What's going on with FCBEscola NOVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

How can the person possibly know this to offer you specifics? 1st team level does not necessarily mean actual 1st team. Just that overall many of the incoming kids are talented. Remember, many of the kids from the first year were comprised of Evergreen players so the relative influx was overall an upgrade, but realistically the kids are just a bit more experienced competitively than what the Evergreen kids are.

While the training is excellent, Barca's model of once you are in you never have to tryout again for your spot means that for the older age groups in particular player overhaul is just not going to happen on a large scale. The talent variance will just always be there. Now for the younger groups, especially the kids they got early it will be interesting to see how they compete. I am referring to U10/U9 and younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.[/quote


Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Why the high level of hostility to a simple question? It was claimed that 1st team players had moved. It was a fair question to ask where from and which age groups and genders. I don't doubt that some former players at the clubs you mention now play there. But were they 1st team players, as was claimed? It's OK that Barca has attracted lower level players. They are just starting out here and don't have the decades of advantages the other clubs have in this area.

No need to be so defensive. It's easy to see why many are apprehensive to post in this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Why the high level of hostility to a simple question? It was claimed that 1st team players had moved. It was a fair question to ask where from and which age groups and genders. I don't doubt that some former players at the clubs you mention now play there. But were they 1st team players, as was claimed? It's OK that Barca has attracted lower level players. They are just starting out here and don't have the decades of advantages the other clubs have in this area.

No need to be so defensive. It's easy to see why many are apprehensive to post in this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Why the high level of hostility to a simple question? It was claimed that 1st team players had moved. It was a fair question to ask where from and which age groups and genders. I don't doubt that some former players at the clubs you mention now play there. But were they 1st team players, as was claimed? It's OK that Barca has attracted lower level players. They are just starting out here and don't have the decades of advantages the other clubs have in this area.

No need to be so defensive. It's easy to see why many are apprehensive to post in this thread.

Not the PP but the tone of your original post and question seemed on the demanding side. This site has had posts of similar demanding tone of specifics and those never went well either. You are always free to ask whatever you want and folks are always free to answer the way they wish. The reality is on an anonymous forum people would rather not give specifics in many cases for several reasons, not the least of which some os it is none of your business. In this case it some is none of your business and frankly it is hard to even know overall. Most folks can only speak honestly for the immediate age groups of their own kids. Many kids still use their old club bags in a few instances but to otherwise really know where the kids are from requires more personal affiliation. It is not like there is a roster list of where kids are from. So relax and be a little more self reflective of what you are asking. The point of the PP asking you what club, age, team and gender your kid currently plays at was an attempt to help you understand the question you ask can be compromising or uncomfortable for people to answer. If you are not willing to answer the same/similar question then you really shouldn't ask it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Why the high level of hostility to a simple question? It was claimed that 1st team players had moved. It was a fair question to ask where from and which age groups and genders. I don't doubt that some former players at the clubs you mention now play there. But were they 1st team players, as was claimed? It's OK that Barca has attracted lower level players. They are just starting out here and don't have the decades of advantages the other clubs have in this area.

No need to be so defensive. It's easy to see why many are apprehensive to post in this thread.

Not the PP but the tone of your original post and question seemed on the demanding side. This site has had posts of similar demanding tone of specifics and those never went well either. You are always free to ask whatever you want and folks are always free to answer the way they wish. The reality is on an anonymous forum people would rather not give specifics in many cases for several reasons, not the least of which some os it is none of your business. In this case it some is none of your business and frankly it is hard to even know overall. Most folks can only speak honestly for the immediate age groups of their own kids. Many kids still use their old club bags in a few instances but to otherwise really know where the kids are from requires more personal affiliation. It is not like there is a roster list of where kids are from. So relax and be a little more self reflective of what you are asking. The point of the PP asking you what club, age, team and gender your kid currently plays at was an attempt to help you understand the question you ask can be compromising or uncomfortable for people to answer. If you are not willing to answer the same/similar question then you really shouldn't ask it.

