Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When VDA did not exist, there was no option in that part of NOVA for higher level soccer.

PWSI and VDA are not exactly small, back-water clubs, so if you take 50% of their top teams at U12, you can form a pretty competitive squad starting at U13. Those squads are formed of kids who live in that area, so it's tough to get parents to start driving 1 hour each way to mclean several days a week. It's just not happening.

Before VDA existed, a few of them probably would!

MVP’s of SEC (Vanderbilt) and ACC (Florida state) tournaments are former PWSI players.

Both are phenomenal but neither played for VDA.

The general point, which you did not make directly but which is implied, is that you don't have to play for FCV or McLean to make an impact at the next level.

So who did they play for?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When VDA did not exist, there was no option in that part of NOVA for higher level soccer.

PWSI and VDA are not exactly small, back-water clubs, so if you take 50% of their top teams at U12, you can form a pretty competitive squad starting at U13. Those squads are formed of kids who live in that area, so it's tough to get parents to start driving 1 hour each way to mclean several days a week. It's just not happening.

Before VDA existed, a few of them probably would!

MVP’s of SEC (Vanderbilt) and ACC (Florida state) tournaments are former PWSI players.

Both are phenomenal but neither played for VDA.

The general point, which you did not make directly but which is implied, is that you don't have to play for FCV or McLean to make an impact at the next level.

Anonymous wrote:When VDA did not exist, there was no option in that part of NOVA for higher level soccer.

PWSI and VDA are not exactly small, back-water clubs, so if you take 50% of their top teams at U12, you can form a pretty competitive squad starting at U13. Those squads are formed of kids who live in that area, so it's tough to get parents to start driving 1 hour each way to mclean several days a week. It's just not happening.

Before VDA existed, a few of them probably would!

MVP’s of SEC (Vanderbilt) and ACC (Florida state) tournaments are former PWSI players.

* meant PWSI and VSA

When VDA did not exist, there was no option in that part of NOVA for higher level soccer.

PWSI and VDA are not exactly small, back-water clubs, so if you take 50% of their top teams at U12, you can form a pretty competitive squad starting at U13. Those squads are formed of kids who live in that area, so it's tough to get parents to start driving 1 hour each way to mclean several days a week. It's just not happening.

Before VDA existed, a few of them probably would!

Girls parents Squabbling like children again? What is wrong with y’all

^^^Well said.

Nothing against VDA but it is not a heavy hitter. I watched women's soccer this Fall and noticed that there were former McLean players at Duke, UNC, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, UVA, Alabama, Miami, and Virginia Tech. That is an impressive list. There were FCV players at UVA, Duke and VT. I just don't recall any VDA players being in the mix of schools.

For those that keep saying that McLean’s success only has to do with them being 1 of 2 ecnl clubs, how do you explain the success prior to the ECNL? They had the most players go off to play in college and had teams that won nationals, made it to the finals and had the most age groups that were winning state cup which was the measurement of team success. McLean was the only club that was admitted due to their merits prior to the DA. FCV got in cause they bought into the concept early and TF’s connections.
VDA only got into the ECNL because of connections and not merit.

As the landscape constantly changes, McLean has stayed on top. The reason is simple. They are the only club that has had the same coaches. The director has been at the club longer then most of these kids have been born. So VDA 06 parent, when your DD was born, CW was coaching in National championships.
My daughter played for Clyde and we won like only 1 game all year. That was prior to DA and we were one of only two ecnl clubs. We then went onto to play for a National championship in the later years.

And I think everyone knows the landscape just moved back into McLean’s favor. As soon as reality sets in with the GA and everyone realizes it is just the NIT and clearly the 2nd tier league, would players really go to VDA over McLean?

Anonymous wrote:For all the VDA disparagement in this thread, it seems to me that there is some admiration and envy from Mclean parents. They just keep coming back to VDA every time it’s pointed out how bad their younger teams really are. On the “getting better” point, everyone knows the golden age success was due to being one of only two “elite” options in Nova and recruiting from other clubs—how on earth is someone here trying to argue otherwise? Arguing that it’s all internal to the club is like arguing that the sky is made of Coca Cola.

I just don’t think anyone considers VDA a destination club for the reason explained above. Also I don’t know if McLean ECNL girls recruits as much as players seek out McLean for the reasons explained above.

