Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Why do you think MLS Next expanded their age groups? Would love to hear your opinion.

Good question. I didn't think it would happen due to the overall poor team records for many years. But MLS Next requires that all Head Coaches have at least a B license, so how will this work? It appears that only one coach has a license (an A license), so will he be listed as the Head Coach for all six MLS Next teams? If so, that's crazy! If you look at the MLS Next coaches for other DMV clubs, they all have at least a B license. Of course, a license doesn't mean that you are a good coach, but at least they have gone through years of training and education vs. a former player turned self-proclaimed coach who has side-stepped the licensing process.

Always looking for something. I know this makes you sad. The rule is, and always has been: Academy Head Coach must have B License or equivalent (exceptions must be approved by MLS NEXT Technical Director)

Obviously, the league sees value in having Achilles, their coaches, and their coaching style in the league. Since Sal has coached in the league since it started, it's pretty easy to assume he's been approved. I'm guessing they're going to have to add at least one coach to cover all their age groups for the upcoming season, but I don't think that person has been announced.

Parents think they are getting (and paying) for licensed coaches if their kid plays on an MLS Next team, but that is not the case with this club. Only one licensed coach for six teams? While other clubs have licensed coaches leading each of their teams?

Anonymous wrote:Achilles is on the way up up UP. Their amazing 2011 team just beat Red Bulls! It was a great game and glad to see the KING score.

It was so amazing, it was the first time they posted on IG.

But wait, the plot thickens. Hate to burst the Achille's parents' bubbles but it was actually the 2012 Red Bull team that came to play. Wow. How demoralizing was that?

Achilles is on the way up up UP. Their amazing 2011 team just beat Red Bulls! It was a great game and glad to see the KING score.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Why do you think MLS Next expanded their age groups? Would love to hear your opinion.

Good question. I didn't think it would happen due to the overall poor team records for many years. But MLS Next requires that all Head Coaches have at least a B license, so how will this work? It appears that only one coach has a license (an A license), so will he be listed as the Head Coach for all six MLS Next teams? If so, that's crazy! If you look at the MLS Next coaches for other DMV clubs, they all have at least a B license. Of course, a license doesn't mean that you are a good coach, but at least they have gone through years of training and education vs. a former player turned self-proclaimed coach who has side-stepped the licensing process.

Always looking for something. I know this makes you sad. The rule is, and always has been: Academy Head Coach must have B License or equivalent (exceptions must be approved by MLS NEXT Technical Director)

Obviously, the league sees value in having Achilles, their coaches, and their coaching style in the league. Since Sal has coached in the league since it started, it's pretty easy to assume he's been approved. I'm guessing they're going to have to add at least one coach to cover all their age groups for the upcoming season, but I don't think that person has been announced.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Why do you think MLS Next expanded their age groups? Would love to hear your opinion.

Good question. I didn't think it would happen due to the overall poor team records for many years. But MLS Next requires that all Head Coaches have at least a B license, so how will this work? It appears that only one coach has a license (an A license), so will he be listed as the Head Coach for all six MLS Next teams? If so, that's crazy! If you look at the MLS Next coaches for other DMV clubs, they all have at least a B license. Of course, a license doesn't mean that you are a good coach, but at least they have gone through years of training and education vs. a former player turned self-proclaimed coach who has side-stepped the licensing process.

You can chose to listen and learn from former Achilles parents or not, but you are sadly mistaken if you think just watching practices and games is enough to truly learn about a club. Once you pay your money, all bets are off. Even if you join and are specifically told that your kid will be on the MLS Next team, this may not be the case when the season starts. And it will have nothing to do with your kid. Or your kid may actually be one of the 24 kids listed on the MLS Next team, but he will either never make the game roster of 18, or make the roster, but never actually set foot on the pitch. This is the reality with this club. You will hear that "the competition is really intense"and "you just need to work harder," but that is false. It is only about making as much money as they can by selling a false narrative to both parents and kids. If you want to pay for MLS Next so that your kid can go to practices, but rarely if ever play, then step right up. This is the reality for half of the players on the team. And no, this is not how to develop players.

