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    GAL is more closer to RCL 1 and ECNL Composite. You will always find a superstar on any given team that can play and keep up with the best players but don’t kid yourself about the GAL teams in Washington being close to the level of play of ECNL teams.

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      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Nope. I’m saying Reign at least has discovery/placement sessions periodically starting nowish (and will have kids out to training whenever), and I’m sure anyone who wants to be considered could be well before the relevant rosters are set (which they never really are for ECNL or GA type teams, as the roster limits are very high and teams will always take a player who the coach thinks can help them).
      It would be helpful if other clubs adopted the discovery day methodology. Give the coaches more opportunity to see the kids and vice versa. Talking with coaches at XF, EFC and SU - the ones I spoke to hate the current tryout schedule (and the no-look during regular season) but RCL holds the reigns. Imagine how people would respond if schools were managed in the same manner

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        If you're not contacting coaches on teams you are interested in before tryouts you are doing it wrong.

        We already have kids out getting looked at in training sessions, will guest play if the coach is interested, and if there is room towards the end of the season.

        Reign operates it's discovery sessions outside of the league rules (both PSPL and RCL) and doesn't require releases to be there, in addition to direct e-mailing families about them. Then they wonder why other clubs cry foul, just starting the player grab and the politics earlier and earlier each season, hunting for those families always on the move looking for that "A" before the team name.

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          Is anyone else hearing that the Portland Thorns Academy is making the switch to the GA?

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            Have not heard

            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Is anyone else hearing that the Portland Thorns Academy is making the switch to the GA?
            Have not heard that. Would be strange to move out of the ECNL after one year. ECNL is a proven stable league. From what I have seen it runs pretty well.

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              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              Have not heard that. Would be strange to move out of the ECNL after one year. ECNL is a proven stable league. From what I have seen it runs pretty well.
              They only got into ECNL on a one year trial. We’ll see if they can buy their way in a second time.

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                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                If you're not contacting coaches on teams you are interested in before tryouts you are doing it wrong.

                We already have kids out getting looked at in training sessions, will guest play if the coach is interested, and if there is room towards the end of the season.

                Reign operates it's discovery sessions outside of the league rules (both PSPL and RCL) and doesn't require releases to be there, in addition to direct e-mailing families about them. Then they wonder why other clubs cry foul, just starting the player grab and the politics earlier and earlier each season, hunting for those families always on the move looking for that "A" before the team name.
                Yep, this type of behavior is why a lot of clubs in the area can't stand the Reign Academy. Of course they have every right to hold discovery sessions, and certainly none of these youth players are "committed" to a club....but it's the way that the Reign conduct themselves that is distasteful. Blatant recruiting, emailing families directly, etc...All of the other RCL/ECNL clubs seem to have an arrangement not to attempt this type of poaching, which I've seen like crazy down in So Cal.

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                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Have not heard that. Would be strange to move out of the ECNL after one year. ECNL is a proven stable league. From what I have seen it runs pretty well.
                  Thorns generally gets throttled in ECNL right? Small fish, big pond vs. big fish, small pond.

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                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Yep, this type of behavior is why a lot of clubs in the area can't stand the Reign Academy. Of course they have every right to hold discovery sessions, and certainly none of these youth players are "committed" to a club....but it's the way that the Reign conduct themselves that is distasteful. Blatant recruiting, emailing families directly, etc...All of the other RCL/ECNL clubs seem to have an arrangement not to attempt this type of poaching, which I've seen like crazy down in So Cal.
                    Reign’s recruiting seems to consist of holding open discovery sessions, letting people come to training sessions whenever they want to check out the club, and reaching out to people who express interest. Anyone who doesn’t think ECNL clubs like SU and Pac don’t engage in the same kinds of recruiting is kidding themselves.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Thorns generally gets throttled in ECNL right? Small fish, big pond vs. big fish, small pond.
                      There haven’t been many games since they joined ECNL in August, but they seem to be middle of the pack and stronger than fc Portland in most age groups. In DA they were usually competitive in most age groups but not as strong as XF or reign. Not top of the table, but not throttled by most teams either.