Sorry, I disagree with this. There was no personal question asked here. A claim was made that 1st team players were defecting to Barca and the question was merely from where the kids came. No personal information would be exchanged in sharing this information and this has nothing to do with the questioner's club. There really should be no issue with sharing where the 1st teamers have come from, in terms of specific clubs/ages/genders. Unless it hasn't happened and the claim isn't true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Don't they practice at the Evergreen complex in Leesburg? Are people really driving from Clifton/Centreville (SYA) and Mclean all the way to Leesburg several times a week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Why the high level of hostility to a simple question? It was claimed that 1st team players had moved. It was a fair question to ask where from and which age groups and genders. I don't doubt that some former players at the clubs you mention now play there. But were they 1st team players, as was claimed? It's OK that Barca has attracted lower level players. They are just starting out here and don't have the decades of advantages the other clubs have in this area.

No need to be so defensive. It's easy to see why many are apprehensive to post in this thread.

Not the PP but the tone of your original post and question seemed on the demanding side. This site has had posts of similar demanding tone of specifics and those never went well either. You are always free to ask whatever you want and folks are always free to answer the way they wish. The reality is on an anonymous forum people would rather not give specifics in many cases for several reasons, not the least of which some os it is none of your business. In this case it some is none of your business and frankly it is hard to even know overall. Most folks can only speak honestly for the immediate age groups of their own kids. Many kids still use their old club bags in a few instances but to otherwise really know where the kids are from requires more personal affiliation. It is not like there is a roster list of where kids are from. So relax and be a little more self reflective of what you are asking. The point of the PP asking you what club, age, team and gender your kid currently plays at was an attempt to help you understand the question you ask can be compromising or uncomfortable for people to answer. If you are not willing to answer the same/similar question then you really shouldn't ask it.

Sorry, I disagree with this. There was no personal question asked here. A claim was made that 1st team players were defecting to Barca and the question was merely from where the kids came. No personal information would be exchanged in sharing this information and this has nothing to do with the questioner's club. There really should be no issue with sharing where the 1st teamers have come from, in terms of specific clubs/ages/genders. Unless it hasn't happened and the claim isn't true.

The nature of the answer can be revealing of the parent posting. That is what you don't understand. It doesn't really matter what you think as much as it matter what the person asked thinks anyway. And they believe you asked a question that if answered to your specifics would compromise them. Accept or not, I'm just telling you why your question was not answered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Don't they practice at the Evergreen complex in Leesburg? Are people really driving from Clifton/Centreville (SYA) and Mclean all the way to Leesburg several times a week?

Yes they are and you would be surprised to hear that they come from even further out. I personally wouldn't, but to each their own. I've seen a few PWSI, BRYC bags too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Don't they practice at the Evergreen complex in Leesburg? Are people really driving from Clifton/Centreville (SYA) and Mclean all the way to Leesburg several times a week?

LOL, Leesburg is not at the edge of the Universe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Don't they practice at the Evergreen complex in Leesburg? Are people really driving from Clifton/Centreville (SYA) and Mclean all the way to Leesburg several times a week?

If you live near 50, Evergreen is not that far...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Why the high level of hostility to a simple question? It was claimed that 1st team players had moved. It was a fair question to ask where from and which age groups and genders. I don't doubt that some former players at the clubs you mention now play there. But were they 1st team players, as was claimed? It's OK that Barca has attracted lower level players. They are just starting out here and don't have the decades of advantages the other clubs have in this area.

No need to be so defensive. It's easy to see why many are apprehensive to post in this thread.

Not the PP but the tone of your original post and question seemed on the demanding side. This site has had posts of similar demanding tone of specifics and those never went well either. You are always free to ask whatever you want and folks are always free to answer the way they wish. The reality is on an anonymous forum people would rather not give specifics in many cases for several reasons, not the least of which some os it is none of your business. In this case it some is none of your business and frankly it is hard to even know overall. Most folks can only speak honestly for the immediate age groups of their own kids. Many kids still use their old club bags in a few instances but to otherwise really know where the kids are from requires more personal affiliation. It is not like there is a roster list of where kids are from. So relax and be a little more self reflective of what you are asking. The point of the PP asking you what club, age, team and gender your kid currently plays at was an attempt to help you understand the question you ask can be compromising or uncomfortable for people to answer. If you are not willing to answer the same/similar question then you really shouldn't ask it.