11s notched a win against red bulls

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Why do you think MLS Next expanded their age groups? Would love to hear your opinion.

Tell us what took them so long to get all age groups into MLS Next. Would love to hear your opinion.

Independent parent here. I am at a club founded around the same time as Achilles, circa 2016-17. Our club is not sniffing MLS Next yet Achilles is there with clubs that have been around pre-2000. You just have your facts wrong.

My kid is currently looking at Potomac, Achilles and Bethesda for his first major move from a small club. We saw all of them in our age group this weekend aa they were all at the Soccerplex at the same time. Achilles had 2 standout players out of the top 5 from all 4 teams.

The other players that scored and dominated are just growth and age-based. That fizzles out in 11v11.

We are leaning towards Bethesda but this anti-Achilles is remedial parenting at best. FYI, the coach was a church mouse for Achilles which did surprise me given the rhetoric. Get out of your ivory towers if you serious about your kids development and see who is actually developing.

Final note: professional scouts watch how your child reacts when losing. Achilles was playing a level up and getting crushed. No blaming, no head down. So many of these front running kids on winning teams would have wilted. That is character.

If DC United isn’t having younger age groups this year will kids go to Achilles? Are there any other coaches for the older kids (U14 and above) or just the two brothers?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the record as a parent who will going to watch an Achilles game this weekend as they are one of three teams my son is considering, I would much rather deal with a coach who may have had a temper in the past but has learned to correct it than you parents that jump from one Achilles thread to the next with the same lame @$$ stuff from the past.

I find your parenting style abusive…are they really living that rent-free in your head?

You are only keeping these soft-as-Charmin parents who have anxiety if their kid is not on the A team away which is perfect. Those of us who prioritize development over wins know the 3-5 clubs in the area that develop players and Achilles is one of them.

You can't seriously believe Achilles developed those kids. If you had said their trainers developed them, sure I would 100% agree. But Achilles? Or any other local MLS Next club in fact. Laughable.

What's laughable is that you are so hurt by Achilles's success in developing players you keep coming on here with this nonsense. If this were true, why would it EVER matter what club ANYONE joins. It's absurd to think Achilles doesn't develop players and in direct contradiction to the facts. For the record, my son is NOT currently at Achilles, I just can't stand this narrative. I'm probably missing some, but from 2011-2009 age groups, I can think of 12 separate kids that have moved on to MLS Academies or been invited to Regional USYNT ID camps from Achilles, including the two mentioned above who have gone further. All but two of them spent more than two years at Achilles, and five of them started with Achilles at age 8 or younger. It's a tiny club. There is no world in which this is a coincidence. And, before you say the parents are attracted to the badge, or Achilles got lucky, or whatever, those parents chose to have their kids train there for a reason. The club has its challenges for sure, but to say they don't develop players is, indeed, laughable.

Not as hurt as you are to my comments, are you going to write a book response every time?

Doesn't matter which club you are at if playing MLS Next or ECNL. Get a good trainer and play on a team with players your skill level or better. Who cares which club it is, they all suck. Sounds like your kid isn't MLS Next or ECNL though, so maybe this doesn't apply. Carry on.

Also, please show me the 12 kids from Achilles that went on to academy teams. Don't include USYNT ID sessions, who really cares about those.

So your son was invited to a regional ID and you told him "no one really cares?" I'm so sure. Also note that the kid invited to the national camp chose to stay at Achilles his entire career. I know of at least one other who has turned down an academy invite to stay. Some have gone to DC and come back. But fine, don't count them. I've got 8 I think are currently at academies. (7 for sure). And your anyone can get a trainer and succeed anywhere doesn't at all explain why Achilles's ratio is so much higher. Right?

Your coach recommends 2 players for those US ID sessions, it's nothing that special. Sorry to burst your bubble. And yes, my kid has been 3x.

Good for that kid, club hopping is stupid. They are all relatively the same, some worse than others. Achilles being on the worse side.

Lots of kids filter through DCU. And if it's DCU that kid turned down, I'm not surprised by his decision.

No, you obviously need some level of talent. What high ratio... tally up the numbers for the other local clubs and compare.

