OPL Club Finances

[Unregistered]

Is it the entire club that goes to OPL?

Possibly dumb Q here: I see mention of "clubs" going to OPL. Not individual teams, but clubs. Is that 100% accurate?

We are not members of one of the founding 8 and, afaik, we will only have one or 2 of our teams play in OPL. The rest will play select or other leagues.

So is there a difference if just one or two teams in a bigger club go OPL?

[Unregistered]

These attitudes reflect an extremely short-sighted approach to Oregon soccer, including competitive soccer. In four years, one of three things is going to happen:
1. OPL thrives and OYSA dries up, with the net result being no net positive changes for Oregon soccer. The non-founding clubs wonder why they made the move in the first place.
2. OPL becomes dominated by three or four clubs. The other four or five founding clubs and all others wonder why they made the move in the first place and move back to OYSA.
3. OPL implodes, because the competitive teams become dominated by three or four of the founding clubs, and again, the other four or five founding clubs wonder why they made the move in the first place and the rest of the OPL participating clubs bale and move back to OYSA. As quickly as they can join OPL, they can and will move back. (And no, I have absolutely no ties to OYSA.)
You're kidding yourself if you believe this is going to benefit anyone other than 3 or 4 of the founding clubs in the long run. Yes, the kids suffer. And no, I'm not your pal.

Seriously, those are the only 3 scenarios you see for 4 years out? If #1 happens, then the Portland area is, effectively, a little state of its own. Not much different than Seattle area. #2 happens (ha!) only if no other club can create a good team, but I don't see why this is any more likely to happen under OPL than under OYSA. And #3 is...well, I admit I don't understand your point. Anyway, all this is just conjecture at this point.

In any case, you lose the outskirts of the state but you gain the competition from southern washington.

My four year crystal ball tells me that OPL will fold back into OYSA in 4 years. ;-)

[Unregistered]

Teams or clubs in OYSA or OPL?

Possibly dumb Q here: I see mention of "clubs" going to OPL. Not individual teams, but clubs. Is that 100% accurate?

We are not members of one of the founding 8 and, afaik, we will only have one or 2 of our teams play in OPL. The rest will play select or other leagues.

So is there a difference if just one or two teams in a bigger club go OPL?

OPL is a league managed by the Oregon Premier Council consisting of 8 Portland Clubs. Unless the OPC prohibits the practice, teams from a club can choose to play in either the OPL or the OYSA leagues in spring or fall. This presumably could allow for easier guest playing between the top and second tier teams of an individual club. It would also appear that a player could be a member of both an OPL league team and an OYSA teamm, unless that is somehow prohibited by OYSA and/or the competing OPC.

It's obviously unlikely that any of the OPC clubs will allow their non-premier teams to play in the competing OYSA.

[Unregistered]

choose one......

Remember - clubs or teams do NOT join OPL (OPC) in the way they join OYSA. The club or the team will have to join US Club Soccer (they will issue the player cards). They then pay and sign up to play in the league with the OPC.

OPL (OPC) is NOT a member organization. You do not get to join them. In fact, unless they all agree, clubs/teams do not even get a position on their board.

Clubs could choose to send teams to both organizations - have teams in OPC and OYSA.

[Unregistered]

player cards

Unless a player has a player card from both organizations (US Club Soccer and USYSA), then a player cannot move between teams, even in the same club.

US Club Soccer used to require a club to have three teams registered with them to get US Club player cards. Have they waived that requirement?

[Unregistered]

Remember - clubs or teams do NOT join OPL (OPC) in the way they join OYSA. The club or the team will have to join US Club Soccer (they will issue the player cards). They then pay and sign up to play in the league with the OPC.

OPL (OPC) is NOT a member organization. You do not get to join them. In fact, unless they all agree, clubs/teams do not even get a position on their board.

Clubs could choose to send teams to both organizations - have teams in OPC and OYSA.

Thanks for the explanation. I believe player and player's club have to be "members in good standing" of OYSA in order to participate in OYSA leagues/tourneys. Can the founding members of OPC and/or those who elect to participate in OPL be members in good standing?

[Unregistered]

player cards

Unless a player has a player card from both organizations (US Club Soccer and USYSA), then a player cannot move between teams, even in the same club.

US Club Soccer used to require a club to have three teams registered with them to get US Club player cards. Have they waived that requirement?

The US Club Soccer website allows for individual teams to play in Club-sanctioned leagues. A Club needs to have teams at three age groups to be a club member with club member status.

