^^^U19s

Anonymous wrote:Watch all of them. The U19s is maybe the least broken because they have some legit players on that team. Watch all the rest especially.

Even the U1?s have a play up or two that would shine better as a U17.

Watch all of them. The U19s is maybe the least broken because they have some legit players on that team. Watch all the rest especially.

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure if it’s happening exactly the way you describe they wouldn’t want to continue playing up. I would be mortified, as the player, parent, or coach. Certainly wouldn’t insist to remain out of my depth, quite the opposite I’d make sure to go back with my age group. The coaches there have no incentive to keep anyone in an older age group if they are having some trouble AND want to return to their group.

Which age group play up are you focused on, so we know which games to watch for this?

You would think but some parents think playing up is proof of talent.

I’m sure if it’s happening exactly the way you describe they wouldn’t want to continue playing up. I would be mortified, as the player, parent, or coach. Certainly wouldn’t insist to remain out of my depth, quite the opposite I’d make sure to go back with my age group. The coaches there have no incentive to keep anyone in an older age group if they are having some trouble AND want to return to their group.

Which age group play up are you focused on, so we know which games to watch for this?

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people don’t agree with you about the coaching staff. But like you said, impossible to quantify, especially on this anonymous board.

Exactly. I want to expose this for everyone to see. I don't need them to take my word for it, so come watch these ridiculous play ups on these over stuffed rosters. Watch them get the ball taken from them over and over. Watch the other team school them left and right. Watch it all and see for yourselves. No other club would play these girls up. I hold Spirit accountable for that. That's a coaching problem. If the team sucked but these girls were good, then that would be something. You can tell when it's a lack of individual skill. If you get the ball taken from you every time you get it, that's you. If you are playing up and can't hang onto the ball that's you.

If your coach is playing up even though you are clearly out of your depth, that's on your coach. For everyone else, find the play ups when you play these teams. They wouldn't make the rosters of their own age group at other clubs.

See for yourselves. And be glad it's not you.

Lots of people don’t agree with you about the coaching staff. But like you said, impossible to quantify, especially on this anonymous board.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a neutral observer, this seems more like a vendetta than impartial commentary. Sorry.

Yeah right. Closet Spirit parent whose kid plays up I'm sure.

For everyone else, come watch a game. Come watch them all. See for yourselves. It's a joke.

It’s true, you seem very bitter. Have you tried therapy?

Oh, you are very clever....in your own mind.

It's not bitter to hold people to a standard. That's called holding people accountable. It's what normal people do in the world. If I buy a house and discover it was built on a crappy foundation, I will let everyone know about that builder. If the builder fixes it, then I will say that too, but I won't tell people the builder is good if they screwed it all up.

Your analogy is very poor. A few players playing up does not equate to the foundation of a house. As the other Spirit VA parent mentioned, the coaching staff, which would be the better analog for the foundation, is very strong.

To hold with your “clever” analogy, you have been screaming from the rafters for 50 pages of this thread about a couple of shutters being askew. A problem, no doubt, but easily fixed and not a reason to avoid the builder in the grand scheme of things.

It’s obvious to everyone reading this thread that your anger has made you lose perspective.

Not just me, but yes, I am persistent about it. Because if someone had warned me like this last year, I'd have made a different decision. They didn't. I'm saving the next parent.

My analogy WAS about the coaching staff. The talent pool is low, but I don't blame Spirit for that. I blame them for a gargantuan roster and I blame them for playing up mediocre players. That's a coaching problem.

If all Spirit can attract is the players FCV and other clubs didn't want, if the coaching was good, they could change that over time. They will continue to get the B and C players of other teams because talent won't stay with this kind of environment. Talent will leave in favor of better coaching.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a neutral observer, this seems more like a vendetta than impartial commentary. Sorry.

Yeah right. Closet Spirit parent whose kid plays up I'm sure.

For everyone else, come watch a game. Come watch them all. See for yourselves. It's a joke.

It’s true, you seem very bitter. Have you tried therapy?

Oh, you are very clever....in your own mind.

It's not bitter to hold people to a standard. That's called holding people accountable. It's what normal people do in the world. If I buy a house and discover it was built on a crappy foundation, I will let everyone know about that builder. If the builder fixes it, then I will say that too, but I won't tell people the builder is good if they screwed it all up.

Your analogy is very poor. A few players playing up does not equate to the foundation of a house. As the other Spirit VA parent mentioned, the coaching staff, which would be the better analog for the foundation, is very strong.

To hold with your “clever” analogy, you have been screaming from the rafters for 50 pages of this thread about a couple of shutters being askew. A problem, no doubt, but easily fixed and not a reason to avoid the builder in the grand scheme of things.

It’s obvious to everyone reading this thread that your anger has made you lose perspective.

SpiritVAParent wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

SpiritVAParent wrote:I thought I would follow RSD’s example and own my posts here. I watched my DD’s 04 game against FCV this afternoon. They lost, not a surprise, but not by as much as before. 3-0, and one of the goals was unlucky because the FCV player kicked it out of the keeper’s hands after a save. It looks to me like the defense is working well, the midfield is shaky, and the forwards are not effective. My DD tells me the coaching has been focused on the back and is moving forward. They’ll still contend for last place in the division, but the team is improving and holding their own agains a very talented FCV team. I’d like to see them play Mclean or BRYC or another ECNL team in a scrimmage.

This post is misleading. I watched the game as well and the FCV goalkeeper had to make one save and that was on a long free kick right to her. WS, smartly, packed it in and that kept the score down. WS do play a nice brand of soccer but the tale
nt just isn't there yet.

