Three Dominant Clubs in WA Youth Soccer

[Unregistered]

Wanted to ask what you meant by this. My family is not from the area, so curious as to what/who/why people say this. I'm not from a strong soccer state.

WA State doesn't get the same credibility for its youth players that places like California, NJ, NC and other states get. The quality of players is just as good, if not better in many aspects, but it feels like a little bit of an island out here, as Oregon, ID, Utah, and other surrounding states don't have the level of youth play WA does. Not quite sure why, but it is what it is.

Need an indicator? Look at US Soccer's recent announcement about ID locations - all over the country, but not a single one anywhere near the Pacific NW. I honestly do get a little bit of a laugh when the big DI/DII schools that are based in more adverse weather areas of the country recruit players from places like SoCal, Florida, etc and then wonder why they aren't performing when it's 35 and raining or there's snow on the pitch.

[Unregistered]

Interesting. I think there is a very strong soccer culture out here, I was impressed when I moved our here.

My one complaint is the level of physicality is completely unnecessary. Not just at the youth level, which is ridiculous enough, but at the adult level, even. I am tired of getting checked into boards at indoor by O30 dad bods in D-league trying to relive their glory days.

[Unregistered]

Sorry, they are in upper 1/4 of ECNL. Clearly behind crossfire. I am the OP and I did put them in top 3. But clearly behind crossfire. Note your rankings are from 2020

You are right, thought I was showing the latest. Here is the correct link and has them at 18 with XF at 19: https://www.soccerwire.com/news/socc...bs-april-2021/

[Unregistered]

WA State doesn't get the same credibility for its youth players that places like California, NJ, NC and other states get. The quality of players is just as good, if not better in many aspects, but it feels like a little bit of an island out here, as Oregon, ID, Utah, and other surrounding states don't have the level of youth play WA does. Not quite sure why, but it is what it is.

Need an indicator? Look at US Soccer's recent announcement about ID locations - all over the country, but not a single one anywhere near the Pacific NW. I honestly do get a little bit of a laugh when the big DI/DII schools that are based in more adverse weather areas of the country recruit players from places like SoCal, Florida, etc and then wonder why they aren't performing when it's 35 and raining or there's snow on the pitch.

We have a very enthusiastic soccer culture, but fractured leadership at both the club and league levels that gets in the way of doing as well as we can. Having two separate competitive leagues with pspl and rcl (and ga and ECNL, and da and mls next), clubs blocking others from joining leagues, and endless petty ego-driven battles between coaches and DOC’s are counterproductive. WYS meets much of its budget through EPD fees, but the program is pretty much a joke. Sounders and XF academies are in different leagues, etc. It’s all kind of nuts.

Some other non-cal western states have more impressive track records. Colorado’s population is about 2/3 of WA, but that state has done much better at producing players at the both full and national team levels on the girls side (Horan, Pugh, Smith, Howell, Hinkle and some other impact players at top college programs and in NWSL; Morgan Weaver has gotten a call-up and there are some local kids doing very well at USC and Santa Clara and other schools, but WA has done nothing like Colorado on that front). Utah’s population is about 1/3 of WA and that state supports 7 D1 soccer programs (one, Utah Valley, just beat a top 20 team in the first round of the ncaa tournament, and another, BYU, that is ranked highly) largely with kids from the state; WA has 4 D1 programs.

[Unregistered]

You are right, thought I was showing the latest. Here is the correct link and has them at 18 with XF at 19: https://www.soccerwire.com/news/socc...bs-april-2021/

I see Pac in the list. Where is Eastside.

[Unregistered]

Interesting. I think there is a very strong soccer culture out here, I was impressed when I moved our here.

My one complaint is the level of physicality is completely unnecessary. Not just at the youth level, which is ridiculous enough, but at the adult level, even. I am tired of getting checked into boards at indoor by O30 dad bods in D-league trying to relive their glory days.

". I am tired of getting checked into boards at indoor by O30 dad bods in D-league trying to relive their glory days."

LMAO this made my day.

[Unregistered]

To be fair, have you guys SEEN the Florida board? They're even crazier than you are.

[Unregistered]

Dang right you keep getting checked into the boards by these WA boys.. no weenies playing the beautiful game here.. because that's part of our style... we grew up with coaches like Schmetzer, Bernie, Fran O'Brien, the Yorkes, Spidahl, Dan Strom, and they taught us how to "send the message". What is that message? It's up for interpretation but the best WA players have always been mixers.... can mix you up with skills on the ball or go studs up and two foot the nikes off ya.

- Proud WA baller