Timbers boys da

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Timbers Academy falling further behind teams up north

The Timbers boys academy has been ridiculed for being too political. Look at the posts about how to make the RTC,ODP or Academy (train w/ Ryan and Tracy and Rose City Prep). That is the perception that exists, whether factually true or not. And it's not controverted by the Academy roster for the 2002 and 2003 groups.

The Timbers boys academy can be recognized for having top talent, giving opportunities for some players and trying to teach "good" soccer (speed of play, possession and positioning). But their rosters also contain players who did not start for their club teams, prior to the Academy.

It's curious as to why players (who have started for the Academy teams) have left the Academy. Look at the rosters for ET 01 and WT 01's and you'll find at least 3-4 former Academy players who chose not to continue with the academy. I do not have a relationship with those families and players so cannot say what the reasoning may be. But the perception is that the Academy did something wrong to turn away so many top players.

It's curious as to why the Sounders U14 team plays in the FWRL at the U16 level at the 01 age group and won that FWRL. At the same time, the Timbers Academy 02 boys barely topped the OYSA winter league and were middle of the table when they played at age in the FWRL, losing to some club teams.

The Sounders have an Academy team at each age group, which probably helps with getting game fitness and intensity for all their players. Curious as to why Timbers do not have teams at each age group. And if you look further north, the Vancouver Academy consistently produces players who make it into their senior team. Yes, the other cities have larger markets but that cannot be the excuse. As an organization, the Timbers need to look for answers and not excuses, as any good coach will tell you.

Curious as to why the Academy charges $125 for 2 days of tryouts. If 100 kids tryout, that's over $12,500 for fields, coaches for 2 days. Even if it's not a money maker, it sure smells like the Timbers are more concerned about making a profit than getting all talented players to tryout.

There are a lot of unknowns and bad perceptions of the Timbers Academy. If this were a business the coaches and academy director would have been let go due to poor performance. But, they're still there. Why, GW?

So, GW, what is your plan for the development and growth of the Timbers Academy. Because, maintaining the current system is not very reassuring to the masses who are interested in the direction of youth soccer in Portland.

[Unregistered]

The Timbers boys academy has been ridiculed for being too political. Look at the posts about how to make the RTC,ODP or Academy (train w/ Ryan and Tracy and Rose City Prep). That is the perception that exists, whether factually true or not. And it's not controverted by the Academy roster for the 2002 and 2003 groups.

The Timbers boys academy can be recognized for having top talent, giving opportunities for some players and trying to teach "good" soccer (speed of play, possession and positioning). But their rosters also contain players who did not start for their club teams, prior to the Academy.

It's curious as to why players (who have started for the Academy teams) have left the Academy. Look at the rosters for ET 01 and WT 01's and you'll find at least 3-4 former Academy players who chose not to continue with the academy. I do not have a relationship with those families and players so cannot say what the reasoning may be. But the perception is that the Academy did something wrong to turn away so many top players.

It's curious as to why the Sounders U14 team plays in the FWRL at the U16 level at the 01 age group and won that FWRL. At the same time, the Timbers Academy 02 boys barely topped the OYSA winter league and were middle of the table when they played at age in the FWRL, losing to some club teams.

The Sounders have an Academy team at each age group, which probably helps with getting game fitness and intensity for all their players. Curious as to why Timbers do not have teams at each age group. And if you look further north, the Vancouver Academy consistently produces players who make it into their senior team. Yes, the other cities have larger markets but that cannot be the excuse. As an organization, the Timbers need to look for answers and not excuses, as any good coach will tell you.

Curious as to why the Academy charges $125 for 2 days of tryouts. If 100 kids tryout, that's over $12,500 for fields, coaches for 2 days. Even if it's not a money maker, it sure smells like the Timbers are more concerned about making a profit than getting all talented players to tryout.

There are a lot of unknowns and bad perceptions of the Timbers Academy. If this were a business the coaches and academy director would have been let go due to poor performance. But, they're still there. Why, GW?

