Westside Girls Pre-tryout Clinics starting up this week...

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Heh

I tried typing the acronym of Washington Timbers Football Club, the website recognized the first three letters as Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and bleeped them out. Must know about the parking lot at Harmony. :)

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I tried typing the acronym of Washington Timbers Football Club, the website recognized the first three letters as Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and bleeped them out. Must know about the parking lot at Harmony. :)

Congratulation on your first post newbie

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Congratulation on your first post newbie

Jesuit > ***C

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We don't really need another girls club west of Portland. But kudo;s to Westside for attempting to start a girls program finally.

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ADF (of the LASC ADF teams) has a training academy for girls and boys. they train grouped by ability (not age or gender) http://www.futeboltraining.com/. best kept secret in town.

To the people who posted it, thanks for all of the information on La Amistad. I doubt my son is a candidate for them, but wouldn't have known anything about them if I hadn't asked.

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I hadn't made the shoe connection.

A bit more about Westside's teams, and what they focus on. The top one or two (Copa and possibly Samba--depending on how many "gold" teams can be formed) teams are generally very competitive, and win-focused. Competition for playing time is intense; there is a lot of pressure on players to perform (and on the team to do well in competitive matches). Extra training is offered (and participation expected) during State Cup (and regionals/nationals should they make it that far). The big-name coaches (John Bain, Cony Konstin) are generally found helming these teams.

In the middle (Samba, typically) are teams with a competitive atmosphere--intense practices and a fair bit of pressure--but their purpose (at least at some age levels) seems to be mainly to support the Copa team. Westside doesn't prioritize winning for the second-and-below tiers anywhere near as much. Players from these teams are often borrowed by Copa on rather short notice (when league/tourney rules allow it), even if the lower team is contending for a league title.

Down in Mundial- and Brazuca- land, the teams are very development-focused, and the club generally doesn't care whether these teams win or not. (A couple Westside Mundial teams are actually quite competitive in OYSA Div 2, and can hang with some of the Div 1 teams as well; though premier teams will have no problem beating them handily). Substitution patterns are more reminiscent of rec--everyone gets to play, and sometimes the weaker players get lots of PT; there is little pressure to outdo your teammate. If you miss practice/games due to other commitments, there's far less angst over this. Pedagogical tactics (play from the back! Keep the ball on the ground!) are often preferred at this level. And team rosters are generally small--it's common for Copa to bring 22 kids to a match if allowed (even if only 16 can play), where the Mundial teams at the age group to only have one or two subs. A common complaint--somewhat unfair, but it's easy to see where it comes from--is that WST doesn't care about the lower teams at all. If you're a hyper-competitive player (or parent), you probably don't want to be playing for one of Westside's Mundial or Brazuca teams. OTOH, as a development team, many of the coaches (while not stars) are good and players can learn a lot. (If you are interested in a Mundial team--it's generally easy to get on one mid-season, as there will usually be openings; give the coach a call).

Promotions do occur, but aren't terribly common. Generally, the different teams within an age group practice separately, occasionally scrimmaging against each other--Westside doesn't do "academy-style" practices. (Demotions also occur, but are far rarer; generally promotions happen due to attrition). Westside also actively encourages playing-up (in age) for highly-skilled or bigger-than-average players (their Copa teams are NOT filled with huge kids that try and beat you with size or strength.)

One other point--the fees at Westside are actually a bit lower than other clubs (though not by much); but you pay the same price whether your DD or SS is on the Copa or the Brazuca team. (Washington Timbers, by comparison, charges more for the top-tier teams, and makes more training available at the higher tiers. Playing for ***C's Tier 4 teams is not that more expensive than rec).

How does this compare with other classic clubs? I don't know--this parent only has experience with WST. I know a few parents/kids who have left the club, unhappy; I know others who consider it far better than the club they just left. As in all things, a club that might be right for one child may not be right for another.

Not exactly our experience but it always depends on the coach. My son and daughter were on premier teams. Playing time, except for state cup etc, was always at least half a game and was always very fair. Not much practice or games with the B team or players - only rarely for tournaments. Top B team players did move up to the A team. Overall would recommend, but really depends on the coach which changes about every 2 years.

I think if you have a good rec team to play with it is fine, but rare. Start with what you think is best for your kid and change as necessary. Most top players play competitive, so if you have a good rec team, who are you going to play? If we had to do it over again, we would probably do it a little differently but we did what we thought was best and have no regrets. Always a life learning experience good and bad.

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Westside is going to start a girls program. I doubt it. They have tried on and off over the last decade with no success.

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Westside is going to start a girls program. I doubt it. They have tried on and off over the last decade with no success.

Honestly I think the coaches on the girls side are much better.

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Westside is going to start a girls program. I doubt it. They have tried on and off over the last decade with no success.

Honestly I think the coaches on the girls side are much better. Also, the quote "westside also actively encourages playing-up (in age) for highly-skilled or bigger-than-average players (their Copa teams are NOT filled with huge kids that try and beat you with size or strength.)" are you talking on the girls side? The boys side tends towards bigger, stronger on Copa I think.

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La Amistad (Spanish for "friendship")... (I also have no idea whether or not they have any non-Latino players, or what languages coaching is offered in.. and dat's all I'm gun' say 'bout dat.)

This link: http://oysa-2016oregonstatecup.sport...mbr=LASC%20ADF
gives contact information for the head coach of their U11 boys' teams (this was grabbed from OYSA), though the persons listed therein might not be appropriate contacts for prospects.

there were two or three Asian kids and one or two Anglos on the team my boys beat. So, yes, in the name of friendship, i'm sure they'd be happy to chat.

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Honestly I think the coaches on the girls side are much better. Also, the quote "westside also actively encourages playing-up (in age) for highly-skilled or bigger-than-average players (their Copa teams are NOT filled with huge kids that try and beat you with size or strength.)" are you talking on the girls side? The boys side tends towards bigger, stronger on Copa I think.

That's because the boys on the Thusc teams are are delicate. Most just switch over to the ECNL teams and play there.

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there were two or three Asian kids and one or two Anglos on the team my boys beat. So, yes, in the name of friendship, i'm sure they'd be happy to chat.

The ADF team just plays under the LASC banner. They are really separate teams maybe under JB or Joaquim's direction. They recruit hard.

http://www.adfportland.org/

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Westside is going to start a girls program. I doubt it. They have tried on and off over the last decade with no success.

They've done just fine.

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They've done just fine.

'Fine' is a relative term. Unless you want to share what accomplishments they have had in the last decade.

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'Fine' is a relative term. Unless you want to share what accomplishments they have had in the last decade.

This thread is about tryouts. You can go do your bashing on other threads as you have done countless times. Don't make this into another ECNL vs. ..... thread. We know you hate Westside, to an unhealthy degree, so perhaps some other therapy will do you some good.