|
Post by Soccerhouse on Feb 21, 2018 19:40:17 GMT -5
Figured this needed its own thread, as the chatter is picking up on this.
Seems like a very very strange thing --- all these years GA soccer has tried to do what these big clubs want and catered to them specifically, and now they are turning their backs on the state organization? I honestly know nothing about the details, so I could be completely off base. Maybe its a great thing, who knows -- just sucks that State cup has become a meaningless endeavor.
I'd argue the best our national team has ever been was with players that played grew up playing state cup, regionals, national championship and ODP/regional teams etc. Back in the day, regionals was every other year, it was a huge huge thing.
|
|
|
Post by soccerparent02 on Feb 21, 2018 20:53:04 GMT -5
Which are the Big 6?
|
|
|
Post by Keeper on Feb 21, 2018 21:28:00 GMT -5
By overall numbers it would be have to be UFA, SSA, NASATophat, Concorde, Atlanta Fire & now gsa. Though this All-In, Ga Storm, & KSA merger would put them in the top six.
|
|
|
Post by Soccerhouse on Feb 21, 2018 21:42:20 GMT -5
It's not quite as big a deal as it sounds at first. What's being discussed is a league controlled by the clubs to put everyone's non DA or ECNL teams in. So the second or third teams from these clubs would forego RPL. So for example, Concorde's third team of 2001 girls wouldn't be playing RPL Premier Division with the accompanying travel and poor management. It's really a move away from the region more than the state. RPL has been horribly managed for a couple years now and the big clubs are reacting to that. So they will keep affiliations with ga soccer for all there other teams? Not sure what the point is. At least in RPL you can compete for something. RPL isn’t managed great but either are these clubs.
|
|
|
Post by Keeper on Feb 21, 2018 21:48:15 GMT -5
So the big clubs pull out of R3PL pushing the smaller clubs into region play thus allowing the little clubs to brag about having region teams and charging more for training fees all while youth soccer gets worse and the inevitable happens.....
Kids start playing baseball again 😩😩😩😩
|
|
|
Post by putmeincoach on Feb 21, 2018 23:10:39 GMT -5
I'd argue these 2nd and 3rd teams playing RPL aren't near the quality of these supposedly "smaller club teams." and have no business in the league anyways. RPL will be a good league again once all the pretenders who took over slots they didn't earn are gone. They are just not doing state play to avoid the Savannah and South GA trips.
|
|
|
Post by Soccerhouse on Feb 21, 2018 23:20:17 GMT -5
Agree the problem with rpl was the fraud committed a few years ago when clubs vs teams were allowed to keep spots. Was horrible on the girls side. That was a bunch of BS.
|
|
|
Post by soccerballz on Feb 22, 2018 6:39:02 GMT -5
I'm all for it. I have a kid that's on the DA Level that doesn't want to play in college and doesn't have any hopes of being pro. He just enjoys the game and is good at it. So for me, why spend all that money for travel to be seen? I know it's fun, but no reason to go to these places across the country. We can plan our own vacation. Well, I've been thinking. What if I have him tryout and he makes the next team down. It could be classic 1, what if they win? Then he'll be on a rpl team. More travel, should I have him go on the 3rd team, do I even hope they win? What if they get promoted, don't have him move up? He won't play rec. This sounds like a good solution, still playing decent soccer but staying in state.
|
|
|
Post by welovesoccer on Feb 22, 2018 8:40:43 GMT -5
I can't imagine that this new "league" wouldn't involve travel. These big clubs are about $$$$ they are going to find a way to charge more for this. Seems to me this is league is just making a mockery of youth soccer.
|
|
|
Post by fanatic21 on Feb 22, 2018 9:24:27 GMT -5
So how many different leagues do we have now in GA? Do any aside from the original Classic/Athena/RPL/SPL use a promotion relegation system? Or are all the new leagues closed/entitlement leagues?
|
|
|
Post by welovesoccer on Feb 22, 2018 10:22:58 GMT -5
Maybe the new champions league model will be a pyramid scheme like the MLS and require clubs to buy in.....
|
|
|
Post by touchlinedad on Feb 22, 2018 11:49:57 GMT -5
From what I've been told, the Big 6 were planning to break away from U.S. Youth Soccer/Georgia Soccer entirely and form a new league under the umbrella of U.S. Club Soccer, possibly on a regional basis. Georgia Soccer, understandably, does not want that to happen and are negotiating with the clubs to keep them within USYS/Georgia Soccer, offering all kinds of incentives. What those are, I don't know.
I feel sure the end result of all this will be a more fragmented, disjointed youth soccer system that is not aimed at developing players and having fun while playing high level soccer. The focus will be on making money for those big clubs.
|
|
|
Post by soccerlegacy on Feb 22, 2018 11:52:56 GMT -5
Why can't they make just an "RPL-like" league within the state of Georgia using promotion/relegation?? I get that the "big 6" are the only ones with enough power to get something like this set up, but why discount those smaller club teams that have a good squad here or there? They just get excluded?
