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Post by spectator on May 20, 2020 15:19:49 GMT -5
Swooping back in here with my thoughts 1. Furman is a private liberal arts school with a damn good reputation for academics. As such, yes, it's expensive as hell compared to state schools in South Carolina but Clemson's 'back of the door' out of state price is over $40K per year so take that for what it's worth, too. The difference in the two schools (football aside LOL) is that Furman has some good financial offerings and academic scholarships to out of state students - Clemson is notorious for not having these because of the demand to attend that school. (not bashing Clemson - I'm a graduate of that school and thank God I was there a thousand years ago when it was smaller and more affordable - and when the football program sucked LOL) 2. It's not just sports programs being cut there - or at many schools. From the article - "school officials are cutting the salaries of the president and senior administrators, implement furloughs and enacting budget reductions, according to its athletic website." 3. All universities have taken a financial hit due to this virus. Some have actually refunded money to students - others have not. The ones who did are probably hoping it's enough of a good will gesture to have students return- but many are not out of concern or fear or costs or whatever reason. Let's hope colleges and universities fare better than retailers like JC Penny or Neiman Marcus - hopefully they will because I think educating the next generation is more important than some over priced clothes or the Needless Markup catalog stuff. 4. Not every athlete has the option or desire to turn pro - some athletes actually want to be student athletes, continue to play their sport, get an education and have that resume perk of saying they were a college athlete on their resume. Personally I'd rather hire the kid who juggled 5am lifting, classes, a 2+ hour training session in the afternoon and homework than your run of the mill sorority/fraternity officer. For that reason I sure hope NCAA Athletics don't go away in 20 years - for those kids playing the 'non-revenue' sports while in school. 5. Can't speak to D1 football scholarships as my kid is a female soccer player at a smaller school, but those 'free room, board, tuition' claims are not accurate for most sports. And even the D1 football players at the big schools don't all have 'free rides' - percentage wise, the number of college athletes across all sports not paying a dime for school on an athletic scholarship only is low - very very low. Oh - but the budgets for athletic and academic - separate things -a strong football program doesn't mean a crappy biology department - apples and oranges. Granted sports boosters tend to be a tad more generous than the alumni giving fund, but the two budgets are completely different and one does not take away or lift up the other. 6. College - athletics or not - will be drastically changing as a result of this pandemic. Schools may have to up their IT budget to ensure online learning is secure and available; adjust how professors teach or how certain classes are structured to ensure the health and safety of students. Those who can adapt, will still exist in some form - those who cannot won't. 7. The 'greed' of the NCAA would be tied to the number of sports an institution pays the NCAA to have as a sanctioned team. Therefore eliminating a program has nothing to do with greed of the NCAA but about cost cutting of the school. As for paying college athletes, while I can see the frustration of that star quarterback at a top school seeing his jersey everywhere and he doesn't get a dime of it, that jersey is what got and is keeping him at that school - scholarships likely too if he's good enough to have strangers want to wear his jersey. But does Trevor Lawrence make all the money for Clemson football - no! He's a draw and in 3 more years, there'll be another kid who is that draw watching strangers wear his jersey, too. Again most college athletes don't have that lure of the NFL or NBA out there with hope of making millions and they're just there to play and get the degree. How would you break out the 'payment of athletes - what's the wrestler worth - or the tennis player? Is it tied to ticket sales? That'd be disproportional when the football stadium houses tens of thousands and the tennis venue holds a few hundred. I can't get behind the cries of 'greed' by the NCAA or wanting to pay a 19 year old quarterback to come play at your school. They get 'paid' in other ways - legal and not (again, boosters are generous but not always ethical - go lookup SMU's 'death penalty' years) 8. Finally, the NCAA won't allow sports to be played if the school is deemed 'closed' - it's why the spring seasons were cut short this year. California already announced their state schools would be mostly online but some on campus instruction - just enough to ensure they aren't considered closed and those revenue sports can continue. That is as long as they can sell tickets and people will come to the stadiums. Budgets for academics and athletics may be separate but the desire to get that money is universal and those bigger schools know what a draw a successful football program can be for prospective students who want that experience out of their college years - which means more revenue coming in for tuition from the non-athlete students who want to attend the school and see a good football team. For me - I hope we aren't told the season will happen but with no spectators. I enjoy watching my kid on the field at her university. She enjoys the crowds larger than what she had in club or high school. And I think we all just want to get back to normal - whatever that new normal is. Missed you guys -hope everyone is safe - I better jump back on another work call now
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Post by spectator on Mar 6, 2020 19:57:53 GMT -5
I never understood it as well. It has no merit of getting into College. No set standard as they have many versions of this test. I could never find out what version my son did to try and compare. I get that its a stop, start endurance and it's to trying to get close game scenario but I think Colleges want to know 1-2 mile times. I think it would be better if they just ran those. Actually fitness is more important once you get to college. If you've been recruited, the coach knows you can play - but do you have the stamina for workouts 5 + times a week during season plus games then 2X a week off season once the NCAA allows it? Weight training and fitness may not get you to college but it'll keep you there and keep you playing! My daughter's school had freshmen come in this year who didn't do the 'suggested' fitness over the summer - both tore ACLs in season. One spent her entire summer doing footwork - she was a good player for 2 games but fancy footwork doesn't fly if you aren't strong enough to deliver. Those who cannot run or pass Man U test, don't play. there is such a thing as over training as well - full 11v11 scrimmages every practice isn't going to do much more than wear kids out or burn them out. Mixing up the soccer with fitness at club age is a good thing.
