We are a first-time family in travel. Our son was given a spot in the U10 Stoddert travel team which we may have accepted. Since he got his spot, however, we have not received any further information. The deadline is June 2 to accept.

If anyone has received information for their son or daughter for Stoddert, could you please let us know? Then we'll contact them

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My U9 boy made the Blue team. We are declining.

Do you have something better for your son, or was he just trying out to see if he could? Also, did he have soccer experience beyond rec from before, or was this the first time at that higher level?

We are going with a less intense alternative that he chose. So yes - something better for our family. Yes, he has been doing travel (playing up on a U9 travel team, not Stoddert) and it's a bit much for him. He made the decision himself that he doesn't want rec, but he doesn't want to do travel again right now. We are more proud of him for this showing of self-awareness than we are for him making the teams he tried out for (he tried out for a few teams, just to keep his options open in case he changed his mind, and also because he enjoys the scrimmages at tryouts).

I hope this opens up a spot for another kid who has the heart to do it!

So what are the other options (in between travel and rec)?

In Virginia, there's the ODSL league, which is 'travel-lite' and in Maryland, I believe you have MSI, which is 'travel-lite.'

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My U9 boy made the Blue team. We are declining.

Do you have something better for your son, or was he just trying out to see if he could? Also, did he have soccer experience beyond rec from before, or was this the first time at that higher level?

We are going with a less intense alternative that he chose. So yes - something better for our family. Yes, he has been doing travel (playing up on a U9 travel team, not Stoddert) and it's a bit much for him. He made the decision himself that he doesn't want rec, but he doesn't want to do travel again right now. We are more proud of him for this showing of self-awareness than we are for him making the teams he tried out for (he tried out for a few teams, just to keep his options open in case he changed his mind, and also because he enjoys the scrimmages at tryouts).

I hope this opens up a spot for another kid who has the heart to do it!

So what are the other options (in between travel and rec)?

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me whether it's possible for a player to move up from, say, a red team to a blue team, or from a white team to a red team, during the season? Is this something that the coaches regularly contemplate? Or is it that once a player accepts a spot on a team, that's where he stays for the season? Thanks!

On girls U9-U12 is was rare (although U9 red/blue (A and B teams) there was some movement during first few weeks). Sometimes they "guest" up, but that was infrequent. Towards the end of one season it happened a bit more, because of injuries and a desire to try out some of the players on lower teams to see how they did against stronger competition.

Bear in mind this experience was with Karen Kelser as the age group coordinator, and the new coordinators may have a different philosophy.

Keep in mind that moving up is logistically difficult because the team rosters are already close to full, so unless there's an injury or a departure moving someone up would also mean moving someone down, which they're even more reluctant to do. It also can be disruptive to the lower team to lose a player (a strong one at that) in the middle of the season.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your responses! That gives us a bit of hope. I thought our DD did really well during tryouts, so we were a bit surprised that she didn't even make the white team.

Does he have foot skills? Does he control the ball well? Does he know how to pass? Move when he doesn't have the ball?
Does he play at a high speed?

She is quick, passes well, moves well without the ball, but needs better ball control. We're working on this.

First touch is a big thing at Stoddert. Also it's not a kick the hall real hard kind of game.
Have her do clinics - the Washington Spirit has some good ones. Summer camps? Or have her tryout for a different team and try again another season.

And is your DD on the small side by any chance? What age group is this? Like it was said previously they take the big girls first...

She is above average height with a muscular build for a her age. She is 9, so this for U10.

Just have her play somewhere else and she can tryout again soon. Tell them you want to be added to the list of alternates in case someone drops off.
Travel soccer for girls hits a peak at u12 and then drops off from there, to the point that it can be hard to field U16 and up teams at all. Good luck and hope your DD loves playing for many years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your responses! That gives us a bit of hope. I thought our DD did really well during tryouts, so we were a bit surprised that she didn't even make the white team.

Does he have foot skills? Does he control the ball well? Does he know how to pass? Move when he doesn't have the ball?
Does he play at a high speed?

She is quick, passes well, moves well without the ball, but needs better ball control. We're working on this.

First touch is a big thing at Stoddert. Also it's not a kick the hall real hard kind of game.
Have her do clinics - the Washington Spirit has some good ones. Summer camps? Or have her tryout for a different team and try again another season.

