Washington Timbers Boys Flame Out (again) at State Cup

[Unregistered]

They divided the talent onto two teams. Parents on the weaker team were frustrated and didn't understand the rationale behind the selections. It's going to be a questionable decision given the ultimate outcome, but was it done for the right reason? If so, I'm behind it and I don't see any evidence to turn on a club that's made this much progress in 18 months.

Ummmmm the U12's won NWCL in their only event where they put together the best of the age group. State Cup the U12's built two equal teams. They would have buried the field otherwise. I'm not happy we didn't but understand the logic behind it. The BU12 pool is waaaaay too deep, splitting playing time with other top players seems senseless so why not divide them up. Not to mention my DD made the ODP Pool with 19 other W-T-F-C boys.

[Unregistered]

Ummmmm the U12's won NWCL in their only event where they put together the best of the age group. State Cup the U12's built two equal teams. They would have buried the field otherwise. I'm not happy we didn't but understand the logic behind it. The BU12 pool is waaaaay too deep, splitting playing time with other top players seems senseless so why not divide them up. Not to mention my DD made the ODP Pool with 19 other W-T-F-C boys.

So they had 30 player's that all of them had the same skill . Impressive

[Unregistered]

This is true. 3 for 3 in semi-finalists? Successful by all accounts. OP has a small pp. clearly.

Washington Timbers are by far the largest club in the area and have a captive market. They have minimal competition in Vancouver. So to claim 4th place every time against a diluted Portland market? Not sure that is something to brag about.
Westside and Eastside have finalists and champions with a much smaller pool of players.
With their size of a club, the Oregon State Cup should not even be an option for Wash Timbers, because it should be too easy. They should be up North getting 4th place if they want to brag.

[Unregistered]

Washington Timbers are by far the largest club in the area and have a captive market. They have minimal competition in Vancouver. So to claim 4th place every time against a diluted Portland market? Not sure that is something to brag about.
Westside and Eastside have finalists and champions with a much smaller pool of players.
With their size of a club, the Oregon State Cup should not even be an option for Wash Timbers, because it should be too easy. They should be up North getting 4th place if they want to brag.

They're only the largest club if you count the 99% of their membership that is rec or rec-level. WashT has very very few top players, and it's an absolute talent desert above U13.

[Unregistered]

Washington Timbers are by far the largest club in the area and have a captive market. They have minimal competition in Vancouver. So to claim 4th place every time against a diluted Portland market? Not sure that is something to brag about.
Westside and Eastside have finalists and champions with a much smaller pool of players.
With their size of a club, the Oregon State Cup should not even be an option for Wash Timbers, because it should be too easy. They should be up North getting 4th place if they want to brag.

It's not bragging. This thread was started to trash the Wa Timbers boys teams. The fact is that 3 age groups on the boys side entered. 3 age groups made the final 4. Do they wish they did better? I imagine so. But it's still a solid showing. Saying otherwise is only to troll.

[Unregistered]

It's not bragging. This thread was started to trash the Wa Timbers boys teams. The fact is that 3 age groups on the boys side entered. 3 age groups made the final 4. Do they wish they did better? I imagine so. But it's still a solid showing. Saying otherwise is only to troll.

"This thread was started to trash the Wa Timbers boys teams." Wrong. Lose the persecution complex and learn how to read.
This thread was started to point out that the Washington Timbers played a style of play -- smash and crash -- in the state cup (and yes, flamed out). And that style is the way it has always been, and is in direct conflict with what Brett Jacobs (who knows what he is doing) is trying to accomplish.
Coaches were obviously chasing results and playing boot ball. But then again, so was almost every other club.

[Unregistered]

"This thread was started to trash the Wa Timbers boys teams." Wrong. Lose the persecution complex and learn how to read.
This thread was started to point out that the Washington Timbers played a style of play -- smash and crash -- in the state cup (and yes, flamed out). And that style is the way it has always been, and is in direct conflict with what Brett Jacobs (who knows what he is doing) is trying to accomplish.
Coaches were obviously chasing results and playing boot ball. But then again, so was almost every other club.

I would add:
This thread was also started to see if the Washington Timbers parents are happy with the style of play and player development. An informal poll.
Sadly, I get the feeling that had the Washington Timbers won, that group of parents would feel validated and great about their son's development.
It's the player development that matters. And almost every team was playing boot ball.
If a team really did develop players to be technical and possess the ball with skill (and not just put the big kids in the back to smash the ball and smash the other players), then those teams would also win (ie, not flame out).

[Unregistered]

Depends on what you mean by "rec level"

They're only the largest club if you count the 99% of their membership that is rec or rec-level. WashT has very very few top players, and it's an absolute talent desert above U13.

Like many classic clubs, WashT also has a rec arm (Vancouver United Soccer Alliance), that's branded differently (different kit, etc.).

