New Portland Thorns "Pre-Academy" U11-U13.

[Unregistered]

Portland Thorns just announced a "Pre-Academy" for U11-U13 age group. $1995 for the season and will play in OYSA.

http://www.portlandthornsacademy.org...ayout=14336793

Discuss.

[Unregistered]

after seeing the results of the older teams I can’t imagine this will be very good?

Playing in OYSA? Are they serious? That’s a great way to get all the alliance clubs to oppose.

First they used odp to recruit and soiled that program. Now this.

The older teams have players that couldn’t even make their high school teams.

[Unregistered]

This is a smart move if they want to survive after the inevitable end of girls DA. They will hope to build this program into enough of a success to be accepted into ECNL.

[Unregistered]

Are they dropping all their teams to OYSA? That might be a really good move.

[Unregistered]

Playing in OYSA? Are they serious? That’s a great way to get all the alliance clubs to oppose.

First they used odp to recruit and soiled that program. Now this.

The older teams have players that couldn’t even make their high school teams.

If they put all their teams in OYSA they will upset a lot of DOCs but it might help them get badly needed wins.

[Unregistered]

Stop it.....GDA isnt going anywhere. This is much needed to help fund the older teams. Curious if here will also be B and C teams at these younger age groups.

[Unregistered]

Are they dropping all their teams to OYSA? That might be a really good move.

They still might not get wins but maybe not as bad losses?

[Unregistered]

What horrific time to announce this. Some good will building up in the soccer community as we all try to navigate these waters, and Westside goes to market with an aggressive recruiting effort.

All I can say - disappointing.

[Unregistered]

What horrific time to announce this. Some good will building up in the soccer community as we all try to navigate these waters, and Westside goes to market with an aggressive recruiting effort.

All I can say - disappointing.

What, are Thorns cold-calling girls/parents during the coronavirus shutdown?

Or or is someone trying to argue, with a straight fact, that posting an announcement on a website is somehow an "aggressive recruiting effort"?

[Unregistered]

What, are Thorns cold-calling girls/parents during the coronavirus shutdown?

Or or is someone trying to argue, with a straight fact, that posting an announcement on a website is somehow an "aggressive recruiting effort"?

It is in incredibly poor taste in this environment. One thing to communicate with your own families during this, another thing to be reaching out to others.

[Unregistered]

It is in incredibly poor taste in this environment. One thing to communicate with your own families during this, another thing to be reaching out to others.

You didn't answer the question.

Are thorns actively contacting (calling directly, personal emails, IM) players with other clubs... or are you attacking them for placing an announcement on their website?

What, are they suppose to keep tryouts secret? Or only reach out to the families of existing Thorns players, to see if any have little sisters who might be interested? Several other clubs have tryout information also posted to their websites...

[Unregistered]

You didn't answer the question.

Are thorns actively contacting (calling directly, personal emails, IM) players with other clubs... or are you attacking them for placing an announcement on their website?

What, are they suppose to keep tryouts secret? Or only reach out to the families of existing Thorns players, to see if any have little sisters who might be interested? Several other clubs have tryout information also posted to their websites...

Its because it is a skewed question.

You are going to see clubs and teams collapse in c-19. There are parts of the country where clubs have made mutual promises not to poach during this period of time. We are in exceptional times.

Yet Thorns are attempting a large expansion of their program . . . during a pandemic.

[Unregistered]

Its because it is a skewed question.

You are going to see clubs and teams collapse in c-19. There are parts of the country where clubs have made mutual promises not to poach during this period of time. We are in exceptional times.

Yet Thorns are attempting a large expansion of their program . . . during a pandemic.

I have ZERO dog in this hunt, but there is no way that the Thorns threw this together in the last 30 days to try to take advantage of said pandemic. I'm sure this had to be in motion long before corona hit and instead of shelving it, they have simply decided to move forward with a planned expansion. I'm sure there is shade that can be thrown at this from some angles, but announcing try-outs on a website and posting on social media hardly rises to the level of an egregious offense.

I'm curious where they will get players from. The westside already seems overly-saturated with pre-ECNL opportunities. Will people really cross bridges for this program? I suppose time with tell.

[Unregistered]

Portland Thorns just announced a "Pre-Academy" for U11-U13 age group. $1995 for the season and will play in OYSA.

http://www.portlandthornsacademy.org...ayout=14336793

Discuss.

This just Westside Timbers in disguise effectively renaming their terrible younger girls program (jacking up the price) while desperately trying keep their (Westside Timbers) Thorn's academy on life support.

[Unregistered]

I have ZERO dog in this hunt, but there is no way that the Thorns threw this together in the last 30 days to try to take advantage of said pandemic. I'm sure this had to be in motion long before corona hit and instead of shelving it, they have simply decided to move forward with a planned expansion. I'm sure there is shade that can be thrown at this from some angles, but announcing try-outs on a website and posting on social media hardly rises to the level of an egregious offense.

I'm curious where they will get players from. The westside already seems overly-saturated with pre-ECNL opportunities. Will people really cross bridges for this program? I suppose time with tell.

You would be surprised how fast and lose clubs operate. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this was thrown together last minute to raise revenues for Westside timbers.