Boys ECNL

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It’s well known that if you play against tougher opponents consistently that you will get better. If our teams in Oregon were to play against So Cal opponents every weekend we would get better. The speed of play is much different in So Cal and Seattle. I wish our club could play Seattle teams consistently. We would get better.

Depends. Losing 10-0 to a vastly superior team teaches nothing. Losing 3-0 to a somewhat superior team teaches you something.

But with a few exceptions, NONE of the club teams in Oregon or Southwest Washington need to leave the state to find someone that can beat them handily. (And I'm not talking about playing TA either--I mean other league teams).

Unless you are the alphas in your age group--Westside or OPFC for the 05s (Washington Timbers has been in beast mode lately, though if GS gets raptured, expect them to regress), ADF for the 06s, etc... the notion that "we need to travel to find a worthy opponent" is just ego-stroking nonsense. And even then--there's no team in local DA or OYSA, that I can think of offhand, who is untouchable. At least not at the younger age groups.

A bigger influence on player development is the quality of the training. Some of this is having a good coach, some of this is having good teammates to train with. And what kids do in their own spare time is a big factor; kids who show up at practice and games and touch the ball there, but play Fortnite the rest of the day, aren't going to develop as well as those who are playing soccer, in some form, for many hours a day.

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If even boys DA goes ecnl, that would be very telling!

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But it is safe to say that the Boys ECNL will be stronger than OYSA

I would disagree. The Washington Boys ENCL group is just RCL/ little DA teams that are playing in a different league now for whatever reason.

Oregon boys team have certainly closed the gap between Oregon and Washington over the last decade. RCL, ECNL, OYSA, little DA no real difference.

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Depends. Losing 10-0 to a vastly superior team teaches nothing. Losing 3-0 to a somewhat superior team teaches you something.

But with a few exceptions, NONE of the club teams in Oregon or Southwest Washington need to leave the state to find someone that can beat them handily. (And I'm not talking about playing TA either--I mean other league teams).

Unless you are the alphas in your age group--Westside or OPFC for the 05s (Washington Timbers has been in beast mode lately, though if GS gets raptured, expect them to regress), ADF for the 06s, etc... the notion that "we need to travel to find a worthy opponent" is just ego-stroking nonsense. And even then--there's no team in local DA or OYSA, that I can think of offhand, who is untouchable. At least not at the younger age groups.

A bigger influence on player development is the quality of the training. Some of this is having a good coach, some of this is having good teammates to train with. And what kids do in their own spare time is a big factor; kids who show up at practice and games and touch the ball there, but play Fortnite the rest of the day, aren't going to develop as well as those who are playing soccer, in some form, for many hours a day.

ADF is the best you can come up with in the 06s?

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ADF is the best you can come up with in the 06s?

That's kind of the point. Nobody around here is really good enough to justify a pose of "we're not going to cast our pearls before you OYSA swine, instead we're playing in the Super Duper Elite Travel League because you're not worth our time!"

Nobody in the 06 DA is sufficiently elite. UPDX started the season well, but have stunk lately, for whatever reason. The Timbers actually managed to identify and rapture the vast bulk of the top 06 players, so TA06 is awesome, but everyone else at that age is not relevant outside Oregon.

Doing the occasional tourney is fine. But all the local 06 clubs can find tough competition without a plane ticket or a trip to Seattle.

If you can dominate OYSA, then you can squawk about joining a travel league because you're too good. Otherwise it's just marketing at best, egotistical strutting at worst.

WashT is going BECNL because they have no choice, really. They're not doing it because they think they are the top club in the area, and too good to play against FC or Westside or ADF or OPFC or 4H. (They have FAR more sense than that).

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That's kind of the point. Nobody around here is really good enough to justify a pose of "we're not going to cast our pearls before you OYSA swine, instead we're playing in the Super Duper Elite Travel League because you're not worth our time!"

Nobody in the 06 DA is sufficiently elite. UPDX started the season well, but have stunk lately, for whatever reason. The Timbers actually managed to identify and rapture the vast bulk of the top 06 players, so TA06 is awesome, but everyone else at that age is not relevant outside Oregon.

