Oregon Soccer

[Unregistered]

The other region iv states that matter (California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado even Utah) are simply not doing ODP at the same level of participation. It's club/academy focused. ODP is yesterday's news.

Ok, but that's what the Timbers bring, academy. I just don't follow. Boys in Oregon seem to me to have the same opportunities now that other States have. They can do ODP (backed by the Timbers) to funnel into Region IV/National, and they have Academy teams at U16/18 to get all the Pro/college looks they can possibly need. It seems like you feel Oregon kids are somehow falling behind, and I just don't feel you provided any information for me to feel differently. And I'm not trying to be rude, I want to understand better why you feel that way.

[Unregistered]

Is it true that on the boys side, academy will start at U13 next year? If so, that is great news!!!!

[Unregistered]

Is it true that on the boys side, academy will start at U13 next year? If so, that is great news!!!!

And is this 99 boys? How would this work, do you go through the RTC process and if you make the State team you are on the Academy team?

[Unregistered]

It's only an alliance for marketing purposes. No one from Gresham will travel to Vancouver or Beaverton if they can play for a "Timbers" club at home and vice versa for the other locales. If parents/players get suckered in on the Westside marketing, that's their problem...at least the other markets don't have as much competition.

Speaking as a parent with a child playing at a "Timbers Alliance" club, the alliance has changed NOTHING other than the uniforms. And even those are a step backwards from what we had before.

If we look at the 3 main points from the press release last February:

1) the "Alliance" is "a strategic partnership with elite local youth clubs in the Timbers’ development territory, designed to build unique working relationships and development opportunities to help channel the top youth players towards the Timbers’ development programs and the Timbers Academy."

It's all about ensuring that local elite youth players get "channelled" into the Timber's Academy. Nothing more. There have always been "unique working relationships" and "development opportunities". Those aren't new.

2) "the Major League Soccer club will share coaching resources and curriculum with alliance clubs in the development of both boys and girls youth players"

Haven't seen it yet. Asked our DoC to show me this new curriculum. He couldn't do it.

3) "youth clubs in the alliance will be allowed the unique privilege of incorporating the Timbers brand into their club name and wear a special adidas Timbers Alliance badge as part of the uniform."

OK, so we got the badge. Don't think it made my child a better soccer player :)

[Unregistered]

Ok, but that's what the Timbers bring, academy. I just don't follow. Boys in Oregon seem to me to have the same opportunities now that other States have. They can do ODP (backed by the Timbers) to funnel into Region IV/National, and they have Academy teams at U16/18 to get all the Pro/college looks they can possibly need. It seems like you feel Oregon kids are somehow falling behind, and I just don't feel you provided any information for me to feel differently. And I'm not trying to be rude, I want to understand better why you feel that way.

I don't think they're falling behind. There are many good Oregon players. I think that the ODP regional numbers arent a useful measure because more of Oregons good players participate and fewer from other states so regional numbers isn't an apples to apples comparison no matter how much Oregon ODP wishes it were.

[Unregistered]

I don't think they're falling behind. There are many good Oregon players. I think that the ODP regional numbers arent a useful measure because more of Oregons good players participate and fewer from other states so regional numbers isn't an apples to apples comparison no matter how much Oregon ODP wishes it were.

So on the boys side, where are the other states participating if they are not participating in ODP at the younger ages and a local Academy team at U16/U18? Just curious where are all these boys getting their opportunities if not ODP. Besides So Cal who I already know has an automatic pipeline to Region 4 and National team w/o ODP.

[Unregistered]

Speaking as a parent with a child playing at a "Timbers Alliance" club, the alliance has changed NOTHING other than the uniforms. And even those are a step backwards from what we had before.

If we look at the 3 main points from the press release last February:

1) the "Alliance" is "a strategic partnership with elite local youth clubs in the Timbers’ development territory, designed to build unique working relationships and development opportunities to help channel the top youth players towards the Timbers’ development programs and the Timbers Academy."

It's all about ensuring that local elite youth players get "channelled" into the Timber's Academy. Nothing more. There have always been "unique working relationships" and "development opportunities". Those aren't new.

