VA MD DC Girls soccer - thoughts, opinions

[Anonymous]

lots of gaming changing events last year, appears that issues like age group change are behind us and the ones still at play are US Soccers girls DA inaugural season, and the movement of teams in and out of leagues like CCL, ECNL, NCSL. It's clear the fallout for some age groups was immediate and some will take another year, two or three, but i think the writing on the wall and the passionate, competitive and girls looking to play and train at top levels is that DA will eventually be the place to be and local teams will lose their top players that may have made them competitive in previous years totally transforming the club landscape.

training for ECNL teams being more or less equal ( may or may not be true) in this area, and CCL teams were attracting girls from all over the area, because of coaching/training differences, the DA option, could significantly affect the composition of teams, clubs and leagues.

anyone seen the DAs cannabalize the local area teams? or was the effect not so pronounced as i imagine? Are the DAs getting the best of the best or are players waiting to see how it develops?

are most clubs seeing decreased player pool size? i saw clubs unable to field a second team and maybe barely field a first team from the usual player pool sources. or is this a boon to players who are late bloomers and therefore they better opportunities? is this a house of cards for clubs that relied on 2 or 3 strong players?

[Anonymous]

i've seen small repercussions at the u9 level, but not much of it. I'm not sure why a local club had such low player turnout. almost no kids from rec and most from their academy. normally that would be great to have strong academy showing, but there is no player pool past those 10 girls. no one to be biting at their heels to take their spot from the second team.

i doubt it had anything to do with DA, thats too far away, but clearly something is up at that age group. rec had a dozen+ teams to get kids from and they either didnt show up to try out or accepted at another local team

[Anonymous]

Good topic. Here are a few observations from the girls perspective:

1. the inclusion of DA has increased the number of spots at the top level for U14 and U15 in particular. There is now more of a pyramid than there used to be. Fewer spots at U18, more at U14.
2. the player movement due to DA has been less dramatic than I expected. I would be curious to understand how many ECNL girls Mclean lost for example. I think its a very small number.
3. it's still a small sample size but the quality of play in DA is more spotty than expected. There may be too many DA teams in the NoVA/MD area for them all to be competitive.
4. the lower half of girls in the DA U15G age bracket are already dreading next year where the team effectively halves in size due to US soccer's combined U16/17 policy. This could have a dramatic effect on player movement at U16 next year (unless they split these years, which has been rumored). Its possible that high school teams may actually benefit from this.

I expect changes to continue to ripple through for several years.

[Anonymous]

I think there are too many local 'elite' options right now, especially because the total pool of girl players is far smaller than the total pool of boy players once they hit eight grade. It's leaving the DA and ECNL teams uneven, the CCL league games uncompetitive for the better CCL teams, and the local clubs that play in NCSL are really starved of talent. But I also think it will run its course. For ages 13 and up, in a few years, CCL will fold into something else (maybe VPL?), ECNL wil be the 2nd tier elite league, and DA (with fewer teams around the beltway) will be actual elite league. My dream is that the world gets divided into DA as the true elite league and NCSL-for-everyone-else (pulling in all VPL, CCL, and ODSL teams), with promotion/relegation starting at U12, instead of all these disparate systems where the girls and the parents don't really get to see gradations of difference in talent and team. I think it would naturally rationalize the currently crazy system.

[Anonymous]

i would imagine the younger future ECNL pool of girls would not go into ECNL but go into DA. that leaves u14 ECNL teams relatively weaker and makes traveling to and home from mid-atlantic league areas a looong trip.

i was excited for these DAs, but thinking about the combined teams at highervagebgroupsvand the affect they'll have on non-DA teams ince those players come back into the pool. i'm thinking thats gonna be a lot of stress for a bunch of the girls who wont have team continuity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i would imagine the younger future ECNL pool of girls would not go into ECNL but go into DA. that leaves u14 ECNL teams relatively weaker and makes traveling to and home from mid-atlantic league areas a looong trip.

i was excited for these DAs, but thinking about the combined teams at highervagebgroupsvand the affect they'll have on non-DA teams ince those players come back into the pool. i'm thinking thats gonna be a lot of stress for a bunch of the girls who wont have team continuity.

