Thanks PP. Very helpful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's much better to be coming from the top team elsewhere. Clubs love players from other teams. Most will select from elsewhere instead of promoting from within. And are you confident that your daughter will be the very best player on the B team? She's never getting promoted if she's not. Finally, even if she is, she can get pigeonholed into being a defensive player (or offensive) and maybe the ECNL need will be for the opposite so they'll go outside of the club anyway.

Sad truth is her DD will be u14 the following year and coming from Stoddert’s top team will not mean much. Stoddert just does not have a rep for developing girls. Stoddert u13 blue will play CCL. CCL at u13 becomes a second tier league because all the big clubs’ top teams move to DA or ENCL. So you are basically playing in the same league as the big clubs second- ie you are coming from what they consider an equivalent of a second team. Also at u14 they do not take many kids from outside the program unless you are star. Tough any way you look at it.

Plus, in the situation in which your DD is a star for Stoddert's top team and has the potential to make the ECNL team in the next year, then presumably she'd also be a star for BSC's White team. In that case, she'd be more likely to get on the BSC coaches' radar by being a standout for the White team for a good chunk of the season and the dozens and dozens of practices and games where she'd be observed by the BSC coaches, as compared to a situation in which she comes over from Stoddert for 2 tryout sessions and maybe a few practices beforehand.

Much better to be with BSC for the full year and avoid the extra nerves and lack of familiarity that can hurt a girl when she's trying out at a new club, with new players and coaches.

What if she only makes Bethesda's 3rd team?

Don't bother with a spot on Bethesda's 3rd team unless it is convenient for you. It will not get you what you want, if you have your sights on ECNL 1. The truth is that once placed on the 3rd team, moving up within BSC means spending a year on the 3rd team, and if you improve a whole lot, moving to the 2nd team. The default assumption is that you are a 3rd team player for life. Rarely, a player makes a bigger leap, but it is generally due to a large investment in private outside coaching. BSC's reputation rests on the competitive nature of kids and parents in Montgomery County, the lack of other serious girls options (until recently) and its ability to grab the most talented players from other clubs in the later years with the ECNL brand. On the third team, you will find some terrific, committed, less-naturally-gifted kids, and others who have other interests that are just as important to them as soccer. The third team always is short handed at games, always has people quitting mid year, and always gets the worst practice times and locations.

NP. u13 try outs at BSC bring out a lot of kids bc of folks wanting to go to an ECNL team who previously played at smaller clubs. That can shake things up a bit though at same time U13 expands to larger roster Also new for 2019-2020 season, U13 B team will play in new ECNL2 league . There are various opinions on this but factually, it changes the league from past BSC u13 teams

Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's much better to be coming from the top team elsewhere. Clubs love players from other teams. Most will select from elsewhere instead of promoting from within. And are you confident that your daughter will be the very best player on the B team? She's never getting promoted if she's not. Finally, even if she is, she can get pigeonholed into being a defensive player (or offensive) and maybe the ECNL need will be for the opposite so they'll go outside of the club anyway.

Sad truth is her DD will be u14 the following year and coming from Stoddert’s top team will not mean much. Stoddert just does not have a rep for developing girls. Stoddert u13 blue will play CCL. CCL at u13 becomes a second tier league because all the big clubs’ top teams move to DA or ENCL. So you are basically playing in the same league as the big clubs second- ie you are coming from what they consider an equivalent of a second team. Also at u14 they do not take many kids from outside the program unless you are star. Tough any way you look at it.

Plus, in the situation in which your DD is a star for Stoddert's top team and has the potential to make the ECNL team in the next year, then presumably she'd also be a star for BSC's White team. In that case, she'd be more likely to get on the BSC coaches' radar by being a standout for the White team for a good chunk of the season and the dozens and dozens of practices and games where she'd be observed by the BSC coaches, as compared to a situation in which she comes over from Stoddert for 2 tryout sessions and maybe a few practices beforehand.

Much better to be with BSC for the full year and avoid the extra nerves and lack of familiarity that can hurt a girl when she's trying out at a new club, with new players and coaches.

What if she only makes Bethesda's 3rd team?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's much better to be coming from the top team elsewhere. Clubs love players from other teams. Most will select from elsewhere instead of promoting from within. And are you confident that your daughter will be the very best player on the B team? She's never getting promoted if she's not. Finally, even if she is, she can get pigeonholed into being a defensive player (or offensive) and maybe the ECNL need will be for the opposite so they'll go outside of the club anyway.

