Their strategy is smart. MLS Next has not announced. If they can get a hold of some of the top Q4 kids who would like to repeat the age group, they will be ahead of the MLS Next clubs in recruiting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL mandates tryout period and notifies clubs. Clubs in DMV area tried to hold tryouts early this spring to compete against each other but got shot down by ECNL so clubs had to retract tryout emailing being sent out early and specify the dates. Unless Potomac and other ECNL clubs received official letter from ECNL, I would look forward to spring(April tryouts)

The 2014 age group is going to 11 v 11 and needs additional players.

Yeah since the 20 or so they already have on their pre-ecnl team aren't enough. Makes sense.

some may move up. but you still need to backfill.

The 2014 pre-ECNL team is their top U12 team. Currently playing 9v9, with a lot of guys on their roster. Probably some cross-rostered from the EDP team. If they are looking at those guys right now, in October and thinking they need to start grabbing better players for next year.... oof.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL mandates tryout period and notifies clubs. Clubs in DMV area tried to hold tryouts early this spring to compete against each other but got shot down by ECNL so clubs had to retract tryout emailing being sent out early and specify the dates. Unless Potomac and other ECNL clubs received official letter from ECNL, I would look forward to spring(April tryouts)

The 2014 age group is going to 11 v 11 and needs additional players.

Yeah since the 20 or so they already have on their pre-ecnl team aren't enough. Makes sense.

some may move up. but you still need to backfill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You're looking at this wrong. They are looking for players to add in the fall time, not to to replace current players as much as they are looking to weaken the opposition, bring another paying customer into the fold, and to avoid drama by not needing to promote kids from the 2nd team to the 1st team.

I'm guessing there is a lot of sarcasm in this post!

For sure they are trying to add players right now, and I have no doubt that bringing in more paying customers is the priority! I'm also sure that if a guy shows up at these ID sessions, is good enough to join the 1st team, and is able to join the team immediately, they would add him and drop an existing kid from there to the second team. It's going to be absolutely hilarious when all the parents of kids on the second team see that some random kid from some other club has been added to the top team, when I'm sure they were told back in the spring that there is a "pathway" to the top team.

Not sarcasm, we've been on a 2nd team at different clubs and we have seen this exact thing happen twice. "Look that average player, from another club is practicing with our top team. Look that average player is practicing with the top team again. We don't even get invites to practice with our top team. Look that average player is on their team. Look that average player is now practicing with a better coach and with better players. Look that average player is getting significantly better. Look, now it's time for tryouts and that average player has chemistry and is a lot better than they were last fall and has a slot locked up. Looks like the pathway to the 1st team is to leave the club!"

100% This happens at EVERY club. I will say that that average player isn't always getting significantly better though. Most of the time, the club is looking to grow revenue and the only thing that will lure some players from other clubs is top-team placement.

For U15 and older age groups, I'm not surprised that there might be November ID sessions, especially considering that, at least for GA in Virginia, the season is pretty much wrapped up by the end of February to accommodate HS play. I think most clubs are realizing that allowing a couple of players to join in multiple ID sessions is a far better way of evaluating talent and chemistry with an existing team than a single 90-minute "try-out" day. November seems early, but you never know how the weather is going to impact availability to hold ID sessions in Jan/Feb if you want potential candidates to be able to practice with the current team. Plus, GA doesn't put any restrictions on players/clubs for holding tryouts/ID sessions with GA players from other clubs at any time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You're looking at this wrong. They are looking for players to add in the fall time, not to to replace current players as much as they are looking to weaken the opposition, bring another paying customer into the fold, and to avoid drama by not needing to promote kids from the 2nd team to the 1st team.

I'm guessing there is a lot of sarcasm in this post!

For sure they are trying to add players right now, and I have no doubt that bringing in more paying customers is the priority! I'm also sure that if a guy shows up at these ID sessions, is good enough to join the 1st team, and is able to join the team immediately, they would add him and drop an existing kid from there to the second team. It's going to be absolutely hilarious when all the parents of kids on the second team see that some random kid from some other club has been added to the top team, when I'm sure they were told back in the spring that there is a "pathway" to the top team.