My guess is that DA will break out the combined age groups over the course of a few years. While ECNL is still strong the combined age groups makes sense in a way to consolidate talent but as the DA grows it will likely be unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

I caught a Girls DA game this weekend. I was surprised by abilities of the girls and not sure that I would have realized this was a DA game if I didnt know better.

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt that this is early on in the season, or that they were evenly matched, but they are already in full swing. I saw amost no connecting passes, turnoverfest, miskicks, etc.

I'm hoping that this was local issues to these teams and that out years will be much different. But these girls have multiple coaches, 4 trainings a week... I was hoping to see some good soccer. i saw some kick and run last ditch attempts, but even those were not executed well, and not because of defensive tactics.

I can only expect that future years may allow the DAs to work out the recruiting and training kinks. Anyone think it would be reasonable to see a wholesale influx of talent to DA teams already in existence? that's a hard sell unless they start talking about certain kids committing. We had a coach try to guarantee the future of a team on something like that, it didn't pan out and none of them showed up. I kind of feel like the kids need to know with who and what they are joining up to be a part of, as i think the players are just as dependent on their teammates for moving development forward as theyvare on their coaches. Otherwise, a training could be done independently and individually.

Really hoping the DAs find their way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I caught a Girls DA game this weekend. I was surprised by abilities of the girls and not sure that I would have realized this was a DA game if I didnt know better.

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt that this is early on in the season, or that they were evenly matched, but they are already in full swing. I saw amost no connecting passes, turnoverfest, miskicks, etc.

I'm hoping that this was local issues to these teams and that out years will be much different. But these girls have multiple coaches, 4 trainings a week... I was hoping to see some good soccer. i saw some kick and run last ditch attempts, but even those were not executed well, and not because of defensive tactics.

I can only expect that future years may allow the DAs to work out the recruiting and training kinks. Anyone think it would be reasonable to see a wholesale influx of talent to DA teams already in existence? that's a hard sell unless they start talking about certain kids committing. We had a coach try to guarantee the future of a team on something like that, it didn't pan out and none of them showed up. I kind of feel like the kids need to know with who and what they are joining up to be a part of, as i think the players are just as dependent on their teammates for moving development forward as theyvare on their coaches. Otherwise, a training could be done independently and individually.

Really hoping the DAs find their way.

I've felt the same on the boys' side. The individual technique is not as high as would be expected. The ability to snag any type of ball with instant control---they still have it bounce off their bodies/feet, etc. The 'boot it out of the back'.

However, 4 practices per week means nothing. I actually think it is a detriment. Many European academies cap the training sessions to 3X per week. Then, you have Pulisic who most of his youth only had 2 formal practices per week and spent most of his time training in his backyard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I caught a Girls DA game this weekend. I was surprised by abilities of the girls and not sure that I would have realized this was a DA game if I didnt know better.

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt that this is early on in the season, or that they were evenly matched, but they are already in full swing. I saw amost no connecting passes, turnoverfest, miskicks, etc.

I'm hoping that this was local issues to these teams and that out years will be much different. But these girls have multiple coaches, 4 trainings a week... I was hoping to see some good soccer. i saw some kick and run last ditch attempts, but even those were not executed well, and not because of defensive tactics.

I can only expect that future years may allow the DAs to work out the recruiting and training kinks. Anyone think it would be reasonable to see a wholesale influx of talent to DA teams already in existence? that's a hard sell unless they start talking about certain kids committing. We had a coach try to guarantee the future of a team on something like that, it didn't pan out and none of them showed up. I kind of feel like the kids need to know with who and what they are joining up to be a part of, as i think the players are just as dependent on their teammates for moving development forward as theyvare on their coaches. Otherwise, a training could be done independently and individually.

Really hoping the DAs find their way.

I've felt the same on the boys' side. The individual technique is not as high as would be expected. The ability to snag any type of ball with instant control---they still have it bounce off their bodies/feet, etc. The 'boot it out of the back'.

However, 4 practices per week means nothing. I actually think it is a detriment. Many European academies cap the training sessions to 3X per week. Then, you have Pulisic who most of his youth only had 2 formal practices per week and spent most of his time training in his backyard.

Ajax expects its younger academy kids to go to their neighborhoods and play pick-up ball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I caught a Girls DA game this weekend. I was surprised by abilities of the girls and not sure that I would have realized this was a DA game if I didnt know better.

