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lojack74 wrote:SDC wrote:lojack74 wrote:novasoccer15324 wrote:If you want yelling coaches on the girls side, just go to Maryland. From my experience most of the worst offenders of yelling girls coaches in northern VA have been flushed out, aged out, or moved on.
Or FCV United South. Not sure about now, but that effer would berate his players to tears and humiliation.
God, whoever made the comment about "hard nose coaching"! It's like this country isn't in the midst of the worst mental health epidemic we've ever seen, and fools like this are a large part of that problem.
Do you think maybe, just maybe it could be partially due to the lockdowns and hysteria over the last few years? Or maybe that since folks can't lose (e.g., everyone gets a trophy) these days and didn't learn how to handle rejection/loss in the little things in life and grow from that.....and somehow are expected to handle the big ones when real life comes at them?
Not sure what you're trying to address with the lockdown comment. Our current mental health crisis? That's just myopic. I know too any people that work closely with children of all ages to think that this is recent. When I've spoken to people that have moved here from abroad, the first thing they pointed out was how bad the state of our mental health is compared to most other countries they've been to/lived in.
And the whole participation trophy argument carries little weight for me with regards to my comment about hard-nosed coaching, but possibly because that's a big grey area. Today, children and parents both need to learn to cope better, yes. But that also applies to coaches; they are not immune to the need to learn to cope when things don't go their way. That in no way absolves them from berating players. At all. If coaches want kids to learn to cope with disappointment, and not getting their way, they should model it. Getting/acting furious with a player that isn't listening, or not comitting the coaches lesson to their play isn't hard-nosed coaching. That's literally acting out, and doing exactly what your comment is inferring only kids do.
In short, coaches should never, ever be a part of the problem with a kids mental health. And before someone drops the whole "well coaches are people, too, and they are going through stuff to", nope. Do we bring our own personal life issues to work and take them out on coworkers? No professional should do that. No coach should do that. No excuse for an adult to do that. We see children do that, sure, because they are children and still learning. Coaches should know better. There is just no excuse for mistreatment of players by their coaches.
There is such a ridiculously pervasive lack of perspective in youth sports, where parents and coaches alike all think they're dealing with the next great thing. If they yell a little louder, or make the kid feel a little worse for not trying harder, or for missing a shot or tackle, they can say "yup, I did that" when that kid is on a big international stage. Or they act like whatever game they’re watching/coaching is, in fact, a world cup game. It's not. Get a grip.
To your point (bolded) — it’s not really about the player at that point, right? It’s about the ego/pride of the coach or parent who wants to take the credit for creating the player, as if the player was just a bystander. You see a lot of clubs and coaches who cite the players they’ve “placed” in the pros or colleges in their bios/websites. Not ‘developed’, not ‘trained’, not ‘taught’, just took and placed somewhere, as if it is solely the handiwork of the coach.
VDA added Herndon about a year ago, maybe not even a full year ago, and I think this is ‘turf’ protection from the other 3 clubs. I know Herndon was offering some RL players the opportunity to PT play/practice with VDA, which GFR and Valor couldn’t match. Loudoun pulls players from Western Fairfax, so they probably want to limit Herndon and VDA as much as possible. I don’t think there is a lot of love between those two (Loudoun and VDA).
Ultimately, though, all of these partnerships are about protecting the salaries of a handful of directors and do zero to improve player development.
Ultimately, though, all of these partnerships are about protecting the salaries of a handful of directors and do zero to improve player development.
It sure seems like there has been a lot of turnover with local ECNL coaches on both the boys and girls side. Loudoun and Arlington with girls coaches that both had multiple teams, VDA and BRAVE have had it on the boys side…and I’m sure there are others I don’t know about.
My kids are older and prefer to train with the smaller ball. We have both, but they feel like it just requires them to be sharper with their touches and it’s not hard at all to adjust to the larger ball for practices and games.
