Ecnl

[Unregistered]

ECNL is a waste of money according to Cony. Why would anyone spend that much on girls!!!

I have no idea if the Thorns applied for ECNL. Or if they, or any Oregon club, has been accepted.

But, the letter Cony sent was negative towards ECNL only if the cost was in the $7,000 to $8,000 range. However, it ended by praising a potential Thorns option which would, hypothetically, be less much expensive. I can only assume that some form of corporate sponsorship would offset the costs for the girls.

This was the gist of the point I think he was making. Not that girls soccer isn't worth the Alliance teams investing in. But, to help manage the overall costs per player.

It is all probably pie-in-the-sky dreaming anyhow. Until we see something tangible this is all conjecture.

[Unregistered]

I have no idea if the Thorns applied for ECNL. Or if they, or any Oregon club, has been accepted.

But, the letter Cony sent was negative towards ECNL only if the cost was in the $7,000 to $8,000 range. However, it ended by praising a potential Thorns option which would, hypothetically, be less much expensive. I can only assume that some form of corporate sponsorship would offset the costs for the girls.

This was the gist of the point I think he was making. Not that girls soccer isn't worth the Alliance teams investing in. But, to help manage the overall costs per player.

It is all probably pie-in-the-sky dreaming anyhow. Until we see something tangible this is all conjecture.

Will you post the letter?

[Unregistered]

ECNL is a pipedream in oregon

If you can prove otherwise please do where we can all see it. Until then the rest of this discussion is nonsense.

[Unregistered]

If you can prove otherwise please do where we can all see it. Until then the rest of this discussion is nonsense.

Thanks. I was thinking this was all relevant and have been monitoring it 23/7 7days a week. Now that I have this information from you I see that I can stand down. Good because it haven't gotten anything done at the office for weeks for fear of missing something here.

[Unregistered]

Will you post the letter?

Why, if you are with WST, you got the letter. His letter is his opinion and pertains to WST. Other club's DOCs have their opinions regarding ECNL. If Oregon gets accepted, and at this point it looks doubtful, then it doesn't matter what the opinions of the various DOCs are. All that matters is the opinion of any girl and her parents regarding trying out and if accepted to the team, paying the costs associated. Cony doesn't think it's worth it, and his opinion has merit as WST team members are starting to get college offers from D1 schools. You don't need to do ECNL to get a D1 offer. However, when speaking with D1 coaches they do talk a lot about ECNL, so there is merit to doing it. As with everything, beauty will be in the eye of the beholder.

[Unregistered]

Thanks. I was thinking this was all relevant and have been monitoring it 23/7 7days a week. Now that I have this information from you I see that I can stand down. Good because it haven't gotten anything done at the office for weeks for fear of missing something here.

THURSDAY (next Thursday), seriously.... I really mean it this time.
Go Thorns ECNL !!!!

[Unregistered]

Why do you keep posting this? It is an untrue statement from the WST coaches directly. What do you gain by telling people this? I do not get it?

The TA and Thorns will have plenty to gain by NOT havng ECNL. The top kids who do not want to do ECNL will go to them as they wont play on a B team at their current club. The ECNL clubs will gain some and lose some. Really the only bad thing by this is the leagues will be very weak. TA will have to find a place to put their teams

Not really. Kids will continue to gravitate to the best clubs for girls soccer. Clubs with proven records of girls playing in D1. TA clubs have no history of this. They aren't going to start any time soon regardless of their empty promises. What will a thorns academy get you? Where will you play? The only girls DA program is the ECNL.

ECNL clubs B teams will be A teams to everyone else so we will see a consolidation of talent which is what everyone has been complaining about for years.

[Unregistered]

Will you post the letter?

