Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do agree, the term "Academy" should have a standardized meaning. -We signed up with our local club who advertised they had an "Academy," and it took us about 6 months to figure out that was just a marketing term.

It fooled us, it was just travel soccer with 2 teams and a rotating cast of coaches who really just liked to let the players scrimmage a ton.

Just like we entered and won our 1st U9 tournament, I thought we were amazing! -Then I found out we entered bracket #3 of 4 brackets. Ugh, the marketing and mis-direction is strong.

Just wait till they unveil their Elite Academy! OP on the academy term post and I get it...many people are getting duped. When we started years ago I didn't know enough and thought playing travel ball meant something. Then I learned about the levels. As long as you want to learn and not be willfully blind then you will do right by your kid.

Had a coach try to explain to me once that the team he was pitching for my kid was a travel team. But all the teams played against each other every week on the same field. Make that make sense.

He meant level, not milage

I only wish my kid played half hour away every weekend on same field

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do agree, the term "Academy" should have a standardized meaning. -We signed up with our local club who advertised they had an "Academy," and it took us about 6 months to figure out that was just a marketing term.

It fooled us, it was just travel soccer with 2 teams and a rotating cast of coaches who really just liked to let the players scrimmage a ton.

Just like we entered and won our 1st U9 tournament, I thought we were amazing! -Then I found out we entered bracket #3 of 4 brackets. Ugh, the marketing and mis-direction is strong.

Just wait till they unveil their Elite Academy! OP on the academy term post and I get it...many people are getting duped. When we started years ago I didn't know enough and thought playing travel ball meant something. Then I learned about the levels. As long as you want to learn and not be willfully blind then you will do right by your kid.

Had a coach try to explain to me once that the team he was pitching for my kid was a travel team. But all the teams played against each other every week on the same field. Make that make sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do agree, the term "Academy" should have a standardized meaning. -We signed up with our local club who advertised they had an "Academy," and it took us about 6 months to figure out that was just a marketing term.

It fooled us, it was just travel soccer with 2 teams and a rotating cast of coaches who really just liked to let the players scrimmage a ton.

Just like we entered and won our 1st U9 tournament, I thought we were amazing! -Then I found out we entered bracket #3 of 4 brackets. Ugh, the marketing and mis-direction is strong.

Just wait till they unveil their Elite Academy! OP on the academy term post and I get it...many people are getting duped. When we started years ago I didn't know enough and thought playing travel ball meant something. Then I learned about the levels. As long as you want to learn and not be willfully blind then you will do right by your kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume my DS is an anomaly but wondered if other folks have seen this. I have a 11 year old that absolutely loved the game. He plays for a large academy and practices everyday either alone or with his team. A few years ago, he was in the 5th team of the academy but rose the ranks progressively and is now a starter in the 2nd team. It usually takes him 2 games with any new coach to convince him that he should start every game.
However, whenever my son goes to a tryout with a different academy, he will not get any offers (even for their lowest team with kids that started playing last year).
I assume that the reason is that he is not as fluid as other players that were born with god given ability, but he more than makes up for it with his work rate and consistency.
I wonder if other families have experienced this themselves.

To be clear, there is only one academy in the DMV…that is DCU and they don’t have a 5th team (even though they might play like it sometimes). Stop calling clubs academies just because they label something “academy”. You should look up the difference yourself so you stop sounding like a dope.

Semantics of language. Nobody cares about this point and it adds nothing to the discussion.

No....it isn't semantics. Its clubs duping parents cause they are too stupid/lazy to learn for themselves and/or parents thinking their little baby is much better than they really are. You aren't an academy kid...you will know those when you see them.

You are just ranting but be clear that you are not educating anyone. We all know the nomenclature of "academy" is and can be used by any club and further that it does not denote a training environment with players that are poised to play professional soccer. It's almost synonymous with travel soccer in the US. Babbling about the term's misuse in a forum like this is fruitless -- everyone knew exactly what the PP was talking about when they used it. Nobody thought they were confusing their kid w a Philly Union or DCU player. Please stop. Nobody cares.

