Anonymous
11/25/2019 21:21
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
That reflects a very misguided view on how DA selection works. Playing for the club at that age does not mean anything in the DA selection process. In the rare case that it does, I am not sure you'd want your kid playing at that DA. And if the current boyd teams are the future DA, they will get eaten alive against DCU, BSC and BA.
The pre-DA team is the former red team so many parents do think this way. They are worried they will be frozen out later.
On the girls side it does work like that. If your DD is on the red u12 girls, she will be on the DA team next year. That’s the word unless a bunch of girls come from outside the club...hence to worry about outside girls.
Yep. Boys world has fewer elite options. DA is the perceived pinnacle. Girls DA is still trying to get off the ground. If it’s all Arlington, it’s because other girls are staying at McLean, BRYC, Metro U. Etc. boys world is a lot different. It ain’t like getting into the preschool at the private school you want your kid to attend. A lot different.
I also don’t think your DA director on the girls side would like this to get around. It sounds insular, political and long-term weak. You don’t want to recruit only from your player pool if you want to compete at elite levels. I don’t care how big your player pool is. The better clubs that attract people from a broad geographic area will prevail over the long run if in the same metro market unless you have hgh and steroids in Arlington water.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 21:18
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
That reflects a very misguided view on how DA selection works. Playing for the club at that age does not mean anything in the DA selection process. In the rare case that it does, I am not sure you'd want your kid playing at that DA. And if the current boyd teams are the future DA, they will get eaten alive against DCU, BSC and BA.
The pre-DA team is the former red team so many parents do think this way. They are worried they will be frozen out later.
On the girls side it does work like that. If your DD is on the red u12 girls, she will be on the DA team next year. That’s the word unless a bunch of girls come from outside the club...hence to worry about outside girls.
Yep. Boys world has fewer elite options. DA is the perceived pinnacle. Girls DA is still trying to get off the ground. If it’s all Arlington, it’s because other girls are staying at McLean, BRYC, Metro U. Etc. boys world is a lot different. It ain’t like getting into the preschool at the private school you want your kid to attend. A lot different.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 19:30
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
That reflects a very misguided view on how DA selection works. Playing for the club at that age does not mean anything in the DA selection process. In the rare case that it does, I am not sure you'd want your kid playing at that DA. And if the current boyd teams are the future DA, they will get eaten alive against DCU, BSC and BA.
The pre-DA team is the former red team so many parents do think this way. They are worried they will be frozen out later.
On the girls side it does work like that. If your DD is on the red u12 girls, she will be on the DA team next year. That’s the word unless a bunch of girls come from outside the club...hence to worry about outside girls.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 19:15
Subject: Re:U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Hello OP,
I'll try to answer you questions. First off I am a travel coach in the local area. I've coached at a few clubs throughout the years, but for the most part the team building processes are similar (player selection is a whole nother matter).
First I want to make sure we have the ages right as there is generally no field size changes from U9 to U10, so their shouldn't be a cutdown per se.
If we're talking going from U10 7v7 to U11 9v9, I'll try and walk through that process.
Most clubs will try to keep as many teams as possible, assuming all the resources are there (coaches, players, fields etc.) If you're club has a specific methodology of going from 4 (7v7) to 3 (9v9) to 2 teams at 11v11 then here is what you should consider.
1.) What team are you currently on? Most clubs have internal team rankings usually designated by color eg. the "red" team, "green" team etc. While potentially nebulous to those on the outside, those who know better and in the club should know what that means.
2.) If you're not on the lowest team, I generally wouldn't worry too much unless your child was severely misplaced.
3.) With roster sizes generally going up to 16! at 9v9 theoretically you need the same amount of players for 3x16 (9v9) teams as you do 4x12 (7v7). I almost guarantee you there are some non-returning families, so depending on your clubs general turnout that is even less risk for you.
4.) Don't be afraid to talk to your coach. We do player evaluations twice a year at my current club to give parents an idea on how their players are doing, but if your club doesn't provide that send your coach an email asking for a few minutes to talk about your player. As long as you don't come off as threatening and generally calling due to wanting your player to develop and continue with the program, I think most coaches would be upfront with you if you're willing to hear the news, good or bad.
5.) It's still early. At this age lots can happen. A player that was towards the bottom of a coaches list can find themselves firmly in the middle after several solid game performances and consistently improved training sessions.
