Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any feedback on the VYS rising U11 boys tryouts? My son went, but I wasn't able to observe any of them due to my work schedule (son got rides with friends).

If it was like the U12 tryouts, it appeared pretty crowded for the field size, and they did mostly small group scrimmaging - they had a few groups going at once and occasionally moved a kid from group to group. By the end it seemed like they had put teams together.

They hired special "tryout" only coaches to evaluate the players and determine who made it and who didn't. While I get that they did this to get rid of the previous years of "favorites" and such, it really didn't not work as well as it should have.

Head coaches were not consulted about current travel players. Many got cut that are great assets on the field during actual games. These kids are going to go back to the Rec. league and will dominate the field.

The parents I've talked to from several age groups have expressed similar concerns - that the new VYS coaches came into tryouts with no real idea of how the players stack up, which is good for ensuring no one is given a spot b/c of their prior history/relationships but has lead to a number of kids being placed on teams they clearly have no place being on, and some pretty good players being sent down to house when they probably shouldn't have been, all based on a couple hours of small-sided scrimmages. The only positive I've heard from this is that many, if not all, of the academies have made clear that the rosters will be adjusted based on performances during the summer/pre-season training. The main negative is a concern that the new coaches' egos are so big, that they weren't interested to hear those that have been around the academies for a while. My take, VYS is going through the type of issues to be expected when a new technical staff is brought in, and is at least saying the right things about making changes as they become more familiar with the players, but it's too early to tell if they'll actually be willing to admit to making mistakes.

Sounds like a better player needs to have it turned on at all times.

I know there are good days and bad days but if you are more deserving ability wise over another player then even on your bad day the difference should still be noticeable.

There are kids that bring 110% every single game. They work hard at Practice, but true innate passion and competitiveness comes out under pressure in a game situation.

Small sided crowded fields and 2-3 hours tops is not a wY to pick players.

[Anonymous]

You can still tell the difference between a player that probably shouldn't be on the team that had a good day and a player who is having an off day but has the ability.

The passion and competitiveness should make that even more evident.


I speak on this because my son has never been on the verge of making or not making a travel team. We move frequently because of my career. He has had to make travel teams with 3 different clubs in 3 different states and he has been given late tryouts with 3 clubs in NoVA because we again have moved. The first is this evening once we arrive to the area.

He states that every time he is nervous due to being the new kid. And this time he is more nervous than ever because of it being in the area we are moving to now. But I know his drive and passion for the game, his ability and competitiveness he will undoubtedly make all three teams leaving is to choose what is better for us.
In saying that, if you play club soccer you know there is a tryout every year. There should be no excuse. Maybe a lower team will help the drive and performance.

[Anonymous]

Completely agree, and hope your kid is able to find a good situation for next season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Completely agree, and hope your kid is able to find a good situation for next season.

Thank you.

I am always about playing at the highest level you can. Our hurdle is going to be travel time to Practices and such with 2 younger kids playing football in the fall and then wrestling in the winter. It's going to play a big role in which club we choose and we know that it's going to take some time to mentally get that with not maybe not being Able to play on the better or best team because of the area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely agree, and hope your kid is able to find a good situation for next season.

Thank you.

I am always about playing at the highest level you can. Our hurdle is going to be travel time to Practices and such with 2 younger kids playing football in the fall and then wrestling in the winter. It's going to play a big role in which club we choose and we know that it's going to take some time to mentally get that with not maybe not being Able to play on the better or best team because of the area

Well- you certainly have the confidence. I think you'll find this area very different than other soccer towns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any feedback on the VYS rising U11 boys tryouts? My son went, but I wasn't able to observe any of them due to my work schedule (son got rides with friends).

If it was like the U12 tryouts, it appeared pretty crowded for the field size, and they did mostly small group scrimmaging - they had a few groups going at once and occasionally moved a kid from group to group. By the end it seemed like they had put teams together.

They hired special "tryout" only coaches to evaluate the players and determine who made it and who didn't. While I get that they did this to get rid of the previous years of "favorites" and such, it really didn't not work as well as it should have.

Head coaches were not consulted about current travel players. Many got cut that are great assets on the field during actual games. These kids are going to go back to the Rec. league and will dominate the field.

The competition may be feeble, but perhaps it won't be quite as feeble as you think. Unless we're talking about the very best players from the existing Red and Black squads (rising VYS U11, if that's what you're referring to), it's tough to completely dominate even a house game given the mercy rule, need for substitutions, and expectation that everyone will take a turn in goal. Also, there are some travel-quality players in VYS rising U11 house whose families can't pay for travel or who excel at lacrosse and other sports, and don't want to make the year-round commitment to soccer. Please check your attitude at the door to Oakton #3 or similar.

[Anonymous]

Just wondering did McLean lose a significant number of talented players to other clubs, as was predicted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any feedback on the VYS rising U11 boys tryouts? My son went, but I wasn't able to observe any of them due to my work schedule (son got rides with friends).

