How competitive is ASA travel soccer team? Is it hard to make the team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ if it’s so great why don’t the A and B team do it instead of just the C-G teams?

This thread is just more of the crazy soccer parents. Oh my kid did not make the top team...I am so bitter...it must be the coaching, the club screwed him or her over, the top teams train differently, etc, etc. Soccer is a sport. There is a huge difference between the top team and the lower team. There is a large difference in level of play even between the A and B teams. I do not understand why you can not see this. It really shows a lack of understanding soccer and sports in general to think it’s just coaching that is keeping a kid from developing or that kids at different levels of developmental should train the same way. If the lower team lacks the skill(touch, ball control, etc) you should work on that and not on teaching a possession game. Why? Because you have to have a minimum skill level to move the next training level. This happens in all sport.

There is almost no difference between the top 20 or so kids at a large travel club. Some of the kids may be a bit smaller and put on the second team. When you have 150-200 kids come out the talent runs pretty deep. In fact, the first 3 teams could beat each other on any given day.

The problem is that they label and mark 7/8 years old as worthy to train or not. NOBODY can predict how a soccer player will develop over the next 10-12 years. Yet- Americans toss out the kids to heap pile beginning at U8/9, never to be looked at again if they aren't pulled out to be in the top 10. The other factor is that in the younger years with such large tryouts it is near impossible to get selections/rankings correct. Since the age groups aren't treated as one large training/academy group, this is detrimental. They take a tiny percentage of players off to their corner and only concentrate on them. We then have this stupid 'team-centric' concept.

They get working early on it. Trying to get their kid out to tryouts at younger and younger ages. Trying to get their kid 'scene' as much as possible. If they can start their kid in the system sooner, the greater the chance their kid has over their classmates. This is why kindergartners are trying out. It's always because 'rec isn't good enough'. They are the same way with school---put the kids in private lessons/kumon/khan academy---and then say 'kindergarten is too boring my Susie is far advanced above everyone else. This also evens out before middle school when genetics takes over.

I think what is hit on about ASA is correct. There is a huge sense of arrogance and entitlement coupled with a lot of nerd parents that never played the sport (or any sport) at a high level (beyond HS) themselves. So--they are living vicariously through their kid and 'what team your kid is on" is a very big parental social factor that they derive a tremendous amount of self-satisfaction from. They will try to drop or steer the conversation to it at any social outing. The less blatant ones will--talk about "Jeff cup" or "Bethesda cup", etc. just so you know where you stack up.

I would avoid this place like the plague. The behind the scenes culture is nauseating and the kids turn into little douchebags as they mirror their parents' comments to teammates. There is no 'team'. A bunch of nasty individuals.

The best ASA coaches we've had do not stay long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ if it’s so great why don’t the A and B team do it instead of just the C-G teams?

This thread is just more of the crazy soccer parents. Oh my kid did not make the top team...I am so bitter...it must be the coaching, the club screwed him or her over, the top teams train differently, etc, etc. Soccer is a sport. There is a huge difference between the top team and the lower team. There is a large difference in level of play even between the A and B teams. I do not understand why you can not see this. It really shows a lack of understanding soccer and sports in general to think it’s just coaching that is keeping a kid from developing or that kids at different levels of developmental should train the same way. If the lower team lacks the skill(touch, ball control, etc) you should work on that and not on teaching a possession game. Why? Because you have to have a minimum skill level to move the next training level. This happens in all sport.

There is almost no difference between the top 20 or so kids at a large travel club. Some of the kids may be a bit smaller and put on the second team. When you have 150-200 kids come out the talent runs pretty deep. In fact, the first 3 teams could beat each other on any given day.

The problem is that they label and mark 7/8 years old as worthy to train or not. NOBODY can predict how a soccer player will develop over the next 10-12 years. Yet- Americans toss out the kids to heap pile beginning at U8/9, never to be looked at again if they aren't pulled out to be in the top 10. The other factor is that in the younger years with such large tryouts it is near impossible to get selections/rankings correct. Since the age groups aren't treated as one large training/academy group, this is detrimental. They take a tiny percentage of players off to their corner and only concentrate on them. We then have this stupid 'team-centric' concept.

They get working early on it. Trying to get their kid out to tryouts at younger and younger ages. Trying to get their kid 'scene' as much as possible. If they can start their kid in the system sooner, the greater the chance their kid has over their classmates. This is why kindergartners are trying out. It's always because 'rec isn't good enough'. They are the same way with school---put the kids in private lessons/kumon/khan academy---and then say 'kindergarten is too boring my Susie is far advanced above everyone else. This also evens out before middle school when genetics takes over.

