Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child wanted to do Spirit Super Y this year, went to one try-out and never heard from them, and couldn't make the next couple dates due to vacation, tournament, etc. So in April we sent an email to another club's coach, practiced once with their team's regular season team, and were immediately offered a Super Y team spot there. Not a big deal, its only the summer.

Now - Spirit says they would accept child without even a try-out? Thanks Spirit Super Y, you seem so well organized that you couldn't even get back to us and child would easily qualify for your no-try-out rule.

You'll be aight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these Club DAs mean nothing. They aren't MLS-clubs (not that I think those are the way to go)...they are your typical travel soccer club. They just found a way to give more parents the feeling their kid is truly 'elite' and will pay $. Now you have an "A" team and a "DA" team in these Clubs so now you have more happy parents that puff their chests out and act like their kid has really made it to the big times.

I can't even count on one hand the number of people that truly know how to train and develop players in this area...and they ain't affiliated with any of this sh*t.

You people worry about the wrong things. All this team-centric nonsense in the younger ages is stupid. A player needs to develop and perfect their technique (highly perfect their technique) and they need to take risks, be challenged and not have their creativity squashed. That doesn't happen in Club DA or travel DA. The system doesn't work. What have the past decades upon decades told you about this model?

And, no Pulisic, wasn't a product of this. Bob Lilly and his parents protected him from having his game changed. They didn't want his creativity stifled and they wanted him to take on bigger, faster kids in older age groups without changing his game or playing 'somebody's" way.

Are you one of the 4-5 people in this area who truly know how to train and develop players? Where can we find you or one of your brethren if so?

Well actually he said he couldn' t count them on one hand so there are apparently zero qualified coaches in the area. I stopped reading the post there.

I think they actually have a point--even if the delivery was bad. Over the past 30 some years that since I started playing, and then coaching, in this area--the number of leagues and clubs has exploded. It has caused a serious dilution in the talent pool. The talent pool is spread so thin at this point. It has allowed for people to take advantage of parents that don't know much about the sport or the scene and fooled by people that don't have their player's development in mind or truly care about helping them reach their best.

All of these announcements that are "coming soon...big news" are just a battle for one Club to try to draw the areas players over----then the Club that is one-step behind has to announce or create something that sounds even better. In a type-A area where parents really only care about what they can tell other parents about who their kid is playing for and how that reflects on them and their gene pool.

If the same players are being spread all over the place---how good is anything? When Clubs can't fill teams, nobody is doing Super Y anymore and we solely care about winning titles---and picking players that might fit a cog in a wheel---how is that developing the whole player?

We also have a system where all age groups practice at different places and times. Some kids only ever practice against kids on teams below them. Some kids are only in leagues with unmatched talent.

Nobody is going pro and very few area getting college scholarships worth anything. Everyone is just wasting a ton of $ and creating worse traffic all over the DMV.

That's a very big problem where the competition across leagues is diluted. One of the issues is entry access. They try to be exclusive. Even NCSL who is falling behind puts difficult entry requirements for small clubs where they end up having to compete in lower level leagues where they don't have competition. This topic has been discussed many times it needs to be brought up again. Many of those clubs are from the latino communities who can't afford to play the big travel fee at higher clubs and because those clubs don't get in, the leagues miss out on very good talent and it makes the growth or survival of these clubs difficult.

You are quoting me---and 100% yes. Access is huge. It was easier to start up and be an underdog when I was a kid because there were enough fields and the entry for teams to leagues wasn't as exclusionary---bad but nothing like today. Today--it is impossible with the monopoly out there. I, personally, can't take the arrogance. I have said time and time again my kids play with better kids and adults at our pick-up park than they do in the travel system. They enjoy it more too--I can never get them to leave! This is one of the many reasons we are looking forward to summer where they can stay out there late. No stupid super y for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these Club DAs mean nothing. They aren't MLS-clubs (not that I think those are the way to go)...they are your typical travel soccer club. They just found a way to give more parents the feeling their kid is truly 'elite' and will pay $. Now you have an "A" team and a "DA" team in these Clubs so now you have more happy parents that puff their chests out and act like their kid has really made it to the big times.

I can't even count on one hand the number of people that truly know how to train and develop players in this area...and they ain't affiliated with any of this sh*t.