Not sarcasm, we've been on a 2nd team at different clubs and we have seen this exact thing happen twice. "Look that average player, from another club is practicing with our top team. Look that average player is practicing with the top team again. We don't even get invites to practice with our top team. Look that average player is on their team. Look that average player is now practicing with a better coach and with better players. Look that average player is getting significantly better. Look, now it's time for tryouts and that average player has chemistry and is a lot better than they were last fall and has a slot locked up. Looks like the pathway to the 1st team is to leave the club!"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL mandates tryout period and notifies clubs. Clubs in DMV area tried to hold tryouts early this spring to compete against each other but got shot down by ECNL so clubs had to retract tryout emailing being sent out early and specify the dates. Unless Potomac and other ECNL clubs received official letter from ECNL, I would look forward to spring(April tryouts)

The 2014 age group is going to 11 v 11 and needs additional players.

Yeah since the 20 or so they already have on their pre-ecnl team aren't enough. Makes sense.

Anonymous wrote:ECNL mandates tryout period and notifies clubs. Clubs in DMV area tried to hold tryouts early this spring to compete against each other but got shot down by ECNL so clubs had to retract tryout emailing being sent out early and specify the dates. Unless Potomac and other ECNL clubs received official letter from ECNL, I would look forward to spring(April tryouts)

The 2014 age group is going to 11 v 11 and needs additional players.

Anonymous wrote:Potomac plays in an ECNL league that starts in the spring because Maryland high school soccer is now, fall. So they are doing it ahead of their season, which is opposite Virginia. Welcome to the not so United States.

The tryouts I have seen are for 2013-2015 which is late middle school next year and kids playing in the fall.

Does Potomac allow guesting?

Anonymous wrote:

You're looking at this wrong. They are looking for players to add in the fall time, not to to replace current players as much as they are looking to weaken the opposition, bring another paying customer into the fold, and to avoid drama by not needing to promote kids from the 2nd team to the 1st team.

I'm guessing there is a lot of sarcasm in this post!

For sure they are trying to add players right now, and I have no doubt that bringing in more paying customers is the priority! I'm also sure that if a guy shows up at these ID sessions, is good enough to join the 1st team, and is able to join the team immediately, they would add him and drop an existing kid from there to the second team. It's going to be absolutely hilarious when all the parents of kids on the second team see that some random kid from some other club has been added to the top team, when I'm sure they were told back in the spring that there is a "pathway" to the top team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These ID sessions have been announced and scheduled now. Does anyone know more about this?

Is this something that Potomac has done before?

It's not clear from the announcement whether this is advance scouting for 2025-26 or looking for players to join the teams for this winter/spring, and I'm sure that is intentional.

All clubs do this but don't advertise it. They are looking for eligible players to add for the remainder of the season and retain for the next season.

All clubs definitely don't do advertised ID sessions for mid-season additions, or whatever you mean by "this." It's embarrassing for the players who are on those teams now. I have no idea why parents put up with stuff like this. When you signed up and paid all your money in spring, did they say "oh yeah we might just find some random guys in November who will take your kid's place?"

You're looking at this wrong. They are looking for players to add in the fall time, not to to replace current players as much as they are looking to weaken the opposition, bring another paying customer into the fold, and to avoid drama by not needing to promote kids from the 2nd team to the 1st team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These ID sessions have been announced and scheduled now. Does anyone know more about this?

Is this something that Potomac has done before?

It's not clear from the announcement whether this is advance scouting for 2025-26 or looking for players to join the teams for this winter/spring, and I'm sure that is intentional.

All clubs do this but don't advertise it. They are looking for eligible players to add for the remainder of the season and retain for the next season.

All clubs definitely don't do advertised ID sessions for mid-season additions, or whatever you mean by "this." It's embarrassing for the players who are on those teams now. I have no idea why parents put up with stuff like this. When you signed up and paid all your money in spring, did they say "oh yeah we might just find some random guys in November who will take your kid's place?"

Anonymous wrote:ECNL mandates tryout period and notifies clubs. Clubs in DMV area tried to hold tryouts early this spring to compete against each other but got shot down by ECNL so clubs had to retract tryout emailing being sent out early and specify the dates. Unless Potomac and other ECNL clubs received official letter from ECNL, I would look forward to spring(April tryouts)

Does this ecnl tryout date rule apply to RL only clubs? Just curious.

Anonymous wrote:These ID sessions have been announced and scheduled now. Does anyone know more about this?

Is this something that Potomac has done before?

It's not clear from the announcement whether this is advance scouting for 2025-26 or looking for players to join the teams for this winter/spring, and I'm sure that is intentional.

All clubs do this but don't advertise it. They are looking for eligible players to add for the remainder of the season and retain for the next season.

These ID sessions have been announced and scheduled now. Does anyone know more about this?

Is this something that Potomac has done before?

It's not clear from the announcement whether this is advance scouting for 2025-26 or looking for players to join the teams for this winter/spring, and I'm sure that is intentional.