Reply to BRYC + VYS = BRAVE not working out so well

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[quote=soccerNOVA][quote=Rountree][quote=soccerNOVA][quote=Rountree]Both BRYC and VYS tried to become something more than what they are - a community soccer team. A team like Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, Achilles, VDA, etc...will pull talent from a 40 mile radius because there is a particular fit for a kid and an opportunity to develop or be part of a talent pool that helps them find success. Is anybody driving an hour each way to play for BRAVE?  I don't think so. Why? Better options close by. BRAVE should be in ECNL-RL and VYS-BRYC should merge to at least make themselves competitive in NCSL. Stop trying to be something you're not. [/quote]

Brave got started around this time last year, which is late for team building at the ECNL level.  There were also some organizational issues and drama at the start especially on the boys side, and the result was that the player pool actually got significantly smaller rather than bigger.  I think the geographical area and population density are big enough to support a successful ECNL club.  Do people really drive 40 miles to VDA?  Some do.  But some of those come from the Fairfax area or from Vienna even, and would likely stay if they had a good option closer to home.  Brave has a lot of work to do to become that good option, but I think its a year or two early to write off the program entirely.  Let's see how things go at ID sessions this year and with the 2010 and 2011 age groups next season.  Then we'll know more.  Relationships with PAC, BAC, FPYC, Villareal would all help.

VYS was a top ECNL-RL club on the girls side and average on the boys side prior to Brave.  If those teams lose 2-3 kids to ECNL instead of 9, then I think that's still where they belong.  Losing too much of their player pool and every team has been playing up a level. Same issue at BRYC although the results are clearly worse.  We'll know more after next season.[/quote]

The unfortunate situation for BRAVE is that the parental / consumer pattern is to find a good fit NOW. They aren't willing to wait around for three years because those are three years of core development. time that they won't get back. As someone who has a boy at another club, I can assure you that we see current BRAVE kids in the 2010 and 2011 age groups coming to ID Sessions all the time at other clubs. So I'd expect that those age groups will lose more talent than they'll gain. I hope I'm wrong...it would be nice if people didn't have to drive so far for a good soccer option. But is anybody willing to wait around for that to happen? Afraid not. Agree that expanding recruiting to other clubs would be beneficial, but I don't think these "relationships" really mean much. It's a free market out there...people are able to go to whatever tryouts they want.[/quote]

I agree with all that.  Most parents also probably don't care about club results overall though.  If the bus shows up on time, practices aren't on a sliver of a field, and club communication is acceptable, then that might be enough.  Beyond that its all about the coach and the team at the one age group where your kids is.  I've never seen them play, but based on the results it looks like the 2010 Brave boys have been competitive and probably have enough to build on going into next year, especially given the late start. I'm not surprised 2010 and 2011 kids are looking around though all over NOVA.  Whether Brave can ultimately retain and attract enough kids - I guess we'll find out.

I just checked and don't see the Brave coaching slate out yet.  They definitely aren't the only club that hasn't released a slate, but that will be important.  What are they telling people about that in ID sessions?

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