LOL not from what I saw. I went to a lot of tryouts and practices this year. You should check out Arlington, McLean or BSC. Stoddert is a distance last behind those programs. Bring your DD to one of their practices and see how she does. It is amazing how many top girl players from DC do not play for Stoddert. What is going on there?

It's a big ridiculous dance. Many want to play for Stoddert because it's in DC and they live in DC and a lot of the girls go to DC schools. Their friends play for Stoddert and you live there so you want to play there.
But then they offend some of the top players somehow (can even be something like being slated as a defender and kid wants to be a wing) so they flee to McLean or Bethesda or wherever. Or they cut your kid and they flee to McLean or Bethesda...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My U9 boy made the Blue team. We are declining.

Do you have something better for your son, or was he just trying out to see if he could? Also, did he have soccer experience beyond rec from before, or was this the first time at that higher level?

We are going with a less intense alternative that he chose. So yes - something better for our family. Yes, he has been doing travel (playing up on a U9 travel team, not Stoddert) and it's a bit much for him. He made the decision himself that he doesn't want rec, but he doesn't want to do travel again right now. We are more proud of him for this showing of self-awareness than we are for him making the teams he tried out for (he tried out for a few teams, just to keep his options open in case he changed his mind, and also because he enjoys the scrimmages at tryouts).

I hope this opens up a spot for another kid who has the heart to do it!

Good for you. Best of luck to your son and your family!

Thank you! My DH is kinda bummed. But he is coping well and he will live.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My U9 boy made the Blue team. We are declining.

Do you have something better for your son, or was he just trying out to see if he could? Also, did he have soccer experience beyond rec from before, or was this the first time at that higher level?

We are going with a less intense alternative that he chose. So yes - something better for our family. Yes, he has been doing travel (playing up on a U9 travel team, not Stoddert) and it's a bit much for him. He made the decision himself that he doesn't want rec, but he doesn't want to do travel again right now. We are more proud of him for this showing of self-awareness than we are for him making the teams he tried out for (he tried out for a few teams, just to keep his options open in case he changed his mind, and also because he enjoys the scrimmages at tryouts).

I hope this opens up a spot for another kid who has the heart to do it!

Good for you. Best of luck to your son and your family!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My U9 boy made the Blue team. We are declining.

Do you have something better for your son, or was he just trying out to see if he could? Also, did he have soccer experience beyond rec from before, or was this the first time at that higher level?

We are going with a less intense alternative that he chose. So yes - something better for our family. Yes, he has been doing travel (playing up on a U9 travel team, not Stoddert) and it's a bit much for him. He made the decision himself that he doesn't want rec, but he doesn't want to do travel again right now. We are more proud of him for this showing of self-awareness than we are for him making the teams he tried out for (he tried out for a few teams, just to keep his options open in case he changed his mind, and also because he enjoys the scrimmages at tryouts).

I hope this opens up a spot for another kid who has the heart to do it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your responses! That gives us a bit of hope. I thought our DD did really well during tryouts, so we were a bit surprised that she didn't even make the white team.

Does he have foot skills? Does he control the ball well? Does he know how to pass? Move when he doesn't have the ball?
Does he play at a high speed?

She is quick, passes well, moves well without the ball, but needs better ball control. We're working on this.

First touch is a big thing at Stoddert. Also it's not a kick the hall real hard kind of game.
Have her do clinics - the Washington Spirit has some good ones. Summer camps? Or have her tryout for a different team and try again another season.

LOL not from what I saw. I went to a lot of tryouts and practices this year. You should check out Arlington, McLean or BSC. Stoddert is a distance last behind those programs. Bring your DD to one of their practices and see how she does. It is amazing how many top girl players from DC do not play for Stoddert. What is going on there?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your responses! That gives us a bit of hope. I thought our DD did really well during tryouts, so we were a bit surprised that she didn't even make the white team.

Does he have foot skills? Does he control the ball well? Does he know how to pass? Move when he doesn't have the ball?
Does he play at a high speed?

She is quick, passes well, moves well without the ball, but needs better ball control. We're working on this.

First touch is a big thing at Stoddert. Also it's not a kick the hall real hard kind of game.
Have her do clinics - the Washington Spirit has some good ones. Summer camps? Or have her tryout for a different team and try again another season.

And is your DD on the small side by any chance? What age group is this? Like it was said previously they take the big girls first...

She is above average height with a muscular build for a her age. She is 9, so this for U10.