You care. I mean...look at you. I love that you care so much to follow up to your complaining with additional complaining. You REALLY care. And you are very wrong...there are countless parents out there who really think playing for Arlington means something...that they are on par with Philly Union. So we will continue to talk about the term's misuse for two reasons. 1) Because people are clueless 2) Because it bothers you. You are a clown.

Anonymous wrote:I do agree, the term "Academy" should have a standardized meaning. -We signed up with our local club who advertised they had an "Academy," and it took us about 6 months to figure out that was just a marketing term.

It fooled us, it was just travel soccer with 2 teams and a rotating cast of coaches who really just liked to let the players scrimmage a ton.

Just like we entered and won our 1st U9 tournament, I thought we were amazing! -Then I found out we entered bracket #3 of 4 brackets. Ugh, the marketing and mis-direction is strong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume my DS is an anomaly but wondered if other folks have seen this. I have a 11 year old that absolutely loved the game. He plays for a large academy and practices everyday either alone or with his team. A few years ago, he was in the 5th team of the academy but rose the ranks progressively and is now a starter in the 2nd team. It usually takes him 2 games with any new coach to convince him that he should start every game.
However, whenever my son goes to a tryout with a different academy, he will not get any offers (even for their lowest team with kids that started playing last year).
I assume that the reason is that he is not as fluid as other players that were born with god given ability, but he more than makes up for it with his work rate and consistency.
I wonder if other families have experienced this themselves.

To be clear, there is only one academy in the DMV…that is DCU and they don’t have a 5th team (even though they might play like it sometimes). Stop calling clubs academies just because they label something “academy”. You should look up the difference yourself so you stop sounding like a dope.

Semantics of language. Nobody cares about this point and it adds nothing to the discussion.

No....it isn't semantics. Its clubs duping parents cause they are too stupid/lazy to learn for themselves and/or parents thinking their little baby is much better than they really are. You aren't an academy kid...you will know those when you see them.

You are just ranting but be clear that you are not educating anyone. We all know the nomenclature of "academy" is and can be used by any club and further that it does not denote a training environment with players that are poised to play professional soccer. It's almost synonymous with travel soccer in the US. Babbling about the term's misuse in a forum like this is fruitless -- everyone knew exactly what the PP was talking about when they used it. Nobody thought they were confusing their kid w a Philly Union or DCU player. Please stop. Nobody cares.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaches want simple plays in games, but ball hogs in tryouts. They look at what club you are currently at, how loud are you, how your ball skills are. Kids that play simple and have high IQ don't always show, which is why sending game film is critical. Not highlights, send a full half of game to the coach.

A good coach will always notice the high IQ player
If you have a high IQ player, don't take them to run & gun bootball team

1st off, a good coach is not always a good scout. Also, I've seen tryouts where it's been small sided all day and others where it was full sided. Not one damn coach will ever admit they are a bootball team, but most are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaches want simple plays in games, but ball hogs in tryouts. They look at what club you are currently at, how loud are you, how your ball skills are. Kids that play simple and have high IQ don't always show, which is why sending game film is critical. Not highlights, send a full half of game to the coach.

A good coach will always notice the high IQ player
If you have a high IQ player, don't take them to run & gun bootball team

1st off, a good coach is not always a good scout. Also, I've seen tryouts where it's been small sided all day and others where it was full sided. Not one damn coach will ever admit they are a bootball team, but most are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaches want simple plays in games, but ball hogs in tryouts. They look at what club you are currently at, how loud are you, how your ball skills are. Kids that play simple and have high IQ don't always show, which is why sending game film is critical. Not highlights, send a full half of game to the coach.

A good coach will always notice the high IQ player
If you have a high IQ player, don't take them to run & gun bootball team

Anonymous wrote:I do agree, the term "Academy" should have a standardized meaning. -We signed up with our local club who advertised they had an "Academy," and it took us about 6 months to figure out that was just a marketing term.

