FC United
FC United (Futbol Club United of Massachusetts)
Background
FC United is based in Worcester offering boys and girls teams from U10 leading up to U18; their philosophy emphasizes player development through skilled technique with the ball.
Coaches
FC United boasts itself on having great coaches; they realize one of the top reasons for any player or team to be successful is to have the right coaches. According to FC United their coaches are in it for more than just winning – they look at individual development and try to instill technical mastery of body over ball. They feel once this is mastered winning will come naturally.
Facilities
Weston Pond
10 New Bond St.
Worcester, MA 01606
Krashes Field
110 East Princeton Rd.
Princeton, MA 01541
Website
- Much better redesigned website with lots of information; many times a whole new site will open (e.g. clinics is a separate website?).
- Just tons of outdated forms, pictures and news items; get the impression the club does not focus too much on details.
My daughter joined this club over summer and loves Ricardo! He has pinpointed her weakness and works in them to improve her as a player.
coaches know the game but are very strict and can easily burn a player out.
My daughter’s experience with FC United was uneven. There were some good things about her experience, and some bad. In the end, we left the club and are glad we did because my daughter has developed her soccer game more quickly at her new club. Note, this is OUR experience with ONE of the many FC United teams.
Coaching: This was our biggest problem with the team. The team practiced twice a week in the fall and spring and once in the winter. During the practices I observed, the coach set up the drills or scrimmages and then talked to parents the rest of the time. He did not pay much attention to what was happening on the field. There was an occasional sarcastic comment meant to be funny when a girl made a mistake, but there was never any instruction or demonstration of proper techniques or tactics. On the positive side, the girls laughed at his comments and seemed to like him personally. So he gets a star and a half for that. But I was paying for more than just a good guy, I wanted a good coach.
Player Development: All clubs seem to say their mission is to develop players, but that didn’t seem to be the point of this team. It seemed the point of this team was to win as much as possible to generate positive publicity for the club and/or coach. The team was in MAPLE and participated in many tournaments to get used to playing a higher level of competition. That is a good thing. And along with the practices, this allowed the girls to develop their abilities to some extent. But without any coaching to speak of, they were not developing as quickly as they should have been. Instead, the coach’s stated philosophy was to let the girls develop at their own pace. And before every fall or spring season, he would bring in new players and stop playing some others. This not developing players, this is recruiting them!
Camps/Clinics: They had a summer “camp” for the team before the fall season. But that consisted of four practices during one week with their regular coach – who doesn’t really coach. So not all that helpful.
Tournaments: To their credit, they did participate in many good tournaments.
Facilities: Excellent winter and spring facilities at Abbey Kelly Foster Charter School and Krashes Fields. Winter training was done in a middle school gym, however. Not good at all.
Web Site: Don’t care. Their web site is the face they show the public. It doesn’t help develop my daughter’s game.
FC United has been a great club for our daughter, truly supportive of her goals and needs and focused on helping her develop. Ricardo cares deeply for his players and does all he can, including guiding them toward extra training opportunities, to build their game. Our particular team suffered through some injuries last season but emerged at the end of the year health and ended up knocking the too ranked team at the time out of the playoffs, leaving us excited about next season. The parents are supportive, and the facilities are great. Abbey Kelly in Worcester is as nice a field as you will find anywhere. Other clubs have been expressing interest in our daughter but we are sticking with the coaches who gave her a shot and have brought her this far.
The way in which FC United excels are where it counts, coaching and player development. Having been around the game for many years, including as a former NCAA Div 2 player, and a District Select Coach, I know the game. And the coaching at FC United is top notch. With one professional player player, playing for MLS’ New England Revolution, you can see that they are serious about their training. You will find it very difficult to find better training. Sure, they have no owned facilities (they rent town fields in Princeton, MA, as well as using Abby Kelly Charter and Worcester Academy’s fields). But that’s not what counts. And the prices is excellent for this caliber of training. I can highly recommend FC United.
Update on my entry above…
Shortly after writing this, I had a conversation with the team’s coach who also happens to be the club owner. Although the man knows soccer, he has one crucial problem that he can’t overcome and that’s communication. About a month after my above entry, he and I (and my daughter) had a discussion about her interest in one of the ECNL or NPL teams in the state. My daughter is very competitive and wanted to try out to play for one of the highest ranked teams in the state. Instead of encouraging her, he put her down to her face, and then went on to threaten her that he would not guarantee her a spot on his team…
Its my opinion that a coach should always encourage his players to reach as high as possible. Failure is a part of life and one never knows unless one tries. He should understand a teenager’s desire to find out where they stand in the world. He should encourage that player regardless of his personal interests.
His response, to criticise and then threaten my daughter, took away all of the goodwill I had for him (I’m being polite here). Even though he selected her to return to his team for the Spring 2014 season, we did not return. We decided that we would go ANYWHERE, rather than return. I totally misjudged this man. And I’m sorry I wrote such a glowing tribute above. And I’ll say this, we did find a good team and a tremendous coach for my daughter.
Regarding FCU, it IS a great place to learn. I know one other coach with the club. He’s terrific. I’ve worked with him personally and know him to be a great man and a great coach. And I know a couple of others by reputation. The coaching staff is indeed top notch. But the owner/coach is not to be trusted. He is smart and soccer smart, but he put his wallet above his players and in my mind, that’s just wrong. Hope this is helpful.
We have been with FC United Soccer Club for about 3 years and love the coaches and the way they get wrapped up in the whole soccer envirnoment – they jsut love the game and the fact that they have any impact on the way their kids play the game.
My daughter was with NEFC, which is a good club fore sure, but soemhow seemed happier here; overall a very good soocer club.
Mr. Wilson,
I don’t know who you are or what your stated on the club. However, my daughter is an up and coming student athlete and has worked very hard and has the best in coaching and development skills training at FC of Massachusetts. To make a comment about the facilities when you have not seen them is a farce in itself. My daughter is in her fourth year with the club and has played for many coaches in the program. When a program of this caliber produces a professional player like Diego Fagundez and then retains Professional Level Soccer Players and Coaches with certifications, it means business and its intent is to develop soccer players who are interested in playing soccer at the Collegiate and Professional level. I would reconsider your comments since your comments will follow you wherever they go. I for one am thankful for what FC of Massachusetts has done for my daughter and moreover, I am a parent who goes to the practices and drops off their child and also does not miss a match. Parent involvement is huge in any program. However, the parents have very little influence if at all.
I recommend FC of Massachusetts and Gerry Padilla’s program to any student athlete that wants to excel and grow in their soccer endeavors.
Respectfully submitted,
Athas Tsongalis
I agree with Athas; we tried a “different’ club these past couple of years and totally hated the parents who were not involved at all – but yet complained about everything! you must stay involved in all aspects of yur kids’s involvement and sprts (i.e. soccer) is no different. get involved and you’ll have more fun and certainly your kid will. Stay with FC united!