You people worry about the wrong things. All this team-centric nonsense in the younger ages is stupid. A player needs to develop and perfect their technique (highly perfect their technique) and they need to take risks, be challenged and not have their creativity squashed. That doesn't happen in Club DA or travel DA. The system doesn't work. What have the past decades upon decades told you about this model?

And, no Pulisic, wasn't a product of this. Bob Lilly and his parents protected him from having his game changed. They didn't want his creativity stifled and they wanted him to take on bigger, faster kids in older age groups without changing his game or playing 'somebody's" way.

Are you one of the 4-5 people in this area who truly know how to train and develop players? Where can we find you or one of your brethren if so?

Well actually he said he couldn' t count them on one hand so there are apparently zero qualified coaches in the area. I stopped reading the post there.

I think they actually have a point--even if the delivery was bad. Over the past 30 some years that since I started playing, and then coaching, in this area--the number of leagues and clubs has exploded. It has caused a serious dilution in the talent pool. The talent pool is spread so thin at this point. It has allowed for people to take advantage of parents that don't know much about the sport or the scene and fooled by people that don't have their player's development in mind or truly care about helping them reach their best.

All of these announcements that are "coming soon...big news" are just a battle for one Club to try to draw the areas players over----then the Club that is one-step behind has to announce or create something that sounds even better. In a type-A area where parents really only care about what they can tell other parents about who their kid is playing for and how that reflects on them and their gene pool.

If the same players are being spread all over the place---how good is anything? When Clubs can't fill teams, nobody is doing Super Y anymore and we solely care about winning titles---and picking players that might fit a cog in a wheel---how is that developing the whole player?

We also have a system where all age groups practice at different places and times. Some kids only ever practice against kids on teams below them. Some kids are only in leagues with unmatched talent.

Nobody is going pro and very few area getting college scholarships worth anything. Everyone is just wasting a ton of $ and creating worse traffic all over the DMV.

That's a very big problem where the competition across leagues is diluted. One of the issues is entry access. They try to be exclusive. Even NCSL who is falling behind puts difficult entry requirements for small clubs where they end up having to compete in lower level leagues where they don't have competition. This topic has been discussed many times it needs to be brought up again. Many of those clubs are from the latino communities who can't afford to play the big travel fee at higher clubs and because those clubs don't get in, the leagues miss out on very good talent and it makes the growth or survival of these clubs difficult.

You are quoting me---and 100% yes. Access is huge. It was easier to start up and be an underdog when I was a kid because there were enough fields and the entry for teams to leagues wasn't as exclusionary---bad but nothing like today. Today--it is impossible with the monopoly out there. I, personally, can't take the arrogance. I have said time and time again my kids play with better kids and adults at our pick-up park than they do in the travel system. They enjoy it more too--I can never get them to leave! This is one of the many reasons we are looking forward to summer where they can stay out there late. No stupid super y for us.

I'd like to clarify that not every Latino family or community is a poor one, economically speaking. I as a Latino male, raised by Latino parents, just can't bring myself to pay for all of the extras that are put out there by clubs and individual training. My experience is that other Latino families quickly see through the facade and either choose to keep their son in rec or join/start their own team through DFC or VISTA. If we're all being honest with ourselves, few of our children will play past their high school age, if they even are good enough to play for their high school. My sons elementary school has a lot of travel soccer players, cant imagine what it will be like when the Middle Schools combine.

For myself, my son is in a large club playing travel, that doesn't mean I've drank the Kool aid, i just don't mind paying the club fees and my wife stays at home so uber-early practice times arent a big deal. I think sometimes the language barrier is too much to overcome for other Latino parents. I have a hard time doing the mindless chit chat in English as a fluent speaker with the other parents, I imagine I would stay mum or look for other Latinos during practices or games instead of embarrasing myself trying to talk in broken English if I my first language was Spanish. For next year I'm actually looking to join one of the several independent teams that have been created in NOVA area.

Just a bit of perspective...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Club DAs have Club coaches. The DA coaches at our club used to coach the A teams. They get middling reviews from all the clubs they've worked for in the past. Not sure what people think will be different. And when almost every medium-big size in the area has a Club which is happening it certainly isn't the pathway to mls DA.

The Race to Nowhere. Soccer edition.

