Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss Part II

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any one know when McLean is going to hold ID sessions for their U12 DA? Arlington, DCU, and VDA already announced theirs and Arlington's are over.

No mention at Loudoun either. They still had their 17-18 season tryouts posted last time I looked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is interested in trying out for a 2006 Boys DA. Agree that it is the day to day coach that matters most. What teams would this group recommend? Do the coaches at the DA level change year to year? For example, coach Oscar mentioned above coaches Arlington’s 2006 DA but will he still be coaching that team next year?

The way that the DA is structured, you essentially have a head coach / technical director who oversees the whole program and may also take the head coaching slot with one of the teams - usually the U17/18/19 team (if they have one)

The rest of the coaches are on staff and are usually assigned a specific age group and remain at that age and do not move up with the team each year. That said, the whole coaching staff is responsible for training the players in the club - from technical director, to team coaches, to all of the assistant coaches.

The programs that are longer established generally keep the same coach at the same age, though the shift to single age teams at some levels, may change this. At VDA, Quan will have the 06/07's this year and then the 07/08's next year. As for Coach Oscar, Arlington DA is pretty new and could still be shaking things out just as the other newer programs are. Arlington only has 12/13/14. Also, keep in mind that for the U12 age group, you essentially have two teams that train as one and then are slpit up for games. I know that Frank DeMarco is often one of the coaches on the sideline for Arlington U12s.

As for which team to recommend? Honestly start with the club closest to you and most convenient. Reach out to the technical director. I am sure they would be happy to outline for you their philosophy for how the coaches are assigned and what they focus on in terms of player development.

The general DA philosopy is to develop the player and move him/her along to the next level within the club. If a player is having success at the U13 level, they will let them start playing with the U14s in order to give them new challenges. Christian Pulsic was playing with PA Classics 17/18 team when he was 14. DC United tends to push players along to older teams as well and also let's their better DA players train with the professional team.

USYS and US Club Soccer differ in that there is a tendency to build teams. A coach starts with a team at U11 and then moves up with that team each year as they get more and more success. Then they start the process over again in 3-4 years when they hand off their old team at the U15/16 level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Khan is a person who is all about himself and any parent willing to pay and take his recommendations and decisions as unquestionable.

If you already have a relationship with him from PWSI or as the owner of HP ELITE, then you either feel the same or get along really well with him. Either way, if you notice from U12 to U13 the number of players will drop significantly, so being there at U12 might not even guarantee your kid a spot on the U13 squad. The id sessions going on now are presubly for Fall, so go ahead and check it out and TALK to the coaches.

It is a 5 day per week commitment, so do now what you're getting into.

I'd take this with a big grain of salt considering they can't even get the coach's name right.

Quan is a good solid coach who is one of the best in Northern Virginia for training the U10-U12 ages and preparing players for the next level. And he is also quite good at keeping stereo typical DMV helicopter parents in check - perhaps that is why this poster thinks that he is "all about himself."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Khan is a person who is all about himself and any parent willing to pay and take his recommendations and decisions as unquestionable.

If you already have a relationship with him from PWSI or as the owner of HP ELITE, then you either feel the same or get along really well with him. Either way, if you notice from U12 to U13 the number of players will drop significantly, so being there at U12 might not even guarantee your kid a spot on the U13 squad. The id sessions going on now are presubly for Fall, so go ahead and check it out and TALK to the coaches.

It is a 5 day per week commitment, so do now what you're getting into.

If you don’t know how to even spell the name of your kid’s coach then you don’t even know the coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Khan is a person who is all about himself and any parent willing to pay and take his recommendations and decisions as unquestionable.

If you already have a relationship with him from PWSI or as the owner of HP ELITE, then you either feel the same or get along really well with him. Either way, if you notice from U12 to U13 the number of players will drop significantly, so being there at U12 might not even guarantee your kid a spot on the U13 squad. The id sessions going on now are presubly for Fall, so go ahead and check it out and TALK to the coaches.

It is a 5 day per week commitment, so do now what you're getting into.

If you don’t know how to even spell the name of your kid’s coach then you don’t even know the coach.

