Moving to DFW - need advice

It looks like my family will be moving to the DFW area sometime around the new year.
While I'm not crazy enough to pick where we might live based on soccer, we are serious enough about the game for it to have some influence since it takes up a good chunk of our free time and likely will continue to do so for the next several years (I have multiple girls whose primary concern with moving is that they don't want to leave their current soccer teams).

We know the clubs pretty well and each of my girls has played against most of the top Dallas teams in their age (and so I know which teams and coaches and style of play appealed to me). What confuses me is that, looking online at their websites, it seems like some clubs (Solar and Texans and D'Feeters, for example) have top teams primarily based in multiple different locations. One club might have higher level teams in one age group training in a particular city while the higher level teams in another age group primarily train many miles away. Is that a correct assumption? That all might make logistics for getting multiple getting kids to practices each night difficult.

My question is for parents with multiple children playing soccer at the higher levels and leagues. Are your kids generally all with the same club and training in the same location in order to help with the logistics? Or, if it's typical for the same club to has training locations that are quite different depending on the age and the level of the team (that might even be likely to change in the future), then I assume the right thing to do would simply look for the best coach and team for each kid regardless of whether or not they are in the same club because logistics are going to be hard anyway?

Dallas soccer is kind of confusing. Thanks for the help!

Chauffeur wrote:I assume the right thing to do would simply look for the best coach and team for each kid regardless of whether or not they are in the same club because logistics are going to be hard anyway?

Dallas soccer is kind of confusing.  Thanks for the help!

You got it right there. Look for the coach / teammate situation that works best for each kid.

Being all in one club is no guarantee of being in the same place. The big clubs have multiple training locations, and where a team practices is mostly driven by the coach's preference and the field availability. Solar, DKSC, Sting, & Texans all have several places you could end up. FCD may be a bit more centered on their complex in Frisco, but even they have teams practicing in other places far away.

Coaches also move clubs all the time. No guarantee that you don't start all in one club, then have a coach you love move and end up with two or three different locations that way too.

Thanks, Deuce.
Would either Flower Mound or Colleyville be cities where one might have several good options for multiple different age groups within manageable driving distances, or is that too far west?

Chauffeur wrote:Thanks, Deuce.
Would either Flower Mound or Colleyville be cities where one might have several good options for multiple different age groups within manageable driving distances, or is that too far west?

A lot of girl's soccer talent in the HS's in FM, Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Trophy Club, Keller, and that all comes from the club ranks. So plenty of people appear to be finding what they need in those areas.

Makes sense. Thanks. I assume official Dallas team formation for each year occurs following the end of the spring season?
So a good plan might be to take the spring to guest practice and perhaps guest play with a number of teams to find the right fit and then commit for the following year come signing day in the spring? I figure we'll ask our current DOC to reach out and help coordinate things.
Any advice that I should know or obvious questions I should be asking now?

Chauffeur wrote:Makes sense. Thanks. I assume official Dallas team formation for each year occurs following the end of the spring season?
So a good plan might be to take the spring to guest practice and perhaps guest play with a number of teams to find the right fit and then commit for the following year come signing day in the spring? I figure we'll ask our current DOC to reach out and help coordinate things.
Any advice that I should know or obvious questions I should be asking now?

Flower Mound is an excellent place to live and makes getting to most any part of the metroplex a breeze, for work or play.

Yes, teams tryouts start in May after State Cup here. If you child has played the top teams from the area then you are looking at ECNL or DA. Solars DA location is changing soon... very very close to Flower Mound. DKSC is in Farmers Branch, very close to flower mound, Texans.. eh, well they are close also. haha FCD isnt a bad drive from flower mound if you dont mind the tollway traffic. Sting would be the ones in a tough spot to get to over in Richardson where their ECNL teams train.

Flower Mound also has "decent" high school soccer, or so I hear. haha Ive got a Blackwalnut right across the street from me thats got an excellent wine selection if ya wanna get a tab and talk DFW futbol!

Flower Mound is a good central location if you don't know where you want to live yet. Coppell is in a decent school district. Colleyville/Southlake/Keller are great places to live, but in my opinion, DEFINTIELY a hike to where most of the DA/ECNL action is. (For full disclosure, I live in Southlake and my kids (05G) play for Fever United which is based in Keller/Colleyville.)

The drive time is significant. Even driving just to Flower Mound or Farmers Branch from Southlake in traffic every evening takes a good 45minutes. Getting all the way out to Frisco and Allen ... well... even without traffic is 40min and in traffic in the evening? Forget about it. You're talking an hour - easy. So personally, we have elected to decline invitations to play DA/ECNL. Plus, is my kid really gonna make a career of soccer??

I live in Southlake for the school district. While my daughter's club team has had a lot of success as an independent club, let's be honest - it is NOT DA. (Though we've given a bunch of ECNL clubs the occasional whoopin' =) ) But we made the choice to live out in Southlake (Southlake Carroll ISD)based on schools and not soccer.

