Sri

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It's pretty clear that SRI is lost, there seems to be no direction. It appears that ODP is a joke, premier clubs are moving away and town soccer is struggling to keep kids around after u12. The town I live in couldn't even field a boys u12 superliga team for the spring, a few years ago we had at least 2 teams for that age group. It's unfortunate for the sport and for the kids who want to play competitively. What can be done?

[Unregistered]

It's pretty clear that SRI is lost, there seems to be no direction. It appears that ODP is a joke, premier clubs are moving away and town soccer is struggling to keep kids around after u12. The town I live in couldn't even field a boys u12 superliga team for the spring, a few years ago we had at least 2 teams for that age group. It's unfortunate for the sport and for the kids who want to play competitively. What can be done?

Simple.... Get rid of all the town presidents and competitive directors who don't support youth soccer development in RI. Many of them care more about winning and less about development. Kids who moved on to premier clubs are being penalized by these individuals. Kids who truly wanted to play soccer should be afford an option to play town and premier as long as their schedules allow. Individuals with your mindset is the biggest problem we have here in Rhody. You compliant because the kids moved on seeking better training and soccer. Eventually if a kids needs better training and competition parents have to move beyond SuperLiga in order to provide their environment necessary for the kids development.

Yes, I agreed SRI needs new blood and individual who sees the bigger picture.

[Unregistered]

development

Simple.... Get rid of all the town presidents and competitive directors who don't support youth soccer development in RI. Many of them care more about winning and less about development. Kids who moved on to premier clubs are being penalized by these individuals. Kids who truly wanted to play soccer should be afford an option to play town and premier as long as their schedules allow. Individuals with your mindset is the biggest problem we have here in Rhody. You compliant because the kids moved on seeking better training and soccer. Eventually if a kids needs better training and competition parents have to move beyond SuperLiga in order to provide their environment necessary for the kids development.

Yes, I agreed SRI needs new blood and individual who sees the bigger picture.

Just wondering, is it a bad thing if town soccer were looked at as a feeder system to the next level? If the town programs could be focused on development and not results could we produce more technical players?
Crazy parents aside, I understand this is a challenge for our culture and probably wouldn't work.

[Unregistered]

Simple.... Get rid of all the town presidents and competitive directors who don't support youth soccer development in RI. Many of them care more about winning and less about development. Kids who moved on to premier clubs are being penalized by these individuals. Kids who truly wanted to play soccer should be afford an option to play town and premier as long as their schedules allow. Individuals with your mindset is the biggest problem we have here in Rhody. You compliant because the kids moved on seeking better training and soccer. Eventually if a kids needs better training and competition parents have to move beyond SuperLiga in order to provide their environment necessary for the kids development.

Yes, I agreed SRI needs new blood and individual who sees the bigger picture.

I'll bite. Why should town soccer programs care about the people who leave their programs? 95% of the families in town soccer all want the same things. The other five percent usually don't and leave for greener pastures. It seems to me that you think its wrong that the town people worry about the 95% and make decisions to benefit them? Is that right?

[Unregistered]

Just wondering, is it a bad thing if town soccer were looked at as a feeder system to the next level? If the town programs could be focused on development and not results could we produce more technical players?
Crazy parents aside, I understand this is a challenge for our culture and probably wouldn't work.

Town programs are definitely needed for the masses of players not looking to play at the next level. Problem is, most town programs management, administration and coaching are far worse than any premiere club and the players suffer because of it.

[Unregistered]

Simple.... Get rid of all the town presidents and competitive directors who don't support youth soccer development in RI. Many of them care more about winning and less about development. Kids who moved on to premier clubs are being penalized by these individuals. Kids who truly wanted to play soccer should be afford an option to play town and premier as long as their schedules allow. Individuals with your mindset is the biggest problem we have here in Rhody. You compliant because the kids moved on seeking better training and soccer. Eventually if a kids needs better training and competition parents have to move beyond SuperLiga in order to provide their environment necessary for the kids development.

Yes, I agreed SRI needs new blood and individual who sees the bigger picture.

I'll bite. Why should town soccer programs care about the people who leave their programs? 95% of the families in town soccer all want the same things. The other five percent usually don't and leave for greener pastures. It seems to me that you think its wrong that the town people worry about the 95% and make decisions to benefit them? Is that right?

[Unregistered]

cost

Town programs are definitely needed for the masses of players not looking to play at the next level. Problem is, most town programs management, administration and coaching are far worse than any premiere club and the players suffer because of it.

