Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey, thanks for posting that. It puts the VYS soap opera in context.

Hmmm. I notice that Arlington parents are melting down on an another thread right now. Guess it's catching.

Ditto Stoddert parents, Bethesda parents... Someone should start a thread about which clubs are least complained about! Reston, Herndon, Great Falls?

Anonymous wrote: Hmmm. I notice that Arlington parents are melting down on an another thread right now. Guess it's catching.

Anonymous wrote:Hey, thanks for posting that. It puts the VYS soap opera in context.

Hmmm. I notice that Arlington parents are melting down on an another thread right now. Guess it's catching.

Anonymous wrote: We tried a different local program and we are THRILLED with it. Parents are great, administration is transparent and interested in customer service. Coaching is far superior. Fields are available. Expenses are lower. Yep. Much better.

Anonymous wrote:What we've been saying for years is that the travel side needs to reflect the spirit of VYS House Soccer. But instead it's like this frankenstein's monster that's bolted on from the outside.

Anonymous wrote:I want to thank the VYS volunteers who ignore the message-board bad press and the churn among the paid overlords to just get things done week after week for more than 3,000 kids who do get to have some fun playing soccer whether the overly harsh travel coaches or the grudge-holding dismissed board members or the disgruntled ex-VYS travel parents like it or not.

Anonymous wrote:

So you're the expert on VYS, and yet you can't be bothered to look at their web site, which has bios of the board members and minutes from board meetings.

Uhh, defensive much? I'm not an expert in the intricacies of VYS politics. Sheesh, I don't CARE who the board members are. I don't want to HAVE TO care. If I have to go dig around and read board minutes for a youth soccer club and know the intricacies of board member's bios, there is something VERY WRONG THAT CLUB.

I merely recounted our experience with VYS over several years in house and travel....culminating in this current year in travel. Our overall experience was not pleasant. The atmosphere at VYS is not customer-service-oriented.

Frankly, your responses prove my point. Your exactly the kind of officious, humorless, bureaucratic, petty individual we've encountered throughout VYS. Not everyone, but enough that it's not worth the hassle.

Seriously, what kind of a person has time to investigate the board members of VYS and peruse the minutes of board meetings? Who WANTS to do that? I'll tell you: Someone who values their time so little that they have nothing better to do with their time, that's who.

I'd rather find a club (Chantilly, FPYC, Reston, Loudoun, BRYC, Arlington, McLean) that already functions well and be done with it. We've had several underwhelming interactions with VYS, culminating in what I'll charitably call a wasted year with a coach who was widely acknowledged to be a severely dysfunctional jerk. I mean, this guy was so bad that the ATD acknowledged to me in way back in October that he was not a good fit and that the "dynamics" at VYS made it difficult to do anything about it. Again, who has time for that? Especially at the price VYS charges. Not me.

A couple of bad hires. Now gone.

Doubtful. And, frankly, I'm not willing to wait, when we can find a different club and happily move along.

The good professional coaches should be empowered now that Gunney is out.

Doubtful. The employee and player talent drain has been going on for 3+ years. And, frankly, the other places we've looked into are a) cheaper, b) have reliable access to good fields, c) have capable coaches at relevant ages and d) aren't recovering from years of dysfunction - and that 's IF VYS hasn't bottomed out yet, which is not a safe bet. You watch, VYS will suffer another talent drain this tryout season. I promise.

Look, here's the equation: VYS has a few good folks sprinkled around the organization who might or might not coach/manage a team we're placed on. VYS is suffering from a horrendous reputation (well-earned, mind you) and has been through a huge talent drain for 3+ years. Other clubs in the area have stable coaching rosters with well-established club practices and reliable fields.

I'm sorry if you can't handle that, but it is what it is. Like I noted in my original post, VYS needs to adopt a credible, transparent plan and they need to start implementing it. Until there's actual progress on things parents and kids care about, VYS is a no-go.

Oh, and for what it's worth, can I tell you how deliciously ironic it is that VYS had to cancel travel tryouts today because Kilmer and Colvin Run were muddy. All the while, there was a non-VYS team running practice at Jones Branch this evening. HEH. Yeah, now that Gunney is gone, it's gonna get a LOT better. HAHAHAHAHAHA.