So if your child is the bottom player on the bottom team, a few things you have to ask yourself.
Is my child enjoying the experience and are they improving as a result of the training?
Am I willing to commit to another year financially and time wise?
Do I know who the next coach will be? Does it matter (hint: YES!)?
Practice times and locations?
Too often parents worry about making the next team, but don't think about what can change from one team to the next (hint: A LOT!) so you might make a team you have no intention of joining due to a change (like a coach...).
As my final piece of advice, ALWAYS try out somewhere else. ALWAYS. If nothing else it gives you options and it lets you see what else is out there - you don't need to attend 10 different tryouts, but pick at least 1 or 2 other clubs that you'd consider switching to and attend a tryout or three. Yeah you might get some looks or whatnot if others find out (ironically cause they were there too!), but that stuff doesn't matter. If you're worried about how your club will react to it you might be better off switching anyways.
-Coach
On the tryout recommendation, do clubs care if kids tryout multiple times but don’t accept offers? Does it affect the offer they might get in subsequent years or do big clubs even notice??
Anonymous
11/25/2019 18:56
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
That reflects a very misguided view on how DA selection works. Playing for the club at that age does not mean anything in the DA selection process. In the rare case that it does, I am not sure you'd want your kid playing at that DA. And if the current boyd teams are the future DA, they will get eaten alive against DCU, BSC and BA.
The pre-DA team is the former red team so many parents do think this way. They are worried they will be frozen out later.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 16:42
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
That reflects a very misguided view on how DA selection works. Playing for the club at that age does not mean anything in the DA selection process. In the rare case that it does, I am not sure you'd want your kid playing at that DA. And if the current boyd teams are the future DA, they will get eaten alive against DCU, BSC and BA.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 13:06
Subject: Re:U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:
Coach, this is all fantastic advice. It should be bookmarked!
I have a few questions though. Do you actually coach at a club where they knew who the coach will be on each team for the next year? Do you know times and locations of practices? That is the type of information that would be so helpful for parents but is rarely available at tryout time.
This early, we probably don't know who is coaching which teams next year to some degree. Our club generally rotates coaches every 2-3 years so that kids get a different voice as they develop. Coaches also tend to have their preferred age groups and gender so there is some say about where they are used best. My guess would be your DOC or whoever does coaching assignments probably knows about 80% of where he wants coaches to be next year, but official announcements won't come out until closer to tryouts. That being said some clubs are downright AWFUL about coaching announcements ahead of time so be wary if they haven't announced anything by tryouts. Whatever happened last year, is likely to happen again so use that as a guide. For me personally I'm 90% sure I'll have the same team I have this year, next year as this is my first year with this team. You coach should be able to give you a feel for what he thinks will happen for him personally, but may not be able to tell you much beyond that.
Practice times and locations are a lot trickier depending on the club, as most clubs rely on their respective counties/cities to tell them which fields they will have, which they generally don't release until MUCH closer to the next season. If you're at a well established club, chances are you can predict which field out of a handful you'll likely be practicing at. For most clubs this is a relatively small area, but there are some where potential practice fields can be a difference between a 5 min drive and a 45 min drive. Most clubs have practices at a earlier time for the younger ones, and later practices as they get older.. not always though, this can be coach dependent. So if you're club doesn't have all their field info yet - that's not generally their fault. They should be able to tell you where they'd like to be, or from which set of fields they are choosing from (again using the current season should tell you a lot about where you'll be next year, just look at the older age group).
Hope that helps.
-Coach
Anonymous
11/25/2019 12:35
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
is that team u12 or below?
McLean, Vienna, Alexandria, Annandale and Falls Church are not part of Arlington, but they are very close.
And District
What district
Not PP, but " of Columbia"?
Anonymous
11/25/2019 11:27
Subject: Re:U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Hello OP,
I'll try to answer you questions. First off I am a travel coach in the local area. I've coached at a few clubs throughout the years, but for the most part the team building processes are similar (player selection is a whole nother matter).
First I want to make sure we have the ages right as there is generally no field size changes from U9 to U10, so their shouldn't be a cutdown per se.
If we're talking going from U10 7v7 to U11 9v9, I'll try and walk through that process.