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Post by spectator on Feb 23, 2020 17:01:42 GMT -5
The really interesting thing is to follow the mess that has happend in 4 YEARS: 2016 ==== 1-A. ECNL 1-B. R3PL (for top Athena teams) 2. Georgia Soccer (A-E) Super-Y (Adjunct Summer league) South Atlantic NPL (Adjunct season league) 2017 ==== 1-A. DA
1-B. ECNL 2. R3PL 3. Georgia Soccer (A-E) Super-Y (Adjunct Summer league) South Atlantic NPL (Adjunct season league) 2018 ==== 1-A. ECNL 1-B. DA 2-A. NPL 2-B. National League - Piedmont
2-C. SCCL 3. Georgia Soccer (A-C) Super-Y (Adjunct Summer league) 2019 ==== 1-A. ECNL 1-B. DA 2-A. NPL 2-B. DPL 2-C. National League - Piedmont
2-D. SCCL 3-A. SCCL-P 3-B. Georgia Soccer (A-D) Super-Y (Adjunct Summer league) And now...5 years later we will likely have... 2020 ==== 1-A. ECNL 1-B. DA 2-A. NPL 2-B. DPL 2-C. National League - Piedmont
2-D. SCCL 3-A. SCCL-P (1-3) 3-B. Georgia Soccer (GPL?, A-C) SCCL Summer League (Adjunct Summer league) Yup. My kid played during this mess - and survived! LOL And you forgot to throw in the age mandate that really ripped teams apart. Want to know a funny thing, she's playing D2 College soccer now - with girls who came from ECNL teams and a few DA players. We know girls at D1 schools who played no higher than the old SRPL leagues never once trying out for ECNL or DA. Point being, the league your kids play in now is not a guarantee of where they will end up playing of IF they will play after high school. All this craziness of league upon league upon league is not for player development - it's a money grab.
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Post by spectator on Jan 23, 2020 12:53:05 GMT -5
Meh - I'm not a fan of the ID camp route. Most of the time those are just money makers for the school/team. My daughter is in her sophomore year playing in college and the only ID camp she ever did was the one at the school she's at now while he was recruiting her. She works them with her teammates now and said it's usually only girls he's already recruiting to see how they mesh with each other.
She got more looks at tournaments (Disney, CASL, etc.) and ODP SubRegions and Region Camp.
The plus side of ID camps: 1. The player gets a chance to see the campus and interact with current players - helps give them a real feel for the school and team 2. Because it's on campus, the player and/or parent can speak directly with the coach and not be in any violation of NCAA recruiting rules. The coach can't and won't say your player is the best they've ever seen and offer a full ride on the spot - they will give constructive feedback on ability and play. If you're lucky, you'll get some honest advice (see my example below)
The cold hard truth - unless your kid has already reached out or is on the radar of a big top tier school (ACC,SEC) don't bother with the ID camp at those schools. We had a very good friend - a very good club player - who went to the Clemson ID camp and luckily one of the coaches there was honest and said she had great potential but not at the D1 level. Once she had that knowledge, she tailored her choices to good D2 schools although she did get looks from smaller D1 colleges but had no interest in them academically. She ended up playing for a rival school in our D2 conference and has done very well there getting lots of playing time and starts.
