Future of OR Soccer

[Unregistered]

To throw cluless back at you...

Actually, you completely missed the point, which isn't surprising since you couldn't make it in the first place.

Also your chest beating means nothing to me. My daughter plays for one of these clubs and is an ODP regional player so it looks like she'll be playing OPL next year. That doesn't mean I'm going to swallow everything my club tells me (unless Obama takes away free speech - right? LOL).

[Unregistered]

I did not say I wanted my daughter to go to US Club Regional. Just was saying that this is a change I am willing to make. By the way I have been to Far West Regional and it was great but there are losses to the division here.

Wait until you see what OPL has set. I think that it was said by another person earlier, you do not know anything until you have been told by both sides and OPL is telling SUNDAY night. So what you know is small and what the club has told the parents (within OPL) is big. Not saying that OPL is for everyone but it will be a better start than most has thought.

I was originally not sure about the change but have see that they will be able to supply plenty of competition and that is what's best for my child.

I would say see you on the pitch but I doubt we will be in the same area.

[Unregistered]

you do not know anything until you have been told by both sides and OPL is telling SUNDAY night. So what you know is small and what the club has told the parents (within OPL) is big.

The main facts are already out there but I'll be happy to listen to anything more. But you're completely full of it if you think OPL clubs have told their parents what's going on - maybe yours has, but I can guarantee that not all of them have.

[Unregistered]

I guess I do not understand that why would you want to be an OPL State Champ and get to play at US Club Regionals when you can go to Region IV!! Guess you have never been to either. There is no comparison.

Since most teams can enter US Club Regionals, I'm guessing going to US Club Regionals won't be the "reward" for winning OPL State Cup. I'm betting the "reward" will be something else entirely.

By the way, I don't think anybody was thrilled about winning OYSA State Cup when Region IV Regionals was in Hawaii and it cost them well over $1200 for the honor of representing Oregon. Anyone started budgeting for Albuquerque?

[Unregistered]

By the way, I don't think anybody was thrilled about winning OYSA State Cup when Region IV Regionals was in Hawaii and it cost them well over $1200 for the honor of representing Oregon. Anyone started budgeting for Albuquerque?

I know you're wrong on the first account. As for the second, regionals is regionals - no one should be surprised that there will be significant travel involved.

[Unregistered]

I know you're wrong on the first account. As for the second, regionals is regionals - no one should be surprised that there will be significant travel involved.

I did not make the previous statement. Yet, I would agree with them on the first account. The Regional tournament in Hawaii would not be at the top of my list for a soccer tournament I would have wanted to go to based on cost.

Hindsight: Especially based on the fact that neither team did exceptionaly well overall.

[Unregistered]

I know you're wrong on the first account.

You know I'm wrong? How do you know I'm wrong? Have you sat in on the planning meetings to hear what's going on? Because I talked to someone who has been sitting in the planning meetings (talking to your DOC about your club...it's a WACKY idea, I tell you!) and he told me what they plan on offering. So thanks for being so bold as to say YOU'RE WRONG without anything to back it up (the forum defense mechanism of choice), but since I bothered to take some time and do a little research and talk to someone who has been involved in the process every step of the way please don't be offended when I say I don't really care if you THINK I'm wrong because I know I'm right.

[Unregistered]

You said, "By the way, I don't think anybody was thrilled about winning OYSA State Cup when Region IV Regionals was in Hawaii"

I know you're wrong - get over it.

[Unregistered]

No one is a customer of the New OPL league--yet.

If you want to join a club that only plays in the OYSA not OPl---as a customer you can choose that club over the OPL club.

Enjoy rec soccer!

Can you be just a bit more insulting and condescending to those teams and players who are outside of the 8 OPL teams, particularly those who are outside the Portland area. Arrogance at its finest.

[Unregistered]

If OYSA is so terrific for the kids and soccer in Oregon, why did Portland Youth Soccer Association (with one of the largest, if not the largest, recreational bases in all of Oregon) cut their ties with OYSA?

And to whoever it was that posted about field fees for your club and the OPL, remember that the organization who oversees the fields (ie: the city and/or the parks and recs dept.) charges your club to use fields for practices, so there are field fees for that, which are built in to your club dues. The field fees for game field usage are typically billed to the league because they are the who the fields are procured for, and those fees are billed into the league fee. It's the same no matter what organizing league your club plays in. Nothing is free, and paying those fees whether it's your club or OYSA or the OPL paying them allows whoever is managing those fields to keep them in decent shape. Lacrosse, baseball, football, day camps...they all have to pay a fee to use the field.

[Unregistered]

Just something I had received from a friend in an OPL Club.

In December 2006 staff from soccer clubs within the State of Oregon began meeting. As the meetings began they were open to all clubs. The idea behind meeting was to discover if clubs had issues that were their own issues or if they had common issues with the way OYSA ( Oregon Youth Soccer Association) operated. Over time 8 clubs were consistent in their attendance at the meetings. They were FC Portland, OSA, LOSC, ESUFC, PCU, THUSC, SSC, and WSM. The group evolved into what is now the Oregon Premier Council (OPC).

