Anonymous wrote:We're new to the travel scene. For the youngest players, are coaches already looking for superior foot skills? Our son is fast, assertive, loves to play, coachable, has a natural sense for the game and moving the ball around the field. He can't juggle the ball 400 times and has only the most rudimentary familiarity with various moves. Does this mean he's not ready for travel?

By moving the ball around are you talking about passing? If so he will not make a team.

Anonymous wrote:We're new to the travel scene. For the youngest players, are coaches already looking for superior foot skills? Our son is fast, assertive, loves to play, coachable, has a natural sense for the game and moving the ball around the field. He can't juggle the ball 400 times and has only the most rudimentary familiarity with various moves. Does this mean he's not ready for travel?

He will be just fine. From what you mentioned, I think he already has better skill than most other travel players at his age.

Anonymous wrote:We're new to the travel scene. For the youngest players, are coaches already looking for superior foot skills? Our son is fast, assertive, loves to play, coachable, has a natural sense for the game and moving the ball around the field. He can't juggle the ball 400 times and has only the most rudimentary familiarity with various moves. Does this mean he's not ready for travel?

Sounds like a great starting point for travel!

We're new to the travel scene. For the youngest players, are coaches already looking for superior foot skills? Our son is fast, assertive, loves to play, coachable, has a natural sense for the game and moving the ball around the field. He can't juggle the ball 400 times and has only the most rudimentary familiarity with various moves. Does this mean he's not ready for travel?

14:40 here
Boys side

Anonymous wrote:

FPYCparent wrote:Another addition ... and it's one I should have already had! I'm not that good at this. (:

Herndon, VA: Herndon Soccer (FB)

...

Someone help me out. There is a post in one of the large soccer threads that attempts to list the colors used by each club. I want to say it was on one of the pages in the 90s. I haven't been able to find it again. I'll see if I can find a way to incorporate that info.

Thanks in advance!

I tried to get people to post on this before, but the sidetracking and snark was a detriment to th thread. But I’m glad there’s interest now because I find it as valuable, if not more, knowing the color of the team and what that means in addition to the name.

FPYC: Blue, Gold
HERN: Black, Red, White
REST: Blue, White, Yellow, Green
GRFL: Blue, White, Gold (sometimes with some other names thrown in, like Lazio or Estudiantes)
LOUD: Red, Black, White, Silver (I also see Gray and Green in ODSL)
MCLN: Green, White, Gold, Silver, White
VYS: Red, Black, White (also Silver in ODSL. CYA: Purple, Gold, Silver, Black (also White)
NVSC: Blue, White
PAC: Navy, White (then Gold and Silver in ODSL. Also, girls teams are starting to go by Gold)
STER: Orange, White
LMVSC: Red, White, Blue
ARL: Red, White, Blue, Black, Silver, Gold
PWSI: Red, White (that can't be all)
POT: Blue, White, Black
SYA: Red (also Black)
VSA: Blue, Gold, White
BRYC: Elite, Blue, White (note: most ODSL teams are run out of separate rec department)
GSC: Red, White
BETH: Blue, Green (gets very confusing when they move up to DA, EDP, etc.)
DCST: Blue, White, Red
WALD: Orange
SMS: Gold, Red
ALEX: Red, White, Blue, Black, Silver
ACH:No color designations

People may be able to fill in gaps.

For Bethesda, that's accurate for the older groups, but for the younger kids the order is now:
Pre-Academy 1
Pre-Academy 2
Blue
Green
Bunch of other colors that I'm not sure of.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else chime in for the younger age groups for NWDC-ish small clubs like Achilles, Jouons, DC Youth Futbol or Washington Soccer Club (boys side)?

Boys or girls it makes a difference.

Anyone else chime in for the younger age groups for NWDC-ish small clubs like Achilles, Jouons, DC Youth Futbol or Washington Soccer Club (boys side)?

Anonymous wrote:We found the PAC coaches rather harsh to the kids. They also mainly stressed footskills and not much else.

I posted earlier on this thread. (have had kids at PAC and Arlington)

Re: harshness... It surprises me that that is your impression. Like anywhere, coaches have different personalities, some stricter than others, some funnier with kids than others, some a perfect fit for one kid, some a better fit for another. I have never heard anyone say that PAC is a harsher or more negative place than other clubs. To me, what stands out about PAC (probably because it's a small club with coaches that stay for years) is that the coaches tend get to know the kids, even across different age groups. Coaches from teams two years ahead knew my son by name. Maybe we have different definitions of harshness... I like a coach that is strict and runs a tight ship. But I don't see this at all.

As far as footskills, I agree that in the early years (U9 or maybe U9 and U10), the emphasis is very heavily on footskills at practice. PAC has a training philosophy and they seem to want to see mastery of A before moving on to B. Practices are definitely a lot of drills. One negative is that this might be less fun for some kids, especially the kids who don't really love soccer, than scrimmaging for half the practice. All I can tell you is that if you stick with the club for a few years, the results are impressive, at least on the Navy teams. And of course they move on from footskills... I am guessing your child wasn't there after U9?

Anonymous wrote:We found the PAC coaches rather harsh to the kids. They also mainly stressed footskills and not much else.

Not discounting your child's experience, just giving a different perspective:

Through switching teams, combined practices, and also age group changes, my kid has had exposure to at least six PAC coaches over the years. Only one would I describe as harsh. And many others have been the opposite, very chill!

We found the PAC coaches rather harsh to the kids. They also mainly stressed footskills and not much else.

Anonymous wrote:Re PAC practices: Most boys teams do Tues/Thurs and then Sat footskills during the season. Tues/Thurs practice is year round other than a two week break in December. My son also does an extra training session with one of the coaches (that we pay for). PAC also has a great residential one-week camp in the summer and some day camps as well.

How do the fees (yearly club/team fees) run?

For SCAA, they do two practices a week plus an academy night (all skills focused with several age groups practicing together - kids love it). I think right now there is one team per age group, but I know they want to expand if they have the numbers.

Re PAC practices: Most boys teams do Tues/Thurs and then Sat footskills during the season. Tues/Thurs practice is year round other than a two week break in December. My son also does an extra training session with one of the coaches (that we pay for). PAC also has a great residential one-week camp in the summer and some day camps as well.

Thanks for the PAC info. Do any of their teams practice three times per week (as a team), or is there an option for clinics through this club to add an extra training?