VA MD DC Girls soccer - thoughts, opinions

[Anonymous]

Now that the ECNL and DA seasons are winding down, how are people feeling about their 14-15-16 year old daughters’ choices? Moved and happy? Moved and regretting? Stayed and happy/regretting? Thinking about next season or next year yet and college stuff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now that the ECNL and DA seasons are winding down, how are people feeling about their 14-15-16 year old daughters’ choices? Moved and happy? Moved and regretting? Stayed and happy/regretting? Thinking about next season or next year yet and college stuff?

Really suprised by the how much better the other DA teams were. I expected the team to be way more competitive than they were and expected the technical/tactical/strategic abilities to be higher. Games were just not there for what I thought “DA” should/would be. Kind of disappointing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that the ECNL and DA seasons are winding down, how are people feeling about their 14-15-16 year old daughters’ choices? Moved and happy? Moved and regretting? Stayed and happy/regretting? Thinking about next season or next year yet and college stuff?

Really suprised by the how much better the other DA teams were. I expected the team to be way more competitive than they were and expected the technical/tactical/strategic abilities to be higher. Games were just not there for what I thought “DA” should/would be. Kind of disappointing.

So the league is good but your team was not? Is that what you were saying?

[Anonymous]

Why does the u14 girls DA not post standings as compared to the other age groups? whats the big deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that the ECNL and DA seasons are winding down, how are people feeling about their 14-15-16 year old daughters’ choices? Moved and happy? Moved and regretting? Stayed and happy/regretting? Thinking about next season or next year yet and college stuff?

Really suprised by the how much better the other DA teams were. I expected the team to be way more competitive than they were and expected the technical/tactical/strategic abilities to be higher. Games were just not there for what I thought “DA” should/would be. Kind of disappointing.

So the league is good but your team was not? Is that what you were saying?

Not the PP, but for the U14 girls, I think the teams that moved from ECNL to DA (PDA, FC Virginia) that already had a few years of consistent coaching and playing together were dominant. I think the new teams, particularly the proliferation of new teams here in the DC area, were losling games but also seem to be working on a nice, possession-oriented style. We’re choosing not to judge the team by the results but rather to give the new teams (including the VA Spirit team our daughter is on) time to gel the way we think they — i think it’s useful to think of this fall is a shakedown season, and the girls are improving as the season progresses. The coaching is outstanding. Also, U14 Spirit’s losses have been close, no blow-outs, and about 5+ of the most skilled U14 players have played on to the U15 team for most of the fall season. Once that U14 cohort moves entirely to U15 I think the results will be different, with fewer kids playing up.

That said, if any U14 parent out there has a natural, hungry striker who is looking for a place to play at a high level, VA Spirit U14 could be an excellent showcase team for her! Girls driving to take shots on goal seems to be the biggest team weakness right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that the ECNL and DA seasons are winding down, how are people feeling about their 14-15-16 year old daughters’ choices? Moved and happy? Moved and regretting? Stayed and happy/regretting? Thinking about next season or next year yet and college stuff?

Really suprised by the how much better the other DA teams were. I expected the team to be way more competitive than they were and expected the technical/tactical/strategic abilities to be higher. Games were just not there for what I thought “DA” should/would be. Kind of disappointing.

So the league is good but your team was not? Is that what you were saying?

Not the PP, but for the U14 girls, I think the teams that moved from ECNL to DA (PDA, FC Virginia) that already had a few years of consistent coaching and playing together were dominant. I think the new teams, particularly the proliferation of new teams here in the DC area, were losling games but also seem to be working on a nice, possession-oriented style. We’re choosing not to judge the team by the results but rather to give the new teams (including the VA Spirit team our daughter is on) time to gel the way we think they — i think it’s useful to think of this fall is a shakedown season, and the girls are improving as the season progresses. The coaching is outstanding. Also, U14 Spirit’s losses have been close, no blow-outs, and about 5+ of the most skilled U14 players have played on to the U15 team for most of the fall season. Once that U14 cohort moves entirely to U15 I think the results will be different, with fewer kids playing up.

That said, if any U14 parent out there has a natural, hungry striker who is looking for a place to play at a high level, VA Spirit U14 could be an excellent showcase team for her! Girls driving to take shots on goal seems to be the biggest team weakness right now.

I think VDA can post a similar experience.

[Anonymous]

can DA folks please share what the overall costs for the 4 clubs are? fees/travel if included

spirit VA
spirit MD
fcv
vda

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:can DA folks please share what the overall costs for the 4 clubs are? fees/travel if included

spirit VA
spirit MD
fcv
vda

Spirit VA fees are $5,000 for the year. Doesn't include travel. Includes basic uniforms/gear and participation in DA Showcases, but if a team decides to participate in a non-DA showcase or tournament, those costs are additional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can DA folks please share what the overall costs for the 4 clubs are? fees/travel if included

spirit VA
spirit MD
fcv
vda

Spirit VA fees are $5,000 for the year. Doesn't include travel. Includes basic uniforms/gear and participation in DA Showcases, but if a team decides to participate in a non-DA showcase or tournament, those costs are additional.

Info is posted online here: http://washingtonspirit.com/da/development-academy-fees-and-faq/ - this applies to both Maryland and Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:can DA folks please share what the overall costs for the 4 clubs are? fees/travel if included

spirit VA
spirit MD
fcv
vda

Spirit VA fees are $5,000 for the year. Doesn't include travel. Includes basic uniforms/gear and participation in DA Showcases, but if a team decides to participate in a non-DA showcase or tournament, those costs are additional.

How are the “scholarship” offsets? or is this even more
of pay to play?

[Anonymous]

Bethesda Premiere? any upsets so far?

[Anonymous]

What age group?

http://events.gotsport.com/events/Default.aspx?eventid=61131

[Anonymous]

Any u13 players aiming to go the GDA route this next year?

Has the u14 and above given you any insight anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any u13 players aiming to go the GDA route this next year?

Has the u14 and above given you any insight anything?

If your daughter has aspirations to play beyond high school, she'd be crazy not to try for GDA at U14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any u13 players aiming to go the GDA route this next year?

Has the u14 and above given you any insight anything?

If your daughter has aspirations to play beyond high school, she'd be crazy not to try for GDA at U14.

What about ECNL? Are bryc, maclean, bethesda, md united teams going to be able to attract top area talent?