If it was like the U12 tryouts, it appeared pretty crowded for the field size, and they did mostly small group scrimmaging - they had a few groups going at once and occasionally moved a kid from group to group. By the end it seemed like they had put teams together.

They hired special "tryout" only coaches to evaluate the players and determine who made it and who didn't. While I get that they did this to get rid of the previous years of "favorites" and such, it really didn't not work as well as it should have.

Head coaches were not consulted about current travel players. Many got cut that are great assets on the field during actual games. These kids are going to go back to the Rec. league and will dominate the field.

The competition may be feeble, but perhaps it won't be quite as feeble as you think. Unless we're talking about the very best players from the existing Red and Black squads (rising VYS U11, if that's what you're referring to), it's tough to completely dominate even a house game given the mercy rule, need for substitutions, and expectation that everyone will take a turn in goal. Also, there are some travel-quality players in VYS rising U11 house whose families can't pay for travel or who excel at lacrosse and other sports, and don't want to make the year-round commitment to soccer. Please check your attitude at the door to Oakton #3 or similar.

Calm down. I don't have skin in this game, I do know some players that got cut and they dominated in rec before they made travel. Hence the comment. Who knows, maybe their previous teammates have stepped it up quite a bit since then, but my hunch is they will likely cause some of the rec parents to be upset coming back onto the team.

And yes, there are things the coaches do to ensure equal play time, but I've also seen them throw in certain players when the game is tight even when it's another player's 'turn'. Not saying it's right, but it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can still tell the difference between a player that probably shouldn't be on the team that had a good day and a player who is having an off day but has the ability.

The passion and competitiveness should make that even more evident.


I speak on this because my son has never been on the verge of making or not making a travel team. We move frequently because of my career. He has had to make travel teams with 3 different clubs in 3 different states and he has been given late tryouts with 3 clubs in NoVA because we again have moved. The first is this evening once we arrive to the area.

He states that every time he is nervous due to being the new kid. And this time he is more nervous than ever because of it being in the area we are moving to now. But I know his drive and passion for the game, his ability and competitiveness he will undoubtedly make all three teams leaving is to choose what is better for us.
In saying that, if you play club soccer you know there is a tryout every year. There should be no excuse. Maybe a lower team will help the drive and performance.

For the very, very best players, sure. They'll be fine in any sort of tryout. (You may find in NoVa that it's not as easy as you think, depending on where you played before. SoCal is just as intense. Other areas, not so much.)

For the other 99 percent, one bad day (or even being assigned to a "bad" field at the first tryout by random chance) can be critical, and you can be left out of travel entirely.

So congrats to your kid for never having to worry about it. Just know that there are plenty of passionate and competitive players in House league in this area, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any feedback on the VYS rising U11 boys tryouts? My son went, but I wasn't able to observe any of them due to my work schedule (son got rides with friends).

If it was like the U12 tryouts, it appeared pretty crowded for the field size, and they did mostly small group scrimmaging - they had a few groups going at once and occasionally moved a kid from group to group. By the end it seemed like they had put teams together.

They hired special "tryout" only coaches to evaluate the players and determine who made it and who didn't. While I get that they did this to get rid of the previous years of "favorites" and such, it really didn't not work as well as it should have.

Head coaches were not consulted about current travel players. Many got cut that are great assets on the field during actual games. These kids are going to go back to the Rec. league and will dominate the field.

The competition may be feeble, but perhaps it won't be quite as feeble as you think. Unless we're talking about the very best players from the existing Red and Black squads (rising VYS U11, if that's what you're referring to), it's tough to completely dominate even a house game given the mercy rule, need for substitutions, and expectation that everyone will take a turn in goal. Also, there are some travel-quality players in VYS rising U11 house whose families can't pay for travel or who excel at lacrosse and other sports, and don't want to make the year-round commitment to soccer. Please check your attitude at the door to Oakton #3 or similar.

Calm down. I don't have skin in this game, I do know some players that got cut and they dominated in rec before they made travel. Hence the comment. Who knows, maybe their previous teammates have stepped it up quite a bit since then, but my hunch is they will likely cause some of the rec parents to be upset coming back onto the team.

And yes, there are things the coaches do to ensure equal play time, but I've also seen them throw in certain players when the game is tight even when it's another player's 'turn'. Not saying it's right, but it happens.

I don't think House parents are going to be objecting to travel players moving to House. Unless they're all on the same team or something, but that won't happen.

Nor will adding a couple of travel players to one House team suddenly make that team dominant. By U11, teams have gotten pretty good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't think House parents are going to be objecting to travel players moving to House. Unless they're all on the same team or something, but that won't happen.