With most towns the coaching is done by volunteers, with premier you are paying coaches for training. I agree that for most kids, town soccer is fine and the product you get is what you pay for. Occasionally you'll get a coach who played in college and their kid may not want to or have the talent for something beyond SuperLiga so they stay in the town program. Sometimes, you'll get a great coach who's kids have aged out but they enjoy teaching the game. If you are lucky enough to get those types and your kid is good with that then take it.

However, if your boy/girl is talented and driven to push themselves that's where the problem with town shows itself.

Believe me, I'd rather pay for training locally and drive less miles through New England if soccer training and competition was available in this state. I'm sure there are many others who feel the same way and are driving to Lancaster or Marlboro or other New England states for competitive matches.

[Unregistered]

If your kid is at the top of their travel clubs A team, and you take them to an appropriate level premier team, you will still see a startling difference in the talent level, speed of play and level of soccer being played their compared to even in Anchor division of Superliga. Problem is most of the travel folk in RI who bitch about premier soccer, have never even watched a game (other than in the occasional indoor league which is a totally different game).

[Unregistered]

If your kid is at the top of their travel clubs A team, and you take them to an appropriate level premier team, you will still see a startling difference in the talent level, speed of play and level of soccer being played their compared to even in Anchor division of Superliga. Problem is most of the travel folk in RI who bitch about premier soccer, have never even watched a game (other than in the occasional indoor league which is a totally different game).

absolutely correct.

[Unregistered]

true statement

You're right watching a match in NPL or premier divisions in NEP is not even close to what you'd see in SuperLiga.

[Unregistered]

You're right watching a match in NPL or premier divisions in NEP is not even close to what you'd see in SuperLiga.

They should freeze your brain for science. Your observation skills are amazing.!

Town vs club leagues. I hope there is a difference Einstein.

[Unregistered]

They should freeze your brain for science. Your observation skills are amazing.!

Town vs club leagues. I hope there is a difference Einstein.

Yes it seems obvious to you and I, but talk to any Town club devotee and they'll try to convince you that there is no difference and all club players are wasting their time and money.

[Unregistered]

Yes it seems obvious to you and I, but talk to any Town club devotee and they'll try to convince you that there is no difference and all club players are wasting their time and money.

It's me, Einstein. The above is the point I was trying to make which is in line with this thread. There are town sycophants who think SuperLiga Anchor division has equal competitive talent as clubs get in Maple or NEP. Maybe true at the lower levels, but not in the top divisions. That backward thinking is not helping soccer in this state and top talent will drift to play elsewhere. My kid and many others of his club buddies play Superliga Anchor for fun just to hang out with their school mates. It's almost like rec

[Unregistered]

It's me, Einstein. The above is the point I was trying to make which is in line with this thread. There are town sycophants who think SuperLiga Anchor division has equal competitive talent as clubs get in Maple or NEP. Maybe true at the lower levels, but not in the top divisions. That backward thinking is not helping soccer in this state and top talent will drift to play elsewhere. My kid and many others of his club buddies play Superliga Anchor for fun just to hang out with their school mates. It's almost like rec

Almost like rec? If it were a little better it would be almost like rec.

[Unregistered]

If your kid is at the top of their travel clubs A team, and you take them to an appropriate level premier team, you will still see a startling difference in the talent level, speed of play and level of soccer being played their compared to even in Anchor division of Superliga. Problem is most of the travel folk in RI who bitch about premier soccer, have never even watched a game (other than in the occasional indoor league which is a totally different game).

That was less true 5 to 10 years ago, but with the consolidation of premier, emergence of NEP/NPL, and the failure of SRI/superliga to adapt, the gap is becoming is greater.

so many things to fix that it is almost intractable without some major disruption like the impact of US Club at the higher levels of play to occur at the superliga/town level. there has been too much influence by those who make a significant part of their living from soccer in decision-making leadership roles. You ended up with stupid rules from the past like the 3 town rule or the impossible process to create alternative leagues that was actually bad for premier (despite some of the premier clubs thinking it was a good rule), ensured crappy town programs and bad management could endure, and kept a downward slide to quantity over quality when it came to superliga. Plus, I have never understood how you can have a state association with no focus on recreational soccer (well except having the TOPS and occasional promotion of Kohls cup)..

Geez, what happened to the R1 commissioner (from Rhode Island) who was forced out under the cloud of misappropriation of a boatload of money..that is a microcosm for RI.