Dear Parents, Coaches, and Managers,
Several times during the past year, members of our club have asked me if we are applying for the ECNL. For those who don’t know, the ECNL is an elite soccer league for girls youth soccer. In my opinion the “E” in ECLN doesn’t stand for elite but instead stands for “everybody that wants to spend a great deal of money to be one of the Jones’ ”. As long as I am the DOC for Westside Timbers, my answer to joining the ECNL will continue to be NO. Obviously if significant changes are made to ECNL perhaps the answer would be different.
If I went to the WST Board to sell them on the joining the ECNL, they would probably have me committed to a padded facility. Why would the Board have me committed you ask? It would be for the fact that the ECNL would cost each player $8,000 per year starting at u14 through U18. That would be a total of $40,000 plus for each player over a 5 year period. In my opinion the money would be better spent by building Futsal courts for their kids and their grand kids.
When I started with Westside Metros SC on August 15, 2002, it was never my intent for Westside to become one of the Jones’. Soon after I arrived, we were asked to join the Y League. The Y League was a league where teams traveled to some locations (some of them obscure) throughout Oregon, Washington and Canada to play games. In many instances the games were meaningless and scheduled at the last minute. Our answer to join- ing the Y League was “No”. This league did not make sense or help our players and their development. Some other clubs in Oregon did join the Y League. The league ended up not being successful and the clubs regretted their decision.
A few years later USSF (US Soccer Federation) provided an opportunity for our Club to join the US Soccer Academy Program. We again decided not to pursue this opportunity. Another local Club jumped on the offer and the results were disastrous.
A few years later the WCDA (Western College Development Association) was formed. A few of our local clubs joined and for the third time it was a bust.
A few years ago, USSF approached Westside Metros and offered the US Soccer Academy Program after one local club attempt at running it resulted failure. My conversation with the USSF representative regarding this opportunity was very simple. I told them that the following year, the MLS Portland Timbers are going to want an academy program and if you give us the academy and then one to the Timbers the following year it will be a total disaster. My advice to USSF was not to give us the academy program but award it to the Timbers the next year. I also told them that our state could barely put one strong team together to compete at that level. Two clubs running separate academy programs would be pure lunacy. Guess what? They agreed with me because they knew in their hearts that I was right. The following year the Timbers were awarded the academy program.
I have been coaching for 39 years and it deeply saddens me how people who are involved in non-profit youth sport programs get away with selling smoke and mirrors programs to the masses. We need to realize that we are dealing with kids and parents finances. I will not abuse either one of them to try to keep up with the Jones’. Fortunately my parents were poorer than dirt and they came to America. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs when they arrived to this great country. Because of them, I was taught to be frugal and to use com- mon sense. These values have allowed me to help steer this club into the 21st century. I am not alone on this quest. Many others are on this quest with me. Rest assured that our club will continue to be successful on and off the field. This club is more than a club. We are communities working together to use soccer as a vehicle to make better people. This is our mantra and please don’t forget it.
Is our club perfect? No. But for our Club it has always been and will always be about the game, the kids and adults who are involved in it.
Spending $8000 to $10,000 per player per year to play in the ECNL is in my opinion is an abomination. In some instances Clubs participating in this program will raise the fees to everyone in order to subsidize the few taking part in the program. Our Club feels strongly against such a scenario. We currently have and have had players from our club play on national teams and professional teams. Many have received scholarships to universities all over the United States. None of those players or their teammates ever spent that kind of money per year.
Soon the Portland Timbers will start their girls youth academy program. If any of our girls are good enough and they want to play for the Timbers Girls Academy program they will have my full support. The same support I of- fered to our boys who have and will leave the club to play for the Timbers Boys Academy Program. But in the end, I will not be selling my parents snow cones with only ice and no syrup of their choice.
If as a parent or coach your are not satisfied with my explanation in why we are not going to ever apply to the ECNL please email me your phone number and I will call you back to discuss it in more detail.
Otherwise, I want to thank you for reading this message and I am happy you are part of the Westside Timbers SC
Best Wishes
Cony

[Unregistered]

