Youth soccer club

[lawpoke87]

So ECNL touts itself as a great platform, and maybe the actual ECNL actually is...but I am pretty sure all these RL and RL regional leagues are nothing more than money grabs by the org running ECNL...and the clubs are morons for thinking that they may play themselves into an ECNL bid through these regional leagues. We're all debating the merits of TSC and WSA's 2nd teams even being part of these regional leagues because the competition might be too much for them. And the clubs are selling the RL league as a stepping stone to ECNL competition and showcases that could result in potential scholarships. It's all BS. Coaches will tell you they might be at those showcases but they rarely come away with more than a name or two. And at that, when they get the name they're going to invite them to their camp. Most college coaches will tell you a good many of their domestic finds come from camps either at their school or one of these specialty camps. And I'm telling you now, if you want your kid to go to a certain school and play soccer, contact the coach after the sophomore year, introduce them, send a link to their HUDL highlights, and then tell them you're coming to "x" camp and I look forward to meeting you in person. Those interactions go way farther than allowing for some chance meeting at a showcase unless you're one of those special talents that everyone knows before you get to the showcase.

But Barry and Roger Bush aren't going to tell your kid that. They're going to say "keep playing with us and we'll make sure you get seen by college coaches" which is something that should never promise because they can't assure it will happen. Sure they can say we're going to college showcases...but there have been many times we've gone to a showcase and I could count on Luke Skywalker's left hand (towards the end of ESB) how many college coaches actually showed up.

I can only speak on the girls side due to boys MLS Next and the differences between boys and girls platforms.

You’re spot on in most of your observations. Ecnl will promote several clubs every year to ECNL. Others are promoted from regional to ECRL. Arkansas Rising in fact moved last year. So there’s not a lot of movement between ecnl levels but there is some.

Practically zero college scouts attend regional RL games other than those who were specifically invited by individual players. There will be college coaches at ECRL national events. Mainly from the smaller schools. ECRL is a decent level of soccer. Higher than any platform other than ECNL and GA imo. ECRL girls do get scholarships. Generally lower level schools but the opportunities are there. RL- regional league players not so much.

There are college coaches everywhere at ECNL nationals. I’ve seen games at nationals with more than 40 college coaches. The clubs hand out laminated color info sheets to all coaches and scouts in attendance. Sheets have player pics, measurables, position, along with a short bio. Every coach or scout in attendance will have sheets for each team playing. I haven’t attended an older player ecnl showcase yet so I can’t speak to the coaching turnout at those.

 

[TU_BLA]

I can only speak on the girls side due to boys MLS Next and the differences between boys and girls platforms.

You’re spot on in most of your observations. Ecnl will promote several clubs every year to ECNL. Others are promoted from regional to ECRL. Arkansas Rising in fact moved last year. So there’s not a lot of movement between ecnl levels but there is some.

Practically zero college scouts attend regional RL games other than those who were specifically invited by individual players. There will be college coaches at ECRL national events. Mainly from the smaller schools. ECRL is a decent level of soccer. Higher than any platform other than ECNL and GA imo. ECRL girls do get scholarships. Generally lower level schools but the opportunities are there. RL- regional league players not so much.

There are college coaches everywhere at ECNL nationals. I’ve seen games at nationals with more than 40 college coaches. The clubs hand out laminated color info sheets to all coaches and scouts in attendance. Sheets have player pics, measurables, position, along with a short bio. Every coach or scout in attendance will have sheets for each team playing. I haven’t attended an older player ecnl showcase yet so I can’t speak to the coaching turnout at those.

I've seen the sheets. Blitz did them for EA Showcases last year. They even had some for a couple of the more local showcases this season. Other than getting to play games at them, most showcases are a waste of my son's time (his words, not mine) because he has no interest in the schools that tend to show up to them. Which is why we changed our approach to camps this year (a little late but it was good for him) and targeted camps where schools he was interested in were going to be at. He reached out to them, introduced himself and basically all the stuff you mentioned about the player cards. Plus, you get to say "I look forward to meeting you next week" . I know this got my son on the radar of a few coaches.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

