North Shore Clubs

The other major problem on the North Shore is the lack of leadership to run the club correctly. People's ego's get in the way and the rest is history. There is plenty of talent on the North Shore to compete and win State Cups but parents see other clubs that are run better and thus will spend the time in the car to that club than staying local. If ego's can be put to the side, a North Shore club could compete for State Cup on a year to year basis. Of course, this is easier said than done.

North shore has very little to offer. Much inbreeding and sodomy among small animals. Too close to NH and that moron Cujo.

In my town, the u14 town coaches of the select teams are good - but I'm sure that the club coaches are better - with an occasional exception. Almost all of the best players on these town teams - that I'm aware of - also play on club teams. Those that don't play on club teams are usually involved in other sports.

[Cujo]

What is interesting is that just a couple years ago, the merger between the Force and SUNS, was being touted as the answer for NS soccer. Now there are those who are predicting that the Vikings won't survive the Aztecs/NESS merger. Ultimately the problem for North Shore programs is that the club talent pool isn't broad enough to support a club with multiple D2+ teams at each age group and there has been difficulty in keeping the very best players with their local clubs. So it has been impossible for anyone to keep a full stable of A/B and maybe C teams and the best Stars/Scorpions/Select/MPS/Bolts teams all have a picked off a few of the best NS players. More importantly, when was the last time that you heard of a player deciding to commute from the south shore or metro-west to play for a NS club? The Everton connection sounds nice and provides some sharp tie-in marketing toward younger players, but I think older players won't be affected by it - especially girls. The great strength of the new Aztecs is that their leadership is full of enthusiasm for the deal. That enthusiasm can be contageous. However, they will pretty quickly need to show some real steak to go with the sizzle. That will mean w/l performances in the State Cup and acceptances to the big showcases. The U17G team has done some of that, and the U15G team is poised for some, but the performances need to be consistent and across the board.

There is plenty of talent on the North Shore. However, much of it is simply not inclined to play in MAPLE. This is due to a number of very strong town programs in places such as Danvers, Newburyport, and Andover. Why pay $1,000 or more to play in MAPLE when you can play for well-coached top notch teams in those towns. The best U14 teams in those towns can compete with many MAPLE teams. Danvers alone has a couple thousand players in the their program and 6 or 7 teams at each age level. There D1 ECYSA teams from what I remember were very strong.

Those towns may have the numbers in terms of player talent, but they probably do not have the numbers in terms of coaching talent.

Tarbox, Gonnam, Day just to mention a few good coaches. The top 2 or 3 town teams at u14 are usually very well coached. They are MAPLE and HS experienced - licensed with lots of years under their belts. Andover alone has 8 U14 girls teams. Their top team is REALLY good and well coached.

Cujo, you make my point. 8 U14 team in one team alone. How are the three coaches you mentioned going to spread their wealth?

Those are just three examples. The idea that MAPLE is the only place that good soccer is being played in this state is a myth. Some MAPLE parents are adamant about this because acknowledging that good soccer is being played elsewhere diminishes their perceived value of their child's MAPLe experience. It sucks to pay $1,500 to get coached by a MAPLE Coach with a C or D license when for $85 the same coach can be had in town travel. With my own eyes I watched Danvers and Andover top U12 teams beat top MAPLE teams in tourneys.

I'll make the excuse now for the naysayers. Their best players weren't present!!!

[Cujo]

Per MIAA rules, Gonham, Tarbox (I assume you mean Bill and not Fred) and Day cannot coach HS age teams in their home districts of Newburyport, North Andover or Swampscott.

Not true, team may not be comprised of more than 50% candidate players

There is also a strong Salem State influence of foreign born players who have turned to coaching on the North Shore. Perhaps a bit more Central and South American than European.

Ah, the old "the accent is worth the extra $$$$$ for training" approach.....

Let's just choose to disagree. I believe at this point if my daughter were a U11 living in one of those towns that I would keep my daughter in town soccer as a U10,11,12 (maybe U13) and then migrate to MAPLE later on.

[quote=Cujo]

What is interesting is that just a couple years ago, the merger between the Force and SUNS, was being touted as the answer for NS soccer. Now there are those who are predicting that the Vikings won't survive the Aztecs/NESS merger. Ultimately the problem for North Shore programs is that the club talent pool isn't broad enough to support a club with multiple D2+ teams at each age group and there has been difficulty in keeping the very best players with their local clubs. So it has been impossible for anyone to keep a full stable of A/B and maybe C teams and the best Stars/Scorpions/Select/MPS/Bolts teams all have a picked off a few of the best NS players. More importantly, when was the last time that you heard of a player deciding to commute from the south shore or metro-west to play for a NS club? The Everton connection sounds nice and provides some sharp tie-in marketing toward younger players, but I think older players won't be affected by it - especially girls. The great strength of the new Aztecs is that their leadership is full of enthusiasm for the deal. That enthusiasm can be contageous. However, they will pretty quickly need to show some real steak to go with the sizzle. That will mean w/l performances in the State Cup and acceptances to the big showcases. The U17G team has done some of that, and the U15G team is poised for some, but the performances need to be consistent and across the board.

