How did thornz acad end up such a mess?

[Unregistered]

Four times per week they drive from Eugene to Portland? That's 16 hours per week in the car.

64 hours per month, in the car. That much sitting cant be healthy.

Over a couple of years that's going to add up to thousands of hours just sitting in the car. Going to miss school events and life events.

That's a mighty sacrifice of their youth. I feel bad for the kids.

Good training for being a truck driver later in life.

They don't go up 4 times a week for practice. Twice during the week, then whatever the weekend requires. No hate for them in Eugene. Everyone wishes them well, but obviously it's not for everyone.

[Unregistered]

Three Eugene girls doing Thorns Academy. One more made it and chose not to join. Obviously the players that did join are more serious and committed players. Eugene parents need to quit hating because their kids don't have a high level of motivation.

There is no hate in Eugene. None. Get your facts straight. Their old teammates and families watch them play when they are in the same town and not playing each other.

[Unregistered]

There is no hate in Eugene. None. Get your facts straight. Their old teammates and families watch them play when they are in the same town and not playing each other.

Obviously posted by someone who doesn't know the 00 team or their coach well.

[Unregistered]

Obviously posted by someone who doesn't know the 00 team or their coach well.

I think you are creating drama where there is none. Seriously.

[Unregistered]

I think you are creating drama where there is none. Seriously.

Some people just want to win now and don't care about stupid college.

[Unregistered]

They don't go up 4 times a week for practice. Twice during the week, then whatever the weekend requires. No hate for them in Eugene. Everyone wishes them well, but obviously it's not for everyone.

What happens to them when it turns into GDAP next year? Isn't GDAP mandatory 4 days/wk training? Also, if they get waivers to play HS soccer, will they also be able to continue to play basketball & run xc/track? Much easier to do other sports if you only have to attend 2 trainings/wk vs 4/wk that the metro girls will have to. Special treatment will lead to in-team discontent more than from their old teams where their old teammates aren't willing to do all the driving even 2x/wk. Not much jealousy or hatred when your kids don't want to do it anyway.

[Unregistered]

What happens to them when it turns into GDAP next year? Isn't GDAP mandatory 4 days/wk training? Also, if they get waivers to play HS soccer, will they also be able to continue to play basketball & run xc/track? Much easier to do other sports if you only have to attend 2 trainings/wk vs 4/wk that the metro girls will have to. Special treatment will lead to in-team discontent more than from their old teams where their old teammates aren't willing to do all the driving even 2x/wk. Not much jealousy or hatred when your kids don't want to do it anyway.

Very true. I am confused about the stated purpose of academy. If it is to get a higher level of training and focus more on training instead of games, how is that accomplished by only attending half the practices? Do they pay the same fees? If so they are paying twice as much for training.

Regarding in-team discontent, I guarantee you that is happening already. Every one of those academy families thinks their DD is the next pro from Oregon. It's easy to be happy now when thorns is blowing out teams left and right. But when they get to games where they are actually challenged, and the coaches play the part-time trainers from Eugene over someone who is there full time, that's when the howls will begin. Especially considering several current thorns players left ECNL teams due to lack of playing time.

But what confuses me most about thorns is why on earth bother playing in OYSA. Beating teams 7/0 and 8/0 does nothing for player development and puts players at risk of injury against less skilled opponents. Thorns could have easily gotten into RCL through their connections with Vancouver. It would have been a higher level of play with more opportunity for development. They barely squeaked out a 1-0 win against Seattle United a few weeks ago, so it's entirely possible they might have tied or lost a game in RCL. I guess the risk of losing was too great for them, so they chose the safe route in OYSA.

[Unregistered]

Some people just want to win now and don't care about stupid college.

Glad someone had courage to say this.

[Unregistered]

I suspect the point of Thorns Academy this year isn't to develop this year's girls as much as it is a marketing tool for GDAP. Last year's THorns Academy teams didn't do well at all & lost most players. Simply can't afford for that to happen this year with needing to fill a roster for GDAP next year. This year they used the foot in the door with GDAP carrot to pull in some better players. Crushing teams in watered down oysa & winning tournaments (even low level) might lead more top players to switch over. Same reason people can trash Ecnl teams - if Ecnl teams never play local teams, they can't prove they are better. Thumping oysa teams makes a statement.

Still, if GDAP continues to make special deals with outlying players, the outlying players won't have to give up anything to play GDAP. Metro players will cry foul & might choose Ecnl/GPS or local club instead.

As far as 2 trainings/wk going against GDAP stated ideals, I think it goes to show GDAP is only about replacing ECNL, not being different. Same with the "now GDAP players can play HS". Breaking all their own rules shows this is simply a power & money grab.