So ECNL touts itself as a great platform, and maybe the actual ECNL actually is...but I am pretty sure all these RL and RL regional leagues are nothing more than money grabs by the org running ECNL...and the clubs are morons for thinking that they may play themselves into an ECNL bid through these regional leagues. We're all debating the merits of TSC and WSA's 2nd teams even being part of these regional leagues because the competition might be too much for them. And the clubs are selling the RL league as a stepping stone to ECNL competition and showcases that could result in potential scholarships. It's all BS. Coaches will tell you they might be at those showcases but they rarely come away with more than a name or two. And at that, when they get the name they're going to invite them to their camp. Most college coaches will tell you a good many of their domestic finds come from camps either at their school or one of these specialty camps. And I'm telling you now, if you want your kid to go to a certain school and play soccer, contact the coach after the sophomore year, introduce them, send a link to their HUDL highlights, and then tell them you're coming to "x" camp and I look forward to meeting you in person. Those interactions go way farther than allowing for some chance meeting at a showcase unless you're one of those special talents that everyone knows before you get to the showcase.

But Barry and Roger Bush aren't going to tell your kid that. They're going to say "keep playing with us and we'll make sure you get seen by college coaches" which is something that should never promise because they can't assure it will happen. Sure they can say we're going to college showcases...but there have been many times we've gone to a showcase and I could count on Luke Skywalker's left hand (towards the end of ESB) how many college coaches actually showed up.

I have said this a number of times. It is all about what you want out of soccer. I don't think enough people can understand that. There is just such a chasm in the sport. A lot of it is about commitment and access to coaching and competition.


There are many complex factors to consider. Do we want teams that can consistently compete in Texas and nationally, or do we want some mediocre teams here and there? Do I think one club should hog the limelight and have all the answers? No. Do I think we compete regionally consistently with four different clubs trying to hog it? It ain't likely Ghostrider.

Do I think Bartlesville and Owasso are the answers for Tulsa? Negative Ghostrider.

There are always arguments about who should be promoted to the top teams. I already see it at the lowest ages. I know that kids have been promoted constantly between RL-NL and gold vs. navy in the academies. I get it. You are jaded after standing on the sideline and being scared of being yelled at by a ten-year-old rec parent. You guys got your faces pounded by Jackson, MS. It isn't delightful. It is hard to decide who to keep up and who to keep down. It doesn't make it a conspiracy theory. "I have noticed that many high school students, both boys and girls, are receiving scholarships to good schools, some of which are Division 1 schools. However, I am concerned that this trend may lead to a decline in the overall quality of the teams. Specifically, I believe Jamie Peterson is doing this for his financial gain. He doesn't want to lose boys and girls when they reach 13. It's interesting to see non-profit organizations list coaching services as their most significant expense when they file their 990s.

I think the whole notion of non-profits in club soccer is an utter and total joke but I digress.

 

[lawpoke87]

I have said this a number of times. It is all about what you want out of soccer. I don't think enough people can understand that. There is just such a chasm in the sport. A lot of it is about commitment and access to coaching and competition.


There are many complex factors to consider. Do we want teams that can consistently compete in Texas and nationally, or do we want some mediocre teams here and there? Do I think one club should hog the limelight and have all the answers? No. Do I think we compete regionally consistently with four different clubs trying to hog it? It ain't likely Ghostrider.

Do I think Bartlesville and Owasso are the answers for Tulsa? Negative Ghostrider.

There are always arguments about who should be promoted to the top teams. I already see it at the lowest ages. I know that kids have been promoted constantly between RL-NL and gold vs. navy in the academies. I get it. You are jaded after standing on the sideline and being scared of being yelled at by a ten-year-old rec parent. You guys got your faces pounded by Jackson, MS. It isn't delightful. It is hard to decide who to keep up and who to keep down. It doesn't make it a conspiracy theory. "I have noticed that many high school students, both boys and girls, are receiving scholarships to good schools, some of which are Division 1 schools. However, I am concerned that this trend may lead to a decline in the overall quality of the teams. Specifically, I believe Jamie Peterson is doing this for his financial gain. He doesn't want to lose boys and girls when they reach 13. It's interesting to see non-profit organizations list coaching services as their most significant expense when they file their 990s.

I think the whole notion of non-profits in club soccer is an utter and total joke but I digress.

I hope parents understand that soccer clubs are businesses. Doesn’t matter if they’re profit or non-profit. Aside from tax considerations there is little to differentiate the two. Clubs needs revenue. Kids are the revenue. Clubs will say and promise what they believe will attract kids (revenue) to the club. Directors on down to coaches in general make more money when club revenue’s increase. Depending on the club, coaches receive bonuses based on a variety of criteria from kids they bring into the club to performance of the teams they coach. No club or coach will want to lose kids (revenue) to a competing club.