We’ve gotten better use out of our Select futsals (vs Nike and Puma). Maybe that is just dumb luck, but they seem to absorb the wear and tear well and hold their air a little better. Some of the other ones we have need to be re-inflated every couple of days.
We’ve gotten better use out of our Select futsals (vs Nike and Puma). Maybe that is just dumb luck, but they seem to absorb the wear and tear well and hold their air a little better. Some of the other ones we have need to be re-inflated every couple of days.
soccer_dc wrote:Manodedios wrote:Pepe wrote:Obviously everyone still must "develop". Even pros still practice and get better... but it's not the supreme goal of a ECNL U16+ coach. These girls are being scouted and competing at the USYNT level! When they see issues, they address them, but we need a coach to coach to win (mostly). Girls are learning nuances for extreme talent, not developing skills they don't already know very well.
I think the difference is developing seems to mean early years vice later. No one stops learning and growing, but certainly done developing.
It still should be. Based on my experience with VDA, it definitely wasn’t even on the radar for the coach and ECNL Director, but hopefully your experience is better.
At the u16+ ages, development becomes somewhat self guided and motivated. Certainly things like development of strength and conditioning and nutrition come mainly from the player and people outside the coaching staff. I do see club coaches working with players at these ages on "classroom" development...pre and post game video analysis, tactical planning for upcoming opponents, mental preparation.
Agree that development is going to be entirely self-motivated and the work done individually, but not primarily self-guided. A player might know some things they need work on, but likely need direction on others. I see where some coaches (not from this area, unfortunately) mark up Veo for the “classroom” development (which is primarily what I’m talking about) but also to point out technical deficiencies/mistakes individual players are making. I don’t think coaches should be expected to have any role in S&C/SAQ training, but the better clubs at least offer some form of general programming for their players…Doesn’t seem that common in the clubs in our area, though.
Pepe wrote:Obviously everyone still must "develop". Even pros still practice and get better... but it's not the supreme goal of a ECNL U16+ coach. These girls are being scouted and competing at the USYNT level! When they see issues, they address them, but we need a coach to coach to win (mostly). Girls are learning nuances for extreme talent, not developing skills they don't already know very well.
I think the difference is developing seems to mean early years vice later. No one stops learning and growing, but certainly done developing.
It still should be. Based on my experience with VDA, it definitely wasn’t even on the radar for the coach and ECNL Director, but hopefully your experience is better.
retiredref wrote:novasoccer15324 wrote:Encl and GA are more about selection the development.
I think that's the issue he's trying to point out. If your goal is to play in college fine, but if your goal is to be the best player you can be you shouldn't stop player development at U15 or whenever you sign a letter of intent. Choosing a club/team that will get you in front of the most college coaches could ignore other factors, it's a shame you have to balance development vs visibility instead of finding a club that does both.
Yes, you got it, that’s exactly my point. Its about reaching one’s potential and being as ready as possible for the college game.
Pepe wrote:novasoccer15324 wrote:
I won't name names but if you take some of the more successful coaches on this list by measurement of trophies they have won, and you put them with developing players, most of them would struggle. On this list you're going to run into coaches who do not know how to develop players, only know how to crack the whip on them and motivate them to play harder and be more competitive players, but not actually develop them more. That is why they don't work with younger age groups and they don't work with developmental players, only players who have already made it to a very high level. This masks their lack of coaching ability.
How does this relate to college coaches then? Aren't high-level/high-performing teams essentially college-lite teams? I'd argue they are and for our team who have top tier players and those who make ENCL national selection games, they are college players just waiting until they graduate. Never mind the fact some are already verbally committed to D1s. Very little to develop when they are top U17 talent other than now it's about how you USE the players in situations and counter opposing teams formations and style of play. Now they are coaching, not developing... two totally different mindsets.
That is more or less the typical mindset (regarding development) in US Soccer, and based on my experience w/ VDA, not surprised that would be what you see if you are there. But do you really think a 16 year old junior likely DOESN’T have a lot they still need to develop to have success in 2-3-4 years? I wouldn’t ignore how some of a prior clubs ‘21 and ‘22 players are doing at the next level - e.g. are they getting minutes, etc., especially if they were a highly rated recruit for their school, like the ‘22 VDA players at Wake Forest.