There is plenty of talent on the North Shore. However, much of it is simply not inclined to play in MAPLE. This is due to a number of very strong town programs in places such as Danvers, Newburyport, and Andover. Why pay $1,000 or more to play in MAPLE when you can play for well-coached top notch teams in those towns. The best U14 teams in those towns can compete with many MAPLE teams. Danvers alone has a couple thousand players in the their program and 6 or 7 teams at each age level. There D1 ECYSA teams from what I remember were very strong.

Those towns may have the numbers in terms of player talent, but they probably do not have the numbers in terms of coaching talent.

Tarbox, Gonnam, Day just to mention a few good coaches. The top 2 or 3 town teams at u14 are usually very well coached. They are MAPLE and HS experienced - licensed with lots of years under their belts. Andover alone has 8 U14 girls teams. Their top team is REALLY good and well coached.

Cujo, you make my point. 8 U14 team in one team alone. How are the three coaches you mentioned going to spread their wealth?

Those are just three examples. The idea that MAPLE is the only place that good soccer is being played in this state is a myth. Some MAPLE parents are adamant about this because acknowledging that good soccer is being played elsewhere diminishes their perceived value of their child's MAPLe experience. It sucks to pay $1,500 to get coached by a MAPLE Coach with a C or D license when for $85 the same coach can be had in town travel. With my own eyes I watched Danvers and Andover top U12 teams beat top MAPLE teams in tourneys.

I'll make the excuse now for the naysayers. Their best players weren't present!!![/quote:1an2u8kn]

I would agree with the younger teams, U11 and U12. After all many of those younger teams are being coached by coaches that have been succesful at the town level. But as teams age, the top club teams do get better faster then even the top town teams. IMO it is a combination of better coaching, better competition and eventually the consolidation of talented players willing to put in the time. So it would be no surprise that a MTOC team would be able to compete successfully with many Maple teams, but it is highly unlikely they could keep pace with the top club teams.

A year or so ago I did an informal survey of the credentials and experience, both playing and coaching, of those coaching at the State Cup finals. There is no comparison to the experience of those coaches to coaches at the town level or the level of the majority of coaches coaching in Maple for that matter. I have to assume it is that experience that got their teams that far. And you can say what you want, but coaches with an accent have had better luck getting to the Regionals and Nationals than coaches without. ;)

[FSM]

ME

FSM good point, when you get to Regionals and Nationals most of the coaches have an accent aswell. There is something to be said for that.

FSM good point, when you get to Regionals and Nationals most of the coaches have an accent aswell. There is something to be said for that.

The link between accents and success is not a surprising. I looked at my A coaching license schedule and there are two seperate 3 hour sessions on Accent Development.

I tried to get the accent development lessons while taking my C License course but after getting over their shock that I knoew about the accent program they explained that I or any coach could not reciece such training prior to A level classes.

Can any coaches who have already taken this course suggest whether I should concentrate on the German, Dutch or Italian accent?

FSM good point, when you get to Regionals and Nationals most of the coaches have an accent aswell. There is something to be said for that.

The link between accents and success is not a surprising. I looked at my A coaching license schedule and there are two seperate 3 hour sessions on Accent Development.

I tried to get the accent development lessons while taking my C License course but after getting over their shock that I knoew about the accent program they explained that I or any coach could not reciece such training prior to A level classes.

Can any coaches who have already taken this course suggest whether I should concentrate on the German, Dutch or Italian accent?

For those of you who are concerned with my typos in the post above - don't worry. They were all a result of my taking the "Pretending English is a second language while typing" course. A pre-requisite for the acquiring an accent course.

FSM good point, when you get to Regionals and Nationals most of the coaches have an accent aswell. There is something to be said for that.

The link between accents and success is not a surprising. I looked at my A coaching license schedule and there are two seperate 3 hour sessions on Accent Development.

I tried to get the accent development lessons while taking my C License course but after getting over their shock that I knoew about the accent program they explained that I or any coach could not reciece such training prior to A level classes.

Can any coaches who have already taken this course suggest whether I should concentrate on the German, Dutch or Italian accent?

I guarantee you have been nowhere near a C License never mind an A

How can you make such a guatantee? What is my reward if I prove you wrong?

How can you make such a guatantee? What is my reward if I prove you wrong?

If you where anywhere near an A License you would not be posting on here.

I have an accent, but it is a Bawstan accent...when I yell "win the bawl" or "bring the cones back to my cahhhr" I always get results.

C'mon, are we really dumb enough to think this matters?

[FSM]

FSM good point, when you get to Regionals and Nationals most of the coaches have an accent aswell. There is something to be said for that.

I don't mean to suggest that anyone should assume a person with an accent is more qualified than one without. Obviously you need to look further at the coach's overall experience, but I do think there is an advantage to growing up playing soccer as opposed to growing up playing baseball. One of the advantages might simply be that the coach loves soccer and will translate that passion for the game to the players. Sometimes I feel American coaches are coaching soccer simply because they like competition and not necessarily the sport itself and when that is the case, their coaching translates differently to their players.

I have an accent, but it is a Bawstan accent...when I yell "win the bawl" or "bring the cones back to my cahhhr" I always get results.

C'mon, are we really dumb enough to think this matters?

Statistics don't lie.