How many boys are in the 2010 age group at Achilles and what league do they play in?

Stoddert practices in NW.
And PPA, for the younger set, I think?

My son is a 2010 boy on Achilles. The vibe is definitely intense, but I don't think my son has ever felt slighted for not being one of the very best players. In fact, I get the sense that the coaches love his tenacity and how much he's improved under their guidance. They all know him well and encourage what has been impressive progress. So if your kid really loves the game and is a hard worker, I think Achilles can be a good fit, even if he's not among the best players. At age 8, there's a lot of time for development, so potential and hard work will be acknowledged just as much as pure skill.

Achilles practices in NW at St John's High School, by the way.

Do any travel teams have practice in NW DC?

2019/2020 Washington Capital FC Tryouts

Tryout registration is now available for the 2019/2020 season.

Boys sessions will be held May 6-May 11.
Girls sessions will be held May 13- May 18.

The full schedule can be found on our website. https://capitalfc.org/tryouts

Thanks, this is really helpful, much appreciated.

Anonymous wrote:How would you compare Achilles to Bethesda?

On the whole, quality of training is better at Achilles but it has all the same problems as Bethesda on a smaller but more intense scale. The favored teams and players at Achilles train more days a week than the others - the club advertises 3 days a week year round but not all teams get that. Last year there was indoor winter training for all teams but the promised indoor training this winter disappeared for some ( but not all) teams without explanation and never happened. There’s been no communication to teams getting only 2 practices a week this spring or explanation as to why other teams get 3 days a week. Achilles also advertises academy style training with the head guy coaching but that’s not really what the club does and the head coach usually isn’t present for practice of teams he doesn’t care about. Intentionally or not, the staff at Achilles makes it very obvious which players and teams they care about and which they don’t and the kids pick up on it. It makes for an intense and toxic environment with lots of discouraged kids. If your player is a very top player, I’d recommend Achilles over Bethesda. If not, you may be better off at Bethesda where there are more resources to filter down to the lower players and teams.

How would you compare Achilles to Bethesda?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking for options for a 2010 boy in Upper NW. Are there still tryouts for travel available? Which clubs would you recommend?

I don’t know schedules, but there are good options.

Achilles and PPA are probably best upper NW DC options. Stoddert travel and DCYFC are there too, depending what works for you and your kid(s).

Stoddert travel is the oldest in the NW neighborhood and has a lot of travel team levels, but not convinced they’re doing a great job keeping up with the level of training of the newer clubs in the area.

PPA has lots of flexibility and goes from barely travel to pretty competitive travel.

Achilles tends to have strongest players, the most intense skill based training, and a few really strong teams, but is still filling out as a club and has fewer teams that vary by age group.

DCYFC is less competitive, but also much less expensive.

Some people in the area still commute to Bethesda, which is a lot for kids and now seems unnecessary given the solid options in NW DC for every level from bottom to top.

You really should go to a practice, do the drive, ask about how teams play, and find out where your kid will fit in. It’s a big investment in time and energy and creates inertia in a club that can be hard to turn around. You want to be well informed going in!

Where do these teams practice and how often?

Look at MSC Classic in MoCo. Depending on where you live, you can probably find a team that practices just over the line. McLean is another option.

Anonymous wrote:Looking for options for a 2010 boy in Upper NW. Are there still tryouts for travel available? Which clubs would you recommend?

I don’t know schedules, but there are good options.

Achilles and PPA are probably best upper NW DC options. Stoddert travel and DCYFC are there too, depending what works for you and your kid(s).

Stoddert travel is the oldest in the NW neighborhood and has a lot of travel team levels, but not convinced they’re doing a great job keeping up with the level of training of the newer clubs in the area.

PPA has lots of flexibility and goes from barely travel to pretty competitive travel.

Achilles tends to have strongest players, the most intense skill based training, and a few really strong teams, but is still filling out as a club and has fewer teams that vary by age group.

DCYFC is less competitive, but also much less expensive.

Some people in the area still commute to Bethesda, which is a lot for kids and now seems unnecessary given the solid options in NW DC for every level from bottom to top.

You really should go to a practice, do the drive, ask about how teams play, and find out where your kid will fit in. It’s a big investment in time and energy and creates inertia in a club that can be hard to turn around. You want to be well informed going in!

Stoddert's are the week of the 22nd. Check out their website for dates and times - it's really a mix all week long for the different ages.

Arlington has been a good experience, and is probaby the closest of the non-DC clubs. Tryouts start in May.

Anonymous wrote:Looking for options for a 2010 boy in Upper NW. Are there still tryouts for travel available? Which clubs would you recommend?

Different poster. Following....

Looking for options for a 2010 boy in Upper NW. Are there still tryouts for travel available? Which clubs would you recommend?