It fooled us, it was just travel soccer with 2 teams and a rotating cast of coaches who really just liked to let the players scrimmage a ton.

Just like we entered and won our 1st U9 tournament, I thought we were amazing! -Then I found out we entered bracket #3 of 4 brackets. Ugh, the marketing and mis-direction is strong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume my DS is an anomaly but wondered if other folks have seen this. I have a 11 year old that absolutely loved the game. He plays for a large academy and practices everyday either alone or with his team. A few years ago, he was in the 5th team of the academy but rose the ranks progressively and is now a starter in the 2nd team. It usually takes him 2 games with any new coach to convince him that he should start every game.
However, whenever my son goes to a tryout with a different academy, he will not get any offers (even for their lowest team with kids that started playing last year).
I assume that the reason is that he is not as fluid as other players that were born with god given ability, but he more than makes up for it with his work rate and consistency.
I wonder if other families have experienced this themselves.

To be clear, there is only one academy in the DMV…that is DCU and they don’t have a 5th team (even though they might play like it sometimes). Stop calling clubs academies just because they label something “academy”. You should look up the difference yourself so you stop sounding like a dope.

Semantics of language. Nobody cares about this point and it adds nothing to the discussion.

No....it isn't semantics. Its clubs duping parents cause they are too stupid/lazy to learn for themselves and/or parents thinking their little baby is much better than they really are. You aren't an academy kid...you will know those when you see them.

You are just ranting but be clear that you are not educating anyone. We all know the nomenclature of "academy" is and can be used by any club and further that it does not denote a training environment with players that are poised to play professional soccer. It's almost synonymous with travel soccer in the US. Babbling about the term's misuse in a forum like this is fruitless -- everyone knew exactly what the PP was talking about when they used it. Nobody thought they were confusing their kid w a Philly Union or DCU player. Please stop. Nobody cares.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume my DS is an anomaly but wondered if other folks have seen this. I have a 11 year old that absolutely loved the game. He plays for a large academy and practices everyday either alone or with his team. A few years ago, he was in the 5th team of the academy but rose the ranks progressively and is now a starter in the 2nd team. It usually takes him 2 games with any new coach to convince him that he should start every game.
However, whenever my son goes to a tryout with a different academy, he will not get any offers (even for their lowest team with kids that started playing last year).
I assume that the reason is that he is not as fluid as other players that were born with god given ability, but he more than makes up for it with his work rate and consistency.
I wonder if other families have experienced this themselves.

To be clear, there is only one academy in the DMV…that is DCU and they don’t have a 5th team (even though they might play like it sometimes). Stop calling clubs academies just because they label something “academy”. You should look up the difference yourself so you stop sounding like a dope.

Semantics of language. Nobody cares about this point and it adds nothing to the discussion.

No....it isn't semantics. Its clubs duping parents cause they are too stupid/lazy to learn for themselves and/or parents thinking their little baby is much better than they really are. You aren't an academy kid...you will know those when you see them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaches want simple plays in games, but ball hogs in tryouts. They look at what club you are currently at, how loud are you, how your ball skills are. Kids that play simple and have high IQ don't always show, which is why sending game film is critical. Not highlights, send a full half of game to the coach.

A good coach will always notice the high IQ player
If you have a high IQ player, don't take them to run & gun bootball team

That sounds great in theory but fails spectacularly at any sort of open tryouts. There's no way the high IQ player would even be seen. Sucks, but that's how it actually plays out.

Your judgment is based on your level of knowledge and experience
Not that of knowledgeable experienced coaches who actually know what a high IQ player looks like

I'm giving you real world experience from who the coaches actually select.

Experience doesn't equal knowledge
You're just giving an opinion view from your lens

So no players with high IQ are on teams in the DMV?

If they are, it's because they're first and foremost big/strong. That's not the #1 priority at all.