When Does Recruiting Get Ugly?

[Unregistered]

Only the uniforms have changed

Anyone who has been involved with girls club soccer in Oregon for more than a few years knows that historically there has always been consolidated high school "elite" teams . The only difference is that those teams were at LO and FCPDX (and occasionally Eastside or Southside). Talented players were "recruited" to those teams for years, at least talented players moved to those teams at the high school age. Look back at the best high school girls teams at LO and FCPDX over the years, a large percentage of their players did not start their club career at those clubs - my daughter was on one of them, and her team at LO was 50% originally from other clubs. It was always understood (at least with parents I talked to) that the many of the best players at the high school age would move to a few select teams.

Isn't it interesting now that the strong high school teams that girls are moving to are not all LO and FCPDX we have a huge recruiting problem. It is also amazing to me that parent's like the eastside one on this forum blame a club for taking players off a team. A club doesn't take players off a team, the parents do. Write an email to the parents that leave your team, don't blame the club they move to. The truth is that strong premier gold teams have imploded for years in Portland soccer, this is been happening way before THUSC started having strong teams. I can name a long list of super competitive teams that were in state cup semifinals and finals at U11-U14 and imploded when they hit U15-U18 and historically most of the girls ended up at LO/FCPDX/Eastside.

It seams to me the folks complaining in this forum are parents of U14/U15/U16 kids who have never had older kids in club soccer. The only thing that has changed is the color of the uniforms.

[Unregistered]

Shelf-Life

FC Portland, LOSC and WSM have had BOTH top (state & Regional & national) Boys and girls teams from u11 to u19 for nearly 20 years.....

THUSC has never had a Boys champion since around 1990....Now they have 2 or 3 good girls teams and they are a 'good' club? The most poignant example of how this club actually operates is well documented last year Stealing a coach and his team from another club simply makes them a club willing to do anything to get a good Oregon team...Impressive.....Spin it any way you want until THUSC can produce quality on both the Boys and Girls side they are merely a flash in the pan for a few myopic girls families....Until then continue with soliciting any Girl with ability to one of your 2 or 3 quality (state wide) teams...Tell everyone you see--that Your club is really a player in the Oregon Club landscape...make a blog spot about your team and tell everyone about how good the club is....when Ireland is a SouthSide team registering at THUSC and no other HS aged Girls teams are relevant...Neon is done and maybe the Sodium--that boasts a dad who loves to blog about kick n chase u14 girls soccer can actually demonstrate they are a team to be reckoned with after-- the u11 to u14 kick ball is finished....Selling a couple of good hot dogs from a street car doesn't make you a five star restaurant....Unless you label it THUSC...welcome to Hell's Kitchen

[Unregistered]

FC Portland, LOSC and WSM have had BOTH top (state & Regional & national) Boys and girls teams from u11 to u19 for nearly 20 years.....

THUSC has never had a Boys champion since around 1990....Now they have 2 or 3 good girls teams and they are a 'good' club? The most poignant example of how this club actually operates is well documented last year Stealing a coach and his team from another club simply makes them a club willing to do anything to get a good Oregon team...Impressive.....Spin it any way you want until THUSC can produce quality on both the Boys and Girls side they are merely a flash in the pan for a few myopic girls families....Until then continue with soliciting any Girl with ability to one of your 2 or 3 quality (state wide) teams...Tell everyone you see--that Your club is really a player in the Oregon Club landscape...make a blog spot about your team and tell everyone about how good the club is....when Ireland is a SouthSide team registering at THUSC and no other HS aged Girls teams are relevant...Neon is done and maybe the Sodium--that boasts a dad who loves to blog about kick n chase u14 girls soccer can actually demonstrate they are a team to be reckoned with after-- the u11 to u14 kick ball is finished....Selling a couple of good hot dogs from a street car doesn't make you a five star restaurant....Unless you label it THUSC...welcome to Hell's Kitchen

What happened, your daughter get cut? Yes, THUSC IS a quality club. Too bad your so bitter and hateful or you too would see that.