For all the VDA disparagement in this thread, it seems to me that there is some admiration and envy from Mclean parents. They just keep coming back to VDA every time it’s pointed out how bad their younger teams really are. On the “getting better” point, everyone knows the golden age success was due to being one of only two “elite” options in Nova and recruiting from other clubs—how on earth is someone here trying to argue otherwise? Arguing that it’s all internal to the club is like arguing that the sky is made of Coca Cola.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the minds of the parents of girls on elite teams in the area is why are VDA and BRYC in ECNL. People understand Loudoun but even non Elite ECNL and GA teams ask how VDA and BRYC were invited to join ECNL. Arlington and FCV parents wonder why VDA and BRYC are in the league over their own clubs. Look VDA has talent but it is not considered an elite club but most followers. Again, if you could point to one VDA player at a strong college program then we could have a discussion. Even BRYC has a few.

This post suggests FCV and Arlington didn't chose to go to DA... but they did. Each league has pros and cons. Each league will have bottom dwellers and high flyers. You can't escape "bad" teams and are they really that bad if they are getting beaten by good teams? VDA is doing well in younger ages, and not so much in older agest. McLean is doing well in older ages, not so much in younger ages.... so, based on your metric, should McLean be out of the ECNL? Obviously not. Leagues are what they are and won't change any time soon.

I think you are ignoring a couple of key points:

1. FCV left ECNL for DA because DA was the new shiny league. Arlington was lucky to get into DA. Now that DA is gone, both teams are desperate to get into ECNL. Don’t deny it.
2. VDA does not and never has had a track record of producing elite players on a consistent basis. All I know about McLean is that it produces more kids playing in elite programs than any other club in the area. There are players coming off of the bench who join elite programs. I don’t know of a single VDA player making it to an elite program in the past five years.
3. McLean players and teams get better over the years. They might struggle at u13 and u14 but by u17, they are competing at a high level. On the other hand, VDA competes at the younger ages but then gets worse as the teams age.

On 3, you have beaten the dead horse into glue. That’s recruiting, not development. It’s just BS. Stop pretending it’s coaching. That will change if people become more intelligent and realize that talent attracts recruiting. There is nothing magical about any club with the exception of a very small number of coaches in the area.

Actually this is why VDA is not a top club and will never be a top club. VDA has one good team just like Loudoun and BRYC. What that tells me is that those age groups just have talent. None of the other teams are getting better. McLean has been consistently good for a very long time with pretty much every single age group. Every team gets better in the older age groups. I know these facts bother you but that is just the reality.

VDA hasn’t been around long enough to have a track record for anything.

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who referenced coaching and recruiting. here is my honest view of local clubs. You have great technical coaches and great tactical coaches. There are few if any I know who successfully do both. Technical development happens at the younger ages while tactical development happens at the older ages. McLean is great at taking technically strong kids and teaching them tactics. These kids develop a higher soccer IQ and tactical abilities than kids at other clubs, which is why DI college coaches at elite schools will take the 24th-ranked kid off the u18/u19 roster where VDA, Loudoun or Arlington would be get lucky such an offer for their top kid. I know kids who were elite level who chose to leave their elite ECNL club for McLean because they wanted to learn to play in order to play at the next level. Any parent with an elite player knows the truth of the above. Again, McLean is not for everyone.

At McLean on the younger ECNL boys teams they are neither strong technically or tactically. Mostly weak players from a technical perspective and athletically are just lacking. And how do you expect the tactical game to do if you don't have technically strong players? Players are being played in new positions like there was no communication between coaches when switching every year. Either the communication is really lacking or the new coach thinks they know better.. Tactically you would think you would put a player in a position they're used to playing and are good at. Seems like this is a strategy so kids will get frustrated and look elsewhere to play so McLean can bring in new recruits. Also, if McLean is a good club they should be getting results at the younger age groups and not getting blown out of games. And if you're going to recruit players at the ECNL level at least make sure they are at the ECNL or Academy level team's at their current club.

To the PP who referenced coaching and recruiting. here is my honest view of local clubs. You have great technical coaches and great tactical coaches. There are few if any I know who successfully do both. Technical development happens at the younger ages while tactical development happens at the older ages. McLean is great at taking technically strong kids and teaching them tactics. These kids develop a higher soccer IQ and tactical abilities than kids at other clubs, which is why DI college coaches at elite schools will take the 24th-ranked kid off the u18/u19 roster where VDA, Loudoun or Arlington would be get lucky such an offer for their top kid. I know kids who were elite level who chose to leave their elite ECNL club for McLean because they wanted to learn to play in order to play at the next level. Any parent with an elite player knows the truth of the above. Again, McLean is not for everyone.

On the girls side, McLean coaches have been on a great run at the older ages for 7-8 years. Watch their teams play and you can see the quality of the coaching. VDA parents report back in 4-5 years when you are no longer the pipeline to Bridgewater college.

dude it is what they tell them at night to sleep better. 'don't worry, you suck this year but the soccer fairy will come and bestow greatness on you because of your zip code'