Anonymous wrote:

PP Here, that is good to hear and that is the right thing to do. Our club seems to have a longevity over talent policy.... i.e., the longer you are with the club, the more likely you will end up on the A team. The coaches always seem to place most new kids automatically on the B team. We have folks we are very frustrated on the B team and we easily have a 30%-50% turnover rate on the B team. All the players that got in on the ground floor( for 2013s and 2014s), except 1, are on the A team now. And all the players who joined a year later, except 1 are on the B team.

This has been my experience as well.

Not all clubs are the same for team placement and movement ect:
*If your club has 2 teams per age group, that would be considered a small club and it will be easier to move up.
*If your club has 3+ teams per age group, expect to start at the bottom and then it is 'sink or swim' time.

Anonymous wrote:Look for a club where the focus is on development, and isnt looking to just take your money. My suggestion is MSI - we left another obx/cut throat club and are happy

I am not sure I agree with you, but I am thankful to MSI. I just dont equate MSI with player development. It is a fun, zero pressure environment where kids can play and have friends.
My 10 year old son started played MSI Rec from 1st grade to 3rd grade, then the team "graduated" to Classic level and still plays with them. He also started playing for Potomac last year.
The jump from MSI Classic to competitive travel was VERY big.
Kids in travel soccer are far more invested in the game. Coaches dont need to ask the boys to stay focused and they practice 10 months out of the year. MSI Classic is a better fit for kids that want to play multiple sports because they only practice 6 months out of the year. My boy only wants to play and watch soccer everyday. Most of his teammates in MSI classic will not touch a ball the other 6 months out of the year. Forget about private lessons...

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, all, for the advice. I think we will wait one more year before trying out for travel soccer, which I am very happy to do. I am still happy to collect opinions on the local leagues, though!

Good idea. He's 8. There's plenty of time for him to figure out if he likes it enough to commit that much time to one sport. Go have fun with your friends, kid!

Anonymous wrote:If your aim is a top boys team at SYC, Bethesda, Arlington or Alexandria and you are of the view you have a talented son with the ability to stand out / compete for a spot -- best to get in the system as soon as possible.

Agreed. Get them in the system early. Development does not happen at clubs anyway...it happens at home and outside of the club.

Look for a club where the focus is on development, and isnt looking to just take your money. My suggestion is MSI - we left another obx/cut throat club and are happy

If your aim is a top boys team at SYC, Bethesda, Arlington or Alexandria and you are of the view you have a talented son with the ability to stand out / compete for a spot -- best to get in the system as soon as possible.

Thanks, all, for these recs. We have started the process of tryouts and are also considering MSI Classic.

He is ready for a step up from rec, but I am also careful to ensure he continues to enjoy playing. Our friends with older soccer players offer mixed options about waiting until 4th grade (he’ll be in third next year) and just doing extra clinics or trying out now to secure a spot early.

I don’t think he will like clinics with unknown coaches and players— I think he will prefer having a coach and teammates he can get to know, but I could also see him getting tired of two practices a week for the entire school year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would recommend starting a year early if possible. Just go out to the free spring tryouts to see. But if you wait another year, you are at risk of getting put on a the B team or the C team, believe it or not, it could be years before you climb up to the A team. You might not mind that now, but after a few years of it, it might get old. If you decide to wait another year now (and do not go out to the spring try outs), but have second thought over the summer, then just come out to practice and ask to start right away in the fall time.

Just to counterbalance, I'm the PP who suggested holding off, and this was not our experience. Kids switched to travel at 8 and 10 and made top teams. Plenty of their teammates were also new to travel at those ages.

PP Here, that is good to hear and that is the right thing to do. Our club seems to have a longevity over talent policy.... i.e., the longer you are with the club, the more likely you will end up on the A team. The coaches always seem to place most new kids automatically on the B team. We have folks we are very frustrated on the B team and we easily have a 30%-50% turnover rate on the B team. All the players that got in on the ground floor( for 2013s and 2014s), except 1, are on the A team now. And all the players who joined a year later, except 1 are on the B team.