2) "the Major League Soccer club will share coaching resources and curriculum with alliance clubs in the development of both boys and girls youth players"

Haven't seen it yet. Asked our DoC to show me this new curriculum. He couldn't do it.

3) "youth clubs in the alliance will be allowed the unique privilege of incorporating the Timbers brand into their club name and wear a special adidas Timbers Alliance badge as part of the uniform."

OK, so we got the badge. Don't think it made my child a better soccer player :)

Just like the other local clubs that have started their youth academy's you will not see the benefits of this Timber Alliance for 5-7 years....the plans drawn out are long term not short term.

Our National Teams will benefit within 10 years from the new structure that is in place....and I will garauntee that they will tweak it as necessary....the new structure follows some European style of development...trouble is we live in the U.S. where stats and winning are important...our culture is the reason why we don't dominate this sport...just look at the post above....the mere fact that a customer wants immediate results when in acutallity their child is a guinny pig for the first year.....but their child is actually at the begginning of something good for the area LONG TERM

[Unregistered]

Just like the other local clubs that have started their youth academy's you will not see the benefits of this Timber Alliance for 5-7 years....the plans drawn out are long term not short term.

Our National Teams will benefit within 10 years from the new structure that is in place....and I will garauntee that they will tweak it as necessary....the new structure follows some European style of development...trouble is we live in the U.S. where stats and winning are important...our culture is the reason why we don't dominate this sport...just look at the post above....the mere fact that a customer wants immediate results when in acutallity their child is a guinny pig for the first year.....but their child is actually at the begginning of something good for the area LONG TERM

I agree with everything you said except one key point. I think the mentality of 'winning is important' is why the US is so dominant in just about everything we do and we will one day be dominant in soccer on the mens side (already there for the women). Yes, we need to learn from the world on how to better develop our youth in a structure that allows it. But I love the drive to win that our country has... As long as we can keep it in perspective along the way and be good sports in a loss.

In some ways, not just sports, I see the US moving away from 'winning is important', and I think it is weakening us as a nation.

[Unregistered]

I agree with everything you said except one key point. I think the mentality of 'winning is important' is why the US is so dominant in just about everything we do and we will one day be dominant in soccer on the mens side (already there for the women). Yes, we need to learn from the world on how to better develop our youth in a structure that allows it. But I love the drive to win that our country has... As long as we can keep it in perspective along the way and be good sports in a loss.

In some ways, not just sports, I see the US moving away from 'winning is important', and I think it is weakening us as a nation.

I completely agree with this post, well said. The problem with US Soccer is that we are too patient. Too many of the people in charge can say, "Trust us, we know more than you." Let me ask this, how long ago was Spain hovering around the bottom of the heap in Europe? I can remember it and I am not that old. They have changed it because they wanted results.

So, in regards to the Timbers Alliance, we should be writing on this board about how impactful it was already this year, not giving excuses as to why it hasn't happened yet. I am part of a TA club and have seen zero affect, absolutely nothing and that should be embarrassing for the Portland Timbers.

[Unregistered]

Just like the other local clubs that have started their youth academy's you will not see the benefits of this Timber Alliance for 5-7 years....the plans drawn out are long term not short term.

Our National Teams will benefit within 10 years from the new structure that is in place....and I will garauntee that they will tweak it as necessary....the new structure follows some European style of development...trouble is we live in the U.S. where stats and winning are important...our culture is the reason why we don't dominate this sport...just look at the post above....the mere fact that a customer wants immediate results when in acutallity their child is a guinny pig for the first year.....but their child is actually at the begginning of something good for the area LONG TERM

Sure would be nice to see some small change in the short term. If there aren't steps being taken in year 1, how do we know that steps will be taken in years 2,3,4, etc? Even just showing us this grand plan that will vastly improve player development would be a great 1st step - except that the plan doesn't really exist.

[Unregistered]

I completely agree with this post, well said. The problem with US Soccer is that we are too patient. Too many of the people in charge can say, "Trust us, we know more than you." Let me ask this, how long ago was Spain hovering around the bottom of the heap in Europe? I can remember it and I am not that old. They have changed it because they wanted results.

