What's going down with Westside Metros Girls

[Guest]

So Cory Hand was going to be coach for the Copa TS 07G' red team which was an ECNL but now that they pulled out of ECNL he's no longer coaching them. Just the 06 & 09G's. John Bain is coaching the 07G Copa Red - 07G White is more like a rec team. I heard Thorns left Westside - Westside didn't leave & I wonder what happened. Then Westside left the Timbers Alliance, then they pulled out of ECNL. Saw some of their players trying out for Updx. Westside seems to be really going down and I again, I wonder what "really" went down with all these changes.

[Guest]

Westside was never ECNL / The Portland Thorns were ECNL. Westside administered the program and by relationship ECNL.

Timbers brought the Portland Thorns academy back in house. Why? who knows. Probably because Timbers / Thorns are a public relations nightmare and casting off the girls to a local soccer club while fully funding the boys (be it the worst academy in the US) was a bad look.

Westside left the alliance like because the Timbers / Thorns are a public relations nightmare and there was value in the relationship between clubs (imagine that teamwork) but Timbers / Thorns brought nothing to the table.

The end.

[Guest]

Westside was never ECNL / The Portland Thorns were ECNL. Westside administered the program and by relationship ECNL.

Timbers brought the Portland Thorns academy back in house. Why? who knows. Probably because Timbers / Thorns are a public relations nightmare and casting off the girls to a local soccer club while fully funding the boys (be it the worst academy in the US) was a bad look.

Westside left the alliance like because the Timbers / Thorns are a public relations nightmare and there was value in the relationship between clubs (imagine that teamwork) but Timbers / Thorns brought nothing to the table.

The end.

Right. Westside wasn't in ENCL but ENCL RL. ... but not anymore.

[Guest]

John Bain's a good coach, so I'm not sure what the issue is with him taking the team. Cory Hand has pretty much become the girls' DoC, with Cony focusing on boys. Given that Cony is 65 or thereabouts and no spring chicken (and looks like Bela Lugosi in that black cape he likes to wear--I guess it beats a tracksuit!), I wonder what the succession plans are.

As to what happened with the Thorns? I dunno. I don't think Westside was expecting the change, and appears to have had the rug pulled out from under them. Don't know if the switch from GW as Thorns GM to Karina LeBlanc had anything to do with it. Cony could have pissed someone off--he's never been the most skilled diplomat, if you know what I mean.

The thing, though, is that the Thorns SHOULD be running their own damn academy, and not partnering with a youth club. If they actually do so, good for them. If they are instead just switching to FC or to some other youth club partner, it would be proof that they're not serious.

[Guest]

John Bain's a good coach, so I'm not sure what the issue is with him taking the team. Cory Hand has pretty much become the girls' DoC, with Cony focusing on boys. Given that Cony is 65 or thereabouts and no spring chicken (and looks like Bela Lugosi in that black cape he likes to wear--I guess it beats a tracksuit!), I wonder what the succession plans are.

As to what happened with the Thorns? I dunno. I don't think Westside was expecting the change, and appears to have had the rug pulled out from under them. Don't know if the switch from GW as Thorns GM to Karina LeBlanc had anything to do with it. Cony could have pissed someone off--he's never been the most skilled diplomat, if you know what I mean.

The thing, though, is that the Thorns SHOULD be running their own damn academy, and not partnering with a youth club. If they actually do so, good for them. If they are instead just switching to FC or to some other youth club partner, it would be proof that they're not serious.

The Thorns Pro club has nothing to do with the Academy. I don’t know how many times this needs to be said.

there is no crossover between the leadership of the Thorns Pro org and the local Thorns Academy club team. It’s just the name, same as Eastside Thorns, Boise Thorns, California Thorns FC, Albuquerque Thorns, etc…. They are not managed by the Pro team! It’s annoying that everyone on this site thinks that they are. They are trying to manage themselves as a Timbers/Thorns Alliance club, but like all of the others they will be financially wrecked in less than 2 years.

[Guest]

Westside Timbers/metros/ thorns etc is just the titanic of Oregon soccer currently.

play the song or jump on a raft

[Guest]

The Thorns Pro club has nothing to do with the Academy. I don’t know how many times this needs to be said.

there is no crossover between the leadership of the Thorns Pro org and the local Thorns Academy club team. It’s just the name, same as Eastside Thorns, Boise Thorns, California Thorns FC, Albuquerque Thorns, etc…. They are not managed by the Pro team! It’s annoying that everyone on this site thinks that they are. They are trying to manage themselves as a Timbers/Thorns Alliance club, but like all of the others they will be financially wrecked in less than 2 years.

And that's an interesting observation.

The Timbers Academy, for all its many faults, appears to be actually run by the Timbers' organization. The academy homepage is hosted at timbers.com and integrated, somewhat, with the team. Academy players occasionally feature with T2 or even the first team. And of course, the U15 GA championship was a major feather in the cap.

The only connection that Thorns Academy seems to have with Peregrine/the Thorns... is that Mike Smith is running it, and the crown of thorns logo on the shirt. Oh, and occasional training in Prov Park and tickets to home games. But other than that, it looks and acts like a standalone entity. The website for Thorns Academy is still hosted by Westside, as it appears the partnership doesn't technically end until the end of May.