"League Team Membership (Youth or Adult):
Clubs and teams may also join through a youth or adult soccer league that has been sanctioned by US Club Soccer. In this case, they only register the teams that participate in the league, even if just one team. They may do everything a club member does, but cannot vote or serve on the Board of Directors. See MORE INFORMATION on sanctioning a league through US Club Soccer."

OPC (the 8 clubs) might not be able to be OYSA members because they are competing against the OYSA by operating the OPL. Other clubs can both participate in the OPL and also be OYSA members. Individual team members can roster on both OPL and OYSA teams unless some rule/regulation precludes it.

[Unregistered]

Members should behave

I believe player and player's club have to be "members in good standing" of OYSA in order to participate in OYSA leagues/tourneys. Can the founding members of OPC and/or those who elect to participate in OPL be members in good standing?

If you held a vote, I am sure anyone with a brain would not say that these clubs are in good standing. I keep waiting for OYSA to decide that on their own. There should certainly be consequences for their actions - I was taught that by my parents. They must not have been.

In my opinion, the 8 OPL clubs should have resigned their OYSA membership before beginning operating another league. They should immediately have returned the player cards for all of their competitive players and obtained US Club player cards. However, had they done this, their teams could not have done State Cup (the tournament they all of sudden have decided did not matter). In fact, at least Southside sent out a letter assuring their members they would still have State Cup this year and that the families would not notice anything different as to how they operated.

Had it not impacted all of the innocent players, I would have voted for OYSA to suspend the 8 OPL clubs for not acting in the best interest of the organization. My goodness, they're members of the organization and they're trying to lure clubs and teams away from it. They are holding public meetings enticing people away from USYSA. How does this happen? Would your employer allow you to keep working if they knew you were beginning a new company that was going to compete directly for the same customers? I know mine would show me the door right quick.

I think that OYSA has shown amazing restraint in not throwing the book at the 8 clubs. I would not be so magnanimous.


For other clubs, they have the right to choose who to register with and while some are making those decisions so publicly, they have not yet really made the decision until money changes hands. The club membeships with OYSA are valid until the end of June. However, once a club leaves USYSA, those player cards are immediately invalid and their players will need to get US Club cards ASAP.

[Unregistered]

If you held a vote, I am sure anyone with a brain would not say that these clubs are in good standing. I keep waiting for OYSA to decide that on their own. There should certainly be consequences for their actions - I was taught that by my parents. They must not have been.

In my opinion, the 8 OPL clubs should have resigned their OYSA membership before beginning operating another league. They should immediately have returned the player cards for all of their competitive players and obtained US Club player cards. However, had they done this, their teams could not have done State Cup (the tournament they all of sudden have decided did not matter). In fact, at least Southside sent out a letter assuring their members they would still have State Cup this year and that the families would not notice anything different as to how they operated.

Had it not impacted all of the innocent players, I would have voted for OYSA to suspend the 8 OPL clubs for not acting in the best interest of the organization. My goodness, they're members of the organization and they're trying to lure clubs and teams away from it. They are holding public meetings enticing people away from USYSA. How does this happen? Would your employer allow you to keep working if they knew you were beginning a new company that was going to compete directly for the same customers? I know mine would show me the door right quick.

I think that OYSA has shown amazing restraint in not throwing the book at the 8 clubs. I would not be so magnanimous.


For other clubs, they have the right to choose who to register with and while some are making those decisions so publicly, they have not yet really made the decision until money changes hands. The club membeships with OYSA are valid until the end of June. However, once a club leaves USYSA, those player cards are immediately invalid and their players will need to get US Club cards ASAP.

Thank you for the explanation. Random sampling (not scientific by any means) seems to suggest that there is vast confusion among the players and their parents regarding what they can and cannot do next year. It might be fairly clear that the players who are part of the 8 founding OPC clubs will not be able to participate in OYSA events next year, including state cup, and that should be made clear to the players/parents. Not so clear regarding those who have elected to participate in OPL and I hope clubs will be clarifying that right away as well.

[Unregistered]

Had it not impacted all of the innocent players, I would have voted for OYSA to suspend the 8 OPL clubs for not acting in the best interest of the organization. My goodness, they're members of the organization and they're trying to lure clubs and teams away from it. They are holding public meetings enticing people away from USYSA. How does this happen? Would your employer allow you to keep working if they knew you were beginning a new company that was going to compete directly for the same customers? I know mine would show me the door right quick.

