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    Thorns and Reign

    Why dont the Thorns and Reign start up a Super Regional League (WA, OR, ID)? Allow the clubs that get shafted by not having ECNL and build on this league. The emphasis would a majority of games vs local teams.

    This league would have potential if they build this up right.

    What am i missing?

    #2
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    Why dont the Thorns and Reign start up a Super Regional League (WA, OR, ID)? Allow the clubs that get shafted by not having ECNL and build on this league. The emphasis would a majority of games vs local teams.

    This league would have potential if they build this up right.

    What am i missing?
    Reign is having two levels; their B teams ("Rouge", since they are now owned by Lyon and are doing things in French) will be participating in Puget Sound Premier League (PSPL). Their A teams ("Bleue") is rumored to be going into the new Girls Academy League NW division. But that hasn't been formally announced yet, and it's unclear if such a league will exist.

    Haven't heard anything about Thorns.

    But here's my unsolicited advice, for both of the NW academies: If either can't do ECNL (whether because they aren't full-service clubs, or because the Crossfires are twisting arms to keep them out, or because folks in both have said things to offend the overlords of ECNL in the past)---don't bother with GAL. It's a second-tier league, with a far worse travel profile than ECNL has, especially with Quakes (who dropped their girls academy), CA Thorns/De Anza (in ECNL) and a few other former GDA teams no longer involved. It would be a f***ing waste of everyone's time and money.

    Instead--and I'll use one of Cony's pet phrases (which he yells out when he wants one of his teams to switch the field): "CHANGE THE GAME!!!!!"

    Can't get into the lucrative travel league, because the established players there are freezing you out? Then don't! Don't bother with a piss-poor copy of ECNL that has your girls getting on airplanes every third weekend. Don't charge $8k or whatever it was (when it was assumed that GDA would still be around), when most of that money is just going to the travel industry.

    Do, more or less, what the Timbers U13s and U14s boys did last year. Screw league play. Just don't do it.

    Focus on training. Play scrimmages, in town, against older girls' teams or against boys' teams. Thorns and Reign can always scrimmage against each other; if nothing else you can rent a pitch in Centralia and meet each other halfway. CU might even be willing to scrimmage you from time to time. Do lots of fustal, and maybe even do it year round, rather than just during the wintertime (Cony will like that!). Pick a tournament or two to compete in, travel to that, and make a splash. But don't worry about trophies, or things like that.

    Instead, make a good, strong case why your training program is better than the training program at the youth clubs. I don't mean by hiring a name-brand coach and touting his/her resume, especially if said person will seldom actually set foot on the training ground. Instead offer a fully-professional training program, with multiple coaches (no waiting around for drills), and an environment that clubs cannot touch. Train on weekends if there's no game--and make it clear that a weekend spent training is better than a weekend spent travelling.

    Don't try to be like ECNL. We already have two of those in town, and we don't really need a third, especially if the third is consigned to a leftovers league. Offer something different, something better. Be disruptive. Provide a different path, one that doesn't depend on wealthy parents spending close to five figures a year to to buy their daughters access to some club coach's connections. Say no to the idea that success in soccer requires flying around the country.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Why dont the Thorns and Reign start up a Super Regional League (WA, OR, ID)? Allow the clubs that get shafted by not having ECNL and build on this league. The emphasis would a majority of games vs local teams.

      This league would have potential if they build this up right.

      What am i missing?
      Thats basically what they are trying to do with the GAL. They have been reaching out to local clubs, and have been getting turned down a good amount. The basic reason is the talent isn't better than other leagues. For example, once you take out the 5 seattle ECNL clubs, the 2 portland and 1 Idaho ECNL clubs. What is really left for you? Even if you got 3-4 of the seattle clubs that come next, why would they travel to portland and to idaho when they can basically play the same level of play in their normal RCL league. Just doesn't make sense.

      Comment


        #4
        I think I read that the thorns will be playing Grants Pass and Bend Timbers. Super league indeed.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Reign is having two levels; their B teams ("Rouge", since they are now owned by Lyon and are doing things in French) will be participating in Puget Sound Premier League (PSPL). Their A teams ("Bleue") is rumored to be going into the new Girls Academy League NW division. But that hasn't been formally announced yet, and it's unclear if such a league will exist.

          Haven't heard anything about Thorns.