And why would you bring up some dad's irrelevant blog? Can't find any more important info to hate on?

Oh yeah, your right, 3 state championships doesn't make Sodium a good team because there's that other team in their bracket that has won more......oh wait, there ISN'T another team that has won more. Kick n chase. That statement alone proves you have no idea what you're talking about.

You, and this post, are a joke.

[Unregistered]

I don't see how you can blame Thusc for Ireland leaving SSC. SSC offers no college placement and everyone knows their finances are not in tact. If Ireland as a whole chose to leave the club because their coach did then that is Southsides fault for not offering better coaches.

This is not the first time this has happened to SS. There was another very good team a few years ago called the strikers. This team had some of the best players the metro area has ever produced.(Verloo, Brook et) They didn't all leave like Ireland, but the best of them went to FC (maybe a few to LO).

[SodiumFan[2]]

I just don't get it

Why is everyone so bitter against our club and our team? What have we ever done to foster such hate? I write a blog. If you don't like it, don't read it. Over the last year I have tried to really tone it down so I wouldn't offend anyone or hurt fragile feelings. But yet I still get crap for it. Why? Are you somehow upset that I revel in our victories? Why do you care so much?

Look at the ODP model; you put the best players with the best coaches to produce the best environment for the players to develop and grow. That is what we do on our team. Are you saying the entire model is flawed somehow?

I understand some parents don't like the fact that we try to get the best players to join us. If those players were perfectly happy and fulfilled with their current situation, they would say 'No thanks'. If they are unhappy or unsatisfied with their current club, then they will come take a look. Again, what is wrong with that? Isn't it about giving the players what they view is the best situation for them and they're development? Why is it our fault that a player chooses to play for us? Shouldn't the focus be on the old club for not giving the player what they needed?

From what I have seen, read and heard, our DOC is no more dastardly than any other club but yet he is the subject of much ridicule. Why?

The boys side is 'under construction' I guess you could say. The girls side is starting to show promise right now. I'm sure there are no other clubs out there that have a similar situation? But yet it always seems to get brought up as a negative?

I am not alone when I voice my opinion about development. It was even stated in an earlier post; How can you not develop players and have success? We still have the majority of the players from the U11 squad? And look at the success the younger age groups are having. How can you say THUSC isn't focused on development?

Why is there so much hate for THUSC? Can someone explain, with facts and not just emotion & opinions?

I guess I just don't get it.

[Unregistered]

The most poignant example of how this club actually operates is well documented last year Stealing a coach and his team from another club simply makes them a club willing to do anything to get a good Oregon team...Impressive

Oh no!! Someone call the cops!! Gaff was stolen! And all this time I thought it was his choice to leave because he saw a better future with Thusc.

No doubt the girls side is strong at Thusc and not the boys at the moment. Wsm RECRUITED quite a few of the Thusc boys this last try-out so lets bash on them now. And Thusc has more than just a few strong girls teams:

U11 Zirconinum
U12 Onyx
U12 Gallium (B team that beat ESUFC A team at past tournament)
U13 Iridium
U14 Mercury
U15 Sodium
U16 Ireland

[Unregistered]

Oh no!! Someone call the cops!! Gaff was stolen! And all this time I thought it was his choice to leave because he saw a better future with Thusc.

No doubt the girls side is strong at Thusc and not the boys at the moment. Wsm RECRUITED quite a few of the Thusc boys this last try-out so lets bash on them now. And Thusc has more than just a few strong girls teams:

U11 Zirconinum
U12 Onyx
U12 Gallium (B team that beat ESUFC A team at past tournament)
U13 Iridium
U14 Mercury
U15 Sodium
U16 Ireland

Wait, wait..........you mean another team RECRUITED!!! (gasp) This just can't possibly be! According to this forum THUSC is the ONLY team that recruits! You MUST be mistaken! LOL! Time to wake up folks.

[ESUFC Fan]

Why is everyone so bitter against our club and our team? What have we ever done to foster such hate? I write a blog. If you don't like it, don't read it. Over the last year I have tried to really tone it down so I wouldn't offend anyone or hurt fragile feelings. But yet I still get crap for it. Why? Are you somehow upset that I revel in our victories? Why do you care so much?