Throw the book at them how? First, OYSA is not the employer of their member clubs - in fact, it's quite the opposite: OYSA is employed by the clubs who are their members based on the fact that it's the membership who pay for the salaries and programs of OYSA with their dues. And if you're the boss and your employee isn't doing the job they've been assigned to do, then as the employer you have the right to find someone else to do the job. Second, OYSA cannot ban any club or team from competing in their leagues or tournaments just because they are members of a different organization. US Club Soccer and OYSA (USYS) fall under the jurisdiction of the US Soccer Federation, which does not allow such practices. The OPL held one public forum outlining their expansion and the programs they will be offereing. How is that enticing? Were clubs offered money or other such reward for joining OPL? No, it's the responsibility of the board and coaching directors at the clubs outside the OPL 8 to look at what is being offered by both organizations and decide what is in the best interest of their members and teams. The OPL 8 did the right thing by finishing out their competitive calendar with OYSA and making the break after tryouts; they could have pulled all their teams out and screwed things up for a lot of other teams who were also entered in the tournaments; also, most clubs include the State and President's Cup entry fees in their club fees for their players the year; the natural breaking point then, rather than disrupt the teams and players, is to break away after this competitive year is over, on May 8.

[Unregistered]

Throw the book at them how? First, OYSA is not the employer of their member clubs - in fact, it's quite the opposite: OYSA is employed by the clubs who are their members based on the fact that it's the membership who pay for the salaries and programs of OYSA with their dues. And if you're the boss and your employee isn't doing the job they've been assigned to do, then as the employer you have the right to find someone else to do the job. Second, OYSA cannot ban any club or team from competing in their leagues or tournaments just because they are members of a different organization. US Club Soccer and OYSA (USYS) fall under the jurisdiction of the US Soccer Federation, which does not allow such practices. The OPL held one public forum outlining their expansion and the programs they will be offereing. How is that enticing? Were clubs offered money or other such reward for joining OPL? No, it's the responsibility of the board and coaching directors at the clubs outside the OPL 8 to look at what is being offered by both organizations and decide what is in the best interest of their members and teams. The OPL 8 did the right thing by finishing out their competitive calendar with OYSA and making the break after tryouts; they could have pulled all their teams out and screwed things up for a lot of other teams who were also entered in the tournaments; also, most clubs include the State and President's Cup entry fees in their club fees for their players the year; the natural breaking point then, rather than disrupt the teams and players, is to break away after this competitive year is over, on May 8.

Good post. I was coming back to make the same points but you beat me to it. :)

[Unregistered]

Being an OYSA Member

The 2009-10 OYSA membership application on-line provides:

"By submitting this club membership application, we understand and agree that our acceptance as a member of Oregon Youth Soccer Association explicitly constitutes our agreement to abide by the following requirements:

…

"We will ensure that if our Club is hosting an "inter-club" league (providing competition for teams registered by other member clubs), we will complete the League Host application and obtain OYSA sanctioning prior to hosting any games for such league.

. . .

"Failure to comply with any of the terms of this application may subject the club to sanctions, including, but not limited to, the following:
• Denial or revocation of Certificates of Insurance for fields and other facilities
• Denial, revocation or limitation of access to OYSA's online registration system
• Loss of Sanctioning for any leagues hosted by the club
• Loss of membership in OYSA"

The OYSA membership year is though June 30th rather than May 31st. I presume OPC clubs will use their OYSA cards through that time unless they decide to resign, which will definitely not happen if the Club has a State Cup champion going to regional play. I doubt that OYSA will take any negative action against them in any way this competitive year.

[Unregistered]

OPL has done a great job informing Portland area clubs about its plans but has been less impressive with its "vision" for organizing competitive leagues that make sense for the rest of the clubs in Oregon. Seems like a simple fairness issue: set up leagues that offer home and away games. I've never heard of a league that invites teams to play without this basic policy. Oregon Rush made the right decision to stay with OYSA. Not sure why Eugene and Salem are so slow to join Oregon Rush on this point. Eugene's U12 boys had to drive to Portland all year to play in OPL's league. How is this good for soccer?

[Unregistered]

My understanding is that some of the other clubs are still negotiating with OPL trying to get them to be more reasonable on the travel issue. I've heard that OPL has said they are willing to negotiate issues like these if a club joins this year, but that there will be no negotiations next year (e.g. for Bend). You can make your own decision as to whether or not this is strong arming.

[Unregistered]

.Second, OYSA cannot ban any club or team from competing in their leagues or tournaments just because they are members of a different organization. US Club Soccer and OYSA (USYS) fall under the jurisdiction of the US Soccer Federation, which does not allow such practices. .

I'm a little confused about this statement....does that mean that OYSA cannot ban OPL players from playing in State Cup next year?