MadridFan wrote:ECNL is US Club Soccer, so it is unlikely you can transfer to another club that plays USCS.
You do not need a USCS release to play for a club in US Youth Soccer. So you can move to an EDP club/team without a release.
Our player plays on both a USCS team and a USYS team and has player cards for both entities.
Agree - definitely should not be a problem to card him w/ a USYS team. A new club, though, will probably ask where he is coming from and that he is ‘leaving in good standing’ — so I’d think about how to approach that, i.e. level with them or tell them he hasn’t been playing club because of HS and hope they don’t keep asking questions.
It is hard to go from ECNL to ECNL in the fall, but I’ve seen it a few times where a player has been (or the parent has claimed) mistreated by coaches/teammates and the original club is quick to release them.
It’s great that all of these mergers of clubs that are an hour away from one another are happening so that about a dozen adults can stay employed as mediocre (at-best) TDs/Directors. Meanwhile, 1000s of kids are wasting time they could be on the field in the car and we are burning enough gas to keep a small gulf nation encrusted in gold.
TSJFCVBANVA+
whothey wrote:SoccerSkeptic wrote:whothey wrote:AnonymousNOT wrote:Cruzado wrote:AnonymousNOT wrote:So I have attended a few High School games already and have noticed some MSL Next players from SYC playing High School soccer at various schools.
According to MLS Next rules and regulations, players are NOT allowed to play High School soccer.
If Alexandria can do the right thing and follow MLS Next rules why can't SYC do the same?
Give SYC the benefit of the doubt -- maybe they don't know that one of their players is also playing for his HS team in violation of the rules.
I'd report it to SYC. I'd also report it to MLS Next. It's unfair and poor sportsmanship to flout the rules of the league.
This is not one or two MLS Next players in HS teams. The kids know them and talk about it. This is not a HS problem but, once again, SYC breaking the rules.
What rule is SYC breaking?
Did you not read any of the posts in this thread? MLSNext players aren't allowed to play high school soccer.
That would be players breaking the rules, not the club.
But, even if they are playing, why do you care?
Because he doesn’t want his kid playing against kids that are actually really working hard to become better players.
Cruzado wrote:AnonymousNOT wrote:So I have attended a few High School games already and have noticed some MSL Next players from SYC playing High School soccer at various schools.
According to MLS Next rules and regulations, players are NOT allowed to play High School soccer.
If Alexandria can do the right thing and follow MLS Next rules why can't SYC do the same?
Give SYC the benefit of the doubt -- maybe they don't know that one of their players is also playing for his HS team in violation of the rules.
I'd report it to SYC. I'd also report it to MLS Next. It's unfair and poor sportsmanship to flout the rules of the league.
Report a 15/16/17 year old kid because he wants to play soccer? Get a life. You don’t know what that kid’s status is with SYC. He might be on the outs with the club and, even if he’s not, mind your own business.
ProRel wrote:SoccerSkeptic wrote:Agree with previous posters. Adding a third club is good in theory for VDA, but I don't see many Herndon families commuting an hour or two with traffic 4 days a week to haymarket or woodbridge. VDA tried something similar with Vienna a few years ago and that didn't last long because of the distance and that was when they were special and had the full DA. There are several other ECNL/MLSnext clubs that are closer for Herndon families. Plus, didn't Herndon lose a lot of their top kids and coaches due to the total futbol split?
yep. empty press release that will result in little or no player movement. notice they didn't even bother to change the vda logo to include herndon alongside vsa and pwsi.
Herndon announced a partnership with Arlington about 10 months ago - end of April 2021. Is that still in effect? What is the over/under on a Herndon partnership with Loudoun or BRAVE in the next 9 months? Or do those clubs practice too close to Herndon?