ODP Arizona

[Unregistered]

Ah, NHL teams don't have youth academies. Nor do NFL, NBA, or MLB, at least not in this country (what some of their scouts do in other countries is a different story)..

The defacto NHL junior league/clubs/academies play in the CHL. The CHL includes four teams in Washington and one in Oregon in the Western Hockey League, and two teams in Michigan and one in Pennsylvania in the Ontario Hockey League. This Direct/indirect linkage to NHL since thye draft from this league.

MLB has direct linkage to the minor league affiliates and yes HS aged players do play in them.

NBA and NFL have direct linkage to the colleges in the states.

In the end Professional Soccer in the states has a clear, distinct direct pipeline to the pros with their own Academies.

Why a local Oregon neighborhood club would have issue with this reality speaks volumes about their insecurity and ego. That's it.

Know your role.

[Unregistered]

The defacto NHL junior league/clubs/academies play in the CHL. The CHL includes four teams in Washington and one in Oregon in the Western Hockey League, and two teams in Michigan and one in Pennsylvania in the Ontario Hockey League. This Direct/indirect linkage to NHL since thye draft from this league.

MLB has direct linkage to the minor league affiliates and yes HS aged players do play in them.

NBA and NFL have direct linkage to the colleges in the states.

In the end Professional Soccer in the states has a clear, distinct direct pipeline to the pros with their own Academies.

Why a local Oregon neighborhood club would have issue with this reality speaks volumes about their insecurity and ego. That's it.

Know your role.

NHL doesn't have youth academies and doesn't administer youth hockey. They focus on having the best pro league in the world, which they do pretty successfully.

NHL knows its place and it isn't kiddy hockey.

[Unregistered]

So you're saying don't tell the HS/MS local Hockey player (local soccer club player) that the level of coaching and competition in the NHL youth league (MLS/NSWL Academy) is actually a huge step up.

Since there is no need to state the obvious to the uninformed. Got it.

“Level of coaching” a huge step up? The Thorns GDA are just local coaches that have moved over from other local clubs. I’m not saying they’re bad coaches, and they appear to be towards the top end of local coaches, but they’re not being sent here from some special place.
As for competition, I do think the best Cali clubs are a high level. Unfortunately, the Thorns and lower Cali clubs get waxed by those top clubs. And so, in the end, the coaching and competition level (that Oregon can reasonably compete against) is roughly similar to ECNL. And there is no shame in Oregon’s top teams (be it GDA or ECNL) only playing competitively against less than the top teams, we have a drastically smaller player pool than Cali, NY/NJ, Texas, Atlanta.

[Unregistered]

In BU17 final, Oregon ties Cal South 0-0, loses the shootout 3-1.
In BU15, final, Arizona defeats Oregon 3-0.

[Unregistered]

In BU17 final, Oregon ties Cal South 0-0, loses the shootout 3-1.
In BU15, final, Arizona defeats Oregon 3-0.

Good job Cony, Steve E, Brandon, Nelson, other coaches and most importantly the players! 2 Oregon teams in finals is a good showing.

[Unregistered]

NHL doesn't have youth academies and doesn't administer youth hockey. They focus on having the best pro league in the world, which they do pretty successfully.NHL knows its place and it isn't kiddy hockey.

Just jumping in on this, but are you aware Soccer/Football is not an American sport? The entire world connects their youth soccer/football academies to their senior team (Pro). Our local neighborhood clubs have no senior or pro teams.
We do have pro teams in the area though and they seem to be following the world soccer/football model pretty successfully and they embrace their role with kiddy soccer.

Most inhabitants of planet earth outside of USA, know and practice what's best when it comes to soccer/football.

Unless, of course it impacts the pocketbooks, ego and the grandiose delusional s of the neighborhood youth soccer wannabe's errr...coaches, jus sayin.

[Unregistered]

Not the OP. I support the Timbers and GDA but see one power the neighborhood clubs have is
attracting the majority of the top girls to stay and play at their neighborhood club despite being recruited by the subsidized gda. Or some try it, start and play all game for the Academy but then leave to go back to their neighborhood club. As you correctly stated, the Thorns GDA hold all the power so it is even more shocking that they haven’t attracted the majority of the top talent. Thorns senior team is one of the best and most popular NWSL teams but, sadly, the Thorns GDA teams are almost all near the bottom. It is better for all Oregon girls if our “top” teams do well so I hope Thorns gda, the ecnl teams and all the top oysa travel teams can do well and that all Oregon girls, regardless of league, can develop further and become the best players they can. Bottom line is, the individual girls hold all the power and they can play wherever they want. Everyone’s path is different but I am happy our Oregon girls have gda & ecnl and oysa paths to choose from.

Truth. Each team or league is only as good as they players who sign up and the coaches who are hired to coach. Different top female players are picking different teams for different reasons. Each path has proven successful for any decent players and everyone has seen it and knows it. Players know they can pick the path that suits them. Ecnl, gda & good oysa travel teams have been equally successful (with the edge actually going to Ecnl). Doubt anyone falls for “we have the only truly elite path” garbage despite the trolls on here constantly spouting ridiculous statements like that. Oregon is much too small a soccer world for anyone to not see the actual truth. The top players are spread all over the state because there actually is no one best elite path. And there’s nothing wrong with that!