Look at the ODP model; you put the best players with the best coaches to produce the best environment for the players to develop and grow. That is what we do on our team. Are you saying the entire model is flawed somehow?

I understand some parents don't like the fact that we try to get the best players to join us. If those players were perfectly happy and fulfilled with their current situation, they would say 'No thanks'. If they are unhappy or unsatisfied with their current club, then they will come take a look. Again, what is wrong with that? Isn't it about giving the players what they view is the best situation for them and they're development? Why is it our fault that a player chooses to play for us? Shouldn't the focus be on the old club for not giving the player what they needed?

From what I have seen, read and heard, our DOC is no more dastardly than any other club but yet he is the subject of much ridicule. Why?

The boys side is 'under construction' I guess you could say. The girls side is starting to show promise right now. I'm sure there are no other clubs out there that have a similar situation? But yet it always seems to get brought up as a negative?

I am not alone when I voice my opinion about development. It was even stated in an earlier post; How can you not develop players and have success? We still have the majority of the players from the U11 squad? And look at the success the younger age groups are having. How can you say THUSC isn't focused on development?

Why is there so much hate for THUSC? Can someone explain, with facts and not just emotion & opinions?

I guess I just don't get it.

Hey Sodium Fan-
I am definately not mad at Sodium parents or players. You guys have some great players. We only have two girls (out of 15) that are confirmed going to Sodium and one who it looks like they are thinking about it (leaving parent attempting to take others with). There is another (my daughter) who they have made no secret about really wanting. We will stay put. It is close to home. We have great coaches. The girls are friends. I think for our team this is a challenge. It is time for the girls who are believers in their team to rally together and move on. I think that we are up for the challenge.

Maybe some of the anger comes with the attitudes that all the other clubs are doing something wrong and that is the reason for mass exodus. Or that if other people's kids were good enough then they would be with Sodium too.

Honestly, this is simply not true. Two of the girls who have gone did not want to. It was a parent decision. One of them was hanging with my daughter last night and she was bummed about it. She doesn't feel like she fits in yet at Sodium. I hope that the Sodium girls will embrace her and make her feel welcome like she has been with Arsenal. She is a great player and will make a great addition to your team.

No animosity from me to any player or parent. I have seen some of the recruiting first hand, up close and personal and it bums me out. It means that like one poster put it that ODP will have a bad connatation with coaches and clubs at this age group because they see it as a potential loss to the team. As you know, my daughter loves ODP. She loves her state team (primarily Sodium. :-) )and she loves the regional team.

So, when it is all said and done it is time for the newley High School age girls to show what they are made of. I have faith in them and think they will. Besides, it means lots of playing time for all ;).

Good luck to you guys in your up coming tournements. You should show extremely well! I think I am going to go post a thread about ESUFC and see if we can drum up some interest in our team. We definately need players as we are down to 11 .... LOL. The good news is we did not lose the creme of our crop!

[Unregistered]

First

I want to say that THUSC does have a few competitive Girls team. How they 'get' their players and coaches does push the ethical envelope..So if you wonder why THUSC is not considered a comprehensive top 'Oregon Soccer Club' wonder no more.

#1 Little to no history circa 1990 of fielding both competitive boys and girls team. (Yes the last two seasons have yielded a handful of good girls teams)

#2 Having your best team be nothing more than a team & coach looking for a place to park for a season or two.

#3 Having Parents on the few competitive THUSC teams who don't realize or digest the reality that this is the perception of your group.

#4. Most importantly the parents ignorantly asking 'why' we have this reputation?


Look in the mirror next time.

or hire a DOC and coaching staff that can ATTRACT the type of players that will make you into a CLUB and one that will eventually peel this label and be a group that is respected.

[Unregistered]

I want to say that THUSC does have a few competitive Girls team. How they 'get' their players and coaches does push the ethical envelope..So if you wonder why THUSC is not considered a comprehensive top 'Oregon Soccer Club' wonder no more.

