Serious question.

[Unregistered]

You are showing your bias with the standardized $10k quote. Regardless, the poster has a point. "it will basically be the same thing every year. They will have a month to 'gel' and then it's off to FWRL to play bad. Take a tour in OYSA and then go to Vegas. It's a flawed model. In theory it sounds O.K. but every year it will be basically a new team. The adims at the bigger tourneys are not stupid. It will had for thorns acad. to get into any major tourneys with unproven histories."
You can save even more money by staying with your current OYSA H.S. team and probably play in better tourney's because they will have a record to draw from.

corrected.
I see a lot of bickering but no response. Can someone explain to me why my dd's team shouldn't stay together and basically do the same thing. I see arguments on here that cream will rise to the top (i.e. college offer will come wherever she plays) and by staying with her team she will get to hang out with her friends that she has made over the last 3 yrs.

I see the Thorns Academy as flawed, more expensive and less successful then a good club team would be. Someone please argue this, I want to know why I should encourage the dismantling of what is currently a very sold team that does well in state (OYSA) and travels with some success out of state?

[Unregistered]

I will tell you why. Its high risk. While you may think all your girls will stay together that is not exactly 100% verifiable or reasonable as the years pass. Someone could get hurt, quit, decide to switch clubs. And since its one team you do mot have the luxury of a reserve po to draw from. So you could be left system struggling trying to plug holes in a sinking ship. At best your teamd talent will slowly drain away if those things happen.

Do you really want to risk that? Maybe or maybe not.

[Unregistered]

corrected.
I see a lot of bickering but no response. Can someone explain to me why my dd's team shouldn't stay together and basically do the same thing. I see arguments on here that cream will rise to the top (i.e. college offer will come wherever she plays) and by staying with her team she will get to hang out with her friends that she has made over the last 3 yrs.

I see the Thorns Academy as flawed, more expensive and less successful then a good club team would be. Someone please argue this, I want to know why I should encourage the dismantling of what is currently a very sold team that does well in state (OYSA) and travels with some success out of state?

There is nothing wrong if a good team stays together and continues to compete. If they are good enough, they will qualify for quality tournaments out of state and they can travel together and compete together. There is no reason for teams to break apart for the ECNL or Academy. Those are two alternatives for those who wish to pursue them.

[Unregistered]

I will tell you why. Its high risk. While you may think all your girls will stay together that is not exactly 100% verifiable or reasonable as the years pass. Someone could get hurt, quit, decide to switch clubs. And since its one team you do mot have the luxury of a reserve po to draw from. So you could be left system struggling trying to plug holes in a sinking ship. At best your teamd talent will slowly drain away if those things happen.

Do you really want to risk that? Maybe or maybe not.

You are overstating the risk.

Teams consolidate as they get older. It has always been this way. You find top girls teams consolidate to THUSC, FC and Crossfire Oregon. I'm not sure where the poster is playing, but if she is at one of those clubs, odds are there will be a good team to play for regardless of the ECNL or Academy.

[Slow Xavi]

corrected.
I see a lot of bickering but no response. Can someone explain to me why my dd's team shouldn't stay together and basically do the same thing. I see arguments on here that cream will rise to the top (i.e. college offer will come wherever she plays) and by staying with her team she will get to hang out with her friends that she has made over the last 3 yrs.

I see the Thorns Academy as flawed, more expensive and less successful then a good club team would be. Someone please argue this, I want to know why I should encourage the dismantling of what is currently a very sold team that does well in state (OYSA) and travels with some success out of state?

I wonder if the model on the OYSA side of things is that girls stay with their existing club team and Thorns evolve into some sort of ODP-like team, with a limited/focused schedule . . . so girls play both with their existing club team and Thorns simultaneously.

If your club team can stay strong, I don't know why you would through it away. However, that can be a big if.

[Unregistered]

I wonder if the model on the OYSA side of things is that girls stay with their existing club team and Thorns evolve into some sort of ODP-like team, with a limited/focused schedule . . . so girls play both with their existing club team and Thorns simultaneously.

