Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One that connects passes and plays together as a team that also has 1 or 2 star players who understands they can’t win without the team around them. All of this however cannot be done without real leadership from a coach.

/thread.

I like that, and for reference my daughter's current top 20ish ECNL team (not DMV) does not operate this way currently and still is rankes that high. We would be moving to the other local team if it weren't for the age change. It's this one particular coach fostering the hero ball. It wins, but it's absolutely crap ⚽ with plenty of kids being underutilized.

Sounds like BSC, be brave say it with your chest. You are from the DMV.

Anonymous wrote:Central Location and great sponsorship and funding (Arlington)

Pool model and no set 1st team to encourage competition from week to week (Achilles)

Don’t care about wins and losses and focus on development (Achilles)

Great facilities (Alexandria, Loudoun, VRSC)

Experienced coaches and supplemental programming (Bethesda)

Available free play on non-practice days (no one)

Development model by age group and mandatory review of player IDP 2x a year (no one). For example, U12’s should run a xxx and be able to juggle xx times in 3 tries. You will be able to do xx by the time you are U13.

Is having sponsorships to defray fees for parents/pay coaches more?

Anonymous wrote:Central Location and great sponsorship and funding (Arlington)

Pool model and no set 1st team to encourage competition from week to week (Achilles)

Don’t care about wins and losses and focus on development (Achilles)

Great facilities (Alexandria, Loudoun, VRSC)

Experienced coaches and supplemental programming (Bethesda)

Available free play on non-practice days (no one)

Development model by age group and mandatory review of player IDP 2x a year (no one). For example, U12’s should run a xxx and be able to juggle xx times in 3 tries. You will be able to do xx by the time you are U13.

I’m not familiar with Alexandria’s facilities. Where do they play games and practice?

Central Location and great sponsorship and funding (Arlington)

Pool model and no set 1st team to encourage competition from week to week (Achilles)

Don’t care about wins and losses and focus on development (Achilles)

Great facilities (Alexandria, Loudoun, VRSC)

Experienced coaches and supplemental programming (Bethesda)

Available free play on non-practice days (no one)

Development model by age group and mandatory review of player IDP 2x a year (no one). For example, U12’s should run a xxx and be able to juggle xx times in 3 tries. You will be able to do xx by the time you are U13.

Look for clubs that occasionally strike gold and have a great team vs those that consistently have good teams and also occasionally have a great one.

That’s a sign of a good culture and normally is pretty obvious from the top down as opposed to crap that occasionally gets lucky. I’d say it’s probably a 50/50 split between those two.

Wow. This is a loaded question, but I would like to play along.

Some background in this...My DD has played at a much higher level than my DS. For reference, he played club but at the lowest level. No real overnight travel required. He's a college soph. His experience was rolling with the punches of team changes and different kids coming in and out, but overall, he enjoyed his experience for what is was.

DD is playing ECNL and is now U17. She's been recruited to play D1 at a P4 school.

What makes a good club? Sometimes it's beyond the team stuff. She's had coaches and DOC's at the club that have supported her and recognized that she wasn't joking around when she said she was committed and wanted to play at a higher level. Coaches that were willing to listen and work with her on plans on how to develop. Coaches that she felt comfortable with talking to and asking about issues - whether it was about positional stuff, how the last game went, etc.

For a team, that's tough to because you really can't pick your teammates as you get higher in competitive play. My DD is lucky in that she has played with the same core group of girls since U13 and there are a group of them that she's know since U10.

But, even know, there has been some separation in the team - there are groups that will spend more time together when at showcases and what not, but if there's a team dinner, all will show up and do still get along.

Oh yeah, parents can also make and break a team - we've had our share of parental drama, but for the most part, the club has managed to keep a lid on it and not let it get grossly out of hand. There have been moments, but it's for the most part contained.

IDK. It's so tough to figure all this stuff out. I feel that we've been really fortunate that my DD had this experience and while there's been ups and downs, it's for the most part been really positive.

Good Luck!

A good club team for me is one that has a good relationship with the parents/coaches.
A coach that nurtures the girls and wants to see them be their best by encouraging not belittling.
Where all the kids gat playing time. Doesnt have to be equal 100% but no one on the team should sit on the bench an entire game.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One that connects passes and plays together as a team that also has 1 or 2 star players who understands they can’t win without the team around them. All of this however cannot be done without real leadership from a coach.

/thread.

Coach leadership is one who is not afraid to step on toes whether parent or player in a non abusive way.

This must be for U18 and older

Definitely not for u-littles

Anonymous wrote:One that connects passes and plays together as a team that also has 1 or 2 star players who understands they can’t win without the team around them. All of this however cannot be done without real leadership from a coach.

/thread.

Coach leadership is one who is not afraid to step on toes whether parent or player in a non abusive way.

Anonymous wrote:One that connects passes and plays together as a team that also has 1 or 2 star players who understands they can’t win without the team around them. All of this however cannot be done without real leadership from a coach.

/thread.

+ decent parents to deal with.

One with coaches who played the game at the highest levels and are from true soccer cultures and parents who are actually knowledgeable of the sport

Those are the best youth clubs

Anonymous wrote:One that connects passes and plays together as a team that also has 1 or 2 star players who understands they can’t win without the team around them. All of this however cannot be done without real leadership from a coach.

/thread.

I like that, and for reference my daughter's current top 20ish ECNL team (not DMV) does not operate this way currently and still is rankes that high. We would be moving to the other local team if it weren't for the age change. It's this one particular coach fostering the hero ball. It wins, but it's absolutely crap ⚽ with plenty of kids being underutilized.

One that connects passes and plays together as a team that also has 1 or 2 star players who understands they can’t win without the team around them. All of this however cannot be done without real leadership from a coach.

/thread.

Anonymous wrote:So many of these threads turn into ECNL is better than GA or MLSN is better than ECNL, etc. Then it goes south when the "that team isn't any good anyway" or you wasted time and money if you are not P4. So my question is - Can you define what a good club team is to you?

I'm more involved on the girls side, so from what I get from reading a lot of thread on here is ...

If you DD doesn't play for a team that is sending 12 of the 18 to P4 schools, the next 4 to D1 and the final 2 to High academic D3 like (MIT)...you have no business discussing soccer and should play rec.

Is this post from new club wondering what to put in your marketing material?

So many of these threads turn into ECNL is better than GA or MLSN is better than ECNL, etc. Then it goes south when the "that team isn't any good anyway" or you wasted time and money if you are not P4. So my question is - Can you define what a good club team is to you?

I'm more involved on the girls side, so from what I get from reading a lot of thread on here is ...

If you DD doesn't play for a team that is sending 12 of the 18 to P4 schools, the next 4 to D1 and the final 2 to High academic D3 like (MIT)...you have no business discussing soccer and should play rec.