Girls Academy added 4 clubs their their Northwest Conference today: Bridge City, Eugene Timber’s, Washington Timber’s, and Harbor Premier. My daughter plays for a Washington GA team and I am familiar with the 2 latter, but what’s the story on Bridge City and Eugene? We are just excited that this should cut down on travel to NorCal for league games with 8 PNW teams now. The Bridge City staff certainly looks good, not sure about Eugene.
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Bridge city staff does look good on paper until you realize they’ve been at a few different clubs and aren’t any different. The club itself has very weak teams overall and did not get in based on the level of their teams.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post -
Harbor Premier? Are they any good?Comment
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They are ok, not great. Probably the weakest of the WA GA clubs but don’t think they will get laughed off the field. Gig Harbor is a cool area so we are excited to go there and win some games.Comment
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Bridge City should get better over time. What about Thorns Academy? Will they switch back and out of ECNL? Results haven’t been good in ECNL but expect they will get better over time as well.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Thorns should have went GA in the first place. Don’t think that door is still open now. Bigger questions for the Oregon clubs in neither ECNL or GA. They are stuck in no mans land right now.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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How could GA keep out Thorns Academy? I would think the Timbers/Thorns association would be able to go back to Academy easily. Thorns are most popular NWSL team and MLS Timbers have more pull than you think. ECNL is a higher level league though so maybe they want to stay in ECNL for now. IDK. Not sure where they’ll pull more players from though with 2 other ECNL teams and now 3 local GA teams. And that plays into your point about the clubs that are neither GA nor ECNL. Not only in no mans land but they will lose even more top talent to the now 5 Ecnl/GA clubs. Westside might manage but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go GA or ECNL soon too.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Reminds me of the NW Champions League. In WA you're going to see so much dilution that kids who would normally make the 2nd team can easily find a team on an A team with GAL, RCL, and perhaps 1 or 2 of the ECNL teams. Although I think the ECNL will have a higher percentage of similar level players, whereas GAL and RCL you will see a disparity between players 1-8, versus 15-21. If my kid wasn't getting playing time on an ECNL team, or made the ECNL Composite team.. I would most definitely place them on a GAL where they can start and get exposure.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Will definitely be dry diluted but there will be more opportunities for more players. Big picture that’s a good thing. Isnt this all supposed to be for the kids? More kids will also be able to stay at their home club and still be able to take advantage of opportunities of Ecnl/Gal.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
RCL will become more like a Div 2 league but what’s wrong with that. More local play for kids who don’t have the level and/or the desire to play in a more elite/“elite”, more expensive, extensive travel league. Also good for multi sport athletes.
The more opportunities and the more fun the better.Comment
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A few thoughts here. First with Bridge city, they aren't anything special yet, and will be the weakest for sure. They got in though on the strength of their staff and their vision of an all girls club.
As far as competition goes, the WA clubs that are in this are all stronger than anyone left in OYSA. Also people seem to be forgetting there are 8 northern Cal teams that are in the Northwest division, so its not just playing against the WA and OR teams, they get the value of playing against that group as well: Breakers, Clovis crossfire, FC bay area, lamorinda, SF elite, SC sporting, SVSA, West coast soccer.Comment
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What this is going to do is bring up the argument of "ecnl is bettter/no GA is better" honestly though who cares. These clubs had to do something because the local leagues are so watered down with ECNL clubs gone. Is this an upgrade over local leagues, yes for sure. Does this give their players a reason to stay and continue to work and exposure, yes. Then its a positive for those clubs.Comment
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Reminds us all of how US Club let LOSC/THUSC/OSSA (CU) & FC PDX into their travel league a few years ago, prior to the US Soccer DA Girls league formation. If you're willing to pay, they will let you play as fodder in this girls soccer money grab.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Eugene's had competitive girls' teams for a long long time. Good opportunity for them and not much choice as these other 3 teams leaving result in very little competition in OYSA's top tier.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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US Club ecnl leader Lavers begged the NWSL Thorns academy to come to his league once the DA folded. Without any strong club from Oregon in his stable. Lavers thinks the Thorns can become relevant nationally with their clout and place in the US Soccer hierarchy, smart move. The guy is trying.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Look at the clubs in the GA. Why would the Thorns want to switch?Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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