If your club team can stay strong, I don't know why you would through it away. However, that can be a big if.

This is a real possibility. The question is what will happen to ODP.... yet another part time opportunity for more competitive soccer. There is only so much kids can do and their bodies can take. Something will have to give. It seems like ODP is becoming that something.

[Unregistered]

corrected.
I see a lot of bickering but no response. Can someone explain to me why my dd's team shouldn't stay together and basically do the same thing. I see arguments on here that cream will rise to the top (i.e. college offer will come wherever she plays) and by staying with her team she will get to hang out with her friends that she has made over the last 3 yrs.

I see the Thorns Academy as flawed, more expensive and less successful then a good club team would be. Someone please argue this, I want to know why I should encourage the dismantling of what is currently a very sold team that does well in state (OYSA) and travels with some success out of state?

In my opinion it really comes down to:

1. Coach. Do you have a coach that knows how to develop good players.
2. Club. Does your club offer quality training and development opportunities?
3. Travel. Do you get out of the state and play teams that are better than you? Even if you lose, you still win.

As long as your daughter is improving, there is no reason to leave. If she is good, you can get her exposure without a lot of work. Would going to ECNL or Thorns Academy be a good deal for her? Probably yes. That doesn't mean you can't get the same staying where you are.

My daughter decided she wanted to stay with her friends and she calls the shots on her sports. I am happy with what is happening. She is getting better and having fun. We are 30 miles in traffic away from the other opportunities so it would be a huge time commitment to spend to go anywhere. When the time comes if she wants to be recruited I am confident that she will get plenty of exposure.

[Unregistered]

In my opinion it really comes down to:

1. Coach. Do you have a coach that knows how to develop good players.
2. Club. Does your club offer quality training and development opportunities?
3. Travel. Do you get out of the state and play teams that are better than you? Even if you lose, you still win.

As long as your daughter is improving, there is no reason to leave. If she is good, you can get her exposure without a lot of work. Would going to ECNL or Thorns Academy be a good deal for her? Probably yes. That doesn't mean you can't get the same staying where you are.

My daughter decided she wanted to stay with her friends and she calls the shots on her sports. I am happy with what is happening. She is getting better and having fun. We are 30 miles in traffic away from the other opportunities so it would be a huge time commitment to spend to go anywhere. When the time comes if she wants to be recruited I am confident that she will get plenty of exposure.

Hey, I thought they didn't' let your type on this board. After all, that is way too balanced of an approach. All kidding aside, so many people are pushing their children into "elite" or competitive clubs without much thought to the net benefit. I say if the child isn't pushing you in that direction then let them play where they want. They are children and most will not continue the sport into college. Why can't it be a fun rewarding experience?

[Unregistered]

Hey, I thought they didn't' let your type on this board. After all, that is way too balanced of an approach. All kidding aside, so many people are pushing their children into "elite" or competitive clubs without much thought to the net benefit. I say if the child isn't pushing you in that direction then let them play where they want. They are children and most will not continue the sport into college. Why can't it be a fun rewarding experience?

Absolutely! Very few kids will end up playing in college. Keeping a positive and fun outlook on it is important.

[Unregistered]

In my opinion it really comes down to:

1. Coach. Do you have a coach that knows how to develop good players.
2. Club. Does your club offer quality training and development opportunities?
3. Travel. Do you get out of the state and play teams that are better than you? Even if you lose, you still win.

As long as your daughter is improving, there is no reason to leave. If she is good, you can get her exposure without a lot of work. Would going to ECNL or Thorns Academy be a good deal for her? Probably yes. That doesn't mean you can't get the same staying where you are.

My daughter decided she wanted to stay with her friends and she calls the shots on her sports. I am happy with what is happening. She is getting better and having fun. We are 30 miles in traffic away from the other opportunities so it would be a huge time commitment to spend to go anywhere. When the time comes if she wants to be recruited I am confident that she will get plenty of exposure.

Interesting we found getting exposure to top D1 schools a lot of work. I guess if your dd is in the top 5% in the Nation it doesn't require so much work. What schools are recruiting your dd?

