SoccerAmerica rankings: Bolts Boys #10

http://publications.socceramerica.com/i ... 8&p=476949

February winter showcase matches again #2 Chicago Magic should be interesting!

http://www.bluesombrero.com/Default.asp ... aterboston

Re: SoccerAmerica rankings: Bolts Boys #10

[quote="Anonymous"]http://publications.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=25372&Nid=3885 8&p=476949

From the reference above::

"FC GREATER BOSTON. FCGB is the lone representative from New England in this year's Top 25 boys rankings. The Bolts, who were one of the first clubs to be selected to the new U.S. Soccer Development Academy program, won a national ti tle in 2005 and sent three teams to the upper level regional finals the last two years. The club has produced current pros Jay Heaps and Charlie Davies. Rising Star: Gideon Gyasi scored both goals in the Bolts' 2-1 win over the Clearwater Chargers at the 2007 Development Academy Nike Friendlies."

"Criteria
Soccer America selects the top 25 clubs, based on success of their teams in national youth championships over the last three years and national recognition for players (including U.S. national youth team selections, NSCAA/adidas Youth All-Americans and U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Interregional All-Stars) from these clubs in 2007."

SA takes results over 3 years into consideration. Gotsoccer has FCGB much lower at #37 based on just last year's results. However, it makes sense to use more than one year to account for fluctuations in results that may not reflect a long term trend. Reality may be somewhere between the two figures. Ironically, Okarah's teams have had the major influence in the high ranking for FCGB.

Re: SoccerAmerica rankings: Bolts Boys #10

http://publications.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=25372&Nid=3885 8&p=476949

From the reference above::

"FC GREATER BOSTON. FCGB is the lone representative from New England in this year's Top 25 boys rankings. The Bolts, who were one of the first clubs to be selected to the new U.S. Soccer Development Academy program, won a national ti tle in 2005 and sent three teams to the upper level regional finals the last two years. The club has produced current pros Jay Heaps and Charlie Davies. Rising Star: Gideon Gyasi scored both goals in the Bolts' 2-1 win over the Clearwater Chargers at the 2007 Development Academy Nike Friendlies."

"Criteria
Soccer America selects the top 25 clubs, based on success of their teams in national youth championships over the last three years and national recognition for players (including U.S. national youth team selections, NSCAA/adidas Youth All-Americans and U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Interregional All-Stars) from these clubs in 2007."

SA takes results over 3 years into consideration. Gotsoccer has FCGB much lower at #37 based on just last year's results. However, it makes sense to use more than one year to account for fluctuations in results that may not reflect a long term trend. Reality may be somewhere between the two figures. Ironically, Okarah's teams have had the major influence in the high ranking for FCGB.

The only thing GotSoccer takes into account is how teams do in tournaments and state cups from the semi-final level and above. It is hardly an accurate barometer of a club.

I would agree that the current incarnation of FCGB is probably somewhere between the Soccer America and Got Soccer rankings. GotSoccer is finicky and based only on tournament results. But FCGB is obviously not as strong now as they were 2 years ago. 2 years ago you might have legitamitely said, oh, FCGB and Nomads belong in the same conversation. Not any more. Scott Galagher, Vardar, traditionally better clubs should be considered better overall than the current FCGB.

While FCGB has the Academy status, what they do in the next two-three years with the ir staffing is going to be the key to their future success. There are quite a few threats to what they are doing right now, including MPS, whatever the Revolution ends up doing, and some area clubs starting to become more competitive. They've weathered the storm in the past and become stronger as a result.

Re: SoccerAmerica rankings: Bolts Boys #10

http://publications.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=25372&Nid=3885 8&p=476949

From the reference above::

"FC GREATER BOSTON. FCGB is the lone representative from New England in this year's Top 25 boys rankings. The Bolts, who were one of the first clubs to be selected to the new U.S. Soccer Development Academy program, won a national ti tle in 2005 and sent three teams to the upper level regional finals the last two years. The club has produced current pros Jay Heaps and Charlie Davies. Rising Star: Gideon Gyasi scored both goals in the Bolts' 2-1 win over the Clearwater Chargers at the 2007 Development Academy Nike Friendlies."

"Criteria
Soccer America selects the top 25 clubs, based on success of their teams in national youth championships over the last three years and national recognition for players (including U.S. national youth team selections, NSCAA/adidas Youth All-Americans and U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Interregional All-Stars) from these clubs in 2007."

SA takes results over 3 years into consideration. Gotsoccer has FCGB much lower at #37 based on just last year's results. However, it makes sense to use more than one year to account for fluctuations in results that may not reflect a long term trend. Reality may be somewhere between the two figures. Ironically, Okarah's teams have had the major influence in the high ranking for FCGB.

The only thing GotSoccer takes into account is how teams do in tournaments and state cups from the semi-final level and above. It is hardly an accurate barometer of a club.

