Anonymous
02/28/2026 07:21
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
It looks like the school year reshuffle will, in some cases, completely upend teams. It’s fine, but many will get a total reset will happen making any backward looking comparisons worthless. The SY move does totally reset everything going forward
I am starting to see how much this sucks for my kid who is going from the middle to one of the youngest. When I came back to pick them up from one of the tryouts recently, I thought I was looking at a field of players a year older until I spotted my kid. I assume the big clubs have a lot of kids who can repeat an age group. My kid is tall, but skinny. A kid who has started to hit their growth spurt and has 30 pounds on them is going to be able to push him off the ball pretty easily. Now I feel like they will be lucky to hold their spot let alone move up a level.
He just needs to find his edge. It only sucks if he allows it to stay in his head. Every kid is going to be totally shaken up by the change. There will be bigger/faster kids, kids that have a year more experience already playing at the level and kids that have to re-learn how to play together. It’s a massive setback, but since it’s happening to everyone it should be more manageable. Reasonable in theory, but in implementation we’ll just have to see what happens.
I’m looking specifically at DCSC and wondering if they’re getting out of the business of soccer-for-all. Field space sucked this year, and if you’re adding elite levels then what happens to the bottom when space only goes to the top teams?
That gets to the heart of the decades old problem rooted in red line maps and the typical DC Soccer consumer. DC has more futsal courts in the city than all of the neighboring counties combined. Every new school that I am aware of in the last five years has a soccer field that is unused after 5pm. DPR almost held up the DC Soccer fall campaign because they held so much field space at such a discount rate. There is no problem with field space in this city. There is only a problem with field locations and policies but the space is easily available. That is a problem only leadership and a vision can solve.
Anonymous
02/28/2026 01:15
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
It looks like the school year reshuffle will, in some cases, completely upend teams. It’s fine, but many will get a total reset will happen making any backward looking comparisons worthless. The SY move does totally reset everything going forward
I am starting to see how much this sucks for my kid who is going from the middle to one of the youngest. When I came back to pick them up from one of the tryouts recently, I thought I was looking at a field of players a year older until I spotted my kid. I assume the big clubs have a lot of kids who can repeat an age group. My kid is tall, but skinny. A kid who has started to hit their growth spurt and has 30 pounds on them is going to be able to push him off the ball pretty easily. Now I feel like they will be lucky to hold their spot let alone move up a level.
Pussy.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 16:54
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I think this is a big deal. Everyone calling them B teams and maybe for now they might be but in the future? Maybe not
No, the B team will always be the B team. Maybe some of the players won’t.
When your “B” team increases their level that can be a sign of developing kids’ skills. When your top team moves from league to league performing similarly across the spectrum that can be a sign that your top level is stagnant.
The goal should always be to have a constantly improving “B” team that can be just as hard to make as the “A” team.
Dcsc has neither of these now, but having the mls program in house is a good first step. The rest is on the players to stay hungry, and on the Director of Soccer and the Technical Team not to screw it up. This will be a monumental task for both since the players have not been committed to this level of intensity, and the club has a track record of under-delivering.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 16:09
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:I think this is a big deal. Everyone calling them B teams and maybe for now they might be but in the future? Maybe not
No, the B team will always be the B team. Maybe some of the players won’t.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 15:15
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
this is because there are other (perceived better) options that cause kids to flee this team. Maybe this changes it maybe not. but the problem is that there are just too many teams regardless of the badge.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 14:38
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
It looks like the school year reshuffle will, in some cases, completely upend teams. It’s fine, but many will get a total reset will happen making any backward looking comparisons worthless. The SY move does totally reset everything going forward
I am starting to see how much this sucks for my kid who is going from the middle to one of the youngest. When I came back to pick them up from one of the tryouts recently, I thought I was looking at a field of players a year older until I spotted my kid. I assume the big clubs have a lot of kids who can repeat an age group. My kid is tall, but skinny. A kid who has started to hit their growth spurt and has 30 pounds on them is going to be able to push him off the ball pretty easily. Now I feel like they will be lucky to hold their spot let alone move up a level.
He just needs to find his edge. It only sucks if he allows it to stay in his head. Every kid is going to be totally shaken up by the change. There will be bigger/faster kids, kids that have a year more experience already playing at the level and kids that have to re-learn how to play together. It’s a massive setback, but since it’s happening to everyone it should be more manageable. Reasonable in theory, but in implementation we’ll just have to see what happens.
I’m looking specifically at DCSC and wondering if they’re getting out of the business of soccer-for-all. Field space sucked this year, and if you’re adding elite levels then what happens to the bottom when space only goes to the top teams?