FCV and Spirit have strong coaching resumes. More than just "club coaches". VDA? I wouldn't argue with that assessment.

Are you saying these VDA coaches are worthless, running a worthless program?

Academy Director: Mike Cullina
Coaching Director: Matt Lacey
Player Development: Oscar Feliu
Talent Identification: Quan Phan
Goalkeeper Coach: Lloyd Yaxley
Goalkeeper Coach: Dustin Butcher

I will say this. They stayed loyal to their base of kids. Their DA teams are almost entirely from their Alliance clubs. None of which are high level...but at least they stayed loyal. Gotta respect that.

And by what standard is VDA being judged as sub-par as compared to the other DAs? What is the desired outcome of playing DA? That you are signed as a National Team pro at age 16, and if that doesn't happen for every player then the program is crap and the parents were hornswoggled into paying $$$$ for nothing? Because it's GoPro or nothing? Is that it?

Look at VPL standings. There is going to be VDA teams filled with players that get smacked around by CYA. I bet you they will examine their internal player policy only mindset after a year of beatings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these Club DAs mean nothing. They aren't MLS-clubs (not that I think those are the way to go)...they are your typical travel soccer club. They just found a way to give more parents the feeling their kid is truly 'elite' and will pay $. Now you have an "A" team and a "DA" team in these Clubs so now you have more happy parents that puff their chests out and act like their kid has really made it to the big times.

I can't even count on one hand the number of people that truly know how to train and develop players in this area...and they ain't affiliated with any of this sh*t.

You people worry about the wrong things. All this team-centric nonsense in the younger ages is stupid. A player needs to develop and perfect their technique (highly perfect their technique) and they need to take risks, be challenged and not have their creativity squashed. That doesn't happen in Club DA or travel DA. The system doesn't work. What have the past decades upon decades told you about this model?

And, no Pulisic, wasn't a product of this. Bob Lilly and his parents protected him from having his game changed. They didn't want his creativity stifled and they wanted him to take on bigger, faster kids in older age groups without changing his game or playing 'somebody's" way.

Are you one of the 4-5 people in this area who truly know how to train and develop players? Where can we find you or one of your brethren if so?

Well actually he said he couldn' t count them on one hand so there are apparently zero qualified coaches in the area. I stopped reading the post there.

I think they actually have a point--even if the delivery was bad. Over the past 30 some years that since I started playing, and then coaching, in this area--the number of leagues and clubs has exploded. It has caused a serious dilution in the talent pool. The talent pool is spread so thin at this point. It has allowed for people to take advantage of parents that don't know much about the sport or the scene and fooled by people that don't have their player's development in mind or truly care about helping them reach their best.

All of these announcements that are "coming soon...big news" are just a battle for one Club to try to draw the areas players over----then the Club that is one-step behind has to announce or create something that sounds even better. In a type-A area where parents really only care about what they can tell other parents about who their kid is playing for and how that reflects on them and their gene pool.

If the same players are being spread all over the place---how good is anything? When Clubs can't fill teams, nobody is doing Super Y anymore and we solely care about winning titles---and picking players that might fit a cog in a wheel---how is that developing the whole player?

We also have a system where all age groups practice at different places and times. Some kids only ever practice against kids on teams below them. Some kids are only in leagues with unmatched talent.

Nobody is going pro and very few area getting college scholarships worth anything. Everyone is just wasting a ton of $ and creating worse traffic all over the DMV.

That's a very big problem where the competition across leagues is diluted. One of the issues is entry access. They try to be exclusive. Even NCSL who is falling behind puts difficult entry requirements for small clubs where they end up having to compete in lower level leagues where they don't have competition. This topic has been discussed many times it needs to be brought up again. Many of those clubs are from the latino communities who can't afford to play the big travel fee at higher clubs and because those clubs don't get in, the leagues miss out on very good talent and it makes the growth or survival of these clubs difficult.

You are quoting me---and 100% yes. Access is huge. It was easier to start up and be an underdog when I was a kid because there were enough fields and the entry for teams to leagues wasn't as exclusionary---bad but nothing like today. Today--it is impossible with the monopoly out there. I, personally, can't take the arrogance. I have said time and time again my kids play with better kids and adults at our pick-up park than they do in the travel system. They enjoy it more too--I can never get them to leave! This is one of the many reasons we are looking forward to summer where they can stay out there late. No stupid super y for us.