If you want to go the ID camp route, do it early in the process to rule out any school your kid isn't interested in at all. Drawback of the single school camp is cost and time - you have to choose where and when you go and if your player hasn't already reached out to the coach, they're less likely to get a good look - if any at all. The multi school ID camps are not the best in my opinion. You always do better being at a big tournament or event that draws lots of coaches rather than a for profit ID camp that invites those who have a free weekend to show up.
Final thought - college play isn't for everyone even if you do get an offer. The kids are there for the academics (should be) and trust me, no high school - private or public - really prepares these kids for college classes. Add to that the training, workouts, schedule and the fact that every kid there is a good player - probably a starter from their club teams and the rosters are huge. Getting to play at all is a feat your first year and it's an eye opener for kids who were such impact players on their club teams to sit the bench and possibly not see any playing time at all their first year. Some luck out and start but more will sit and be grateful for any chance they're in the game. It's the reason most kids will quit by their second year - a lot of investment behind the scenes to not play in a game. Add to that, college coaches are there to win - not develop players or play a beautiful game. I've seen D1 and D2 games that were ugly sloppy wins that no club coach worth his salt would have accepted - but a college coach is judged on the wins not how well played the game was.
For my kid, she loves her teammates and her school and knows to get out with a degree plus being a four year athlete will look good on the resume - that and the academic honors and other activities she's involved with. Big benefit to the D2 school vs D1 - the player has more options to do things outside of soccer. Several of our players are tour guides for the school or involved in clubs/societies in their major - or holding down part time jobs/internships.
My kid has been lucky enough to get to play and has made an impact on her team but nothing like she was on her club team. Getting to paly half of a college game is a thrill - this from the kid who never came out of the game in club. She truly is grateful every time she's subbed in and makes the most of it. More may come - maybe not but she's content and doing well at the adulting/athlete thing so I'm happy for her.
The ID Camp/recruitment journey is a great one so enjoy the ride and trust your kid to make the best decision for them whether that involves playing for the school team or on the club team at the school. Hardest part of parenting the college kid is letting them make their decisions, but it's OK - it does get a little easier - granted I cry every time she goes back to school so what do I know! LOL It will be weird in two years when she hangs up her cleats and she has said many many times, she intends to hang them up. It's a lot on their bodies and a huge investment from childhood on - but I think it's given her great memories and friends. That's all we can hope for our kids.
Best of luck with your journey!
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Post by spectator on May 18, 2019 9:36:47 GMT -5
Swooping back in here (Hi, y'all!) I recently read one of the best and most honest articles on athletic scholarships: www.chronicle.com/article/The-Myth-of-the-Sports/238453?fbclid=IwAR3XBj9rsF-67t9aZ_eCqFFiW0BKxFP96-0iyVSIRLkAUfSywUzzrkAP5UcFor soccer, the NCAA rules are pretty set and true - at my daughter's competitive D2 school, all women's soccer players on scholarship get the exact same amount of athletic money regardless - some other players get less or can walk on and 'earn' it the following year but for the rest, its a set amount. It's compensated by out of state students getting in state tuition, there are university scholarships for academics and even housing, so for her first year, with athletic and academic money, we were on the hook for roughly 15% of the total costs including books. And with the prices of colleges and what my friends with other kids - athletes or not - are paying even for UGA - I will take that in a heartbeat. Our goal was to have no debt when she graduates college (for her or us) and so far we haven't had to rely on loans so here's hoping! As for level - D1 and D2 are held to the NCAA guidelines of total number of scholarships available to men and women; D3 has no athletic but many more academic options and NAIA is not held to NCAA rules so it's open season there! But 'full ride' - for soccer - for men or women - is a very very rare thing. Keep their grades up and shop around for the best school for your kid not necessarily the best scholarship $ deal you get! This is their life not your ROI. Best of luck to all - we survived freshman year and looking forward to the next three. Well, she is, I'm probably still drying tears from the emotions of high school graduation - don't even want to think about college graduation yet!
