OYSA / Timbers have FAILED

[Unregistered]

These are not the players in a premier league anyway. If they can afford to participate in club soccer I am certain that they can also get rides and what have you from either their own parents or others. I know we have taken kids with us on numerous occasions. Let's face it, Portland isn't exactly a diverse city. Clubs provide scholarships for many players and are also aware of financial issues associated with driving to Bend or Medford which really isn't all that far or expensive. You travel further in some large metro areas.

You are so ignorant and wrong. Many many many kids playing in the premier league are in poverty. Many have club scholarships. Traveling down to Medford, Eugene, Bend, are difficult for many families.

[Unregistered]

Okay, I am going to admit that I thought I had no idea what Noblesse Oblige meant. Then I looked it up and I got it. I think this is also reflected in the response of the person who said the better teams should be giving back to the soccer community by playing other teams in order to help raise their level of play. I believe this.

This past summer my dd's ECNL team got to scrimmage the Seattle Reign. I think the score was 7-2, and yet the experience was so valuable. They got to see a team that didn't have to work as hard to possess and relied more on skill. I thought it was admirable of the Reign to take time to scrimmage a bunch of high school girls. I am sure there were some players that were annoyed but at the same time they were giving back to their soccer community.

Today I got to learn Noblesse oblige. Thanks

At Onyx, we practice this policy in almost every game we play. You are welcome and most obliged.

[Unregistered]

You are so ignorant and wrong. Many many many kids playing in the premier league are in poverty. Many have club scholarships. Traveling down to Medford, Eugene, Bend, are difficult for many families.

Are you implying that all non poverty level parents conduct themselves with the same attitude as yourself? They have no interest in helping others because it does not benefit them? I am not ignorant and I know for a fact that there are plenty of rides for a day or even overnight trip to Bend or Medford.

I will concede that if all parents felt the same as you and a select few others on this board then I doubt very seriously if these poverty level players would get any assistance. It is not an issue for players to ride and stay with other parents!!! The kids enjoy it as do the parents who get to go.

My point is that most players on premier teams do not live below the poverty line without any assistance from either the club or other parents.

[Unregistered]

The TRUTH of your comment is that YOU do not want to drive to see your son play. It's not that he or his club or even his team is not willing to travel to play other teams. So at the end of the day this is about SELFISH, SELFCENTERED parents who do not want to miss a single game of their DD or DS.

Paaaaaaaathetic. Screw what is best for the game or the game within the sate I don't wanna have to get up early to drive or heaven for bid stay in a motel to watch my player....priceless. Well I got a NEWS FLASH for ya: If they stick with it and make one of the top HS age teams you will be yearning for the days of in sate road trips and cheap motels because Vegas, Surf and Bay area tourney's take waaaaaaaaaaay more of your family time and BUDGET.

Pathetic really? You do not know me our family situation, so what does that make you for making your asinine assumptions? Maybe I have a sick child, spouse, parent. Those of us who do not want to travel to Medford are selfish? That's just priceless and a good way to bully people into making the 5 hour drive and spending and extra 200 bucks on a game that is not productive. 90% of the time my kid travels alone. Surf, Nor Cal, Boise, Moscow, New Mexico, Arizona, Seattle, we have done them all so you really do not know that much. Frankly, with the amount of time my kid puts into soccer we have to choose carefully so we can continue to pay and my player still has time to study. Medford is not a good use of our time or funds.

[Unregistered]

Pathetic really? You do not know me our family situation, so what does that make you for making your asinine assumptions? Maybe I have a sick child, spouse, parent. Those of us who do not want to travel to Medford are selfish? That's just priceless and a good way to bully people into making the 5 hour drive and spending and extra 200 bucks on a game that is not productive. 90% of the time my kid travels alone. Surf, Nor Cal, Boise, Moscow, New Mexico, Arizona, Seattle, we have done them all so you really do not know that much. Frankly, with the amount of time my kid puts into soccer we have to choose carefully so we can continue to pay and my player still has time to study. Medford is not a good use of our time or funds.

Each family has to make their individual choices. These can include playing high level soccer, playing at school, playing rec, or maybe not playing at all. When you register for a team that plays other teams around the state, and competes for state championships, regional championships, national championships, you shouldn't be shocked to find an element of travel in these schedules.

