Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain the various alliances/partnerships that exist with the NOVA clubs? My DD is U12 in Maryland. For U13 we aren't opposed to crossing the river to find the right fit, but we are confused by some of these club relationships. Arlington seems pretty straightforward, but for others, I read posts here about "feeder" clubs and 3 different associations joining together to pool resources. If we wanted to try a high level team in NOVA (ECNL/RL, GA/Aspire), what team/organization tryout to we go to in the Spring?

I'm not really looking for opinions on the best vs the mediocre. I can do that research on my own. And if it is different for girls vs boys, then just explain the girls side. Thanks.

Each of the ECNL/GA teams have their own team-specific tryout so no need to go to feeder clubs unless looking for some guest practices in advance.

+1
Take ECNL as an example, specifically FXU (Fairfax Virginia United). FXU partners with six clubs, but you don’t need to attend those clubs’ tryouts unless you specifically want to play for them at U12 or younger. Even then, it’s not required. The only tryout you actually need to attend is FXU’s U13 tryout.

The reality is, FXU will select any player from tryouts if they are good enough — they don’t have to come from one of the six partner clubs. It’s unclear how much preference those six clubs actually get, but if there is any, it’s probably minimal. Generally, coaches don’t know the players beforehand, though they may receive a list of “earmarked” players from the partner clubs’ Technical Directors. Still, in practice, the best kids at tryouts get picked.

So, the best approach is to monitor ECNL/GA tryout announcements on social media and club websites. These usually come out by late November for tryouts held in February or March.

If your child isn’t quite ready for an ECNL/GA first-team spot, you might be tempted to accept placement on a second team. I’d be cautious about that (unless you strongly dislike your home club). Second teams at the Aspire or RL level often provide limited exposure, secondary coaching attention, and fewer training opportunities. For example, our team trains three times per week at medium intensity, while the first team trains four times a week at higher intensity. We’ve had to pay out-of-pocket for extra training, otherwise our daughter would never progress beyond the second team.

From our experience, these second teams don’t do much to move kids up. Practices seem designed to keep players where they are, while the first team gets more intense sessions and additional development. The only kids moving up are usually new outsiders joining the club, not existing second-team players. In that sense, accepting an RL or GA second-team spot can feel like a trap.

So if a player can't make an ECNL or GA team, are you saying it's better for them to be at a club where the top team is RL, than to be on the second (RL or Aspire) team at a club where the first team is ECNL or GA?