[Unregistered]

Truth. Each team or league is only as good as they players who sign up and the coaches who are hired to coach. Different top female players are picking different teams for different reasons. Each path has proven successful for any decent players and everyone has seen it and knows it. Players know they can pick the path that suits them. Ecnl, gda & good oysa travel teams have been equally successful (with the edge actually going to Ecnl). Doubt anyone falls for “we have the only truly elite path” garbage despite the trolls on here constantly spouting ridiculous statements like that. Oregon is much too small a soccer world for anyone to not see the actual truth. The top players are spread all over the state because there actually is no one best elite path. And there’s nothing wrong with that!

Ecnl is spiraling. Got out developed and out college recruited by salmon creek and others this year. Should ask someone why they can’t get people to stay on the older teams there?

[Unregistered]

Just jumping in on this, but are you aware Soccer/Football is not an American sport? The entire world connects their youth soccer/football academies to their senior team (Pro). Our local neighborhood clubs have no senior or pro teams.
We do have pro teams in the area though and they seem to be following the world soccer/football model pretty successfully and they embrace their role with kiddy soccer.

Most inhabitants of planet earth outside of USA, know and practice what's best when it comes to soccer/football.

Unless, of course it impacts the pocketbooks, ego and the grandiose delusional s of the neighborhood youth soccer wannabe's errr...coaches, jus sayin.

Other guy was bringing up hockey - it is a lousy analogy.

Most countires have a system of solidarity tying big and little fish together; we do not respect that system in this country; pro teams don’t run youth leagues in other countires. This peregrine/oysa s_h_i_t show is a uniquely oregon invention.

[Unregistered]

A few good players and a bunch of filler can’t compete with other good states. However, if you play DA, Ecnl or top Oysa travel team, then there is no big reason to do ODP, particularly the older you get. That’s more of a compliment to those other teams and programs for providing opportunities (including id2 & pdp) and making odp unnecessary than it is a knock on odp itself.

The other problem is a huge chunk of Oregon’s best players choose Ecnl or an Oysa team over the Thorns Academy itself and odp is defined by the Timbers/Thorns as the Thorns B team. Not much incentive for a player who could make the Thorns Academy 1st Team to play on the Academy’s B team. There have also been oysa “top” players that didn’t shine in odp so they opt out. Many top players (and their parents) have far too much ego to play on a so called B team, much less, not start or not stand out on that B team. Again, not Odp’s fault.

On the other hand, Oregon odp sent quite a few players to Phoenix. The good players and the filler are all playing soccer against at least decent players from other states like California. I know odp isn’t dead yet because odp still generated enough interest to get several pages of comment on TS. I say, the more soccer options the better, so good luck to all the Oregon odp players and teams playing the beautiful game.

Your last statement is dead wrong imho. Too many options waters everything down.
How many so-called ‘elite’ programs can there be before it's all mediocre?

[Unregistered]

USYS OYSA teams: 1/5 teams from Oregon are good, the rest are eh.

Ecnl: Weak League now with 1/5 teams from Oregon that are good. The rest are no better or worse than OYSA weak teams.

DA: Weak overall from Oregon and maybe 1 team that would do well in state. Biggest waste other than the cost.

[Unregistered]

USYS OYSA teams: 1/5 teams from Oregon are good, the rest are eh.

Ecnl: Weak League now with 1/5 teams from Oregon that are good. The rest are no better or worse than OYSA weak teams.

DA: Weak overall from Oregon and maybe 1 team that would do well in state. Biggest waste other than the cost.

In short, we all stink! Woohoo!

[Unregistered]

In short, we all stink! Woohoo!

In short, Oregon girls soccer has always been like New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, or Kentucky.

It does not matter what league you play for or what amazing random club plays in that league even though you don’t get to play them, it does not mean you are elite.

It does not matter what some random person said about the da when the thorns can’t even put together competitive teams.

It does not matter if you went to USYS regionals when 75% of the teams in your state league are terrible.

The moral to the story is ensure your kid enjoys themselves and has like minded coaches and players around them. Period.

The actual facts point to that you will get whatever college placement that reflects the time and dedication you had. It also points out that high end scams that pander to words like elite or pros or dumb stuff like that also lands your kid to quitting or over paying.

[Unregistered]

If you took the top 30 teams in the country Oregon doesn’t have a single girls team ever in it.

If you took the top 100 girls players in the country, Oregon has maybe 1-2 in it ever now and then and it comes from a different club everytime.

These are the facts


If you took the amount of plates that quit or over pay for a college placement from da, USYS ,or Ecnl you’ll find that Oregon is in the top for that.

If you took the amount of propaganda that is used to fight over the mediocre players you’ll find Oregon is competitive for that.

You won’t find any facts that say otherwise to the above. Anyone who claims so is lying to you.

[Unregistered]

In short, Oregon girls soccer has always been like New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, or Kentucky.

It does not matter what league you play for or what amazing random club plays in that league even though you don’t get to play them, it does not mean you are elite.

It does not matter what some random person said about the da when the thorns can’t even put together competitive teams.

It does not matter if you went to USYS regionals when 75% of the teams in your state league are terrible.

The moral to the story is ensure your kid enjoys themselves and has like minded coaches and players around them. Period.

The actual facts point to that you will get whatever college placement that reflects the time and dedication you had. It also points out that high end scams that pander to words like elite or pros or dumb stuff like that also lands your kid to quitting or over paying.

This is the most honest post in this thread