And there might be a good reason why: From the program overview on the Thorns Academy website (http://www.portlandthornsacademy.org...ram-overview):

Our goal is for players to reach their peak performance as elite, well-rounded athletes. Our focus will be on giving players the opportunity to earn collegiate scholarships, National Team invites, and developing players to be drafted into the NWSL. (Emphasis added).
.
If my understanding is correct, that the NWSL has no concept of a "homegrown player" or an "academy" as commonly found in most of the professional soccer universe, and as a result, has no rights to the players who train with Thorns Academy. If a player with the Academy is good enough to turn pro... she needs to submit to the NWSL draft and can be claimed by any team. Heck.. the Thorns needed to buy off some other NWSL team with a draft pick to sign Olivia Moultrie, as the other team had a claim on her, despite not lifting a finger to train her.

Given that, I can see why the Thorns Academy is treated like a redheaded stepchild by Peregrine. At least if the Timbers Academy develops a good player (hypothetically speaking, of course), the Timbers have first dibs to sign him. The Thorns may not even get that.

[Guest]

So Cory Hand was going to be coach for the Copa TS 07G' red team which was an ECNL but now that they pulled out of ECNL he's no longer coaching them. Just the 06 & 09G's. John Bain is coaching the 07G Copa Red - 07G White is more like a rec team. I heard Thorns left Westside - Westside didn't leave & I wonder what happened. Then Westside left the Timbers Alliance, then they pulled out of ECNL. Saw some of their players trying out for Updx. Westside seems to be really going down and I again, I wonder what "really" went down with all these changes.

Seems like a disgruntled 07s parent. From the outside, I don't see the issue. Westside moving a coach from 3 teams to 2 teams sounds smart. Westside puting John Bain on a team, that's a gift to any team, is an instant upgrade (don't need to be a Westside family to know th value here).

As for the Thorns partnership. Sounds like both programs wanted it their own way. Glad they both split. Hopefully Thorns can be a real Academy program now. Maybe Westside can refocus their attention back to their boys teams.

Nothing sounds fishy other than the OP.

[Guest]

Seems like a disgruntled 07s parent. From the outside, I don't see the issue. Westside moving a coach from 3 teams to 2 teams sounds smart. Westside puting John Bain on a team, that's a gift to any team, is an instant upgrade (don't need to be a Westside family to know th value here).

As for the Thorns partnership. Sounds like both programs wanted it their own way. Glad they both split. Hopefully Thorns can be a real Academy program now. Maybe Westside can refocus their attention back to their boys teams.

Nothing sounds fishy other than the OP.

So true. Cory is also the ADOC for girls. They love his positive energy. Corey might be replaced by Bainy right now because he also has the Westside team for the WPSL. He pulls up some high school players to play with the college players and some pros.

[Guest]

Thorns are a joke. Without westside they are even more in trouble. Westside is going to make everyone else’s time much harder having to compete with a solo westside.

[Guest]

And that's an interesting observation.

The Timbers Academy, for all its many faults, appears to be actually run by the Timbers' organization. The academy homepage is hosted at timbers.com and integrated, somewhat, with the team. Academy players occasionally feature with T2 or even the first team. And of course, the U15 GA championship was a major feather in the cap.

The only connection that Thorns Academy seems to have with Peregrine/the Thorns... is that Mike Smith is running it, and the crown of thorns logo on the shirt. Oh, and occasional training in Prov Park and tickets to home games. But other than that, it looks and acts like a standalone entity. The website for Thorns Academy is still hosted by Westside, as it appears the partnership doesn't technically end until the end of May.

And there might be a good reason why: From the program overview on the Thorns Academy website (http://www.portlandthornsacademy.org...ram-overview):

Our goal is for players to reach their peak performance as elite, well-rounded athletes. Our focus will be on giving players the opportunity to earn collegiate scholarships, National Team invites, and developing players to be drafted into the NWSL. (Emphasis added).
.
If my understanding is correct, that the NWSL has no concept of a "homegrown player" or an "academy" as commonly found in most of the professional soccer universe, and as a result, has no rights to the players who train with Thorns Academy. If a player with the Academy is good enough to turn pro... she needs to submit to the NWSL draft and can be claimed by any team. Heck.. the Thorns needed to buy off some other NWSL team with a draft pick to sign Olivia Moultrie, as the other team had a claim on her, despite not lifting a finger to train her.

Given that, I can see why the Thorns Academy is treated like a redheaded stepchild by Peregrine. At least if the Timbers Academy develops a good player (hypothetically speaking, of course), the Timbers have first dibs to sign him. The Thorns may not even get that.

Peregrine has nothing to do with Thorns Academy after they dissolved the DA.

Thorns are pure and simple just an ECNL club. And furthermore the Thorns lack any other teams or player pool in which to promote within. Ultimately this will cause their financial demise. It will be a hustle every year to try and recruit and maintain any talented players, especially in older ages when the crowd thins dramatically in the girls side.
The other issue the Thorns will face in the next few years is overcoming their terrible reputation that was created the past 2-3 years. They have lacked any stability with leadership and coaching. Hiring subpar coaches and trainers from local clubs. They have tried to pull in college level coaching a few times, but they all leave.

The partnership with FC is interesting. Not sure how 2 clubs on the downswing joining forces will make for a winning club?