Parents……do your own homework. Question what you’re being told. Do what is best for your kid depending on their ability and soccer goals. I love watching 15 year olds competing in rec plus soccer in the OPL playing simply for the fun of the game. There’s a place of all kids regardless of skill and ability in club soccer. Keep things in perspective and sit back and enjoy watching your kids grow and play a beautiful game. Few things are better and this time will be gone all too soon.

 

[tudirk]

I don't think any of the clubs are as bad as people make it seem. It's a hard job running a club in any sport. I personally don't like Barry, but I do think he cares about the kids. Roger, I think has an ego that he wants to be the King of soccer in Oklahoma (and get paid like it) Then Robbie at Blitz seems like a great guy but I'm not sure he has the business sense to raise funds needed to expand Blitz (who have some great coaches). NEOFC and BA I know very little about their leadership.

 

[TU_BLA]

I don't think any of the clubs are as bad as people make it seem. It's a hard job running a club in any sport. I personally don't like Barry, but I do think he cares about the kids. Roger, I think has an ego that he wants to be the King of soccer in Oklahoma (and get paid like it) Then Robbie at Blitz seems like a great guy but I'm not sure he has the business sense to raise funds needed to expand Blitz (who have some great coaches). NEOFC and BA I know very little about their leadership.

I think NEOFC has their share of good coaches but they lack the population base to support what they really want to do. On the girls side, they're OK and Owasso HS is usually pretty good in girls soccer. But they fight the perception of being a small club and not playing at the highest level so some parents up that way are willing to drive to Sand Springs or Jenks to have their daughters play at WSA or TSC.

And all the clubs have way too much ego or pride involved to merge and really make Tulsa soccer to be a force to be reckoned with. I know Barry tried to get NEOFC to merge with TSC when he first bought the club. He also approached Blitz as well (right after TSC worked to get MTSC and Tulsa United to merge their rec soccer programs and basically left Blitz without a rec feeder program or game fields). Wilber said hell no.

As for BA Express...it's the old Sheffield United. When Bixby said they were no longer going to sponsor a competitive side through their club, BASC absorbed them as their competitive side (after TSC severed its relationships with MTSC and BASC, a big big mistake IMO). After a year, the BASC side forced all of the Sheffield sides to rebrand to BA Express. The majority of these players are really rec+ players as most of the teams were rec+ teams and forced to be BA Express playing OPL league at a minimum. They made each of the top rec+ teams take on that competitive role. The 06 and 07 groups play with such a chip on their shoulders they get in fights with the local competitive teams. Coaches had the audacity to both about the refereeing because their teams accumulated 10 red cards in 2 weeks for fighting, reckless & dangerous play, etc. And I know the leadership of the BA Express program will rig which referees do their home games to make sure they get favorable calls. And yes I've been in the room when they're requested a last minute change because they did not have a favorable past with a certain center ref. It's to the point where I refuse assignments for games if I'm paired with one of those guys in BA.

Barry- as I've said before, he tries hard and he tries to make everyone happy but the follow through on all the promises he makes is severely lacking. I've had long conversations with him about the lack of transparency in the tryout process and especially the lack of any evaluable drills for GKs in that process...I mean how do you evaluate GKs if the only drills run are some passing drills and warm up technical drills and then immediately into 11v11 scrimmages where the GKs may get to touch the ball once or twice and have no chances to show some of the skills that can set GKs apart. 3 years, we were promised that the clubs director of GKing would be at each age groups tryout process for at least one of the days. Problem is Barry couldn't keep GK coaches around long enough to be involved. And as we've mentioned before, the "tryout" process at clubs is really only for new players to the club. They have no interest in moving players up that have developed and should get that opportunity. Because moving a player up means having to move a player down or telling a new kid he's not on top team, which means neither is staying at the club meaning the club loses $$$...and at the end of the day we all know this is all about $$$

 

[TU_BLA]

Then Robbie at Blitz seems like a great guy but I'm not sure he has the business sense to raise funds needed to expand Blitz

