VRSC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If boys didn’t get an offer for VRSC 4th team then parents need a reality check about what travel vs rec soccer

This. Some kids just aren't ready/skilled enough for travel. I'm not sure what the point of paying $3,000 for a division 5 or 6 division when they could pay $250 and play rec with the same skilled kids.

I agree. We are in a smaller club that hoovers up all the kids out of Rec and then the coaching on the lower team is just above rec quality. The lower level teams hardly develop. Just keep the lower level teams in rec instead of NCSL's 5th and 6th divisions. Greedy clubs!

I see this take a lot on this forum. But what is a parent supposed to do to guarantee some form of knowledgeable coaching? I can guarantee my kid who plays a low level travel team has learned boatloads more in this year than they would have playing rec with random rec coach that may or may not know much about soccer.

There is still a big difference between 4th tier travel and Rec. Travel probably has 3 practices a week compared to just 1 or 2 for Rec. Travel will play in tournaments where Rec probably doesn’t. The commitment level for travel players is different. With Rec you never know who will show up to games or practices.

Look, even if your kid is not a great athlete with college and pro aspirations that doesn’t mean they don’t want or deserve a a chance to do something they enjoy if parents are able to afford it.

Exactly!

I want a coach that shows up, on time, with a plan, knows something about soccer, has a level of expectation for commitment and effort. I want the other kids and parents to understand the commitment. I want there to be enough practice to actually show improvement.

The problem is you don't get this with bottom teams. Parents don't bring their kids to every practice and will miss games/tournaments and there are plenty of very good rec coaches that turn down club invites to coach travel teams. I don't personally think it's worth the money for rec level play at bottom division travel. If your kid isn't destroying everyone in rec and is unsure to everyone else I don't get why parents are offended to be told they are better off there. My kid's old rec team would destroy division 6 travel teams. Most of the kids play division 3/4 this year.

I guess my DC got lucky. Our first year of travel was not without challenge and a lot of losses....but every one of them has markedly improved over where they were in their rec season. And had they done two more rec seasons, I don't think they would have improved as much as they have. When you know next to nothing about soccer and get told "sign up to be a coach" for rec, you don't have a ton of confidence that your kid is gonna get coaching. I cannot even imagine the bro dads that would rip me apart for not knowing enough about soccer.
Everything I have learned about soccer has come from watching my kid's practice.

I'm not saying there aren't kids that might find rec as a better fit. And I think its a good coach's duty to tell a parent to offer their honest feedback. I just think the animosity towards a kid and/or parent that wants to improve and have a better chance at having a coach that knows something about soccer is better than gambling with parent volunteers.

[Anonymous]

Rec is a good fit for some. Lower travel teams are a good fit for others. This choice is 100% up to the family, not anonymous keyboard advisors, IMHO.
Example: my neighbor's kid played on third teams for literally his entire career until U17. Attrition and hard work on his part meant he got a spot on a second team. They played a showcase, and after his game he was at a food stand and saw the coach from a small school he had applied to, so he asked some questions about the area. He had not gotten to visit it yet (Ohio). The coach was very friendly. Kid had no expectation of playing soccer in college, but the coach came and watched his next game without being asked. He said to send him a message if he came to visit the school. Guess who is getting time on the team now? Point being, starting at the bottom and sticking with it can be a good thing as long as you have realistic expectations. I don't think anyone expected him to play in college, but he liked his friends, the atmosphere, and the game. In the end I think that is what its about.

[Anonymous]

What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

My kid's friend's parent coached rec for most of elementary school for us and was amazing. They've been offered travel coaching spots at a big club numerous times and not than half of their last season's team now plays travel u11-12. It's not as uncommon as you think. But there are just as many travel coaches sitting on their phones collecting a paycheck as there are good intentioned volunteer coaches in rec.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

My kid's friend's parent coached rec for most of elementary school for us and was amazing. They've been offered travel coaching spots at a big club numerous times and not than half of their last season's team now plays travel u11-12. It's not as uncommon as you think. But there are just as many travel coaches sitting on their phones collecting a paycheck as there are good intentioned volunteer coaches in rec.

Wow. What a difference in experience. I think I'd lose my mind if our travel coach spent his time on his phone. Hell, our coach gets a full workout half the time because he is out there showing them how to do the drills, running witb them or acts as a player to even out scrimmages. But this is good to know for future.

So moral of the story is...it really does depend on your coach.

[Anonymous]

It always depends on the coach, not the club. Revolution has some real duds, but so do most clubs. Finding good coaches is not the easiest thing apparently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It always depends on the coach, not the club. Revolution has some real duds, but so do most clubs. Finding good coaches is not the easiest thing apparently.

Every club has duds. I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

If the coach is good, they win a lot and the kids request that coach. If the coach loses a lot they might not come back, or the parents won't request back on that team and the coach will get new players, which leads to more losing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

My kid's friend's parent coached rec for most of elementary school for us and was amazing. They've been offered travel coaching spots at a big club numerous times and not than half of their last season's team now plays travel u11-12. It's not as uncommon as you think. But there are just as many travel coaches sitting on their phones collecting a paycheck as there are good intentioned volunteer coaches in rec.

Wow. What a difference in experience. I think I'd lose my mind if our travel coach spent his time on his phone. Hell, our coach gets a full workout half the time because he is out there showing them how to do the drills, running witb them or acts as a player to even out scrimmages. But this is good to know for future.

So moral of the story is...it really does depend on your coach.

Our kid has a coach who watched EPL games from his phone during U9 games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

My kid's friend's parent coached rec for most of elementary school for us and was amazing. They've been offered travel coaching spots at a big club numerous times and not than half of their last season's team now plays travel u11-12. It's not as uncommon as you think. But there are just as many travel coaches sitting on their phones collecting a paycheck as there are good intentioned volunteer coaches in rec.

Wow. What a difference in experience. I think I'd lose my mind if our travel coach spent his time on his phone. Hell, our coach gets a full workout half the time because he is out there showing them how to do the drills, running witb them or acts as a player to even out scrimmages. But this is good to know for future.

So moral of the story is...it really does depend on your coach.

Our kid has a coach who watched EPL games from his phone during U9 games.

At VRSC?

[Anonymous]

Well now. That’s a problem. Was that at Revolution??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well now. That’s a problem. Was that at Revolution??

Nope. It was a second team at Loudoun that's pre ecnl - rl next year. Players left mid year because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:boys are leaving so hope the GA works out for VRSC

Why are boys leaving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

K-4 grade. Many coaches/parents previously played. Doesn't mean they can coach. There was a rec coach who was asked not to come back as a coach one year because he had such bad anger issues. So yeah, just kind of depends. However, my friend's son's travel coach has also been ejected from games for screaming too much during games

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What ages are all these so called great rec coaches coaching? DS played rec until U10 and never had a coach that had previously coached soccer.

K-4 grade. Many coaches/parents previously played. Doesn't mean they can coach. There was a rec coach who was asked not to come back as a coach one year because he had such bad anger issues. So yeah, just kind of depends. However, my friend's son's travel coach has also been ejected from games for screaming too much during games

Loudoun rec has had coaches who played for national teams.