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    #16
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    I heard that all of the NW ECNL teams were invited and had the options to play in the tournament. Only a few (EFC, XF, Crossfire UTD) elected to participate. Not sure why WA Premier, FC Porltand, and Seattle UTD decided against it.
    SU ECNL G03 were there and placed in a different bracket where they played non-ECNL teams at 3 different venues (no college coaches). The same consideration was not given to all ECNL teams. Does not show well for PAC in my books.

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      #17
      Did anyone see coaches at any location other than Starfire? With fields 9 and 10 closed, there weren't all that many games scheduled at Starfire. Unless a coach really wanted to see a player, I can't see them going all the way to Liberty HS or some of the other locations.

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        #18
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        SU ECNL G03 were there and placed in a different bracket where they played non-ECNL teams at 3 different venues (no college coaches). The same consideration was not given to all ECNL teams. Does not show well for PAC in my books.
        Seattle United ECNL teams entered the PAC Winter Classic as a tournament team. This is why they played against non-ECNL teams. Had they were given the option to play normal league play in front of the college coaches attending, like PAC, XF, EFC, and XFU, I'm sure they would have chosen the latter. I'm guessing most the college coaches attending were at those ECNL games, especially D1 coaches. If teams paid fees to be showcased, did the regular ECNL league game teams also pay fees to be included in the tournament schedule? It's like a ponzi scheme to collect fees from teams to have the prize (college coaches) come watch games but instead give the prize to a club's top tiered teams without collecting from them. But this is pay-to-play club soccer. Where the lower tiered teams pay extra to support the privileges and perks of the A teams.

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          #19
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Seattle United ECNL teams entered the PAC Winter Classic as a tournament team. This is why they played against non-ECNL teams. Had they were given the option to play normal league play in front of the college coaches attending, like PAC, XF, EFC, and XFU, I'm sure they would have chosen the latter. I'm guessing most the college coaches attending were at those ECNL games, especially D1 coaches. If teams paid fees to be showcased, did the regular ECNL league game teams also pay fees to be included in the tournament schedule? It's like a ponzi scheme to collect fees from teams to have the prize (college coaches) come watch games but instead give the prize to a club's top tiered teams without collecting from them. But this is pay-to-play club soccer. Where the lower tiered teams pay extra to support the privileges and perks of the A teams.
          Couldn't agree more. PAC probably promised the college coaches ECNL teams to get them out there and now they can say -- look at these D1 coaches who attended. PAC ran this the same as their ID Camp - have others pay so they can promote their players, their team. Ponzi scheme is right.

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            #20
            This is how PacNW also runs Wa St EPD.

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              #21
              Except, they don't.

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                #22
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Couldn't agree more. PAC probably promised the college coaches ECNL teams to get them out there and now they can say -- look at these D1 coaches who attended. PAC ran this the same as their ID Camp - have others pay so they can promote their players, their team. Ponzi scheme is right.
                This is still a benefit for the non-ECNL teams. They may not get the looks from D1 coaches, but there will be other coaches from lower levels that may be more...open-minded about where to look for talent. Overall, drawing ECNL talent and the equivalent college coaches will then draw more teams close to ECNL and more college coaches from other levels, which is great to have.

                In my mind, the bigger issue is the games being widely spread out, so if you're a non-ECNL team, which will then make it difficult for your Div 3 coach who flew in without a rental car to get to Petrovisky for a Saturday night game. Non-ECNL teams paying and participating in the "Showcase" should get at least one game guaranteed at Starfire or Valley Ridge (where the ECNL league games were played). Otherwise, it is a bit of a racket.

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                  #23
                  It’s a terrible benefit for non-ECNL teams, especially for those who traveled in from out of state. Then why not disclose to those teams that D1 coaches are likely not to watch your games because they are only attending ECNL teams. How many clubs and families look at those college coaches in attendance and base their decisions on the “exposure” they may get? ECNL and DA get plenty of opportunities for D1 exposure. Non-ECNL teams, not so much. Was excited to see how many coaches this tournament could attract. Very disappointed to discover many of the coaches stayed at Starfire and Valley Ridge where several teams never played. If PavNW was leveraging ECNL teams to attract coaches and had non-ECNL teams essentially pay for this showcase and not the ECNL teams, that is a bait and switch if there ever was one. That is a personal enrichment benefit for the ECNL teams, especially Pac’s.

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                    #24
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    This is still a benefit for the non-ECNL teams. They may not get the looks from D1 coaches, but there will be other coaches from lower levels that may be more...open-minded about where to look for talent. Overall, drawing ECNL talent and the equivalent college coaches will then draw more teams close to ECNL and more college coaches from other levels, which is great to have.

