Alexandria is basically blurring the line between soccer and futsal. This is a mistake. A good soccer player does not make a good futsal player and vice versa. They aren't even bothering trying kids out by watching them play futsal. They are simply observing them playing soccer and assigning them a futsal team. Basically, they've given up on futsal and are using the program to rake in more money in the winter months. Sad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the Metro coaches meddled in the teams and offered spots to girls who did not even try out. Then those girls did not show up to practice or games. Alexandria administration definitely messed up but they are trying to fix it this year. But, girls who have played for years but don't play for Alexandria travel are going to lose out. However, there are other options.

Interesting. The new guidance seems to say that all ID participants from last season (inside/outside club) are guaranteed a spot, just not on a particular team (red/white/blue...). https://alexandria-soccer.org/academy-futsal-2023-24/

I'm thinking reasonably effective players (including attending most of the practices) last year from outside the club (or from inside for that matter) can expect to be placed back onto their old ID team or plus or minus one level at most, no?

I don't actually think they are going to give priority to non-Alexandria players- no matter how long they have played futsal. I can't imagine girls are going to be like- sure I will take the 4th team slot so I can play bad futsal. They will go other places.

Op here, so do is there an actual opportunity for an out of club girl to play on a higher level team for alexandria or are they beholden to their outdoor travel players?

Alexandria futsal had a great year last year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the Metro coaches meddled in the teams and offered spots to girls who did not even try out. Then those girls did not show up to practice or games. Alexandria administration definitely messed up but they are trying to fix it this year. But, girls who have played for years but don't play for Alexandria travel are going to lose out. However, there are other options.

Interesting. The new guidance seems to say that all ID participants from last season (inside/outside club) are guaranteed a spot, just not on a particular team (red/white/blue...). https://alexandria-soccer.org/academy-futsal-2023-24/

I'm thinking reasonably effective players (including attending most of the practices) last year from outside the club (or from inside for that matter) can expect to be placed back onto their old ID team or plus or minus one level at most, no?

I don't actually think they are going to give priority to non-Alexandria players- no matter how long they have played futsal. I can't imagine girls are going to be like- sure I will take the 4th team slot so I can play bad futsal. They will go other places.

Anonymous wrote:the Metro coaches meddled in the teams and offered spots to girls who did not even try out. Then those girls did not show up to practice or games. Alexandria administration definitely messed up but they are trying to fix it this year. But, girls who have played for years but don't play for Alexandria travel are going to lose out. However, there are other options.

Interesting. The new guidance seems to say that all ID participants from last season (inside/outside club) are guaranteed a spot, just not on a particular team (red/white/blue...). https://alexandria-soccer.org/academy-futsal-2023-24/

I'm thinking reasonably effective players (including attending most of the practices) last year from outside the club (or from inside for that matter) can expect to be placed back onto their old ID team or plus or minus one level at most, no?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria is changing how they do futsal this year because they had major blowback about last years experience. Priority for teams is going to go to current Alexandria players. If you are a non-Alexandria player but played last year- you are guaranteed some sort of spot but they are going to try to keep teams more reflective of their travel teams. Last year, competition went way down and teams were not great. I blame the Metro coaches for some of this so it is nice to see Alexandria families being listened to. It does stink for the non-Alexandria players who have done futsal with Alexandria for years but the St James is a great option.

Metro had nothing to do with futsal. It's all on Alexandria and their crazy families.

the Metro coaches meddled in the teams and offered spots to girls who did not even try out. Then those girls did not show up to practice or games. Alexandria administration definitely messed up but they are trying to fix it this year. But, girls who have played for years but don't play for Alexandria travel are going to lose out. However, there are other options.

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria is changing how they do futsal this year because they had major blowback about last years experience. Priority for teams is going to go to current Alexandria players. If you are a non-Alexandria player but played last year- you are guaranteed some sort of spot but they are going to try to keep teams more reflective of their travel teams. Last year, competition went way down and teams were not great. I blame the Metro coaches for some of this so it is nice to see Alexandria families being listened to. It does stink for the non-Alexandria players who have done futsal with Alexandria for years but the St James is a great option.

Metro had nothing to do with futsal. It's all on Alexandria and their crazy families.

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria is changing how they do futsal this year because they had major blowback about last years experience. Priority for teams is going to go to current Alexandria players. If you are a non-Alexandria player but played last year- you are guaranteed some sort of spot but they are going to try to keep teams more reflective of their travel teams. Last year, competition went way down and teams were not great. I blame the Metro coaches for some of this so it is nice to see Alexandria families being listened to. It does stink for the non-Alexandria players who have done futsal with Alexandria for years but the St James is a great option.

Alexandria screwed everything up last year. Horribly run club and the executive director blames everyone but himself. Go to Arlington. they will have a more robust program.

Alexandria is changing how they do futsal this year because they had major blowback about last years experience. Priority for teams is going to go to current Alexandria players. If you are a non-Alexandria player but played last year- you are guaranteed some sort of spot but they are going to try to keep teams more reflective of their travel teams. Last year, competition went way down and teams were not great. I blame the Metro coaches for some of this so it is nice to see Alexandria families being listened to. It does stink for the non-Alexandria players who have done futsal with Alexandria for years but the St James is a great option.

Anonymous wrote:Intensity is all hype and marketing. The teams really deteriorate once they hit u13.

They've only been around a couple of years I thought?

Intensity is all hype and marketing. The teams really deteriorate once they hit u13.

The problem with Futsal is that there are a few Clubs that are devoted to it and essentially have had the same teams since the kids were U9. They play in tournaments and practice several times a week. These teams are the minority which is why in most local leagues the scores are so lopsided.

The majority of Futsal teams in the area are just a bunch of friends or kids from an outdoor Club that get together on the weekend just to play games. They are looking at having fun and trying out individual skill, etc. They are going up against these Futsal teams that do 'pick plays' and have tactical Futsal training and regular 3X a week practices from November-March, tournaments in the summer.

My kids have done it all over the past 10 years--teams with friends, teams at a Club that has designated Futsal and a year-round Futsal team.

I wish there were more options because there is a type of monopoly on Futsal in the local area. The other draw back is some of the Clubs just basically stick their top outdoor players on their top Futsal team even though outdoor and Futsal are so different and the best outdoor are not necessarily the best at Futsal. In other countries, they treat Futsal like a completely different sport.

I do like that it is beginning to catch on around the US because, personally, I find it much more exciting to watch than outdoor soccer and most kids I know absolutely love playing it. It can be high scoring and you can have a major comeback in a short amount of time just like basketball.

My child played there a few years ago and didn't enjoy the experience. The skill level on what was supposed to be a competitive team was super uneven, but they consistently entered the team in tournaments against very highly skilled opponents, and the team got slaughtered 19-0 etc. I get that it is not all about winning, but it should also not be about an absolute blow out loss in 80 plus percent of the games. That's not fun.


Yes, most of the very best players in the area play futsal in the winter. If you enter a tournament, be prepared to get smashed unless your kid is on a team with some of the very best players in the area and he or she is also one....even if there coach is a National team coach or whatever. Coaching really doesn't matter much. There are some low level leagues like Metro Futsal League. It used to run out of George Mason.

Correct, I understand that. However, my child has also played with the St. James and Alexandria leagues in different years, and was matched against more appropriate opponents.

Alexandria’s league wasn’t very competitive last year. Lots of blowouts. A lot of teams do St James instead of the Alexandria league now.

Latin American teams start futsal at young ages before soccer. You can play futsal and not play soccer but if you play futsal really well I bet you could be good at soccer. Futsal is all technique. As a star striker on her top club team she also averages 4-5 goals each futsal game.