Which would you choose?

[Guest]

PDA blue with a little playing time or PDA white with lots of playing time? If you could provide reasoning for your conclusion it would be helpful. Thank you.

It really depends on the age group. Whites 08s and 05s are decent but the 06s and 07s are on par with South which is bad. I wouldn't choose South over White in any age group though. Playing time is key as it doesn't matter if you are on the bench or not rostered when it comes time to be in front of recruiters your kid needs to be on the field. Realistically they could get the same exposure as White on any of the other ECNL or GA teams.

[Guest]

PDA blue with a little playing time or PDA white with lots of playing time? If you could provide reasoning for your conclusion it would be helpful. Thank you.

I can only vouch for what we did when faced with this scenario: Chose the lesser team where minutes are plentiful. Playing is most important, and during the season you'll play the same teams and will have the opportunity to go against the top team, and see how you stack up.

This was done on the recommendation of the school my kid was committed to. Playing is by far more important.

[Guest]

PDA Blue for sure, but if your kid isn't going to break into the starting lineup when they come over, don't bother coming. They will get mediocre minutes (20-40) minutes a game, if they are rostered. you are not getting better if you are not playing. At least at the HS groups and higher, 4-5 girls play the entire game ( 70-80 minutes). Go to a lesser ECNL team and be the big fish in a small pond, get the minutes and compete against the same competition in North Atlantic Conference

[Guest]

PDA Blue for sure, but if your kid isn't going to break into the starting lineup when they come over, don't bother coming. They will get mediocre minutes (20-40) minutes a game, if they are rostered. you are not getting better if you are not playing. At least at the HS groups and higher, 4-5 girls play the entire game ( 70-80 minutes). Go to a lesser ECNL team and be the big fish in a small pond, get the minutes and compete against the same competition in North Atlantic Conference

I agree….. partially. Your kid has to play meaningful minutes, but my HS age daughter played for White, and it was a total waste of time and money. I made it a point to compare what we were getting vs. our Blue counterpart….. and it wasn’t even close. Blue practiced more often, played in more tournaments, and operated with a much greater sense of urgency and importance. White was an afterthought and carried little importance, except for paying on time. Everyone felt it and it was demoralizing.

Even at the PDA Showcase Blue played up top with a ton of college coaches watching, but White was down below with few coaches and not great schools. The team’s record was terrible and were consistently embarrassed at tournaments because they were playing teams that were much better. They actually lost to CSA Bergen at one tournament which was the cherry on top! Not sure any of this helped with recruiting.

Stay with Blue if you get decent time. Otherwise, go to a different club. Just my two cents.

[Guest]

I agree….. partially. Your kid has to play meaningful minutes, but my HS age daughter played for White, and it was a total waste of time and money. I made it a point to compare what we were getting vs. our Blue counterpart….. and it wasn’t even close. Blue practiced more often, played in more tournaments, and operated with a much greater sense of urgency and importance. White was an afterthought and carried little importance, except for paying on time. Everyone felt it and it was demoralizing.

Even at the PDA Showcase Blue played up top with a ton of college coaches watching, but White was down below with few coaches and not great schools. The team’s record was terrible and were consistently embarrassed at tournaments because they were playing teams that were much better. They actually lost to CSA Bergen at one tournament which was the cherry on top! Not sure any of this helped with recruiting.

Stay with Blue if you get decent time. Otherwise, go to a different club. Just my two cents.

The difference in how Blue is treated compared to white is pretty hard to comprehend since both teams are ECNL teams. If you watch the Highschool age groups, especially during the recruiting years, you will see a big difference in the attention to detail during practice.

I will always vote for playing on the best team for any club as they get the most attention because the clubs fortunes are vested in the team's success. One caveat is if you do not get enough time on the field to feel like you are a contributing member of that team. Does your daughter feel like she is an afterthought- getting minutes in non-crucial situations? Does the coach only find time for the player for 10 to 15 minutes at a clip? is her time further limited when the team is in a tight game playing against a tough opponent? If so, you are on the wrong team. You are a role player in youth soccer and paying for the pleasure. Do not go to the second team unless, the coach is vetted, and that particular team is the exception to the rule in "second team quality". Seek another club where you will be on the first team, possibly playing against the team you just left. In doing so your interests and the club's interest will be aligned. Your daughter will have a chance to develop as a player by participating in maximum minutes on the field and most importantly, your daughter's mental health will be greatly improved by her feeling part of something in her youth soccer career.
Been there, done that with no regrets!

Soccer Nut

[Guest]

The difference in how Blue is treated compared to white is pretty hard to comprehend since both teams are ECNL teams. If you watch the Highschool age groups, especially during the recruiting years, you will see a big difference in the attention to detail during practice.

I will always vote for playing on the best team for any club as they get the most attention because the clubs fortunes are vested in the team's success. One caveat is if you do not get enough time on the field to feel like you are a contributing member of that team. Does your daughter feel like she is an afterthought- getting minutes in non-crucial situations? Does the coach only find time for the player for 10 to 15 minutes at a clip? is her time further limited when the team is in a tight game playing against a tough opponent? If so, you are on the wrong team. You are a role player in youth soccer and paying for the pleasure. Do not go to the second team unless, the coach is vetted, and that particular team is the exception to the rule in "second team quality". Seek another club where you will be on the first team, possibly playing against the team you just left. In doing so your interests and the club's interest will be aligned. Your daughter will have a chance to develop as a player by participating in maximum minutes on the field and most importantly, your daughter's mental health will be greatly improved by her feeling part of something in her youth soccer career.
Been there, done that with no regrets!

Soccer Nut

Tremendous soccer wisdom from someone who has clearly been in this game for awhile.