[Unregistered]

I suspect the point of Thorns Academy this year isn't to develop this year's girls as much as it is a marketing tool for GDAP. Last year's THorns Academy teams didn't do well at all & lost most players. Simply can't afford for that to happen this year with needing to fill a roster for GDAP next year. This year they used the foot in the door with GDAP carrot to pull in some better players. Crushing teams in watered down oysa & winning tournaments (even low level) might lead more top players to switch over. Same reason people can trash Ecnl teams - if Ecnl teams never play local teams, they can't prove they are better. Thumping oysa teams makes a statement.

Still, if GDAP continues to make special deals with outlying players, the outlying players won't have to give up anything to play GDAP. Metro players will cry foul & might choose Ecnl/GPS or local club instead.

As far as 2 trainings/wk going against GDAP stated ideals, I think it goes to show GDAP is only about replacing ECNL, not being different. Same with the "now GDAP players can play HS". Breaking all their own rules shows this is simply a power & money grab.

I think you summed up something I have been thinking for a while. Thorns academy can't figure out what they want to be. They are an elite academy doing college showcase tournaments in Beaverton. They are not pay to play except it's $2000/year to join the team. Girls are required to practice four times/week except when they aren't. Players will need to give up high school soccer...oh, actually they won't...but they really should because it's terrible...but our best players will get waivers to play HS soccer. Other sports are not allowed except sometimes. Their mission is to play a higher level of soccer and they accomplish that by playing in the exact same OYSA league their players came from.

I am not exaggerating on any of these points. They are actual positions the thorns academy has taken or the GDA honchos have taken. I fully understand that anything new is always going to have growing pains, but this is ridiculous. Who are you? What is your mission? What is your plan to achieve that mission? You cannot get a straight answer on any of these questions and that is by far the biggest problem with thorns academy. The 00 players are sophomores and juniors and the 01 players are freshmen and sophomores. Very important recruiting years are being wasted while thorns figures out who they are and what they want to be.

And if you told any thorns parent this, their response would be "but we are winning...". So maybe the people in charge of thorns aren't so dumb after all.

[Unregistered]

I think you summed up something I have been thinking for a while. Thorns academy can't figure out what they want to be. They are an elite academy doing college showcase tournaments in Beaverton. They are not pay to play except it's $2000/year to join the team. Girls are required to practice four times/week except when they aren't. Players will need to give up high school soccer...oh, actually they won't...but they really should because it's terrible...but our best players will get waivers to play HS soccer. Other sports are not allowed except sometimes. Their mission is to play a higher level of soccer and they accomplish that by playing in the exact same OYSA league their players came from.

I am not exaggerating on any of these points. They are actual positions the thorns academy has taken or the GDA honchos have taken. I fully understand that anything new is always going to have growing pains, but this is ridiculous. Who are you? What is your mission? What is your plan to achieve that mission? You cannot get a straight answer on any of these questions and that is by far the biggest problem with thorns academy. The 00 players are sophomores and juniors and the 01 players are freshmen and sophomores. Very important recruiting years are being wasted while thorns figures out who they are and what they want to be.

And if you told any thorns parent this, their response would be "but we are winning...". So maybe the people in charge of thorns aren't so dumb after all.

The stated mission is to "run the ECNL into the ground". So far, they are failing miserably.

[Unregistered]

If GDAP makes allowances so outlying girls get to play HS soccer, basketball & xc/track, many of the metro girls will want to be able to have that also. Many Metro girls will choose Ecnl or another local option like GPS or a top club travel team over GDAP. No doubt all the special treatment will lead to major discontent.

[Unregistered]

The stated mission is to "run the ECNL into the ground". So far, they are failing miserably.

Bingo.

[Unregistered]

If GDAP makes allowances so outlying girls get to play HS soccer, basketball & xc/track, many of the metro girls will want to be able to have that also. Many Metro girls will choose Ecnl or another local option like GPS or a top club travel team over GDAP. No doubt all the special treatment will lead to major discontent.

I don't think the non Portland girls will get waivers for HS soccer based on where they live. I think it will be based on skill. The best players, who thorns doesn't want to lose to ECNL, will get the waivers.

I do think the non Portland girls, who are only required to attend two trainings/week, will have a better shot of fitting in HS XC, track or basketball. And I do think that will cause resentment by their teammates.

[Unregistered]

I don't think the non Portland girls will get waivers for HS soccer based on where they live. I think it will be based on skill. The best players, who thorns doesn't want to lose to ECNL, will get the waivers.

I do think the non Portland girls, who are only required to attend two trainings/week, will have a better shot of fitting in HS XC, track or basketball. And I do think that will cause resentment by their teammates.

I'm not sure the same allowances will be allowed in GDAP. Isn't there a maximum 75mi away residence requirement to play GDA?