Why US Soccer should not grant Arlington older DA teams

[Anonymous]

ASA already has a field availability problem! (See other thread.)

Currently Arlington DA stops at U15 for both boys and girls. If they add older teams that will take even more fields away from other programs rec/ADP etc. Arlington DA assumes they will be granted older teams each year going forward. DA teams practice 4 times a week. They demand premium field space (not going to be satisfied sharing a field with 3 other teams).

Unless they get more lit turf fields, they should not get more DA teams.

At the older age groups Arlington DA players could try out for other DA programs (DC United/Washington Spirit etc.)

[Anonymous]

DA extension is fine as long as it replaces one of their travel team, as it probably will.
The DA extension will give Arlington players an opportunity to play at a competitive level against the region's best teams and increase their chances to play in college.
Agree that there may not be room for an increase in the overall number of teams, but this is already the subject of another thread.

[Anonymous]

Even if Arlington dropped their lowest team at the age group when they add DA team they would also have to bump each existing travel teams field status down and that still doesn't explain whose games they play on lesser fields so their DA teams can practice on premium fields on weekends. They are talking about adding two U16 DA teams next year with no new fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even if Arlington dropped their lowest team at the age group when they add DA team they would also have to bump each existing travel teams field status down and that still doesn't explain whose games they play on lesser fields so their DA teams can practice on premium fields on weekends. They are talking about adding two U16 DA teams next year with no new fields.

U16 is a combined age group of U16/U17.

U18/U19 is also a combined age group.

[Anonymous]

Someone is going to say U15 DA becomes U16 DA (not adding team). But there will be new DA teams created at the youngest age groups so this does add 2 more total Arlington DA teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if Arlington dropped their lowest team at the age group when they add DA team they would also have to bump each existing travel teams field status down and that still doesn't explain whose games they play on lesser fields so their DA teams can practice on premium fields on weekends. They are talking about adding two U16 DA teams next year with no new fields.

U16 is a combined age group of U16/U17.

U18/U19 is also a combined age group.

They are talking about making a separate U16 and U17 age group. So Arlington is potentially talking about adding 6 (3 boys and 3 girls DA) teams in the next three years.

[Anonymous]

Dropping one lower team probably doesn’t create an equal amount of field space that is consumed by DA due to field size requirements and number of practices. They would need to drop at least 2 teams per age group. Especially since they are already in a hole w space. It’s a shame that all Arlington premier fields are utilized by DA teams that are lucky if they have a handful of Arlington players on them

[Anonymous]

Field availability is something that USSF considers in awarding DA status or granting additional age groups, or at least it has been in the past. I remember when McLean's DA status was revoked, they quoted US Soccer as saying that the club failed to give sufficient priority to ensuring that their DA players had decent practice locations and times. As I recall, they treated the DA as sort of an afterthought since they focus more on their girls' program, and some of the DA practices were scheduled to start at 9:00 pm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if Arlington dropped their lowest team at the age group when they add DA team they would also have to bump each existing travel teams field status down and that still doesn't explain whose games they play on lesser fields so their DA teams can practice on premium fields on weekends. They are talking about adding two U16 DA teams next year with no new fields.

U16 is a combined age group of U16/U17.

U18/U19 is also a combined age group.

They are talking about making a separate U16 and U17 age group. So Arlington is potentially talking about adding 6 (3 boys and 3 girls DA) teams in the next three years.

The U16?17 split, if it happens, will only happen on the girls side. The boys side has had combined age groups since inception and the Boys DA does not have to compete with ECNL so it is not going to change.

Also, as mentioned many times in other threads regarding Arlington's expansion, the current 04's will simply maintain their DA status as they age forward. Soooo, if the age group does in fact split then Arlington's DA will only "add" U16 next year, which is simply the same team anyway. If the age group does not split then the same will still happen except for the possibility that 03's will be added to the roster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Field availability is something that USSF considers in awarding DA status or granting additional age groups, or at least it has been in the past. I remember when McLean's DA status was revoked, they quoted US Soccer as saying that the club failed to give sufficient priority to ensuring that their DA players had decent practice locations and times. As I recall, they treated the DA as sort of an afterthought since they focus more on their girls' program, and some of the DA practices were scheduled to start at 9:00 pm.