#1 Little to no history circa 1990 of fielding both competitive boys and girls team. (Yes the last two seasons have yielded a handful of good girls teams)

#2 Having your best team be nothing more than a team & coach looking for a place to park for a season or two.

#3 Having Parents on the few competitive THUSC teams who don't realize or digest the reality that this is the perception of your group.

#4. Most importantly the parents ignorantly asking 'why' we have this reputation?


Look in the mirror next time.

or hire a DOC and coaching staff that can ATTRACT the type of players that will make you into a CLUB and one that will eventually peel this label and be a group that is respected.

I like all the thought you put into this but it's simply wrong. My daughter plays at FC and I can say first hand that it is simply just Thusc's turn. FC and LO went through all this years ago and now that Thusc is fielding the top girls teams at the moment they are going to be the one getting all the negative feedback. Sadly, it is just a part of life. And even more sad it seems to only stem from the girls side. I don't see ANYONE on here posting about WSM or ESUFC and how they recruit all the top talent on the boys side.

Keep your head up Thusc as I'm sure it will be someone else's turn soon. If you simply had great teams at the older age group I could say it may be due to recruiting but when you have great teams from U11 on up I'd have to tip my hat to you and say nice job developing! Can't wait to see you on the field!

[SodiumFan[2]]

First I'd like to say 'Thanks' to the poster of #81. Yes, I know our time too will pass as the target.

ESUFC Fan, I'd like to answer a couple things from your post to clarify. I hope I don't butcher the "Quote" format.

We only have two girls (out of 15) that are confirmed going to Sodium and one who it looks like they are thinking about it (leaving parent attempting to take others with).

We have 2 girls currently guest playing for us. As mentioned in an earlier post, we have only extended one invitation to play and that was to a Southside player just after State Cup. It is my understanding the others are guest playing until tryouts in August. One of the girls said she had quit ESUFC prior to ever practicing with Sodium and from what I can gather, the other wasn't on your roster? Some of this is coming from a 14 year old source! LOL!

Maybe some of the anger comes with the attitudes that all the other clubs are doing something wrong and that is the reason for mass exodus. Or that if other people's kids were good enough then they would be with Sodium too.
Honestly, this is simply not true.

We will have to agree to disagree here. In my opinion, if a club approaches a player who is happy, they won't look anywhere. If a club approaches a player who is unhappy, they will look.

Two of the girls who have gone did not want to. It was a parent decision. One of them was hanging with my daughter last night and she was bummed about it. She doesn't feel like she fits in yet at Sodium. I hope that the Sodium girls will embrace her and make her feel welcome like she has been with Arsenal. She is a great player and will make a great addition to your team.

Wow, if my daughter ever found out I was talking to another club about her she would have seizure! Especially if she wasn't thrilled about the club or to move. Why would a parent force their child to go to a club they weren't happy going to? Yours, mine or whomever!

Did I read your keeper has left as well? Wow, she was a great athlete. If you don't mind, can I ask where she went?

And for the record I will say it again, we have a great respect for ESUFC and personally I was surprised to see these players practicing with us. Your team had an incredible season and I'm sure will bounce back stronger than ever.

Best of luck in the upcoming tournaments. Here's to an injury free summer!

(Has anyone considered starting a high school thread to track where this age group is playing, how they are doing and which teams they made? A thought)

[Unregistered]

What I don't get is when people speak of Gaff why are they more worried about him taking his team to a different club, I mean who care at the end of the day about this, BUT that no one is speaking about how he private trains many of his ODP team he coaches, and many of these girls are on the Sodium team.
Is it me or is this a bit too close to home? It is hard to not take away from the girls that made the pool and also make the rosters, but when you see many of these particular girls making the cut he trains seems extremly questionable.

Regardless if every girl made the cut, regardless of any coach being able to private train whomever, wouldn't the state simply prevent a coach from doing personal training in hopes of preventing misconceptions and tainting the program.

