VUSA/WSA Merger

[Unregistered]

Pacific may grow a bit and that is fine. Great, in fact. The new Vancouver Timbers will have very strong Premier A teams. The question I think everyone is debating is whether or not the Premier B teams are, in fact, Premier level teams. If the B team can compete at OPL Premier level or RCL Div 1 or 2, it may be worth the extra money to stay in the Timbers Alliance and compete at a high level. The top kids from the B team will be knocking on the door of moving up to the A team. In those cases, I say stay with the newly merged Vancouver Timbers. If the team is more of a select team (OPL Div 1/2/3 or RCL Div 3/4/5), hey, I agree, it might make sense to save some $ and go to Pacific. That is, of course, if the right coaches and resources meet your needs.

I happen to believe the newly merged club will support a Premier A and Premier B team eventually, maybe not the first year or 2. I personally, think the top in SW WA will go to this club and be satified playing Premier B, as long as it is truly a Premier level type team.

What will happen at Vancouver Timbers, starting this year but taking a few years to be completely in place, is that "A1" teams will play RCL and the "A2" teams will play OPL Premier. Parents and players will have a choice to stay at home and play the best Oregon has to offer or travel and play the best Washington has to offer. I think the future is very bright indeed for the top players in the county.

[Unregistered]

While I agree that the good teams will have to eventually migrate to the VUSA/WSA teams I think that this next yr or two there will be a lot of change.

New coaches new teams and new direction from both within the new club and from the Timbers Alliance.

Keep your options open and make a guided decision on your kids development. We keep hearing that this U13 boys A team will be super they will still be in the second division in OPL and as such wont be playing for a NWCL spot. The coach had issues at Salmon and the team imploded.

I guess the pull of the Timbers will sway some parents but as I said keep your eyes and ears open and look at all options.

[Unregistered]

What will happen at Vancouver Timbers, starting this year but taking a few years to be completely in place, is that "A1" teams will play RCL and the "A2" teams will play OPL Premier. Parents and players will have a choice to stay at home and play the best Oregon has to offer or travel and play the best Washington has to offer. I think the future is very bright indeed for the top players in the county.

I agree.
I also think that as the county realizes the best "pathyway" to these A1 and A2 teams is thru the V-Timbers developement programs and their B1/B2/select teams there will be steady growth in V-Timbers numbers. If the V-Timbers move kids around for playing / developement opportunities and they are all in the same Timbers kits and families feel like they have value in the system it will be good to be a Timber.
Pacific is a great option and will continue to be healthy. Most on this board talk as if their is this huge animosity between Pacific and the V-Timbers. I don't see that at all. Pacific does not want to compete in the same environment as the Premier level V-Timbers. As long as this relationship is maintained then all will be good. If Pacific gets all full of themselves (i.e. FCSC) then there will be war (and we all lose then, but especially Pacific).

Remember the V-Timbers are the 800 Lb. Gorilla now. They can pull the "RCL Card" if they want to. They will be the only RCL club in SWWYSA therefore they have been given license by WYS to "work" with all the clubs and players in the association. Matter of fact, they have the obligation to as demanded by WYS. They can be on the sidelines etc.. They can talk to the families and players directly and openly. They can outwardly advertise to the association training opportunities etc. In other words they can, for all practical purposes, recruit from any club / team in SWWYSA. (note: Sunny was pretty good at this when it was not endorsed. Now that it is = like putting the wolf in the chicken coop)

With that being said, and for many other reasons, it would be in Pacific's best interest to foster a healthy working relationship with the V-Timbers. The same goes for all SW WA clubs including SC.

[Unregistered]

Hmmm

While all above is very true Im still wanting to air on caution just because that are an 800lb gorilla doesnt make then the right club to be with.

In most cases its going to be down to the coach your with not the club. Its the coach that builds the teams and in turn builds the club.

So cut through the hype and look at the coach of your age appropriate team and see if its a good fit. If you go with the timbers great if you go with SCFC great but make your choice on the benefits to your kid. Thats the important decision

[Unregistered]

While all above is very true Im still wanting to air on caution just because that are an 800lb gorilla doesnt make then the right club to be with.

In most cases its going to be down to the coach your with not the club. Its the coach that builds the teams and in turn builds the club.

So cut through the hype and look at the coach of your age appropriate team and see if its a good fit. If you go with the timbers great if you go with SCFC great but make your choice on the benefits to your kid. Thats the important decision

Absolutely true. If your child is a select level player either by choice or skill level then they have numerous great options around the county. If and when they are ready to play at the next level then they should move on to a team that can offer them such. That team in SW WA will be at the V-Timbers.

[Unregistered]

Dont Agree

Its about coaching and I know coaches who have far better credentials than those already coaching at V-Timbers thats why Im saying you need to look and dont have blinkers on.

Why the V-Timbers do have some good coaches they also have some that aren't so good. Hence the term it takes a coach to build a good team and good teams build a good club.

While I think the Timbers will be the way to go there is still going to be some growing pains and as such it will be the kids that suffer through them.

As for players being select level I know of many talented players that dont play club football due to costs so what do you say to those kids??? I have watches hispanic kids take apart Timbers teams and other club teams but these kids cant afford to play club soccer so dont kid yourselves that you are the cream you just have money to pay for it.

[Wolves FC]

Overall

My hopes are that no matter where the kids end up be it Pacific V-Timbers SCFC that they all have a good learning experience and want to come back for more next year and tell their buddies mates girlfriends how great it is to play soccer then we will have all done our job.

