Anonymous wrote:I don’t see possession-based soccer here. The kids are athletic and play with intensity, but there is a lot of right back booting it all the way down the field to left corner. Lots of long balls. They do well because their kids play with intensity and are athletic. They do have ball skill. But, it is a much more direct style of play. I think many people have no concept of what constitutes possession-based soccer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see possession-based soccer here. The kids are athletic and play with intensity, but there is a lot of right back booting it all the way down the field to left corner. Lots of long balls. They do well because their kids play with intensity and are athletic. They do have ball skill. But, it is a much more direct style of play. I think many people have no concept of what constitutes possession-based soccer.

Are you talking about Achilles or US soccer in general?

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see possession-based soccer here. The kids are athletic and play with intensity, but there is a lot of right back booting it all the way down the field to left corner. Lots of long balls. They do well because their kids play with intensity and are athletic. They do have ball skill. But, it is a much more direct style of play. I think many people have no concept of what constitutes possession-based soccer.

Anonymous wrote:My son has played for Achilles for 3 years, since its inception. It’s a club for soccer families, not more casual rec players or those whose primary sport is something else. If (A) your son really loves the game, is willing to work very hard, and (B) you appreciate that intense technical training and a fun, supportive playing environment are far more important than whether a young kid is on a “top” team, then definitely have him come to the tryouts.

At Achilles, my son has played on the “top” teams and sometimes not. It’s all about where he needs to be at what time. All of the kids get the best training possible regardless, since there are only 4 coaches and they share coaching responsibilities across teams, also during winter and summer training. Sal mainly coaches the teams that play in the higher EDP divisions but not always, and it just doesn’t even matter. All of the coaches are excellent. The coaches will look for a kid with enthusiasm and potential. They know that many of the “best” players and those in higher playing divisions now will not be the best as they get older, everyone gets more training, and physicality evens out. It makes parents feel better if their kid is on a “top” team but this is NOT what matters at Achilles. The coaches put the kids where they should be. Team rosters change from season to season,, and frequently from game to game as the previous poster mentioned, but this latter aspect might not be the model moving forward. Either way, your son will either make the club or not, but he’ll never know unless he tries!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's only one team of the current U9s. No telling whether there will be two U10 teams in the Fall. Think carefully about joining the club if not on the top team. Also be aware that the head coach moves kids off teams frequently so you may be told one thing one day, but find that it has changed later (with no notice or communication).

That doesn't seem like much fun....

The last Achilles game I watched, there were 12 kids on the team. Only 8 got into the game (7v7), the other four kids just sat.
Not saying that you shouldn't join Achilles, just be aware that they might be the most hyper-competitive squad in the area.

My son is on an achilles 09 team and couldn't be happier. There are a few teams, depending on kids levels. But it's not like other clubs. You don't sign up for the red, white or blue team- you're on the club or you aren't and then you're placed on a certain team at a certain time based on playing ability. There is always a top team, for sure, but rosters change from week to week and any kid who's playing well can get called up to #1 or a kid who's not gets sent to #2. It can literally change week to week and I've seen a lot of the kids move up and down- and not just within one age group. Some 09s play 08 and 07 top teams from time to time, and '10s and a '11 sometimes play with the top '09s. It's very dynamic. But the kids who make the top teams are the kids who don't miss practice and who play in their spare time and they're mostly very skilled! They're super friendly to one another, but they're also all competitors.

The comment above about 8 of 12 playing in a game flat out doesn't make sense. But again, it's not like other clubs. Playing time is pretty even on the lower teams, but not on the top ones. On the top teams kids who played well will play more. Frankly, the kids prefer it because they know they're earning their playing time. There's no "everybody gets a medal," well, there kind of is because the younger teams do really well.

Point is, you should bring your son to Achilles tryouts in May, and go watch practice yourself before that if you can. Your son will fit in and love it or he won't. If he fits in, he'll love practices and he'll get much better quickly, if he doesn't, it wasn't for him. But you'll probably have a good idea after seeing a practice.

