State of the Thorns

[Unregistered]

Is someone going to talk about the dire situation the Thorns are in?

The are being plundered like pirates of the carribean by nearby club(s) and they are losing current players going back to their own clubs for the only reason that the experience isn’t what’s being sold and it’s a little bit of a joke.

- Coaching isn’t good. These recycled dinosaurs who either don’t care (said by players) or are not capable of doing the job that is advertised. They need better coaches. Not ones that look good on paper but ones that are good at what they do.

- The standard is terrible for most of the teams. Kids not showing up here and there. Players leaving for better teams.

- Pathway to pros is turning out to be pathway to the same as everyone else if not worse for some players.

[Unregistered]

Is someone going to talk about the dire situation the Thorns are in?

The are being plundered like pirates of the carribean by nearby club(s) and they are losing current players going back to their own clubs for the only reason that the experience isn’t what’s being sold and it’s a little bit of a joke.

- Coaching isn’t good. These recycled dinosaurs who either don’t care (said by players) or are not capable of doing the job that is advertised. They need better coaches. Not ones that look good on paper but ones that are good at what they do.

- The standard is terrible for most of the teams. Kids not showing up here and there. Players leaving for better teams.

- Pathway to pros is turning out to be pathway to the same as everyone else if not worse for some players.

“Is someone going to talk about it?” Have you read literally every other thread on this board?

Yes. You’re right about everything. But thorns will stick around because there are die hard parents who burned bridges at other clubs and refuse to admit they’re wrong. Because there are parents who want to brag about Tobin being at their kid’s training or their kid playing on the same field as Moultrie. Because every year the musical chairs that is club tryouts means parents unhappy with club X Y or Z will try thorns. And because every year an entire crop of suckers - I mean kids - just spent a year getting filled full of propaganda in ODP. Who cares? My kid never left her OYSA team, had a fun and happy high school and club experience, and will play for a college with academy and ECNL players on the roster. To each his own.

[Unregistered]

If any parents actually did their research online they would quickly find that the Thorns have the worst teams in their conference for each of their age group teams. They are developing alright. Developing into players that rarely win games or score goals.

But, they wear the Thorns crest on their jersey so parents think they are playing for the Thorns. The reality is they are playing for the Westside Timbers who run the Thorns Academy.

How embarrassing for the actual professional side that their own academy is the worst in their own conference and one of the worst in the nation.

[Unregistered]

Is someone going to talk about the dire situation the Thorns are in?

The are being plundered like pirates of the carribean by nearby club(s) and they are losing current players going back to their own clubs for the only reason that the experience isn’t what’s being sold and it’s a little bit of a joke.

- Coaching isn’t good. These recycled dinosaurs who either don’t care (said by players) or are not capable of doing the job that is advertised. They need better coaches. Not ones that look good on paper but ones that are good at what they do.

- The standard is terrible for most of the teams. Kids not showing up here and there. Players leaving for better teams.

- Pathway to pros is turning out to be pathway to the same as everyone else if not worse for some players.

It’s the same all over but possibly the worst at Thorns Academy. At least in Oregon, it really doesn’t matter if you play oysa, ecnl or gda. The girls from each league are ending up at the same darn schools. Pick a team and coach you dd likes. All 3 leagues will have the same results for the individual. It’s the player not the team.

[Unregistered]

It’s the same all over but possibly the worst at Thorns Academy. At least in Oregon, it really doesn’t matter if you play oysa, ecnl or gda. The girls from each league are ending up at the same darn schools. Pick a team and coach you dd likes. All 3 leagues will have the same results for the individual. It’s the player not the team.

Don't forget to relish playing in HS where your recreational hs team will never come within 8-10 goals of Jesuit HS, it's what memories are made of.

Oregon is a flipping Train Wreck.

