Oysa

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Everyone has choices to make in life. Make yours and roll with it but don't blame others because they made different choices than you.

Not criticizing anyone.

Pointing out that many youth soccer clubs, especially competitive ones (which often have players who live a considerable distance from the training ground), pose significant difficulties for some families--even if the club fees are subsidized.

Now what to do about it, I'm not sure--practices and games need to be sometime, and there will always be someone for whom it's inconvenient. In some cases, the difficulty isn't correlated to economics, but to other things--religion (I know lots of talented kids who don't do competitive soccer because they aren't allowed to play matches on Sunday), parents who need to work weekends, language barriers (not so much the kids, who pick up English quickly in school, but the parents), etc. And even for those families whose parents work 9-5, who can drive Junior to practice, pay the dues, and are willing to book a hotel room for a Spring League game in Bend--it's a big commitment.

But for many skilled kids, getting into the "pipeline" is impossible because of various circumstances.

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This thread has gotten off topic, although into an interesting area (high-cost of youth soccer).

Honestly though, don't think we are ever going to get out of pay-to-play (and therefore inequality in access) until their is training compensation and solidarity payments. In the meantime, many, many clubs attempt to remove economic issues as a barrier to participation.

Now if we can only get a league structure that charges a fair price and supports the needs of all club, team, and players, we can make a little dent on these issues.

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Here here.

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Here here.

The new people elected and the staff that have left recently should help.

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Turns out there are many in the alliance that are as tired of the Timbers as are the Nike clubs. Had no idea.

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Turns out there are many in the alliance that are as tired of the Timbers as are the Nike clubs. Had no idea.

We are from a TA club and our entire club would bail from TA in a heartbeat if there was anywhere else to go. We receive zero benefits from being part of the vaunted Alliance. Bunch of crap.

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We are from a TA club and our entire club would bail from TA in a heartbeat if there was anywhere else to go. We receive zero benefits from being part of the vaunted Alliance. Bunch of crap.

Then bail. The Timbers don't have a gun at teams' heads; if the relationship is not viewed as productive, then when the deal's up, leave. Why do you think you "need somewhere else to go"--there are plenty of successful independent clubs around. Westside Metros, Capital Football Club, and the rest were all successful clubs before joining the TA.

(As a parent at a TA club, it's a big "meh". I don't care much either way.)

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We are from a TA club and our entire club would bail from TA in a heartbeat if there was anywhere else to go. We receive zero benefits from being part of the vaunted Alliance. Bunch of crap.

where do you live?

[Unregistered]

Then bail. The Timbers don't have a gun at teams' heads; if the relationship is not viewed as productive, then when the deal's up, leave. Why do you think you "need somewhere else to go"--there are plenty of successful independent clubs around. Westside Metros, Capital Football Club, and the rest were all successful clubs before joining the TA.

(As a parent at a TA club, it's a big "meh". I don't care much either way.)

Not so simple outside of the metro area, but glad Eastside is working out for you.

[Unregistered]

Not so simple outside of the metro area, but glad Eastside is working out for you.

The OP said "our entire club would bail from TA in a heartbeat if there was anywhere else to go."

Obviously, if you live in Bend/Salem/Eugene the local TA club doesn't have significant competition--but what I meant in response is the local TA club isn't obligated to stay in TA. If "the entire club" is unhappy with the relationship, I suspect the DoC and board will at least give some attention to their concerns.

(If, on the other hand, "our entire club" means "me and a few other disgruntled parents", that's a different matter).

[Unregistered]

The OP said "our entire club would bail from TA in a heartbeat if there was anywhere else to go."

Obviously, if you live in Bend/Salem/Eugene the local TA club doesn't have significant competition--but what I meant in response is the local TA club isn't obligated to stay in TA. If "the entire club" is unhappy with the relationship, I suspect the DoC and board will at least give some attention to their concerns.

(If, on the other hand, "our entire club" means "me and a few other disgruntled parents", that's a different matter).

The board members, DoC, etc of the TA clubs aren't unhappy. They get all kinds of free Timbers gear, tickets to games, gravy jobs coaching ODP, etc. It's everyone else in the club that gets the shaft.

[Unregistered]

The board members, DoC, etc of the TA clubs aren't unhappy. They get all kinds of free Timbers gear, tickets to games, gravy jobs coaching ODP, etc. It's everyone else in the club that gets the shaft.

I get a queasy feeling every time I see someone involved in youth soccer in a Timbers' tracksuit.

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I get a queasy feeling every time I see someone involved in youth soccer in a Timbers' tracksuit.

Winner!

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I get a queasy feeling every time I see someone involved in youth soccer in a Timbers' tracksuit.

I got the same feeling every time I used to see Tom Atencio. Thank goodness that doesn't happen anymore.

[Unregistered]

Turns out there are many in the alliance that are as tired of the Timbers as are the Nike clubs. Had no idea.

I wrote the above but think my comment was misinterpreted - was focused on Timbers' involvement in OYSA and ODP. There is a surprising amount agreement among alliance and non-alliance clubs that this set-up needs to change.