From what I have heard from some RPL parents over the past couple of years is that they are sick of the travel/cost to play lesser teams that they destroy anyways. Georgia has become big enough and good enough that you can stay right here and have a higher level of competition without the travel. Sure, you could also go play in some of the big showcase tourneys, but keep the rest in state. Again... one of the only things I don't like is what it will do to the more local, smaller clubs by being exclusionary.
|
|
|
Post by infoguy on Feb 22, 2018 12:42:02 GMT -5
I heard only general news that there will be a big shakeup in GA Soccer, and that RPL is done. For my boy's age, about 80% of teams in both RPL divisions are GA and FL anyways! So what's the point, especially given that RPL is not administered well? I heard that there will be a big Atlanta league and going to really good showcases - I didn't hear anything about that resulting in smaller clubs joining RPL.
|
|
|
Post by Soccerhouse on Feb 22, 2018 12:52:35 GMT -5
Alot of age groups have the CASL 2nd teams that are solid, and some of the Charlestons teams aren't too bad either.
It is funny though, how often South Carolina gets forgotten....
Too bad, even with its flaws, teams vs clubs could earn their way to the top.
from classic IV to national league. That will be no more.........
|
|
|
Post by rifle on Feb 22, 2018 15:43:51 GMT -5
So how many different leagues do we have now in GA? Do any aside from the original Classic/Athena/RPL/SPL use a promotion relegation system? Or are all the new leagues closed/entitlement leagues? The new model is excellence by declaration.
|
|
|
Post by atlcoach84 on Feb 22, 2018 21:49:50 GMT -5
UFA, SSA, AFU, GSA, Concorde, NTH form a U12-U19 league where whatever the top non-DA/ECNL team for each gender is entered into this league (run by US Club Soccer), where you match up against another club each week. One gender is home, and the other is away. Games are back to back all day and it allows them to have staff in the same place for a full slate of games each day on a specific site for the host club of the matchup.
|
|
|
Post by Futsal Gawdess on Feb 22, 2018 21:55:36 GMT -5
UFA, SSA, AFU, GSA, Concorde, NTH form a U12-U19 league where whatever the top non-DA/ECNL team for each gender is entered into this league (run by US Club Soccer), where you match up against another club each week. One gender is home, and the other is away. Games are back to back all day and it allows them to have staff in the same place for a full slate of games each day on a specific site for the host club of the matchup. Great idea and i'm all for it, but, how would the clubs with multiple locations be impacted? Take CF, I believe there is a North, Central, South, OTP, ITP team. Would they have to create a Super Team and that would be the team entered into the weekly derby? If you chose to pool players, where would they practice out of? My fear is if each location has a team, wouldn't that further water down the opponents?
|
|
|
Post by rifle on Feb 23, 2018 7:39:13 GMT -5
Competing club teams = what sport is about. Competing league structures = business = the opposite of productive (toward a goal of finding a proper level for every player, every team).
A merit based table is all we need. Players will still move around and fight for a better spot.. but they ultimately will go compete. Teams will rise to the top.
Instead we have players wondering which league is "best". Muddy water. This happened because the USSF and GA Soccer let it happen. It's a shame.
|
|
|
Post by SoccerMom on Feb 23, 2018 7:39:35 GMT -5
Its only going to affect the "1st team" below DA/ECNL, basically get rid of rpl is what they want. The league will be run by US Club Soccer. This is done to minimize unnecessary travel...only 5 clubs maybe a 6th will be in it. Also BUSA and CESA are being considered to be part of it.
I heard that GA soccer is trying to convince them not to do it but the "newly 3 merger" is not having it and are upset about ga soccer wanting to work something out. This has been in the works for a while and with RPL getting run so poorly enough is enough.
This is a good thing, less $$ spent on traveling for the parents, not sure how you figure its a money maker for the clubs. I know parents of RPL have been complaining of the mess that league is.
|
|
|
Post by SoccerMom on Feb 23, 2018 7:41:49 GMT -5
UFA, SSA, AFU, GSA, Concorde, NTH form a U12-U19 league where whatever the top non-DA/ECNL team for each gender is entered into this league (run by US Club Soccer), where you match up against another club each week. One gender is home, and the other is away. Games are back to back all day and it allows them to have staff in the same place for a full slate of games each day on a specific site for the host club of the matchup. Great idea and i'm all for it, but, how would the clubs with multiple locations be impacted? Take CF, I believe there is a North, Central, South, OTP, ITP team. Would they have to create a Super Team and that would be the team entered into the weekly derby? If you chose to pool players, where would they practice out of? My fear is if each location has a team, wouldn't that further water down the opponents? Aren't Central and North their top teams?
|
|
|
Post by Soccerhouse on Feb 23, 2018 8:28:08 GMT -5
But won’t the next team in line potentially fill that spot and maybe have to pay for rpl Travel? Not sure the logic makes sense especially from clubs that also participated in NPL.
|
|
|
Post by SoccerMom on Feb 23, 2018 8:36:26 GMT -5
The idea is to get rid of rpl completely at least for those involved in this.i don't know what the rest plan to do.
