Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will not change the system in your lifetime so think outside the box. Our DC, very elite player by every measure, found alternatives outside this system driven by the packs of lemmings and sheep that perpetuate the industrial soccer complex. If you look hard enough, you can find great ways to enjoy the sport and get the added benefit of time back, money back, and all the other things that will open up for your DC. Most parents psychologically can't come to terms with not doing every possible thing for DC to ensure he/she has a future D1 option, even though they should all be smart and educated enough to know that the likelihood is very low, and if it is, it will not be at one of the D1 schools with good soccer programs. Parents willing to pay for every agility training, camp, private, etc. due to the FOMO love to rationalize how much "DC just loves soccer." Now it is DA or ECNL at all cost, with thousands of dollars and games up to 500 miles away, for players that parents surely know are above average at best, just like the multitude of others at all the "elite" clubs in the DMV. You can't change this system, but you can find options outside of it once you drop the charade that your elite DC is so elite that he/she needs this system to be happy. Look around a little more and it will all be OK.

Agreed.

We have enough history in the sport to see---even the very best--look back and question what the worth was. Giving my kids a chance to excel and get incredible exercise/fitness and passion does not require us doing these out of state weekly drives. It just doesn't.

Life is short. I don't want their entire childhood to be missing out on other things in life. Look, if my kids had the talent potential of Pulisic--I would definitely nurture it---but they have to have that passion themselves as well. There's a difference between loving the sport and feeling like you can't breathe without the sport. The latter required by the best. My kids love the sport, but they also love many other things. They don't wake up with the ball, go outside with the ball every day there isn't a practice, every single minute of a weekend, etc. Until they are doing that, I am not driving 6 hours for weekend games.

If your child is doing that and has exceptional genetics, have at it. BUt, 99.99% of players in the DMV aren't there.

I should add I have straight A students that come to academics very easily. If my kid were a very poor student and soccer was the only true passion---the only way to get into college or reason to want to go to college (as was for my sibling) I might be nurturing it anyway I could. I don't believe my sibling would have lasted at a 4-year university of gotten into one without the sport.

Anonymous wrote:There has to be a better way for elite players to play against other elite players without traveling 200+ miles for a game. Between NoVA and MD, there are at least 20 competitive teams in every age category. The major clubs all field strong teams. McLean, Loudoun, Arlington, BRYC, FCV, Bethesda, SAC, MDUnited, Pipeline, Potomac, Frederick, etc. Complement that list with smaller clubs such as Rush, Baltimore Celtic, Baltimore Union, OBGC, ES Soccer Academy, Cerritos, OPSA, Navy Premier, etc.

Why have we allowed egos and various organizations to create separate and competing leagues so that we can spend entire weekends driving our DCs across regions to play amateur soccer?

How do we take the game back?

Anonymous wrote:Our EDP team has four games in Philly or NJ this Fall alone. I find it ridiculous that they cannot find equally matched teams in the area without a 3 hour drive each way.

Anonymous wrote:EDP has worked really well for us. Some very top teams (Baltimore celtic, etc) and travel not past 50 min for everyone we are playing. About 60% home games. Saturday mornings---freeing up the entire weekend from noon Saturday onward NO soccer the rest of the weekend.

My oldest is a U15 and this is the best schedule we've ever had. We've been in NCSL, CCL2 and CCL. I, of course, put my younger one in same place so the entire family has so much more free time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will not change the system in your lifetime so think outside the box. Our DC, very elite player by every measure, found alternatives outside this system driven by the packs of lemmings and sheep that perpetuate the industrial soccer complex. If you look hard enough, you can find great ways to enjoy the sport and get the added benefit of time back, money back, and all the other things that will open up for your DC. Most parents psychologically can't come to terms with not doing every possible thing for DC to ensure he/she has a future D1 option, even though they should all be smart and educated enough to know that the likelihood is very low, and if it is, it will not be at one of the D1 schools with good soccer programs. Parents willing to pay for every agility training, camp, private, etc. due to the FOMO love to rationalize how much "DC just loves soccer." Now it is DA or ECNL at all cost, with thousands of dollars and games up to 500 miles away, for players that parents surely know are above average at best, just like the multitude of others at all the "elite" clubs in the DMV. You can't change this system, but you can find options outside of it once you drop the charade that your elite DC is so elite that he/she needs this system to be happy. Look around a little more and it will all be OK.

Agreed.

We have enough history in the sport to see---even the very best--look back and question what the worth was. Giving my kids a chance to excel and get incredible exercise/fitness and passion does not require us doing these out of state weekly drives. It just doesn't.

Life is short. I don't want their entire childhood to be missing out on other things in life. Look, if my kids had the talent potential of Pulisic--I would definitely nurture it---but they have to have that passion themselves as well. There's a difference between loving the sport and feeling like you can't breathe without the sport. The latter required by the best. My kids love the sport, but they also love many other things. They don't wake up with the ball, go outside with the ball every day there isn't a practice, every single minute of a weekend, etc. Until they are doing that, I am not driving 6 hours for weekend games.

If your child is doing that and has exceptional genetics, have at it. BUt, 99.99% of players in the DMV aren't there.

Anonymous wrote:You will not change the system in your lifetime so think outside the box. Our DC, very elite player by every measure, found alternatives outside this system driven by the packs of lemmings and sheep that perpetuate the industrial soccer complex. If you look hard enough, you can find great ways to enjoy the sport and get the added benefit of time back, money back, and all the other things that will open up for your DC. Most parents psychologically can't come to terms with not doing every possible thing for DC to ensure he/she has a future D1 option, even though they should all be smart and educated enough to know that the likelihood is very low, and if it is, it will not be at one of the D1 schools with good soccer programs. Parents willing to pay for every agility training, camp, private, etc. due to the FOMO love to rationalize how much "DC just loves soccer." Now it is DA or ECNL at all cost, with thousands of dollars and games up to 500 miles away, for players that parents surely know are above average at best, just like the multitude of others at all the "elite" clubs in the DMV. You can't change this system, but you can find options outside of it once you drop the charade that your elite DC is so elite that he/she needs this system to be happy. Look around a little more and it will all be OK.

Anonymous wrote:You will not change the system in your lifetime so think outside the box. Our DC, very elite player by every measure, found alternatives outside this system driven by the packs of lemmings and sheep that perpetuate the industrial soccer complex. If you look hard enough, you can find great ways to enjoy the sport and get the added benefit of time back, money back, and all the other things that will open up for your DC. Most parents psychologically can't come to terms with not doing every possible thing for DC to ensure he/she has a future D1 option, even though they should all be smart and educated enough to know that the likelihood is very low, and if it is, it will not be at one of the D1 schools with good soccer programs. Parents willing to pay for every agility training, camp, private, etc. due to the FOMO love to rationalize how much "DC just loves soccer." Now it is DA or ECNL at all cost, with thousands of dollars and games up to 500 miles away, for players that parents surely know are above average at best, just like the multitude of others at all the "elite" clubs in the DMV. You can't change this system, but you can find options outside of it once you drop the charade that your elite DC is so elite that he/she needs this system to be happy. Look around a little more and it will all be OK.