This is correct. Robbie is a soccer guy. He's not quite the guy to solicit funds from sponsors or develop multilevel partnerships in the community that benefit the soccer side of things. Or even develop partnerships that could result in upgrades to facilities for training and such. I mean All Star is for sale right now and Blitz should look for some investors to help purchase that complex, remove all the fencing and develop a soccer complex that can be used for training and games. If I hit Powerball, I'm buying it and developing it into a facility that would make Barry jealous and want to be there. I mean there's space for at least 6 full sized fields, 4 9v9 and 7v7 fields, and a goalkeeping training area. If I could manage acquiring some of the buildings that border the property, I'd develop an indoor training facility as well. The fact that none of the clubs who have trained there haven't worked with All Star to develop it into a soccer o my facility and remove all the baseball/softball fencing is a lack of commitment on both sides.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

Do any of the kids still wear Patrick Missiles?! That was the my favorite indoor shoe. I wore 'em in outdoor too. Cleats suck unless you're sliding into second base and you hate the dude covering the bag.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

I hope parents understand that soccer clubs are businesses. Doesn’t matter if they’re profit or non-profit. Aside from tax considerations there is little to differentiate the two. Clubs needs revenue. Kids are the revenue. Clubs will say and promise what they believe will attract kids (revenue) to the club. Directors on down to coaches in general make more money when club revenue’s increase. Depending on the club, coaches receive bonuses based on a variety of criteria from kids they bring into the club to performance of the teams they coach. No club or coach will want to lose kids (revenue) to a competing club.

Parents……do your own homework. Question what you’re being told. Do what is best for your kid depending on their ability and soccer goals. I love watching 15 year olds competing in rec plus soccer in the OPL playing simply for the fun of the game. There’s a place of all kids regardless of skill and ability in club soccer. Keep things in perspective and sit back and enjoy watching your kids grow and play a beautiful game. Few things are better and this time will be gone all too soon.

Many parents tend to think this whole non-profit BS is some kind of special thing. For me, it is totally disingenuous, and I hate people taking advantage of the tax code for things that should not be able to.

 

[lawpoke87]

Many parents tend to think this whole non-profit BS is some kind of special thing. For me, it is totally disingenuous, and I hate people taking advantage of the tax code for things that should not be able to.

The tax classification of the clubs don’t really bother me as long as parents understand the clubs are businesses and run as the same. Non-profit allows people to write off donations to the club. Other than that I don’t see a significant benefit. Property tax exemption would be a nice advantage but I’m not sure how many of these clubs own the dirt on which the train and play.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

The tax classification of the clubs don’t really bother me as long as parents understand the clubs are businesses and run as the same. Non-profit allows people to write off donations to the club. Other than that I don’t see a significant benefit. Property tax exemption would be a nice advantage but I’m not sure how many of these clubs own the dirt on which the train and play.

It is a moan that I have beyond just soccer, too, though. The NRA pays its people 4M bucks to run it. It isn't a non-profit. It's a joke, and the IRS refuses to challenge the status of too many of these things, including BS churches like Kenneth Copeland, Blue Flame 47, etc... I digress though.

 

[lawpoke87]

It is a moan that I have beyond just soccer, too, though. The NRA pays its people 4M bucks to run it. It isn't a non-profit. It's a joke, and the IRS refuses to challenge the status of too many of these things, including BS churches like Kenneth Copeland, Blue Flame 47, etc... I digress though.

No one comes close to Sentara Health who pays their CEO over $33M a year. I do agree with your opinion fwiw.

 

[TU_BLA]

Do any of the kids still wear Patrick Missiles?! That was the my favorite indoor shoe. I wore 'em in outdoor too. Cleats suck unless you're sliding into second base and you hate the dude covering the bag.

My son always seemed to like the Kelmes for indoor or futsal.

 

[TU_BLA]

It is a moan that I have beyond just soccer, too, though. The NRA pays its people 4M bucks to run it. It isn't a non-profit. It's a joke, and the IRS refuses to challenge the status of too many of these things, including BS churches like Kenneth Copeland, Blue Flame 47, etc... I digress though.

I'd say the mega churches need a closer look at the tax exempt stuff, especially if they're going to actively endorse a political candidate from the pulpit. If they're looking at that ORU should also lose their tax exempt status.

But beyond that, it's just become a giant tax dodging grift. I'm sure they all started well intentioned but the fact you've got some of these grifters worth $50M or more, they no longer work for the Kingdom of God as they claim. And people just willingly fork over thousands of $$$ for piece of that wealth (the Prosperity Gospel has been so bastardized by evangelicals it's ridiculous....they've basically turned it into a pyramid scheme).