I'd like to clarify that not every Latino family or community is a poor one, economically speaking. I as a Latino male, raised by Latino parents, just can't bring myself to pay for all of the extras that are put out there by clubs and individual training. My experience is that other Latino families quickly see through the facade and either choose to keep their son in rec or join/start their own team through DFC or VISTA. If we're all being honest with ourselves, few of our children will play past their high school age, if they even are good enough to play for their high school. My sons elementary school has a lot of travel soccer players, cant imagine what it will be like when the Middle Schools combine.

For myself, my son is in a large club playing travel, that doesn't mean I've drank the Kool aid, i just don't mind paying the club fees and my wife stays at home so uber-early practice times arent a big deal. I think sometimes the language barrier is too much to overcome for other Latino parents. I have a hard time doing the mindless chit chat in English as a fluent speaker with the other parents, I imagine I would stay mum or look for other Latinos during practices or games instead of embarrasing myself trying to talk in broken English if I my first language was Spanish. For next year I'm actually looking to join one of the several independent teams that have been created in NOVA area.

Just a bit of perspective...

I have a hard time doing mindless chit chat in English with other parents--and I am a gringo. I am sure you speak better English than I speak Spanish. My sibling played for VISTA in the 80s--beat all the big clubs (what were considered big back then).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these Club DAs mean nothing. They aren't MLS-clubs (not that I think those are the way to go)...they are your typical travel soccer club. They just found a way to give more parents the feeling their kid is truly 'elite' and will pay $. Now you have an "A" team and a "DA" team in these Clubs so now you have more happy parents that puff their chests out and act like their kid has really made it to the big times.

I can't even count on one hand the number of people that truly know how to train and develop players in this area...and they ain't affiliated with any of this sh*t.

You people worry about the wrong things. All this team-centric nonsense in the younger ages is stupid. A player needs to develop and perfect their technique (highly perfect their technique) and they need to take risks, be challenged and not have their creativity squashed. That doesn't happen in Club DA or travel DA. The system doesn't work. What have the past decades upon decades told you about this model?

And, no Pulisic, wasn't a product of this. Bob Lilly and his parents protected him from having his game changed. They didn't want his creativity stifled and they wanted him to take on bigger, faster kids in older age groups without changing his game or playing 'somebody's" way.

Are you one of the 4-5 people in this area who truly know how to train and develop players? Where can we find you or one of your brethren if so?

Well actually he said he couldn' t count them on one hand so there are apparently zero qualified coaches in the area. I stopped reading the post there.

I think they actually have a point--even if the delivery was bad. Over the past 30 some years that since I started playing, and then coaching, in this area--the number of leagues and clubs has exploded. It has caused a serious dilution in the talent pool. The talent pool is spread so thin at this point. It has allowed for people to take advantage of parents that don't know much about the sport or the scene and fooled by people that don't have their player's development in mind or truly care about helping them reach their best.

All of these announcements that are "coming soon...big news" are just a battle for one Club to try to draw the areas players over----then the Club that is one-step behind has to announce or create something that sounds even better. In a type-A area where parents really only care about what they can tell other parents about who their kid is playing for and how that reflects on them and their gene pool.

If the same players are being spread all over the place---how good is anything? When Clubs can't fill teams, nobody is doing Super Y anymore and we solely care about winning titles---and picking players that might fit a cog in a wheel---how is that developing the whole player?

We also have a system where all age groups practice at different places and times. Some kids only ever practice against kids on teams below them. Some kids are only in leagues with unmatched talent.

Nobody is going pro and very few area getting college scholarships worth anything. Everyone is just wasting a ton of $ and creating worse traffic all over the DMV.

That's a very big problem where the competition across leagues is diluted. One of the issues is entry access. They try to be exclusive. Even NCSL who is falling behind puts difficult entry requirements for small clubs where they end up having to compete in lower level leagues where they don't have competition. This topic has been discussed many times it needs to be brought up again. Many of those clubs are from the latino communities who can't afford to play the big travel fee at higher clubs and because those clubs don't get in, the leagues miss out on very good talent and it makes the growth or survival of these clubs difficult.