[Unregistered]

It’s the same all over but possibly the worst at Thorns Academy. At least in Oregon, it really doesn’t matter if you play oysa, ecnl or gda. The girls from each league are ending up at the same darn schools. Pick a team and coach you dd likes. All 3 leagues will have the same results for the individual. It’s the player not the team.

Very true.

[Unregistered]

Thorns need to decide what they want to operate--a real academy, or a youth club.

"Real academy" means most of the cost is subsidized, even if less so than the boys.

They aren't doing that. If they are just going to be a youth club, than their competition is the ECNL teams as well as the OYSA premier teams. Were they a real academy, like the boys' side at least approaches, they probably would be able to peel a lot more of the top talent away.

But without that, they're just another overpriced travel team.

[Unregistered]

Thorns need to decide what they want to operate--a real academy, or a youth club.

"Real academy" means most of the cost is subsidized, even if less so than the boys.

They aren't doing that. If they are just going to be a youth club, than their competition is the ECNL teams as well as the OYSA premier teams. Were they a real academy, like the boys' side at least approaches, they probably would be able to peel a lot more of the top talent away.

But without that, they're just another overpriced travel team.

With so little top talent to available to choose from in Oregon the NWSL Thorns Academy private business is committed to subsidizing travel for the best of Oregon's mediocre talent pool. Which is ironic compared to the neighborhood non-profit mission based 501c3 clubs that travel all year & are surprisingly charging full fare + asking their parents to cover the costs of top 2 or 3 girls on the team who can't afford it.

Which begs the fundamental question of the local clubs that has never and can't be answered 'why travel all year vs playing locally & pick up a few travel events'? The only answer given is; 'because we love the HS recreational level and don't want to give that up ever'. Misdirection and pivoting to a nonsensical & absurd POV. It's truly the greatest reveal in this con.

[Unregistered]

Oh yay. Another thread bashing thorns

Give it a rest you schmucks. No one cares about girls soccer let alone your rants

[Unregistered]

If any parents actually did their research online they would quickly find that the Thorns have the worst teams in their conference for each of their age group teams. They are developing alright. Developing into players that rarely win games or score goals.

But, they wear the Thorns crest on their jersey so parents think they are playing for the Thorns. The reality is they are playing for the Westside Timbers who run the Thorns Academy.

How embarrassing for the actual professional side that their own academy is the worst in their own conference and one of the worst in the nation.

At least they are keeping busy.

[Unregistered]

It’s the same all over but possibly the worst at Thorns Academy. At least in Oregon, it really doesn’t matter if you play oysa, ecnl or gda. The girls from each league are ending up at the same darn schools. Pick a team and coach you dd likes. All 3 leagues will have the same results for the individual. It’s the player not the team.

Do you enjoy putting down kids that are just trying to learn to play a sport?

[Unregistered]

It’s the same all over but possibly the worst at Thorns Academy. At least in Oregon, it really doesn’t matter if you play oysa, ecnl or gda. The girls from each league are ending up at the same darn schools. Pick a team and coach you dd likes. All 3 leagues will have the same results for the individual. It’s the player not the team.

I would go as far as saying it’s the coach period.

[Unregistered]

Do you enjoy putting down kids that are just trying to learn to play a sport?

Not my post, but how is it putting down kids to state the baldly obvious truth that no matter if they are thorns, ecnl, or oysa, they are ending up at the same schools? No one said that's a bad thing. No one said they are bad players. The kids are not the villains here. The kids are the victims of unscrupulous adults playing turf war games.

[Unregistered]

Not my post, but how is it putting down kids to state the baldly obvious truth that no matter if they are thorns, ecnl, or oysa, they are ending up at the same schools? No one said that's a bad thing. No one said they are bad players. The kids are not the villains here. The kids are the victims of unscrupulous adults playing turf war games.

Clackamas and Notre Dame are the same

[Unregistered]

Clackamas and Notre Dame are the same

Hahaha sorry CU but a random walk on doesn’t justify the clackamas products you produce