My son had pre-travel last year and travel soccer this year with the same club. At some point he said the coach kept being mean to him, and he didn't want to go to practice anymore. I was on the sideline and I didn't observe any excessive yelling, the coach might tell someone to hustle or correct something. He told me other kids in school tells him coaches are mean to them in other teams too. This is the kid who said I was mean to him when I hurried him along in the morning. So I don't think it's coach's fault.

I guess my question is, how did you get your kid to overcome similar phase? When he started soccer he was shocked that other kids foul him intentionally and got upset, I showed him youtube videos such as "most painful fouls in soccer" etc, and that seems made him understand fouls are normal in soccer and he got over it. But looking up coach yelling videos mostly bad things came up.

Our son is heading into grade-3 Level IV AAP. His local school is not a center school, but it also offers grade 3-6 Level IV program. We are not sure if he should stay local or go into center school.

The main reason is that we'd like to have DS and his younger sibling to stay in the same school for a few years, taking the same school bus etc. Just for the sibling experience. The bus to center school is 30 min. earlier than the current 8:40 bus. It is probably easier for the morning scheduling. Also heard the center school program is pretty intense, mostly from peer parents pressure.

The local school has Level III and Level IV students combined in one class.

What might he be missing from the center school program? Anyone who knows both sides to share their experience?

Forget that, it's time to install basketball hoop on the driveway, make soccer goal out of PVC pipes, baseball hitting net....

Kids these days are too addicted to screens and games to enjoy play forts. Save your money.

https://www.typingclub.com/

You can't protect your son from himself. If he wants to go after something and get hurt later, it's his business. Let him try and fail. There is lesson in everything.

https://public.totalglobalsports.com/public/event/2553/individual-club/611/13

HYS can only field two girl ECNL-RL teams. Not sure why, but definitely not enough girls.

Click on any other club, for example, Great Falls and Reston
https://public.totalglobalsports.com/public/event/2553/individual-club/1288/13

Would you "burn any bridges" if you attended tryout, received an offer but turn it down? If you are not going to the club I don't see why you should attend tryout. At least you are not wasting anyone's time.

You can try out for Herndon, Great Fall-Reston. St. James/FCV has a loudoun location but last time I checked their practice are all over loudoun county and some are very far from Fairfax county.

Herndon is a smaller organization, Great Fall-Reston has 50% more players and I think better coaches. Herndon players has lots of latinos while GFR are mostly white.

I don't like Valor because they are more grabby for donation etc. Here are their top team standing:

https://public.totalglobalsports.com/public/event/2561/conference-standings/12

I think the dentist jumped gun a little. My son had shark teeth for six months or more, finally I couldn't wait around and pulled them out using dental floss. The teeth looked like only the top half I suppose the roots have been dissolved but I am not certain. Anyway he is not complaining so I guess it's okay.

I don't have kids playing there, but this is their GIRLS ECNL RL standing this year.

https://public.totalglobalsports.com/public/event/2553/individual-club/4013/13

Anyone been to DC United summer camp? Planning to send my 7 year old to VA site. Is it worth $450 it's charging?

Anonymous wrote:The schools we are considering are: Sangster, Keene Mill, Springfield Estates, and West Springfield.

I think the most important thing is which high school your home address map to. For example, if you live in Springfield Estate, you probably end up in Lewis (Formerly Robert E Lee), college readiness index is 33.3%. West Springfield HS college readiness index is 55%.

Be aware that not everyone in the same elementary goes to the same middle/high school. It's highly address specific.

Hope this will narrow your list down a little.

soccer_dc wrote:FC Virginia is another one you could add to the mix. Mostly a girls club but they are building out the boys side and Chantilly is one of the pre-travel locations added for next year. https://www.fcvirginia.com/page/show/6183159-program-information-

Thanks for the information. I followed up with them, it seems the Chantilly nZone location is only part of their "North Region". The nZone would be their winter indoor location. But their outdoor fields are all over eastern Loudoun and it's not close to our home.

Thanks for the info. That's really helpful.

both Herndon and Reston's coaching are strong. Dulles is kind of weak. e.g. D and E license vs. B and C license

CYA , I am passing since they don't have a full season pre-travel. Even though their fields are closest to our home.

DMV, or Total Futbul, I guess gives us an option for U9 pre travel next year.

The choice seems to be GF/R if he got picked, otherwise Herndon since their pre-travel is open to all. My last question is: what's the pro/con of bigger size of GF/R vs. Herndon?

It's nice to bounce ideas off someone. Don't know anyone playing soccer seriously.

I have a 2015 son who likes soccer, I wasn't originally into travel sports but feels this might makes him happy given his interest so far.

He's accepted in FC Dulles pre-travel. Herndon has a pre-travel program that is open to all. We will try out Reston club pre-travel in July.

But CYA has no pre travel team but Valor has a short pre travel spring session, as far as I can tell. (very outdated and confusing website) Anyone has info on that?

My question would be

(1) which team has better training? I have no idea whether a team took my son because they'll have any paying customer or they do have some standard to uphold.

(2) some club says pre-travel will likely become travel team, how feasible is it we try out next year for another clubs travel team?

(3) what's the story with FC Dulles? I get that CYA, Herndon, Reston are town/area based with multiple sports, but Dulles seems to be just focused on soccer.

New to this board, has a lot catching up to do.