[Unregistered]

What I don't get is when people speak of Gaff why are they more worried about him taking his team to a different club, I mean who care at the end of the day about this, BUT that no one is speaking about how he private trains many of his ODP team he coaches, and many of these girls are on the Sodium team.
Is it me or is this a bit too close to home? It is hard to not take away from the girls that made the pool and also make the rosters, but when you see many of these particular girls making the cut he trains seems extremly questionable.

Regardless if every girl made the cut, regardless of any coach being able to private train whomever, wouldn't the state simply prevent a coach from doing personal training in hopes of preventing misconceptions and tainting the program.

I don't think it really matters. First, none of these girls are required to partake in privates. They do it to further their development. Second, Gaff trains many girls who aren't ODP and many outside his age group.
I think its more about who can whip out the checkbook the fastest!! LOL!

[ESUFC Fan]

First I'd like to say 'Thanks' to the poster of #81. Yes, I know our time too will pass as the target.

ESUFC Fan, I'd like to answer a couple things from your post to clarify. I hope I don't butcher the "Quote" format.

We have 2 girls currently guest playing for us. As mentioned in an earlier post, we have only extended one invitation to play and that was to a Southside player just after State Cup. It is my understanding the others are guest playing until tryouts in August. One of the girls said she had quit ESUFC prior to ever practicing with Sodium and from what I can gather, the other wasn't on your roster? Some of this is coming from a 14 year old source! LOL!


We will have to agree to disagree here. In my opinion, if a club approaches a player who is happy, they won't look anywhere. If a club approaches a player who is unhappy, they will look.

Wow, if my daughter ever found out I was talking to another club about her she would have seizure! Especially if she wasn't thrilled about the club or to move. Why would a parent force their child to go to a club they weren't happy going to? Yours, mine or whomever!

Did I read your keeper has left as well? Wow, she was a great athlete. If you don't mind, can I ask where she went?

And for the record I will say it again, we have a great respect for ESUFC and personally I was surprised to see these players practicing with us. Your team had an incredible season and I'm sure will bounce back stronger than ever.

Best of luck in the upcoming tournaments. Here's to an injury free summer!

(Has anyone considered starting a high school thread to track where this age group is playing, how they are doing and which teams they made? A thought)

I think the one who said she quit prior told the team she was injured and that she couldn't play. So, it was a big surprise to find out that she was actually practicing with Sodium and running track. This was during state cup. I think the decision was made to quit when she wanted to play in the final game and she did not have her birth certificate into OYSA so was ineligible. I believe she felt like it was retaliation but it was a paperwork thing and she was not expected to quit over it. But, it sounds like she had already made up her mind anyway. Who knows whether it was a player or parent decision. Additionally, who cares.

The other has been with Arsenal since U11 and took one year off and then came back last year. She is a great player. Both will likely be on your team.

The keeper may not have a team yet but I think she was guest playing with Bend and at one time even mentioned Ireland. So, who knows. That is sad.

Bring on the High School thread. Just get ready they will probably find some way to turn that into a Sodium bashing thread as well LOL!!!!

[Unregistered]

What I don't get is when people speak of Gaff why are they more worried about him taking his team to a different club, I mean who care at the end of the day about this, BUT that no one is speaking about how he private trains many of his ODP team he coaches, and many of these girls are on the Sodium team.
Is it me or is this a bit too close to home? It is hard to not take away from the girls that made the pool and also make the rosters, but when you see many of these particular girls making the cut he trains seems extremly questionable.

Regardless if every girl made the cut, regardless of any coach being able to private train whomever, wouldn't the state simply prevent a coach from doing personal training in hopes of preventing misconceptions and tainting the program.

I totally agree with this. I think OYSA needs to draw a line to prevent the appearance of conflict similiar to what they do in other governmental and quasi non profit agencies. I think Gaff is a great guy but there were several things this year that made me raise my eyebrows which we have not seen in the 3 years of ODP participation before. I have considered contacting OYSA but am a little reluctant to do so because my player is doing well and she might be retaliated against. I don't know what to do about it but if it were my organization I would nip it in the bud.