These complaints seem to be coming from lower level team parents who are not getting field space in favor of the DA teams. Arlington may find that they can only really support 4 or 5 teams versus 6 going forward but DA will not be sacrificed to save a ODSL level team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if Arlington dropped their lowest team at the age group when they add DA team they would also have to bump each existing travel teams field status down and that still doesn't explain whose games they play on lesser fields so their DA teams can practice on premium fields on weekends. They are talking about adding two U16 DA teams next year with no new fields.

U16 is a combined age group of U16/U17.

U18/U19 is also a combined age group.

They are talking about making a separate U16 and U17 age group. So Arlington is potentially talking about adding 6 (3 boys and 3 girls DA) teams in the next three years.

The U16?17 split, if it happens, will only happen on the girls side. The boys side has had combined age groups since inception and the Boys DA does not have to compete with ECNL so it is not going to change.

Also, as mentioned many times in other threads regarding Arlington's expansion, the current 04's will simply maintain their DA status as they age forward. Soooo, if the age group does in fact split then Arlington's DA will only "add" U16 next year, which is simply the same team anyway. If the age group does not split then the same will still happen except for the possibility that 03's will be added to the roster.

But they will add a new U13 girls DA team and a new U12 boys DA team next year. So two new DA teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if Arlington dropped their lowest team at the age group when they add DA team they would also have to bump each existing travel teams field status down and that still doesn't explain whose games they play on lesser fields so their DA teams can practice on premium fields on weekends. They are talking about adding two U16 DA teams next year with no new fields.

U16 is a combined age group of U16/U17.

U18/U19 is also a combined age group.

They are talking about making a separate U16 and U17 age group. So Arlington is potentially talking about adding 6 (3 boys and 3 girls DA) teams in the next three years.

The U16?17 split, if it happens, will only happen on the girls side. The boys side has had combined age groups since inception and the Boys DA does not have to compete with ECNL so it is not going to change.

Also, as mentioned many times in other threads regarding Arlington's expansion, the current 04's will simply maintain their DA status as they age forward. Soooo, if the age group does in fact split then Arlington's DA will only "add" U16 next year, which is simply the same team anyway. If the age group does not split then the same will still happen except for the possibility that 03's will be added to the roster.

But they will add a new U13 girls DA team and a new U12 boys DA team next year. So two new DA teams.

No, most of the 07 Red team will simply become DA and the B team will become Red. When Loudoun added ECNL they did not in fact increase the number of teams, the top team simply changed leagues. Arlington will be no different. The top team is simply DA and not CCL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Field availability is something that USSF considers in awarding DA status or granting additional age groups, or at least it has been in the past. I remember when McLean's DA status was revoked, they quoted US Soccer as saying that the club failed to give sufficient priority to ensuring that their DA players had decent practice locations and times. As I recall, they treated the DA as sort of an afterthought since they focus more on their girls' program, and some of the DA practices were scheduled to start at 9:00 pm.

These complaints seem to be coming from lower level team parents who are not getting field space in favor of the DA teams. Arlington may find that they can only really support 4 or 5 teams versus 6 going forward but DA will not be sacrificed to save a ODSL level team.

OK so we limit to 4 ASA travel teams per age group. DA, Red, White and Blue. Problem solved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Field availability is something that USSF considers in awarding DA status or granting additional age groups, or at least it has been in the past. I remember when McLean's DA status was revoked, they quoted US Soccer as saying that the club failed to give sufficient priority to ensuring that their DA players had decent practice locations and times. As I recall, they treated the DA as sort of an afterthought since they focus more on their girls' program, and some of the DA practices were scheduled to start at 9:00 pm.

These complaints seem to be coming from lower level team parents who are not getting field space in favor of the DA teams. Arlington may find that they can only really support 4 or 5 teams versus 6 going forward but DA will not be sacrificed to save a ODSL level team.

OK so we limit to 4 ASA travel teams per age group. DA, Red, White and Blue. Problem solved?

That sounds good, but would have what would be the financial impact? They probably need all those teams for $$

[Anonymous]

Plus you cutting lots and lots of Arlington players to the benefit of not Arlington players (da teams)