New SRI rule limiting releases to 5 per non-SRI team

[Unregistered]

Respectfully, I disagree. I'll repeat what I said earlier - it's not about the size of the state, it's about the quality of the program. There is nothing - nothing, no rules, no release-limits, nothing - stopping a kid from Massachusetts kid or Connecticut kid from playing for a RI club.

RI clubs need not look any further than themselves when wondering why they can't compete with the top Mass clubs in attracting top players. But instead, they blame everything and anything else, i.e. "our state is too small...." It's stuff like this that makes me say that the SRI brotherhood is insulated and out of touch.

If you build a better program in RI (better coaching, better pricing, better facilities to play and practice, better marketing) - they will come!

You're right. If RI had great clubs, then MA clubs would be complaing how the RI clubs were stealing their players. Just take a look at the Ray's Web Page. It's embarassing. One can only assume that the rest of the program is as good as their web site.

[Unregistered]

Respectfully, I disagree. I'll repeat what I said earlier - it's not about the size of the state, it's about the quality of the program. There is nothing - nothing, no rules, no release-limits, nothing - stopping a kid from Massachusetts kid or Connecticut kid from playing for a RI club.

RI clubs need not look any further than themselves when wondering why they can't compete with the top Mass clubs in attracting top players. But instead, they blame everything and anything else, i.e. "our state is too small...." It's stuff like this that makes me say that the SRI brotherhood is insulated and out of touch.

If you build a better program in RI (better coaching, better pricing, better facilities to play and practice, better marketing) - they will come!

Dont disagree, but when the focus of the club's year is winning a RI SC, well that doesnt exactly light a fire under many MA kids does it? I think we are saying the same thing. Small time mentality leads to small time results.

[Unregistered]

Dont disagree, but when the focus of the club's year is winning a RI SC, well that doesnt exactly light a fire under many MA kids does it? I think we are saying the same thing. Small time mentality leads to small time results.

But winning a state cup - whether it's RI's or MA's - as merely a stepping stone to winning a Region 1 championship... and a trip to nationals....well, that would light a fire, wouldn't it? Doesn't matter how you get there- through RI or Mass - as long as you get there. You're right, ya gotta think big!

Speaking of that... imagine if an SRI club - say, Bruno or Bayside for fun - was so attractive to Mass players that they actually put together a team that had 50% + of its players Massachusetts residents....per USYSA policy that team would have to play for the Mass State Cup....

Do you think Mass Youth Soccer would stoop so low as to pass rule barring that team from competing in the Mass State Cup??? What would the SRI clique say to that??? :)