NPL is another joke of a league, with too much travel and bad competition. The only reason that non ecnl clubs participate in this is because if you win your division then you get to go to the same Championship as the ECNL teams (boys). I have yet to meet someone who likes playing NPL or Super Y, in my opinion that is two leagues that need to dissappear.
|
|
|
Post by welovesoccer on Feb 23, 2018 8:45:53 GMT -5
Agree NPL is a total joke I'm sure UFA will continue to play in that league as well??
I'm sure these teams will be traveling. Disney and some other random showcases like casl etc. Also, this doesn't seem like a solution to a problem but rather creating another problem. Maybe this forces change, but its just shifting to US Club.
As much as we blame the federation, US club soccer is also part of the problem. For good or bad, ECNL's success changed the landscape of girls soccer for ever and laid the groundwork for DA girls.
Creating new "elite" leagues is not the solution, removing leagues is. And when MLS creates their MLS only DA league, add another layer to the mix. Because just like you said, other states will follow and join this champions league and teams will begin travelling more and more again.
IN some other states, I think it the DC area, I might be wrong, the primary league is ran through US Club soccer, could be wrong on that.
|
|
|
Post by soccerfan30 on Feb 23, 2018 9:46:11 GMT -5
If an entity is not doing an adequate job and providing good service someone else will. This has been in the works for a while and if this alliance wants to join US Club and have their 2nd/3rd tier teams play each other to ensure competitive balance and minimize travel cost I don't see the negative in that.
|
|
|
Post by SoccerMom on Feb 23, 2018 10:21:14 GMT -5
Agree NPL is a total joke I'm sure UFA will continue to play in that league as well?? I'm sure these teams will be traveling. Disney and some other random showcases like casl etc. Also, this doesn't seem like a solution to a problem but rather creating another problem. Maybe this forces change, but its just shifting to US Club. As much as we blame the federation, US club soccer is also part of the problem. For good or bad, ECNL's success changed the landscape of girls soccer for ever and laid the groundwork for DA girls. Creating new "elite" leagues is not the solution, removing leagues is. And when MLS creates their MLS only DA league, add another layer to the mix. Because just like you said, other states will follow and join this champions league and teams will begin travelling more and more again. IN some other states, I think it the DC area, I might be wrong, the primary league is ran through US Club soccer, could be wrong on that. They probably will? But one has a choice to participate. Disney & CASL are tournaments, not regularly season games. RPL teams are traveling way too much and theres no benefit to it whatsoever. When is the last time a college coach went to an RPL game? They go to DA games and im sure they go to some ECNL games. Stop calling it a champions league or an elite league because thats not what it is at all. If they add CESA and BUSA thats very short travel.
|
|
|
Post by rocko1989 on Feb 23, 2018 10:45:35 GMT -5
What is the time line for this change? If doing away with RPL, when will that be announced publicly? If a team qualified for RPL, will that team simply go back to Athena A or Classic 1? This seems like a huge impact to teams from a smaller club that does not have ECNL/DA. Certainly, that does not need to be the focus of those from the bigger clubs, it is simply a fact of the matter.
|
|
|
Post by atlsoccer on Feb 23, 2018 11:12:36 GMT -5
So I'll try to sum up everything we've heard so far.
The big six clubs (Concorde, Tophat, UFA, GSA, SSA, AFU) along with CESA and BUSA will break away from RPL and form their own exclusive league through US Club Soccer, as a result of a failure by our state associations. Top teams will continue to play DA/ECNL and the next best team at each club will compete in this new league (possible as soon as this fall.) By doing so, these clubs hope to limit travel and expenses for those teams and likely make more money by cutting out state fees. Lower level teams will still participate in the current Classic/Athena structure, but will not be allowed to advance to the RPL level.
This seems like it could be great for the big clubs and potentially terrible for the small clubs.
I wonder how current RPL teams (at these clubs) will react to this and if RPL go away entirely, or if other teams from smaller clubs jump at the chance to fill in the gaps.
|
|
|
Post by Soccerhouse on Feb 23, 2018 11:26:18 GMT -5
So how are the big clubs going to handle this -- will UFA/concorde/SSA be creating another single unified team with tryouts across all their locations to field a single 2nd team for example in all age groups?
The other issue is it takes these kids out of the Georgia soccer system, so they can then be used as players on the lower teams in state cup and kind of defeat the purpose in a way.
|
|
|
Post by gaprospects on Feb 23, 2018 11:28:04 GMT -5
I don't see where these clubs get off leaving out certain other clubs from this exclusive group. Yes, they can probably guarantee competitive matches at every age group just playing against each other. But they don't have the top team in many age groups.
Speaking of non-DA/ECNL specifically, the best '01 team in the state is KSA (that team is probably better than the ECNL teams at that age as well). The best '02 team is Smyrna. The best '03 team is Dalton. Etc. etc.
|
|