I guess it is only an accurate barometer of the quality of the teams a club puts on the playing field. Other factors could be important.

I would agree that the current incarnation of FCGB is probably somewhere between the Soccer America and Got Soccer rankings. GotSoccer is finicky and based only on tournament results. But FCGB is obviously not as strong now as they were 2 years ago. 2 years ago you might have legitamitely said, oh, FCGB and Nomads belong in the same conversation. Not any more. Scott Galagher, Vardar, traditionally better clubs should be considered better overall than the current FCGB.

While FCGB has the Academy status, what they do in the next two-three years with the ir staffing is going to be the key to their future success. There are quite a few threats to what they are doing right now, including MPS, whatever the Revolution ends up doing, and some area clubs starting to become more competitive. They've weathered the storm in the past and become stronger as a result.

SoccerAmerica believes they are better. They were 12th last year, 10th this year.

Also note that Bolts are the only top 25 team in the relatively weaker Northeast Conference. This would make them the favorite to go to the finals at Home Depot.

Albertson SC
B/W Gottschee
FC Greater Boston Bolts
FC Westchester
Met Oval
Oakwood SC
Seacoast United
South Central Premier

Of course the proof is in the proverbial pudding and the real rankings will be decided on the field as it should be. As someone noted in another thread the Winter Showcase match against Chicago Magic will be a real barameter. Tough competion. Kudos to the academy program and good luck to the Bolts!

http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cm ... hedule.pdf

CHICAGO MAGIC. After three years at No. 1, the Magic fell to No. 2 in the boys rankings, but 2007 was still a successful year. The U-18 team won the club's 15th national t itle when it upset three-time defending champ Schulz Academy in the championship of the Super Y-League's North American finals.

Magic must have slipped to scond because they play Super Y.

So instead of Bolt bashing this list will became academy bashing? Good luck with that and give us an update when you get a semblance of a life.

[FSM]

I've highlighted those clubs on the list that are part of the DAP (Development Academy Program). Also to follow are comments on the selections from other forums which may provide some additional insight to the clubs listed.

Soccer America's Top 25 Boys Clubs
1. Dallas Texans
2. Chicago Magic
3. Arsenal FC
4. Real So Cal
5. Schulz Academy
6. FC Delco
7. Baltimore Bays
8. Sockers FC
9. Michigan Wolves
10. FC Greater Boston Bolts
11. CASL Elite12. PDA
13. Solar SC
14. FC Milwaukee
15. Bethesda SC
16. Valley United
17. Team Ohio FC
18. Concorde Fire
19. Vardar SC
20. Andromeda
21. Real Colorado
22. Nomads SC
23. Scott Gallagher
24. Javanon
25. LAFC
25. New York Red Bulls

Rankings are based on old paradigm. Hopefully soon they will judge clubs based on # of professional and National Team players developed on not # of cups won. How would rankings change?

Scott Gallagher would move from #23 to perhaps #1.

Gallagher is actually the perfect example of the youth club that practices development, not winning. It doesn't care much for the less technical, early developing "athletes" that other big clubs recruit, and often suffers match loesses because of that. But ... Noonan, Twellman, Ralston, Brad Davis, Chris Klein.

Brian McBride didn't come up through SG, but played a bit with the club in his college years. Bradenton phenom Charles Renken was at SG for a couple of years, too.

In contrast, Wolves & Vardar have had more match successes in recent years, and I can attest have bigger, hairier kids, but I can't quite think of any of their pro alums.

Only Team Ohio result of note that I recall was Team Ohio won Manchester Cup in 2006 -- but that wasn't really Team Ohio at all, it was a Michigan/Ohio all-star team, heck they brought a Chicago Wind kid too.

Pretty obviously, Gallagher at #23 should be miles ahead of Team Ohio at #17. That is, unless Team Ohio can put up an alum list to match Twellman, Ralston, and Noonan.

Team Ohio has .........a couple youth national team players (the younger Sarkodie kid played for them before going into residency).

[FSM]

More insight to the teams selected, this time by the FC Barcelona coach from So Cal:

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Anyone who thinks this list has any merit what so ever should go to www.coastsoccer.com and do a search on clubs. At one glance you can see which clubs have teams and which do not. For example you could look up LAFC #25, supposedly the 25th best team in the country and see they have only a single boys team over U11 that could be considered a top 10 team in their age group. Zero kids selected National pool from their club last year that I'm aware of.

On the other hand
FC Barcelona - Every boys team but U14 is plays in the top division and most have winning records. Many National team/pool players.
West Coast - Every boys team but U17 plays at top level. Several National team/pool players.
Pateadores - 4 teams at the top level including 3 in premier. All have a winning record as compared to LAFC's 3 premier teams having a combined total of just 6 wins. Far less worthy than the other two as a lot of their talent came from outside the club.