Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll give you 2 “bronze level” teams getting on an airplane. U13 girls eastern president’s cup finals Beadlings 3rd team played Arlington’s 4th team. Both advanced to Nationals in Kansas in July.

From DC to Kansas in summer?

I guess the moral of the story is that it sucks to be 3rd or 4th team. 1st teams get to go to San Diego and Seattle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Pay-to-play teaches more about entitlement and sense of privilege in an exclusive club more than it teaches true life lessons

You learn life lessons in other countries where at 9 your daddy's money can't get you on a team. Only your talent and work.

Everyone always attributes their own achievements to their talent and work. But assume other’s achievements are from privilege and money.

It's privilege when 15 much more skillful and talented kids can't afford to be on the richie-rich team, but the much less talented private school kid can.

Anonymous wrote:

Pay-to-play teaches more about entitlement and sense of privilege in an exclusive club more than it teaches true life lessons

You learn life lessons in other countries where at 9 your daddy's money can't get you on a team. Only your talent and work.

Everyone always attributes their own achievements to their talent and work. But assume other’s achievements are from privilege and money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you pay not for soccer you pay for life lessons . Already at u8 your kids will be introduced to the dirties politics that can be.
At the age 18 they are ready to work in US Senate if survived.

Pay-to-play teaches more about entitlement and sense of privilege in an exclusive club more than it teaches true life lessons

You learn life lessons in other countries where at 9 your daddy's money can't get you on a team. Only your talent and work.

NP. You have a lot to learn about those other countries.

Signed, citizen of one of them.

Anonymous wrote:Let’s keep talking about how we need “elite” athletes who can run and jump like Lebron James to choose to play soccer…while Lebron James’ BASKETBALL team keeps getting thrashed by the 2 teams in his conference that are led by pudgy Euros.

Beyond funny

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What bronze-level teams are doing all this alleged traveling? Name them or stop making stuff up. The whining is out of control

I kind of agree, parent of two non-top-tier travel players here; so far, and it's been several years, the farthest we've had to go is about a two-hour drive, and then only once per season. If your club is making the #3 team get on a plane to play somewhere, change clubs.

I suspect the complainers aren’t parents of kids on #3 teams but parents who are looking down on lower team players because it makes them feel superior for some reason. Some of the parents on here are insufferable.

Anonymous wrote:What bronze-level teams are doing all this alleged traveling? Name them or stop making stuff up. The whining is out of control

I kind of agree, parent of two non-top-tier travel players here; so far, and it's been several years, the farthest we've had to go is about a two-hour drive, and then only once per season. If your club is making the #3 team get on a plane to play somewhere, change clubs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll give you 2 “bronze level” teams getting on an airplane. U13 girls eastern president’s cup finals Beadlings 3rd team played Arlington’s 4th team. Both advanced to Nationals in Kansas in July.

Great! I hope that is not what OP is talking about. This is a national championship.

And that's important, because we only have about 12 of those.

I think this is a snooty response. Most kids won’t ever have the change to play in a national championship. Mine’s been playing for 9 years and has yet to attend one. He’d love the opportunity. Just because his team isn’t MLSN or ECNL doesn’t make it meaningless.

There are so many better opportunities in soccer than a "national championship" that isn't.

I see the appeal of playing one tournament a year or at least one tournament in a playing career somewhere far away -- Disney, California, etc. That'd be much more fun than going to Kansas to be one of several teams in the same age group to call itself a national champion.

They didn't choose to go to Kansas because it'll be a fun trip. Like many local teams they entered the Virginia Presidents Cup tournament. It's a good tournament with fairly local games in Virginia. They probably didn't expect to win the state tournament, but if you do, you advance to the finals in Kansas. At that point, it's not like the team will just decline to go because it's in Kansas. They have to see it through. It's a great accomplishment and a trip they are likely to remember.

Hey man your Ironman really matter tho

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Completly meaningless and a waster of time

Yes achievements only matter if they are at the top levels. That degree and deans list from your college doesn’t matter because it isn’t Harvard. There shouldn’t be any local theater productions because it’s not Broadway. I don’t applaud at high school chorus concerts because it’s not the top level. Stop running hard in those Thanksgiving Day 5K’s because it doesn’t matter. Cancel those plans in Florida for that ironman because it’s not the top level.

Which is why chasing a "national championship" is kind of ridiculous.

Celebrate any victory -- Jeff Cup, your division in EDP, your division in NCSL, your division in NCSL Rec. It's an accomplishment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll give you 2 “bronze level” teams getting on an airplane. U13 girls eastern president’s cup finals Beadlings 3rd team played Arlington’s 4th team. Both advanced to Nationals in Kansas in July.

Great! I hope that is not what OP is talking about. This is a national championship.

And that's important, because we only have about 12 of those.

I think this is a snooty response. Most kids won’t ever have the change to play in a national championship. Mine’s been playing for 9 years and has yet to attend one. He’d love the opportunity. Just because his team isn’t MLSN or ECNL doesn’t make it meaningless.

There are so many better opportunities in soccer than a "national championship" that isn't.

I see the appeal of playing one tournament a year or at least one tournament in a playing career somewhere far away -- Disney, California, etc. That'd be much more fun than going to Kansas to be one of several teams in the same age group to call itself a national champion.

Anonymous wrote:Completly meaningless and a waster of time

Yes achievements only matter if they are at the top levels. That degree and deans list from your college doesn’t matter because it isn’t Harvard. There shouldn’t be any local theater productions because it’s not Broadway. I don’t applaud at high school chorus concerts because it’s not the top level. Stop running hard in those Thanksgiving Day 5K’s because it doesn’t matter. Cancel those plans in Florida for that ironman because it’s not the top level.