USYSA Regional Results

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No way to make it work for everyone

[QUOTE=Unregistered;574569]

...may in fact be folks who desire to have obe organization rather than Two. Sitting in downtown Portland with my competitive team, things look awfully rosy, however if I am in Medford, or Bend, or Salem this becomes a very different picture. Neither association provides exactly what I need. If as we claim we are developing Soccer statewide, we have to be accountable to that. It is not bitching to say the two organizations should work their deal out. Quite opposite actually, the bitchers are the ones keeping the organizations apart.

Here is my input.

- Bitching here is just for us here. The organizations have been keeping each other apart.

- With the different in Population Centers being spread out by a ton of miles, Bend/Euqene/Southern OR is screwed. No easy way around it. Regional play in those area might be able to work for some teams, but it is still limiting. True high end teams need to play against PDX teams. Travel sucks. But if you want to play at that level, learn to live with it.
* And if you are a individual high end player with a mid-level team and want to move up, you got to travel.

- PDX Groups need to be understanding of the travel needs for Bend/Euqene/Southern OR. Sure, traveling 3-5hr for a 1.5 hr game but those teams have it all the time. This is part of the deal and you have to learn to deal with it.

- OYSA and OPL will not fix the travel thing.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;574579]

Here is my input.

- Bitching here is just for us here. The organizations have been keeping each other apart.

- With the different in Population Centers being spread out by a ton of miles, Bend/Euqene/Southern OR is screwed. No easy way around it. Regional play in those area might be able to work for some teams, but it is still limiting. True high end teams need to play against PDX teams. Travel sucks. But if you want to play at that level, learn to live with it.
* And if you are a individual high end player with a mid-level team and want to move up, you got to travel.

- PDX Groups need to be understanding of the travel needs for Bend/Euqene/Southern OR. Sure, traveling 3-5hr for a 1.5 hr game but those teams have it all the time. This is part of the deal and you have to learn to deal with it.

- OYSA and OPL will not fix the travel thing.

.

PDX teams are not the only solution. There is also the FWRL which some of the OPL teams would prefer if given the option.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;574585]

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PDX teams are not the only solution. There is also the FWRL which some of the OPL teams would prefer if given the option.

On another post, there was a suggestion of a FWRL-type model for competitive teams in OR in order to address the travel issues, e.g., meeting in Bend or Eugene or Salem or Medford and playing 3 games rather than just traveling to those areas for one game. That would be maybe 2 or 3 times a year for a team and wouldn't seem to be overbearing to anyone.
There are those, of course, who could care less, have no desire to play teams outside the PDX area, are happy just staying in the PDX area, and will insist that all the games be played in that area. They may be right. However, if that is the prevailing view, many competitive teams outside of PDX simply are better off sticking with FWRL or other similar formats that are being developed. I think most competitive players expect that they will need to travel, and doing so to a variety of areas and playing against a variety of teams outside of OR is a reasonable alternative. Make lemonade.

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3rd option

keep things the way they are. OPL and OYSA, it works great when you think about it.

Choices are good.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;574659]

On another post, there was a suggestion of a FWRL-type model for competitive teams in OR in order to address the travel issues, e.g., meeting in Bend or Eugene or Salem or Medford and playing 3 games rather than just traveling to those areas for one game. That would be maybe 2 or 3 times a year for a team and wouldn't seem to be overbearing to anyone.
There are those, of course, who could care less, have no desire to play teams outside the PDX area, are happy just staying in the PDX area, and will insist that all the games be played in that area. They may be right. However, if that is the prevailing view, many competitive teams outside of PDX simply are better off sticking with FWRL or other similar formats that are being developed. I think most competitive players expect that they will need to travel, and doing so to a variety of areas and playing against a variety of teams outside of OR is a reasonable alternative. Make lemonade.

You know, I am just a simple soccer parent. I work hard to be successful so that both my boys can play at the high level they need to be challenged. Current Status quo is not a solution. There are too many teams not playing each other.

I will spend my money with whichever organization solves this whole mess, but my expectation is a solution not bickering back and forth that x is better, or y is better. That doesn't produce value for anyone.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;574569]

...may in fact be folks who desire to have obe organization rather than Two. Sitting in downtown Portland with my competitive team, things look awfully rosy, however if I am in Medford, or Bend, or Salem this becomes a very different picture. Neither association provides exactly what I need. If as we claim we are developing Soccer statewide, we have to be accountable to that. It is not bitching to say the two organizations should work their deal out. Quite opposite actually, the bitchers are the ones keeping the organizations apart.

You missed my point. I am from not from Portland. Travelling does not fit for all teams. Some of us in other areas like the league we had last year without the travelling even if it means we don't get to play the "best".

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Your Point

[QUOTE=Unregistered;575174]

You missed my point. I am from not from Portland. Travelling does not fit for all teams. Some of us in other areas like the league we had last year without the travelling even if it means we don't get to play the "best".

I think your point is a good one. The playing against the "best" is a little over hyped. Good coaching, games, a few tournaments, and fun should be the primary goal. Sounds like you're on the right track.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;575191]

I think your point is a good one. The playing against the "best" is a little over hyped. Good coaching, games, a few tournaments, and fun should be the primary goal. Sounds like you're on the right track.

Only if your team is not a competitive team with bigger aspirations.

