Future of OR Soccer

[Unregistered]

Why don't we just act rationally and hear them out at the meeting before we act like a bunch of lemmings and go rushing over a cliff?

I'd say that we've been acting like lemmings rushing off a cliff since we haven't had a clue what is going on and the cliff isn't far away. I don't know what more this public forum is going to do, but sure, if there's new information given out there then everyone should take it into account.

[Unregistered]

One thing to keep in mind....most of you/me as parents don't really have to deal with OYSA. We pay our money, bring our kids, and show up when and where we are told. So if there were major problems, we are not likely to be a witness to them. Coaches, directors, board members, and maybe managers are a different story. So maybe, just maybe, you might be willing to admit the possibility that major problems have existed, even if they have not been visible to you?

I can say this, I do find it ironic that the "new" league structure from OYSA sure seems to resemble the OPL format and many numerous features that have been requested from OPL. It only took a mutiny for the OYSA to get off their rear. Unfortunately, it appears to late.

Go to the meeting, listen, ask questions

[Unregistered]

I too was surprised by all these "new" OYSA additions for the upcoming year.

Why all these modifications now? Timing seems odd.

Are QT, PQT, and league schedules going to be appearing in a timely manner now too?

[Unregistered]

So if there were major problems, we are not likely to be a witness to them.

No you're wrong there. Parents notice major problems - like no state cup next year. Minor problems, now we might not notice those.

Coaches, directors, board members, and maybe managers are a different story.

OK, so now we're getting to what this change is ALL about.

[Unregistered]

No you're wrong there. Parents notice major problems - like no state cup next year.

You are wrong there. There will be a state cup, most likely even two.

One state cup will not have much strong competition, but you will get to advance to USYSA regionals.

The other will have the majority of the competition, but will not advance you anywhere.

Unless someone backs down, but I do not see that happening.

[Unregistered]

You are wrong there. There will be a state cup, most likely even two.

Two state cups does not equal "a" state cup, which is the entire point that you seemed to have missed. But I agree that it doesn't look like anyone is going to back down.

[Unregistered]

I've had a kid play in the OPL for the last two years, and it was really a step down from when OYSA was running things.

- No qualifying tournament. Amazingly OPL teams who were on the bubble wound up in the top division.

- Originally, the top division was "Platinum," and the bottom was "Gold." Kids on clueless teams (One OPL sponsored team had no idea to the throw the ball into play) could still tell people they were playing in the gold division.

- Promotion/Relegation was senseless. A non-OPL team could win all their games without even a suggestion of promotion, while the bottom OPL teams in the top division could stay there. You had situations in which the top division had way more team than the bottom division - there was no balance.

- I'd almost rather drive to Corvallis than get my kid to an 8:00 AM game. That never happened to us with OYSA, but was a very frequent occurrence with the OLP.

- This league was founded when the "elite" clubs decided they would refuse to move their U11s to 8v8. OYSA had taken a vote on the issue which passed by a huge margin - some of the OPL teams even voted in favor. Nearly all states (and most other nations) play 8v8 in the U11 bracket. Even US Soccer (the organization OPL moved to) strongly urges all states to move to 8v8.

- You can go to the OYSA website and read the minutes of their meetings. They are very transparent; including details of their finances, and a long accounting of the ways they tried to accommodate the OPL crowd before they left. The OPL has no such transparency. And don't let them fool you when they say OYSA didn't try to work with them.

- I haven't seen any drop in the amount I pay for the OPL, as opposed to OYSA. The teams involved don't seem to have passed any savings on to parents. We pay the same and get less.

- I don't mind a road trip every now and then. My kids love love overnight trips, and losing these has taken a bit of zest out of the season.

[Unregistered]

Don't be fooled

Two State Cups rather than One!!! Who are they trying to fool. The point of State Cup is to win and to go to the Region IV Regional Tournament. Don't be fooled when they say you can go to regionals. They are talking about US Club Soccer Regionals where any team can enter and it is so poorly run that you can win all of your games and not advance!! You can even choose what US Club Soccer Regional tournament to enter based upon the competition. Maybe for those parents and players who have never experienced success and actually believe everything the clubs have to say this new OPL plan is good, but for those who have been a part of OYSA for years, this is robbing the players of what they are really working for and that is playing against the best in Oregon no matter where that takes you and playing to win at the real regionals!! I guess many of the better teams will be finding small clubs to adopt their teams.