Nor will adding a couple of travel players to one House team suddenly make that team dominant. By U11, teams have gotten pretty good.

don't most rec leagues have tiered divisions too? the returning former travel players should be able to find a team in the top rec division.

but i've seen pretty bad teams in the bottom division in U11. especially in the spring when good rec players don't play due to other sports. a fmr travel player could definitely dominate and almost score at will against a bad bottom division team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely agree, and hope your kid is able to find a good situation for next season.

Thank you.

I am always about playing at the highest level you can. Our hurdle is going to be travel time to Practices and such with 2 younger kids playing football in the fall and then wrestling in the winter. It's going to play a big role in which club we choose and we know that it's going to take some time to mentally get that with not maybe not being Able to play on the better or best team because of the area

Well- you certainly have the confidence. I think you'll find this area very different than other soccer towns.

He has played club In Virginia, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. Those areas had one or two clubs MAX.
I have confidence because he's done it many places. And soccer is very different here.... There seem to be more opportunities to go around with The various clubs in a general area.

VSA
SYA
PWSI

Are the 3 clubs that have offered him a chance for a late tryout. Anyone have insight on those clubs? And relation to the Haymarket area? Which club by opinion has better soccer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't think House parents are going to be objecting to travel players moving to House. Unless they're all on the same team or something, but that won't happen.

Nor will adding a couple of travel players to one House team suddenly make that team dominant. By U11, teams have gotten pretty good.

don't most rec leagues have tiered divisions too? the returning former travel players should be able to find a team in the top rec division.

but i've seen pretty bad teams in the bottom division in U11. especially in the spring when good rec players don't play due to other sports. a fmr travel player could definitely dominate and almost score at will against a bad bottom division team.

VYS doesn't have tiered Rec teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completely agree, and hope your kid is able to find a good situation for next season.

Thank you.

I am always about playing at the highest level you can. Our hurdle is going to be travel time to Practices and such with 2 younger kids playing football in the fall and then wrestling in the winter. It's going to play a big role in which club we choose and we know that it's going to take some time to mentally get that with not maybe not being Able to play on the better or best team because of the area

Well- you certainly have the confidence. I think you'll find this area very different than other soccer towns.

He has played club In Virginia, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. Those areas had one or two clubs MAX.
I have confidence because he's done it many places. And soccer is very different here.... There seem to be more opportunities to go around with The various clubs in a general area.

VSA
SYA
PWSI

Are the 3 clubs that have offered him a chance for a late tryout. Anyone have insight on those clubs? And relation to the Haymarket area? Which club by opinion has better soccer?[/quote]

Are you the same poster that asked about VSA and SYA teams in the older boys ages a couple of days ago? If so, I responded that every SYA team in the older boys ages made the quarterfiinals or better in the VA State Cup this past year, while one VSA team made the quarters.

If you are looking at PWSI now too, they did not have any boys team reach the quarterfinals in the U15-U18 age groups so I would put PWSI at the back of your list. I also suspect that PWSI is unlikely to practice as close to Haymarket as the other two clubs.

It is hard to compare clubs/teams directly when they do not play in the same league. State Cup is a good equalizer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can still tell the difference between a player that probably shouldn't be on the team that had a good day and a player who is having an off day but has the ability.

The passion and competitiveness should make that even more evident.


I speak on this because my son has never been on the verge of making or not making a travel team. We move frequently because of my career. He has had to make travel teams with 3 different clubs in 3 different states and he has been given late tryouts with 3 clubs in NoVA because we again have moved. The first is this evening once we arrive to the area.

He states that every time he is nervous due to being the new kid. And this time he is more nervous than ever because of it being in the area we are moving to now. But I know his drive and passion for the game, his ability and competitiveness he will undoubtedly make all three teams leaving is to choose what is better for us.
In saying that, if you play club soccer you know there is a tryout every year. There should be no excuse. Maybe a lower team will help the drive and performance.

For the very, very best players, sure. They'll be fine in any sort of tryout. (You may find in NoVa that it's not as easy as you think, depending on where you played before. SoCal is just as intense. Other areas, not so much.)

For the other 99 percent, one bad day (or even being assigned to a "bad" field at the first tryout by random chance) can be critical, and you can be left out of travel entirely.

So congrats to your kid for never having to worry about it. Just know that there are plenty of passionate and competitive players in House league in this area, too.

God that is the f-in truth!! One evaluator stared at the planes overhead the entire tryout never once glancing at the field where the kids were playing. I find it happens all too often. Sometimes I think it's pre-picked and they don't "expect" anyone to come out of that particular field so they don't watch. Other times I think the coaches are just spaced out. It's a running joke with the parents watching. Sometimes they aren't even facing the field.

I always joke that they could least feign interest in what is happening on the field. And to all the cocky Mo-fo's out there---there are kids that get completely overlooked that are superstars and 2-years time will be kicking a** and taking names. It hands me a laugh when people think at 9-10-11 because their kid happens to have a spot on a top team its for life and he's the next Messi.. Keep thinking that way and by middle school you are kin for a shock.