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Post by soccermaxx72 on Aug 8, 2018 14:20:09 GMT -5
Instead of all these private clubs and random leagues it would be interesting to see feedback on a complete new model for competitive youth soccer.
We will us the state of Georgia as an example:
Keep current age brackets Players required to play for the county team of their home residence. Current clubs could apply to be the sole club representing a county and could only represent 1 county, no more mega clubs spread throughout the state. A true state champion would be crowned as there would be a state tournament with county representatives Funding would be a combination of private and public funding. An organization like ODP would still be used to identify elite players so that if they play in a county that's team is weak they can still be identified. The various states would then send their state champions to a true national championship.
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Post by rocko1989 on Aug 8, 2018 14:47:02 GMT -5
In your plan, what do players do that have no club in their county? We have local rec. department, yet nothing else once the kids reach middle school. It is my suspicion we are not the only county in the state like this.
How many teams would Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Forsyth, and others have playing for that one club in their respective county? That would be some competition to be on the "top" team at an individual club.
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Post by soccermaxx72 on Aug 8, 2018 14:50:41 GMT -5
In your plan, what do players do that have no club in their county? We have local rec. department, yet nothing else once the kids reach middle school. It is my suspicion we are not the only county in the state like this. How many teams would Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Forsyth, and others have playing for that one club in their respective county? That would be some competition to be on the "top" team at an individual club. this would require the clubs that lose out on their county bid to move, there would be an exception if a county does not meet a minimum requirement of population to join with neighboring county. there would only be on club for Cobb, Fulton can still have A-D level of teams
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Post by atv on Aug 8, 2018 16:10:33 GMT -5
I think I would absolutely love most of that. ... would be a lot simpler for sure. However, that ship sailed a long time ago.
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Post by Soccerhouse on Aug 8, 2018 17:11:39 GMT -5
Little league baseball -- ll-production-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2018/01/Residence-Eligibility.pdf"Each local Little League® determines the actual geographic boundaries of the area from within which it shall select players. These boundaries must be described in detail and shown on a map and dated when making application for a Little League charter. Players will be eligible to play with that league only if they reside or the physical location of the school where they attend classes is within the boundaries provided to and approved by Little League Baseball®, Incorporated." hence then why travel ball was created to ignore the little league residence requirements. Would be very interesting
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Post by surgesoccer on Aug 8, 2018 22:15:49 GMT -5
Think I'm going to disagree on this solution. Not because I don't like it. I liked the idea of teams being local and competing against other local clubs. But, then I think about the school system with attendance boundaries and how not having choice doesn't provide incentive for schools to be better. Knowing what I know of clubs it would wind up being "we're your only option so take it or leave it".
The answer is to consolidate all youth soccer under one umbrella. Keep DA as is, then create tiers like Classic/Athena. Each year teams move tiers (promoted or relegated) based on performance. Then states can hold tournaments to allow teams to compete across state lines. Plus have a State, Regional and National tournament in each tier to produce a championship.
Not holding my breath.
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Post by soccermaxx72 on Aug 9, 2018 8:46:49 GMT -5
scrap it, stupid idea, just a pipe dream
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Post by Soccerhouse on Aug 9, 2018 9:24:12 GMT -5
Na good idea, nothing wrong with ideas!
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Post by touchlinedad on Aug 9, 2018 11:56:38 GMT -5
Think I'm going to disagree on this solution. Not because I don't like it. I liked the idea of teams being local and competing against other local clubs. But, then I think about the school system with attendance boundaries and how not having choice doesn't provide incentive for schools to be better. Knowing what I know of clubs it would wind up being "we're your only option so take it or leave it". The answer is to consolidate all youth soccer under one umbrella. Keep DA as is, then create tiers like Classic/Athena. Each year teams move tiers (promoted or relegated) based on performance. Then states can hold tournaments to allow teams to compete across state lines. Plus have a State, Regional and National tournament in each tier to produce a championship. Not holding my breath. Surgesoccer has got it right. DA as is, then the tiered system with true promotion and relegation. And I would start Classic/Athena at U14 or maybe U15. Kids under 14 need to be playing to develop, not to win a trophy or win to fulfill their parents/clubs/coaches desires. The system we have now in Georgia was complex when I entered the world of youth soccer 8 years ago and has only become more complex. We now have DA, followed by two separate tiers, one run by U.S. Club Soccer (ECNL/SCCL) and one run by Georgia Soccer (National League/Select) and then Academy for U12 and below. Neither tier is designed to develop and grow players but both are designed to make money. Youth soccer is a business down to the lowest level and while I understand that part of it has to be a business, the emphasis has swung too far toward simply making money. U.S. Club Soccer, while it likes to promote itself as a an elite player development league, is really just a money-making machine, having found a weakness in the arrogant underbelly of U.S. Youth Soccer. I mean, SCCL was basically formed because U.S. Youth Soccer ran RPL so badly that it alienated parents and U.S. Club Soccer saw an opening to make some money. Hence, to play in SCCL costs more than it did for the same team last year that was either RPL or Classic 1. It's just crazy and it makes it very difficult for parents and players who want to play at the highest skill level possible to figure which teams/clubs/leagues are truly high-level and which are just selling you a promise of high-level. It's especially difficult for parents like me who never played soccer when I was young and don't have a decent understanding of what my child's skill level really is. At this point, I'm so cynical and jaded I don't trust anybody who works for a club and that is sad. Ok, rant over, thanks for listening. :-)
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Post by volunteercoach on Aug 10, 2018 12:49:24 GMT -5
Back in my playing days 10-15 years ago, it was so much easier for parents and players to figure out the teams they fit on and for college coaches to figure out where to scout talent.
It was RPL and Select soccer with ODP - all the ODP and RPL players I knew went to/fielded division one offers. The ones on the top tier RPL teams were going big D1 (SEC, ACC, etc). I was on a middle of the table Athena A team with a short commute from home, I have no idea where we would have fallen in todays world.
I don't envy those trying to navigate the youth soccer world now. Too many politics and break off leagues to make an informed decision.
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Post by rifle on Aug 11, 2018 20:09:05 GMT -5
It is deliberately confused by hucksters.
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