[Unregistered]

Its about coaching and I know coaches who have far better credentials than those already coaching at V-Timbers thats why Im saying you need to look and dont have blinkers on.

Why the V-Timbers do have some good coaches they also have some that aren't so good. Hence the term it takes a coach to build a good team and good teams build a good club.

While I think the Timbers will be the way to go there is still going to be some growing pains and as such it will be the kids that suffer through them.

As for players being select level I know of many talented players that dont play club football due to costs so what do you say to those kids??? I have watches hispanic kids take apart Timbers teams and other club teams but these kids cant afford to play club soccer so dont kid yourselves that you are the cream you just have money to pay for it.

This is an old arguement. Guess we could debate the point that they are the cream of the current system.
Somehow we need to figure out how to integrate these kids into the club system. The unfortunate truth is that the system in place is what it is. We need to find an answer for these kids.
WYS should have a foundation in which a small portion of all dues go to as well as sponsordhip and donations. Clubs should submit requests, which meet a predetermined criteria, for funding based on their financial need players. Of course this assumes they want to play in the club system. If they don't then they're forever on the outside looking in regadless of their talent.

[Unregistered]

this is the same guy that left SCFC for what ever reason who knows but hes only had one year coaching and told parents that if their child couldn't speak Russian then he was no good for them!!!!

As the above said watch this space and be careful

Are you talking about the new WSA U13B coach or about FC Wolves? Can you be a little clearer?

[Unregistered]

They finished 5th.

Someone apparently has an axe to grind. Instead of repeatedly pointing out the fact that this SELECT team did not finish among what was possibly the TOP FOUR Oregon teams, why can't you be happy that a SW team was there at all? Let's focus on ALL of the good work that SW clubs do, not just "your" particular club. Finishing high in OPL is a good accomplishment and many VUSA, FCSC, and Pacific teams did pretty well.

[Unregistered]

Timbers control vusa now.

I agree.
I also think that as the county realizes the best "pathyway" to these A1 and A2 teams is thru the V-Timbers developement programs and their B1/B2/select teams there will be steady growth in V-Timbers numbers. If the V-Timbers move kids around for playing / developement opportunities and they are all in the same Timbers kits and families feel like they have value in the system it will be good to be a Timber.
Pacific is a great option and will continue to be healthy. Most on this board talk as if their is this huge animosity between Pacific and the V-Timbers. I don't see that at all. Pacific does not want to compete in the same environment as the Premier level V-Timbers. As long as this relationship is maintained then all will be good. If Pacific gets all full of themselves (i.e. FCSC) then there will be war (and we all lose then, but especially Pacific).

Remember the V-Timbers are the 800 Lb. Gorilla now. They can pull the "RCL Card" if they want to. They will be the only RCL club in SWWYSA therefore they have been given license by WYS to "work" with all the clubs and players in the association. Matter of fact, they have the obligation to as demanded by WYS. They can be on the sidelines etc.. They can talk to the families and players directly and openly. They can outwardly advertise to the association training opportunities etc. In other words they can, for all practical purposes, recruit from any club / team in SWWYSA. (note: Sunny was pretty good at this when it was not endorsed. Now that it is = like putting the wolf in the chicken coop)

With that being said, and for many other reasons, it would be in Pacific's best interest to foster a healthy working relationship with the V-Timbers. The same goes for all SW WA clubs including SC.

And then the 100000 lb. gorilla picks the best kids for the academy and they move to oregon. The real timbers rule over all clubs in the alliance. vusa is just one small piece of the puzzle. You can climb down off your horse now. Sunny now has handlers that he will have to answer to.

[Unregistered]

And then the 100000 lb. gorilla picks the best kids for the academy and they move to oregon. The real timbers rule over all clubs in the alliance. vusa is just one small piece of the puzzle. You can climb down off your horse now. Sunny now has handlers that he will have to answer to.

You are only talking about a single gender and a couple of older age groups. What about all the rest? I think the poster to which you commented on is probably more right than wrong.

[Unregistered]

For U14B, how are pre-tryouts looking for kids? Are WSA-VUSA parents leaning towards WSA (4 teams!).

[Unregistered]

Funny. Now that the merge is approved it's really more of an east / west thing. Everyone is in the same uniform and name (Vancouver Timbers) and under the same club # (player pass). Teams just stay with their same coaches. (some)
I wonder if the DOCs will work with the coaches as to where they might want to "reside" for this year. The cost differences between east/west are nominal and the upside of heading east for this year is lighted turf practices and games late October through May included in your fees. I wonder if my team will switch to the east?

[Unregistered]

Funny. Now that the merge is approved it's really more of an east / west thing. Everyone is in the same uniform and name (Vancouver Timbers) and under the same club # (player pass). Teams just stay with their same coaches. (some)
I wonder if the DOCs will work with the coaches as to where they might want to "reside" for this year. The cost differences between east/west are nominal and the upside of heading east for this year is lighted turf practices and games late October through May included in your fees. I wonder if my team will switch to the east?

I highly doubt your team will switch to the East unless the kids from the team went (or are going) over to WSA tryouts this year. Next year when they are truly operating under 1 board, it's anyone's guess where your team will train. Many choices.

But you bring up a point that is interesting to me. If both WSA and VUSA are now operating under the same Vancouver Timbers club #, I wonder if there will be any player sharing through the player pass this year? I guess that would be complicated, but it would neat to see the clubs begin to take advantage and work together as we head into the merge.