I am very confused please help about next steps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age? We're very happy at MSI Academy 2008. Practices next year should be at West, so convenient to Rockville. No big tryout sessions -- just contact the coach and come join a practice and see how you like it. It's a bit less expensive than Bethesda, I believe, and not a lower level of play.

2009. The practices at West would be perfect so close by! We just need to figure out the weekend games. Typically how far do you travel?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1
Did a lot of research and realized practice times for travel teams are constantly changing, locations for games and practices really far away and the level of training/competition is not that different unless your child is on the very top team. They money was less of an issue. It's about time.

PP are you in MSI classic? Do you think MSI academy is less of a commitment than a Bethesda?

MSI Academy teams usually have pretty committed players. Since there's only one team it's the "top" team. At Bethesda I would worry you might have the problem described in another thread about the lower teams and kids not all coming to games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age? We're very happy at MSI Academy 2008. Practices next year should be at West, so convenient to Rockville. No big tryout sessions -- just contact the coach and come join a practice and see how you like it. It's a bit less expensive than Bethesda, I believe, and not a lower level of play.

2009. The practices at West would be perfect so close by! We just need to figure out the weekend games. Typically how far do you travel?

You can look up the NCSL schedule for U11 for last year. Most games are in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

What about Potomac, OP? If you are near Julius West you're probably close to some Potomac practice sites too. It's kind of a good in between the massive Bethesda operation and the small MSI Academy one.

[Anonymous]

I would encourage parents of girls to check out other options if you are not on Bethesda's top team. There are just too many good options out there that offer a better experience, especially U13 and younger. Consider that Bethesda just brought over the coach from MRM Rush 05 and most of his players. That is clear acknowledgment that the coach of that team was doing something right that Bethesda was not.

I don't know why Bethesda has such a following but if I had a girl on the non-A team, I would search out other opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage parents of girls to check out other options if you are not on Bethesda's top team. There are just too many good options out there that offer a better experience, especially U13 and younger. Consider that Bethesda just brought over the coach from MRM Rush 05 and most of his players. That is clear acknowledgment that the coach of that team was doing something right that Bethesda was not.

I don't know why Bethesda has such a following but if I had a girl on the non-A team, I would search out other opportunities.

Thank you this is OP. We have decided to do this. Trying out with some other clubs next week. I think we will see if something else works out or then stuck with classic for another year if it doesn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age? We're very happy at MSI Academy 2008. Practices next year should be at West, so convenient to Rockville. No big tryout sessions -- just contact the coach and come join a practice and see how you like it. It's a bit less expensive than Bethesda, I believe, and not a lower level of play.

2009. The practices at West would be perfect so close by! We just need to figure out the weekend games. Typically how far do you travel?

You can look up the NCSL schedule for U11 for last year. Most games are in Fairfax County.

A couple of the games were in West Virginia. I guess I have to be prepared to drive long distances??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage parents of girls to check out other options if you are not on Bethesda's top team. There are just too many good options out there that offer a better experience, especially U13 and younger. Consider that Bethesda just brought over the coach from MRM Rush 05 and most of his players. That is clear acknowledgment that the coach of that team was doing something right that Bethesda was not.

I don't know why Bethesda has such a following but if I had a girl on the non-A team, I would search out other opportunities.

This may be a noob question, but what happens to the '05 girls already on Bethesda teams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage parents of girls to check out other options if you are not on Bethesda's top team. There are just too many good options out there that offer a better experience, especially U13 and younger. Consider that Bethesda just brought over the coach from MRM Rush 05 and most of his players. That is clear acknowledgment that the coach of that team was doing something right that Bethesda was not.

I don't know why Bethesda has such a following but if I had a girl on the non-A team, I would search out other opportunities.

This may be a noob question, but what happens to the '05 girls already on Bethesda teams?

They were told in an email congratulations! you are on a lower team now. Do not let the door hit you in the ass on the way down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage parents of girls to check out other options if you are not on Bethesda's top team. There are just too many good options out there that offer a better experience, especially U13 and younger. Consider that Bethesda just brought over the coach from MRM Rush 05 and most of his players. That is clear acknowledgment that the coach of that team was doing something right that Bethesda was not.

I don't know why Bethesda has such a following but if I had a girl on the non-A team, I would search out other opportunities.

This may be a noob question, but what happens to the '05 girls already on Bethesda teams?

They were told in an email congratulations! you are on a lower team now. Do not let the door hit you in the ass on the way down.

Seriously? That's really crappy. May they all prosper in their move to another club,

[Anonymous]

I think Bethesda usually just adds another team but stops paying as much attention to the lower teams. There are too many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age? We're very happy at MSI Academy 2008. Practices next year should be at West, so convenient to Rockville. No big tryout sessions -- just contact the coach and come join a practice and see how you like it. It's a bit less expensive than Bethesda, I believe, and not a lower level of play.

2009. The practices at West would be perfect so close by! We just need to figure out the weekend games. Typically how far do you travel?

You can look up the NCSL schedule for U11 for last year. Most games are in Fairfax County.

A couple of the games were in West Virginia. I guess I have to be prepared to drive long distances??

MSI Academy Girls: 50% of the games are home games and they are at beautiful SoccerPlex. The away games are mostly in Northern VA of about 30-45 minutes drive if the game is in Leesburg, VA. Once in a while, you might have an away game in WVA, which is about 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Rockville. Get to know some of the parents as I see many carpools to away games and practices. Practices at Julius West twice a week is ideal if you live in or near Rockville. Julius West is right off I-270 so it’s very convenient. NCSL is not as bad as you think travel-wise especially if you compare to CCL, EDP, ECNL & DA.

Like one of the PP mentioned earlier, just email the coach and attend tryouts/practice. BTW, once you’re on a MSI Academy team at this age, you don’t have to tryout every year to maintain your roster spot unlike Potomac & Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What age? We're very happy at MSI Academy 2008. Practices next year should be at West, so convenient to Rockville. No big tryout sessions -- just contact the coach and come join a practice and see how you like it. It's a bit less expensive than Bethesda, I believe, and not a lower level of play.

2009. The practices at West would be perfect so close by! We just need to figure out the weekend games. Typically how far do you travel?

You can look up the NCSL schedule for U11 for last year. Most games are in Fairfax County.

A couple of the games were in West Virginia. I guess I have to be prepared to drive long distances??

MSI Academy Girls: 50% of the games are home games and they are at beautiful SoccerPlex. The away games are mostly in Northern VA of about 30-45 minutes drive if the game is in Leesburg, VA. Once in a while, you might have an away game in WVA, which is about 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Rockville. Get to know some of the parents as I see many carpools to away games and practices. Practices at Julius West twice a week is ideal if you live in or near Rockville. Julius West is right off I-270 so it’s very convenient. NCSL is not as bad as you think travel-wise especially if you compare to CCL, EDP, ECNL & DA.

Like one of the PP mentioned earlier, just email the coach and attend tryouts/practice. BTW, once you’re on a MSI Academy team at this age, you don’t have to tryout every year to maintain your roster spot unlike Potomac & Bethesda.

So so helpful pp. thank you!!! I was worried about travel but this seems doable!