Sorry, I disagree with this. There was no personal question asked here. A claim was made that 1st team players were defecting to Barca and the question was merely from where the kids came. No personal information would be exchanged in sharing this information and this has nothing to do with the questioner's club. There really should be no issue with sharing where the 1st teamers have come from, in terms of specific clubs/ages/genders. Unless it hasn't happened and the claim isn't true.

You are also free to not believe the claim. You can take any and every claim on this forum with a grain of salt. It is after-all an anonymous forum with no real burden of proof.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Don't they practice at the Evergreen complex in Leesburg? Are people really driving from Clifton/Centreville (SYA) and Mclean all the way to Leesburg several times a week?

If you live near route 7/Tyson’s, Evergreen is not that far...

[Anonymous]

I'm always shocked how far people in this area commute to work, church, activities, and a flurry of other commitments. Think of slug lines in Fredericksburg going to DC or VRE from Haymarket. I had neighbor commute from Vienna to Bethesda for practice and my coworker does CVille to DC for DCU. It's craziness, but who am I to judge. Just don't be shocked, that's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When Barca came on the scene, it was billed as something completely different - IIRC, the talk was that they would do academy training, internal competitions and occasional competitions with other Barca schools. That seems to have morphed somewhat (maybe that is just my perception) -- and they are in local league play, local tournaments and developing a program for college placement...which is in line with what most clubs offer. So have things changed or was that always part of the plan? I'd love to see some completely different options, but my fear is that even if a club wants to do something different, the 'customers' end up forcing them to provide the same services as the other options in the marketplace.

I'm not sure why this year we haven't competed against other Barça academies. I don't know if that is planned for the spring or if logistics was an issue.

What I have found to be different - and what for me matters most - is coaching. The coaching is amazing! It's positive, they encourage my kid's creativity, and I just got a full 5 page report from my DC's coach on every facet of play and on whether it is with the dominant or non-dominant foot.

I also see a certain style across the board, like each practice, multiple teams are doing the same type of drills, learning the same content.

The main downside I find is in the level of player in the academy, meaning that they have not yet reached a strong enough recruiting foothold to be consistently drawing top area talent.

And I personally would like to see the program reach a point where they have a DA ÷egment. EDP isn't a bad place to start, and I've always believed in pro/rel style leagues. Ultimately though, to be the best it is better to land in a league where you are playing the best.

Totally agree with this post. It's similar in terms of talent level grouping of teams and you do have a mix of talents across the board, as a 2nd year family we have seen a influx of traditional 1st team level players join for various reasons so that counters the thought of only lower level players joining the club. May have been true in year 1, but I know we have several former 1st team players join from other large clubs. As this continues, the teams will inherently get more competitive.

The main difference is truly the coaching, they train the same across the board regardless of level, age group, or gender. My kid loves the training, but does wish there were more outside competition. I think the downside to internal competition is that you begin to play to the other team's weakness since you have familiarity and that sometimes inflates the perception of talent within the team. After seeing them in action across age groups, one thing is certain, they move the ball better than most other teams relative to their age groups.

How many 1st team starters from other clubs are now there? Which teams/gender/age groups? Please be specific.

We have 6 in our age group from Mclean, Loudoun, SYA, and Herndon. Not sure anything else is necessary unless you are building a hit list and you missed the point genius, Barca is attracting better talent which means at some point they will have the same access to player pools as other elite clubs. They are getting there, now if you want to call my BS, feel free but I don't need to provide any details other what I have already shared. Kids are gelling, facilities are top notch, coaching is top notch...I don't think you can as for much more.

Since you are so bold, what club are you with? Age group? Gender?

Don't they practice at the Evergreen complex in Leesburg? Are people really driving from Clifton/Centreville (SYA) and Mclean all the way to Leesburg several times a week?

If you live near route 7/Tyson’s, Evergreen is not that far...

LOL are you serious. Even with the Toll Road/Greenway it's over 30 minutes with no traffic. At rush hour and no Greenway, well over an hour.