You are quoting me---and 100% yes. Access is huge. It was easier to start up and be an underdog when I was a kid because there were enough fields and the entry for teams to leagues wasn't as exclusionary---bad but nothing like today. Today--it is impossible with the monopoly out there. I, personally, can't take the arrogance. I have said time and time again my kids play with better kids and adults at our pick-up park than they do in the travel system. They enjoy it more too--I can never get them to leave! This is one of the many reasons we are looking forward to summer where they can stay out there late. No stupid super y for us.

I'd like to clarify that not every Latino family or community is a poor one, economically speaking. I as a Latino male, raised by Latino parents, just can't bring myself to pay for all of the extras that are put out there by clubs and individual training. My experience is that other Latino families quickly see through the facade and either choose to keep their son in rec or join/start their own team through DFC or VISTA. If we're all being honest with ourselves, few of our children will play past their high school age, if they even are good enough to play for their high school. My sons elementary school has a lot of travel soccer players, cant imagine what it will be like when the Middle Schools combine.

For myself, my son is in a large club playing travel, that doesn't mean I've drank the Kool aid, i just don't mind paying the club fees and my wife stays at home so uber-early practice times arent a big deal. I think sometimes the language barrier is too much to overcome for other Latino parents. I have a hard time doing the mindless chit chat in English as a fluent speaker with the other parents, I imagine I would stay mum or look for other Latinos during practices or games instead of embarrasing myself trying to talk in broken English if I my first language was Spanish. For next year I'm actually looking to join one of the several independent teams that have been created in NOVA area.

Just a bit of perspective...

Never meant to say that Latino families are poor but agree with you that many see through the facade and aren't willing to pay for those very high fees. Regardless of the money, small clubs should be given the same opportunities to compete as those larger ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these Club DAs mean nothing. They aren't MLS-clubs (not that I think those are the way to go)...they are your typical travel soccer club. They just found a way to give more parents the feeling their kid is truly 'elite' and will pay $. Now you have an "A" team and a "DA" team in these Clubs so now you have more happy parents that puff their chests out and act like their kid has really made it to the big times.

I can't even count on one hand the number of people that truly know how to train and develop players in this area...and they ain't affiliated with any of this sh*t.

You people worry about the wrong things. All this team-centric nonsense in the younger ages is stupid. A player needs to develop and perfect their technique (highly perfect their technique) and they need to take risks, be challenged and not have their creativity squashed. That doesn't happen in Club DA or travel DA. The system doesn't work. What have the past decades upon decades told you about this model?

And, no Pulisic, wasn't a product of this. Bob Lilly and his parents protected him from having his game changed. They didn't want his creativity stifled and they wanted him to take on bigger, faster kids in older age groups without changing his game or playing 'somebody's" way.

Are you one of the 4-5 people in this area who truly know how to train and develop players? Where can we find you or one of your brethren if so?

Well actually he said he couldn' t count them on one hand so there are apparently zero qualified coaches in the area. I stopped reading the post there.

I think they actually have a point--even if the delivery was bad. Over the past 30 some years that since I started playing, and then coaching, in this area--the number of leagues and clubs has exploded. It has caused a serious dilution in the talent pool. The talent pool is spread so thin at this point. It has allowed for people to take advantage of parents that don't know much about the sport or the scene and fooled by people that don't have their player's development in mind or truly care about helping them reach their best.

All of these announcements that are "coming soon...big news" are just a battle for one Club to try to draw the areas players over----then the Club that is one-step behind has to announce or create something that sounds even better. In a type-A area where parents really only care about what they can tell other parents about who their kid is playing for and how that reflects on them and their gene pool.

If the same players are being spread all over the place---how good is anything? When Clubs can't fill teams, nobody is doing Super Y anymore and we solely care about winning titles---and picking players that might fit a cog in a wheel---how is that developing the whole player?

We also have a system where all age groups practice at different places and times. Some kids only ever practice against kids on teams below them. Some kids are only in leagues with unmatched talent.

Nobody is going pro and very few area getting college scholarships worth anything. Everyone is just wasting a ton of $ and creating worse traffic all over the DMV.

That's a very big problem where the competition across leagues is diluted. One of the issues is entry access. They try to be exclusive. Even NCSL who is falling behind puts difficult entry requirements for small clubs where they end up having to compete in lower level leagues where they don't have competition. This topic has been discussed many times it needs to be brought up again. Many of those clubs are from the latino communities who can't afford to play the big travel fee at higher clubs and because those clubs don't get in, the leagues miss out on very good talent and it makes the growth or survival of these clubs difficult.