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Post by spectator on Mar 8, 2019 10:32:20 GMT -5
Just a theory here, but maybe the smaller clubs in Georgia pissed off the big guys when they went to GA soccer and complained about SCCL which caused GA Soccer to react like a petty child. That might be a reason why they haven't added any other GA clubs. What were the complaints in regards to? Not being included in the league, that the "big guys" taking their teams out of Classic/Athena weakens the GA Soccer leagues that everyone has access to, or something else? Not sure what the complaints were but complaints might have been valid if you are stuck on the outside of the good ole boys network looking in. I forget the reasoning for forming this league but what would be the difference in play (other than no more AL and Carolina teams) if you entered all of these teams in Athena A and Classic I and let them play. If you assume they are the better teams wouldn't they continue to stay in the top division and have the same level of competition they do with the SCCL? Reason for forming the league - clubs/parents did not like how the now former SRPL was run/scheduled for reasons varying from being forced to use their hotels to the weather. Then the complaints of driving to Florida to play a team 20 miles away from your home field. Valid reasons but to exclude teams that earned spots in SRPL and only go with the big clubs to form the new league was wrong IMO. Then GA Soccer got pissy and a bunch of adults started acting like entitled brats because of course this is about adults and their wants/needs not kids being able to play soccer. The smaller clubs' complaint was about State Cup - they didn't want non-GA Soccer teams to be allowed to play - same reasoning as the complaints when ECNL players were rostered on State Cup Teams. I will bet you my second million that SCCL players are rostered on State Cup Teams with that 'wink wink' they were dual rostered on Athena/Classic teams all year 'wink wink'. But yes, GA Soccer's reaction is what got the animosity going. IMO no 'adult' in this scenario had the best interest of the players in mind from any side. So glad to have aged out of this mess - I cannot see having league upon league upon league is helping kids at all and the overall intent seems to be to completely destroy the smaller clubs and GA Soccer. Again - not helping the kids who play at smaller clubs. Don't mind me though - just the old member bored at work today checking on how you guys are doing!
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Post by spectator on Nov 15, 2018 21:56:53 GMT -5
Congratulations! Peach Belt is a competitive confetence! Sends three teams to NCAA D2 women’s tournament pretty much every year
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Post by spectator on Oct 1, 2018 21:42:10 GMT -5
What will mom do when junior doesn't get into the first college of his choice? Or get the job he really wanted? Unfortunately, she'll still be stepping in as the lawnmower parent - we had a father call my boss several months ago when his son didn't get a second interview. Daddy wanted to know why and what his precious could do to get another chance. My boss simply said, have HIM call next time not you. Let your kids fail, make mistakes, not make a top team. Let them fight their battles - or they will either become insufferable brats or never leave home.
Whatever attorney that took this case should be disbarred. What a colossal waste of our court system's time!
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Post by spectator on Sept 8, 2018 22:26:46 GMT -5
Swooping in with my two cents about ODP based on our years with it.
ODP is the best or worst of what you make it. The myths/truths depend on what age, what gender and what coaches you have- case in point, the last comment about smaller clubs is absolutely false for my kid's gender and age group. We had an incredible mix of talent from big and small clubs all over the state. One of the kids who made Region Pool multiple years was from a small club in South Georgia - metro Atlanta big clubs do not have a monopoly on talent.
ODP is not expensive until you go to Region Camp/Region Pool travel. By that point, it's either worth it or not and you can make that decision.
ODP is/is not political. Depends on age, gender, etc. We saw the good the bad and the downright WTF ugly, but overall it was a positive thing for us
ODP does offer opportunities to be seen by coaches outside of GA - in Sub Regionals and Region Camp. The coach my kid is now playing for in college first saw her at Sub Regions then at Region Camp. Many of the ODP and Region coaches are also college coaches - making ODP a great option for a kid to be seen - especially if he or she is from a club without ECNL and access to those ECNL showcases with a gazillion college coaches.
ODP does need to schedule training around club obligations. It's almost impossible to accommodate everyone but with a little research, the age group coordinator and coaches can look at the schedules of GA Soccer,ECNL, and whatever Region Leagues there are now and get the training arranged so most of the players can attend. If you get that, you will have a cohesive group that can go far.
For my kid, ODP was a great experience. She had amazing coaches and made friends across the state. Region Camp is not a fun thing (it's hot, intense and one long tryout) but she enjoyed the challenge and the experiences they had (haunted dorm at Montavello LOL)
DA players cannot participate in ODP but all others can. At the very least, ODP offers additional training and the opportunity to be seen by other coaches - at the end of the day, that is never a bad thing for the development of a player.
