Anonymous
Post 05/23/2017 09:18     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd be curious to hear how many kids from "outside the system" are making U13 DA teams for next year. That is, kids who did not play U12 DA this year. The sales pitch for the U12 teams is that you need to get your kid in sooner, rather than later, or he may have trouble breaking in.


There were spots for rising U13s from outside the DA but that's really the wrong question this year. Because of the way the DA s phased in the age group change, this year's U12s (04s) will be next year's U14s.

U12 DAs are 2 x 9v9 teams (24-26 players) then they cut it down to one 11v11 team (16-18) players for U13 & above. The cut isn't as sharp for clubs which mixed in a lot of 05s with their 04 groups (or next year will have a lot of 07s with their 06s), but for clubs which didn't do that, Arlington for example, they are going to be dropping a lot of their existing U12s anyway. On top of that you have all of the McLean current U12 DA players (mostly 04s) looking to move to another DA. The advantage those players have by being "in the system" is that they already have had multiple opportunities to try out during matches against the other DA clubs throughout the year.

So yeah, with so many 04s being cut lose, it was hard for 04s from outside the system to break in this year, just as it will be hard for 06s next year (and 04s again, since they will age out Arl and Loud DAs, unless they get expanded).

It's an extremely competitive process, as it's designed to be.

Hopefully the cream will rise to the top, rather than just the early developers, but that comes down to the individual clubs.



That is very informative. Thank you for the response. I always forget that US Soccer didn't adopt the birth year mandate for the DAs yet. Don't even get me started on that.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2017 08:22     Subject: Re:Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
^^agree. By having all of these super exclusionary additional teams with Club officials making the decisions on who can tryout and who gets seen and giving other DA Club kids preference because their buddy at the other Club picked him....

Let me ask, does that sound like an open process? Our youth National teams have suffered this plague for decades which is why some of the best players never get on a roster (unless you get signed in Europe and then US dummies finally take notice).
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2017 08:03     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd be curious to hear how many kids from "outside the system" are making U13 DA teams for next year. That is, kids who did not play U12 DA this year. The sales pitch for the U12 teams is that you need to get your kid in sooner, rather than later, or he may have trouble breaking in.


There were spots for rising U13s from outside the DA but that's really the wrong question this year. Because of the way the DA s phased in the age group change, this year's U12s (04s) will be next year's U14s.

U12 DAs are 2 x 9v9 teams (24-26 players) then they cut it down to one 11v11 team (16-18) players for U13 & above. The cut isn't as sharp for clubs which mixed in a lot of 05s with their 04 groups (or next year will have a lot of 07s with their 06s), but for clubs which didn't do that, Arlington for example, they are going to be dropping a lot of their existing U12s anyway. On top of that you have all of the McLean current U12 DA players (mostly 04s) looking to move to another DA. The advantage those players have by being "in the system" is that they already have had multiple opportunities to try out during matches against the other DA clubs throughout the year.

So yeah, with so many 04s being cut lose, it was hard for 04s from outside the system to break in this year, just as it will be hard for 06s next year (and 04s again, since they will age out Arl and Loud DAs, unless they get expanded).

It's an extremely competitive process, as it's designed to be.

Hopefully the cream will rise to the top, rather than just the early developers, but that comes down to the individual clubs.



This happens so less frequently in the U.S. these days. For the cream to make it, it needs a strong advocate with history in the sport that will protect it the entire way. A lot of the cream with this type of advocate isn't even doing DA.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2017 07:10     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:I'd be curious to hear how many kids from "outside the system" are making U13 DA teams for next year. That is, kids who did not play U12 DA this year. The sales pitch for the U12 teams is that you need to get your kid in sooner, rather than later, or he may have trouble breaking in.


There were spots for rising U13s from outside the DA but that's really the wrong question this year. Because of the way the DA s phased in the age group change, this year's U12s (04s) will be next year's U14s.