You are quoting me---and 100% yes. Access is huge. It was easier to start up and be an underdog when I was a kid because there were enough fields and the entry for teams to leagues wasn't as exclusionary---bad but nothing like today. Today--it is impossible with the monopoly out there. I, personally, can't take the arrogance. I have said time and time again my kids play with better kids and adults at our pick-up park than they do in the travel system. They enjoy it more too--I can never get them to leave! This is one of the many reasons we are looking forward to summer where they can stay out there late. No stupid super y for us.

I'd like to clarify that not every Latino family or community is a poor one, economically speaking. I as a Latino male, raised by Latino parents, just can't bring myself to pay for all of the extras that are put out there by clubs and individual training. My experience is that other Latino families quickly see through the facade and either choose to keep their son in rec or join/start their own team through DFC or VISTA. If we're all being honest with ourselves, few of our children will play past their high school age, if they even are good enough to play for their high school. My sons elementary school has a lot of travel soccer players, cant imagine what it will be like when the Middle Schools combine.

For myself, my son is in a large club playing travel, that doesn't mean I've drank the Kool aid, i just don't mind paying the club fees and my wife stays at home so uber-early practice times arent a big deal. I think sometimes the language barrier is too much to overcome for other Latino parents. I have a hard time doing the mindless chit chat in English as a fluent speaker with the other parents, I imagine I would stay mum or look for other Latinos during practices or games instead of embarrasing myself trying to talk in broken English if I my first language was Spanish. For next year I'm actually looking to join one of the several independent teams that have been created in NOVA area.

Just a bit of perspective...

Never meant to say that Latino families are poor but agree with you that many see through the facade and aren't willing to pay for those very high fees. Regardless of the money, small clubs should be given the same opportunities to compete as those larger ones.

No worries, BTW I don't think Latinos are the only ones that see the coaches sometimes phoning it in at practice and the extra training being not much better than the standard practices. Others do see it, they either don't say anything or aren't willing to leave. I don't think you need to know anything about soccer to know if your son is learning new skills, growing as a player, doing enough exercise at practice, to see if the training is worth what you're paying for. I would count myself as one parent who would rather leave the club than talk to the Directors and coaches about the training/development. Interpersonal conflict is not one of my strengths.

[Anonymous]

Just FYI:
Washington Spirit is not the only Super Y option in this area.

Also not the only choice for Girls DA.

So, what exactly is the problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these Club DAs mean nothing. They aren't MLS-clubs (not that I think those are the way to go)...they are your typical travel soccer club. They just found a way to give more parents the feeling their kid is truly 'elite' and will pay $. Now you have an "A" team and a "DA" team in these Clubs so now you have more happy parents that puff their chests out and act like their kid has really made it to the big times.

I can't even count on one hand the number of people that truly know how to train and develop players in this area...and they ain't affiliated with any of this sh*t.

You people worry about the wrong things. All this team-centric nonsense in the younger ages is stupid. A player needs to develop and perfect their technique (highly perfect their technique) and they need to take risks, be challenged and not have their creativity squashed. That doesn't happen in Club DA or travel DA. The system doesn't work. What have the past decades upon decades told you about this model?

And, no Pulisic, wasn't a product of this. Bob Lilly and his parents protected him from having his game changed. They didn't want his creativity stifled and they wanted him to take on bigger, faster kids in older age groups without changing his game or playing 'somebody's" way.

Are you one of the 4-5 people in this area who truly know how to train and develop players? Where can we find you or one of your brethren if so?

Well actually he said he couldn' t count them on one hand so there are apparently zero qualified coaches in the area. I stopped reading the post there.

I think they actually have a point--even if the delivery was bad. Over the past 30 some years that since I started playing, and then coaching, in this area--the number of leagues and clubs has exploded. It has caused a serious dilution in the talent pool. The talent pool is spread so thin at this point. It has allowed for people to take advantage of parents that don't know much about the sport or the scene and fooled by people that don't have their player's development in mind or truly care about helping them reach their best.

