Heard some interesting chatter on the fields this weekend. Can anyone verify if it true that if the TC votes to let youth sports have a 60/40 Londonderry by organization instead of by team that LYSA will finally allow surrounding towns' players on LYSA teams? This is great news to have more competition for older teams. Lovin' it. Heard they are talking this up for spring. This is going to be prime for LYSA especially that U12 can no longer go out of town.
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lysa snhysa
The town has been 60-40% Londonderry residents by organization as revealed in the last rec meeting, all along. Keeping this the same will not make a difference for rec or travel soccer's attendance. With this being in the news it has been questioned whether LYSA will now allow the other towns to join in with our teams playing at West Road, something that has been a topic for some time within NH.
LYSA will be discussing the best procedure for the Londonderry residents to have the best playing experience in our town. If we do allow other town players in we will not set up to have teams with less than 60% Londonderry attendance. If we do open it up this spring we will have the opportunity to allow more games to be held in Londonderry. LYSA will not take away the excitement of those teams wanting to travel to other towns although we have now been restricted to only allow U15 and U18 to go off site.
Our board meetings are open for visitors at any time. All are welcome. Contact us for dates or look on our website. www.lysa-nh.org
I am available for your questions, concerns, comments and suggestions.
Patti Maccabe
LYSA President
pmaccabe@lysa-nh.org
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Patti, I am confused by a few of your statements here....Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
"now been restricted to only allow U15 and U18 to go off site". I am assuming this restriction is applied to Rec teams only? Why would Rec soccer teams travel to other towns to play soccer. Isn't that what the travel program is for?
Are you speaking for all of Londonderry soccer or only LYSA? Based on this statement.... "LYSA will be discussing the best procedure for the Londonderry residents to have the best playing experience in our town", it is pretty difficult to tell. Not quite sure "procedure" is the best term but I understand what you mean.
I would am interested to hear your thoughts on how the Rec and Travel programs should work together to further the development of all Londonderry players.Comment
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Lysa snhysa
Travel is relative only to geography. The games are played recreational with teams having the experience of playing other rec players in other towns. NHSA stayed this 3+ years ago with 4 towns and we are up to 7 now. There are no tryouts nor tournaments involved. Once you incorporate tryouts and tournaments it is then considered travel club. I'm not sure travel is even the best title to use but anyhow.
I am only talking lysa when I say we will be discussing the best procedure. Procedure being do we stay as we are today at 99% Londonderry players or do we expand up to 40% Southern NH players in our association. I wear two hats on this scenario but will go with the majority.
The only way I see both rec and travel programs working together or for that part even existing in the future is if both of the programs have the Londonderry residents as their best interest. LYSA has always and continues to have this goal. It used to be a great relationship for the Londonderry players when we would have registration side by side. LYSA would register players knowing that if they made the travel team they would be reimbursed. Travel had 40-50 teams. Not today. Londonderry town level travel players are all over NH playing in other town travel clubs. It was stated right in the Rec meeting last week by a coach that her whole team of Londonderry players left to play in another town. Why? ?? And what can be done to keep them here? ??
If it ever comes to be that the travel board returns their focus and interest to town participation we may be able to work together. We miss the good old days. Many, many residents remember how Londonderry travel was the place to be. It's OK to let others in if you take care of your own first.
Both clubs met and these concerns were expressed by LYSA but ignored.
LYSA is maintaining numbers on track with school enrollment. The numbers go up and down but not due to players leaving town for the same sport, not with rec. Retention can only be met if the club can provide what the needs are of the coaches and players.
When this common sense policy is seen by both boards then all can work together for the common goal - Londonderry. To answer your question...we can then 'further the development of Londonderry players' as they will still be located in Londonderry.Comment
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I have been around a long time. back to the Londonderry Express days. Travel in Londonderry never had 40 or 50 teams. never. 20 to 30 is more like it. People in soccer know why town soccer is struggling. it is not b/c of one coach or organization. it is a demographic thing. look at the massachusetts threads, you will see maple is dying down there too, because of club soccer. NHSA will tell you the same thing. town soccer need to be a viable stepping stone for those that can't afford club.Comment
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40-50 teams?? Please. That would be as big as Seacoast, GPS, or World Cup. They were never ever even close to that. Mid 20s maybe. You keep spreading all this propaganda and untruth. Speak only what you know about. This is the same town that ran out Tony Lepore years ago.Comment
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I am curious to know what is your soccer background and experience that qualifies you to create strategy and "procedure" for the development of Londonderry players?Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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You do know that the Rec program should be a feeder system to the travel program....this is a problem in lots of towns but Londonderry clearly has the most issues with it.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
It cannot work any other way. The fact that Rec programs think they are separate and have more knowledge than the travel side is ludicrous about 99% of the time. The fact is more knowledgeable people are involved on the travel side. You guys should really bring in a consultant.Comment
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Travel you meen LUSC ? If so they only have 11 teams playing fall soccer in NHSL.
they are dying also, they should be working with you. You get then when there young then they steal them.Comment
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I take offense. Parents choose to move on to lusc after a couple years of rec soccer. How does lusc steal the kids, do they bring a van and offer them candy? You sound childish.Comment
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By "steal" them do you mean some parents / kids decide that they want more of a focus on soccer and they look outside of rec? Is that what you mean by "steal"? Rec is a wonderful place to start and to continue if you enjoy the sport but perhaps don't want to focus on soccer and/or you play other sports, etc. It's excellent. But let's face it if you want to play soccer more competitively, you aren't going to play only Rec! I'm trying not to offend people, but this is just basic common sense. Why is the Rec program trying so hard to become what it isn't?Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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I should not have used the word steal. But local LUSC players have to come from somewhere.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
Without a good feeder system they are nothing but a traveling rec. program.Comment
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I was at the rec comm meeting . Lysa was trying to "steal back" their players by forcing 4 younger LUSC teams to disband. They think of our kids as chattle. My kids have loved LUSC and their trainings, they are really improving. We also loved the micro program. I just don't understand why rec would have a problem with this. Rec did not really work on skills, so we love that lusc does, and now they can't because the kids belong to lysa? this is crazy. rec is rec, fun to play in lusc is more about skills and development.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
I am having a hard time understanding lysa's motive in trying to make this change, maybe Patti can explain. I will NEVER vote for Joe Greene again. He clear as day was trying to ruin that older LUSC team, and then got caught with his hand in the cookie jar when he realized all of the other teams his new rules would impact.
To come on here and say LUSC should try to work with LYSA is being dishonest. Joe Greene kept LUSC away while he made these rules. He told us at the meeting that he did not consult lusc about these changes.
I have skin in the game I have is my kids playing in both lysa and lusc. I learned a lot at that meeting. I learned that this is about Joe Greene's and Patti's ego, not about our kids. Again then think the own them. I just want my kids to play soccer, and improve.Comment
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Awesome. You folks from Londonderry are the gift of entertainment that keeps on giving! Bravo.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
I have older children and so I am not familiar with all this going on but can you elaborate on how / why Joe Green could try to disband LUSC teams? What is going on? Joe and Patti use their political positions within the town to make rules up that benefit the rec program only. Terrible. This is the same guy who used the LYSA database to send out political nonsense a few years back... trying get votes.Comment
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