My biggest complaint is the parents who come on here and make broad generalizations about the competitiveness and quality of teams in distant parts of the state, only because as parents they don't want to travel. Be honest, if you don't want to travel that is your choice, but don't try to force league changes, and don't beat down whole geographies skill levels just because of your issue. We had two weekends in Seattle this fall, our kids team went 6-0 with multiple shutout games. By your logic should I decide it isn't worth traveling to Seattle?

Just be honest, that is all I am saying...

[Unregistered]

Pathetic really? You do not know me our family situation, so what does that make you for making your asinine assumptions? Maybe I have a sick child, spouse, parent. Those of us who do not want to travel to Medford are selfish? That's just priceless and a good way to bully people into making the 5 hour drive and spending and extra 200 bucks on a game that is not productive. 90% of the time my kid travels alone. Surf, Nor Cal, Boise, Moscow, New Mexico, Arizona, Seattle, we have done them all so you really do not know that much. Frankly, with the amount of time my kid puts into soccer we have to choose carefully so we can continue to pay and my player still has time to study. Medford is not a good use of our time or funds.

So, I am curious have you confirmed that under OYSA you are traveling to Medford all the time? In the past 6 years of competitive soccer we have been once. My suggestion would be to let your player ride with someone else. They will probably enjoy it and it is sort of a bonding time.

[Unregistered]

Each family has to make their individual choices. These can include playing high level soccer, playing at school, playing rec, or maybe not playing at all. When you register for a team that plays other teams around the state, and competes for state championships, regional championships, national championships, you shouldn't be shocked to find an element of travel in these schedules.

My biggest complaint is the parents who come on here and make broad generalizations about the competitiveness and quality of teams in distant parts of the state, only because as parents they don't want to travel. Be honest, if you don't want to travel that is your choice, but don't try to force league changes, and don't beat down whole geographies skill levels just because of your issue. We had two weekends in Seattle this fall, our kids team went 6-0 with multiple shutout games. By your logic should I decide it isn't worth traveling to Seattle?

Just be honest, that is all I am saying...

The reality of it is the move back to OYSA is a move back to a rec minded format.

[Unregistered]

I am shocked at some of the things be written on this thread. Like I have said before I have kids playing on both OYSA and OPL. So far what I have read on this thread is

1. OPL parents coaches and clubs are selfish
For the record, prior to the original split, OYSA teams were not getting enough players to go to Medford and often had to cancel games. All the people going back to OYSA have been in OPL for the last several years so I guess since we have ALWAYS all been together you have to count yourselves among the selfish including coaches and clubs.

I find this to be so strange. Most families have limited funds and time. They need to choose for themselves when and how to use their resources. I have to think this is coming from people in those areas as a way to guilt people into making those trips. It is a bad tactic and you should all stop. I have a kid that was moved back to OYSA and I am getting irritated enough to boycott those games. And how do all the OYSA people become suddenly not selfish? Do you think the move back is because they feel so bad for Medford and outlying areas that we moved back? I assure you this is not the case.


2. Upper level teams OWE it to lower level teams to play them

UMM? Is this a serious post? So a kid starts playing soccer at 5 and for the rest of his/her career they OWE something back? What? Don't we pay to play? I have another kid in another sport and no one has ever said you owe it back to swimming to swim in Ashland. Please people think things through before you say them.

There is more but I just cant stand it.

[Unregistered]

The reality of it is the move back to OYSA is a move back to a rec minded format.

Doubtful. It wasn't before the OPL split off and it is the same teams minus the three hold out clubs. Once those clubs come back then there is not difference. Our soccer experience was richer prior to the OPL split. After that it became somewhat mundane.

[Unregistered]

Something we are all missing here is that playing "lesser" teams will give the TA a chance to try and show that they are capable of passing the ball. See, it is only against these teams that they actually try and do it, whenever pressed in a tight game, "send it" is the norm...

You are either a parent of a high school age girl or you are simply stupid.

[Unregistered]

So, I am curious have you confirmed that under OYSA you are traveling to Medford all the time? In the past 6 years of competitive soccer we have been once. My suggestion would be to let your player ride with someone else. They will probably enjoy it and it is sort of a bonding time.

Thanks for the suggestion, after 12 years of soccer, I have never thought of that. Sorry for being flippant but I find the "suggestions for my player" on a open forum to be distasteful. I do not feel bad about choosing not to go or not sending my player anywhere. It is a personal choice and if you read the post carefully, I did mention homework and studying may be a better use of time as there is already not enough time in a day for school. As a parent Ill make that choice when we get there.