Dear Parents, Coaches, and Managers,
Several times during the past year, members of our club have asked me if we are applying for the ECNL. For those who don’t know, the ECNL is an elite soccer league for girls youth soccer. In my opinion the “E” in ECLN doesn’t stand for elite but instead stands for “everybody that wants to spend a great deal of money to be one of the Jones’ ”. As long as I am the DOC for Westside Timbers, my answer to joining the ECNL will continue to be NO. Obviously if significant changes are made to ECNL perhaps the answer would be different.
If I went to the WST Board to sell them on the joining the ECNL, they would probably have me committed to a padded facility. Why would the Board have me committed you ask? It would be for the fact that the ECNL would cost each player $8,000 per year starting at u14 through U18. That would be a total of $40,000 plus for each player over a 5 year period. In my opinion the money would be better spent by building Futsal courts for their kids and their grand kids.
When I started with Westside Metros SC on August 15, 2002, it was never my intent for Westside to become one of the Jones’. Soon after I arrived, we were asked to join the Y League. The Y League was a league where teams traveled to some locations (some of them obscure) throughout Oregon, Washington and Canada to play games. In many instances the games were meaningless and scheduled at the last minute. Our answer to join- ing the Y League was “No”. This league did not make sense or help our players and their development. Some other clubs in Oregon did join the Y League. The league ended up not being successful and the clubs regretted their decision.
A few years later USSF (US Soccer Federation) provided an opportunity for our Club to join the US Soccer Academy Program. We again decided not to pursue this opportunity. Another local Club jumped on the offer and the results were disastrous.
A few years later the WCDA (Western College Development Association) was formed. A few of our local clubs joined and for the third time it was a bust.
A few years ago, USSF approached Westside Metros and offered the US Soccer Academy Program after one local club attempt at running it resulted failure. My conversation with the USSF representative regarding this opportunity was very simple. I told them that the following year, the MLS Portland Timbers are going to want an academy program and if you give us the academy and then one to the Timbers the following year it will be a total disaster. My advice to USSF was not to give us the academy program but award it to the Timbers the next year. I also told them that our state could barely put one strong team together to compete at that level. Two clubs running separate academy programs would be pure lunacy. Guess what? They agreed with me because they knew in their hearts that I was right. The following year the Timbers were awarded the academy program.
I have been coaching for 39 years and it deeply saddens me how people who are involved in non-profit youth sport programs get away with selling smoke and mirrors programs to the masses. We need to realize that we are dealing with kids and parents finances. I will not abuse either one of them to try to keep up with the Jones’. Fortunately my parents were poorer than dirt and they came to America. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs when they arrived to this great country. Because of them, I was taught to be frugal and to use com- mon sense. These values have allowed me to help steer this club into the 21st century. I am not alone on this quest. Many others are on this quest with me. Rest assured that our club will continue to be successful on and off the field. This club is more than a club. We are communities working together to use soccer as a vehicle to make better people. This is our mantra and please don’t forget it.
Is our club perfect? No. But for our Club it has always been and will always be about the game, the kids and adults who are involved in it.
Spending $8000 to $10,000 per player per year to play in the ECNL is in my opinion is an abomination. In some instances Clubs participating in this program will raise the fees to everyone in order to subsidize the few taking part in the program. Our Club feels strongly against such a scenario. We currently have and have had players from our club play on national teams and professional teams. Many have received scholarships to universities all over the United States. None of those players or their teammates ever spent that kind of money per year.
Soon the Portland Timbers will start their girls youth academy program. If any of our girls are good enough and they want to play for the Timbers Girls Academy program they will have my full support. The same support I of- fered to our boys who have and will leave the club to play for the Timbers Boys Academy Program. But in the end, I will not be selling my parents snow cones with only ice and no syrup of their choice.
If as a parent or coach your are not satisfied with my explanation in why we are not going to ever apply to the ECNL please email me your phone number and I will call you back to discuss it in more detail.
Otherwise, I want to thank you for reading this message and I am happy you are part of the Westside Timbers SC
Best Wishes
Cony

Pretty good explanation.

Especially interesting when you consider that ECNL as an organization is putting $300,000 cash into their savings account every year (profit).

[Unregistered]

