Indoor pickup soccer in DC/NOVA?

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Don't Tread on Me, Dec 6, 2012.

  1. Don't Tread on Me

    Aug 11, 2010
    Charleston, South Carolina
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm in town for the holidays, anybody know of anywhere I could play?
     
  2. Liam O'Malley

    Liam O'Malley Member

    Feb 27, 2011
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Indoor and pickup seem kind of contradictory... you usually need money and commitment to play indoor, as far as I know.

    There are two pretty consistent outdoor groups in Reston and Fairfax that play Sat/Sun. Check meetup.com for more info or maybe some other options too.
     
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  3. DecadeOfDCU26

    DecadeOfDCU26 Member+

    May 2, 2007
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Capital Clubhouse in Waldorf, MD.

    Not sure what day but it's like $5 I think for the session (couple hours at least)

    Downsides: You have to go to Waldorf.


    EDIT: Just realized it's not NOVA/DC but it's close-ish...about 20 minutes from either exit 3 or 7
     
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  4. Don't Tread on Me

    Aug 11, 2010
    Charleston, South Carolina
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    thanks guys. i know indoor is usually pretty organized but i figured if there was any place i could find pickup it'd be here. I may check out the one in waldorf, I got a pair of sambas for st. nicholas day and they need breaking in :)
     
  5. DecadeOfDCU26

    DecadeOfDCU26 Member+

    May 2, 2007
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
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  6. Hedbal

    Hedbal Member+

    Jul 31, 2000
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If Montgomery County is possible, I used to play M-W-F at noon at Soccerplex; $5 a head. Not sure if it is still going, though.
     
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  7. Funkfoot

    Funkfoot Member+

    May 18, 2002
    New Orleans, LA
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  8. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You can also call SNF @ 703-335-1555 and ask to be put in a pool of pickup players.

    If you're over 30 the Men's Over-30 league is Monday nights. Oftentimes, teams have troubles getting a full squad to show up.
     
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  9. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not sure where in NoVA you are--SNF (mentioned by both Funkfoot & I above) are in Manassas. There's also the Fairfax Sportsplex near Springfield:

    https://sites.google.com/site/fairfaxsportsplexindoor/

    And the Dulles Sportsplex near, yes, Dulles Airport:

    http://www.dullessportsplex.com/

    Both have adult leagues and rent for pickup games as far as I know, but I'm not a regular customer at either so I don't know what to tell you. There's also a good place in Fredericksburg, but I'm guessing that might be a little too far south for you.
     
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  10. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Just go to the Fairfax Sportsplex and see if a team needs a guy (often times do) lol. That's what I see a bunch of people do...
     
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  11. Don't Tread on Me

    Aug 11, 2010
    Charleston, South Carolina
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    thanks for all the responses. I'm in arlington, so i guess the fairfax sportsplex would be closest but i couldn't get anyone on the phone. best lead so far seems to be SNF, the guy said there's usually pickup soccer on sunday nights at 8 for 5 bucks a head.
     
  12. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    FWIW, a lot of those places don't necessarily have a lot of staff around during the day on weekdays. Then again, during the evening they're often busy.
     
  13. Shammypantaloons

    Apr 20, 2012
    Club:
    DC United
    There is a Nigerian "league" I see playing matches around PG County parks. I'll try to find some more information about it for you. I've played with them and reffed a match or 2 for fun.
     
  14. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Mercenaries.

    At the most basic level, a guy with no money or a difficult schedule shows up at the local soccer watering hole and meanders around ready to play in case a team is short, which somebody always is. So they get to play for free, and when they can without a commitment.

    Then there's the art form. They wander from facility to facility, all nights of the week, using the schedule to show up at the games and teams they want to play in, even playoffs. If they're good enough, they'll score a few goals and help a team win, then go out for a free round of beers afterward. A kind of non-conformist soccer hippie.

    Then one day they decide to settle down with one team. For a while. You can never trust 'em.

    They're like Aragorn without the sword. The kingdom could be theirs if they could stop moving long enough to sit down on the throne.

    Then there's also the ones that suck. They are just warm bodies with no respect. Walk on's. It's practically charity.
     
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  15. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    If you are in PG county, there's a soccer dome walking distance from New Carrolton Metro station [orange line].

    There is also a Sports plex accross the street from Duval Senior High school, off of greenbelt rd.

    In Anne Arundel county, there are two more soccer domes, one close to BWI and one close to Arundel Mills Blvd.

    There is also a futsal gym not far from Severna Park highschool off of 97 coming from crofton.
     
