRYC? Other clubs in our area are LMVSC, PWSI (crappy traffic), SYC and SCAA. Perhaps ODSL?

Do not go ODSL if you are looking for competitive next level play. Go to LMVSC.

Thanks for the feedback. Probably an alternative area club or see how BRYC pans out at the younger years makes sense.