If you're sure you want DA, I'd look in North Dallas. That's really where the action is. Frisco, Allen, The Colony -- all great places to live. I grew up in Plano so I have a soft spot for Plano, too. All those places will allow relatively easy access to the major clubs. Nothing wrong with Flower Mound either, but I do believe the school districts are rated better in North Dallas.

Of course, my family loves Southlake. But no DA or ECNL out here yet!

Either way, welcome to Dallas.

Chauffeur wrote:Makes sense. Thanks. I assume official Dallas team formation for each year occurs following the end of the spring season?
So a good plan might be to take the spring to guest practice and perhaps guest play with a number of teams to find the right fit and then commit for the following year come signing day in the spring? I figure we'll ask our current DOC to reach out and help coordinate things.
Any advice that I should know or obvious questions I should be asking now?

Oh and generally teams start open practices in late spring. Our "line in the sand" in North Texas is usually right when the age group you are interested in finishes State Cup. That is typically the first two weekends in May. Then... the craziness starts and runs up to signing day, July 1.

There really is no other way to find a fit without just going to practices, but you probably know that. For us, the coaching situation was the most important. The coach becomes a role model in my kids' lives so it was important to me that the coach was someone my kids could emulate. Everyone sounds great on the phone or email; you gotta go meet them. When we moved here, we were shocked by the number of snake oil salesmen we met. It's just a different beast down here in gool ol'
Dallas.

Good luck

What age are your kids?

AtThePitch wrote:

Chauffeur wrote:Makes sense. Thanks. I assume official Dallas team formation for each year occurs following the end of the spring season?
So a good plan might be to take the spring to guest practice and perhaps guest play with a number of teams to find the right fit and then commit for the following year come signing day in the spring? I figure we'll ask our current DOC to reach out and help coordinate things.
Any advice that I should know or obvious questions I should be asking now?

Flower Mound is an excellent place to live and makes getting to most any part of the metroplex a breeze, for work or play.

Yes, teams tryouts start in May after State Cup here.  If you child has played the top teams from the area then you are looking at ECNL or DA.  Solars DA location is changing soon... very very close to Flower Mound.  DKSC is in Farmers Branch, very close to flower mound, Texans.. eh, well they are close also. haha  FCD isnt a bad drive from flower mound if you dont mind the tollway traffic.  Sting would be the ones in a tough spot to get to over in Richardson where their ECNL teams train.

Flower Mound also has "decent" high school soccer, or so I hear. haha  Ive got a Blackwalnut right across the street from me thats got an excellent wine selection if ya wanna get a tab and talk DFW futbol!

Thanks. I am also fully aware that being DA-level elsewhere isn't necessarily DA level in Dallas. The soccer where we come from is neither as good at the top end nor as deep with so many good teams as DFW. I may take you up on the offer for a few drinks when we get to town.

05gpennmanager wrote:Flower Mound is a good central location if you don't know where you want to live yet.  Coppell is in a decent school district.  Colleyville/Southlake/Keller are great places to live, but in my opinion, DEFINTIELY a hike to where most of the DA/ECNL action is.  (For full disclosure, I live in Southlake and my kids (05G) play for Fever United which is based in Keller/Colleyville.)

The drive time is significant.  Even driving just to Flower Mound or Farmers Branch from Southlake in traffic every evening takes a good 45minutes.  Getting all the way out to Frisco and Allen ... well... even without traffic is 40min and in traffic in the evening?  Forget about it.  You're talking an hour - easy.  So personally, we have elected to decline invitations to play DA/ECNL.  Plus, is my kid really gonna make a career of soccer??    

I live in Southlake for the school district.  While my daughter's club team has had a lot of success as an independent club, let's be honest - it is NOT DA.  (Though we've given a bunch of ECNL clubs the occasional whoopin'  =) ) But we made the choice to live out in Southlake (Southlake Carroll ISD)based on schools and not soccer.  

If you're sure you want DA, I'd look in North Dallas.  That's really where the action is.  Frisco, Allen, The Colony -- all great places to live.  I grew up in Plano so I have a soft spot for Plano, too.  All those places will allow relatively easy access to the major clubs.  Nothing wrong with Flower Mound either, but I do believe the school districts are rated better in North Dallas.

Of course, my family loves Southlake.  But no DA or ECNL out here yet!

Either way, welcome to Dallas.

... And not sure we necessarily want DA or ECNL at this time (and not all my girls are at that level, anyway). Just looking to make sure where we end up is rich enough in options that each my girls - who love the game - are likely to find happy places to play.  And also looking for any advice for navigating the Dallas landscape and how people juggle the apparently often significantly different practice locations for multiple players.

If you want soccer don't move to DFW there is only rain.
I hear volleyball games will be played as scheduled.

Chauffeur wrote:

05gpennmanager wrote:Flower Mound is a good central location if you don't know where you want to live yet.  Coppell is in a decent school district.  Colleyville/Southlake/Keller are great places to live, but in my opinion, DEFINTIELY a hike to where most of the DA/ECNL action is.  (For full disclosure, I live in Southlake and my kids (05G) play for Fever United which is based in Keller/Colleyville.)

