Anonymous wrote:I have never seen a club discussed on here with so many negative experiences. Seems like a place to avoid.

We’ve had an overall positive experience with our kid. I could complain about a few things here and there but nothing that doesn’t apply to any other club.

I have never seen a club discussed on here with so many negative experiences. Seems like a place to avoid.

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Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

Do you work for Valor?

DP, but how does this club not do Wags? That’s pretty embarrassing.

I'm not affiliated with Valor, but they played in WAGS this year.

I didn’t see many of the younger teams in it, but perhaps I didn’t look close enough?

I don't know what other age groups, but 2011 definitely did.

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Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

Do you work for Valor?

DP, but how does this club not do Wags? That’s pretty embarrassing.

I'm not affiliated with Valor, but they played in WAGS this year.

I didn’t see many of the younger teams in it, but perhaps I didn’t look close enough?

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Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

Do you work for Valor?

DP, but how does this club not do Wags? That’s pretty embarrassing.

I'm not affiliated with Valor, but they played in WAGS this year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

Do you work for Valor?

DP who doesn't work for Valor but does have a kid playing there. I agree that it's been a mix. Last fall my child's team struggled at tournaments because the team was being placed in the top bracket against teams they should not have been playing. I think because the age group a year older has more talent and they were sort of guessing based on how things went the year before. It got a little better in the spring and this past fall. They arguably did play down in one tournament (and won), but for the others the games were relatively evenly matched with a mix of wins/losses/draws.

Lots of people on here claiming to be Valor experts whose kids have never played there, or who think they know it all based on one year. Sorry your experience wasn't good, but from what I see on this board people just like to complain no matter where their kids play. The same way everyone complains about schools. People who are happy or neutral tend not to post at all.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think the hate is a little much. This is a pay to play program. If you want to buy a club soccer experience for your player, they will find a team for her regardless of skill or athleticism. That's just capitalism. [/quote]

True if you just want your kid playing travel. People have a problem with the claims that you're getting top tier coaching, training, competition, etc for those at the top. Nothing wrong with casual travel if that's what your kid wants. That's not what this thread is or what Valor tells families. Many pass through the club for a year for a reason.[/quote]

Well, it's patently obvious that the training is overall not good. Many parents have complained on here about disinterested coaches and scrimmaging at practice instead of active instruction.[/quote]

Is it obvious training is not good? To who, you? I assume you are talking about U-12 or under and one of the most important things to do at that age is to just play. So yes they are playing the game of soccer. Its a game, you learn by playing it, not by cone drills, ladder drills, nor sprinting. If they are not on a ball juggling or warming up doing Rondos, they just need to be playing the game. If every player does not bring a ball to practice every time and uses the ball then your practice is a waste of time. You want them working on set pieces instead? or Passing? Can't pass unless you know how to control the ball, and you know how to play the game so the ball knows where to go - alas ball work and yup you guessed
it - scrimmaging at practice!!!!

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Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

Do you work for Valor?

DP, but how does this club not do Wags? That’s pretty embarrassing.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think the hate is a little much. This is a pay to play program. If you want to buy a club soccer experience for your player, they will find a team for her regardless of skill or athleticism. That's just capitalism. [/quote]

True if you just want your kid playing travel. People have a problem with the claims that you're getting top tier coaching, training, competition, etc for those at the top. Nothing wrong with casual travel if that's what your kid wants. That's not what this thread is or what Valor tells families. Many pass through the club for a year for a reason.[/quote]

Well, it's patently obvious that the training is overall not good. Many parents have complained on here about disinterested coaches and scrimmaging at practice instead of active instruction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

Do you work for Valor?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

That is actually not remotely accurate. Speaking for Girls, younger teams have been playing in a variety of tournaments. Some quite competitive and others that are not. The ones that were not as competitive had the teams playing in the top groups, but the competition was not there. The purpose of play in these tourneys was to get other competition and not just play NOVA teams. In other tournaments, Valor wanted to play in the top but for some reason was not placed there (new club, tournament sandbagging, etc.?). For mid age groups, a lot of times they are placed further down because of ECNL-RL vs ECNL/ GA. Again, not a club decision, just how all of this plays out.

[quote=Anonymous]I think the hate is a little much. This is a pay to play program. If you want to buy a club soccer experience for your player, they will find a team for her regardless of skill or athleticism. That's just capitalism. [/quote]

True if you just want your kid playing travel. People have a problem with the claims that you're getting top tier coaching, training, competition, etc for those at the top. Nothing wrong with casual travel if that's what your kid wants. That's not what this thread is or what Valor tells families. Many pass through the club for a year for a reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2011s are top 20 in the nation, got second in state cup….what are you talking about

Really? Top 20 in the nation for a U13 team? Let's get real folks. Let's get something straight, top teams aren't doing state cup and got soccer points is a joke. Be happy your kid is doing well and having fun, but take your top 20 comment and quietly go home before you are laughed out.

I agree that the 2011s are a solid team but they compete against the second teams from bigger clubs. There were/are 2 VA state cups - one for ECNL teams and another for non-ECNL teams. Despite playing in pre-ECNL last year, Valor competed in the non-ECNL state cup, beating second teams on the way to the finals. Cool for them, but it doesn’t make them a Top 20 team in the country.

They do this all the time with the younger ages as well it seems. Play down in tournaments they can stack with their teams to just show wins against teams they have no business playing against. The club just wants wins so parents are happy and they can post about it on social media and not actually getting the kids real experience against top (or even second teams let's be honest) teams.

I've had to explain this to potential and new travel parents with elementary aged kids who don't know any better and think Valor is really good just from looking at their social media showing how much they win vs other clubs' social media.

And the flip side is, your kid might end up on a team full of kids who are low skill, which is a waste of your money and a year.

I think the hate is a little much. This is a pay to play program. If you want to buy a club soccer experience for your player, they will find a team for her regardless of skill or athleticism. That's just capitalism.