Why did GPS Fail

[Unregistered]

Given all of the attention to this group, begs some question:

Why did GPS not succeed here when it has been very successful other places?
Is Portland somehow unique, or was GPS' execution poor here?

I mean its not like Portland has Socal Blues or Crossfire (Washington); nothing glamorous about the local fare. So why didn't GPS work here when it has elsewhere?

[Unregistered]

Given all of the attention to this group, begs some question:

Why did GPS not succeed here when it has been very successful other places?
Is Portland somehow unique, or was GPS' execution poor here?

I mean its not like Portland has Socal Blues or Crossfire (Washington); nothing glamorous about the local fare. So why didn't GPS work here when it has elsewhere?

It's reallly quite simple. They are a for profit entity. OYSA does not allow for profit entities as members.

[Unregistered]

Given all of the attention to this group, begs some question:

Why did GPS not succeed here when it has been very successful other places?
Is Portland somehow unique, or was GPS' execution poor here?

I mean its not like Portland has Socal Blues or Crossfire (Washington); nothing glamorous about the local fare. So why didn't GPS work here when it has elsewhere?

Ditto on the nonprofit thing. Also, choosing someone who burns bridges on a regular basis, even if he is a talented coach, didn't help.

[Unregistered]

There could be a bunch of reasons why it didn't succeed.

Did all the coaches really buy into the ideology? Some were 100% into pure individual development no matter what the results were on the field. While for some reason they brought in some coaches who are only about winning and recruiting in talent, rather than developing what they had.

The other tough part is parents in the portland area are really all about the W's. Why do so many parents club jump every year to the greener side. If at 12 years old you are good enough to jump onto one of the top teams in the area, then maybe you should look back at the club/coaches who helped get you to that point, and maybe stayed a bit longer there would be better for your development.

GPS was also too stretched without a real home. Yes they went through HSC, but some of their teams played out of gresham/clackamas. At some point if you don't have a true home, then how can you consistently build your teams, when players are all over the place.

[Unregistered]

There could be a bunch of reasons why it didn't succeed.

Did all the coaches really buy into the ideology? Some were 100% into pure individual development no matter what the results were on the field. While for some reason they brought in some coaches who are only about winning and recruiting in talent, rather than developing what they had.

The other tough part is parents in the portland area are really all about the W's. Why do so many parents club jump every year to the greener side. If at 12 years old you are good enough to jump onto one of the top teams in the area, then maybe you should look back at the club/coaches who helped get you to that point, and maybe stayed a bit longer there would be better for your development.

GPS was also too stretched without a real home. Yes they went through HSC, but some of their teams played out of gresham/clackamas. At some point if you don't have a true home, then how can you consistently build your teams, when players are all over the place.

You think families in South Carolina or east coast (where GPS has been successful) are any less win oriented than Portland? I find Portland parents kind of passive aggressive about winning - they pretend they don't care about it, but they do - back east they don't even pretend in my experience.

[Unregistered]

You maybe right. At some point the kids/families need to feel good about their results as well. Winning isn't everything, but you need to feel good about what your doing, so having a team in the right league to gain some confidence and enjoy playing is important.

Look at some of their younger girls teams last year

07's- Put in the premier white division- 1-8-3 with 34 goals against and 10 goals for
06's- put them in the top division and went 0-12 with 46 goals against and 8 goals for. And in spring they kept them in the top division. Whose idea was that?

At some point your development needs to fit where/who they are playing. Getting blown out and having zero success doesn't make kids want to stay and play.

[Unregistered]

Given all of the attention to this group, begs some question:

Why did GPS not succeed here when it has been very successful other places?
Is Portland somehow unique, or was GPS' execution poor here?

I mean its not like Portland has Socal Blues or Crossfire (Washington); nothing glamorous about the local fare. So why didn't GPS work here when it has elsewhere?

