OPL Fall

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Not for long

Except that it's the Big 19 right now. Only 1 RCL club per association is the rule in Washington. If you've got a great team at a non-RCL club (ie. FC Salmon Creek) you need to move to your association's RCL club if you want to play in the RCL. If you don't want to move, you can play in your district league (which is the PML for this area) or join a US Club league (ie. OPL or PSPL). That's just the way it is. It's the accepted practice and, outside of Issaquah and Spokane, there really isn't much complaining about it.

It comes down to limiting the number of "Premier" clubs so as not to dilute the talent too much. Oregon allows infinite dilution, BC limits the number of "Premier" clubs to 8 for the whole province, and WA is somewhere in between.

A Washinton version of the OPL is in the works....Yikes!

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Nope...

Dope!

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A Washinton version of the OPL is in the works....Yikes!

Difference is that the RCL is exclusive to RCL clubs. OPL lets every 1-team "club" in Oregon join if they pay the fee. Imagine if OPL was open only to teams from the OPC8 clubs... What would happen to player movement then?

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Difference is that the RCL is exclusive to RCL clubs. OPL lets every 1-team "club" in Oregon join if they pay the fee. Imagine if OPL was open only to teams from the OPC8 clubs... What would happen to player movement then?

It could never happen. Reality is it kind of started that way, but the egos of the original 8 docs were focused on being the biggest, not being the best...the greed was focused on reaping as much money as possible, and their hatred for people at OYSA overwhelmed everything else. It is hard to comment anymore on the "concept" of OPL because it has been so corrupted by the personalities.

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Violation of Da Rules!

Difference is that the RCL is exclusive to RCL clubs. OPL lets every 1-team "club" in Oregon join if they pay the fee. Imagine if OPL was open only to teams from the OPC8 clubs... What would happen to player movement then?

What we learned from the OYSA/OPL squabble over team participation in State cups is that FIFA, US Club & OYSA have rules that allow individual player movement.

It is true that each association can set rules governing Clubs & Teams but from what was presented here this Summer they can not exclude players who are participating in the other assocaitions.....at least not legally.

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More support for going back to the days of a qualifying tournament?

Folks lets open our eyes, the anti-qualifier mob hated qualifiers primarily because it was extra money in the Pockets of OYSA. They also didn't like that it eliminated a weekend from the calendar that they as clubs could charge for a tournament. Look around the world, qualifiers are everywhere. When you have 90-95% roster stability forced promotion relegation works, but that is not the case in youth soccer in Oregon. Rosters change, and if you look at some of the teams that have been dwelling around 5th or 6th in their leagues ( just avoiding relegation) it is not hard to argue these teams should have to earn their spot in their league

The whole promotion/relegation discussion is really nothing more than a sham that allows security to the OPC 8 in case their teams "just don't quite measure up to premier"

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Folks lets open our eyes, the anti-qualifier mob hated qualifiers primarily because it was extra money in the Pockets of OYSA. They also didn't like that it eliminated a weekend from the calendar that they as clubs could charge for a tournament. Look around the world, qualifiers are everywhere. When you have 90-95% roster stability forced promotion relegation works, but that is not the case in youth soccer in Oregon. Rosters change, and if you look at some of the teams that have been dwelling around 5th or 6th in their leagues ( just avoiding relegation) it is not hard to argue these teams should have to earn their spot in their league

The whole promotion/relegation discussion is really nothing more than a sham that allows security to the OPC 8 in case their teams "just don't quite measure up to premier"

Promotion relegation works if you stick to it. Roster changes works, it just forces clubs to actually focus on developing their youth at an earlier age and having stronger teams by the u11 year. Players will then join teams that fit their ability and clubs can't just add players to fill rosters. Keep promotion and relegation and never bring back that stupid stupid qualifying tournament. If you do, make it a series of 3 weeks, but don't charge for more than ONE tournament!! No team should have an entire year or years worth playing determined by ONE weekend. And there should not be an extra cost for adding on another weekend or two.

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It could never happen. Reality is it kind of started that way, but the egos of the original 8 docs were focused on being the biggest, not being the best...the greed was focused on reaping as much money as possible, and their hatred for people at OYSA overwhelmed everything else. It is hard to comment anymore on the "concept" of OPL because it has been so corrupted by the personalities.

Or.... they felt bad for the teams that are talented and don't have anybody else to play against in OYSA

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A Washinton version of the OPL is in the works....Yikes!

Please explain?

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Premier Division:
Azul FC Aztecas
Eastside Timbers '98B Red
FC Portland Academy 1998B Navy
HSC Freeze
Lake Oswego SC Edge
NEU Gamba
Vancouver Timbers BU 98 Red
WT B98 Copa

Top 8 from First Division:
CFC Real Madrid
WAFC Cougars
WSA Blazers
Willamette Barcelona
Oregon Rush
THUSC Indium
Not sure who for 7 and 8 spot (probably a drop off here)

CFC Real Madrid and WAFC Cougars are arguably as good or better than ANY team in Premier, maybe less FC but even that is a debate. That Blazers team can play with all teams in Premier and have all summer and forever (this summer split games with VT Red, tied Gamba, 1-0 loss to Eastside). Willamette, Rush, THUSC can for sure compete with the lower half of Premier, equitably and have shown that in recent past and throughout the years. My point was that if you take the top 8 from Division 1 and have them go head to head against the Premier Division, there is not much difference. But maybe I should change that to top 6 in first division. I disagree with LO Edge and HSC Freeze being in the top 8. I would put WSA above them and probably Willamette. Let me re-phrase: I wouldn't be surprised if top 6 from Div 1 competed against Premier head to head, Div 1 could come out on top in Wins/Losses. Just my opinion. In the end, it hardly matters, all these teams can make an argument for why their team is better than another. The fact that competition has gotten better and the teams run so deep is a positive.

