Our kids are young right now so this isn't a deal breaker for us yet. Both have demonstrated that they have some talent and they tell us they want to play for the best team possible. GPS is very convenient for us. Our fear is the potential lack of growth opportunities as our kids mature in the sport. As it stands the teams our kids play for are very strong. It's fun to watch their success. Over the past few weeks parents on the sidelines started talking about ECNL and the Development Academy. They're already trying to figure out how to best position their kids for these leagues. We wish GPS offered these opportunities. Is there any likelihood that they could be invited into these leagues next year?
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Unregistered
Originally posted by Unregistered View PostOur kids are young right now so this isn't a deal breaker for us yet. Both have demonstrated that they have some talent and they tell us they want to play for the best team possible. GPS is very convenient for us. Our fear is the potential lack of growth opportunities as our kids mature in the sport. As it stands the teams our kids play for are very strong. It's fun to watch their success. Over the past few weeks parents on the sidelines started talking about ECNL and the Development Academy. They're already trying to figure out how to best position their kids for these leagues. We wish GPS offered these opportunities. Is there any likelihood that they could be invited into these leagues next year?
Don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses. You'd be wise to take parent sideline blabber as just that.
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Do what's best for your player and their development. If a club no longer suits their needs, move. You didn't state the age but at some point players that want to play at a higher level need to move to higher level clubs. Don't sit and hope your current club will move, because it might not ever by choice or exclusion. Just make sure the move is one that makes sense - plenty of parents think their kids are studs because they are a top player on a mid level team, but they often can't compete at the higher levels. Explore your options but be realistic about it as well.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostDo what's best for your player and their development. If a club no longer suits their needs, move. You didn't state the age but at some point players that want to play at a higher level need to move to higher level clubs. Don't sit and hope your current club will move, because it might not ever by choice or exclusion. Just make sure the move is one that makes sense - plenty of parents think their kids are studs because they are a top player on a mid level team, but they often can't compete at the higher levels. Explore your options but be realistic about it as well.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostOur kids are young right now so this isn't a deal breaker for us yet. Both have demonstrated that they have some talent and they tell us they want to play for the best team possible. GPS is very convenient for us. Our fear is the potential lack of growth opportunities as our kids mature in the sport. As it stands the teams our kids play for are very strong. It's fun to watch their success. Over the past few weeks parents on the sidelines started talking about ECNL and the Development Academy. They're already trying to figure out how to best position their kids for these leagues. We wish GPS offered these opportunities. Is there any likelihood that they could be invited into these leagues next year?
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostPeople like to believe that there is a gigantic difference in abilities from "higher level" teams to "mid level" teams. In most cases the difference is the top 2 or 3 players on high team and the bottom 2 or 3 on mid team. Sometimes just one dynamic player is the difference. Other than that the players are the same.
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As someone who's kid plays on a decent NEP team, and has worked out on the side for good NPL team, I can tell you the difference is depth. Sure, some on the NEP team are every bit as good as the NPL players; but the difference is when you get beyond the top 1/3. I don't see a huge drop off on the NPL team, but it's noticeable on the NEP team.
So, it's (to what I see) more than just a few players. It's a consistently better roster top to bottom.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostAs someone who's kid plays on a decent NEP team, and has worked out on the side for good NPL team, I can tell you the difference is depth. Sure, some on the NEP team are every bit as good as the NPL players; but the difference is when you get beyond the top 1/3. I don't see a huge drop off on the NPL team, but it's noticeable on the NEP team.
So, it's (to what I see) more than just a few players. It's a consistently better roster top to bottom.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostPeople like to believe that there is a gigantic difference in abilities from "higher level" teams to "mid level" teams. In most cases the difference is the top 2 or 3 players on high team and the bottom 2 or 3 on mid team. Sometimes just one dynamic player is the difference. Other than that the players are the same.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostAs someone who's kid plays on a decent NEP team, and has worked out on the side for good NPL team, I can tell you the difference is depth. Sure, some on the NEP team are every bit as good as the NPL players; but the difference is when you get beyond the top 1/3. I don't see a huge drop off on the NPL team, but it's noticeable on the NEP team.
So, it's (to what I see) more than just a few players. It's a consistently better roster top to bottom.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostAs someone who's kid plays on a decent NEP team, and has worked out on the side for good NPL team, I can tell you the difference is depth. Sure, some on the NEP team are every bit as good as the NPL players; but the difference is when you get beyond the top 1/3. I don't see a huge drop off on the NPL team, but it's noticeable on the NEP team.
So, it's (to what I see) more than just a few players. It's a consistently better roster top to bottom.
I made the earlier post of 2-3 players only because so many people want to believe that there are vast differences between all players on teams that are only one or two tiers apart. There are some teams that have a larger percentage of top players, but generally that's not the case.
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All you need to know:
Current ECNL, DAP clubs:
Stars, Scorpions, NEFC, Bolts
All started as nonprofits by volunteers, many of which were independently wealthy already, and scarcely had full time people, just to develop strong soccer players. As they built, most of the decision makers didn't get paid. They've all at some point made decisions that benefited national team level players and hurt financial bottom lines.
That may not seem to be the case, but it is, historically.
Meanwhile, GPS was started for profit from the very beginning, and it would be hard to find any decision they've ever made that has helped the club grow without additionally helping their bottom line. Their unwillingness to create elite pools out of their regions for most of their existence being one of the prime issues. The top players would leave to play for one of the above clubs. This is way before any of these leagues.
Now, you can look at the NPL and State Elite teams today, and you can see that the bottom line may eventually have been hurt by their long time decisions not to pool talent to compete with the top clubs. But that ship has probably sailed. GPS always loses the national team level players too early to make the difference it needs to make at the older age groups.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View PostAll you need to know:
Current ECNL, DAP clubs:
Stars, Scorpions, NEFC, Bolts
All started as nonprofits by volunteers, many of which were independently wealthy already, and scarcely had full time people, just to develop strong soccer players. As they built, most of the decision makers didn't get paid. They've all at some point made decisions that benefited national team level players and hurt financial bottom lines.
That may not seem to be the case, but it is, historically.
Meanwhile, GPS was started for profit from the very beginning, and it would be hard to find any decision they've ever made that has helped the club grow without additionally helping their bottom line. Their unwillingness to create elite pools out of their regions for most of their existence being one of the prime issues. The top players would leave to play for one of the above clubs. This is way before any of these leagues.
Now, you can look at the NPL and State Elite teams today, and you can see that the bottom line may eventually have been hurt by their long time decisions not to pool talent to compete with the top clubs. But that ship has probably sailed. GPS always loses the national team level players too early to make the difference it needs to make at the older age groups.
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Originally posted by Unregistered View Post"Started". Probably true. But, since they acquire "non-profit" and smaller clubs, such the same as the others you mention, really not applicable today, is it?
All the clubs above had far higher national profile teams and players than GPS. GPS has never really had a national champion caliber team, and only a few low level national youth team pool type players.
They may have had the chance, but as members were hoping they'd merge Renegades/Bulldogs with Crusaders teams, they wouldn't, so the couple of top players they'd have would leave.
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