Anonymous
02/27/2026 11:59
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
We played previously in NAL (precursor for our VA club for MLSN2) and it was definitely stronger than the top DCSC team at the time.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 11:32
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
It looks like the school year reshuffle will, in some cases, completely upend teams. It’s fine, but many will get a total reset will happen making any backward looking comparisons worthless. The SY move does totally reset everything going forward
100% agree. BSC just announced birth year for all age groups below MLS Next. Waiting to see what Achilles does. Both of those organizations have a lot of DC-based talent in the 2014-2015 age groups that may get reshuffled. There are a lot more talented DC 2015’s at Potomac, McLean, SYC, Alexandria, etc. that can stay local if DC Soccer decides to grow up and pay attention to what is in their backyard. Unlike MD and VA folks, we already give up our voting rights so we don’t put up with a lot of 💩 in other areas of our lives.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 11:28
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
It looks like the school year reshuffle will, in some cases, completely upend teams. It’s fine, but many will get a total reset will happen making any backward looking comparisons worthless. The SY move does totally reset everything going forward
I am starting to see how much this sucks for my kid who is going from the middle to one of the youngest. When I came back to pick them up from one of the tryouts recently, I thought I was looking at a field of players a year older until I spotted my kid. I assume the big clubs have a lot of kids who can repeat an age group. My kid is tall, but skinny. A kid who has started to hit their growth spurt and has 30 pounds on them is going to be able to push him off the ball pretty easily. Now I feel like they will be lucky to hold their spot let alone move up a level.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 11:12
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
It looks like the school year reshuffle will, in some cases, completely upend teams. It’s fine, but many will get a total reset will happen making any backward looking comparisons worthless. The SY move does totally reset everything going forward
Anonymous
02/27/2026 10:37
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Very hit or miss by BY. Our 2015s are also poor, bottom 1/3 of a watered down VPSL. No idea how BY to SY will change that though.
Anonymous
02/27/2026 10:31
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
I’m really looking forward to seeing how DC Soccer Club approaches recruitment. People can knock the level, but there are always levels within levels. Even looking at ECNL, there is significant differentiation of talent within the same age group division. Just look at DCSC’s younger ECNL teams. The 2014’s are world beaters and the 2013’s are bottom third at best. The 2012’s have been solid since they were young, and anything older suffers from the years of neglect by the club.
Anonymous
02/26/2026 20:08
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
Anonymous wrote:I live in DC and have a 2014. The DC Soccer 2014's are one of the best squads in the area. Check the VPSL standings and I have seen them play. The team is missing about 10-12 DC kids who play on Pre-MLS and Pre-ECNL teams in MD and VA. There are also about 3-4 other kids in the city on smaller clubs.
If DC Soccer can get their crap together to consolidate the talent in the city, the folks in MD and VA won't be laughing. It will not happen while my child plays but in 3-5 years, they could have something. We have over 20 futsal courts here in the city now, most connected to elementary schools. We have a lot of kids playing and the next few years will look different for the entities that can keep DC kids at home with quality coaching and no drama.
At the same time, I would not bet on them getting their stuff together either. This is a positive step for them. Let's see what they do with it.
I have a 2014 boy and agree with this. That team is strong. Have never understood why people make fun of this club but maybe the issues are at other age groups.
I wonder if RL will add anyone now that DCSC is leaving? Or will it just be yet another team that left RL?
Anonymous
02/26/2026 19:28
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
I live in DC and have a 2014. The DC Soccer 2014's are one of the best squads in the area. Check the VPSL standings and I have seen them play. The team is missing about 10-12 DC kids who play on Pre-MLS and Pre-ECNL teams in MD and VA. There are also about 3-4 other kids in the city on smaller clubs.
If DC Soccer can get their crap together to consolidate the talent in the city, the folks in MD and VA won't be laughing. It will not happen while my child plays but in 3-5 years, they could have something. We have over 20 futsal courts here in the city now, most connected to elementary schools. We have a lot of kids playing and the next few years will look different for the entities that can keep DC kids at home with quality coaching and no drama.
At the same time, I would not bet on them getting their stuff together either. This is a positive step for them. Let's see what they do with it.
If DC Soccer can get their crap together to consolidate the talent in the city, the folks in MD and VA won't be laughing. It will not happen while my child plays but in 3-5 years, they could have something. We have over 20 futsal courts here in the city now, most connected to elementary schools. We have a lot of kids playing and the next few years will look different for the entities that can keep DC kids at home with quality coaching and no drama.
At the same time, I would not bet on them getting their stuff together either. This is a positive step for them. Let's see what they do with it.
Anonymous
02/26/2026 19:10
Subject: DC Soccer Club now offers MLS Next
I think this is a big deal. Everyone calling them B teams and maybe for now they might be but in the future? Maybe not