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

[Anonymous]

DD LOVES soccer and really wants to play travel. She will be old enough in the spring to try out (8 yrs old).

How hard is it to make the team? My daughter is one of the stronger players on her rec team but I honestly don’t know enough about soccer to know if she’s really that good or not.

Just want to set the right expectations with her. Perhaps developmental is a better program for her but not sure. Any insight would be much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Every girl that tried out made an Arlington travel team my child's year---2008.

They have 6 teams and the turnout is much less than the boys' side.

[Anonymous]

There are a number of teams. The bottom travel teams are all cash cows and the club doesn't care about them at all.

If she is a stronger player on the rec team, she'll probably make something.

[Anonymous]

The girls’ teams are much easier to make than the boys’.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a number of teams. The bottom travel teams are all cash cows and the club doesn't care about them at all.

If she is a stronger player on the rec team, she'll probably make something.

You could have just left your comment at “There are a number of teams”. The rest was just your own bitterness.

[Anonymous]

But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

“The bottom travel teams are all cash cows and the club doesn't care about them at all. ”

It kinda sounds like you’re the one riled up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

“The bottom travel teams are all cash cows and the club doesn't care about them at all. ”

It kinda sounds like you’re the one riled up.

Np. The pps are providing useful information that reflects the opinion of many experienced parents. It sounds like that opinion offends you for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

“The bottom travel teams are all cash cows and the club doesn't care about them at all. ”

It kinda sounds like you’re the one riled up.

I didn't post that. I am just acknowledged that it is true. Many parents get it, and they aren't bitter. You sound defensive though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

“The bottom travel teams are all cash cows and the club doesn't care about them at all. ”

It kinda sounds like you’re the one riled up.

I didn't post that. I am just acknowledged that it is true. Many parents get it, and they aren't bitter. You sound defensive though.

Uggh, fine, you win. ASA is terrible, club soccer is a cash grab. OP just hide your kid in the basement until
College.

[Anonymous]

That's not what pp. said either. Listen, my DS was on the U9 PWSI 3rd team, and we had been offered 2nd team at NVSC. I foolishly, in hindsight, took the 3rd team thinking PWSI is a big top club so better to be there than a "big fish in small pond". Man was I ever wrong. The players on the 2nd team when I saw them playing in winter and during each other since my son knew some of them from school they had improved significantly. Our PWSI coach missed practices, sometimes games, and his training sessions were run as if he thought our children were a lost cause. I switched over the following year. I imagine at Arlington the 5th team is similar to the PWSI 4th team, just skip and go to Gunston or stay in rec and sign up for additional training. Not saying the experience will be an unpleasant one, the players may get along and really enjoy the team, sporting wise is a different scenario though. I guess it does depend on your expectation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

Shop around. I know several players that have turned down even when making a top two. It might not be what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the previous posters comment is true. If you make the top two teams pull the trigger and do it.
Go to a different club before the 5th or 6th team tho, unless it is some priority to be in Arlington.All the girls do make a team there. The only competition is about making red or white

and staying there.

So not bitterness. It is just a fact at the bigger clubs. don't get riled up

Shop around. I know several players that have turned down even when making a top two. It might not be what you want.

Shop around for the *coach* - s/he makes all the difference, especially at the younger age groups. Meet them - talk to them. Check how long they’ve been at their club or previous club if they’re new, what their reputation is with club leadership, whether they’ve hopped teams/clubs a lot, their licensing level (a measure of how much they’re willing to invest in themselves as coaches). Our club isn’t big enough to go more than 3 teams deep in an age group, so I can’t speak for levels below that, but the coach takes up most of your fee and should be earning it - whether it’s 1st, 2nd, or 6th team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's not what pp. said either. Listen, my DS was on the U9 PWSI 3rd team, and we had been offered 2nd team at NVSC. I foolishly, in hindsight, took the 3rd team thinking PWSI is a big top club so better to be there than a "big fish in small pond". Man was I ever wrong. The players on the 2nd team when I saw them playing in winter and during each other since my son knew some of them from school they had improved significantly. Our PWSI coach missed practices, sometimes games, and his training sessions were run as if he thought our children were a lost cause. I switched over the following year. I imagine at Arlington the 5th team is similar to the PWSI 4th team, just skip and go to Gunston or stay in rec and sign up for additional training. Not saying the experience will be an unpleasant one, the players may get along and really enjoy the team, sporting wise is a different scenario though. I guess it does depend on your expectation.

Great post. Very fair. Parents at big clubs (not all) often can relate. Bottom teams do bring in money and the fees are the same. But less field space and teams never get the best coaches who just rotate between the top teams.

Nature of big club soccer. It just works differently then a small club, and does serve well the needs of some. But anyone who thinks the head coach cares about or is aware of boys on the D,E,F teams, well I can promise you they are lying and have never been part of a large soccer club.

Tryout and see what team she makes and then decide.

[Anonymous]

Wow! A whole lot of defensiveness about my cash cow comment.

Truth is, the opinion is a common one, even if you don't want to read it. O P, I would think hard before taking a spot below the 3rd team. Too much money for too little return.