I think what is hit on about ASA is correct. There is a huge sense of arrogance and entitlement coupled with a lot of nerd parents that never played the sport (or any sport) at a high level (beyond HS) themselves. So--they are living vicariously through their kid and 'what team your kid is on" is a very big parental social factor that they derive a tremendous amount of self-satisfaction from. They will try to drop or steer the conversation to it at any social outing. The less blatant ones will--talk about "Jeff cup" or "Bethesda cup", etc. just so you know where you stack up.

I would avoid this place like the plague. The behind the scenes culture is nauseating and the kids turn into little douchebags as they mirror their parents' comments to teammates. There is no 'team'. A bunch of nasty individuals.

The best ASA coaches we've had do not stay long.

It's about time ASA gets its own discussion section on this forum. There have been years of bashing Vienna and others while ASA escaped.

[Anonymous]

Ha! So true. My kids don't even play for ASA anymore and Arlington parents are always cornering me trying to talk to me about ASA and what the results of their tournaments were and where they are playing next. Ask me if I give a shit about any of that? Um, dude, we don't play for ASA anymore. Can you talk about anything other than children's soccer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha! So true. My kids don't even play for ASA anymore and Arlington parents are always cornering me trying to talk to me about ASA and what the results of their tournaments were and where they are playing next. Ask me if I give a shit about any of that? Um, dude, we don't play for ASA anymore. Can you talk about anything other than children's soccer?

Chill out, some people are just sports people. My kid plays travel soccer in McLean, and is decent, but I constantly hear about baseball, basketball and flag football just as much - I don't mind since I like hearing about what their kids are up to sports wise. Lots of people come up to tell me how awful Trump is as a President, I'm not crazy about the guy, but Ask me if I give a shit about any of their personal views on the the subject - sports is generally a good non-controversial topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha! So true. My kids don't even play for ASA anymore and Arlington parents are always cornering me trying to talk to me about ASA and what the results of their tournaments were and where they are playing next. Ask me if I give a shit about any of that? Um, dude, we don't play for ASA anymore. Can you talk about anything other than children's soccer?

Chill out, some people are just sports people. My kid plays travel soccer in McLean, and is decent, but I constantly hear about baseball, basketball and flag football just as much - I don't mind since I like hearing about what their kids are up to sports wise. Lots of people come up to tell me how awful Trump is as a President, I'm not crazy about the guy, but Ask me if I give a shit about any of their personal views on the the subject - sports is generally a good non-controversial topic.

Nobody is interested in anyone else kids sports. If they share the same sport then sure talk some shop but otherwise nobody cares. It is the social small talk equivalent of a honor student bumper sticker or a baby on board sign.

[Anonymous]

My daughter played for the Arlington "F" team last year. I do think that if your kid isn't on one of the top few teams, I'm not sure it's worth doing Travel. If your kid is one of the bottom kids on the bottom team, it can be hard to get playing time, and it's hard to improve without playing time.

That said, after a year of travel team training and play, she made noticeable improvement. After a year of being somewhat overlooked, she became a real leader on both her rec and ADP teams. I'm not sure she would have picked up some of those skills just playing Rec or ADP. We're considering trying out for travel again this year.

Also, it is possible to move up from the F team. Our F team ended up ranked higher than the E team. 4 girls stayed on F the second year, 2 moved to the E team, 2 girls moved to the C team and 2 to the D team. The red and white roster were pretty much unchanged, but I thought that movement from F to C is fairly significant.

[Anonymous]

I’ve trying to get DD interested in other sports due to this madness, but she just loves playing so much she wants to stick with it. Ugh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve trying to get DD interested in other sports due to this madness, but she just loves playing so much she wants to stick with it. Ugh!

For what its worth...

a lot of kids leave travel in late middle school/early high school. so many other things to do!

Anyway, the point is, rec revives. The Arlington HS Rec soccer program is great. No pressure, and a surprisingly good quality game. Fun and relaxed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve trying to get DD interested in other sports due to this madness, but she just loves playing so much she wants to stick with it. Ugh!

The "madness" is your problem not your kids. If your kid is having fun that is all that matters.

[Anonymous]

i dont understand why parents dont get the hierarchy and accept it. its club first. then player. then team. anyone complaining about players getting challenges and opportunities by temporarily playing on a higher (or lower) team, not sure what the issue is. You and your child should welcome the opportunity created by that situation/void. Sure, you can look at it as being left alone or maybe it's time to show a team is not just that 1 or 2 kids. If it was, then perhaps those kids deserved to have that opportunity.