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt that this is early on in the season, or that they were evenly matched, but they are already in full swing. I saw amost no connecting passes, turnoverfest, miskicks, etc.

I'm hoping that this was local issues to these teams and that out years will be much different. But these girls have multiple coaches, 4 trainings a week... I was hoping to see some good soccer. i saw some kick and run last ditch attempts, but even those were not executed well, and not because of defensive tactics.

I can only expect that future years may allow the DAs to work out the recruiting and training kinks. Anyone think it would be reasonable to see a wholesale influx of talent to DA teams already in existence? that's a hard sell unless they start talking about certain kids committing. We had a coach try to guarantee the future of a team on something like that, it didn't pan out and none of them showed up. I kind of feel like the kids need to know with who and what they are joining up to be a part of, as i think the players are just as dependent on their teammates for moving development forward as theyvare on their coaches. Otherwise, a training could be done independently and individually.

Really hoping the DAs find their way.

Again, broken record, other than converted ECNL clubs to DA the clubs, especially at the older ages will have a mixed bag for DA. But the younger kids not yet in DA will be the measure.

[Anonymous]

what is "kick and run"?

[Anonymous]

The "kick and run" style of play is where a kid boots the ball down the field and teammates run on to it and try to score. It's the opposite of possession style soccer, where players control the ball and move it down the field by passing, dribbling, taking on players one on one. At younger ages, teams with big athletic kids can appear to dominate by employing kick and run, where smaller, more skillful teams may continually lose. Over time, the kids with foot skills and the teams that have honed a good possession style of play will emerge as the stronger players/teams. Note, this doesn't mean that a well-placed long ball isn't ever the right thing to do. But that shouldn't be a player or team's only way of getting the ball down the field for a scoring opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I caught a Girls DA game this weekend. I was surprised by abilities of the girls and not sure that I would have realized this was a DA game if I didnt know better.

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt that this is early on in the season, or that they were evenly matched, but they are already in full swing. I saw amost no connecting passes, turnoverfest, miskicks, etc.

I'm hoping that this was local issues to these teams and that out years will be much different. But these girls have multiple coaches, 4 trainings a week... I was hoping to see some good soccer. i saw some kick and run last ditch attempts, but even those were not executed well, and not because of defensive tactics.

I can only expect that future years may allow the DAs to work out the recruiting and training kinks. Anyone think it would be reasonable to see a wholesale influx of talent to DA teams already in existence? that's a hard sell unless they start talking about certain kids committing. We had a coach try to guarantee the future of a team on something like that, it didn't pan out and none of them showed up. I kind of feel like the kids need to know with who and what they are joining up to be a part of, as i think the players are just as dependent on their teammates for moving development forward as theyvare on their coaches. Otherwise, a training could be done independently and individually.

Really hoping the DAs find their way.

I've felt the same on the boys' side. The individual technique is not as high as would be expected. The ability to snag any type of ball with instant control---they still have it bounce off their bodies/feet, etc. The 'boot it out of the back'.

However, 4 practices per week means nothing. I actually think it is a detriment. Many European academies cap the training sessions to 3X per week. Then, you have Pulisic who most of his youth only had 2 formal practices per week and spent most of his time training in his backyard.

Ajax expects its younger academy kids to go to their neighborhoods and play pick-up ball.

Barcelona's U9 don't practice for more than 1 hour per session 3X per week. Their older players (U11/12/13/14) are capped at 3 90 minute training sessions per week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Again, broken record, other than converted ECNL clubs to DA the clubs, especially at the older ages will have a mixed bag for DA. But the younger kids not yet in DA will be the measure.

I agree, however, past performance of success is usually the best way to sell a development program, other than saying it's the official pathway, for the CCL and NPL based clubs I don't see the issue, but how do you get folks to jump ship on ECNL program? blind leap of faith?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "kick and run" style of play is where a kid boots the ball down the field and teammates run on to it and try to score. It's the opposite of possession style soccer, where players control the ball and move it down the field by passing, dribbling, taking on players one on one. At younger ages, teams with big athletic kids can appear to dominate by employing kick and run, where smaller, more skillful teams may continually lose. Over time, the kids with foot skills and the teams that have honed a good possession style of play will emerge as the stronger players/teams.

Yeah, I've been told this a million times, too, but I'm starting to wonder if the possession teams just start winning in the long run because the kick-and-run athletes move on to other sports.