          But here's my unsolicited advice, for both of the NW academies: If either can't do ECNL (whether because they aren't full-service clubs, or because the Crossfires are twisting arms to keep them out, or because folks in both have said things to offend the overlords of ECNL in the past)---don't bother with GAL. It's a second-tier league, with a far worse travel profile than ECNL has, especially with Quakes (who dropped their girls academy), CA Thorns/De Anza (in ECNL) and a few other former GDA teams no longer involved. It would be a f***ing waste of everyone's time and money.

          Instead--and I'll use one of Cony's pet phrases (which he yells out when he wants one of his teams to switch the field): "CHANGE THE GAME!!!!!"

          Can't get into the lucrative travel league, because the established players there are freezing you out? Then don't! Don't bother with a piss-poor copy of ECNL that has your girls getting on airplanes every third weekend. Don't charge $8k or whatever it was (when it was assumed that GDA would still be around), when most of that money is just going to the travel industry.

          Do, more or less, what the Timbers U13s and U14s boys did last year. Screw league play. Just don't do it.

          Focus on training. Play scrimmages, in town, against older girls' teams or against boys' teams. Thorns and Reign can always scrimmage against each other; if nothing else you can rent a pitch in Centralia and meet each other halfway. CU might even be willing to scrimmage you from time to time. Do lots of fustal, and maybe even do it year round, rather than just during the wintertime (Cony will like that!). Pick a tournament or two to compete in, travel to that, and make a splash. But don't worry about trophies, or things like that.

          Instead, make a good, strong case why your training program is better than the training program at the youth clubs. I don't mean by hiring a name-brand coach and touting his/her resume, especially if said person will seldom actually set foot on the training ground. Instead offer a fully-professional training program, with multiple coaches (no waiting around for drills), and an environment that clubs cannot touch. Train on weekends if there's no game--and make it clear that a weekend spent training is better than a weekend spent travelling.

          Don't try to be like ECNL. We already have two of those in town, and we don't really need a third, especially if the third is consigned to a leftovers league. Offer something different, something better. Be disruptive. Provide a different path, one that doesn't depend on wealthy parents spending close to five figures a year to to buy their daughters access to some club coach's connections. Say no to the idea that success in soccer requires flying around the country.
          People equate travel with being elite.....

          I still crack up when people tell me they made Surf Cup and then find out they are like in the 4th Division. I cant even mustard up enough energy to tell them how Surf use to be. They just think it is the same as they tell me it is the Best of the Best. Comical.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Thats basically what they are trying to do with the GAL. They have been reaching out to local clubs, and have been getting turned down a good amount. The basic reason is the talent isn't better than other leagues. For example, once you take out the 5 seattle ECNL clubs, the 2 portland and 1 Idaho ECNL clubs. What is really left for you? Even if you got 3-4 of the seattle clubs that come next, why would they travel to portland and to idaho when they can basically play the same level of play in their normal RCL league. Just doesn't make sense.
            Except the GAL, as being discussed, is Thorns, Reign, and 4 teams in NorCal. Barely enough for a league. I don't know what the hold-up is, whether they are trying to recruit additional teams, or what--but the league was announced Monday, but no club roster has been published yet. I suspect six is not enough, and they are trying to find one or two more.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              Except the GAL, as being discussed, is Thorns, Reign, and 4 teams in NorCal. Barely enough for a league. I don't know what the hold-up is, whether they are trying to recruit additional teams, or what--but the league was announced Monday, but no club roster has been published yet. I suspect six is not enough, and they are trying to find one or two more.
              hmmm....this would cost about 8K and for what? You are better off spending that cash on personal and small group training. Just be a pick up player for a year.

              Or better yet, get 10 people and spend the 80K on training for an entire year and come back ahead of the game.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                People equate travel with being elite.....

                I still crack up when people tell me they made Surf Cup and then find out they are like in the 4th Division. I cant even mustard up enough energy to tell them how Surf use to be. They just think it is the same as they tell me it is the Best of the Best. Comical.
                Says right there on the website! "Best of the best!"

                Why are you casting aspersions on our blue division trophy?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Why dont the Thorns and Reign start up a Super Regional League (WA, OR, ID)? Allow the clubs that get shafted by not having ECNL and build on this league. The emphasis would a majority of games vs local teams.

                  This league would have potential if they build this up right.