Dear Parents, Coaches, and Managers,
Several times during the past year, members of our club have asked me if we are applying for the ECNL. For those who don’t know, the ECNL is an elite soccer league for girls youth soccer. In my opinion the “E” in ECLN doesn’t stand for elite but instead stands for “everybody that wants to spend a great deal of money to be one of the Jones’ ”. As long as I am the DOC for Westside Timbers, my answer to joining the ECNL will continue to be NO. Obviously if significant changes are made to ECNL perhaps the answer would be different.
If I went to the WST Board to sell them on the joining the ECNL, they would probably have me committed to a padded facility. Why would the Board have me committed you ask? It would be for the fact that the ECNL would cost each player $8,000 per year starting at u14 through U18. That would be a total of $40,000 plus for each player over a 5 year period. In my opinion the money would be better spent by building Futsal courts for their kids and their grand kids.
When I started with Westside Metros SC on August 15, 2002, it was never my intent for Westside to become one of the Jones’. Soon after I arrived, we were asked to join the Y League. The Y League was a league where teams traveled to some locations (some of them obscure) throughout Oregon, Washington and Canada to play games. In many instances the games were meaningless and scheduled at the last minute. Our answer to join- ing the Y League was “No”. This league did not make sense or help our players and their development. Some other clubs in Oregon did join the Y League. The league ended up not being successful and the clubs regretted their decision.
A few years later USSF (US Soccer Federation) provided an opportunity for our Club to join the US Soccer Academy Program. We again decided not to pursue this opportunity. Another local Club jumped on the offer and the results were disastrous.
A few years later the WCDA (Western College Development Association) was formed. A few of our local clubs joined and for the third time it was a bust.
A few years ago, USSF approached Westside Metros and offered the US Soccer Academy Program after one local club attempt at running it resulted failure. My conversation with the USSF representative regarding this opportunity was very simple. I told them that the following year, the MLS Portland Timbers are going to want an academy program and if you give us the academy and then one to the Timbers the following year it will be a total disaster. My advice to USSF was not to give us the academy program but award it to the Timbers the next year. I also told them that our state could barely put one strong team together to compete at that level. Two clubs running separate academy programs would be pure lunacy. Guess what? They agreed with me because they knew in their hearts that I was right. The following year the Timbers were awarded the academy program.
I have been coaching for 39 years and it deeply saddens me how people who are involved in non-profit youth sport programs get away with selling smoke and mirrors programs to the masses. We need to realize that we are dealing with kids and parents finances. I will not abuse either one of them to try to keep up with the Jones’. Fortunately my parents were poorer than dirt and they came to America. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs when they arrived to this great country. Because of them, I was taught to be frugal and to use com- mon sense. These values have allowed me to help steer this club into the 21st century. I am not alone on this quest. Many others are on this quest with me. Rest assured that our club will continue to be successful on and off the field. This club is more than a club. We are communities working together to use soccer as a vehicle to make better people. This is our mantra and please don’t forget it.
Is our club perfect? No. But for our Club it has always been and will always be about the game, the kids and adults who are involved in it.
Spending $8000 to $10,000 per player per year to play in the ECNL is in my opinion is an abomination. In some instances Clubs participating in this program will raise the fees to everyone in order to subsidize the few taking part in the program. Our Club feels strongly against such a scenario. We currently have and have had players from our club play on national teams and professional teams. Many have received scholarships to universities all over the United States. None of those players or their teammates ever spent that kind of money per year.
Soon the Portland Timbers will start their girls youth academy program. If any of our girls are good enough and they want to play for the Timbers Girls Academy program they will have my full support. The same support I of- fered to our boys who have and will leave the club to play for the Timbers Boys Academy Program. But in the end, I will not be selling my parents snow cones with only ice and no syrup of their choice.
If as a parent or coach your are not satisfied with my explanation in why we are not going to ever apply to the ECNL please email me your phone number and I will call you back to discuss it in more detail.
Otherwise, I want to thank you for reading this message and I am happy you are part of the Westside Timbers SC
Best Wishes
Cony

I don't know Cony and am not connected with WST, but think it's a pretty thoughtful comment. I disagree with his cost estimate unless he's including travel, hotel, and all other costs associated with a high level program. (Even then, it's too high.) I do believe there is a place for one club in Oregon to have an ECNL program but it clearly is not for everyone. It also needs sponsorship. What I find rather interesting is that he is happy with the possible Timbers Girls Academy - why is it going to be any less expensive if there are going to travel to top level tournaments unless there is some sponsorship (Timbers/Thorns or otherwise)?

[Unregistered]

Pretty good explanation.

Especially interesting when you consider that ECNL as an organization is putting $300,000 cash into their savings account every year (profit).

That is interesting for a non-profit...but I suppose you need hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank for a rainy day.

[Unregistered]

Cony's letter pretty much says there will soon be a Thorns Academy for youth girls. To me this insinuates either Thorns are getting ECNL or that maybe MLS teams will all be starting their own girl Academy teams, maybe to join forces with ECNL leagues. Or maybe Academy teams will travel to showcase tournaments to compete but costs subsidized by Timbers/thorns.

I don't know but there is something to his words. Any other thoughts here? He seems to know something.

[Unregistered]

