Elite Academy League

[Guest]

Imagine being a highly intelligent and successful man who spends time on an internet message board trying to discredit local soccer clubs who decided to expand the opponent base by joining a league outside of USYS. Because, most highly successful men whom are intelligent would in fact take their time to do this. Not.

If you were in fact a real man you would not behave the way you have here. But, here you are, lurking in the background ready to stomp on the EAL thread of the century. Go get them tiger. You're a beast.

Uh, aren't you doing the exact same thing? Defending EAL somehow makes you a man?

[Guest]

This is what I don’t get. Who cares what other families and kids are spending their money on and doing? If you don’t like it then don’t participate and move on. The amount of effort put forth to discredit a bunch of kids playing soccer is stunning. I think it’s insane to drive a $80k car but I’m not stalking around the Lexus forums telling them they got tricked into buying an expensive Toyota. Have a Rolex? What a bunch of idiots, an iWatch is more accurate and does so many more things. Get a life. Mic drop.

We are all part of the soccer community, EAL, ECNL, local leagues... some people are more involved than others. You are right, if EAL floats your boat, stick with it. But most of us think it's a scam and not what youth soccer should move towards. We want people to make educated decisions, and would prefer the highest competitive level remain as local as possible. Constant dilution, constant development of new leagues only benefits the people who are lining their pockets with your dollars.

yes, if you enjoy traveling every other weekend, and think that traveling is somehow part of soccer, to each their own. I'd recommend you save your money and go travel overseas vs traveling to wherever Mt Rainier FC plays.

I'd prefer the top kids play in a local league and spend their time not in a car or on airplane, but in the playgrounds, streets and homes in their own neighborhoods.

[Guest]

Did someone actually say that USYS National League serves a niche? Rec teams from North Idaho and East Washington came over and won games in the league.

[Guest]

Uh, aren't you doing the exact same thing? Defending EAL somehow makes you a man?

I'm gaslighting, while they are dropping truth bombs.

[Guest]

We are all part of the soccer community, EAL, ECNL, local leagues... some people are more involved than others. You are right, if EAL floats your boat, stick with it. But most of us think it's a scam and not what youth soccer should move towards. We want people to make educated decisions, and would prefer the highest competitive level remain as local as possible. Constant dilution, constant development of new leagues only benefits the people who are lining their pockets with your dollars.

yes, if you enjoy traveling every other weekend, and think that traveling is somehow part of soccer, to each their own. I'd recommend you save your money and go travel overseas vs traveling to wherever Mt Rainier FC plays.

I'd prefer the top kids play in a local league and spend their time not in a car or on airplane, but in the playgrounds, streets and homes in their own neighborhoods.

Agree with some of the intent here. But. for the hundredth time, no one is lining their pocket with EAL dollars. Club fees went up this year by 100 bucks- I am sure that this went towards the cost to participate in the league and not lining pockets of nefarious coaches. If you want to hammer the EAL the place to do it is the cost of travel. Hammer on the reality of traveling in a pandemic is not the smartest thing. Hammer on the piss poor competition in the PNW. Those are all real arguments. But, also be prepared to argue for keeping things local in an oversaturated market that has very average kids playing in premier gold level. Defend how teams that, in all honesty, are not very good and they are in the State Cup tournament. Or how Oregon teams are not successful when playing top teams from states north and south of us. Our system is so very broken and pointing the finger at a the EAL is a distraction to the historically poor Oregon club soccer scene and OYSA in general. In the very simplest terms the EAL is broadening the base of teams that clubs play on a semi regularly basis and include teams that have talent that is much like what can be found locally. It is neither elite nor is it cheap to participate due to travel expenses and cost conscious families should avoid these teams. If you have the cash and want to participate you got to understand that it is what it is. Additional games. Additional and different teams. Higher costs. More time commitment. Not elite by any means.

[Guest]

Agree with some of the intent here. But. for the hundredth time, no one is lining their pocket with EAL dollars. Club fees went up this year by 100 bucks- I am sure that this went towards the cost to participate in the league and not lining pockets of nefarious coaches. If you want to hammer the EAL the place to do it is the cost of travel. Hammer on the reality of traveling in a pandemic is not the smartest thing. Hammer on the piss poor competition in the PNW. Those are all real arguments. But, also be prepared to argue for keeping things local in an oversaturated market that has very average kids playing in premier gold level. Defend how teams that, in all honesty, are not very good and they are in the State Cup tournament. Or how Oregon teams are not successful when playing top teams from states north and south of us. Our system is so very broken and pointing the finger at a the EAL is a distraction to the historically poor Oregon club soccer scene and OYSA in general. In the very simplest terms the EAL is broadening the base of teams that clubs play on a semi regularly basis and include teams that have talent that is much like what can be found locally. It is neither elite nor is it cheap to participate due to travel expenses and cost conscious families should avoid these teams. If you have the cash and want to participate you got to understand that it is what it is. Additional games. Additional and different teams. Higher costs. More time commitment. Not elite by any means.