[Guest]

The difference in how Blue is treated compared to white is pretty hard to comprehend since both teams are ECNL teams. If you watch the Highschool age groups, especially during the recruiting years, you will see a big difference in the attention to detail during practice.

I will always vote for playing on the best team for any club as they get the most attention because the clubs fortunes are vested in the team's success. One caveat is if you do not get enough time on the field to feel like you are a contributing member of that team. Does your daughter feel like she is an afterthought- getting minutes in non-crucial situations? Does the coach only find time for the player for 10 to 15 minutes at a clip? is her time further limited when the team is in a tight game playing against a tough opponent? If so, you are on the wrong team. You are a role player in youth soccer and paying for the pleasure. Do not go to the second team unless, the coach is vetted, and that particular team is the exception to the rule in "second team quality". Seek another club where you will be on the first team, possibly playing against the team you just left. In doing so your interests and the club's interest will be aligned. Your daughter will have a chance to develop as a player by participating in maximum minutes on the field and most importantly, your daughter's mental health will be greatly improved by her feeling part of something in her youth soccer career.
Been there, done that with no regrets!

Soccer Nut

I appreciate your insite. This is very helpful but what is the alternative once you get to the HS ages, go to STA or MF? People always have so much to say about both clubs but I guess it all depends on the coach and particular year.

[Guest]

I appreciate your insite. This is very helpful but what is the alternative once you get to the HS ages, go to STA or MF? People always have so much to say about both clubs but I guess it all depends on the coach and particular year.

Assuming your daughter is a 09-birth year, which means she is currently in eighth grade, and you feel she is good enough to make a move, my choice of coaches in this age group would be Fredy Guiren of WorldClass. They play in the ECNL, and his teams are always competitive. The speed of play and practices will rival PDA Blue. You will find Fredys's style direct but technical. His teams are usually capped at about 19 or 20. If you live in the Northern area of New jersey, this team should be a major consideration. If you feel your daughter may not get the playing time on this team, then I would go to STA under coach Kelly Sims. I believe she is the current director You will find that the speed of play is a little slower, but she likes her players to be technical. STA has a good record for college placement and Kelly was/is a national team scout so that's an added bonus. She certainly has her supporters and retractors in the youth soccer community but overall, a solid choice. PDA blue usually picks up players from many STA teams. I am a GA supporter, although not the ECNL, it gives our girls a quality choice, especially if you choose the GA club wisely!

I would check out these teams before I would consider PDA white unless one of the quality coaches at PDA coached a white team

Good Luck

Soccer Nut

[Guest]

Assuming your daughter is a 09-birth year, which means she is currently in eighth grade, and you feel she is good enough to make a move, my choice of coaches in this age group would be Fredy Guiren of WorldClass. They play in the ECNL, and his teams are always competitive. The speed of play and practices will rival PDA Blue. You will find Fredys's style direct but technical. His teams are usually capped at about 19 or 20. If you live in the Northern area of New jersey, this team should be a major consideration. If you feel your daughter may not get the playing time on this team, then I would go to STA under coach Kelly Sims. I believe she is the current director You will find that the speed of play is a little slower, but she likes her players to be technical. STA has a good record for college placement and Kelly was/is a national team scout so that's an added bonus. She certainly has her supporters and retractors in the youth soccer community but overall, a solid choice. PDA blue usually picks up players from many STA teams. I am a GA supporter, although not the ECNL, it gives our girls a quality choice, especially if you choose the GA club wisely!

I would check out these teams before I would consider PDA white unless one of the quality coaches at PDA coached a white team

Good Luck

Soccer Nut

meant to say Detractors-retractors

[Guest]

meant to say Detractors-retractors

What about at the HS level? With PDA Blue being a recruiting machine, are older teams at MF, WC and STA able to sustain a strong roster or do they get engulfed by the vicious cycle of the best kids leaving for Blue every year?

[Guest]

What about at the HS level? With PDA Blue being a recruiting machine, are older teams at MF, WC and STA able to sustain a strong roster or do they get engulfed by the vicious cycle of the best kids leaving for Blue every year?

Why they flocking to Blue, most of the Blue players ending at Rutgers anyway. You can be recruited by rest of 349 schools playing on other teams. Are they all want to go to Rutgers?

[Guest]

Why would one assume lower end pda blue players could crack the match fit staring line up? I think that is rather presumptuous don’t you?

[Guest]

I agree….. partially. Your kid has to play meaningful minutes, but my HS age daughter played for White, and it was a total waste of time and money. I made it a point to compare what we were getting vs. our Blue counterpart….. and it wasn’t even close. Blue practiced more often, played in more tournaments, and operated with a much greater sense of urgency and importance. White was an afterthought and carried little importance, except for paying on time. Everyone felt it and it was demoralizing.

Even at the PDA Showcase Blue played up top with a ton of college coaches watching, but White was down below with few coaches and not great schools. The team’s record was terrible and were consistently embarrassed at tournaments because they were playing teams that were much better. They actually lost to CSA Bergen at one tournament which was the cherry on top! Not sure any of this helped with recruiting.

Stay with Blue if you get decent time. Otherwise, go to a different club. Just my two cents.

We had same experience with HS aged kid and left never looked back. She was old enough to decide on her own- it came down to being at a showcase and the college coaches not present- but were at every other team game Delco, PF, SUSA. That’s when we jumped.

[Guest]

We had same experience with HS aged kid and left never looked back. She was old enough to decide on her own- it came down to being at a showcase and the college coaches not present- but were at every other team game Delco, PF, SUSA. That’s when we jumped.

Where to?

[Guest]

Where to?

Probably bull****ting you... sounds like angry parents on other clubs with same story they are making up. If anyone is getting advice from this site they would be a fool. Lmao !!!