So, GW, what is your plan for the development and growth of the Timbers Academy. Because, maintaining the current system is not very reassuring to the masses who are interested in the direction of youth soccer in Portland.

People never get it for some reason, they think they have a say in how other's private parties spend their monies and how the run their business. This isn't akin to bitching at town hall and you get to share your voice and enact change in the process.

The only way to send a message is to bankrupt the operation, which is impossible currently due to the insatiable appetite of the Timbers Army's pub crawl contingent and the area's soccer neophytes who pay good monies to watch the MLS and NWSL teams. They sellout every game.

Nobody is asking your child to be part of the program they offer and they probably never will, they could care less.

[Unregistered]

People never get it for some reason, they think they have a say in how other's private parties spend their monies and how the run their business. This isn't akin to bitching at town hall and you get to share your voice and enact change in the process.

The only way to send a message is to bankrupt the operation, which is impossible currently due to the insatiable appetite of the Timbers Army's pub crawl contingent and the area's soccer neophytes who pay good monies to watch the MLS and NWSL teams. They sellout every game.

Nobody is asking your child to be part of the program they offer and they probably never will, they could care less.

Mostly right, except that unless your kid plays ECNL or little DA, your little Oregon soccer players pretty much have to pay the Timbers' tax.

God bless American (at least the Oregon version of it).

[Unregistered]

Timbers know they have a captive audience

Nobody is asking your child to be part of the program they offer and they probably never will, they could care less.

That's probably the gist of the problem in Oregon. There is no competition for the Timbers Academy. In Washington, they have Crossfire and other successful clubs which compete with the Sounders and provide options for top players. In Portland or Oregon, if you want your child to play top level soccer, you have to "pay the Timbers' tax" as some other poster stated.

[Unregistered]

Mostly right, except that unless your kid plays ECNL or little DA, your little Oregon soccer players pretty much have to pay the Timbers' tax.

God bless American (at least the Oregon version of it).

The club's elective 'Little DA' an league choice (ECNL) are local club decisions and their membership/participation does indeed have the weight of the 'pay to play' model smack on their forehead, and people hate spending 10k a year for this torture.

Peregrine isn't in the same category as a local club, they are part of the top tier of the DA/GDA which no Oregon Club ever will be as long as they are in town and were hand picked by US Soccer.

Every Oregon resident in the Timbers DA/GDA is privileged to be part of a funded professional club infrastructure.

The only taxes dollars helping offset anything are cherished and horded by the local clubs, they come from state, federal & county tax revenue, that help reduce your field costs at your local turf parks where your kids train and play games, that's were the biggest savings and an actual tax allocation plays a role and Peregrine has no access to this discounted use of fields. Only you the taxpayer do. Which keeps club soccer fees much lower than the real cost of using the fields. So you get much benefit from every tax paying resident of Oregon .
Some taxpayer feel this is unfair use of tax dollars on such a small group of revenue driven local soccer clubs. They have a point.

[Unregistered]

That's probably the gist of the problem in Oregon. There is no competition for the Timbers Academy. In Washington, they have Crossfire and other successful clubs which compete with the Sounders and provide options for top players. In Portland or Oregon, if you want your child to play top level soccer, you have to "pay the Timbers' tax" as some other poster stated.

The crux of the problem is we have no need for a DA (top tier) type program in little Portland.

That's why it doesn't work.

Other areas of the country it works because they have the requisite talent to be relevant.

We don't.

[Unregistered]

The club's elective 'Little DA' an league choice (ECNL) are local club decisions and their membership/participation does indeed have the weight of the 'pay to play' model smack on their forehead, and people hate spending 10k a year for this torture.

Peregrine isn't in the same category as a local club, they are part of the top tier of the DA/GDA which no Oregon Club ever will be as long as they are in town and were hand picked by US Soccer.

Every Oregon resident in the Timbers DA/GDA is privileged to be part of a funded professional club infrastructure.