The drive time is significant.  Even driving just to Flower Mound or Farmers Branch from Southlake in traffic every evening takes a good 45minutes.  Getting all the way out to Frisco and Allen ... well... even without traffic is 40min and in traffic in the evening?  Forget about it.  You're talking an hour - easy.  So personally, we have elected to decline invitations to play DA/ECNL.  Plus, is my kid really gonna make a career of soccer??    

I live in Southlake for the school district.  While my daughter's club team has had a lot of success as an independent club, let's be honest - it is NOT DA.  (Though we've given a bunch of ECNL clubs the occasional whoopin'  =) ) But we made the choice to live out in Southlake (Southlake Carroll ISD)based on schools and not soccer.  

If you're sure you want DA, I'd look in North Dallas.  That's really where the action is.  Frisco, Allen, The Colony -- all great places to live.  I grew up in Plano so I have a soft spot for Plano, too.  All those places will allow relatively easy access to the major clubs.  Nothing wrong with Flower Mound either, but I do believe the school districts are rated better in North Dallas.

Of course, my family loves Southlake.  But no DA or ECNL out here yet!

Either way, welcome to Dallas.

... And not sure we necessarily want DA or ECNL at this time (and not all my girls are at that level, anyway). Just looking to make sure where we end up is rich enough in options that each my girls - who love the game - are likely to find happy places to play.  And also looking for any advice for navigating the Dallas landscape and how people juggle the apparently often significantly different practice locations for multiple players.

Mine is a DKSC ECNL, but there are a few other coaches around that are definitely worth taking a look at depending on the age group you are looking at. Rocky Monk right here in Flower Mound with TX Spirit is one of them. Getting to City Futsal Carrollton for pickup games, training, or futsal matches on the weekend is a breeze from FloMo also.

Drinks on me at Walnut, or they have some mean chips and guac down at the Anamias... goes down well with the margaritas!

The rain has finally passed. More rain to come.

AtThePitch wrote:

Chauffeur wrote:Makes sense. Thanks. I assume official Dallas team formation for each year occurs following the end of the spring season?
So a good plan might be to take the spring to guest practice and perhaps guest play with a number of teams to find the right fit and then commit for the following year come signing day in the spring? I figure we'll ask our current DOC to reach out and help coordinate things.
Any advice that I should know or obvious questions I should be asking now?

Flower Mound is an excellent place to live and makes getting to most any part of the metroplex a breeze, for work or play.

Yes, teams tryouts start in May after State Cup here.  If you child has played the top teams from the area then you are looking at ECNL or DA.  Solars DA location is changing soon... very very close to Flower Mound.  DKSC is in Farmers Branch, very close to flower mound, Texans.. eh, well they are close also. haha  FCD isnt a bad drive from flower mound if you dont mind the tollway traffic.  Sting would be the ones in a tough spot to get to over in Richardson where their ECNL teams train.

Flower Mound also has "decent" high school soccer, or so I hear. haha  Ive got a Blackwalnut right across the street from me thats got an excellent wine selection if ya wanna get a tab and talk DFW futbol!

Where is Solar DA moving to?

Chauffeur wrote:

AtThePitch wrote:

Chauffeur wrote:Makes sense. Thanks. I assume official Dallas team formation for each year occurs following the end of the spring season?
So a good plan might be to take the spring to guest practice and perhaps guest play with a number of teams to find the right fit and then commit for the following year come signing day in the spring? I figure we'll ask our current DOC to reach out and help coordinate things.
Any advice that I should know or obvious questions I should be asking now?

Flower Mound is an excellent place to live and makes getting to most any part of the metroplex a breeze, for work or play.

Yes, teams tryouts start in May after State Cup here.  If you child has played the top teams from the area then you are looking at ECNL or DA.  Solars DA location is changing soon... very very close to Flower Mound.  DKSC is in Farmers Branch, very close to flower mound, Texans.. eh, well they are close also. haha  FCD isnt a bad drive from flower mound if you dont mind the tollway traffic.  Sting would be the ones in a tough spot to get to over in Richardson where their ECNL teams train.

Flower Mound also has "decent" high school soccer, or so I hear. haha  Ive got a Blackwalnut right across the street from me thats got an excellent wine selection if ya wanna get a tab and talk DFW futbol!

Where is Solar DA moving to?

Meadowmere in Grapevine, Which I could fly my drone to from my house in Flomo, across Grapevine lake. Fairly leisurely drive

What would the evening practice drive time be from Colleyville to Farmers Branch?

Maybe 30 minutes, but leisurely.. going opposite traffic flow really.

Shooting you a PM.

Chauffeur wrote:What would the evening practice drive time be from Colleyville to Farmers Branch?

You cant go wrong moving to Colleyville/Southlake/Keller or Grapevine.
There's FCD,DT,Sting,LP,Fever,Evo and 5 other smaller clubs within 20 minutes of any of these towns.
Worry more about property tax and Highway access.