Ukrainian Black 2006 - Girls

[Guest]

4 turf fields, you need to be better informed my friend, that plan has changed, maybe the higher ups in the club didn’t share that with everyone, because their new plan may go over like a lead balloon.

having college coaches as club coaches, was and continues to be proven a bad formula. Yes do parents love to say the ( fill in the school) coach coaches my daughter. But at the end of the day your team will always be the college coaches second priority. How many college coaches does PF have on staff? If any they are coaching lower level teams or are assistants.

I have got enough sources where I am comfortable projecting two more turf fields to go with the two current ones by the fall. Although the smaller field is currently out of commission. Regardless, we still have more space for the GA teams than Delco or FCB with one turf.

Pointed noted on college coaches. But I will counter with PDA and all the college coaches in that organization.

[Guest]

I have got enough sources where I am comfortable projecting two more turf fields to go with the two current ones by the fall. Although the smaller field is currently out of commission. Regardless, we still have more space for the GA teams than Delco or FCB with one turf.

Pointed noted on college coaches. But I will counter with PDA and all the college coaches in that organization.

PDA is not a development organization. It is a recruiting organization. They use college coaches, primarily Rutgers, for their contacts not skills in developing children

[Guest]

PDA is not a development organization. It is a recruiting organization. They use college coaches, primarily Rutgers, for their contacts not skills in developing children

All that is debatable and even if you are right it depends on one’s objective.

[Guest]

Our 06 team fell apart. Now its all over here for people to read. We didn't add talent and now most are leaving. What did we expect.

Sad but true

[Guest]

Good discussion topic. I’m bored so my two cents. Your point is likely correct for the older age groups, 06 and above, who lost girls to ECNL teams prior to GA. But what did that really get them. None of those teams at Delco or FCB are really killing it. I can see some girls leaving for PF, but that is a long drive for most and likely not an option for many.

So let’s look back two years ago with the Ukies joining GA and before girls had to decide to play on an ECNL team. Such as the 07-09 teams. I.e. they had a choice to tryout for a GAL or ECNL for the first year eligible. The 07s and 09s are doing really well and the 07s added some key players and are much better record wise than last year. They haven’t lost since the spring. So it would appear those two teams retained their players. The 08s team’s die was cast when the coach left and most the team left with him. But that has happened at other clubs, such as Delco 05s.

Which brings us to the future. All the pre-GA teams are doing comparatively well with PF, which I think is the current local measuring stick. Next year Ukies will have four turf fields that they own and don’t share with any other clubs or sports. So from a facilities standpoint they are going to be one of the best in the region. Now Ukies haven’t figured everything out and still have some growing pains going from a parent coached organization to licensed coaches. But all the HS age groups currently have college coaches as head coaches, which Delco does not.

Bottomline no club is perfect. There are age groups that struggle to win and coaches who aren’t good coaches. But I think the Ukies are making positive strides and are better off since joining the GA.

I know some won’t agree. I hope the disenchanted will move on. Would be nice to talk and discuss positives of organizations, coaches, teams and players for once.

Happy New Year.

Well said! To continue the discussion, you will of course incur the nit picking wrath of parents from other clubs who have counted on top level Ukie girls and girls from other local clubs to migrate to Bucks or Delco, and certainly it causes them anxiety to see the youth soccer landscape changing for their daughters. The Ukie 07 and younger players are staying (I have 2 of them) for the reasons you mention - the GA league, access to game film and recruiting from college coaches, ownership of a nice complex with multiple lighted turf fields (and yes, the clubhouse), coaches like BS and TK, etc. Time will tell and the next girls director is an important hire, but if you are looking big picture than you can’t deny that leadership (including JN) brought to the Ukies a great opportunity for players in this area.

To the ECNL patch protectors - yes there are some amazing ECNL players and teams playing great soccer, but the same is true in the GAL (I’ve watched plenty of both). It is not the only pathway.

My last two cents is that hopefully we can collectively enjoy watching our girls play, drive and fly them around the country to play the sport they love, without all the bs. We should be proud and support any player from this area that goes on to future success.

[Guest]

Well said! To continue the discussion, you will of course incur the nit picking wrath of parents from other clubs who have counted on top level Ukie girls and girls from other local clubs to migrate to Bucks or Delco, and certainly it causes them anxiety to see the youth soccer landscape changing for their daughters. The Ukie 07 and younger players are staying (I have 2 of them) for the reasons you mention - the GA league, access to game film and recruiting from college coaches, ownership of a nice complex with multiple lighted turf fields (and yes, the clubhouse), coaches like BS and TK, etc. Time will tell and the next girls director is an important hire, but if you are looking big picture than you can’t deny that leadership (including JN) brought to the Ukies a great opportunity for players in this area.

To the ECNL patch protectors - yes there are some amazing ECNL players and teams playing great soccer, but the same is true in the GAL (I’ve watched plenty of both). It is not the only pathway.

My last two cents is that hopefully we can collectively enjoy watching our girls play, drive and fly them around the country to play the sport they love, without all the bs. We should be proud and support any player from this area that goes on to future success.