Leadership

[Unregistered]

For our age group, it was mostly that the people staying were more likeable than the people leaving. Doesn't mean everyone who left was unlikeable (really liked some of the kids that went to GPS and a couple of the parents), but it got down to feeling more connection with the families who stayed. As time passed, that chasm (between families who stayed and left) felt bigger not smaller.

The implication for GPS was that they couldn't get to a critical mass of players at age so they always had to bring up players that were too young for the age group they were playing. This wasn't playing up for development reasons; it was playing up because they couldn't field teams otherwise.

[Unregistered]

For our age group, it was mostly that the people staying were more likeable than the people leaving. Doesn't mean everyone who left was unlikeable (really liked some of the kids that went to GPS and a couple of the parents), but it got down to feeling more connection with the families who stayed. As time passed, that chasm (between families who stayed and left) felt bigger not smaller.

The implication for GPS was that they couldn't get to a critical mass of players at age so they always had to bring up players that were too young for the age group they were playing. This wasn't playing up for development reasons; it was playing up because they couldn't field teams otherwise.

Leadership.

They weren’t out to develop players they were out to make a living.

The Emperor has no clothes.

[Unregistered]

For our age group, it was mostly that the people staying were more likeable than the people leaving. Doesn't mean everyone who left was unlikeable (really liked some of the kids that went to GPS and a couple of the parents), but it got down to feeling more connection with the families who stayed. As time passed, that chasm (between families who stayed and left) felt bigger not smaller.

The implication for GPS was that they couldn't get to a critical mass of players at age so they always had to bring up players that were too young for the age group they were playing. This wasn't playing up for development reasons; it was playing up because they couldn't field teams otherwise.

You nailed a good point here about the player pool. Whatever level and wherever you play having like ability players around you is a good thing. And the bigger the player pool, not only can you put together teams that are at the same development period, but also have more teams to cater to players who need a little bit form multiple environments. when the player pool isn't there you get a few kids that are way ahead of the rest and so they get frustrated with the slowed down development to cater to kids who aren't close to their level. Its not about whose the best or weakest, its about having all those kids in a place they can get better and have fun with like ability kids.

[Unregistered]

You nailed a good point here about the player pool. Whatever level and wherever you play having like ability players around you is a good thing. And the bigger the player pool, not only can you put together teams that are at the same development period, but also have more teams to cater to players who need a little bit form multiple environments. when the player pool isn't there you get a few kids that are way ahead of the rest and so they get frustrated with the slowed down development to cater to kids who aren't close to their level. Its not about whose the best or weakest, its about having all those kids in a place they can get better and have fun with like ability kids.

It also added fuel to the fire -the harder time they had fielding full-age appropriate programs, the harder their coaches and parents recruited. Only ticked off families at local clubs more.

[Unregistered]

You maybe right. At some point the kids/families need to feel good about their results as well. Winning isn't everything, but you need to feel good about what your doing, so having a team in the right league to gain some confidence and enjoy playing is important.

Look at some of their younger girls teams last year

07's- Put in the premier white division- 1-8-3 with 34 goals against and 10 goals for
06's- put them in the top division and went 0-12 with 46 goals against and 8 goals for. And in spring they kept them in the top division. Whose idea was that?

At some point your development needs to fit where/who they are playing. Getting blown out and having zero success doesn't make kids want to stay and play.

The coach of the GPS 06 girls squad is an absolute moron. Completely ignorant with his head in the sand. How did this side get placed in spring premier is one question but the bigger question is how and why did this guy place this team in the state cup? Disgraceful. Never let your kid be coached by that guy. No benefit at all.

[Unregistered]

Sounds no different than the thorns Academy or Ecnl teams before the best left for the da

If you say this guy is bad than all that went before him are too.

Just look up the scores of the thorns and the Ecnl teams

[Unregistered]

This question is easy to answer-

Clubs built on recruiting and results do not survive in the long run.

Clubs like GPS and ADF have to win to keep players