Most clubs will try to keep as many teams as possible, assuming all the resources are there (coaches, players, fields etc.) If you're club has a specific methodology of going from 4 (7v7) to 3 (9v9) to 2 teams at 11v11 then here is what you should consider.
1.) What team are you currently on? Most clubs have internal team rankings usually designated by color eg. the "red" team, "green" team etc. While potentially nebulous to those on the outside, those who know better and in the club should know what that means.
2.) If you're not on the lowest team, I generally wouldn't worry too much unless your child was severely misplaced.
3.) With roster sizes generally going up to 16! at 9v9 theoretically you need the same amount of players for 3x16 (9v9) teams as you do 4x12 (7v7). I almost guarantee you there are some non-returning families, so depending on your clubs general turnout that is even less risk for you.
4.) Don't be afraid to talk to your coach. We do player evaluations twice a year at my current club to give parents an idea on how their players are doing, but if your club doesn't provide that send your coach an email asking for a few minutes to talk about your player. As long as you don't come off as threatening and generally calling due to wanting your player to develop and continue with the program, I think most coaches would be upfront with you if you're willing to hear the news, good or bad.
5.) It's still early. At this age lots can happen. A player that was towards the bottom of a coaches list can find themselves firmly in the middle after several solid game performances and consistently improved training sessions.
So if your child is the bottom player on the bottom team, a few things you have to ask yourself.
Is my child enjoying the experience and are they improving as a result of the training?
Am I willing to commit to another year financially and time wise?
Do I know who the next coach will be? Does it matter (hint: YES!)?
Practice times and locations?
Too often parents worry about making the next team, but don't think about what can change from one team to the next (hint: A LOT!) so you might make a team you have no intention of joining due to a change (like a coach...).
As my final piece of advice, ALWAYS try out somewhere else. ALWAYS. If nothing else it gives you options and it lets you see what else is out there - you don't need to attend 10 different tryouts, but pick at least 1 or 2 other clubs that you'd consider switching to and attend a tryout or three. Yeah you might get some looks or whatnot if others find out (ironically cause they were there too!), but that stuff doesn't matter. If you're worried about how your club will react to it you might be better off switching anyways.
-Coach
Coach, this is all fantastic advice. It should be bookmarked!
I have a few questions though. Do you actually coach at a club where they knew who the coach will be on each team for the next year? Do you know times and locations of practices? That is the type of information that would be so helpful for parents but is rarely available at tryout time.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 11:21
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
is that team u12 or below?
McLean, Vienna, Alexandria, Annandale and Falls Church are not part of Arlington, but they are very close.
And District
What district
Anonymous
11/25/2019 10:33
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
is that team u12 or below?
McLean, Vienna, Alexandria, Annandale and Falls Church are not part of Arlington, but they are very close.
And District
Anonymous
11/25/2019 10:32
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
is that team u12 or below?
McLean, Vienna, Alexandria, Annandale and Falls Church are not part of Arlington, but they are very close.
Anonymous
11/25/2019 10:26
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I"d be curious to know how many that live outside Arlington 30mins+ are part of the u12 and under group.
How many on your kid's teams are not from the "local" area?
We have a springfield, ashburn, md, mclean, ...it is less in the u9 and it picks up every year. Now with DA you have them coming over earlier to get in the pipeline --many more are coming over u/11/12. This wasn't the case with my older kids--now in HS. The club has a 'colder' feel now.
is that team u12 or below?
Anonymous
11/25/2019 10:20
Subject: Re:U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Hello OP,
I'll try to answer you questions. First off I am a travel coach in the local area. I've coached at a few clubs throughout the years, but for the most part the team building processes are similar (player selection is a whole nother matter).
First I want to make sure we have the ages right as there is generally no field size changes from U9 to U10, so their shouldn't be a cutdown per se.
If we're talking going from U10 7v7 to U11 9v9, I'll try and walk through that process.
Most clubs will try to keep as many teams as possible, assuming all the resources are there (coaches, players, fields etc.) If you're club has a specific methodology of going from 4 (7v7) to 3 (9v9) to 2 teams at 11v11 then here is what you should consider.
1.) What team are you currently on? Most clubs have internal team rankings usually designated by color eg. the "red" team, "green" team etc. While potentially nebulous to those on the outside, those who know better and in the club should know what that means.
2.) If you're not on the lowest team, I generally wouldn't worry too much unless your child was severely misplaced.
