Rumors Thorns Academy will shut down

[Guest]

It doesn’t take local coaches to point out the failures of the thorns and abuse to the players per a US soccer report. Rampant abuse and cover up. It also doesn’t take local coaches to point out that the thorns have been a joke for 5-6 years and the snake oil approach they have. We

[Guest]

It is pretty clear from all of these messages there is a large number of local coaches who are threatened by the Thorns Academy. You literally can’t stop yourselves from talking about their program. The more you talk, the more people become interested in what all the chatter is about. You all look so weak and vulnerable.

Threatened by the Thorns? Bro, there are so many local teams that could mop the room with the Thorns. 09 lost to PCU 08 lost to PCU and UPDX, 07 lost to FC Portland, shall I go on? The rest won’t play local teams as they now know that the risk of a loss is too great to their precious brand. Give it a rest. Thorns are charging 5x the money that most clubs do and they lose most of their games. Look at the coaching dude. It’s pathetic

[Guest]

You can’t stop yourselves. It is very entertaining.

[Guest]

It doesn’t take local coaches to point out the failures of the thorns and abuse to the players per a US soccer report. Rampant abuse and cover up. It also doesn’t take local coaches to point out that the thorns have been a joke for 5-6 years and the snake oil approach they have. We

Thorns were found guilty of covering up abuse by coaches towards their players. This is a systemic problem there and I don’t know why anyone would brag that they are apart of it.

[Guest]

Thorns were found guilty of covering up abuse by coaches towards their players. This is a systemic problem there and I don’t know why anyone would brag that they are apart of it.

As one other poster posted, you are referencing the professional team guilty charges, not the youth academy… And we are on a youth academy forum. I know:.. it is hard not to simply say they are connected or they are the same in your small brain, but the reality is if Donald Trump gets convicted of something, this does not mean Mike Pence is magically thrown in the courtroom alongside him.

[Guest]

As one other poster posted, you are referencing the professional team guilty charges, not the youth academy… And we are on a youth academy forum. I know:.. it is hard not to simply say they are connected or they are the same in your small brain, but the reality is if Donald Trump gets convicted of something, this does not mean Mike Pence is magically thrown in the courtroom alongside him.

I can 100% confirm that the same abuse is happening at the thorns academy. This abuse has been reported and is continually swept under the rug, just like they have done for the professional team. The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

[Guest]

I can 100% confirm that the same abuse is happening at the thorns academy. This abuse has been reported and is continually swept under the rug, just like they have done for the professional team. The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

That sounds possible, but “show me the “money”” so to speak. Countless reports on the first team, not seeing any convictions for the academy? And if you WANT to go there, every top club in this area has coaching scenarios they wish did not happen. No club exempt, with any history anyway.

[Guest]

I can 100% confirm that the same abuse is happening at the thorns academy. This abuse has been reported and is continually swept under the rug, just like they have done for the professional team. The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

The first team’s former coach was dismissed for sexual harassment.

You are a disgrace for accusing other coaches of sexual harassment when there is zero evidence of this occuring in the Academy.

[Guest]

That sounds possible, but “show me the “money”” so to speak. Countless reports on the first team, not seeing any convictions for the academy? And if you WANT to go there, every top club in this area has coaching scenarios they wish did not happen. No club exempt, with any history anyway.

There is a special place in hell for people like you who make false claims like this against others.

[Guest]

False claims of sexual harassment are not cool. If someone has real world evidence then go to the police. But, clearly whoever said the things above has nothing of the sort or they would have done so. Fake stories, even on anonymous websites, can have real world consequences when some coconut believes them.

[Guest]

A few comments:

1) Sexual harassment, or worse, sexual abuse (the latter meaning coaches touching players; the former meaning coaches saying inappropriate things but not crossing the line into physical contact) has, sadly, been a part of youth sports, and sports in general, for a very long. All sports. Both sexes. All geographies, races, and income levels. I'm sure there have been nasty things happening at pretty much any youth club in town, including Thorns Academy, NWE, etc.

2) Even if you take the coaches completely out of the equation, and focus entirely on the players--vulgar trash talking, including some rather gross and explicit sexual stuff, happens All The Time. Both in matches between opponents, and on the training ground (and in the locker room) between teammates. The stuff that Jamie Tartt from _Ted Lasso_ says to taunt his lesser-skilled teammates? I can assure you your child, if in high school or older, has heard far worse on the practice pitch, and may have said far worse.

3) Only recently has this been an issue of public prominence. And our political culture is being roiled by this, a whole lot of "anti-wokeness" is essentially about putting people back in their place, and restoring the ability of authority figures to mistreat their charges as both a method of discipline and as a perk of power. Even some well-known coaches who are staunch political liberals in the voting booth, are having trouble coming to grips with the idea that they are no longer lords of the manor on the practice field, and the sort of "motivation" tactics they used to employ now can get them in trouble. (Thus ends the political part of this rant).

4) But an issue it is; with SafeSport and other programs now in place and starting to function, we see coaches getting in trouble for things that ten years ago would have resulted in reactions of "who cares?" and "if you don't like it, quit!".

I know nothing about any specific allegations of misconduct at Thorns Academy, or any other club. If someone has a specific allegation, it should be reported. Spreading rumors is a bad idea. But given the culture of youth supports in general, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that at least some lines haven't been crossed in the past, but that goes for all youth clubs.

[Guest]

A few comments:

1) Sexual harassment, or worse, sexual abuse (the latter meaning coaches touching players; the former meaning coaches saying inappropriate things but not crossing the line into physical contact) has, sadly, been a part of youth sports, and sports in general, for a very long. All sports. Both sexes. All geographies, races, and income levels. I'm sure there have been nasty things happening at pretty much any youth club in town, including Thorns Academy, NWE, etc.

2) Even if you take the coaches completely out of the equation, and focus entirely on the players--vulgar trash talking, including some rather gross and explicit sexual stuff, happens All The Time. Both in matches between opponents, and on the training ground (and in the locker room) between teammates. The stuff that Jamie Tartt from _Ted Lasso_ says to taunt his lesser-skilled teammates? I can assure you your child, if in high school or older, has heard far worse on the practice pitch, and may have said far worse.

3) Only recently has this been an issue of public prominence. And our political culture is being roiled by this, a whole lot of "anti-wokeness" is essentially about putting people back in their place, and restoring the ability of authority figures to mistreat their charges as both a method of discipline and as a perk of power. Even some well-known coaches who are staunch political liberals in the voting booth, are having trouble coming to grips with the idea that they are no longer lords of the manor on the practice field, and the sort of "motivation" tactics they used to employ now can get them in trouble. (Thus ends the political part of this rant).

4) But an issue it is; with SafeSport and other programs now in place and starting to function, we see coaches getting in trouble for things that ten years ago would have resulted in reactions of "who cares?" and "if you don't like it, quit!".

I know nothing about any specific allegations of misconduct at Thorns Academy, or any other club. If someone has a specific allegation, it should be reported. Spreading rumors is a bad idea. But given the culture of youth supports in general, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that at least some lines haven't been crossed in the past, but that goes for all youth clubs.

Based on today attendance no one really cares.

[Guest]

Based on today attendance no one really cares.

The team is probably now more attractive to a buyer.

Where else in the United States do you get 20k fans for women's soccer?

[Guest]

The team is probably now more attractive to a buyer.

Where else in the United States do you get 20k fans for women's soccer?

Just in the weirdest city in the World...Port-wacko.

Where we spit out a bunch of words but do very little to make any substantive change.

MP out? My ass.

[Guest]

Huge crowd today. Had to have been over 20k.