Sure my guy. Arlington has 16 teams in those three age groups. at 18 per team, that's 288 kids. Achilles has 5 teams. that's 90 kids. So you tell me. Does Arlington have 8 kids at MLS Academies in those age groups? Even with the 2 they just sent to Austin? And even if they did, it would be 2.7 percent of their pool. Compare that to Achilles's 8.8%. I'm sure it's a similar comparison for other clubs. And I really try not to tell folks how to parent, but please tell me you didn't tell your kid "no one cares" about their Regional ID selection.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the record as a parent who will going to watch an Achilles game this weekend as they are one of three teams my son is considering, I would much rather deal with a coach who may have had a temper in the past but has learned to correct it than you parents that jump from one Achilles thread to the next with the same lame @$$ stuff from the past.

I find your parenting style abusive…are they really living that rent-free in your head?

You are only keeping these soft-as-Charmin parents who have anxiety if their kid is not on the A team away which is perfect. Those of us who prioritize development over wins know the 3-5 clubs in the area that develop players and Achilles is one of them.

You can't seriously believe Achilles developed those kids. If you had said their trainers developed them, sure I would 100% agree. But Achilles? Or any other local MLS Next club in fact. Laughable.

What's laughable is that you are so hurt by Achilles's success in developing players you keep coming on here with this nonsense. If this were true, why would it EVER matter what club ANYONE joins. It's absurd to think Achilles doesn't develop players and in direct contradiction to the facts. For the record, my son is NOT currently at Achilles, I just can't stand this narrative. I'm probably missing some, but from 2011-2009 age groups, I can think of 12 separate kids that have moved on to MLS Academies or been invited to Regional USYNT ID camps from Achilles, including the two mentioned above who have gone further. All but two of them spent more than two years at Achilles, and five of them started with Achilles at age 8 or younger. It's a tiny club. There is no world in which this is a coincidence. And, before you say the parents are attracted to the badge, or Achilles got lucky, or whatever, those parents chose to have their kids train there for a reason. The club has its challenges for sure, but to say they don't develop players is, indeed, laughable.

Not as hurt as you are to my comments, are you going to write a book response every time?

Doesn't matter which club you are at if playing MLS Next or ECNL. Get a good trainer and play on a team with players your skill level or better. Who cares which club it is, they all suck. Sounds like your kid isn't MLS Next or ECNL though, so maybe this doesn't apply. Carry on.

Also, please show me the 12 kids from Achilles that went on to academy teams. Don't include USYNT ID sessions, who really cares about those.

So your son was invited to a regional ID and you told him "no one really cares?" I'm so sure. Also note that the kid invited to the national camp chose to stay at Achilles his entire career. I know of at least one other who has turned down an academy invite to stay. Some have gone to DC and come back. But fine, don't count them. I've got 8 I think are currently at academies. (7 for sure). And your anyone can get a trainer and succeed anywhere doesn't at all explain why Achilles's ratio is so much higher. Right?

Your coach recommends 2 players for those US ID sessions, it's nothing that special. Sorry to burst your bubble. And yes, my kid has been 3x.

Good for that kid, club hopping is stupid. They are all relatively the same, some worse than others. Achilles being on the worse side.

Lots of kids filter through DCU. And if it's DCU that kid turned down, I'm not surprised by his decision.

No, you obviously need some level of talent. What high ratio... tally up the numbers for the other local clubs and compare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Why do you think MLS Next expanded their age groups? Would love to hear your opinion.

Tell us what took them so long to get all age groups into MLS Next. Would love to hear your opinion.

Anonymous wrote:Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Why do you think MLS Next expanded their age groups? Would love to hear your opinion.

Achilles has some good players.
Parents will always take kids there because of location and MLS next badge

Its the coaches that are bad why these good players are getting blown out every weekend

Anonymous wrote:I just know my kids look forward to the fun and W playing against the best developed kids in the DMV at Achilles

Based on the lack of knowledge in your posts, I sincerely doubt your "kids" are playing in MLS Next. It's clear that when you change the subject because your argument has failed, you fall back on checking the website for scores.