When I read this, I had to laugh. Whoever wrote this is being totally and completely disingenuous. I wouldn't even be surprised if the author is working for the club. I will try to cut through the bs and shed some light on the truth. The current 09 team (rising 10 team) is very good. No child trying out should expect to make that team (or the #1 team if there are 2) unless they are an incredibly strong player. I don't know if the current 09s (rising 10s) have a second team. However, if they do, it will be a SAM Select team---meaning, there is pretty much no comparison between the two teams. The EDP team will get all of the focus and best practice times and the SAM team will receive good training, but not much else despite paying the same amount. There is barely any movement between #1 team and #2 team ever. The head coach tells parents that to placate them. From the get go, he has pretty much determined who is on the #1 team and who will never be. And, yes, it is completely true that the rosters are too big that and several kids are not likely to get any play time, particularly if it is a competitive game. Trust me--there might not be a "red, white or blue team" but unless kids are oblivious, they "know their place".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's only one team of the current U9s. No telling whether there will be two U10 teams in the Fall. Think carefully about joining the club if not on the top team. Also be aware that the head coach moves kids off teams frequently so you may be told one thing one day, but find that it has changed later (with no notice or communication).

That doesn't seem like much fun....

The last Achilles game I watched, there were 12 kids on the team. Only 8 got into the game (7v7), the other four kids just sat.
Not saying that you shouldn't join Achilles, just be aware that they might be the most hyper-competitive squad in the area.

My son is on an achilles 09 team and couldn't be happier. There are a few teams, depending on kids levels. But it's not like other clubs. You don't sign up for the red, white or blue team- you're on the club or you aren't and then you're placed on a certain team at a certain time based on playing ability. There is always a top team, for sure, but rosters change from week to week and any kid who's playing well can get called up to #1 or a kid who's not gets sent to #2. It can literally change week to week and I've seen a lot of the kids move up and down- and not just within one age group. Some 09s play 08 and 07 top teams from time to time, and '10s and a '11 sometimes play with the top '09s. It's very dynamic. But the kids who make the top teams are the kids who don't miss practice and who play in their spare time and they're mostly very skilled! They're super friendly to one another, but they're also all competitors.

The comment above about 8 of 12 playing in a game flat out doesn't make sense. But again, it's not like other clubs. Playing time is pretty even on the lower teams, but not on the top ones. On the top teams kids who played well will play more. Frankly, the kids prefer it because they know they're earning their playing time. There's no "everybody gets a medal," well, there kind of is because the younger teams do really well.

Point is, you should bring your son to Achilles tryouts in May, and go watch practice yourself before that if you can. Your son will fit in and love it or he won't. If he fits in, he'll love practices and he'll get much better quickly, if he doesn't, it wasn't for him. But you'll probably have a good idea after seeing a practice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's only one team of the current U9s. No telling whether there will be two U10 teams in the Fall. Think carefully about joining the club if not on the top team. Also be aware that the head coach moves kids off teams frequently so you may be told one thing one day, but find that it has changed later (with no notice or communication).

That doesn't seem like much fun....

The last Achilles game I watched, there were 12 kids on the team. Only 8 got into the game (7v7), the other four kids just sat.
Not saying that you shouldn't join Achilles, just be aware that they might be the most hyper-competitive squad in the area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there's only one team of the current U9s. No telling whether there will be two U10 teams in the Fall. Think carefully about joining the club if not on the top team. Also be aware that the head coach moves kids off teams frequently so you may be told one thing one day, but find that it has changed later (with no notice or communication).

That doesn't seem like much fun....

Anonymous wrote:I think there's only one team of the current U9s. No telling whether there will be two U10 teams in the Fall. Think carefully about joining the club if not on the top team. Also be aware that the head coach moves kids off teams frequently so you may be told one thing one day, but find that it has changed later (with no notice or communication).