                    In my mind, the bigger issue is the games being widely spread out, so if you're a non-ECNL team, which will then make it difficult for your Div 3 coach who flew in without a rental car to get to Petrovisky for a Saturday night game. Non-ECNL teams paying and participating in the "Showcase" should get at least one game guaranteed at Starfire or Valley Ridge (where the ECNL league games were played). Otherwise, it is a bit of a racket.
                    I'm sure most if not all D2 and many D3 coaches were at Valley Ridge watching ECNL, or at Starfire. All U16 and older games should be at Starfire where college coaches can focus in one area. This did happen at Valley Ridge but only for ECNL girls.

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                      #25
                      Most NW Local coaches come to the first handful of home games for the ECNL teams. The better the team, the more likely they will come. There is always a few coaches at the rest of games during the year.

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                        #26
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Did anyone see coaches at any location other than Starfire? With fields 9 and 10 closed, there weren't all that many games scheduled at Starfire. Unless a coach really wanted to see a player, I can't see them going all the way to Liberty HS or some of the other locations.
                        Several colleges came out to see older ECNL girls at Valley Ridge on Sat and Sun. Xfire, Eastside and Pac represented that I saw

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Seattle United ECNL teams entered the PAC Winter Classic as a tournament team. This is why they played against non-ECNL teams. Had they were given the option to play normal league play in front of the college coaches attending, like PAC, XF, EFC, and XFU, I'm sure they would have chosen the latter. I'm guessing most the college coaches attending were at those ECNL games, especially D1 coaches. If teams paid fees to be showcased, did the regular ECNL league game teams also pay fees to be included in the tournament schedule? It's like a ponzi scheme to collect fees from teams to have the prize (college coaches) come watch games but instead give the prize to a club's top tiered teams without collecting from them. But this is pay-to-play club soccer. Where the lower tiered teams pay extra to support the privileges and perks of the A teams.
                          These tournaments all publish what coaches are attending. Players should be sending email intros with their soccer resume inviting coaches to come and watch them, with date/time details. Don't assume that your kid will be seen just because they're at the tournament and don't assume the organizers control who the coaches watch. Kids need to be proactive with recruiting

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            These tournaments all publish what coaches are attending. Players should be sending email intros with their soccer resume inviting coaches to come and watch them, with date/time details. Don't assume that your kid will be seen just because they're at the tournament and don't assume the organizers control who the coaches watch. Kids need to be proactive with recruiting
                            When the tournament fields are scattered everywhere, coaches are likely to stay put in locations they can watch the most players. If all the ECNL teams were clustered in Valley Ridge or Starfire then there really isn’t much incentive to drive all over the Renton/Eastside area. Yes, kids should write coaches but the tournament organizers did a major disservice to the non-ECNL teams. They absolutely know coaches are likely to stay and watch as many games as they can at central locations and get the most bang for their buck. Next time maybe don’t schedule regular league games during the showcase and let any ECNL team register and schedule everyone at one of the central locations on Sat or Sunday.

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                              #29
                              Yeah, the college coaches were at Valley Ridge, watching the girl's ECNL games. I saw couple local D1 and some D3 floating around. I think Pac is trying to create a mini showcase for ECNL girls early in the season since there are 5 ECNL teams in WA and 2 in Ore and maybe can get Utah and Idaho to come. These were league games, so maybe this can work out. This year was only Pac, Eastside, Crossfire premier, and Crossfire united. Even if just the Wa and Oregon clubs came, it could be a draw for local and regional college coaches. I liked the fact we got two league games out of the way and college coaches watching.

                              But they need to make it fair for non-ECNL teams to get a showcase for coaches. Pac can get underhanded that way. They do promote their girls first in the summer ID camp, winterfest,
                              and EPD. Well makes sense since they are spending the time, effort, and OP money to hold these events. :)

                              Comment


                                #30
                                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                                Yeah, the college coaches were at Valley Ridge, watching the girl's ECNL games. I saw couple local D1 and some D3 floating around. I think Pac is trying to create a mini showcase for ECNL girls early in the season since there are 5 ECNL teams in WA and 2 in Ore and maybe can get Utah and Idaho to come. These were league games, so maybe this can work out. This year was only Pac, Eastside, Crossfire premier, and Crossfire united. Even if just the Wa and Oregon clubs came, it could be a draw for local and regional college coaches. I liked the fact we got two league games out of the way and college coaches watching.

                                But they need to make it fair for non-ECNL teams to get a showcase for coaches. Pac can get underhanded that way. They do promote their girls first in the summer ID camp, winterfest,
                                and EPD. Well makes sense since they are spending the time, effort, and OP money to hold these events. :)
                                Did the oysa teams get lots of coaches too? Some played at ValleyRidge later after the ECNL teams.

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