                  What am i missing?
                  You are missing that all of the top Girls clubs in the Pacific NW and Northen California play in ECNL already. So, this would leave you with all of the other clubs like Bend Timbers, United PDX, Capital FC Timbers, HSC, THELO, etc. The same mid to lower level teams from Washington would be the club targets in that state. It is going to be hard to sell the Thorns Academy as an “elite” program when none of actual top girls clubs in either Oregon or Washington are in your league. You need real competition to become better otherwise save the $8,000 and play for a local OYSA team.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Except the GAL, as being discussed, is Thorns, Reign, and 4 teams in NorCal. Barely enough for a league. I don't know what the hold-up is, whether they are trying to recruit additional teams, or what--but the league was announced Monday, but no club roster has been published yet. I suspect six is not enough, and they are trying to find one or two more.
                    There are only 2 northern California clubs left from the now defunct nw conference if the girls development academy. That is Placer and Lamorinda.

                    The California Thorns are in ECNL and the San Jose Earthquakes folded their program because they did not get accepted to ECNL. The Earthquakes had an excellent girls academy but they know that the players and parents in northern California aren’t going to settle for being in a second tier league like this new GAL.

                    The Thorns and Reign don’t have any other clubs of significance to join them. So, why pay $8,000 to play against OYSA level competition? That don’t make any sense at all.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      You are missing that all of the top Girls clubs in the Pacific NW and Northen California play in ECNL already. So, this would leave you with all of the other clubs like Bend Timbers, United PDX, Capital FC Timbers, HSC, THELO, etc. The same mid to lower level teams from Washington would be the club targets in that state. It is going to be hard to sell the Thorns Academy as an “elite” program when none of actual top girls clubs in either Oregon or Washington are in your league. You need real competition to become better otherwise save the $8,000 and play for a local OYSA team.
                      Which is the point: If the travel club cartel is going to keep the NSWL academy teams out of their league, then offer something different.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        How about they just drop the Thorns experiment and invest in the two local ECNL clubs? Everyone wins in this situation if the Thorns can bring something to the table....money would be nice.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          How about they just drop the Thorns experiment and invest in the two local ECNL clubs? Everyone wins in this situation if the Thorns can bring something to the table....money would be nice.
                          Why would the Thorns want to invest in clubs that have been nothing but hostile to them and to their program, and whose clientele doesn't need financial support anyway? Perhaps it's a two-way street, because said clubs seem to view the whole Timbers Alliance as mean and unfair to them (though I'm certain they could join if they wanted), but if I'm Merritt Paulsen, and I decided to disband the Thorns Academy and instead sponsor a club-based training program of some sort, THUSC will be the last local club to see a dime of my money.

                          Especially, if reports are true, that Thorns were denied entry into ECNL because the two incumbent local clubs objected.

                          But advanced training programs hosted at Eastside, Westside, Washington Timbers, CFC, and the more remote Alliance clubs would be another excellent idea.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            Why would the Thorns want to invest in clubs that have been nothing but hostile to them and to their program, and whose clientele doesn't need financial support anyway? Perhaps it's a two-way street, because said clubs seem to view the whole Timbers Alliance as mean and unfair to them (though I'm certain they could join if they wanted), but if I'm Merritt Paulsen, and I decided to disband the Thorns Academy and instead sponsor a club-based training program of some sort, THUSC will be the last local club to see a dime of my money.

                            Especially, if reports are true, that Thorns were denied entry into ECNL because the two incumbent local clubs objected.

                            But advanced training programs hosted at Eastside, Westside, Washington Timbers, CFC, and the more remote Alliance clubs would be another excellent idea.
                            Think of it this way, when Richard Sherman was playing for the Seahawks, he hated the 49ers. When the Seahawks didnt want him any longer, he went with his next best option and now loves the 49ers. Do the Thorns really have any opions now. They can save face by working with the local clubs.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              Think of it this way, when Richard Sherman was playing for the Seahawks, he hated the 49ers. When the Seahawks didnt want him any longer, he went with his next best option and now loves the 49ers. Do the Thorns really have any opions now. They can save face by working with the local clubs.
                              Sherman is a professional athlete. He loves whatever team signs his paycheck, and hates their rivals. (Probably not, most pro athletes know that it's a job, and don't have time to get too attached to their current situation). Changing teams is part of being a pro athlete. If you as a fan don't understand that, that's your problem.

                              The analog to the local youth soccer scene would be for CU to hire away e.g. Chris Thurley. Given that he used to complain about the DA program back when he was a high school coach, then changed his tune once he started working for Thorns, I'm sure he's gettable for the right price. And were he to decide to leave for a greener pasture, I'd wish him good luck.

                              But with what you are suggesting, the money would be flowing in the other direction.
                              What you are suggesting is, essentially, tribute. You're either barking mad, or full of chutzpah.

                              Comment

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