They also have five U11 boys teams, which I believe is the most of any club in the area. (Westside has four BU11 teams, Eastside has three). Most of those teams are non-premier; only Red entered the State Cup. Green is also a highly skilled team and IIRC was runner-up in the Presidents Cup, and are certainly capable of playing Beautiful Passing Soccer; there's a noticeable drop-off after that, as you would expect at most clubs. If you consider the Lime/Forest/Burgundy teams "rec level", then your 99% claim might be close to true. Otherwise, it's not. (Generally, 90% of organized soccer players are rec, but I don't know what share of the market VUSA has in rec soccer north of the river).

[Unregistered]

Like many classic clubs, WashT also has a rec arm (Vancouver United Soccer Alliance), that's branded differently (different kit, etc.).

They also have five U11 boys teams, which I believe is the most of any club in the area. (Westside has four BU11 teams, Eastside has three). Most of those teams are non-premier; only Red entered the State Cup. Green is also a highly skilled team and IIRC was runner-up in the Presidents Cup, and are certainly capable of playing Beautiful Passing Soccer; there's a noticeable drop-off after that, as you would expect at most clubs. If you consider the Lime/Forest/Burgundy teams "rec level", then your 99% claim might be close to true. Otherwise, it's not. (Generally, 90% of organized soccer players are rec, but I don't know what share of the market VUSA has in rec soccer north of the river).

"Generally, 90% of organized soccer players are rec ..."
I would revise: "Generally, 90% of competitive soccer players are rec ...." after watching state cup. Why? The training is so poor, across the board.

[Unregistered]

"Generally, 90% of organized soccer players are rec ..."
I would revise: "Generally, 90% of competitive soccer players are rec ...." after watching state cup. Why? The training is so poor, across the board.

No amount of training can turn untalented kids into good soccer players.

[Unregistered]

That's why there is a pyramid.

"Generally, 90% of organized soccer players are rec ..."
I would revise: "Generally, 90% of competitive soccer players are rec ...." after watching state cup. Why? The training is so poor, across the board.

Calling every level of the pyramid below that of your DD or SS "rec" isn't helpful. Rec does have a meaning, and whatever Washington Timbers Burgundy is, it's not rec.

The top 10% of soccer players can play classic.
The top 1-2% of soccer players are State Cup material.
The top 0.1% of soccer players are DA/ECNL material.
The top 0.01% of soccer players are national team pool material.

[Unregistered]

"This thread was started to trash the Wa Timbers boys teams." Wrong. Lose the persecution complex and learn how to read.
This thread was started to point out that the Washington Timbers played a style of play -- smash and crash -- in the state cup (and yes, flamed out). And that style is the way it has always been, and is in direct conflict with what Brett Jacobs (who knows what he is doing) is trying to accomplish.
Coaches were obviously chasing results and playing boot ball. But then again, so was almost every other club.

you must not have watched the U12's play. They play better soccer than all age groups and in fact lost in the semi's trying to play the game correctly. I watched the other team punt the ball 40 times while my DD's team built up from the back. Quit spewing garbage until you've seen all teams play.

[Unregistered]

I would add:
This thread was also started to see if the Washington Timbers parents are happy with the style of play and player development. An informal poll.
Sadly, I get the feeling that had the Washington Timbers won, that group of parents would feel validated and great about their son's development.
It's the player development that matters. And almost every team was playing boot ball.
If a team really did develop players to be technical and possess the ball with skill (and not just put the big kids in the back to smash the ball and smash the other players), then those teams would also win (ie, not flame out).

I disagree. Our coach teaches to build out of the back. He has stated many times that it is the hardest way to play the game and they will lose many games at young ages while working on it. Some parents are bent that he doesn't play to win the game (especially this weekend in the Semi's). I appreciate the fact that the team does not go away from playing the game correctly no matter if it is a state cup game or a in house scrimmage. All other coaches in the area don't have the gonads to even try that.

[Unregistered]

Washington Timbers are by far the largest club in the area and have a captive market. They have minimal competition in Vancouver. So to claim 4th place every time against a diluted Portland market? Not sure that is something to brag about.
Westside and Eastside have finalists and champions with a much smaller pool of players.
With their size of a club, the Oregon State Cup should not even be an option for Wash Timbers, because it should be too easy. They should be up North getting 4th place if they want to brag.

oh it was evident at RTC Tourney in Eugene. Vancouver had the best '04 and '03 teams. Their style of play was nothing like my DD's RTC team. They dominated all of us. I'm sure the Timbers Staff took note.

[Unregistered]

oh it was evident at RTC Tourney in Eugene. Vancouver had the best '04 and '03 teams. Their style of play was nothing like my DD's RTC team. They dominated all of us. I'm sure the Timbers Staff took note.

Are you talking about girls teams?