Doing the occasional tourney is fine. But all the local 06 clubs can find tough competition without a plane ticket or a trip to Seattle.

If you can dominate OYSA, then you can squawk about joining a travel league because you're too good. Otherwise it's just marketing at best, egotistical strutting at worst.

WashT is going BECNL because they have no choice, really. They're not doing it because they think they are the top club in the area, and too good to play against FC or Westside or ADF or OPFC or 4H. (They have FAR more sense than that).

In addition to UPDX, both OPFC and FC are also trending well at this age. Agree with your general point, just thought ADF was a strange call-out for that age group.

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In addition to UPDX, both OPFC and FC are also trending well at this age. Agree with your general point, just thought ADF was a strange call-out for that age group.

ADF was dominating this age group prior to the DA forming, and still has a strong team. How would they do against the DA teams? We don't know--they don't play each other, and that's kind of the point.

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But it is safe to say that the Boys ECNL will be stronger than OYSA

Is safe to say nobody cares. US Club & USYS are the same animal offering a kiddie club platform for all kids to play in if there club chooses. Some club teams are putrid others are really good in USYS & US Club. Layered on top of these two entities is a US Soccer Development Academy Platform offered only to a few select elite pro and national brand clubs & remember Oregon clubs are not part of any DA invite or inclusion.

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I would disagree. The Washington Boys ENCL group is just RCL/ little DA teams that are playing in a different league now for whatever reason.

Oregon boys team have certainly closed the gap between Oregon and Washington over the last decade. RCL, ECNL, OYSA, little DA no real difference.

Just so you have some perspective a decade ago the Top Oregon Clubs on the boys side, HS ages especially were spanking Washington's best team at Regionals. Once the Timbers DA came to Oregon around 2012 followed by 20 alphabet soup iterations in the years to follow Comprised of wanna-be local 'clubs', guess what a gap was created between Wa. Best and Oregon Best. I think the only gap is between your ears.

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ADF was dominating this age group prior to the DA forming, and still has a strong team. How would they do against the DA teams? We don't know--they don't play each other, and that's kind of the point.

OYSA would be great if all the boys were back in it.

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OYSA would be great if all the boys were back in it.

That's a dumb goal.

Oregon soccer works best for Oregon players when there are two to three top teams competing regionallly up until u14, and one team after that competing nationally.

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ADF was dominating this age group prior to the DA forming, and still has a strong team. How would they do against the DA teams? We don't know--they don't play each other, and that's kind of the point.

Not at 05. Best ADF managed was a 3rd place. That was before U12 TA and DA. But the crossovers, Rabona's, 1v1 head down play was breath taking at times. Well, until they turned the ball over and ultimately lost by 3 goals.

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Just so you have some perspective a decade ago the Top Oregon Clubs on the boys side, HS ages especially were spanking Washington's best team at Regionals. Once the Timbers DA came to Oregon around 2012 followed by 20 alphabet soup iterations in the years to follow Comprised of wanna-be local 'clubs', guess what a gap was created between Wa. Best and Oregon Best. I think the only gap is between your ears.

Mic drop. Thanks Kony.

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That's a dumb goal.

Oregon soccer works best for Oregon players when there are two to three top teams competing regionally up until u14, and one team after that competing nationally.

Exactly have everyone play in OYSA and the top two or 3 teams join the National/Regional league and attend decent out of state tournaments.

This isn't a goal, it's how it worked in the state prior to the business model structure that spoils the quality for the state.

Jumping into leagues outside of Oregon has nothing to do with ability, except the ability to pay for travel. We sadly don't even have a best team, let alone 3 or 4 in age division.

We've regressed so far it's embarrassing.

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That's a dumb goal.

Oregon soccer works best for Oregon players when there are two to three top teams competing regionallly up until u14, and one team after that competing nationally.

Problem is that the clubs that like to run off and join regional leagues, aren't usually the top teams--instead they are the teams that are trying to fool everyone into thinking they are, and avoid beatings by the top teams.