I guess everyone should get a trophy. It won’t get you looks for college unless you put in the work on and off the field.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Players that should be on the list and are not is one thing, but players who are on the list and CLEARLY should NOT be on the list is a joke/corrupt/nepotism, etc.... U17 has at least 2 who are obviously not qualified. U19 also has at least one player not qualified. My opinion, of course, but I've been around the NOVA soccer landscape for a while now.

Happens all the time in soccer and in life. Does the "best" candidate always get promoted at work? No. Best is relative anyway and is subjective in the eyes of the beholder, same as these recognition lists. I can assume positive intent here, even if my opinion does not match the outcome. Should the kid from down in Richmond that won u17 National Player of the year be the player of the year for all of the ECNL? Depends on someone's opinion. He hasn't gone to the YNT camp, etc. like many others have. In my opinion, I have seen kids on that Richmond team that I feel are better players than the one selected but I can still tip my cap to the young man and congratulate him on getting this recognition. I'm sure there are opinions out there that others should have gotten that award over him so I guess that makes that "corrupt" and "nepotism". I don't buy it. These types of debates can go on and on but in the end someone was picked and others were not. So yes, congratulate them.

You do understand what the term “nepotism” means, right? Reasonable people can have differing opinions on two players of similar ability, and there is nothing corrupt or nefarious going on. That’s not the situation, though. There are kids getting selected whose parent also happens to be their coach or their coach’s boss (TD).

Anonymous wrote:Players that should be on the list and are not is one thing, but players who are on the list and CLEARLY should NOT be on the list is a joke/corrupt/nepotism, etc.... U17 has at least 2 who are obviously not qualified. U19 also has at least one player not qualified. My opinion, of course, but I've been around the NOVA soccer landscape for a while now.

Happens all the time in soccer and in life. Does the "best" candidate always get promoted at work? No. Best is relative anyway and is subjective in the eyes of the beholder, same as these recognition lists. I can assume positive intent here, even if my opinion does not match the outcome. Should the kid from down in Richmond that won u17 National Player of the year be the player of the year for all of the ECNL? Depends on someone's opinion. He hasn't gone to the YNT camp, etc. like many others have. In my opinion, I have seen kids on that Richmond team that I feel are better players than the one selected but I can still tip my cap to the young man and congratulate him on getting this recognition. I'm sure there are opinions out there that others should have gotten that award over him so I guess that makes that "corrupt" and "nepotism". I don't buy it. These types of debates can go on and on but in the end someone was picked and others were not. So yes, congratulate them.

Anonymous wrote:Some coaches are generous and pick players for the ecnl all conference to help them get recruited. Some of the best players that are already committed didn't get picked...coach went with younger players to give them hype in their recruiting year. But I'm sure there are other coaches that simply picked the wrong players unfortunately.

ECNL is about the individual. What would you rather see. Your kid play really well at a showcase/tournament against a top team when a bunch of college coaches pop by and the your team get crushed or your team wins but you kid does not play well?

Anonymous wrote:Players that should be on the list and are not is one thing, but players who are on the list and CLEARLY should NOT be on the list is a joke/corrupt/nepotism, etc.... U17 has at least 2 who are obviously not qualified. U19 also has at least one player not qualified. My opinion, of course, but I've been around the NOVA soccer landscape for a while now.

According to the pp, you should just “celebrate” the nepotism and corruption!

Some coaches are generous and pick players for the ecnl all conference to help them get recruited. Some of the best players that are already committed didn't get picked...coach went with younger players to give them hype in their recruiting year. But I'm sure there are other coaches that simply picked the wrong players unfortunately.

Players that should be on the list and are not is one thing, but players who are on the list and CLEARLY should NOT be on the list is a joke/corrupt/nepotism, etc.... U17 has at least 2 who are obviously not qualified. U19 also has at least one player not qualified. My opinion, of course, but I've been around the NOVA soccer landscape for a while now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad to see adults complaining about who is deserving and who is not for league awards. Can't we just be happy for the kids that were selected and celebrate them. Are there other kids who are "more deserving"? Maybe, but no reason to take away from the accomplishment of the kids that were recognized. This same behavior around recognition extends to work environments later on in life and is so sad. And no, I am not connected in any way to any of the kids selected. Worse, if those complaining are having this same conversation with the kids not selected, that is horrible role model behavior. It creates infighting, etc. as the kids will follow the behavior of their parents. Just be happy for other's success when it happens. Keep working hard and yours will come too (in soccer or in life).

So celebrate kids who get “selected” for reasons such as their parent being a coach/administrator within the club, while much better players don’t get recognized?

For Boys U19 last year, clearly the most difficult player to deal with in the Mid-Atlantic was Isaiah Chisholm of Beach FC. He scored 4 goals in a half in a 5-2 game. He’s now logging minutes for the #2 team in the country (Kentucky) and spent time with the USYNT. I have no relation to him or Beach, but for him to be nowhere on that list, completely invalidates the list. Don’t put together a list, unless there is some level of objectivity to it.

I'm sure the kids that were selected did good stuff along the way too. Are politics involved, sure - that is true with everything in life. Still don't feel like this invalidates the list. It really does not matter in the end. If the player is good/great player you will find your place. This shared example solidifies that where a player that "should have been on the list" but was omitted and is doing just fine for themselves with YNT time and getting minutes for the 2nd ranked team in the country. Shows the cream will rise to the top regardless of who is on this league selection list. We can't make assumptions on what is considered as the variable for list selections either. It is possible the best player may not have the best attitude or be the best teammate (or a host of other variables) and that keeps him/her off the list. Again, we all know politics will be involved as well. Either way, I'm sure the kids selected did enough along the way as well. We always default to conspiracy theories when something we think should happen does not. There are handfuls of players I could make a case for being "on the list" but they were not selected. That does not invalidate the list, that is just my opinion. Celebrate those that are selected. Still no need to have the "my choices are not the answer so there is a problem with the outcome" mentality.