Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:How big are the DA rosters on the girls side (i.e. how many good players are not even dressing for games)? Were they published somewhere?

Since there are only 3 subs allowed, you also have good players dressing for games but not getting minutes. You can see rosters for teams that have played already by clicking on the game report

DA substitution rules seem to be poorly understood. There are 3 points in the game where substitutions can be made, with no re-entry. A team can substitute up to 7 players at U-14, and 5 at the older ages. A team can roster up to 18 per game, and some teams have more in their program than that so some players do not dress. At U-14, you can theoretically get everyone in the game.

There are 26 on the rosters at our Club.

The other thing you see on those rosters is some clubs list their DP's as well as their full time players. So some rosters appear huge, but in general, DP's are practice only players who are not regularly rostered on game day.

The DP's can play games however, and are likely in this area anyway to maybe play in VPL or a weekend tournament. I would say from a Developmental perspective the DP's are getting the best of both worlds. I think the mood for both players and parents at a DA game would be similar to a tryout session.

After watching the USMNT, for individual development I would stay far away from DA.

Train with the Europeans.

Nice thought, but not super helpful.
DD's coach is European (as are many DA coaches), does that count?

What, not true at all, are all of the opinions on this forum strictly anecdotal? Or do you assume a non-white coach is not "American". BTW the other poster about the "USMNT and train with Europeans" is about ignorant as you can get when discussing youth soccer. USDA is on track to be very successful program for providing a pipeline to US NT programs and U.S colleges. It will be more clear as the USDA graduates who stay for the duration of the program from U13 to U18 end up stringing games together with college and NASL/USL leagues OR they actually become pro players non-MLS clubs are interested in.

And shitty soccer is played in both those places. So--I concede--they are great at picking the players which are good at shitty--style of US soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How big are the DA rosters on the girls side (i.e. how many good players are not even dressing for games)? Were they published somewhere?

Since there are only 3 subs allowed, you also have good players dressing for games but not getting minutes. You can see rosters for teams that have played already by clicking on the game report

DA substitution rules seem to be poorly understood. There are 3 points in the game where substitutions can be made, with no re-entry. A team can substitute up to 7 players at U-14, and 5 at the older ages. A team can roster up to 18 per game, and some teams have more in their program than that so some players do not dress. At U-14, you can theoretically get everyone in the game.

There are 26 on the rosters at our Club.

The other thing you see on those rosters is some clubs list their DP's as well as their full time players. So some rosters appear huge, but in general, DP's are practice only players who are not regularly rostered on game day.

The DP's can play games however, and are likely in this area anyway to maybe play in VPL or a weekend tournament. I would say from a Developmental perspective the DP's are getting the best of both worlds. I think the mood for both players and parents at a DA game would be similar to a tryout session.

After watching the USMNT, for individual development I would stay far away from DA.

Train with the Europeans.

Nice thought, but not super helpful.
DD's coach is European (as are many DA coaches), does that count?

What, not true at all, are all of the opinions on this forum strictly anecdotal? Or do you assume a non-white coach is not "American". BTW the other poster about the "USMNT and train with Europeans" is about ignorant as you can get when discussing youth soccer. USDA is on track to be very successful program for providing a pipeline to US NT programs and U.S colleges. It will be more clear as the USDA graduates who stay for the duration of the program from U13 to U18 end up stringing games together with college and NASL/USL leagues OR they actually become pro players non-MLS clubs are interested in.

And shitty soccer is played in both those places. So--I concede--they are great at picking the players which are good at shitty--style of US soccer.

Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

Very good. So our training system IS working. Your kids have been educated enough to know something is wrong.

The quality of the soccer IS lacking at the upper levels for sure. But the right answer isn't to condemn the system, quit, hire your own Euro network etc. No soccer player can get to elite status with individual training, you have to have the competitive environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
People boohoo this all of the time. I have seen UEFA coaches pick unknown kids over MLS DA academy kids. 99.9% of travel/DA coaches get it in wrong in their selections and which kid is rewarded.

What a load, 99.9% of all travel/DA coaches get it wrong in their selections? Bit of hyperbole there I think. Nobody gets anything 99.9% wrong, even if they're trying hard. I doubt we're missing many top performers in selection over time. Sure, we miss here and there, but a truly elite prospect has the intestinal fortitude to get past any one poor selection process. If they don't, they wouldn't make it in any system.

They if they quit the system. Train with the best on their own. re-emerge down the line.

It does zero benefit to the player to be trained in this huge group DA setting with sub-par coaches. I feel the same about the majority of travel clubs in the area---especially the big ones.

