This is blown out of proportion.NPL is generally won by the 6th or 7th best team in their state
Actually in the state directly south of us (CAL) the USYS National (state) Cup is won by the 20th to 25th best team. (Due to the DA Platform).NPL winner isn’t even a serious contender for their USYS President’s Cup.
USYS National League is a decent platform for non DA Clubs much like the US Club offering for Girls ECNL. The problem with both is the cost of travel and is it really worth that type of investment.
Parents don’t have enough knowledge to make an informed/educated decision about these ‘travel’ leagues/platforms.
Looking at that roster, there is one really good club (WPFC), one good club's B team (Crossfire Premier), one good club by Oregon standards at this age group (FC Portland), two other clubs that have State Cup finals experience (Crossfire and Eastside), one club that is new and hasn't much of a track record (though NEU has occasionally been relevant at State) and I know very little about the two other Washington clubs.
Of course, Westside and PCU aren't there, nor are WashT, nor are any of the local Latino clubs. This appears, unfortunately, to be little more than another schism. And unlike ECNL on the girls side--what's the point of this? ECNL at least can (or could) to have some of the top girls' programs under it's banner; ENPL is decidedly second-tier to the DA for boys, and there's no argument otherwise.
As some of the TA critics ask--is it really worth driving to Seattle every other weekend to play Snohomish? Other than WPFC, none of the Washington clubs on that list is significantly better than what can be found in Oregon. And the same thing in reverse--why on Earth would Crossfire Premier's B team and WPFC want to come down to Portland, when they have SU and PacNW in their own backyards, both programs that are far superior to FC Portland, or any other Oregon youth club for that matter?
Of course, driving to Seattle may be preferable to driving to Bend or Medford for some families (and likewise for Seattle families looking to avoid a drive to Spokane or Kennewick). Claiming to be in a "regional" league still seems to have cachet for those mommies and daddies that like to brag about their kids to other parents who don't know better. And for a few parents and coaches (hi, BM!), any sacrifice to spite the Timbers is worth it.
But this seems to mainly be a pointless exercise. FWRL has equal if not better competition, as to both RCL in Washington and OYSA Premier down here. But if you care a lot about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, and can't stand the heretics and apostates that disagree with you, schism is probably inevitable.
This looks like a pretty good NW league lineup. CrossFire Premier, Eastside, FC Portland, Washington Premier are all very established clubs with very good boys programs. Not sure about the other clubs.
My understanding is they will also participate in their USYS league. The format will be a couple of weekends
Crossfire Oregon (Ore.)
Crossfire Premier XF (Wash.)
Eastside Timbers (Ore.)
FC Portland Academy (Ore.)
ISC Gunners FC (Wash.)
Snohomish Youth SC (Wash.)
United PDX (Ore.)
Washington Premier FC (Wash.)
This looks like a pretty good NW league lineup. CrossFire Premier, Eastside, FC Portland, Washington Premier are all very established clubs with very good boys programs. Not sure about the other clubs.
My understanding is they will also participate in their USYS league. The format will be a couple of weekends
Crossfire Oregon (Ore.)
Crossfire Premier XF (Wash.)
Eastside Timbers (Ore.)
FC Portland Academy (Ore.)
ISC Gunners FC (Wash.)
Snohomish Youth SC (Wash.)
United PDX (Ore.)
Washington Premier FC (Wash.)
At the HS ages Crossfire Or & BSC/NEU don't even make a dent in the OYSA league or State cups. Eastside Or & FC PDx are often times relevant in the HS divisions of OYSA and State Cup.
Crossfire Premier WA 1st teams play DA.
WPFC, ISC & Snohomish are decent Wa. boys clubs.
Seems like the younger Timbers DA model of playing in Wa. vs in Oregon rubbed off on 4 of our local clubs.
That is what you call leading the way. or straight copycat again.
At the HS ages Crossfire Or & BSC/NEU don't even make a dent in the OYSA league or State cups. Eastside Or & FC PDx are often times relevant in the HS divisions of OYSA and State Cup.
Crossfire Premier WA 1st teams play DA.
WPFC, ISC & Snohomish are decent Wa. boys clubs.
Seems like the younger Timbers DA model of playing in Wa. vs in Oregon rubbed off on 4 of our local clubs.
That is what you call leading the way. or straight copycat again.
Such an ass you are. This is good for Portland soccer, this is good for Oregon soccer. You are the problem.
Such an ass you are. This is good for Portland soccer, this is good for Oregon soccer. You are the problem.
Why do so many goofs come on this site and say the Timbers DA for youngers is not good for Portland Soccer & Oregon Soccer.
But when the local neighborhood clubs copy the exact template for competition that the younger Timbers DA follow, it’s now suddenly good for Portland & Oregon Soccer?
Jus sayin. The followers are always late to the party.
Well, it’s not the same model. The NL teams are playing in 3 weekend tournaments (2 games each) over the course of five months and then Vegas in March. Little TA is driving up to Seattle area nearly every other Saturday for nine months. No showcase in Vegas. The NL model actually follows the academy mission in younger ages of less travel and when you do it’s for more meaningful games. Not just dragging your burnt out 12 year old to Seattle every weekend, after training four days a week, to blow out non-mls teams.
This looks like a pretty good NW league lineup. CrossFire Premier, Eastside, FC Portland, Washington Premier are all very established clubs with very good boys programs. Not sure about the other clubs.
My understanding is they will also participate in their USYS league. The format will be a couple of weekends
Crossfire Oregon (Ore.)
Crossfire Premier XF (Wash.)
Eastside Timbers (Ore.)
FC Portland Academy (Ore.)
ISC Gunners FC (Wash.)
Snohomish Youth SC (Wash.)
United PDX (Ore.)
Washington Premier FC (Wash.)
So then it's just like FWRL, but under US Club instead of USYS?
Why do so many goofs come on this site and say the Timbers DA for youngers is not good for Portland Soccer & Oregon Soccer.
But when the local neighborhood clubs copy the exact template for competition that the younger Timbers DA follow, it’s now suddenly good for Portland & Oregon Soccer?
Jus sayin. The followers are always late to the party.
TA should set the model, they should be the club others want to emulate. Clearly local clubs don't have the financial backing to play nationally like TA does once they hit U15, but playing regionally against teams from Northern Washington is a good thing.
Why does TA think they have a monopoly on the model for building successful ... oh wait ... it is a monopoly in this area. My bad, forgot that fact.
Comment