Dear Parents, Coaches, and Managers,
Several times during the past year, members of our club have asked me if we are applying for the ECNL. For those who don’t know, the ECNL is an elite soccer league for girls youth soccer. In my opinion the “E” in ECLN doesn’t stand for elite but instead stands for “everybody that wants to spend a great deal of money to be one of the Jones’ ”. As long as I am the DOC for Westside Timbers, my answer to joining the ECNL will continue to be NO. Obviously if significant changes are made to ECNL perhaps the answer would be different.
If I went to the WST Board to sell them on the joining the ECNL, they would probably have me committed to a padded facility. Why would the Board have me committed you ask? It would be for the fact that the ECNL would cost each player $8,000 per year starting at u14 through U18. That would be a total of $40,000 plus for each player over a 5 year period. In my opinion the money would be better spent by building Futsal courts for their kids and their grand kids.
When I started with Westside Metros SC on August 15, 2002, it was never my intent for Westside to become one of the Jones’. Soon after I arrived, we were asked to join the Y League. The Y League was a league where teams traveled to some locations (some of them obscure) throughout Oregon, Washington and Canada to play games. In many instances the games were meaningless and scheduled at the last minute. Our answer to join- ing the Y League was “No”. This league did not make sense or help our players and their development. Some other clubs in Oregon did join the Y League. The league ended up not being successful and the clubs regretted their decision.
A few years later USSF (US Soccer Federation) provided an opportunity for our Club to join the US Soccer Academy Program. We again decided not to pursue this opportunity. Another local Club jumped on the offer and the results were disastrous.
A few years later the WCDA (Western College Development Association) was formed. A few of our local clubs joined and for the third time it was a bust.
A few years ago, USSF approached Westside Metros and offered the US Soccer Academy Program after one local club attempt at running it resulted failure. My conversation with the USSF representative regarding this opportunity was very simple. I told them that the following year, the MLS Portland Timbers are going to want an academy program and if you give us the academy and then one to the Timbers the following year it will be a total disaster. My advice to USSF was not to give us the academy program but award it to the Timbers the next year. I also told them that our state could barely put one strong team together to compete at that level. Two clubs running separate academy programs would be pure lunacy. Guess what? They agreed with me because they knew in their hearts that I was right. The following year the Timbers were awarded the academy program.
I have been coaching for 39 years and it deeply saddens me how people who are involved in non-profit youth sport programs get away with selling smoke and mirrors programs to the masses. We need to realize that we are dealing with kids and parents finances. I will not abuse either one of them to try to keep up with the Jones’. Fortunately my parents were poorer than dirt and they came to America. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs when they arrived to this great country. Because of them, I was taught to be frugal and to use com- mon sense. These values have allowed me to help steer this club into the 21st century. I am not alone on this quest. Many others are on this quest with me. Rest assured that our club will continue to be successful on and off the field. This club is more than a club. We are communities working together to use soccer as a vehicle to make better people. This is our mantra and please don’t forget it.
Is our club perfect? No. But for our Club it has always been and will always be about the game, the kids and adults who are involved in it.
Spending $8000 to $10,000 per player per year to play in the ECNL is in my opinion is an abomination. In some instances Clubs participating in this program will raise the fees to everyone in order to subsidize the few taking part in the program. Our Club feels strongly against such a scenario. We currently have and have had players from our club play on national teams and professional teams. Many have received scholarships to universities all over the United States. None of those players or their teammates ever spent that kind of money per year.
Soon the Portland Timbers will start their girls youth academy program. If any of our girls are good enough and they want to play for the Timbers Girls Academy program they will have my full support. The same support I of- fered to our boys who have and will leave the club to play for the Timbers Boys Academy Program. But in the end, I will not be selling my parents snow cones with only ice and no syrup of their choice.
If as a parent or coach your are not satisfied with my explanation in why we are not going to ever apply to the ECNL please email me your phone number and I will call you back to discuss it in more detail.
Otherwise, I want to thank you for reading this message and I am happy you are part of the Westside Timbers SC
Best Wishes
Cony

This is halarious!

There is no way that WST would ever get ECNL. They have the worst girl's program in the area.

Cony thinks it is stupid to pay thousands of dollars per player for ECNL, but he thinks it is a good idea for parents to spend thousands of dollars per player to go to Bolivia with him for soccer training.

WST has plenty of scholarship players per team. Who do you think is paying for these scholarship players. Do you think non scholarship players have a choice on where there fees go??

The US Soccer Academy program would never work at WST. Thanks to Cony there are too many freeloaders. You can subsidize training fees, but not travel.

Do you think Cony had much of a choice on the Timbers Academy? It was going to happen with or without Cony's support.

[Unregistered]

Why, if you are with WST, you got the letter. His letter is his opinion and pertains to WST. Other club's DOCs have their opinions regarding ECNL. If Oregon gets accepted, and at this point it looks doubtful, then it doesn't matter what the opinions of the various DOCs are. All that matters is the opinion of any girl and her parents regarding trying out and if accepted to the team, paying the costs associated. Cony doesn't think it's worth it, and his opinion has merit as WST team members are starting to get college offers from D1 schools. You don't need to do ECNL to get a D1 offer. However, when speaking with D1 coaches they do talk a lot about ECNL, so there is merit to doing it. As with everything, beauty will be in the eye of the beholder.

Who sends that kind of letter out to their club? Unprofessional.

[Unregistered]

Who sends that kind of letter out to their club? Unprofessional.

Don't you want honest opinions from people around you? Or just want people to tell you what you want to hear?