[Unregistered]

Interesting we found getting exposure to top D1 schools a lot of work. I guess if your dd is in the top 5% in the Nation it doesn't require so much work. What schools are recruiting your dd?

There are a lot of tools and hopefully your club has resources in place to assist. It is not that difficult. You club and coach can be a big advocate. You have to hustle a little bit.

The big question that I don't hear talked about nearly enough is, where does she want to go? That will determine how you approach recruiting. Get on the ball very early and start to identify schools she is interested in. Then get in touch with those coaches and they will give you direction.

[Unregistered]

Interesting we found getting exposure to top D1 schools a lot of work. I guess if your dd is in the top 5% in the Nation it doesn't require so much work. What schools are recruiting your dd?

Why must the assumption always be D1? Very few of the girls will be going D1 even with 2 ECNL teams and an academy team. Not every girl will have that opportunity. Even so, there are all sorts of playing opportunities in college for most levels of play.

Having said that, I don't think there is one way to get there for talented kids. There is a primary path but if the player is good they won't have trouble seeking out those high level play opportunities later on. You do NOT need to start before high school worrying about D1. The kids that are going there have a special talent that tends to seep through even when they don't play on the top team in the state. This is especially true at the younger ages.

[Unregistered]

People want to get all serious on the sport before they know if the kid is talented. I guess this is the line of thinking that states that any person can train to be at that level. I don't agree. I think any person can train to be better but not everyone gets the opportunity to be great.

[Unregistered]

In my opinion it really comes down to:

1. Coach. Do you have a coach that knows how to develop good players.
2. Club. Does your club offer quality training and development opportunities?
3. Travel. Do you get out of the state and play teams that are better than you? Even if you lose, you still win.

As long as your daughter is improving, there is no reason to leave. If she is good, you can get her exposure without a lot of work. Would going to ECNL or Thorns Academy be a good deal for her? Probably yes. That doesn't mean you can't get the same staying where you are.

My daughter decided she wanted to stay with her friends and she calls the shots on her sports. I am happy with what is happening. She is getting better and having fun. We are 30 miles in traffic away from the other opportunities so it would be a huge time commitment to spend to go anywhere. When the time comes if she wants to be recruited I am confident that she will get plenty of exposure.

Thank you. And thank you for the other comments from the other posters.

again, it just doesn't make sense. her current team is very solid and has finished 1 or 2 in both joint and OYSA leagues. I think with their history they will actually have a better shot and making some of the larger tourneys then a Thorns team that gets slapped together and then immediately has to play FWRL. even if a Thorns Acad. team does well at FWRL, that's not much of a resume to hand to a tourney admin. It will be like the movie Groundhog Day every year. The Timbers/Thorns whomever is going to need to address this. Doing only FWRL/OYSA and then getting dumped into bottom bracket for a 'resonable' tourney isn't really going to make it appealing, cheap or not. Don't get me wrong there are lot's of IF'S with this team, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Unregistered]

Thank you. And thank you for the other comments from the other posters.

again, it just doesn't make sense. her current team is very solid and has finished 1 or 2 in both joint and OYSA leagues. I think with their history they will actually have a better shot and making some of the larger tourneys then a Thorns team that gets slapped together and then immediately has to play FWRL. even if a Thorns Acad. team does well at FWRL, that's not much of a resume to hand to a tourney admin. It will be like the movie Groundhog Day every year. The Timbers/Thorns whomever is going to need to address this. Doing only FWRL/OYSA and then getting dumped into bottom bracket for a 'resonable' tourney isn't really going to make it appealing, cheap or not. Don't get me wrong there are lot's of IF'S with this team, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

You clearly know nothing about FWRL. Many teams in that league, especially ones that finish high, go to major tournaments. Moreover if you do well in FWR's you do well with major tournaments. You should do whatever you think is best for your team, it doesn't matter to me. But you should probably educate yourself abou tournaments. Also, just because you did well in local leagues doesn't mean you won't get spanked in FWRL.