Sad truth is her DD will be u14 the following year and coming from Stoddert’s top team will not mean much. Stoddert just does not have a rep for developing girls. Stoddert u13 blue will play CCL. CCL at u13 becomes a second tier league because all the big clubs’ top teams move to DA or ENCL. So you are basically playing in the same league as the big clubs second- ie you are coming from what they consider an equivalent of a second team. Also at u14 they do not take many kids from outside the program unless you are star. Tough any way you look at it.

Plus, in the situation in which your DD is a star for Stoddert's top team and has the potential to make the ECNL team in the next year, then presumably she'd also be a star for BSC's White team. In that case, she'd be more likely to get on the BSC coaches' radar by being a standout for the White team for a good chunk of the season and the dozens and dozens of practices and games where she'd be observed by the BSC coaches, as compared to a situation in which she comes over from Stoddert for 2 tryout sessions and maybe a few practices beforehand.

Much better to be with BSC for the full year and avoid the extra nerves and lack of familiarity that can hurt a girl when she's trying out at a new club, with new players and coaches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's much better to be coming from the top team elsewhere. Clubs love players from other teams. Most will select from elsewhere instead of promoting from within. And are you confident that your daughter will be the very best player on the B team? She's never getting promoted if she's not. Finally, even if she is, she can get pigeonholed into being a defensive player (or offensive) and maybe the ECNL need will be for the opposite so they'll go outside of the club anyway.

Sad truth is her DD will be u14 the following year and coming from Stoddert’s top team will not mean much. Stoddert just does not have a rep for developing girls. Stoddert u13 blue will play CCL. CCL at u13 becomes a second tier league because all the big clubs’ top teams move to DA or ENCL. So you are basically playing in the same league as the big clubs second- ie you are coming from what they consider an equivalent of a second team. Also at u14 they do not take many kids from outside the program unless you are star. Tough any way you look at it.

Thanks all, this is what we suspected. Time to readjust our sights!

Anonymous wrote:I actually think it's much better to be coming from the top team elsewhere. Clubs love players from other teams. Most will select from elsewhere instead of promoting from within. And are you confident that your daughter will be the very best player on the B team? She's never getting promoted if she's not. Finally, even if she is, she can get pigeonholed into being a defensive player (or offensive) and maybe the ECNL need will be for the opposite so they'll go outside of the club anyway.

Sad truth is her DD will be u14 the following year and coming from Stoddert’s top team will not mean much. Stoddert just does not have a rep for developing girls. Stoddert u13 blue will play CCL. CCL at u13 becomes a second tier league because all the big clubs’ top teams move to DA or ENCL. So you are basically playing in the same league as the big clubs second- ie you are coming from what they consider an equivalent of a second team. Also at u14 they do not take many kids from outside the program unless you are star. Tough any way you look at it.

I actually think it's much better to be coming from the top team elsewhere. Clubs love players from other teams. Most will select from elsewhere instead of promoting from within. And are you confident that your daughter will be the very best player on the B team? She's never getting promoted if she's not. Finally, even if she is, she can get pigeonholed into being a defensive player (or offensive) and maybe the ECNL need will be for the opposite so they'll go outside of the club anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were looking at a league/competition level which is "better" you're probably looking for the wrong thing.

Honestly, at the Green team level of BSC you are probably better served playing at a club a) that is closer to your house and b) where your kid has friends and c) the coach and their strategy for developing your kid. I wouldn't go out of my way for BSC Green (or Stoddert's comparable level) unless it was significantly 'better' on one of the three reasons I listed.

Yes agree with above unless you think DD can and wants to play on DA/ENCL. Thought by u13 you should have an idea of how she stacks up.

Here are the ranking of teams. This will give you a general idea of where the teams are now but do not put too much stock in them. For example the 2nd teams can have their best players guest on the upper team at tournaments. As a result they lose and the 2nd teams ranking go down. More common below u13. I assume your DD is a rising 07?