So yeah, if you have the opportunity and your kid has the desire, go to tryouts. You can decide there if it's worth your time and money base on who you see and who the coaches are. We had a great experience with our time in ODP. She had amazing coaches, made great friends, developed as a player and ultimately met the coach she is now playing for in college - totally worth our time! I truly hope you will have the same experience!
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Post by spectator on Jun 15, 2018 20:37:57 GMT -5
Having fun should be the most important factor. Remember 9.9 soccer scholarships in D1 and D2. Talk to any college coach, they look as much at GPA, SAT, ACT as DA, ECNL, ODP, etc. Fact! This is how they build their team of 30-40 players...it's more about the academics. Top D1 schools are going after the Elite players - the truly elite superstars. The math doesn't lie - that's a small percentage. For the rest of the players, D1-D2 coaches want to spread the scholarships around as much as they can so when recruiting, they do look at grades and scores and the threshholds for additional academic scholarships at their respective schools. Every coach we talked to in the recruiting process asked about GPA, rigor, and test scores and then re-directed us to admissions/financial aid to get the details on what would be available if the GPA was "X", "Y" or "Z" and the SAT was "A' "B" or "C". Once we had a final SAT and projected final GPA, the coach put together the package with Admissions/Aid to get the most bang for our buck and to spread his money out the best way he could. D3 is all about grades. No athletic money at all. NAIA is free range depending on the school. Point is - there are many many options for girls to continue to play in college regardless of where they are playing their senior year and at what level. We have known several girls who have gone to Jr Colleges or D3 schools after playing Club at Athena level. Find the academic school match and see if the soccer fits - not the other way around.
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Post by spectator on Jun 15, 2018 20:30:13 GMT -5
I love watching him . .and he plays soccer well, too!
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Post by spectator on Jun 8, 2018 21:42:56 GMT -5
At least they got it right with Sharon Loughran (though her last name is spelled incorrectly on the list)! She has been one of the best (club and high school)! Love Sharon but wasn't sure what club she is with now. She retired from HS Soccer coaching and is coaching swimming (her sport) at a private school now. Not at any club snymore. Great coach and person. Glad to see her on this list
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Post by spectator on Jun 6, 2018 22:26:05 GMT -5
Cherokee Impact has 01 teams. Tryouts are at Ettowah Park. 7:15-8:45 pm Practices will be at Badger Creek - closer to Roswell
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Post by spectator on Jun 5, 2018 16:00:02 GMT -5
COACH! COACH! COACH!
A good coach is a teacher,mentor,drill sergeant, and authority figure who can instill love of the game, respect for the players and officials, and a strong desire to always be better! If you find one in your child's life you are blessed.
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Post by spectator on Jun 5, 2018 15:54:04 GMT -5
Unsolicited and brutally honest BTDT advice from the one aged out of this craziness:
1. At U13-U14, size matters. Coaches will take the bigger players regardless if smaller ones are higher skilled. If your player is on the smaller side, go for an exceptional coach that concentrates on basic skills and footwork.
2. The studs at U13-U14 are rarely the game changers at U17-U18 and many may quit before then. Again, don't chase the level at this age, get a quality coach and team.
3. These are children 12 and 13 year olds who want to have a social life/school/etc. What you as a parent may think is 'best' for your kid may be that your version of 'elite is best " not what your kid wants. Also -see #2 above - it'll all pan out
4. This is youth soccer (pick your league d'jour - but the operative word is still YOUTH). This is an activity for your child not a tryout for the pros. It's not a consumer product you can return or demand an ROI for, this is your kid's recreation/hobby/passion/stuff he or she wants to do until they don't want to do it anymore. Dial it down a notch and let them navigate their path.
5. Not being on the top team at the club at U13 isn't the nail in the coffin forever that your kid will never have the chance to play in college if that's the desire. NCAA coaches really can't start officially recruiting until high school (Sophomore/Junior years - or earlier depending but legally, later) Let your 12-13 year old learn the skills now and not have to play catch up later.
6. Crazy and stressful as it is, enjoy the journey. You will actually miss this one day sooner than you think.
Best of luck to all of you and your kids this tryout week!
