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Anonymous
| How long has Achilles been around? Do they have a rec program? Do they have boys and girls teams? Do they have several teams per age group? I know they have a few good teams and were invited into MLS Next, but it seems like they just appeared out of thin air. |
Anonymous
| I think they have been around for a few years now with just boys teams. |
Anonymous
| Can't say that I'm a fan of the coach. |
Anonymous
+1 Please see posts about St. Johns |
Anonymous
Please elaborate |
Anonymous
|
Achilles U14 is like top 5 in the country and they just hired a big time new coach ... Nate Baker https://www.salsoccer.com/achilles-fc-welcomes-new-coach-nate-baker/
With regards to the prior posters reference to "St Johns" I thought St Johns was well respected for its sports teams?! |
Anonymous
| Avoid it like Covid-19. Not a fan of coach either. Mass group left from many of the age levels. See the pay-to-play comments and SJC and under previous Achilles forums. He has some talent on a few of his teams and those are where the attention and money goes. The MLS Next is a limited age group and probably bringing it in Baker is an effort to help save his program/appease his followers. |
Anonymous
| +1 |
Anonymous
| Achilles just has boy's teams and around for a few years. Can only speak for younger than high school age. Left the team as did many other players. If berating and cursing at youth players is what you want, have at it. Some saw it as a money grab -- limited tournament play and/or inconsistent coaching and attention depending on if you were one of the better teams. There are some skilled players on some of the teams, but the head coach is full of himself. |
Anonymous
|
St Johns has an issue with coaches and their private programs intermixed. See other threads.
Achilles has a few good teams ‘03(?), ‘07, ‘09. Sal is a the kind of coach who would be great one-on-one training but not good as a game coach and horrible as a club manager. I have seen and heard him bully players like he was a teenager. Some of their practices are at St John’s at night (no lights) and at random parks in the area. It’s a less than ideal set up. |
Anonymous
| We played their 09 team once...they were very good, but the starters played the whole game, and the five or 6 bench players never got in. Coach screamed the entire time. |
Anonymous
| No rec teams, no girls teams. Club started about 4/5 years ago. Owner Sal has been part of the US soccer scene for many years as a youth national player, MLS player (briefly) and local high school and BSC coach. Each age group only has one or two teams. Heavy on technical development, A teams get all of Sal’s attention and B teams have less experienced coaches. If your kid is very skilled and is very serious about the sport, i.e., he or you have the goal of him playing in high school and beyond, he will probably do well there. All of this is provided kid has thick skin and can handle harsh criticism from coach and derision from insecure teammates. Be prepared for neglect of your kid if he’s viewed as not up to snuff. This is a club for really skilled players, not just wishful thinking by parents. Been there, done that, wish we hadn’t. |
Anonymous
Have an ‘09 player whose team played against Achilles as well, and would add that the kids—9 at the time—also cursed and trash talked. We knew of Sal from BSC. He is a very good coach in many respects. It’s a pity his emotional maturity is not at the same level as his talent. |
Anonymous
A similar experience a couple of years ago with that team. A couple of the kids (certainly not all) were out of control and complete jerks. We ran into a couple at area camps as well, and the sequels were no better than the original. I am sure they will grow out of it. Or at least I hope. Clean but chippy, not dirty or unnecessarily dangerous. Seen a couple of other teams continue really nasty play and habits for a number of years now thinking they would grow out of it. They haven’t. They and their parents will soon find out that kids can and will easily retaliate, especially when aware of a team’s reputation. |
Anonymous
| So I take it that arrogance may be Achilles’ Achilles heel? |