Anonymous wrote:Mojo was there before. Later Mojo merged into ECP , but seems only got the club name, not ECP coaches, at least for u14 and under. People are talking about ECP coaches left ECP to Mojo. Who are those coaches?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Do any players make teams if they haven’t been selected for invite-only clinics? Do most teams know their roster before tryouts start?
It depends. Some clubs don’t do invite clinics. A good way to tell if your daughter is in the mix for consideration for the team is if the open clinics use two courts for her age group. If she’s on the court with the tall and more experienced girls, this is the “good” court, and she is likely going to be considered for a spot on the team. It’s important to go to as many pre tryout clinics as possible to get seen before tryouts. Tryouts can be crowded and they are usually short. It helps to be known before going in to the tryouts.
If you haven’t been given the nod before tryouts, your only route into any club is as a bench warmer. Some clubs tell their kids not to go to other clubs clinics or they’re out.
Paramount do a great job marketing on this forum btw.
For clarity, if my kid hasn’t received any invites to invite-only clinics, there is no point in going to tryouts?
What has been the coaches feedback at clinics you have attended?
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have the 411 on No Panic and Xfactor clubs? How about VaVa?
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have the 411 on No Panic and Xfactor clubs? How about VaVa?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is mojo likely to be any better that ECP? Aren’t they the same people?
I’ve been super happy with Mojo.
Yep, SAME people.
I don't think that's accurate or fair.
Mojo coaches and leadership were established and well-respected in the DC area long before ECP came into the picture. ECPDC coaches that came from Arlington Elite and The St. James were solid as well.
The major issues with ECPDC began last year during the 2022-23 season. From the volleyball gossip mill, the problems are attributed to either A) 3 Step Sports National corporate leadership or B) the influx of Delaware coaches and director (Chris Smith) just not meshing with the local group. Either way, the merger between corporate franchise, Delaware, and DC local coaches did not work out. The DC local coaches are now back with Mojo. Former Delaware coaches seem to be with Renaissance.
Being a DC volleyball parent with older kids, I know the Mojo/St James coaches and hate to see them smeared. My kids owe a lot of their skills and confidence to Mojo.
N
I'm inclined to give the Renaissance coaches the benefit of the doubt as well. Unlike 3 Step Sports, the coaches do not profit personally from clinic or registration fees that are not refunded.
Then consider your family fortunate that you got to see the pretty side.
Mojo coaches and directors play such obvious favorites and have no problem taking your money for clinics and even inviting you to invite only to add a few extra bodies. But when you go to tryout day and they suddenly avoid eye contact and immediately put you on the “thanks for coming” court without even pretending to observe your tryout, you know you were just one of the suckers.
I’m sure other clubs are the same way in making up their rosters in advance, but those clubs do a much better job of trying to make it appear that the tryout is a tryout.
This is true from before they transferred the club to ECP. Experienced it 2 years ago and would say it’s accurate
I was planning to have my DD tryout for Mojo. So I should skip and focus on the other clubs then to save a possible bad experience?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Is mojo likely to be any better that ECP? Aren’t they the same people?
I’ve been super happy with Mojo.
Yep, SAME people.
I don't think that's accurate or fair.
Mojo coaches and leadership were established and well-respected in the DC area long before ECP came into the picture. ECPDC coaches that came from Arlington Elite and The St. James were solid as well.
The major issues with ECPDC began last year during the 2022-23 season. From the volleyball gossip mill, the problems are attributed to either A) 3 Step Sports National corporate leadership or B) the influx of Delaware coaches and director (Chris Smith) just not meshing with the local group. Either way, the merger between corporate franchise, Delaware, and DC local coaches did not work out. The DC local coaches are now back with Mojo. Former Delaware coaches seem to be with Renaissance.
Being a DC volleyball parent with older kids, I know the Mojo/St James coaches and hate to see them smeared. My kids owe a lot of their skills and confidence to Mojo.
N
I'm inclined to give the Renaissance coaches the benefit of the doubt as well. Unlike 3 Step Sports, the coaches do not profit personally from clinic or registration fees that are not refunded.
Then consider your family fortunate that you got to see the pretty side.
Mojo coaches and directors play such obvious favorites and have no problem taking your money for clinics and even inviting you to invite only to add a few extra bodies. But when you go to tryout day and they suddenly avoid eye contact and immediately put you on the “thanks for coming” court without even pretending to observe your tryout, you know you were just one of the suckers.
I’m sure other clubs are the same way in making up their rosters in advance, but those clubs do a much better job of trying to make it appear that the tryout is a tryout.
This is true from before they transferred the club to ECP. Experienced it 2 years ago and would say it’s accurate
I was planning to have my DD tryout for Mojo. So I should skip and focus on the other clubs then to save a possible bad experience?
Anonymous wrote:
Don’t be fooled by aes rankings - Metro regional are just that, regional, playing lower level teams and tournies. Our DD came up against them a couple times last season and it was over quickly, despite them being ranked higher. Regional teams are a money making scheme for Silvia, and why not - she’s done great things with Metro as a club, but don’t expect the same experience as the travel teams….
This is cliche old news and no longer true, and the rankings show it. The Metro Regional teams have made a strong showing over the last several years and have ranked in large tournaments (Capitol City Classic) over several other clubs that are supposedly more elite and competitive. Metro North is especially impressive. Central and South also hold their own against any other local club. You could make the same financial “line-the-pockets” argument for any club that has different tiers of travel teams, like former ECP with three 15s (whose 15s, lost to several Metro regional teams last year, BTW) or NVVA with their red, black and performance level teams. Who also lost to Metro regional teams, BTW. So… yawn…
Metro Regional is solid. The coaching staff is consistent, and coaches return each year without infighting and drama. Some decidedly left other clubs bc of drama and toxic behavior from directors. It’s a positive culture. Not every family/player can or wants to get on a plane to travel to tournaments. Not every 13 year old kid is a 6’2” behemoth (though Metro regional has those girls as well).
But if you want a positive culture that isn’t toxic, coaches that are supportive, well trained, consistent and *appropriate,* Metro Regional teams are solid. I can say with firsthand knowledge that my daughter’s Metro Regional team prevailed over several other clubs mentioned in this thread. Often winning in two. The Metro girls shut them out - often surprisingly so- given how “talked up” the teams are on these board. Lol. Grain of salt, folks. Don’t believe the hype.
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have the 411 on No Panic and Xfactor clubs? How about VaVa?
Don’t be fooled by aes rankings - Metro regional are just that, regional, playing lower level teams and tournies. Our DD came up against them a couple times last season and it was over quickly, despite them being ranked higher. Regional teams are a money making scheme for Silvia, and why not - she’s done great things with Metro as a club, but don’t expect the same experience as the travel teams….