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Yep, this type of behavior is why a lot of clubs in the area can't stand the Reign Academy. Of course they have every right to hold discovery sessions, and certainly none of these youth players are "committed" to a club....but it's the way that the Reign conduct themselves that is distasteful. Blatant recruiting, emailing families directly, etc...All of the other RCL/ECNL clubs seem to have an arrangement not to attempt this type of poaching, which I've seen like crazy down in So Cal.
                        Reason why this is happening is at one time, there were two ECNL clubs in WA.
                        XF was one of the best in the nation due to concentrated recruiting. Now, there are
                        7 "elite" clubs in our little area: SU, EFC, XF, Pac, WPFC, Reign, Gunners.
                        Sounds like a buyer's market.

                        This is what competition looks like where there are limited resources of highly trained
                        soccer girls who can afford the fees, traveling, gear, and training. To be an ECNL level
                        player at U16 takes a lot of time, money, effort, and sacrifice. So, perhaps the clubs
                        should offer better service and products rather than self-serving regulations and backdoor
                        agreements.

                        Seriously, who does it benefit to try to have a closed system rather than open competition?
                        If a girl has the ability to move, then move if it benefits her as easily as a club
                        can cut players.

                        Comment


                          Because a coach selects for a team not just a player and having parents feel they have the power to demand little jenny gets more minutes or she's leaving mid season doesn't work. Teaches the kids the wrong message too, pretty much the rich entitlement you expect in this league. That's really what's at issue here, a bunch of parents who have been able to "talk to the manager" to get everything they want in life, are now up against a system where that isn't effective.

                          See it all the time parents hustling their kids form club to club chasing that "A" team. Here's a tip go try out for sound FC if you want to brag about being on A team. Then when the kid is finally done they never actually got to experience what it was to be a part of a team, never got to experience what's great about the game. Fun when they get to HS, and the parents can't move them. All the sudden that A team girl is riding the pine on JV and the B team kid from their former club is playing full minutes.

                          Open system is fine during a tryout window. Having players able to leave mid season is not how you build a player, team, or club.

                          How about if your kid isn't getting minutes you go watch some practices and see if your kid has any look of effort on their face . . .

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            Because a coach selects for a team not just a player and having parents feel they have the power to demand little jenny gets more minutes or she's leaving mid season doesn't work. Teaches the kids the wrong message too, pretty much the rich entitlement you expect in this league. That's really what's at issue here, a bunch of parents who have been able to "talk to the manager" to get everything they want in life, are now up against a system where that isn't effective.

                            See it all the time parents hustling their kids form club to club chasing that "A" team. Here's a tip go try out for sound FC if you want to brag about being on A team. Then when the kid is finally done they never actually got to experience what it was to be a part of a team, never got to experience what's great about the game. Fun when they get to HS, and the parents can't move them. All the sudden that A team girl is riding the pine on JV and the B team kid from their former club is playing full minutes.

                            Open system is fine during a tryout window. Having players able to leave mid season is not how you build a player, team, or club.

                            How about if your kid isn't getting minutes you go watch some practices and see if your kid has any look of effort on their face . . .
                            While I'm not a fan of kids changing clubs willy nilly, things change in a soccer season that are not within the family or child's control. Consider a coaching change, or a team that brings in players during the middle of the year. Also, what if what was told to you prior or at tryouts never materialize?

                            We've been at the same club for 10 years, but I could definitely see reasons why I would consider a change. We've had a number of different coaches, and those coaches philosophies have impacted my child's development in sometimes positive, and sometimes negative ways. However, my child wanted to stay with the program, so we stayed.

                            With that said, the idea that a kid shouldn't be able to leave mid season just seems overwhelmingly overbearing. I do understand that if a number of kids leave a team mid season it can negatively impact those left on the team, but I lean more towards allowing families the opportunity to control their own destiny (for better or for worse) vs allowing the RCL to determine what is in the best interest of your child.

                            Regarding your statement that parents are bullying coaches for their kids playing time, a good coach won't allow that. If the coach is allowing that to occur, you should get your kid out of that program.

                            Comment


                              Okay so I agree with the free-market model and believe that people should be able to take their money where they think the best product is.

                              But logistically, how do you propose that would work? It just seems to me that things could get messy very quickly. If you aren't happy at your club because your kid isn't getting enough minutes, and you bring them to my club..now my player isn't a starter anymore. So do we leave? And push down someone at another club?

                              Right now clubs (and families) are able to operate on an annual basis unless they are fully-funded academies. Do you think there should be a "reset" every month? Every quarter? Every six months? Or is the best option really for people to pay fees one week at a time and come and go as they see fit?

                              Comment


                                Oh and I'm not the same person as three posts up. Seems like there are a few posters in a row who have slightly different feelings about an important topic. I think it's a good conversation!

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