Thorns Academy

[Guest]

Anyone find it hilarious that thorns use the word holistic while you’ve got azzhats like Ryan Johnson who can’t stop screaming at 13 year old kids. just because you were a decent player means jack when it comes to coaching. Especially if you don’t know how to communicate with kids.

Or Esteban that gets himself thrown out of a 10 year old game.

makes sense considering the lazy director and lack luster coaching.

remember thorns say one thing but their teams end up always being an embarrassment at the older ages.

[Guest]

Bigger question is why are parents allowed to coach their own kids? Lots are departing because of this.

[Guest]

Getting thrown out of a 10 year old game is kind of crazy. My question is with Westside and thorns going their seperate ways, how will that affect Thorns recruiting. They have basically had an open path to all top players in Westside (both normal and the TS teams) but now that connection is cut, and they will have to recruit for reals. Will be interesting to see in a year or two how that affects them.

[Guest]

Anyone find it hilarious that thorns use the word holistic while you’ve got azzhats like Ryan Johnson who can’t stop screaming at 13 year old kids. just because you were a decent player means jack when it comes to coaching. Especially if you don’t know how to communicate with kids.

Or Esteban that gets himself thrown out of a 10 year old game.

makes sense considering the lazy director and lack luster coaching.

remember thorns say one thing but their teams end up always being an embarrassment at the older ages.

Was considering having my daughter tryout of the the Pre-ECNL team today/tomorrow, but then I heard something about their coach getting a red card yesterday. Seems concerning at a U11 game.
Anyone know more about that?

[Guest]

Anyone find it hilarious that thorns use the word holistic while you’ve got azzhats like Ryan Johnson who can’t stop screaming at 13 year old kids. just because you were a decent player means jack when it comes to coaching. Especially if you don’t know how to communicate with kids.

Or Esteban that gets himself thrown out of a 10 year old game.

makes sense considering the lazy director and lack luster coaching.

remember thorns say one thing but their teams end up always being an embarrassment at the older ages.

Not sure on Esteban, but let’s be real here, whoever is writing this is trying to scare people into not trying out. My kid is high level, has received training from Ryan Johnson and he is energetic, passionate and knowledgeable. If my kid were younger he would be first coach pick. I agree not every player is a good coach and not every good coach was a good player. Plus not every coach is for every player, any more than every team is for every kid. But let’s be real here, day of tryouts, whoever is writing this is just trying to cause doubt. Go make up your own mind. Don’t think some blurb on talking soccer can adequately answer all your questions about a particular coach, team, situation etc.

And for the 100th time, the oldest Thorns team is a product of defunct “no high school” DA. I will Love it next year when you can no longer say this and get over the dead rhetoric. The U17 team is in 2nd place behind CrossFire Premier and 90%+ of the starting kids developed last several years at the Thorns, most 4-5 years! The U16 team is vying between 3rd and 4th. Stop making misleading generalizations that simply no longer apply.

[Guest]

Not sure on Esteban, but let’s be real here, whoever is writing this is trying to scare people into not trying out. My kid is high level, has received training from Ryan Johnson and he is energetic, passionate and knowledgeable. If my kid were younger he would be first coach pick. I agree not every player is a good coach and not every good coach was a good player. Plus not every coach is for every player, any more than every team is for every kid. But let’s be real here, day of tryouts, whoever is writing this is just trying to cause doubt. Go make up your own mind. Don’t think some blurb on talking soccer can adequately answer all your questions about a particular coach, team, situation etc.

And for the 100th time, the oldest Thorns team is a product of defunct “no high school” DA. I will Love it next year when you can no longer say this and get over the dead rhetoric. The U17 team is in 2nd place behind CrossFire Premier and 90%+ of the starting kids developed last several years at the Thorns, most 4-5 years! The U16 team is vying between 3rd and 4th. Stop making misleading generalizations that simply no longer apply.

Private training a kid or two is completely different than coaching a team. I think it speaks volumes that over half the 09 team is not returning. There are talented kids on his team but he is not develop them.

Sounds like you are trying to do damage control the day of tryouts. Maybe there should have been some leadership at the club that took these issues seriously during the season.

[Guest]

Was considering having my daughter tryout of the the Pre-ECNL team today/tomorrow, but then I heard something about their coach getting a red card yesterday. Seems concerning at a U11 game.
Anyone know more about that?

I wasn't at that game but on another field at the same time and heard fromanotherparent. From what I could gather one of his players was fouled pretty hard in the box and could have been injured. The same two players were involved in a similar incident earlier in the season and it resulted in a substantial injury to his player

[Guest]

I wasn't at that game but on another field at the same time and heard fromanotherparent. From what I could gather one of his players was fouled pretty hard in the box and could have been injured. The same two players were involved in a similar incident earlier in the season and it resulted in a substantial injury to his player

This wasn't an issue of protecting players. He was losing his s*** because his team was being beaten in a final, and he yelled at a ref enough that he got a yellow card, and then continued to yell to the point he got thrown out. Once again, this was a U11 game. There are lots of clumsy fouls and sometimes hard fouls, and there will be a LOT of missed calls, especially with no AR's to support the center referee in a state cup final. But none of that is an excuse to yell at a ref to the point that you get thrown out of the game. Can we stop making excuses for coaches to behave in a way that is just not acceptable. It doesn't matter if its a fall league game, a scrimmage or a state cup final, why do we allow this sort of behavior and support it?