I have 2 kids that have been with Quan for 3 years as a part of his HP Elite program and both boys have exceptional skills. As a result of their skills on the field, I've introduced Quan's program to no less than 2 dozen families which have all been very satisfied with the results. He has always been respectful and engaging to me so I don't understand your comments about "Khan" is all about himself and that his decisions are unquestionable? I completely disagree.

[Anonymous]

Quan is also quite up front about fees and quick to disavow parents of the notion that if they pay for little Aiden to play travel soccer or that if you pay him to train your kid that he is going to get a college scholarship.

One other thing about Quan and his coaches, they are not yellers and screamers. He can be stern and he sets high expectations for the kids, but he never publicly berates them and makes teaching moments out of everything.

[Anonymous]

LOL, Quans got a couple of yellers for sure. Anyone has come into contact with them definitely in the past couple of years for sure has no illusions about that.

[Anonymous]

One of HP Elite's trainers is named Gabriel. What club and teams does he coach? He seems like a very good trainer/coach and always my son's favorite. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of HP Elite's trainers is named Gabriel. What club and teams does he coach? He seems like a very good trainer/coach and always my son's favorite. Thanks

PWSI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of HP Elite's trainers is named Gabriel. What club and teams does he coach? He seems like a very good trainer/coach and always my son's favorite. Thanks

PWSI

Thanks. I just looked up his bio on their website. Says..."E license, HP Elite trainer". Just goes to show you that you don't need to chase these "A" license ego maniacs. Find a coach who obviously knows soccer but has passion, energy, and can connect with the kids.

[Anonymous]

Listen, I myself don't like Quan, but the training is very good. All it takes are dedicated trainers and attention to detail. Without the drills in mind, the trainers wouldn't look as good, likewise the training would look subpar with an apathetic trainer leading the drills. The licenses will show you about building a team and taking them through a season and the deeper you go with licenses the higher a position you will seek within a club. A C license with a knowledgeable trainer that cares about development is superb combination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Listen, I myself don't like Quan, but the training is very good.

Agree with this 100%. A very good trainer....problem is, he's not a very good game coach. Parents also question his personal relationships with those who pay him for HP Elite training. The kids/parents who pad his wallet have a leg up with regards to the DA team. I've seen this play out the last several years, and that is a total conflict of interest. US Soccer DA decision makers would not be happy with this type of arrangement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Listen, I myself don't like Quan, but the training is very good.

Agree with this 100%. A very good trainer....problem is, he's not a very good game coach. Parents also question his personal relationships with those who pay him for HP Elite training. The kids/parents who pad his wallet have a leg up with regards to the DA team. I've seen this play out the last several years, and that is a total conflict of interest. US Soccer DA decision makers would not be happy with this type of arrangement.

This is absolutely not true. The only reason the kids might have a leg up is because they are TRAINING. Quan does not make decisions based on personal relationships. He doesn't even poach kids who do the training not already at PWSI. You don't have to like Quan but his decisions are always soccer decisions. You don't have to like his selections but nobody is buying their way onto VDA through him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Listen, I myself don't like Quan, but the training is very good.

Agree with this 100%. A very good trainer....problem is, he's not a very good game coach. Parents also question his personal relationships with those who pay him for HP Elite training. The kids/parents who pad his wallet have a leg up with regards to the DA team. I've seen this play out the last several years, and that is a total conflict of interest. US Soccer DA decision makers would not be happy with this type of arrangement.

At this age, the focus isn't in being a good "game coach." That comes as the players progress up the age group.

USSDA could care less about whether teams are winning at the younger ages. What they want are clubs developing players and preparing them for the next stage and Quan is very good at that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Listen, I myself don't like Quan, but the training is very good.

Agree with this 100%. A very good trainer....problem is, he's not a very good game coach. Parents also question his personal relationships with those who pay him for HP Elite training. The kids/parents who pad his wallet have a leg up with regards to the DA team. I've seen this play out the last several years, and that is a total conflict of interest. US Soccer DA decision makers would not be happy with this type of arrangement.

This is absolutely not true. The only reason the kids might have a leg up is because they are TRAINING. Quan does not make decisions based on personal relationships. He doesn't even poach kids who do the training not already at PWSI. You don't have to like Quan but his decisions are always soccer decisions. You don't have to like his selections but nobody is buying their way onto VDA through him.

Not true.