The OPC began meeting with OYSA in order to present them with issues and to see what could be done to address these concerns. Over the next few months meetings continued until it became evident that OYSA were not going to make changes based on the issues that the OPC presented them. The OPC continued to meet and in the fall of 2008 the opportunity to run a U11 league (Oregon Premier League - OPL) presented itself. OYSA had adopted a policy to play 8v8 and the OPC decided to run an 11v11 U11 league. The fact that OYSA were running an 8v8 league was not the reason that the OPC broke off but it became the natural transition point for the OPC to break away. The 11v11 U11 league was sanctioned by US Club Soccer and the league ran very smoothly with schedules going out on time, games being played on quality fields, and improved referee coverage at games.

In 2009 the OPL expanded to serve U10, U11, and U12 players. The league was again sanctioned by US Club Soccer and everything ran smoothly. On top of the 8 OPC clubs there were another 20 soccer clubs who were represented in the OPL.

As 2010 approached the OPC considered the possibility of expanding the OPL to serve U10 to U14 players. However, with the hiring of Mike Smith (OYSA Technical Director) the OPC reconsidered and actually volunteered some of their members to become part of a Premier Council operated by OYSA. The ironic thing about OYSA forming this Council is that it was one of the original things the OPC requested. However, after only a couple of meetings it became clear that the OYSA Premier Council was not going to have the power to do much or enforce any change for the better.
After many meetings and much consideration the decision was made for the OPL to expand to serve U11 to U18 players. We are certain that the new direction for soccer in Oregon will be a great move for the families within LOSC.

Some of the changes that will be implemented right away will be the fact that the OPL will not hold QT’s. For the past two years the OPL has simply met and placed teams in divisions where they will compete against teams of a like ability. Historically OYSA’s QT’s have been held over 2 weekends and this move not to have QT’s will save our families time while still effectively placing our teams.

The general calendar will remain the same. After tryouts teams will participate in Summer Tournaments. From there they will enter into their league season and at the end of the league season the Oregon Cup will run for teams who decide to enter. Teams who have finished in the top 6 of the highest U11 to U14 Division and top 4 of the highest U15 to U17 Division will be eligible to enter the NWCL (Northwest Champions League). This is an exciting new program offered to teams who participate in the OPL. The NWCL will pit the best teams from WA against the best teams from OR. The 3 group winners plus 1 wildcard will enter into pay offs with the winner gaining a berth to the Surf Cup.

We will still hold Spring and Winter leagues and State Cup will run in the Spring. Another very exciting development will be that winners of the U13 and U14 OR US Club State Cup will enter into a play off with the winners of the U13 and U14 Fall league (if it is the same team then that team will have the entry). The victorious team will gain a berth into the US Club National’s. There will still be an Oregon Cup (Presidents style Cup) held in the Spring for our teams who want an end of season Cup but do not wish to participate in State Cup.

The Oregon US Club Premier League is now only 1 of 3 Leagues to be granted this status in the USA and we are very excited to be a part of this.
While US Club has it’s own ODP style program in id2 which our members will be eligible for our players will still be free to tryout for ODP if they wish to play in that program. However, with the Timber’s MLS coming to Portland in 2011 there will be changes to the ODP system as the Timbers will begin their own ODP style program. At this time the Portland Timbers have withdrawn from discussions with OYSA about partnering to run ODP. Instead the Timbers are opting to align themselves with the OPL. We are waiting for an announcement from the Timbers regarding the OPL/Timbers partnership.

[Unregistered]

If OYSA is so terrific for the kids and soccer in Oregon, why did Portland Youth Soccer Association (with one of the largest, if not the largest, recreational bases in all of Oregon) cut their ties with OYSA?

And to whoever it was that posted about field fees for your club and the OPL, remember that the organization who oversees the fields (ie: the city and/or the parks and recs dept.) charges your club to use fields for practices, so there are field fees for that, which are built in to your club dues. The field fees for game field usage are typically billed to the league because they are the who the fields are procured for, and those fees are billed into the league fee. It's the same no matter what organizing league your club plays in. Nothing is free, and paying those fees whether it's your club or OYSA or the OPL paying them allows whoever is managing those fields to keep them in decent shape. Lacrosse, baseball, football, day camps...they all have to pay a fee to use the field.

These are 2 VERY GOOD points. Why has the first one not been discussed before or in more detail? Lets face it, I am sure PYSA made the decision that OYSA was not serving their needs. OPL and the eight clubs have decided the same thing. They have the right to secede, so to speak.

These 8 clubs have decided that OYSA does not serve their goals or needs, just like PYSA. Why are they being held to a different standard? What is wrong with their decision to forge ahead on their own and try to provide something which they deem as better?

[Unregistered]

Timbers

Of course they are aligning with OPL--Gavin Wilkinson is the coach and coaches at ESU! Another OPL way to screw OYSA and what is best for the kids.

[Unregistered]

Of course they are aligning with OPL--Gavin Wilkinson is the coach and coaches at ESU! Another OPL way to screw OYSA and what is best for the kids.

Let me re-state what was said.

Of course they are aligning with OPL--Gavin Wilkinson is the coach and coaches at ESU! Another OPL way counter attack OYSA and do what is best for the kids.

[Unregistered]

These 8 clubs have decided that OYSA does not serve their goals or needs, just like PYSA. Why are they being held to a different standard? What is wrong with their decision to forge ahead on their own and try to provide something which they deem as better?

Simply put, because they are not doing what is the best for the kids. It is a self-serving attempt to benefit the 8 Clubs (and I mean exclusive of the kids). Gavin should be ashamed of himself for aligning in this manner.