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    #76
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    Well just look at the CU older teams, there aren't a ton of THUSC players.
    CU probably should form their own club. (Like Thorns and Westside, they can "partner" with THUSC to get access to THPRD fields). One that is just a girls' academy.

    And they should really, really get their own name. Their use of Crossfire is because 0PFC was formerly known as Crossfire Oregon, and they were part of the partnership with THUSC. But now 0PFC is no longer "Crossfire", and no longer part of this little venture.

    Maybe you all can partner with BM at UPDX. (Ask FC Portland how well that worked out...)

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      #77
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      When do the older age groups stop getting the "late to the party" excuse? They've been around for 4 or 5 years at this point.
      But have only allowed high school play for a year.

      Of course, what really matters is which club the Jesuit University women's coach (and Jesuit really calls their athletic teams "Men's" and "Women's" rather than "Boys'" and "Girls'" like most high schools do) suggests that his varsity-bound players ought to play for, if they want to start.

      And you DO know that Jesuit coach Steve Fennah owns a travel agency that specializes in youth sports teams.... https://sportspecifictravel.com/about-us

      THAT strikes me as far more dirty than anything Merritt Paulsen might be up to.

      Comment


        #78
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        But have only allowed high school play for a year.

        Of course, what really matters is which club the Jesuit University women's coach (and Jesuit really calls their athletic teams "Men's" and "Women's" rather than "Boys'" and "Girls'" like most high schools do) suggests that his varsity-bound players ought to play for, if they want to start.

        And you DO know that Jesuit coach Steve Fennah owns a travel agency that specializes in youth sports teams.... https://sportspecifictravel.com/about-us

        THAT strikes me as far more dirty than anything Merritt Paulsen might be up to.
        You mean like Jeff Enquist has his own field development company. Grifters gonna grift.

        Comment


          #79
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          But have only allowed high school play for a year.

          Of course, what really matters is which club the Jesuit University women's coach (and Jesuit really calls their athletic teams "Men's" and "Women's" rather than "Boys'" and "Girls'" like most high schools do) suggests that his varsity-bound players ought to play for, if they want to start.

          And you DO know that Jesuit coach Steve Fennah owns a travel agency that specializes in youth sports teams.... https://sportspecifictravel.com/about-us

          THAT strikes me as far more dirty than anything Merritt Paulsen might be up to.
          holy smokes, the girls coach at Jesuit is a travel agent that books kiddie sports teams. Jeez, that's crooked AF, what does the priest say?

          no wonder he likes ecnl, makes the register go ka-CHING!!!

          Comment


            #80
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            You mean like Jeff Enquist has his own field development company. Grifters gonna grift.
            The best deals are self-deals!

            Comment


              #81
              What is very obvious is the best these thornies have is that it’s all about the 09 team and oh yeah high school. At least let us know what flavor they’re serving.

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                #82
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Talking about the younger age groups.

                Older age groups, Thorns were late to the party--the top players were already with established clubs.

                Younger age groups--Thorns are fine. Won State Cup at U11, blasting THUSC 5-0 in the process. U12s got to knockout stage, losing a penalty shootout. THUSC 09G team.... won Founders Cup! Specifically, the lower-division Founder Cup (there were two levels of Founders Cup played).

                For what it's worth, Bridge City entered state cup and went winless, as did Westside's non-Thorns 09G team.

                U13 and higher age groups are in ECNL, not OYSA.

                But really, THUSC/CU's only argument for why they even have an ECNL program is "we were good once, and they haven't thrown us out yet". At least FC's ECNL program, moribund as it is, has a credible program behind it.
                Kinda hilarious their older teams aren’t better than some OYSA teams and haven’t been the past few years. Says a lot about ECNL or da.

                Getting out developed and out committed by OYSA teams.

                Comment


                  #83
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Sophia Braun, who plays collegiately for Gonzaga and internationally for Argentina, played for both FC Portland ECNL and Thorns Academy. Bella Geist (now Bella Bixby) was a standout for LOSC/Crossfire Oregon (before ECNL), and has been called up to the U23s and is a backup keeper for Thorns.

                  What pro has CU produced? Historically, the only Truly Great girls' player to come from Oregon (i.e. played youth soccer here) is Milbrett. Other Oregon pro/international players of note include Laura Schott, Courtney Verloo, and Daniela Solís, but these all came before the current travel league insanity.

                  CT for CU's 03 team is a fine player, who IIRC got a youth NT callup a while back, but she's graduating this spring and playing for UP next year.

                  The next CU player who plays in NWSL or a foreign pro league of equivalent quality or better, or plays international soccer as an adult, will be the first.

                  But this is an amusing argument....
                  Ecnl markets college soccer as the end goal, not pro. Thorns academy marketed pro soccer as the end goal the first several years but, as you pointed out, that market has no Oregon players so they added in the college piece, joined Ecnl and now allow high school play.

                  Pay to play soccer is largely wealthier girls who are looking for a country club type experience and a hook to put on their college apps or a path in the college back door through athletic admissions. Thorns has now realized that girls soccer is different. Wealthy parents want to join a country club, not the Y - even if the Y is better and free. High costs keep it an exclusive club.