Sshhhhhhhh.

subpar Oregon teams traveling all over for ECNL, GAL, and USYS National League is okay, but the EAL is evilllllllz. Stop being rational

[Guest]

Agree with some of the intent here. But. for the hundredth time, no one is lining their pocket with EAL dollars. Club fees went up this year by 100 bucks- I am sure that this went towards the cost to participate in the league and not lining pockets of nefarious coaches. If you want to hammer the EAL the place to do it is the cost of travel. Hammer on the reality of traveling in a pandemic is not the smartest thing. Hammer on the piss poor competition in the PNW. Those are all real arguments. But, also be prepared to argue for keeping things local in an oversaturated market that has very average kids playing in premier gold level. Defend how teams that, in all honesty, are not very good and they are in the State Cup tournament. Or how Oregon teams are not successful when playing top teams from states north and south of us. Our system is so very broken and pointing the finger at a the EAL is a distraction to the historically poor Oregon club soccer scene and OYSA in general. In the very simplest terms the EAL is broadening the base of teams that clubs play on a semi regularly basis and include teams that have talent that is much like what can be found locally. It is neither elite nor is it cheap to participate due to travel expenses and cost conscious families should avoid these teams. If you have the cash and want to participate you got to understand that it is what it is. Additional games. Additional and different teams. Higher costs. More time commitment. Not elite by any means.

Well, if everyone in OR sucks as badly as you think, then we have parity! Ergo, no (soccer) reasons to travel.

It's just that "the local competition sucks, so we're going to travel and play teams that aren't any better" isn't a compelling argument.

USYS NL, at least, can get you a ticket to Regionals. (And while some of the teams there aren't great, they are all at least as good as teams who play in Premier Gold).

ECNL and GA at least has some teams that are better than local fare. Crossfire Premier and a few other Seattle clubs are better than even the top OR clubs. And on the boys' side, MLS Next is a clearly superior product than any other league.

But EAL offers no improvement over the above, or over OYSA. None. If you want to do it, knock yourself out, but kids have better things to do than ride on planes or in vans.

[Guest]

"In the very simplest terms the EAL is broadening the base of teams that clubs play on a semi regularly basis and include teams that have talent that is much like what can be found locally. It is neither elite nor is it cheap to participate due to travel expenses and cost conscious families should avoid these teams. If you have the cash and want to participate you got to understand that it is what it is. Additional games. Additional and different teams. Higher costs. More time commitment. Not elite by any means."

This really ought to close this thread. No amount of back and forth knocking / justifying will change the facts above.

[Guest]

If there are teams within a 3-hpur drive that you have no hope of beating, you really shouldn't get on a plane. It's as simple as that.

What Oregon club director's should be worrying about is how they can work toget

[Guest]

If there are teams within a 3-hpur drive that you have no hope of beating, you really shouldn't get on a plane. It's as simple as that.

What Oregon club director's should be worrying about is how they can work toget

Dude, who gives a sh^t? Get over it. You have an opinion, somebody else has a differing opinion. Blah, blah, blah...Everybody is right and everybody is wrong. Whatever. It is the holidays and Covid continues to dominate the world. Now I ask you, why the Eff are you on here trying desperately to keep alive a topic that nobody (but you) gives 2 sh^ts about? Yawn

[Guest]

Dude, who gives a sh^t? Get over it. You have an opinion, somebody else has a differing opinion. Blah, blah, blah...Everybody is right and everybody is wrong. Whatever. It is the holidays and Covid continues to dominate the world. Now I ask you, why the Eff are you on here trying desperately to keep alive a topic that nobody (but you) gives 2 sh^ts about? Yawn

This guy has regurgitated the same points a thousand times and will continue to do so. At this point no one new reads this junk, his junk or even ours. We are all just a sad bunch of losers living through our kids success on the pitch. Sad, true, look in the mirror. People think having a kid play well makes THEM special and makes THEIR points valid. How sad is that. We have resorted to picking battles over kids soccer and how others choose to spend their money. Again- straight loserville.

Now, other dude, please do tell me for the thousand and first time how the EAL is bad. Just terrible. Waste of time and money. But your only solution is for CapT/UPDX/OPFC to play WST, EST, ADF, OVF, et al more times per year. And how keeping it local is so outstanding. Playing the same 3-4 quality teams in Oregon over and over will some how benefit these teams more than travel will. Please tell us oh godly one how bad EAL is and how great your solution is.

We are all waiting for your regurgitated BS to be restated for the thousand and first time.

Freaking bitch ass loser.

[Guest]

This guy has regurgitated the same points a thousand times and will continue to do so. At this point no one new reads this junk, his junk or even ours. We are all just a sad bunch of losers living through our kids success on the pitch. Sad, true, look in the mirror. People think having a kid play well makes THEM special and makes THEIR points valid. How sad is that. We have resorted to picking battles over kids soccer and how others choose to spend their money. Again- straight loserville.

Now, other dude, please do tell me for the thousand and first time how the EAL is bad. Just terrible. Waste of time and money. But your only solution is for CapT/UPDX/OPFC to play WST, EST, ADF, OVF, et al more times per year. And how keeping it local is so outstanding. Playing the same 3-4 quality teams in Oregon over and over will some how benefit these teams more than travel will. Please tell us oh godly one how bad EAL is and how great your solution is.

We are all waiting for your regurgitated BS to be restated for the thousand and first time.

Freaking bitch ass loser.

EAL sucks

[Guest]

OPFC are loser kids

[Guest]

what a gem this thread was

[Guest]

Does OPFC run the EAL.