I noticed that too, but if you say that here, there is a couple of Spirit parents that will jump up and down and cry foul and just say you hate Spirit, rather than acknowledge the lack of talent in the club. Maybe down the road, they will recruit better.

No Spirit parent has ever made the case that their current overall talent is at the level of FCV or other established clubs. Notice how nobody attacked the assertion that you replied to.

Hi, everyone. Original post was mine — i think there are two irate Spirit VA parents posting, one who feels hoodwinked about roster size and one who is upset about others playing up. Here’s a different Spirit VA parent perspective: My DD loves it. She and I know very well that they are at the tail end of the player talent pool right now, given the established clubs and teams theyr’e competing with. But I think the club is also at the very high end of the coaching talent pool. As I said in my original post, for the 04s, it seems that the defense is working. well, the midfield has one or two standout players and needs more cohesion, and the attack is messy. They need a real striker or two, which can be said about basically every team that loses more games than it wins. One of the reasons I decided to own my posts was because I think Spirit VA is certainly imperfect, but has a lot to offer. It is neither AMAZING nor HORRIBLE, but another good option in a crowded girls’ soccer area, depending on what your family’s and your DD’s priorities are.

Until everyone owns their own post, I don't know that we can quantify. I know an easy 10 families that are irate. 10, at multiple age levels. I cannot support your analysis of the game, which is why I continue to say to other people who know soccer: played it, maybe coached at some level, maybe still play. Come watch. No one has to rely on this board. What I'm saying is objectively viewable.

BUT, I'm happy that your DD is having a good experience. I don't wish on any child a bad experience.

It is in fact the COACHES that are creating the problems. Some parents suffer in silence; some don't come on this board; several are talking of leaving; several left last year. If coaches make good decisions, even when the talent pool sucks, everyone can abide by it. I sure can. I can live with a lower talent pool if the coaches are good, if the decisions make sense. I do though resent terrible coaching combined with low talent.

However, I end with: happy for your DD. My son is happy playing regular elite and high school ball. He loves it. Great fit for him. My niece plays rec and she loves that too. The coach is super nice, great guy. Happiness is important.

Anonymous wrote:I’m really impressed with Spirit MD. Saw them play last weekend and they were the stronger team - by a lot. DD’s team (Arlington) only lost by one but it could have been much more. I haven’t seen FCV play but I think Spirit MD will be competitive.

I believe that entirely. I do think Spirit MD has a great program. Well done! I should always clarify my issue with with Spirit VA. They had good teams last year too, and by the looks of things, it only got better this year.

That's what should happen. Congrats to Spirit MD!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a neutral observer, this seems more like a vendetta than impartial commentary. Sorry.

Yeah right. Closet Spirit parent whose kid plays up I'm sure.

For everyone else, come watch a game. Come watch them all. See for yourselves. It's a joke.

It’s true, you seem very bitter. Have you tried therapy?

Oh, you are very clever....in your own mind.

It's not bitter to hold people to a standard. That's called holding people accountable. It's what normal people do in the world. If I buy a house and discover it was built on a crappy foundation, I will let everyone know about that builder. If the builder fixes it, then I will say that too, but I won't tell people the builder is good if they screwed it all up.

I’m really impressed with Spirit MD. Saw them play last weekend and they were the stronger team - by a lot. DD’s team (Arlington) only lost by one but it could have been much more. I haven’t seen FCV play but I think Spirit MD will be competitive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

SpiritVAParent wrote:I thought I would follow RSD’s example and own my posts here. I watched my DD’s 04 game against FCV this afternoon. They lost, not a surprise, but not by as much as before. 3-0, and one of the goals was unlucky because the FCV player kicked it out of the keeper’s hands after a save. It looks to me like the defense is working well, the midfield is shaky, and the forwards are not effective. My DD tells me the coaching has been focused on the back and is moving forward. They’ll still contend for last place in the division, but the team is improving and holding their own agains a very talented FCV team. I’d like to see them play Mclean or BRYC or another ECNL team in a scrimmage.

This post is misleading. I watched the game as well and the FCV goalkeeper had to make one save and that was on a long free kick right to her. WS, smartly, packed it in and that kept the score down. WS do play a nice brand of soccer but the tale
nt just isn't there yet.

I noticed that too, but if you say that here, there is a couple of Spirit parents that will jump up and down and cry foul and just say you hate Spirit, rather than acknowledge the lack of talent in the club. Maybe down the road, they will recruit better.

No Spirit parent has ever made the case that their current overall talent is at the level of FCV or other established clubs. Notice how nobody attacked the assertion that you replied to.

Hi, everyone. Original post was mine — i think there are two irate Spirit VA parents posting, one who feels hoodwinked about roster size and one who is upset about others playing up. Here’s a different Spirit VA parent perspective: My DD loves it. She and I know very well that they are at the tail end of the player talent pool right now, given the established clubs and teams theyr’e competing with. But I think the club is also at the very high end of the coaching talent pool. As I said in my original post, for the 04s, it seems that the defense is working. well, the midfield has one or two standout players and needs more cohesion, and the attack is messy. They need a real striker or two, which can be said about basically every team that loses more games than it wins. One of the reasons I decided to own my posts was because I think Spirit VA is certainly imperfect, but has a lot to offer. It is neither AMAZING nor HORRIBLE, but another good option in a crowded girls’ soccer area, depending on what your family’s and your DD’s priorities are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a neutral observer, this seems more like a vendetta than impartial commentary. Sorry.

Yeah right. Closet Spirit parent whose kid plays up I'm sure.

For everyone else, come watch a game. Come watch them all. See for yourselves. It's a joke.

It’s true, you seem very bitter. Have you tried therapy?