                  As far as players results over the last few years: Ecnl, and CU in particular, has had the best college commitment and playing time results by far. That is fact. Thorns does have success stories too and Ecnl also has quite a few who sit the bench in college but CU easily wins the blue ribbon right now and for the last several years. FCP has its day, then(and now) CU. Thorns looks promising from the young age groups and may rise up to the top to have its day. Now that several Timbers clubs have joined GAL, I predict there will be fewer young stars leaving their local club to go play with Thorns/FCP/CU ecnl.

                  Comment


                    #84
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Ecnl markets college soccer as the end goal, not pro. Thorns academy marketed pro soccer as the end goal the first several years but, as you pointed out, that market has no Oregon players so they added in the college piece, joined Ecnl and now allow high school play.

                    Pay to play soccer is largely wealthier girls who are looking for a country club type experience and a hook to put on their college apps or a path in the college back door through athletic admissions. Thorns has now realized that girls soccer is different. Wealthy parents want to join a country club, not the Y - even if the Y is better and free. High costs keep it an exclusive club.

                    As far as players results over the last few years: Ecnl, and CU in particular, has had the best college commitment and playing time results by far. That is fact. Thorns does have success stories too and Ecnl also has quite a few who sit the bench in college but CU easily wins the blue ribbon right now and for the last several years. FCP has its day, then(and now) CU. Thorns looks promising from the young age groups and may rise up to the top to have its day. Now that several Timbers clubs have joined GAL, I predict there will be fewer young stars leaving their local club to go play with Thorns/FCP/CU ecnl.
                    Time will tell, but competent leadership is integral to a clubs success. Thorns has never and still does not have that. It’s a revolving door over there and there is a reason for that.

                    Comment


                      #85
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Ecnl markets college soccer as the end goal, not pro. Thorns academy marketed pro soccer as the end goal the first several years but, as you pointed out, that market has no Oregon players so they added in the college piece, joined Ecnl and now allow high school play. Pay to play soccer is largely wealthier girls who are looking for a country club type experience and a hook to put on their college apps or a path in the college back door through athletic admissions. Thorns has now realized that girls soccer is different. Wealthy parents want to join a country club, not the Y - even if the Y is better and free. High costs keep it an exclusive club.As far as players results over the last few years: Ecnl, and CU in particular, has had the best college commitment and playing time results by far. That is fact. Thorns does have success stories too and Ecnl also has quite a few who sit the bench in college but CU easily wins the blue ribbon right now and for the last several years. FCP has its day, then(and now) CU. Thorns looks promising from the young age groups and may rise up to the top to have its day. Now that several Timbers clubs have joined GAL, I predict there will be fewer young stars leaving their local club to go play with Thorns/FCP/CU ecnl.
                      Title IX created this disproportionate opportunity for girls compared to boys in collegiate soccer... ECNl devotion to spinning this development or legislation is a slick sleight of hand 'marketing' effort or for those of you on the internet, it's PURE CLICK BAIT/MISDIRECTION.

                      Clubs/Leagues/Competitions/Tourneys/Showcases/Scrimmages/Exchanges are the same as they ever were, parents are just too naive and consumed by useless sales pitches from soccer bums to be woken to reality.

                      Comment


                        #86
                        Sophie Braun was developed at Washington timbers for 3 years before she went to FC Portland. The same coach that committed all his players just recently. You people get too hung up on leagues like GA ECNL USYs blah blah blah.

                        Comment


                          #87
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Sophie Braun was developed at Washington timbers for 3 years before she went to FC Portland. The same coach that committed all his players just recently. You people get too hung up on leagues like GA ECNL USYs blah blah blah.
                          And of course, much of the credit for the development of Sophie Braun goes to.... Sophie Braun.

                          And likewise for any other player out there.

                          Far too many coaches talk as though players are hunks of clay, waiting to be molded into a statue of David by some sideline Michaelangelo out there. And in the case where a player has played for multiple youth clubs, we see p!ssing matches about which club "produced" him or her.

                          But it's the player who brings the talent and puts in the work. Coaches know this, which is why they focus so hard on recruiting, even while touting their skills with a clipboard. There's no money or prestige, unfortunately, in leading some club's C team to the Founder's Cup semifinal, even if the coach has done a bang-up job with a group of kids who are novices to the game.

                          Comment


                            #88
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            And of course, much of the credit for the development of Sophie Braun goes to.... Sophie Braun.

                            And likewise for any other player out there.

                            Far too many coaches talk as though players are hunks of clay, waiting to be molded into a statue of David by some sideline Michaelangelo out there. And in the case where a player has played for multiple youth clubs, we see p!ssing matches about which club "produced" him or her.

                            But it's the player who brings the talent and puts in the work. Coaches know this, which is why they focus so hard on recruiting, even while touting their skills with a clipboard. There's no money or prestige, unfortunately, in leading some club's C team to the Founder's Cup semifinal, even if the coach has done a bang-up job with a group of kids who are novices to the game.
                            You are the person that speaks in the meetings that no one listens to because you like to hear yourself speak.

                            Comment


                              #89
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              You are the person that speaks in the meetings that no one listens to because you like to hear yourself speak.
                              Sorry to offend you, coach, but it's true. Coaching is overrated. What you run is a recruiting service that offers classic soccer on the side.

                              Comment


                                #90
                                This ^^^^^^

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