The only taxes dollars helping offset anything are cherished and horded by the local clubs, they come from state, federal & county tax revenue, that help reduce your field costs at your local turf parks where your kids train and play games, that's were the biggest savings and an actual tax allocation plays a role and Peregrine has no access to this discounted use of fields. Only you the taxpayer do. Which keeps club soccer fees much lower than the real cost of using the fields. So you get much benefit from every tax paying resident of Oregon .
Some taxpayer feel this is unfair use of tax dollars on such a small group of revenue driven local soccer clubs. They have a point.

Listen yahoo, Timbers play in a public stadium and train on public land. Like so many pro sports teams in this country, they are a private monopoly living off public land. They also bring in millions from local 501(c)(3) in this monstrosity of an arrangement with OYSA; even better they get to plaster their logo all over the place!

But hey, glad you enjoy the foam finger.

[Unregistered]

Listen yahoo, Timbers play in a public stadium and train on public land. Like so many pro sports teams in this country, they are a private monopoly living off public land. They also bring in millions from local 501(c)(3) in this monstrosity of an arrangement with OYSA; even better they get to plaster their logo all over the place!

But hey, glad you enjoy the foam finger.

They negotiated a long term lease with city of Portland for the exclusive use of Providence Park.

They have a litany of revenue sources, including a profit stream from contracted services of running ODP and OYSA sanctioned leagues and cups.

What's so funny is you bring up the 'foam finger', profits from just that piece of merchandise alone could be funding their entire Academy programs given the popularity of the Timbers/Throns brand in the the PNW.

Welcome to business 101.

[Unregistered]

The crux of the problem is we have no need for a DA (top tier) type program in little Portland.

That's why it doesn't work.

Other areas of the country it works because they have the requisite talent to be relevant.

We don't.

So, you answer is we should not try because we are small. Great message for your kid

[Unregistered]

So, you answer is we should not try because we are small. Great message for your kid

Actually we produced great players from Oregon prior the DA, GDA and ECNL.

Nothing since.

Coincidence? Hardly.

[Unregistered]

Actually we produced great players from Oregon prior the DA, GDA and ECNL.

Nothing since.

Coincidence? Hardly.

Nepotism is killing Timbers and DA.

[Unregistered]

Nepotism is killing Timbers and DA.

I 100% agree!

[Unregistered]

Yes, They played 02 FWRL

I don't think they did very well though

[Unregistered]

People never get it for some reason, they think they have a say in how other's private parties spend their monies and how the run their business. This isn't akin to bitching at town hall and you get to share your voice and enact change in the process.

The only way to send a message is to bankrupt the operation, which is impossible currently due to the insatiable appetite of the Timbers Army's pub crawl contingent and the area's soccer neophytes who pay good monies to watch the MLS and NWSL teams. They sellout every game.

Nobody is asking your child to be part of the program they offer and they probably never will, they could care less.

Exactly the problem, those in charge "don't care"- we have people that are more interested in fleecing their own pockets and personal gain than making the tough choices and running a successful program without bias and prejudice. Like many have said the proof is in the results. These people should be fired and replaced for a lack of performance and creating such a mess. Portland has enough talent and population base, what we don't have is a staff that can put the oysa and youth issues aside and truly make decisions on ability and then develop that talent into a TEAM. Because the Timbers have demonstrated both the lack of desire or ability to do this you have a large contingent of parents that refuse to play ball with the Timbers and their kids never set foot in a Timbers program like rtc or odp and emphatically decline any invitation to do so....

[Unregistered]

Exactly the problem, those in charge "don't care"- we have people that are more interested in fleecing their own pockets and personal gain than making the tough choices and running a successful program without bias and prejudice. Like many have said the proof is in the results. These people should be fired and replaced for a lack of performance and creating such a mess. Portland has enough talent and population base, what we don't have is a staff that can put the oysa and youth issues aside and truly make decisions on ability and then develop that talent into a TEAM. Because the Timbers have demonstrated both the lack of desire or ability to do this you have a large contingent of parents that refuse to play ball with the Timbers and their kids never set foot in a Timbers program like rtc or odp and emphatically decline any invitation to do so....

Thinking you might mean 'lining their own pockets'

If they were fleecing their own pockets...they'd be stealing from themselves.
Dude.