All of these announcements that are "coming soon...big news" are just a battle for one Club to try to draw the areas players over----then the Club that is one-step behind has to announce or create something that sounds even better. In a type-A area where parents really only care about what they can tell other parents about who their kid is playing for and how that reflects on them and their gene pool.

If the same players are being spread all over the place---how good is anything? When Clubs can't fill teams, nobody is doing Super Y anymore and we solely care about winning titles---and picking players that might fit a cog in a wheel---how is that developing the whole player?

We also have a system where all age groups practice at different places and times. Some kids only ever practice against kids on teams below them. Some kids are only in leagues with unmatched talent.

Nobody is going pro and very few area getting college scholarships worth anything. Everyone is just wasting a ton of $ and creating worse traffic all over the DMV.

That's a very big problem where the competition across leagues is diluted. One of the issues is entry access. They try to be exclusive. Even NCSL who is falling behind puts difficult entry requirements for small clubs where they end up having to compete in lower level leagues where they don't have competition. This topic has been discussed many times it needs to be brought up again. Many of those clubs are from the latino communities who can't afford to play the big travel fee at higher clubs and because those clubs don't get in, the leagues miss out on very good talent and it makes the growth or survival of these clubs difficult.

You are quoting me---and 100% yes. Access is huge. It was easier to start up and be an underdog when I was a kid because there were enough fields and the entry for teams to leagues wasn't as exclusionary---bad but nothing like today. Today--it is impossible with the monopoly out there. I, personally, can't take the arrogance. I have said time and time again my kids play with better kids and adults at our pick-up park than they do in the travel system. They enjoy it more too--I can never get them to leave! This is one of the many reasons we are looking forward to summer where they can stay out there late. No stupid super y for us.

I'd like to clarify that not every Latino family or community is a poor one, economically speaking. I as a Latino male, raised by Latino parents, just can't bring myself to pay for all of the extras that are put out there by clubs and individual training. My experience is that other Latino families quickly see through the facade and either choose to keep their son in rec or join/start their own team through DFC or VISTA. If we're all being honest with ourselves, few of our children will play past their high school age, if they even are good enough to play for their high school. My sons elementary school has a lot of travel soccer players, cant imagine what it will be like when the Middle Schools combine.

For myself, my son is in a large club playing travel, that doesn't mean I've drank the Kool aid, i just don't mind paying the club fees and my wife stays at home so uber-early practice times arent a big deal. I think sometimes the language barrier is too much to overcome for other Latino parents. I have a hard time doing the mindless chit chat in English as a fluent speaker with the other parents, I imagine I would stay mum or look for other Latinos during practices or games instead of embarrasing myself trying to talk in broken English if I my first language was Spanish. For next year I'm actually looking to join one of the several independent teams that have been created in NOVA area.

Just a bit of perspective...

Never meant to say that Latino families are poor but agree with you that many see through the facade and aren't willing to pay for those very high fees. Regardless of the money, small clubs should be given the same opportunities to compete as those larger ones.

Can you give us some kind of definition for small clubs? And maybe some examples. Arlington is a big club, no doubts. Would BRYC count as a small club, I don't think so. Would FPYC count as small club, maybe, but they're still in a lot of competitions. TAFC count as small club, there are lot of Latinos in that club, not sure if that's where you were going with it though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WS taking basically anyone now for summer superY .... got an email solicitation that no need to tryout anymore .... desperate to fill rosters with paying customers?

"We are accepting all qualifying players without a need to tryout. "Qualifying" players are those who have at least 1 year experience playing on a travel team in one of the following leagues or competitions: ECNL, CCL, NPL, Region I, NCSL D1 or D2. Other qualifying play would be to have made an ODP roster via tryouts in the past year, to have finished in the top 8 in the most recent State Cup or in the top 2 of the most recent State Presidents Cup."

Interesting to note that there are likely no "qualifying players" in the clubs they've partnered with -- Reston and Gunston

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WS taking basically anyone now for summer superY .... got an email solicitation that no need to tryout anymore .... desperate to fill rosters with paying customers?

"We are accepting all qualifying players without a need to tryout. "Qualifying" players are those who have at least 1 year experience playing on a travel team in one of the following leagues or competitions: ECNL, CCL, NPL, Region I, NCSL D1 or D2. Other qualifying play would be to have made an ODP roster via tryouts in the past year, to have finished in the top 8 in the most recent State Cup or in the top 2 of the most recent State Presidents Cup."

