Why US Soccer should not grant Arlington older DA teams

[Anonymous]

If anything, Loudoun, not Arlington, should be the one to have its DA trimmed or taken away. Their level of play is not that high when compared to other DA programs (DCU, Bethesda, Arlington and VDA are generally stronger) and they even get beat by non-DA clubs. Its 03 "pre-DA" team just got knocked out from the state cup by a CCL team. With DCU moving within the walking distance of Loudoun's training field, there is not much elbow room for two DAs and I would not be surprised that Loudoun's DA gets the boot.

[Anonymous]

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If anything, Loudoun, not Arlington, should be the one to have its DA trimmed or taken away. Their level of play is not that high when compared to other DA programs (DCU, Bethesda, Arlington and VDA are generally stronger) and they even get beat by non-DA clubs. Its 03 "pre-DA" team just got knocked out from the state cup by a CCL team. With DCU moving within the walking distance of Loudoun's training field, there is not much elbow room for two DAs and I would not be surprised that Loudoun's DA gets the boot.

Which DA team got beat by non-DA clubs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be a smart move on US Soccer's part to funnel the Arlington girls to Spirit VA instead of granting Arlington the older DA age groups, like what happens with the younger boys DA teams funneling to DC United. Would help consolidate talent in the club affiliated with the pro team (which US Soccer funds, so self-help) and would help address the girl talent dispersion issue in the area. The Arlington people would hate that though. As would the Spirit VA people whose kids would be displaced by the talent coming from Arlington.

In time that may happen, but a few things need to happen first.

1. ECNL would need to be the clear cut second tier league.
2. NWSL would need to grow AND be profitable.

But for now, DA needs to grow before it can contract.

This comment doesn’t personally make any sense to me. Some of the current DA teams are really quite lousy. I’ve seen them play. I don’t see how expanding is going to make DA the more elite option. I think contracting and being highly selective would make more sense. Just my opinion!

I also think some of the DA teams I've watched are lousy. It's over-saturation. Then, with Club-based, it's nepotism and politics. They just fold over the A team into the DA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be a smart move on US Soccer's part to funnel the Arlington girls to Spirit VA instead of granting Arlington the older DA age groups, like what happens with the younger boys DA teams funneling to DC United. Would help consolidate talent in the club affiliated with the pro team (which US Soccer funds, so self-help) and would help address the girl talent dispersion issue in the area. The Arlington people would hate that though. As would the Spirit VA people whose kids would be displaced by the talent coming from Arlington.

In time that may happen, but a few things need to happen first.

1. ECNL would need to be the clear cut second tier league.
2. NWSL would need to grow AND be profitable.

But for now, DA needs to grow before it can contract.

This comment doesn’t personally make any sense to me. Some of the current DA teams are really quite lousy. I’ve seen them play. I don’t see how expanding is going to make DA the more elite option. I think contracting and being highly selective would make more sense. Just my opinion!

I also think some of the DA teams I've watched are lousy. It's over-saturation. Then, with Club-based, it's nepotism and politics. They just fold over the A team into the DA.

They could just fold all the DAs and let them feed into MLS academies as originally intended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

If you are bringing a national caliber team Arlington will hand over premium fields and cram 3-4 low level teams on grass

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

If you are bringing a national caliber team Arlington will hand over premium fields and cram 3-4 low level teams on grass

Bethesda South (also know as Fairfax County) has plenty of field space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

If you are bringing a national caliber team Arlington will hand over premium fields and cram 3-4 low level teams on grass

Bethesda South (also known as Fairfax County) has plenty of field space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

If you are bringing a national caliber team Arlington will hand over premium fields and cram 3-4 low level teams on grass

Bethesda South (also know as Fairfax County) has plenty of field space.

County field space allocation to nonprofit youth clubs is based on #s. Bethesda South had probably less than 5 teams, in total, and they were competing for field space with giant clubs like BRYC and Annandale. It was always a struggle, and stressful, and a huge headache. All a coach like that wants in the end is to train and develop his players. If he can move to a big club and get the training time/space he needs without worrying about it, it's a no brainer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

If you are bringing a national caliber team Arlington will hand over premium fields and cram 3-4 low level teams on grass

Bethesda South (also known as Fairfax County) has plenty of field space.

Not true. I know a family that was at Bethesda South last year and they could only do 2 practices per week because of the field space issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That entire team, including the coach, came from another club. Most Arlington kids were either moved down from the top team to B team or left the club.

Don't know about the entire team, but at least one kid has played for Arlington (starting with Rec, of course) since Kindergarten.

Ok, they took one or maybe two kids from Arlington. The rest came from Bethesda South.

Why did they leave Bethesda South if they were doing so well?

Field space.

The entire team, including the coach, left Bethesda South and jumped to Arlington.

He had been shopping for a new club home for a while. Almost went to Alexandria a couple of years before but they wouldn't bend on their no-parent coach policy and that was a dealbreaker for him.

Nothing new or out of the ordinary about any of this. Teams have been jumping clubs for years. Field space is almost always the main negotiating point.

Ironic that this thread is about Arlington’s lack of field space and that’s the reason they went to Arlington

If you are bringing a national caliber team Arlington will hand over premium fields and cram 3-4 low level teams on grass

+1

ASA going from 6 to 8 lower teams per field.