  16. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    If its outdoor, this one is not far from bladensburg.

    There was a short season at Bowie State University, but its over now.

    How did you enjoy reffing Nigerians? LMAO
     
  17. Shammypantaloons

    Apr 20, 2012
    Club:
    DC United
    It was cool, some language barriers but you just use your hands a lot. Very dramatic players :p lots of emotion
     
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  18. bct81

    bct81 Member+

    multiple (DC United, Dortmund, Arsenal, Leeds....)
    United States
    Mar 17, 2007
    moving around the US every few years ....
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Outdoors? lunchtime @ Virginia Highlands Park (on pro turf) 15th Street and South Hayes Street in Crystal City (across street from Fashion Centre @ Pentagon City).

    Unless it is raining hard or snowing you can wear turf shoes and have a good time.
     
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  19. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That used to be me, man.

    Then I wised up and started my own team so I'd be guaranteed a roster spot.
     
  20. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Me too when I got older. It's not easy for a 30- something to keep up with a 19 year old, let alone a whole team of them.

    My wife though, she was golden. She's a little younger than me, but she's also very good, and stands out especially when playing with men. Co-ed teams always wanted her to play for them. But even the women's games, if hers was at 6pm, she'd come home at 10pm cause every team wanted her to play for them. I'll brag.

    She played semi-pro a number of years ago, but after we relocated she retired and went just rec (she considered trying to get into the Freedom but we had other priorities). She was at one of her games and somebody showed up about 15 minutes late and jumped into their game. The girl was very good, but also playing very cocky. Obviously better than rec. It pissed my wife off because they were winning 3-0 and this girls showed up and scored 2, being flashy in the process and laughing at other players.

    By the end of the game she had scored more than her, shut her down from scoring again, frustrated her so much she started screaming on the field and threw her stuff in the bench area. Turns out it was Laurie Schwoy (sp), of McDonough HS, UNC, and fringe WNT "fame". She was used to being a big fish in a small pond and got very upset when someone showed her up.

    I picked a winner baby.
     
  21. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good for your wife--that's a great story.

    I really wish I was good enough to be that player; however, I never played soccer until I was 36. After a few years, I finally developed enough of a touch to where I wasn't a walking foul machine. And then I started to slow down after passing 40...
     
  22. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    That's awesome!!!

    Yea, as bad as it sounds (not trying to be a woman hater, but this is from my experience), but from whenever I encounter a girl/woman who is pretty good (I play on a handful of coed teams), they often tend to REALLY be cocky and stuck up. I've encountered some of the WORST attitude wise, women players over the years. Once in a while you'll encounter a guy who's a dick like that, but he'll get knocked on his ass... and that's the end of it that game. :p

    With women, it's different. They have such cockyness, and many times are the whiners who can't take a hit from other women!

    My GF (who's played with me 2 years now my teams) is pretty damn good considering she only played top level club and HS and left her D1 school team after the first semester (coach didn't give her opportunities because she was a walk on, and the team was run terribly). I constantly play against ex D1 players, and I find that my GF is WAAAY better than girls who supposedly were stars for their schools. Really makes me think what she could have done had she decided to play again after that teerrible experience for her.
     
  23. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    This may be asking too much, but whats your wife's name?

    [ignore my location]
     
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  24. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Her initials are TGFY. Think about it. ;)

    I have to agree I have come across a lot of girls playing coed who seemed to have a bad attitude. However, I try to imagine being in their position, where most of them are outnumbered 2 or 3 to 1 by males, and have to work that much harder to get taken seriously. I think some of them think that having an attitude will carve out some of that respect-- unfortunately they might be right in some cases.

    One person who is now one of our best friends came across that way at first.

    Of course, I've also seen a few guys make really hard tackles/pushes/boarding/ and even shove girls after plays, which to me, is ridiculous. It's rec my man, chill out. Unless she's breaking your leg or gouging your eyes out, relax.

    I'm reminiscing now, obviously I need to get back into an over 30 league.
     
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  25. Hedbal

    Hedbal Member+

    Jul 31, 2000
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's my story as well. I got into over-35 and hung on for years, not because of great talent but because I maintained my speed (former state 440 champ) for many years. Then I got into regular indoor/outdoor pickup games in Germantown. Lots of foreign-born players, who seemed to get younger every year. And in summer, the Damascus HS players would join us. It was then that I realized I was playing only for fitness, not stardom.:) I finally gave it up, if only because I thought being able to walk during the week was a good thing. By then I was ancient (not giving anything away, but I remember WWII headlines), so it was definitely time.
     

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