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Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss
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Anonymous
That's just silly. They are in the same division and play the exact same teams as all the other local DAs in their age group, including VDA, DC United, and Bethesda. Some are local teams (they all play each other multiple times), but they also play Philly Union, NY Red Bulls, PDA, .... Arlington's U14 schedule this year: http://asas.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=3937140 |
Anonymous
Ha! Agree, but I do think it's acceptable to use the term if you are talking about the Northeast pre-academy league, which is now limited to U16/U17 boys: http://usclub.demosphere.com/schedules/2017-18/88995865.html |
Anonymous
I think we can all agree that there are far too many teams and leagues. Not sure how many of these kids even end up doing anything with soccer anyways. The true talents have left for Europe by age 16. |
Anonymous
|
The race to nowhere.
Eating up $$$ and time. If the end result is pretty much the same for these DA kids and kids that just played with their neighborhood team, e.g., nobody playing soccer post-college. It really is ludicrous. Unless they start awarding true $ for soccer in this country, doubtful, it is a waste of time. If there is real talent and the kid has no brains for a STEM degree---then they should be on the next flight to Europe to train. |
Anonymous
|
The race to nowhere.
Eating up $$$ and time. If the end result is pretty much the same for these DA kids and kids that just played with their neighborhood team, e.g., nobody playing soccer post-college. It really is ludicrous. Unless they start awarding true $ for soccer in this country, doubtful, it is a waste of time. If there is real talent and the kid has no brains for a STEM degree---then they should be on the next flight to Europe to train. |
Anonymous
Why is it a bad thing that there are many, many opportunities for kids to play soccer at a level that best suits them? |
Anonymous
Talent dilution. |
Anonymous
There are plenty of "true talents" who are not in a position to leave for Europe at 16 whether for financial, family or passport reasons, or because they or their families value academics and are realistic about the odds of becoming successful as a pro vs. starting whatever career follows (a potentially free ride to) college. This is especially true given that you can't sign a pro contract overseas before you are 18. If you followed the US youth national teams, you'd know this. |
Anonymous
Sidelines filled with man-bun dads in too tight FIFA jerseys, walking around like they were former stars with their kids with dyed and shaved hair or mini-man buns. Ugh. These are the things that bug me at my boys' games and practices. That, and lack of a sense of reality to their kid's abilities. I was a woman National team player and I wear normal clothes and don't tell people about my 'playing days' or my children's prowess. I quietly sit back in my lawn chair watching the ridiculous display. |
Anonymous
Well, it sounds like your child has not yet separated themselves from these unwashed masses. If you are looking down upon the players and their parents perhaps it is you who is deluded. So that addresses your particular attitude but it still doesn't address why kids who want to play and can play at a certain level should not have the opportunity to play. Our soccer culture needs to be more inclusive in order to grow the sport and that means putting up with "man-buns". |
Anonymous
It's become more exclusive. The man-buns and the ass-kissers and the Club coaches with dubious credentials control who shows up at tryouts and which fields they bother to look at. The quality of training in many of these places is dismal. The selection/criteria factors are not like the rest of the World. The kids that make it had parents that were previously pros/high level players because they shelter them from all of these snake oil salesman and find the best training, not the 'most status' teams. If a mini-man bun kid is a great player, I'll give him his due. That type of display in the kid level is frowned upon in every other country in the World. Cart before the horse. Humility and hard work before you go around with that kind of over-sized, unsupported ego and can't be bothered to pick up cones at practice. The prima donnas in this area (parents included) are unbearable. We reward kids and prop them up needlessly before they have even accomplished anything. A sign of a true player is one that is never satisfied with his/her performance. They certainly aren't walking around gloating. Pulisic is still one of the most humble players to come out of the US, and I've seen pre-teen kids in this area that have done nothing think they are the shit. |
Anonymous
| I think we can all agree that man-buns are ridiculous at any age. |
Anonymous
And what does that have to do with leagues? You are conflating two issues. The number of leagues and "man-buns". Frankly, while man-buns look stupid, it has nothing to do with the number of leagues and soccer opportunities for kids who want to play. We can debate the quality of training all around, and particularly at the B-D team/league parent coaches. But, without building up a soccer literate culture and fan base where are these great coaches supposed to come from? |
Anonymous
Amen. |
Anonymous
Highlighted points that addressed the response. More leagues, more teams, etc. is not making it easier for kids to play at the appropriate level---it is diluting the system. One just has to look at the roster of the Club pre-DA in this area to see that. Still with the "A" coach bullshit, as if an A coach is superior to a D coach, or even a Rec coach. The best coaches my kids ever had were at the lower level. The higher they've risen the more arrogant the coaches become with worse coaching. Our Rec team parent coach had better playing creds than our current A team coach. And, as you can see, in Cruyff and Pep and Zidane, etc., great players (that understand the game) make better coaches. I don't care so much about a dude's licensing. I prefer to view their training sessions. |