U12 DAs are 2 x 9v9 teams (24-26 players) then they cut it down to one 11v11 team (16-18) players for U13 & above. The cut isn't as sharp for clubs which mixed in a lot of 05s with their 04 groups (or next year will have a lot of 07s with their 06s), but for clubs which didn't do that, Arlington for example, they are going to be dropping a lot of their existing U12s anyway. On top of that you have all of the McLean current U12 DA players (mostly 04s) looking to move to another DA. The advantage those players have by being "in the system" is that they already have had multiple opportunities to try out during matches against the other DA clubs throughout the year.

So yeah, with so many 04s being cut lose, it was hard for 04s from outside the system to break in this year, just as it will be hard for 06s next year (and 04s again, since they will age out Arl and Loud DAs, unless they get expanded).

It's an extremely competitive process, as it's designed to be.

Hopefully the cream will rise to the top, rather than just the early developers, but that comes down to the individual clubs.

Anonymous
Post 05/23/2017 06:11     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
I'd be curious to hear how many kids from "outside the system" are making U13 DA teams for next year. That is, kids who did not play U12 DA this year. The sales pitch for the U12 teams is that you need to get your kid in sooner, rather than later, or he may have trouble breaking in.
Anonymous
Post 05/22/2017 16:27     Subject: Re:Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Quick question at the boys' clubs that have club DA for 2006/2005/2004 --did most of the players move up a team because the DA team is now essentially the "A" team? It seemed that way in our Club. The "B" team got "A" team spots and so on down the chain.

Also, is it likely most of the players will all shift down again once they age out? There really isn't any room for these kids in DC United Academy.

Asking--because if I have a kid on a lower team they could essentially be pushed out in 8th grade as the players all return to the regular teams.


I'd say it's not a given they all go back to their home clubs when they age out. Many will likely try out for one of the older age group teams at VDA or Bethesda (which will have a U16 pre-academy team in addition to the DA teams), as well as DC United. If they can't make a DA team, they will likely try to land on a team that plays in the National League. I am not convinced that the new boys' ECNL program will be much of a draw, but some kids may try their luck there if they think it will lead to greater visibility.


Aren't they rostered at 26 at each age group/DA team at each Club? Then, the kids are competing for a minute number of leftover spots at the other places. For 2 clubs, that is 52 kids. Or, are they taking fewer kids this year for DA? I think it's more likely most will return to regular Club play


The DA roster limits are the same as far as I know, but there is a reasonable about of turnover each year at the full DAs. Kids who aren't getting much playing time at one will leave for another, or they'll leave the DA entirely so they can play high school. There can be movement at the top DA levels too as kids look to get on a team more likely to make the playoffs, or play up a year or two within their club. There obviously won't be enough spots for all the kids trying out, but more than a minute number have a chance of getting a DA offer for the older age groups. Of course, not all of the good players trying out will have played DA in the younger age groups.
Anonymous
Post 05/22/2017 14:38     Subject: Re:Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Quick question at the boys' clubs that have club DA for 2006/2005/2004 --did most of the players move up a team because the DA team is now essentially the "A" team? It seemed that way in our Club. The "B" team got "A" team spots and so on down the chain.

Also, is it likely most of the players will all shift down again once they age out? There really isn't any room for these kids in DC United Academy.

Asking--because if I have a kid on a lower team they could essentially be pushed out in 8th grade as the players all return to the regular teams.


I'd say it's not a given they all go back to their home clubs when they age out. Many will likely try out for one of the older age group teams at VDA or Bethesda (which will have a U16 pre-academy team in addition to the DA teams), as well as DC United. If they can't make a DA team, they will likely try to land on a team that plays in the National League. I am not convinced that the new boys' ECNL program will be much of a draw, but some kids may try their luck there if they think it will lead to greater visibility.


Aren't they rostered at 26 at each age group/DA team at each Club? Then, the kids are competing for a minute number of leftover spots at the other places. For 2 clubs, that is 52 kids. Or, are they taking fewer kids this year for DA? I think it's more likely most will return to regular Club play
Anonymous
Post 05/22/2017 14:09     Subject: Re:Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:Quick question at the boys' clubs that have club DA for 2006/2005/2004 --did most of the players move up a team because the DA team is now essentially the "A" team? It seemed that way in our Club. The "B" team got "A" team spots and so on down the chain.

