Anonymous wrote:
Speaking as a parent who left TO Arlington, it’s not much better there either. Arlington recruits talent rather than building it. So you THINK you are going to get best training in the area only to find out it’s more politics and toxic parents … kids who all think they’re the next Messi (when they aren’t but the coaches never cared to truthfully assess them) Coaches can’t and won’t build up your player. It’s a waste of time and money. Stick with the club closest to you, all pay to play clubs are the same , you just pick the crap you’re most willing to put up with

I don’t even know how you’d expect to prevent this without the player development being subsidized by the government and federation, England & FA invested $500million last year, USSF invested $10million.

Or the professional clubs have to subsidize it by owning the player rights.

I’d also add this is the point of Pro/reg, not so fans can feel like every game matters and go root for DC United to stave off relegation in the last games.

The point of pro/reg is so all of these select teams can have pro teams with revenue and operating income from outside sources in lower leagues and are moving up and down based on Preformance, all without having to pay a $15million-$750million franchise fee.

As unhappy as some are on here, what would ideally happen is a club pisses enough people off that a group leaves and realizes the parents of said group are some of the most educated, socially connected, and capital heavy members of the local community. Then they decide “we can do it ourselves”. Now a new club is formed, or human and monetary capital is put into the existing local club they join/take over with renewed motivation.

That way some clubs are focused on development, some are focused on scouting and purchasing, everyone leans into what they’re good at and passionate about.

Then it’s easier to play wherever is most convenient, knowing other teams will come knocking if the player is good enough, so prestige is more of a destination at 18-20 that any path can lead to rather than a requirement to start the journey at 10.

But that’s just like, my opinion.

Everybody so jelly

Speaking as a parent who left TO Arlington, it’s not much better there either. Arlington recruits talent rather than building it. So you THINK you are going to get best training in the area only to find out it’s more politics and toxic parents … kids who all think they’re the next Messi (when they aren’t but the coaches never cared to truthfully assess them) Coaches can’t and won’t build up your player. It’s a waste of time and money. Stick with the club closest to you, all pay to play clubs are the same , you just pick the crap you’re most willing to put up with

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On an ECNL or MLS Next team at a big club in the area. Is it normal to experience the following?
1.) Not a single team meeting from August until now.
2.) No progress report for any of the players on paper or verbally.
3.) Not one written communication from the coach to the players or parents.
4.) Multiple games when the coach did not show up and had not communicated that to the team.
5.) Zero check-in on players with long-term injuries.
6.) No feedback to players when they ask what they need to improve upon.
7.) Two players on the team averaging less than 25 minutes per match.
8.) Repeatedly starting players who missed multiple practices during the previous week.

. You play for NVA. Sounds like Mo. Reason why kids bailed for Arlington.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On an ECNL or MLS Next team at a big club in the area. Is it normal to experience the following?
1.) Not a single team meeting from August until now.
2.) No progress report for any of the players on paper or verbally.
3.) Not one written communication from the coach to the players or parents.
4.) Multiple games when the coach did not show up and had not communicated that to the team.
5.) Zero check-in on players with long-term injuries.
6.) No feedback to players when they ask what they need to improve upon.
7.) Two players on the team averaging less than 25 minutes per match.
8.) Repeatedly starting players who missed multiple practices during the previous week.

Wait—when you get old/good enough to be in ECNL/MLSnext, you can expect all or most of these things to happen?

true, but more typically not all 8. Parents talk and you eventually learn which coaches to avoid.

Anonymous wrote:On an ECNL or MLS Next team at a big club in the area. Is it normal to experience the following?
1.) Not a single team meeting from August until now.
2.) No progress report for any of the players on paper or verbally.
3.) Not one written communication from the coach to the players or parents.
4.) Multiple games when the coach did not show up and had not communicated that to the team.
5.) Zero check-in on players with long-term injuries.
6.) No feedback to players when they ask what they need to improve upon.
7.) Two players on the team averaging less than 25 minutes per match.
8.) Repeatedly starting players who missed multiple practices during the previous week.

Wait—when you get old/good enough to be in ECNL/MLSnext, you can expect all or most of these things to happen?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then problem is these coaches are full of themselves and lazy at this level. Be warned of A and B licensed coaches. They want to administrate and execute. And then just replace kids. Much easier than actually coaching right? And parents will gladly fork over money to play ECNL and MLS-N. The only way to change is to say no, but all know someone’s willing to pay.

The real danger is putting the coaches you describe into actual administrative positions. That's when things get dicey. The road is littered with examples.

Its already happened.. cough NVA