Unless a kid has somebody in the system who has his/her back---they aren't going to advance for the reasons bolded in the other post.

Actually alot has improved with DA IMO. The player to coach ratio is way down, each team (say 25 players) has 4-5 coaches. I see alot of Euro coaches in the mix also... thats not to say they are great coaches just because they are of Euro descent, but on this list, that appears to be a measuring stick. I think the system is working and headed in the right direction. A long way to go yes, but a distinct improvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I have seen UEFA coaches pick unknown kids over MLS DA academy kids.

Like who?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I have seen UEFA coaches pick unknown kids over MLS DA academy kids.

Like who?

I think we can all agree that statement was posted due to the anonymous nature of the forum. Not sure how it would be proven that a European club(not UEFA) scout saw a US player that had tried out for a USDA team and wasn't offered a position or was "counseled out" of a USDA team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

Very good. So our training system IS working. Your kids have been educated enough to know something is wrong.

The quality of the soccer IS lacking at the upper levels for sure. But the right answer isn't to condemn the system, quit, hire your own Euro network etc. No soccer player can get to elite status with individual training, you have to have the competitive environment.

Is the advice to keep them in a shitty system that might improve in 10-15 years while US youth soccer work out the kinks?

You need teammates and coaches that aren't falling back to the American style of play just to win a match. A kid gets worse in that environment t because they are learning bad habits and being taught the wrong things to do.

They'll be 25 and 27 by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
People boohoo this all of the time. I have seen UEFA coaches pick unknown kids over MLS DA academy kids. 99.9% of travel/DA coaches get it in wrong in their selections and which kid is rewarded.

What a load, 99.9% of all travel/DA coaches get it wrong in their selections? Bit of hyperbole there I think. Nobody gets anything 99.9% wrong, even if they're trying hard. I doubt we're missing many top performers in selection over time. Sure, we miss here and there, but a truly elite prospect has the intestinal fortitude to get past any one poor selection process. If they don't, they wouldn't make it in any system.

They if they quit the system. Train with the best on their own. re-emerge down the line.

It does zero benefit to the player to be trained in this huge group DA setting with sub-par coaches. I feel the same about the majority of travel clubs in the area---especially the big ones.

Unless a kid has somebody in the system who has his/her back---they aren't going to advance for the reasons bolded in the other post.

Actually alot has improved with DA IMO. The player to coach ratio is way down, each team (say 25 players) has 4-5 coaches. I see alot of Euro coaches in the mix also... thats not to say they are great coaches just because they are of Euro descent, but on this list, that appears to be a measuring stick. I think the system is working and headed in the right direction. A long way to go yes, but a distinct improvement.

German, Spanish, English??? Just who are these European coaches?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How big are the DA rosters on the girls side (i.e. how many good players are not even dressing for games)? Were they published somewhere?

Since there are only 3 subs allowed, you also have good players dressing for games but not getting minutes. You can see rosters for teams that have played already by clicking on the game report

DA substitution rules seem to be poorly understood. There are 3 points in the game where substitutions can be made, with no re-entry. A team can substitute up to 7 players at U-14, and 5 at the older ages. A team can roster up to 18 per game, and some teams have more in their program than that so some players do not dress. At U-14, you can theoretically get everyone in the game.

There are 26 on the rosters at our Club.

The other thing you see on those rosters is some clubs list their DP's as well as their full time players. So some rosters appear huge, but in general, DP's are practice only players who are not regularly rostered on game day.

The DP's can play games however, and are likely in this area anyway to maybe play in VPL or a weekend tournament. I would say from a Developmental perspective the DP's are getting the best of both worlds. I think the mood for both players and parents at a DA game would be similar to a tryout session.

After watching the USMNT, for individual development I would stay far away from DA.

Train with the Europeans.

Nice thought, but not super helpful.
DD's coach is European (as are many DA coaches), does that count?

What, not true at all, are all of the opinions on this forum strictly anecdotal? Or do you assume a non-white coach is not "American". BTW the other poster about the "USMNT and train with Europeans" is about ignorant as you can get when discussing youth soccer. USDA is on track to be very successful program for providing a pipeline to US NT programs and U.S colleges. It will be more clear as the USDA graduates who stay for the duration of the program from U13 to U18 end up stringing games together with college and NASL/USL leagues OR they actually become pro players non-MLS clubs are interested in.

And shitty soccer is played in both those places. So--I concede--they are great at picking the players which are good at shitty--style of US soccer.

Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

I think it's funny how these DA conversations seem to change very quickly from the original discussion -- of GIRLS DA -- to a discussion of BOYS DA and its impact on MLS and how the Europeans are (clearly) way better. whatever, americans are way better at basketball and I'm sure there are basketball snobs sitting in Europe on some chat board saying that if you REALLY want your kid to be a successful player, then s/he needs to go live in America and play. And having a kid in soccer *here in America* -- girl or boy -- is usually not about having a kid who has ANY potential to play professional or US NT soccer. It's about what's the best thing available for our kids locally to get them to the next place they want to go, which is probably college, likely NOT on scholarship. It is not likely that our kids have any shot at a national team slot. People with kids with national team shots and ambitions aren't wasting their time on this board. They're moving to southern California or to Barcelona for the sake of their kid's training or out finding coaches with European accents to do one-on-one training

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

Very good. So our training system IS working. Your kids have been educated enough to know something is wrong.

The quality of the soccer IS lacking at the upper levels for sure. But the right answer isn't to condemn the system, quit, hire your own Euro network etc. No soccer player can get to elite status with individual training, you have to have the competitive environment.

Is the advice to keep them in a shitty system that might improve in 10-15 years while US youth soccer work out the kinks?

You need teammates and coaches that aren't falling back to the American style of play just to win a match. A kid gets worse in that environment t because they are learning bad habits and being taught the wrong things to do.

They'll be 25 and 27 by then.

And the alternative is to send the promising kids to Europe? Can you please explain in detail how that will work for those of us who don't European passports, or jobs in Europe that will allow us and our kids to get around FIFA article 19? I'd also welcome your input on the source of the funding that will make this all possible. TIA!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

Very good. So our training system IS working. Your kids have been educated enough to know something is wrong.

The quality of the soccer IS lacking at the upper levels for sure. But the right answer isn't to condemn the system, quit, hire your own Euro network etc. No soccer player can get to elite status with individual training, you have to have the competitive environment.

Is the advice to keep them in a shitty system that might improve in 10-15 years while US youth soccer work out the kinks?

You need teammates and coaches that aren't falling back to the American style of play just to win a match. A kid gets worse in that environment t because they are learning bad habits and being taught the wrong things to do.

They'll be 25 and 27 by then.

And the alternative is to send the promising kids to Europe? Can you please explain in detail how that will work for those of us who don't European passports, or jobs in Europe that will allow us and our kids to get around FIFA article 19? I'd also welcome your input on the source of the funding that will make this all possible. TIA!

See the bolded. Those were your words. The response question following it is asking you what should be done? Though I liked how you used flip-mode on that one.

"I believe that we can win". Should be changed to "It's believe it's just not possible".

[Anonymous]

^^but you immediately went to dramatics when none of what you rambled on about was in that post. The point is we need to do better in this country and provide better options/solutions. DA is still an elitist system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Agree. My 9 and 12 year old were watching the college men's soccer NCAA championship. They both said--'they are just kicking it!". The first touch on the majority of players was atrocious---as was the ability to read the field. To see a ball just bounce off a player's foot or leg because they didn't have the skill/touch to get it under control. Pitiful.

Very good. So our training system IS working. Your kids have been educated enough to know something is wrong.

The quality of the soccer IS lacking at the upper levels for sure. But the right answer isn't to condemn the system, quit, hire your own Euro network etc. No soccer player can get to elite status with individual training, you have to have the competitive environment.

My kids learned that from their family, not from any travel Club we've been a part of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

German, Spanish, English??? Just who are these European coaches?

If you visit Evergreen, at least half of the coaches there are clearly not from here, whether its FCV, or FC Barcelona, or any of the other soccer clubs that train there. FC Barcelona's coaches look to be from Italy, FCV's TD is German, and has several former pro staff from Brazil, and England at least. Anecdotal, yep, for sure. But I hear lots of foreign accents at alot of soccer events. Just because you're from any of these places does not make you a good coach though. Only on this list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

German, Spanish, English??? Just who are these European coaches?

If you visit Evergreen, at least half of the coaches there are clearly not from here, whether its FCV, or FC Barcelona, or any of the other soccer clubs that train there. FC Barcelona's coaches look to be from Italy, FCV's TD is German, and has several former pro staff from Brazil, and England at least. Anecdotal, yep, for sure. But I hear lots of foreign accents at alot of soccer events. Just because you're from any of these places does not make you a good coach though. Only on this list.

If you are UEFA certified, yes. Do you know what a Catalan/European Spaniard? looks and sounds like? They aren't Italian.