Anonymous wrote:For some clubs, an open and honest discussion involves bashing

No, you can criticize without bashing. And why the need to bash? If you don't like the club then be big about it and leave. If you don't like another club then silently be glad that your kid is not there.

For some clubs, an open and honest discussion involves bashing

Someone tried to start a DMV forum before but it never took off:

http://dc-area-youth-soccer.freeforums.net/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a VA thread on Talking Soccer, you might want to start posting there.

http://talking-soccer.com/TS4/forumdisplay.php?f=35

Here's the VA link for talking-soccer. I've started threads on that site and haven't gotten a lot of response. I would love to be able to go there instead of the 400-page thread!!

Well, you either drive folks there or just create threads here.

Anonymous wrote:There is a VA thread on Talking Soccer, you might want to start posting there.

http://talking-soccer.com/TS4/forumdisplay.php?f=35

Here's the VA link for talking-soccer. I've started threads on that site and haven't gotten a lot of response. I would love to be able to go there instead of the 400-page thread!!

There is a VA thread on Talking Soccer, you might want to start posting there.

Anonymous wrote:Should I start one?

Go for it!

Anonymous wrote:PSW stopped the forums because they were afraid that posters having open and frank conversations about clubs would piss off their advertisers, ie, those same clubs.

Please give examples of some of this "honest and frank" discussion that is so important that it is worth the endless ego driven club and kid bashing that comes with it?

Should I start one?

PSW stopped the forums because they were afraid that posters having open and frank conversations about clubs would piss off their advertisers, ie, those same clubs.

And to add, Potomac Soccer Wire had hosted a forum that was very very active but the level of snark is what I believe led to them pulling the plug.

Anonymous wrote:Wondering if anyone knows of a youth soccer (or just plain soccer) forum or message board for the local area. I am definitely missing the SoCal Soccer board that I read regularly before we moved here. http://www.socalsoccer.com/ for anyone who's interested. the 400+ page thread on this board, which is where most of my google searches send me, isn't really what I'm looking for.

Please get yourself a jar, and for every time you find yourself saying "in southern cal we..." please put a quarter in it.

I have read this forum, socal, as well as various others, and when you add anonymous with parents ego's club and kid bashing get rampant. For the most part the club bashing is kept at a minimum when compared to NJ or other North East based forums. And despite what a poster said earlier, this forum is actually quite civil in comparison to other forums I have read.

I think if you simply ask what you want to know folks here will answer.

Anonymous wrote:Wondering if anyone knows of a youth soccer (or just plain soccer) forum or message board for the local area. I am definitely missing the SoCal Soccer board that I read regularly before we moved here. http://www.socalsoccer.com/ for anyone who's interested. the 400+ page thread on this board, which is where most of my google searches send me, isn't really what I'm looking for.

This is unfortunate?ly it. I too looked for something similar to the types of threads on the board in N. CA and S. CA, but we have only this DCUM board that stays active. It's usually the same few posters rehashing about leagues, and anytime you name clubs, people get all defensive and the self-appointed monitors come out and complain about the anonymous club bashing. Sometimes there is useful stuff, but the posters here are nowhere near the level of sophistication of some of the details you get out there. I think in part it's due to the fact that you can't be anonymous to post on the CA forums, so people give information and ideas in a different manner. Lots of posters on here who just try to stir the pot. The NY/NJ forums seem closer to what we have here. Good luck.

What is it that you are looking for if it is not in that long thread?

Wondering if anyone knows of a youth soccer (or just plain soccer) forum or message board for the local area. I am definitely missing the SoCal Soccer board that I read regularly before we moved here. http://www.socalsoccer.com/ for anyone who's interested. the 400+ page thread on this board, which is where most of my google searches send me, isn't really what I'm looking for.