This...too many ECNL parents want to believe they are doing the best and only option, so they put up with big rosters, big tuitions, so they go out of their way to try and shout down everything else. They bow down to coaches who they think hold the key to their player's scholarship. In reality, you have to do that leg work yourself -- just ask any player that has gone through it. The role of the coach isn't as important as the clubs want you to believe. For the sake of a competitive environment, people should be rooting for both the ECNL and GA to be successful platforms. It will help alleviate a monopoly where you won't have options. There are good coaches at Ukies and bad coaches at PF, FCB, FCD -- and vice versa. No club has all good coaches. No club is the sole pathway to helping your kid get to college.

[Guest]

This...too many ECNL parents want to believe they are doing the best and only option, so they put up with big rosters, big tuitions, so they go out of their way to try and shout down everything else. They bow down to coaches who they think hold the key to their player's scholarship. In reality, you have to do that leg work yourself -- just ask any player that has gone through it. The role of the coach isn't as important as the clubs want you to believe. For the sake of a competitive environment, people should be rooting for both the ECNL and GA to be successful platforms. It will help alleviate a monopoly where you won't have options. There are good coaches at Ukies and bad coaches at PF, FCB, FCD -- and vice versa. No club has all good coaches. No club is the sole pathway to helping your kid get to college.

In the GAL for 2-3 years, how many ukies 2002/2003s are playing in college? 2004s are committed? 2005s committed? Let’s deal in facts and not feelings. The true test of how much of a fraud JN was, will be to see in the next few years will he recruit any ukies players to Maryland, even from your elite 2007 team, if I had to guess there won’t be one. There are definitely bad coaches at all clubs completely agree with that.

[Guest]

In the GAL for 2-3 years, how many ukies 2002/2003s are playing in college? 2004s are committed? 2005s committed? Let’s deal in facts and not feelings. The true test of how much of a fraud JN was, will be to see in the next few years will he recruit any ukies players to Maryland, even from your elite 2007 team, if I had to guess there won’t be one. There are definitely bad coaches at all clubs completely agree with that.

Agreed - JN one of the biggest frauds - made lots of promises and the teams did not get better - 07's already had the talent - 06's added "talent" that was less than the players they were replacing - especially mid-year

[Guest]

Some poster seems to have an obsession with JN. He’s gone so it really isn’t relevant to Ukies anymore. FWIW - and love him or hate him - he made Ukies another option for the college pathway for girls soccer in this area -through their membership in GA. Competition is always good for the consumer, and hopefully another option makes all the clubs stronger and not complacent. So with JN gone he really shouldn’t be the focus of this thread. Just my two cents.

[Guest]

Some poster seems to have an obsession with JN. He’s gone so it really isn’t relevant to Ukies anymore. FWIW - and love him or hate him - he made Ukies another option for the college pathway for girls soccer in this area -through their membership in GA. Competition is always good for the consumer, and hopefully another option makes all the clubs stronger and not complacent. So with JN gone he really shouldn’t be the focus of this thread. Just my two cents.

Two thoughts. Not only should JN not be the focus of this thread, neither should any other teams. Take that chatter to another thread.
Also, why the beating up on this team? If you don't feel as though they are a good team, why bother commenting unless you feel threatened and that you have to put this team down so none of the players leave elsewhere to join this team.
None of this is making sense

[Guest]

Two thoughts. Not only should JN not be the focus of this thread, neither should any other teams. Take that chatter to another thread.
Also, why the beating up on this team? If you don't feel as though they are a good team, why bother commenting unless you feel threatened and that you have to put this team down so none of the players leave elsewhere to join this team.
None of this is making sense

Because some kid got cut and the parent is asshurt

[Guest]

In the GAL for 2-3 years, how many ukies 2002/2003s are playing in college? 2004s are committed? 2005s committed? Let’s deal in facts and not feelings. The true test of how much of a fraud JN was, will be to see in the next few years will he recruit any ukies players to Maryland, even from your elite 2007 team, if I had to guess there won’t be one. There are definitely bad coaches at all clubs completely agree with that.

Ukies have been in the GAL for 1.5 years and only one year of tryouts. First year in GAL there weren’t tryouts due to covid. So I’m not sure anyone can judge the impact on college commitments from the 03s and 04s. Although I know the 04s have one committed to Michigan State and another to Wagner.

I think judging GAL college impact at 05 is when we should start looking. I.e more college commitments from 04 and each year increasing and peaking at the 07 age groups. Rome wasn’t built in a year.

[Guest]

I have got enough sources where I am comfortable projecting two more turf fields to go with the two current ones by the fall. Although the smaller field is currently out of commission. Regardless, we still have more space for the GA teams than Delco or FCB with one turf.

Pointed noted on college coaches. But I will counter with PDA and all the college coaches in that organization.

all the turf fields in the world are not going to change the perceptions about Ukies - winning games and having coaches who make promises and deliver on those promises is the best way to change the perceptions

[Guest]

all the turf fields in the world are not going to change the perceptions about Ukies - winning games and having coaches who make promises and deliver on those promises is the best way to change the perceptions

That’s the point that many have made here, the perception has changed as evidenced by the 07 and younger age groups. It’s the old heads like you that keep typing out any negative comment you can to keep the hope alive…it reminds me of a Disney song - Let it go!

[Guest]

all the turf fields in the world are not going to change the perceptions about Ukies - winning games and having coaches who make promises and deliver on those promises is the best way to change the perceptions

give it a rest