So, in regards to the Timbers Alliance, we should be writing on this board about how impactful it was already this year, not giving excuses as to why it hasn't happened yet. I am part of a TA club and have seen zero affect, absolutely nothing and that should be embarrassing for the Portland Timbers.

perfect example of why our culture struggles with how soccer development is done on the rest of the planet.
Ajax system....google it
Barcelona Academy....started in 1993.....its took 14 years before they saw results.....
Both systems DO NOT put the best players together until U16
hell....the kids don't even wear their club uniforms until u14.....they don't play in state championships until u14.....its a whole different world
And they don't have to pay to play.

I will post some good articles when I get back to my CPU

[Unregistered]

perfect example of why our culture struggles with how soccer development is done on the rest of the planet.
Ajax system....google it
Barcelona Academy....started in 1993.....its took 14 years before they saw results.....
Both systems DO NOT put the best players together until U16
hell....the kids don't even wear their club uniforms until u14.....they don't play in state championships until u14.....its a whole different world
And they don't have to pay to play.

I will post some good articles when I get back to my CPU

Maybe your thinking is the reasons we struggle...I will give you a tidbit of information, Barcelona didn't just start getting good, they are just now dominant. I am not saying that we have need to be Barcelona now, we just can't be drones and be OK with, "trust me, I know more than you, this will work."

Like another poster just said, give us the plan, tell us how this will be better and then work towards becoming better. I want this to succeed, trust me, but without any progress for half a year, why would I think that a plan even exists other than they needed to do this to meet an MLS requirement...

[Unregistered]

Vomit

Just like the other local clubs that have started their youth academy's you will not see the benefits of this Timber Alliance for 5-7 years....the plans drawn out are long term not short term.

Our National Teams will benefit within 10 years from the new structure that is in place....and I will garauntee that they will tweak it as necessary....the new structure follows some European style of development...trouble is we live in the U.S. where stats and winning are important...our culture is the reason why we don't dominate this sport...just look at the post above....the mere fact that a customer wants immediate results when in acutallity their child is a guinny pig for the first year.....but their child is actually at the begginning of something good for the area LONG TERM

Americans are winners, and we expect to win. If you can't provide results now get out of the way and let someone else get'er done.

[Unregistered]

Maybe your thinking is the reasons we struggle...I will give you a tidbit of information, Barcelona didn't just start getting good, they are just now dominant. I am not saying that we have need to be Barcelona now, we just can't be drones and be OK with, "trust me, I know more than you, this will work."

Like another poster just said, give us the plan, tell us how this will be better and then work towards becoming better. I want this to succeed, trust me, but without any progress for half a year, why would I think that a plan even exists other than they needed to do this to meet an MLS requirement...

You're not understanding what I'm saying... Barcelona is dominant now because of an Academy System (and recruiting/scouting system) that started in the 1990's....not six months ago.

It's not like the Timbers are inventing something new in the world. Academy's are the current system of soccer development. Most soccer parents don't understand the Academy Philosophy...most soccer parents want their kids at U6 to play with the best athletes and have their child play forward and forward only

[Unregistered]

It's a hard thing to swallow ....

You're not understanding what I'm saying... Barcelona is dominant now because of an Academy System (and recruiting/scouting system) that started in the 1990's....not six months ago.

It's not like the Timbers are inventing something new in the world. Academy's are the current system of soccer development. Most soccer parents don't understand the Academy Philosophy...most soccer parents want their kids at U6 to play with the best athletes and have their child play forward and forward only

Agree.
The Academy system is very difficult for us parents to understand fully. It requires an investment in the philosophy and time. We need to believe.
One of the big issues is I don't think clubs adequately educate parents. Why are we doing this again? We need to know why we are doing this especially when we have other parents braging and flexing their egos over wins vs. development. It's tough. We're conditioned in our American culture to win at all costs. As said b4: It's the American way.
So to ask parents, especially those that haven't played the game, to believe in the Academy philosophy while little Johnny or Susie is getting creamed by hand picked teams is difficult to do.
I don't know what the answer is. Just not sure we have the staying power to allow the Academy system to play out. Unfortunately.