[Unregistered]

How many parents out there in blog land will consider taking their premier level player/child to a smaller club staying with OYSA?

[Unregistered]

How many parents out there in blog land will consider taking their premier level player/child to a smaller club staying with OYSA?

It's a possiblity...but we (parents) need all of the information from both sides in order to consider this option...especially if we're on one of the top teams in the state AND on ODP. I will definitely keep an open mind and I'm not leaning one way or another...but I'm also not going to 'drink the kool aid' either! I've loved how things have been going and State Cup is a LOT of fun & it will be interesting to hear what will be said. I am interested why so many top programs have decided to form this new group and I'd really like to hear what's been going wrong and why they felt a change was needed for Oregon. I guess there are always two sides to every story and I don't want to be given info on a "need-to-know basis" - I think that the DOCs or clubs need to communicate this a bit sooner to the people who are paying $1000's for a top program.

Also, what are the smaller clubs going to do to entice people to play at their club? I mean, there's kind of a reason that we didn't go there in the first place!! lol

[Unregistered]

A couple years back I had a conversation with the DOC of a major club in Beaverton (one of the OPL founders). He went on and on how they should end high school sports and make soccer all club based.

[Unregistered]

Options?

How many parents out there in blog land will consider taking their premier level player/child to a smaller club staying with OYSA?

I guess it would depend on the development program they have in place or that they are changing to. We need to see all of the options, or are there any? We heard that Colleges look at ODP, Club then High Schools for scholarships. If this is the case, doesn't the change with OPL and OYSA break that up? How do the colleges view the two organinzations?

[Unregistered]

colleges

I have talked to a few college coaches and they do not follow many US Club soccer events. They might in the future, but at this point they are not of the quality of USYSA events. They will go to Region IV Regionals, but not necessarily US Club soccer regional tournament. They attend ODP, but not ID2. In years to come that may change---but not yet.

[Unregistered]

Mutual Benefit Corporation

They claim in their FAQ that they are registered as a non profit with the State of Oregon...however, they are registered as a Mutual Benefit Corporation...this is very different and the definition below should raise eyebrows as to what the motives and intentions of these 8 clubs are...Please go in with eyes wide open. They care NOTHING about anyone but themselves...and by that I mean the DOC's care of nothing but lining their pockets and reaping a financial windfall from the families that pay the bill. This is not about better soccer, better competition or anything other than MONEY. They talk a good game, and they will say anything you need to hear to get you to jump on board. Pay particular attention to the last sentence in the definition below...

"'Mutual benefit corporation' means a domestic corporation which is required to be a mutual benefit corporation pursuant to section 17.05 of this title or is formed as a mutual benefit corporation pursuant to chapter 2 of this title." 11B V.S.A. § 1.40(23).

A mutual benefit nonprofit corporation is formed solely for the benefit of its members. An example of a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation is a golf club. Individuals pay to join the club, memberships may be bought and sold, and any property owned by the club is distributed to its members if the club dissolves. The club can decide, in its corporate bylaws, how many members to have, and who can be a member. Generally, while it is a nonprofit corporation, a mutual benefit corporation is not a charity. Because it is not a charity, a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation cannot obtain 501(c)(3) status. If there is a dispute as to how a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation is being operated, it is up to the members to resolve the dispute since the corporation exists to solely serve the needs of its membership and not the general public.

[Unregistered]

I have talked to a few college coaches and they do not follow many US Club soccer events. They might in the future, but at this point they are not of the quality of USYSA events. They will go to Region IV Regionals, but not necessarily US Club soccer regional tournament. They attend ODP, but not ID2. In years to come that may change---but not yet.

So what do we do if we have kids that want to be watched by recruiters but we're in one of the OPL clubs? Also, I heard that ID2 players are selected by the coaches. If that's the case, then isn't this subjective depending on how well your player is viewed by your coach? We're not viewed poorly by our coach or anything, but I can see this getting political or some coaches/clubs favoring certain players.