ECNL girls consolidation?

[Unregistered]

Have heard rumors for a while of ECNL wanting only 1 or 2 teams at most in Oregon. At the 08 level most girls from FC Portland are leaving to Thorns Academy and Crossfire United. Based on talking to parents. Is this the demise of FC Portland? Anyone know how the ECNL plans to execute this consolidation?

[Unregistered]

Have heard rumors for a while of ECNL wanting only 1 or 2 teams at most in Oregon. At the 08 level most girls from FC Portland are leaving to Thorns Academy and Crossfire United. Based on talking to parents. Is this the demise of FC Portland? Anyone know how the ECNL plans to execute this consolidation?

08 tryouts were last month. Too late for this.

[Unregistered]

Hate to see FCP go away from ECNL. FCP has been a great club in Northwest and a pioneering club for girls soccer in PDX.

[Unregistered]

08 tryouts were last month. Too late for this.

Agreed, doesn’t seem to be happening this Fall, and I feel like how GAL shakes out may also matter. Not sure FC will have the girls for an 08 ECNL team this Fall, but they weren’t competing this season either so not a huge change. Think they tied 1 match.
Not to mention that a player who didn’t make Thorns was offered a spot at WestSide Timbers which seems shady to me. What is the tie there?

[Unregistered]

Why is that shady? Missing the implication here

[Unregistered]

Why is that shady? Missing the implication here

Shady because WestSide is using ECNL tryouts for the “Academy” to poach players from other alliance clubs for their OYSA team. Maybe I don’t know the details of the affiliation, but thought the Thorns were actually an academy associated with the Thorns vs. a WestSide ECNL program.

[Unregistered]

Shady because WestSide is using ECNL tryouts for the “Academy” to poach players from other alliance clubs for their OYSA team. Maybe I don’t know the details of the affiliation, but thought the Thorns were actually an academy associated with the Thorns vs. a WestSide ECNL program.

It’s part of the bait and switch they pull on players. Even some players who “made” Thorns will get moved to Westside teams. They use the lure of Thorns Academy to get players. Wait for it.

[Unregistered]

It’s part of the bait and switch they pull on players. Even some players who “made” Thorns will get moved to Westside teams. They use the lure of Thorns Academy to get players. Wait for it.

So can anyone explain the affiliation between WestSide and Thorns Academy? Is it truly a DA program tied to the Thorns or simply the WT taking the opportunity to step in when the DA folded and try to grab some cash?

[Unregistered]

So can anyone explain the affiliation between WestSide and Thorns Academy? Is it truly a DA program tied to the Thorns or simply the WT taking the opportunity to step in when the DA folded and try to grab some cash?

There is no DA program anymore. Westside Thorns are another ECNL club you can now choose from. But yes, they are definitely Westside as CU is THUSC.

[Unregistered]

ECNL blows anyway in Oregon and unless you have a good team you are wasting your time and money.

Consider the fact that ECNL basically destroyed fc Portland, thorns can’t keep teams together as they get older and CU lost its integrity after going from a develop to win to recruit to win club who doesn’t actually have a great track record in the past 5 years.

Find the strongest team and coach you can and go with it. Don’t fall for the GAL ECNL OYSA blah bs

[Unregistered]

So can anyone explain the affiliation between WestSide and Thorns Academy? Is it truly a DA program tied to the Thorns or simply the WT taking the opportunity to step in when the DA folded and try to grab some cash?

Thorns and Westside are affiliated in administration only. They have totally separate schedules and Director’s of Coaching. If anything Westside is currently trying to keep their players and prevent elevation to the Thorns. The Thorns are more elite than Westside at any age group 04 or younger. The 03/02s (U18/19) Thorns lost more talent than the other Thorns teams due to the now defunct DA league preventing HS play. This problem dramatically affected talent leaving the Thorns for other clubs at the 04, 05 and 06 age groups too, just not quite as badly as the 03/02s teams. The Thorns need to be judged on the teams they can put together from 08 and older. The younger teams as they develop, they will tell if the Thorns Academy is worth their namesake or not.

[Unregistered]

Thorns and Westside are affiliated in administration only. They have totally separate schedules and Director’s of Coaching. If anything Westside is currently trying to keep their players and prevent elevation to the Thorns. The Thorns are more elite than Westside at any age group 04 or younger. The 03/02s (U18/19) Thorns lost more talent than the other Thorns teams due to the now defunct DA league preventing HS play. This problem dramatically affected talent leaving the Thorns for other clubs at the 04, 05 and 06 age groups too, just not quite as badly as the 03/02s teams. The Thorns need to be judged on the teams they can put together from 08 and older. The younger teams as they develop, they will tell if the Thorns Academy is worth their namesake or not.

That's laughable

[Unregistered]

Thorns and Westside are affiliated in administration only. They have totally separate schedules and Director’s of Coaching. If anything Westside is currently trying to keep their players and prevent elevation to the Thorns. The Thorns are more elite than Westside at any age group 04 or younger. The 03/02s (U18/19) Thorns lost more talent than the other Thorns teams due to the now defunct DA league preventing HS play. This problem dramatically affected talent leaving the Thorns for other clubs at the 04, 05 and 06 age groups too, just not quite as badly as the 03/02s teams. The Thorns need to be judged on the teams they can put together from 08 and older. The younger teams as they develop, they will tell if the Thorns Academy is worth their namesake or not.

Thanks for the explanation, I am still a little skeptical as I mentioned before a player from another alliance club was offered a spot at WestSide during Thorns tryouts which to me implies there is much more of a tie/intent than you mentioned above.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the explanation, I am still a little skeptical as I mentioned before a player from another alliance club was offered a spot at WestSide during Thorns tryouts which to me implies there is much more of a tie/intent than you mentioned above.

They are also putting together teams for Elite Club Regional League. So players that didn’t make thorns could be offered spots for that team. I think ECRL will be run by westside. That is probably why someone trying out for thorns was offered spot on Westside.

[Unregistered]

They are also putting together teams for Elite Club Regional League. So players that didn’t make thorns could be offered spots for that team. I think ECRL will be run by westside. That is probably why someone trying out for thorns was offered spot on Westside.

That makes sense.....not sure WestSide (in my mind) should be running all these programs or that Oregon has enough talent for all these travel leagues ECNL/ECRL/GAL/OPL etc. That does explain why WT are using Thorns Academy tryouts though to try and build their other programs....just didn't realize they were that closely tied.