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Post by spectator on Jun 5, 2018 15:42:37 GMT -5
NTH u19 girls coach was even worse, the team's actions were even worse! What happened with them? I know that AFC team was almost 100% college players - many were D1 - but it looked like NTH gave them a decent game.
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Post by spectator on Jun 3, 2018 21:48:42 GMT -5
You are allowed to add players from your club/guests - this is because Regionals are in summer and some players may have conflicts or their families may not want to participate. I know of two teams where players said they'd play State Cup but not Regionals so it's pretty common - usually it's adding players from the current club - younger or from a team that did not move on to Regionals.
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Post by spectator on May 31, 2018 21:36:56 GMT -5
A number of girls showed up at NTH tryouts wearing their ODP practice shirt, I'm sure it was the parent's idea. LOL. Like all the years the Top Hat girls showed up at ODP tryouts in their TopHat shorts. Hey - glad to see someone still showing a little respect for ODP. Maybe its not dead yet after all
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Post by spectator on May 28, 2018 0:33:53 GMT -5
Many parents drive an hour plus to practice 3 or 4 times a week and then games on weekends. Goes with the territory. That's your individual choice about weekly practices. Pretty much everyone has traveled for games during the season. I am just commenting on the fact that for once, - and for my child's final state cup -it will be local for us. I've been around this rodeo many years, dear, I know the 'territory'. What exactly is your issue here? To me, yes, McDonough is a trek - I get to drive less than 20 miles from my own home to watch my kid play her final State Cup. Heck yeah, I'm happy about that. Hope you get that same option one day. Lighten up.
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Post by spectator on May 27, 2018 15:44:00 GMT -5
McDonough is a haul...lol. More of a traffic nightmare getting through downtown Atlanta but yeah -it can takeme 1.5-2 hours to get to Carmel Park some days
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Post by spectator on May 27, 2018 12:12:15 GMT -5
Girls at Franklin Gateway. Boys at Matt Park
Thank you GA Soccer for not waiting until the last minute.
After years of hauling it to Columbus or McDonough, our last State Cup is so close to home.
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Post by spectator on May 26, 2018 0:52:31 GMT -5
Where is the Final Four suppose to be at this year??? Mt Carmel - Henry County fields - all grass. I'm thinking GA soccer needs to start thinking about the U18-U19 group and Final Four sooner than later
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Post by spectator on May 25, 2018 22:48:02 GMT -5
Will coaches who have multiple teams spread out over an hour apart consider it successful? Will parents with kids playing at different venues consider it successful? Will College coaches consider it successful commuting all over Metro Atlanta. I guess it depends on what you consider successful. These have been the main arguments to have it in Columbus - even going from Woodruff Farm to Columbus State isn't that far so coaches (club and college) can handle it and it's do-able for parents with kids in different venues. Add in Atlanta traffic + rain + Memorial Day weekend activities - getting from point A to point B will be a hassle. Lake Point would be the ideal place as a host as long as all fields were available and set up for soccer. We've played many a game up there on a converted baseball field - it's not 'ideal' but it's better than cancelling a game. This: probably wouldn't work because Atlanta United is currently playing and there may be conflicts plus the Braves are playing and the new stadium is in that area. The one mile could take longer than going across town if the Braves were also in town Memorial Day weekends. For the rising Sophomores and Juniors hoping to be seen by college coaches at State Cup this year, it may be a disappointment and far from a 'success'. It sucks for them most of all but I do hope the weather holds, the traffic isn't horrific and college coaches are able to make the rounds. Curious about what GA Soccer will do about the U18-U19 games next week. Mt Carmel fields aren't ideal days after a rain, the forecast is calling for heavy thunderstorms all weekend and all next week. Just move those games up to Lake Point since they are mid week and figure out where the Final Four will be played.
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Post by spectator on May 24, 2018 21:58:14 GMT -5
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Post by spectator on May 15, 2018 20:57:45 GMT -5
What’s the over/under on how long until Concorde comes out with something official?? Not quite as quickly as they cancel their tournaments? (oh no she didn't go there - yes I did! LOL)
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Post by spectator on May 13, 2018 17:10:22 GMT -5
First Mother’s Day in 9 years I’m not at a game or tournament. Kind of a weird mix of relief and saddness- knowing the youth soccer journey is really coming to an end.
