Well the news is out, GDA is here and it's looking to be a top notch program. $2,000 fee and all expenses, including airfare and ground transportation to all games, is included. This will be an unbelievably amazing deal. Coaches will be scouting at state cup games and inviting kids to Thorn practices for ID training before May tryouts.
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Looks to be a great lineup of coaches as well. Those tryouts will be packed. -
They will be but unfortunately tryouts will be for show only.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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How can you have a director of coaching for an ECNL club taking one of the Thorns Academy teams? although, she is a great coach.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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She knows ECNL is toast. Who would want to play on one of the Oregon ECNL teams if they can get in the GDA? What Thorns have laid out will be very attractive for a lot of families. They are touting this as the college pathway. Safe to say ECNL just became the expensive second tier option in Oregon.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Since this information is not available/confirmable online, I presume you are a current Thorns academy parent. And if your info is correct, I wonder if you realize this means many current ECNL players will be headed to your tryouts. I know that you've probably lived in an OYSA bubble and with the OYSA/OPL TA/nonTA teams split, you probably don't realize that between the 2-4 ECNL teams that make up a Thorns academy age group team, there are players who will take spots from all but the top 5-10 current academy players on each team. I'm sure you will dismiss this because who could possibly unseat the defending Beaverton cup/Far West/OYSA champs, but it is true. Players 10-25 on those current rosters should be very, very concerned by this news. Hope you didn't burn too many bridges leaving your old clubs.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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You need to go look at their website again, but you can apply for a travel scholarship (that means it will be expensive)Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
From their website
Families will have the opportunity to apply for scholarships for travel events on a per-event basis.Comment
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The letter from Erik Lyslo to ODP and RTC states families willOriginally posted by Unregistered View Post
only be asked to pay $2,000 and that will cover all practices, coaches, fields, hotels, air and ground transportation to all games.Comment
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Letter states they are moving away from the pay-to-play model to attract the best players.
No high school soccer though which may be a turn off for some players.Comment
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That man couldn't tell the truth if you asked him what time it is. If you believe him you are a fool. Ask him about the summer college showcase tournament he promised last year's families that turned out to be the Beaverton cup.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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So they want to attract the top players but are only inviting current ODP and RTC players? Interesting. Meanwhile, the alliance teams are once more being used like the districts in The Hunger Games. Thorns steals whatever marginal talent is on those alliance teams and the clubs are supposed to be grateful to be part of this wonderful alliance.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Cost of Academy ProgramOriginally posted by Unregistered View Post
Across the world, typically the best players pay the least money. In the United States, traditionally youth soccer has been a pay to play model, costing the elite players thousands of dollars a year. Portland Thorns FC are making a massive investment in our youth system. In order to best serve and develop the best players in their territory, the cost of the program will be minimal. The organization is trying to invert the pyramid, move away from the pay-to-play model and thus attract the best players, without regard to a family’s ability to pay.
For the 10-month season with all the air travel, accommodation, van rental and practice that the Academy year will entail, players and their families will only be asked to provide an annual payment of $2000 to cover coaching, facility and field costs, as well as travel and accommodation. The Portland Thorns FC will book and pay for all air travel, ground transportation and hotel needs throughout the year. Care has been taken to ensure that all players do not get any other special treatment that would make them ineligible for NCAA programs.Comment
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This is by design. If the Timbers DA/Thorns DA are residents of the THPRD fields for games and training's, the new THUSC young clueless DOC is a political choice for the Thorns Staff to ensure the THUSC's top's girls migrate to the Thorns DA. Welcome to Oregon Soccer 101.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
Currently there is no body of work or club achievement that lends itself to a declaration of anyone being a great coach. Great at what? In this case a Great recruiting tool to drive girls to the Thorns, who happens to be a coach.Comment
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ECNL coaches must be in panic mode because they will have no players on their rosters capable of regional play next year. You are almost better off just going to a club that plays locally and also does Regional/national tournaments.,Comment
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