Stoddert u12 blue girls
Region 302
State((va) 37
Score 25.89

BSC u12 White girls
Region 230
State(md) 22
Score 26.44

Most likely would end up playing in the same tournaments and brackets. Stoddert seems to avoid the bigger tournaments in favor of smaller ones. I do not know if that is a club policy or if BSC’s reputation gets them into bigger tournaments. Neither team will see college scouts so pick what’s best for your family.

I'd agree with this. However, if your DD wants to make ECNL eventually, IMO there is a benefit to accepting a spot on B team because your DD will become more well known to the club's coaches and may be in a better position to make the ECNL team in subsequent years than if she stayed with Stoddert and kept coming back in the spring for tryouts[b].

This is what we were thinking as the primary benefit of going to the 2nd or 3rd tier team at Bethesda (I'm told the teams are, in order of strength, ECNL, ECNL 2, and State Cup). If DD makes any of the teams, it would be the ECNL 2 or State Cup.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were looking at a league/competition level which is "better" you're probably looking for the wrong thing.

Honestly, at the Green team level of BSC you are probably better served playing at a club a) that is closer to your house and b) where your kid has friends and c) the coach and their strategy for developing your kid. I wouldn't go out of my way for BSC Green (or Stoddert's comparable level) unless it was significantly 'better' on one of the three reasons I listed.

Yes agree with above unless you think DD can and wants to play on DA/ENCL. Thought by u13 you should have an idea of how she stacks up.

Here are the ranking of teams. This will give you a general idea of where the teams are now but do not put too much stock in them. For example the 2nd teams can have their best players guest on the upper team at tournaments. As a result they lose and the 2nd teams ranking go down. More common below u13. I assume your DD is a rising 07?

Stoddert u12 blue girls
Region 302
State((va) 37
Score 25.89

BSC u12 White girls
Region 230
State(md) 22
Score 26.44

Most likely would end up playing in the same tournaments and brackets. Stoddert seems to avoid the bigger tournaments in favor of smaller ones. I do not know if that is a club policy or if BSC’s reputation gets them into bigger tournaments. Neither team will see college scouts so pick what’s best for your family.

I'd agree with this. However, if your DD wants to make ECNL eventually, IMO there is a benefit to accepting a spot on B team because your DD will become more well known to the club's coaches and may be in a better position to make the ECNL team in subsequent years than if she stayed with Stoddert and kept coming back in the spring for tryouts.

Anonymous wrote:If you were looking at a league/competition level which is "better" you're probably looking for the wrong thing.

Honestly, at the Green team level of BSC you are probably better served playing at a club a) that is closer to your house and b) where your kid has friends and c) the coach and their strategy for developing your kid. I wouldn't go out of my way for BSC Green (or Stoddert's comparable level) unless it was significantly 'better' on one of the three reasons I listed.

Yes agree with above unless you think DD can and wants to play on DA/ENCL. Thought by u13 you should have an idea of how she stacks up.

Here are the ranking of teams. This will give you a general idea of where the teams are now but do not put too much stock in them. For example the 2nd teams can have their best players guest on the upper team at tournaments. As a result they lose and the 2nd teams ranking go down. More common below u13. I assume your DD is a rising 07?

Stoddert u12 blue girls
Region 302
State((va) 37
Score 25.89

BSC u12 White girls
Region 230
State(md) 22
Score 26.44

Most likely would end up playing in the same tournaments and brackets. Stoddert seems to avoid the bigger tournaments in favor of smaller ones. I do not know if that is a club policy or if BSC’s reputation gets them into bigger tournaments. Neither team will see college scouts so pick what’s best for your family.

If you were looking at a league/competition level which is "better" you're probably looking for the wrong thing.

Honestly, at the Green team level of BSC you are probably better served playing at a club a) that is closer to your house and b) where your kid has friends and c) the coach and their strategy for developing your kid. I wouldn't go out of my way for BSC Green (or Stoddert's comparable level) unless it was significantly 'better' on one of the three reasons I listed.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't Stoddert's 3rd team play MSI select?

Don’t know, we’re new to both. DD made Stoddert blue and trying out for Bethesda but won’t make the ECNL team.

Doesn't Stoddert's 3rd team play MSI select?

Curious as to how Stoddert G U13 teams compare to Bethesda G U13. I realize nothing at Stoddert can match the BSC ECNL team, but what about the two lower BSC teams? Is BSC’s third team comparable to Stodderrt’s top team?