3.) With roster sizes generally going up to 16! at 9v9 theoretically you need the same amount of players for 3x16 (9v9) teams as you do 4x12 (7v7). I almost guarantee you there are some non-returning families, so depending on your clubs general turnout that is even less risk for you.
4.) Don't be afraid to talk to your coach. We do player evaluations twice a year at my current club to give parents an idea on how their players are doing, but if your club doesn't provide that send your coach an email asking for a few minutes to talk about your player. As long as you don't come off as threatening and generally calling due to wanting your player to develop and continue with the program, I think most coaches would be upfront with you if you're willing to hear the news, good or bad.
5.) It's still early. At this age lots can happen. A player that was towards the bottom of a coaches list can find themselves firmly in the middle after several solid game performances and consistently improved training sessions.
So if your child is the bottom player on the bottom team, a few things you have to ask yourself.
Is my child enjoying the experience and are they improving as a result of the training?
Am I willing to commit to another year financially and time wise?
Do I know who the next coach will be? Does it matter (hint: YES!)?
Practice times and locations?
Too often parents worry about making the next team, but don't think about what can change from one team to the next (hint: A LOT!) so you might make a team you have no intention of joining due to a change (like a coach...).
As my final piece of advice, ALWAYS try out somewhere else. ALWAYS. If nothing else it gives you options and it lets you see what else is out there - you don't need to attend 10 different tryouts, but pick at least 1 or 2 other clubs that you'd consider switching to and attend a tryout or three. Yeah you might get some looks or whatnot if others find out (ironically cause they were there too!), but that stuff doesn't matter. If you're worried about how your club will react to it you might be better off switching anyways.
-Coach
I'll try to answer you questions. First off I am a travel coach in the local area. I've coached at a few clubs throughout the years, but for the most part the team building processes are similar (player selection is a whole nother matter).
First I want to make sure we have the ages right as there is generally no field size changes from U9 to U10, so their shouldn't be a cutdown per se.
If we're talking going from U10 7v7 to U11 9v9, I'll try and walk through that process.
Most clubs will try to keep as many teams as possible, assuming all the resources are there (coaches, players, fields etc.) If you're club has a specific methodology of going from 4 (7v7) to 3 (9v9) to 2 teams at 11v11 then here is what you should consider.
1.) What team are you currently on? Most clubs have internal team rankings usually designated by color eg. the "red" team, "green" team etc. While potentially nebulous to those on the outside, those who know better and in the club should know what that means.
2.) If you're not on the lowest team, I generally wouldn't worry too much unless your child was severely misplaced.
3.) With roster sizes generally going up to 16! at 9v9 theoretically you need the same amount of players for 3x16 (9v9) teams as you do 4x12 (7v7). I almost guarantee you there are some non-returning families, so depending on your clubs general turnout that is even less risk for you.
4.) Don't be afraid to talk to your coach. We do player evaluations twice a year at my current club to give parents an idea on how their players are doing, but if your club doesn't provide that send your coach an email asking for a few minutes to talk about your player. As long as you don't come off as threatening and generally calling due to wanting your player to develop and continue with the program, I think most coaches would be upfront with you if you're willing to hear the news, good or bad.
5.) It's still early. At this age lots can happen. A player that was towards the bottom of a coaches list can find themselves firmly in the middle after several solid game performances and consistently improved training sessions.
So if your child is the bottom player on the bottom team, a few things you have to ask yourself.
Is my child enjoying the experience and are they improving as a result of the training?
Am I willing to commit to another year financially and time wise?
Do I know who the next coach will be? Does it matter (hint: YES!)?
Practice times and locations?
Too often parents worry about making the next team, but don't think about what can change from one team to the next (hint: A LOT!) so you might make a team you have no intention of joining due to a change (like a coach...).
As my final piece of advice, ALWAYS try out somewhere else. ALWAYS. If nothing else it gives you options and it lets you see what else is out there - you don't need to attend 10 different tryouts, but pick at least 1 or 2 other clubs that you'd consider switching to and attend a tryout or three. Yeah you might get some looks or whatnot if others find out (ironically cause they were there too!), but that stuff doesn't matter. If you're worried about how your club will react to it you might be better off switching anyways.
-Coach
Anonymous
11/25/2019 10:12
Subject: U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown
Ashburn! Maryland! Those parents are batshit crazy.