Interesting to note that there are likely no "qualifying players" in the clubs they've partnered with -- Reston and Gunston

Spirit has partnered with several clubs in the area not just Reston and Gunston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WS taking basically anyone now for summer superY .... got an email solicitation that no need to tryout anymore .... desperate to fill rosters with paying customers?

"We are accepting all qualifying players without a need to tryout. "Qualifying" players are those who have at least 1 year experience playing on a travel team in one of the following leagues or competitions: ECNL, CCL, NPL, Region I, NCSL D1 or D2. Other qualifying play would be to have made an ODP roster via tryouts in the past year, to have finished in the top 8 in the most recent State Cup or in the top 2 of the most recent State Presidents Cup."

Interesting to note that there are likely no "qualifying players" in the clubs they've partnered with -- Reston and Gunston

Gunston has a team in NCSL D1 in nearly every age group. They are also joining NPL. Naturally, that means squat to everyone but them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Club DAs have Club coaches. The DA coaches at our club used to coach the A teams. They get middling reviews from all the clubs they've worked for in the past. Not sure what people think will be different. And when almost every medium-big size in the area has a Club which is happening it certainly isn't the pathway to mls DA.

The Race to Nowhere. Soccer edition.

FCV and Spirit have strong coaching resumes. More than just "club coaches". VDA? I wouldn't argue with that assessment.

Are you saying these VDA coaches are worthless, running a worthless program?

Academy Director: Mike Cullina
Coaching Director: Matt Lacey
Player Development: Oscar Feliu
Talent Identification: Quan Phan
Goalkeeper Coach: Lloyd Yaxley
Goalkeeper Coach: Dustin Butcher

I will say this. They stayed loyal to their base of kids. Their DA teams are almost entirely from their Alliance clubs. None of which are high level...but at least they stayed loyal. Gotta respect that.

And by what standard is VDA being judged as sub-par as compared to the other DAs? What is the desired outcome of playing DA? That you are signed as a National Team pro at age 16, and if that doesn't happen for every player then the program is crap and the parents were hornswoggled into paying $$$$ for nothing? Because it's GoPro or nothing? Is that it?

Look at VPL standings. There is going to be VDA teams filled with players that get smacked around by CYA. I bet you they will examine their internal player policy only mindset after a year of beatings.

Looked at boys VPL standings and CYA is only beating the pack at U11. Are you referring to boys VDA or girls VDA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Club DAs have Club coaches. The DA coaches at our club used to coach the A teams. They get middling reviews from all the clubs they've worked for in the past. Not sure what people think will be different. And when almost every medium-big size in the area has a Club which is happening it certainly isn't the pathway to mls DA.

The Race to Nowhere. Soccer edition.

FCV and Spirit have strong coaching resumes. More than just "club coaches". VDA? I wouldn't argue with that assessment.

Are you saying these VDA coaches are worthless, running a worthless program?

Academy Director: Mike Cullina
Coaching Director: Matt Lacey
Player Development: Oscar Feliu
Talent Identification: Quan Phan
Goalkeeper Coach: Lloyd Yaxley
Goalkeeper Coach: Dustin Butcher

I will say this. They stayed loyal to their base of kids. Their DA teams are almost entirely from their Alliance clubs. None of which are high level...but at least they stayed loyal. Gotta respect that.

And by what standard is VDA being judged as sub-par as compared to the other DAs? What is the desired outcome of playing DA? That you are signed as a National Team pro at age 16, and if that doesn't happen for every player then the program is crap and the parents were hornswoggled into paying $$$$ for nothing? Because it's GoPro or nothing? Is that it?

Look at VPL standings. There is going to be VDA teams filled with players that get smacked around by CYA. I bet you they will examine their internal player policy only mindset after a year of beatings.

Looked at boys VPL standings and CYA is only beating the pack at U11. Are you referring to boys VDA or girls VDA?

Girls.

That area produces good talent on the girls side- But most of the good talent in that area left VSA-PWSI long ago and went to FCV. Now they are fielding VDA girls teams with their current pool...which cant even dominate VPL. Strap up...its going to be a long year

[Anonymous]

The strongest tears in VPL are the Richmond teams, across age groups and gender.