In response to your first question, like everyone else we do not know who will be going where. I assume everyone knows we are talking in hypotheticals. Maybe there will not be a trip to Medford at all. The talk about what people are if they do not go on these long drives is ridiculous.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the suggestion, after 12 years of soccer, I have never thought of that. Sorry for being flippant but I find the "suggestions for my player" on a open forum to be distasteful. I do not feel bad about choosing not to go or not sending my player anywhere. It is a personal choice and if you read the post carefully, I did mention homework and studying may be a better use of time as there is already not enough time in a day for school. As a parent Ill make that choice when we get there.


In response to your first question, like everyone else we do not know who will be going where. I assume everyone knows we are talking in hypotheticals. Maybe there will not be a trip to Medford at all. The talk about what people are if they do not go on these long drives is ridiculous.

So perhaps you should reread my post. It was not disparaging in any manner. My suggestion was one I consider legitimate. For anyone that finds it too painful to drive 5 hours to play against inferior teams and players there are almost certainly other parents on your players team that really don't mind. I am one of those types of parents. We actually enjoy road trips and silliness in the car.

I was in no way trying to tell you how to raise your child. The parents and the parents alone choose whether their child plays competitive soccer or any other sport. All competitive sports involve travel. The reality is that you don't want your child going to Medford because you want them to study or hang out with a ill family member. Got it.

[Unregistered]

I am shocked at some of the things be written on this thread. Like I have said before I have kids playing on both OYSA and OPL. So far what I have read on this thread is

1. OPL parents coaches and clubs are selfish
For the record, prior to the original split, OYSA teams were not getting enough players to go to Medford and often had to cancel games. All the people going back to OYSA have been in OPL for the last several years so I guess since we have ALWAYS all been together you have to count yourselves among the selfish including coaches and clubs.

I find this to be so strange. Most families have limited funds and time. They need to choose for themselves when and how to use their resources. I have to think this is coming from people in those areas as a way to guilt people into making those trips. It is a bad tactic and you should all stop. I have a kid that was moved back to OYSA and I am getting irritated enough to boycott those games. And how do all the OYSA people become suddenly not selfish? Do you think the move back is because they feel so bad for Medford and outlying areas that we moved back? I assure you this is not the case.


2. Upper level teams OWE it to lower level teams to play them

UMM? Is this a serious post? So a kid starts playing soccer at 5 and for the rest of his/her career they OWE something back? What? Don't we pay to play? I have another kid in another sport and no one has ever said you owe it back to swimming to swim in Ashland. Please people think things through before you say them.

There is more but I just cant stand it.

I'm with you so far. Keep going.

Somebody not wanting to go to Medford or Bend for a game makes perfect sense. It is a huge commitment of time for not much regardless of the ability of the opponent.

You're absolutely right about development arguments. A club has an obligation to its members and coaches to their teams and players to each other, but the idea there's an obligation beyond that is a stretch. It might be nice, but as selfish as it sounds, there's no obligation for a Portland club to make sure Medford or Bend teams have good opponents to play without having to travel.

[Unregistered]

So perhaps you should reread my post. It was not disparaging in any manner. My suggestion was one I consider legitimate. For anyone that finds it too painful to drive 5 hours to play against inferior teams and players there are almost certainly other parents on your players team that really don't mind. I am one of those types of parents. We actually enjoy road trips and silliness in the car.

I was in no way trying to tell you how to raise your child. The parents and the parents alone choose whether their child plays competitive soccer or any other sport. All competitive sports involve travel. The reality is that you don't want your child going to Medford because you want them to study or hang out with a ill family member. Got it.

From looking at the teams in OYSA, I don't see how your not going to travel alot for regular season games. Unless West side is playing Eastside or PCU alot and if that's the case then I'd much rather be playing in OPL.

[Unregistered]

So, I am curious have you confirmed that under OYSA you are traveling to Medford all the time? In the past 6 years of competitive soccer we have been once. My suggestion would be to let your player ride with someone else. They will probably enjoy it and it is sort of a bonding time.

It's actually a pretty fun trip...We go down and play Rogue Valley on Saturday and play Eugene on the way back Sunday....pretty easy trip that includes Rogue Valley Brewery on Saturday night......