Also, is it likely most of the players will all shift down again once they age out? There really isn't any room for these kids in DC United Academy.

Asking--because if I have a kid on a lower team they could essentially be pushed out in 8th grade as the players all return to the regular teams.


I'd say it's not a given they all go back to their home clubs when they age out. Many will likely try out for one of the older age group teams at VDA or Bethesda (which will have a U16 pre-academy team in addition to the DA teams), as well as DC United. If they can't make a DA team, they will likely try to land on a team that plays in the National League. I am not convinced that the new boys' ECNL program will be much of a draw, but some kids may try their luck there if they think it will lead to greater visibility.
Anonymous
Post 05/22/2017 13:27     Subject: Re:Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:Quick question at the boys' clubs that have club DA for 2006/2005/2004 --did most of the players move up a team because the DA team is now essentially the "A" team? It seemed that way in our Club. The "B" team got "A" team spots and so on down the chain.

Also, is it likely most of the players will all shift down again once they age out? There really isn't any room for these kids in DC United Academy.

Asking--because if I have a kid on a lower team they could essentially be pushed out in 8th grade as the players all return to the regular teams.


Yes from what I heard from friends who tried out, this is pretty much how it went and what we expect to happen in the future. Theoretically some kids drop out of soccer in high school anyway to play on middle or high school teams, but there aren't that many spots on HS teams around here.
Anonymous
Post 05/22/2017 13:02     Subject: Re:Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Quick question at the boys' clubs that have club DA for 2006/2005/2004 --did most of the players move up a team because the DA team is now essentially the "A" team? It seemed that way in our Club. The "B" team got "A" team spots and so on down the chain.

Also, is it likely most of the players will all shift down again once they age out? There really isn't any room for these kids in DC United Academy.

Asking--because if I have a kid on a lower team they could essentially be pushed out in 8th grade as the players all return to the regular teams.
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2017 14:57     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op on ccl here. Really was asking a legitimate question. Sorry if it came off as something else. Thank you all for your insight!


It was a legit question. The master thread has a bit of back and forth on CCL vs NSCL etc and it seems to strike a nerve with some folks.


Yea. At U9 don't worry at all about any leagues anyways. Practice/training with a good coach is what matters most at this age.



+1

Coach is number one. But you also want your young kid to play with friends where possible, and to be exposed to quality players. Also, this is a "travel soccer" thread, but don't travel any more than you have to in early years. Driving far to games isn't ideal, and a daily commute to practice is tougher.
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2017 14:11     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op on ccl here. Really was asking a legitimate question. Sorry if it came off as something else. Thank you all for your insight!


It was a legit question. The master thread has a bit of back and forth on CCL vs NSCL etc and it seems to strike a nerve with some folks.


Easiest approach is for the veterans to ignore and provide a link to the page in the CCL debate of the main thread.

-- It is a waste of time to rehash or explain on the tryout thread . . . Just link to the pages!


Agree completely, but I'm laughing about the notion that the link would refer to a single page. For kicks, I entered "CCL" in the search box for the Sports and Fitness forum, and got 41 pages worth of hits--1023 separate records.

Anonymous
Post 05/18/2017 13:46     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
keep it if off main board too; just go here:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/619396.page#10375315
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2017 13:43     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op on ccl here. Really was asking a legitimate question. Sorry if it came off as something else. Thank you all for your insight!


It was a legit question. The master thread has a bit of back and forth on CCL vs NSCL etc and it seems to strike a nerve with some folks.


Easiest approach is for the veterans to ignore and provide a link to the page in the CCL debate of the main thread.

-- It is a waste of time to rehash or explain on the tryout thread . . . Just link to the pages!
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2017 13:37     Subject: Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op on ccl here. Really was asking a legitimate question. Sorry if it came off as something else. Thank you all for your insight!


It was a legit question. The master thread has a bit of back and forth on CCL vs NSCL etc and it seems to strike a nerve with some folks.


Yea. At U9 don't worry at all about any leagues anyways. Practice/training with a good coach is what matters most at this age.