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;575226]

Only if your team is not a competitive team with bigger aspirations.

That's why he's on the right track. It's about perspective. It's seems yours differs. That's ok too.

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I guess you need to compare the current state of Oregon youth with collegiate sports.

With each division there is competition, but the best teams are typically found within the best divisions. You can't expect a WAC team to compete against a PAC12, Big East or SEC team (pretty much in any sport). BUT, that doesn't mean the WAC teams don't have high quality competitions against each other, and it sure as hell doesn't mean the WAC doesn't produce great athletes - for a recent example, just look at Jimmer Fredette. However, whereas the WAC produces 1 to 2 quality collegiate athletes per year, the larger conferences generate 5 -10 quality athletes for EACH sport each year.


If you're not playing against the best competition, then you need to make the most of the situation you're in, and then hope like hell somebody appreciates/notices the talent and effort.. More importantly, when those kids playing against 'weaker' competition get to play with the big dogs, they need to bare their fangs and show they belong. IMO, 9/10 times the older teams do just fine, because they know what to expect, whereas the younger teams get a bit shell-shocked the first game or two and then amp up the effort to compete...

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I guess you need to compare the current state of Oregon youth with collegiate sports.

With each division there is competition, but the best teams are typically found within the best divisions. You can't expect a WAC team to compete against a PAC12, Big East or SEC team (pretty much in any sport). BUT, that doesn't mean the WAC teams don't have high quality competitions against each other, and it sure as hell doesn't mean the WAC doesn't produce great athletes - for a recent example, just look at Jimmer Fredette. However, whereas the WAC produces 1 to 2 quality collegiate athletes per year, the larger conferences generate 5 -10 quality athletes for EACH sport each year.


If you're not playing against the best competition, then you need to make the most of the situation you're in, and then hope like hell somebody appreciates/notices the talent and effort.. More importantly, when those kids playing against 'weaker' competition get to play with the big dogs, they need to bare their fangs and show they belong. IMO, 9/10 times the older teams do just fine, because they know what to expect, whereas the younger teams get a bit shell-shocked the first game or two and then amp up the effort to compete...

I am with you in the first paragraph. But then in the second paragraph you start asuming your interests are the same for everyone. Why do I need to hope like hell somebody appreciates anything. We appreciate the enjoyment, fun and competition we get. We are not looking to get noticed by UCLA. We are looking for our kids to have a hobby that they enjoy and work hard at.

Let's take your first paragraph even farther. Forget WAC vs Pac 10. Let's just say Division 1 vs NAIA. Go ahead and call the league we played in NAIA. It doesn't matter to some people that we didn't play Division 1. We still enjoyed great competition and the kids worked hard and got better. If NAIA isn't what you want for your DD then play Div 1. I am just saying NAIA is fine for some of us. We liked it and we wouldn't want to play Div 1 teams. Just a positive voice about last year.

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And you think this is OYSA's fault ?

It was the OPL that stepped away, and the rest of the clubs that followed that divided soccer in this state. Nobody forced anyone to leave.

That is a lie. I personally read the letter from OYSA decertfiying the league. It was OYSA's decision to cut ties.

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Let's take your first paragraph even farther. Forget WAC vs Pac 10. Let's just say Division 1 vs NAIA. Go ahead and call the league we played in NAIA. It doesn't matter to some people that we didn't play Division 1. We still enjoyed great competition and the kids worked hard and got better. If NAIA isn't what you want for your DD then play Div 1. I am just saying NAIA is fine for some of us. We liked it and we wouldn't want to play Div 1 teams. Just a positive voice about last year.

Or maybe a better comparison would be rec soccer to competitive soccer. I'll leave it to you to decided which is which.

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Too many Oregon clubs?

I often get the feeling from this forum that some parent believe it would be best for Oregon soccer to put the best 16 players on one team (and that maybe we should have only one Oregon super club). That way, Oregon could compete with the "best." Right now, I think people believe we basically have two to four "competitive teams" in each age/gender group.

These "competitive teams" need to play out of state, because there's no real competition here in Oregon and they get tired of playing each other. The view follows that once you go below these top four teams, you're really not playing competitive soccer.

The number of players narrows from a big pool of players at U12 to a select few at U15 and U16. I believe that many of these kids would continue playing, but find that the clubs focus on the "best" players. At U15, clubs look to improve through recruitment and have pretty much given up on developing B team players, if they even carry a B team.

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All True

I often get the feeling from this forum that some parent believe it would be best for Oregon soccer to put the best 16 players on one team (and that maybe we should have only one Oregon super club). That way, Oregon could compete with the "best." Right now, I think people believe we basically have two to four "competitive teams" in each age/gender group.

These "competitive teams" need to play out of state, because there's no real competition here in Oregon and they get tired of playing each other. The view follows that once you go below these top four teams, you're really not playing competitive soccer.

The number of players narrows from a big pool of players at U12 to a select few at U15 and U16. I believe that many of these kids would continue playing, but find that the clubs focus on the "best" players. At U15, clubs look to improve through recruitment and have pretty much given up on developing B team players, if they even carry a B team.

and not necessarily for the best. I also agree with the NAIA v. D1 post. My biggest gripe though is the posters who think their team or player is the greatest thing around and nothing else is worthwhile.