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Post by spectator on May 10, 2018 13:31:08 GMT -5
Disney CASL and Jefferson for more national exposure and good competition,
Locally - GSA Showcase in December was always good for us but with all the changes, who knows what clubs/teams will participate.
Look at Atlanta Showcase at Lake Pointe in January - that has grown into a good opportunity to be seen, too and you save the travel costs. 2019 will have a Girls weekend and a Boys weekend - it's grown that much. We've gone for three years and had some highly competitive games.
My other two cents - don't do the cattle call ID camp things that sometimes associated themselves with the legitimate showcases. Those are just money grabs and more of a cattle call than an actual ID opportunity.
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Post by spectator on May 2, 2018 22:05:30 GMT -5
GASP???!! You mean there are soccer teams other than the elite 5? WHO KNEW? ? #sarcasm
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Post by spectator on May 2, 2018 21:52:59 GMT -5
BUT, me thinks 411 MAY be a higher up at a certain club that is out near Buford, who aligned with 2-3 other clubs in a merger, but I may be wrong. Or is it Roswell/Impact/Ambush? Whoever he is, he has a vendetta against AFU, I DO know that. I think I opened up a can of worms here. Oops! I had a bad experience with my kid at a club once and though it would take a lot to convince me to return even though we still have a lot of friends there I would definitely NOT have a vendetta against them. Not a can of worms but I will ask everyone here that we not stoop to bullying people into revealing anything more than what they are comfortable with revealing online. Not accusing anyone but please take a step back and realize this topic is something everyone is passionate about and not everyone is some kind of spy from whatever side you aren't on at the moment. This forum is transparent in the fact that it is regulated enough that you have to put some skin in the game and register. Lately it seems anyone new is subject to scrutiny - why? Because the cesspool of the other forum is now officially dead? I have revealed who I am and where we play to people here privately and no, I am not 100% transparent publicly because that's how I am in my real life. I don't give money over the phone, I don't give strangers rides and even though I've been on this forum for years, no, I don't reveal every single detail of my life. You all know I'm at a smaller club, my kid is about to go play in college, she had a serious injury a few years ago and I am ever grateful for those people here who, even though they didn't 'know' me, messaged me with well wishes and inquires as to how she was doing. I have tried to reciprocate in kind when people post about an injury or issue. My hope as we (me and my kid) age out of this craziness, is that you all will do the same. Reveal what you are comfortable with and reach out to help if you can. At the end of the day, we are all parents who just love our kids and want them to be happy. As for 'vendettas' all of us have had good/bad/indifferent experiences over the many years we've been on this crazy journey. My kid has played at both small and big clubs. She's had good and bad coaches - and guess what, the size of the club had zero to do with how exceptional or horrific the coach was. I've said over and over that level and club are secondary to a good coach. If you have one of those, hold fast and tight and stay where you are because in the long run, that coach will benefit your player so much more than whatever the "L' the level is. I do honestly sincerely feel for everyone left in this crazy stuff. I am still not convinced anyone in power at a club or league has the best interests of the players in mind when they force these changes on us. But yeah, even coming from mean old me, please try to stay focused on the players and the bonds you have with like people (aka parents of players). This forum has been a great source of support and information for me. Come this summer, unless someone creates a sub board for college parents, I'm outta here - and yes, I will miss you - even those I disagreed with - because disagreement isn't negative - it's an opportunity to learn something new. And because we did have some skin in the game by having that recognizable user name or avatar, we did get to 'know' each other as much as we'd allow it. And you all taught me, schooled me, and made me see different sides of every situation. Breathe - who really cares who is where - we're all here. Relish it!
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Post by spectator on May 2, 2018 15:52:19 GMT -5
For the boys yes, for the girls no. I mean come on Region 3 stop being sexist and sending the boys to the University of Alabama and then sending the girls to who knows where University of Montevallo. That’s like sending one group to the trade school in Athens and then sending the other to Atlanta United. 🤦🏻♂️ Ps. THWG....😂 Yeah but if you get to stay in Main Hall at Montevallo, you get experience the ghostly antics of Condi. carmichaeldigitalprojects.org/archivingmontevallo/items/show/123The GA team was in Main two years ago and my daughter said they had a blast with the stories and trying to scare each other. Oh and they played a LOT of soccer, too. It is physically and mentally exhausting but even she admitted the training and experience was great and she was glad she went. She's just as happy to be aged out now but it was a good ride.
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