And even if there is no guarantee that these teams will play in the OPL state tournament, I still find it interesting that some of these high quality teams have come over to the OPL.

Not sure why you disagre with Hillsboro Freeze being in the top eight (premier divsion). They played great soccer this weekend in the Mt. Hood Challenge, beating Eastside Timbers 4-2, tieing CFC Real Madrid 2-2 in the first round and then losing only 1-0 to Real Madrid in the championship game. They are a tough team to play and they do deserve to be in the premier division. Too bad Real Madrid has to play in first division though. They would complete the premier division which is looking very competitive this fall.

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Not sure why you disagre with Hillsboro Freeze being in the top eight (premier divsion). They played great soccer this weekend in the Mt. Hood Challenge, beating Eastside Timbers 4-2, tieing CFC Real Madrid 2-2 in the first round and then losing only 1-0 to Real Madrid in the championship game. They are a tough team to play and they do deserve to be in the premier division. Too bad Real Madrid has to play in first division though. They would complete the premier division which is looking very competitive this fall.

Actually, that was my post. And I agree, I really was surprised to see how well the Freeze did this weekend. Congrats to them. I based the comment prior to the Mt Hood Challenge - which I think was a fair assessment. No doubt, good showing in the tourney and might change my mind a bit on that team.

This might be another argument that the top 14 teams between Premier and 1st Division are very close in quality and can beat each other on any given day. Basing that comment on the fact that Freeze finished tied for second in Div 1 in the Fall. Did they improve that much or is that gap between the top 14 or so very small? That was my original point to begin with anyway.

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Breakaway RCL & other division clubs

Please explain?

As usual there are dissatisfied DOC's looking to gain power and influence that are in the beginning stages of setting up a new premier level association in WA. Can't remember the name but ask around the old guard in the sound and they will know all about it.

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U12G BSC and EMFC (D1 teams this coming fall) are in Semi's of U12 Premier division Mt Hood tomorrow after getting wins over Premier teams: THUSC, NEU and Clackamas. It is just a summer tourney but still does show the strength of D1 U12 this fall and the parody between D1 and Premier.

While BSC and EMFC did play well this weekend, since when does being in the semi's of an 8 team division in one tournament mean you deserve a spot in the Premiere division. Congrats on being in the top 50%!! :) With many people on vacations during the summer and roster's still shifting, a qualifying tournament is a terrible idea. Hell, FC Portland has claimed to be playing with A-B mix all summer. Also, most premiere teams skipped the Mt Hood Challenge to prepare for NWCL next weekend, so this would not be the best tournament to qualify teams considering NWCL starts in a week.

EMFC beat BSC easily today (no suprise there), yet still lost to THUSC 3-0 in the final while THUSC was playing with several "A" players gone and 4 or so B-Team guests from what I understand. Even a 1-0 win against the THUSC team in pool play is hardly a win to start talking about "parodies" between div1/premiere. :) Silly Eugene parents..

BSC beating CUSC is not a huge surprise since CUSC has been playing poorly this summer and lost their key player to ETimbers. With BSC beating them, maybe CUSC should have just relinquished their position in NWCL this weekend to BSC/EMFC. LOL

Its just summer tournaments and if EMFC/BSC seriously dominate DIV1 this fall, you will earn your spots next year to play FCSC Nemesis, VTimbers, ETimers, etc.. :) Be careful what you wish for and good luck to you both this fall.

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As usual there are dissatisfied DOC's looking to gain power and influence that are in the beginning stages of setting up a new premier level association in WA. Can't remember the name but ask around the old guard in the sound and they will know all about it.

The reason I ask is because there is the PSPL (US Club) Puget Sound Premier League.
This is not all that new and is second rate to the RCL. A couple good teams here and there but no consistency. RCL is still top dog.
Are you thinking PSPL?

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While BSC and EMFC did play well this weekend, since when does being in the semi's of an 8 team division in one tournament mean you deserve a spot in the Premiere division. Congrats on being in the top 50%!! :) With many people on vacations during the summer and roster's still shifting, a qualifying tournament is a terrible idea. Hell, FC Portland has claimed to be playing with A-B mix all summer. Also, most premiere teams skipped the Mt Hood Challenge to prepare for NWCL next weekend, so this would not be the best tournament to qualify teams considering NWCL starts in a week.

EMFC beat BSC easily today (no suprise there), yet still lost to THUSC 3-0 in the final while THUSC was playing with several "A" players gone and 4 or so B-Team guests from what I understand. Even a 1-0 win against the THUSC team in pool play is hardly a win to start talking about "parodies" between div1/premiere. :) Silly Eugene parents..

BSC beating CUSC is not a huge surprise since CUSC has been playing poorly this summer and lost their key player to ETimbers. With BSC beating them, maybe CUSC should have just relinquished their position in NWCL this weekend to BSC/EMFC. LOL

Its just summer tournaments and if EMFC/BSC seriously dominate DIV1 this fall, you will earn your spots next year to play FCSC Nemesis, VTimbers, ETimers, etc.. :) Be careful what you wish for and good luck to you both this fall.

Hold your horses....didn't say Eugene and BSC deserved a spot in Premier. I agree it should to be earned in fall league and I actually like that system. But I do think that some of the D1 teams are better than Premier teams and that bottom 3 or 4 in premier are not much different from top 3 or 4 in D1. Maybe not much different than other years, don't know. But still true IMHO.

And BTW, it was 1-0 with 5 minutes left in championship and Eugene was missing a couple key starters as well. It was a close and hard fought game. That's why I said it was 'just a summer tourney'; only was showing some parody that I still believe exists. Still lots of work to be done for sure.