I also dont think it's so bad to have kids being trained by professionals at a very early age. Even in REC it was apparent what kids were being trained by parent coaches who emphasized skills development and learning to take chances/opportunities (translate to taking a defender on and going to goal). Just because kid wants a social hour and the parent doesnt want real competition doesnt mean that everything at u6-u9 has to be that way. My DD at u8 only wanted to play at other fields, wanted to travel and play tournaments, she was having fun at REC level but she and her team loved to play and were clobbering 9 of the 10 teams. Separating those kids would only have frustrated everyone as all those kids on her team werent all athletes dominating, they were passing, dribbling and moving off the ball befuase of fundamentals others hadnt gotten yet and some still hadnt gotten years later in travel. Wasnt alwsys the travel coaches fault either, lots of players just not progressing. even at clinics they werwnt trying hard and it showed.

If I had known about the resources of professional training earlier, i would have taken it, ironically my kid wanted games and tournaments, academies dont do that. So excited to go and play her heart out with her teammates.

Unfortunately resources arent equal and infinite and prioritizing is naturally going to happen. A club can’t cater to every single person, and every kid isnt at the same place in development. If ASA isnt doing it for you, so many travel teams in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i dont understand why parents dont get the hierarchy and accept it. its club first. then player. then team. anyone complaining about players getting challenges and opportunities by temporarily playing on a higher (or lower) team, not sure what the issue is. You and your child should welcome the opportunity created by that situation/void. Sure, you can look at it as being left alone or maybe it's time to show a team is not just that 1 or 2 kids. If it was, then perhaps those kids deserved to have that opportunity.

I also dont think it's so bad to have kids being trained by professionals at a very early age. Even in REC it was apparent what kids were being trained by parent coaches who emphasized skills development and learning to take chances/opportunities (translate to taking a defender on and going to goal). Just because kid wants a social hour and the parent doesnt want real competition doesnt mean that everything at u6-u9 has to be that way. My DD at u8 only wanted to play at other fields, wanted to travel and play tournaments, she was having fun at REC level but she and her team loved to play and were clobbering 9 of the 10 teams. Separating those kids would only have frustrated everyone as all those kids on her team werent all athletes dominating, they were passing, dribbling and moving off the ball befuase of fundamentals others hadnt gotten yet and some still hadnt gotten years later in travel. Wasnt alwsys the travel coaches fault either, lots of players just not progressing. even at clinics they werwnt trying hard and it showed.

If I had known about the resources of professional training earlier, i would have taken it, ironically my kid wanted games and tournaments, academies dont do that. So excited to go and play her heart out with her teammates.

Unfortunately resources arent equal and infinite and prioritizing is naturally going to happen. A club can’t cater to every single person, and every kid isnt at the same place in development. If ASA isnt doing it for you, so many travel teams in the area.

I can tell you why in my case. This behemoth of a program serves our kids poorly, doesn't serve some at all, and absorbs a tremendous amount of county resources that could otherwise be shared more equitably among those of us who play tax here. Try talking to people who are involved with smaller programs in town about their struggles getting resources and fields. This crazy big travel program means that a) fewer kids in our town get a decent soccer program at a fair price, b) fewer kids with other interests (ultimate, rugby, and all the other small programs in town) can get onto a field, c) there are no opportunities for kids who just like to kick a ball around with friends, and d) when we were involved, the program seemed to care not one iota for running things leaner so that those with too much money for aid, but not enough money to easily participate, could feel at home.

[Anonymous]

While I hear your grievances, I am not sure I understand how ASA is supposed to solve them. Their mission, vision and goals is probably totally antithetical to your non-soccer desires. If ASA is getting permits or has some shared burdens with the county, what stops others from getting permits too?

Are no school campuses available to go have free play? even if its a half field size?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I hear your grievances, I am not sure I understand how ASA is supposed to solve them. Their mission, vision and goals is probably totally antithetical to your non-soccer desires. If ASA is getting permits or has some shared burdens with the county, what stops others from getting permits too?

Are no school campuses available to go have free play? even if its a half field size?

Field space is often allocated to clubs based on the number of player registrations. It can be very difficult for smaller clubs to grow when large clubs like ASA or Loudoun can monopolize field allocation. It becomes feedback loop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I hear your grievances, I am not sure I understand how ASA is supposed to solve them. Their mission, vision and goals is probably totally antithetical to your non-soccer desires. If ASA is getting permits or has some shared burdens with the county, what stops others from getting permits too?

Are no school campuses available to go have free play? even if its a half field size?

Field space is often allocated to clubs based on the number of player registrations. It can be very difficult for smaller clubs to grow when large clubs like ASA or Loudoun can monopolize field allocation. It becomes feedback loop.

Yep. It leaves no choices for those that don’t like the factories. Some diversity and choice within the county would be a good thing. The “if you don’t like it, leave” mentality that predominates would stop if there were actual nearby choices and force these places to stop being so arrogant. They know they can always find a sucker to fill an empty spot. The only reason they are what they are is sheer numbers of players in the pool. They are behemoth.

[Anonymous]

A NASA vs SASA Derby would be great!