[Guest]

Private training a kid or two is completely different than coaching a team. I think it speaks volumes that over half the 09 team is not returning. There are talented kids on his team but he is not develop them.

Sounds like you are trying to do damage control the day of tryouts. Maybe there should have been some leadership at the club that took these issues seriously during the season.

where is the other half of the team headed? I watched a bit of the 09 game yesterday and the Thorns only played bootball and defenders kicked ball out of bounds every time they had pressure. and the coach screamed at those 12 year old girls the entire time. I'd leave too if I were them.

[Guest]

Private training a kid or two is completely different than coaching a team. I think it speaks volumes that over half the 09 team is not returning. There are talented kids on his team but he is not develop them.

Sounds like you are trying to do damage control the day of tryouts. Maybe there should have been some leadership at the club that took these issues seriously during the season.

Half the team leaving? A handful of the girls who play for Rose City Futsal are leaving to play there full-time. Evidently they have a nationally ranked team

[Guest]

This wasn't an issue of protecting players. He was losing his s*** because his team was being beaten in a final, and he yelled at a ref enough that he got a yellow card, and then continued to yell to the point he got thrown out. Once again, this was a U11 game. There are lots of clumsy fouls and sometimes hard fouls, and there will be a LOT of missed calls, especially with no AR's to support the center referee in a state cup final. But none of that is an excuse to yell at a ref to the point that you get thrown out of the game. Can we stop making excuses for coaches to behave in a way that is just not acceptable. It doesn't matter if its a fall league game, a scrimmage or a state cup final, why do we allow this sort of behavior and support it?

In no way did I make any excuse for his unacceptable behavior. Just what led up to it.

[Guest]

Anyone find it hilarious that thorns use the word holistic while you’ve got azzhats like Ryan Johnson who can’t stop screaming at 13 year old kids. just because you were a decent player means jack when it comes to coaching. Especially if you don’t know how to communicate with kids.

Or Esteban that gets himself thrown out of a 10 year old game.

makes sense considering the lazy director and lack luster coaching.

remember thorns say one thing but their teams end up always being an embarrassment at the older ages.

I don’t have a kid at the Thorns, but I can safely say that Ryan is not ready to coach kids. He is another example of someone who made income by private training and favors the kids he “trains” (I.e. pays him).
He filled the spot when Linus left to run NWE. This is all an example of terrible leadership at Thorns. Tracy is incompetent, and they continue to put abusive coaches in roles that are creating major problems for their young players.

I challenge anyone on here to talk to a Thorns parent and you will get the real story. The majority will tell you that their kids are miserable, anxious, insecure about their ability, fighting with teammates, don’t like the coach, in therapy (heard this yesterday), and looking for a better spot.

I will never understand parents who put up with a situation where their young daughters are feeling so badly about playing a sport that should be the funnest time of their lives and making friends and memories.

I don’t get it. Wake up. Find a team and a coach that loves the sport, not just trying so hard to win so they can keep their s$itty jobs.

take care of your kids! Stop the madness with these fake elite teams.

[Guest]

I don’t have a kid at the Thorns, but I can safely say that Ryan is not ready to coach kids. He is another example of someone who made income by private training and favors the kids he “trains” (I.e. pays him).
He filled the spot when Linus left to run NWE. This is all an example of terrible leadership at Thorns. Tracy is incompetent, and they continue to put abusive coaches in roles that are creating major problems for their young players.

I challenge anyone on here to talk to a Thorns parent and you will get the real story. The majority will tell you that their kids are miserable, anxious, insecure about their ability, fighting with teammates, don’t like the coach, in therapy (heard this yesterday), and looking for a better spot.

I will never understand parents who put up with a situation where their young daughters are feeling so badly about playing a sport that should be the funnest time of their lives and making friends and memories.

I don’t get it. Wake up. Find a team and a coach that loves the sport, not just trying so hard to win so they can keep their s$itty jobs.

take care of your kids! Stop the madness with these fake elite teams.

This post is spot on. Ask around.

[Guest]

Half the team leaving? A handful of the girls who play for Rose City Futsal are leaving to play there full-time. Evidently they have a nationally ranked team

I think he's quickly earning a reputation around the 09 ECNL as THE awful coach. He's controlling everything they do on the field and constantly upset with them. Has no idea what he is DOING TO THEM short and long term, including the one closest to him. These futsal players, if they are really good are heading the wrong way. He doesn't celebrate technical ability or free thought or creativity. They'd be better at FC Portland if they were still going to be in ECNL because they could at least think and play there. He's going to command them around, put them down and drive out their creative spirit. We don't need these coaches in youth sports. Pay attention to the mental health issues happening at the collegiate level for goodness sake!

[Guest]

Let’s not forget the 2010’s Thorns Academy coach who has to have a female coach at all times because he was being abusive. The parents of these girls are as much of the problem as this club. Why do they allow this behavior toward their children?