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

My son always seemed to like the Kelmes for indoor or futsal.

Never heard of that brand. Does Uhlsport still make keeper gloves?

 

[lawpoke87]

Never heard of that brand. Does Uhlsport still make keeper gloves?

My kid wears the Nikes. Just likes how they feel.

 

[TU_BLA]

Never heard of that brand. Does Uhlsport still make keeper gloves?

They do still make keeper gloves. My son uses ONE Glove out of England. Good negative cut glove with great grip and they seemingly last forever if you take care of them. He's used adidas Predators and if you buy the pro series in those they al have really good grip but they aren't great for turf as the little beads tear them up. He hates the West Coast gloves that seem to be the rage because they pay half the MLS keepers to use them.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

My kid wears the Nikes. Just likes how they feel.

Is there any data on these soccer cleats, ACLs and turf? Have these been around that long?

 

[lawpoke87]

Is there any data on these soccer cleats, ACLs and turf? Have these been around that long?

Lots of data on ACLs and turf.

Increased Risk of ACL Injury for Female but Not Male Soccer Players on Artificial Turf Versus Natural Grass: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Both natural grass (NG) and artificial turf (AT) are popular playing surfaces for soccer. Biomechanical studies have found increased frictional forces on AT that may lead to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The increased risk of ACL injury during ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Luna’s are too new to have any data out on them as of yet. My opinion is that if you have a female teenage soccer player avoid training and playing on turf if at all possible.

 

[TU_BLA]

Lots of data on ACLs and turf.

Increased Risk of ACL Injury for Female but Not Male Soccer Players on Artificial Turf Versus Natural Grass: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Both natural grass (NG) and artificial turf (AT) are popular playing surfaces for soccer. Biomechanical studies have found increased frictional forces on AT that may lead to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The increased risk of ACL injury during ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Luna’s are too new to have any data out on them as of yet. My opinion is that if you have a female teenage soccer player avoid training and playing on turf if at all possible.

There's a reason some of the best US women's players are looking to playing in England and France right now. I want to say Lindsey Horan has been pretty outspoken about it. Seattle/OL Reign play in the NFL stadium with artificial turf surface. However, the Sounders have a full fledged grass practice facility while the women's team practices on turf. Most of the surfaces in Canada are artificial and a lot of the women's players were pissed a while back when the entirety of the women's WC was played on artificial turf in Canada a while back where in the men's game, unless the field surface was grass, the stadium wouldn't be considered. Hell I'm sure some of the men's players are already bitching about playing one the grass platform fields that will be used in many venues for WC 2026...Meadowlands, Gillette, AT&T will all be on the platforms so there will be seams in the surface.

I do think there's more to it than just surface in the women's game for sure . Guilia Gwin is a young German phenom who has been part of Germany's last 2 WWC squads and plays for Bayern Munich women. She's had 2 ACL tears and pretty sure they're playing and practicing on natural grass. I do think the combo of anatomy and turf are a bad combo in the women's game. I'm shocked HS insurance providers haven't asked for natural grass or adjusted premiums upwards if the school insists on turf. I'm glad TU went the natural grass route and high quality at that. I know the last time they redid the field at the soccer and track stadium, it was $200k and it's a state of the art tiff Bermuda hybrid (used on many high end golf courses). I'd argue it's the best pitch in the state.

 

[lawpoke87]

Busy week of soccer ahead for us. My daughter played with the 09 NL club this weekend and then starts the Dallas Cup tomorrow with her 2010s. Games on Weds, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Should be a really competitive tournament. 3 of the top 11 teams in the country are competing in the U14 division including Tophat which is the top GA team in the country. Games are at the Ross Stewart Complex.

 

[TU_BLA]

Busy week of soccer ahead for us. My daughter played with the 09 NL club this weekend and then starts the Dallas Cup tomorrow with her 2010s. Games on Weds, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Should be a really competitive tournament. 3 of the top 11 teams in the country are competing in the U14 division including Tophat which is the top GA team in the country. Games are at the Ross Stewart Complex.

Which one is Ross Stewart? Dallas has some amazing complexes in the area. Even the public park fields they use for Plano Labor Day are fantastic fields (parking isn't always great). The one with the train cars all over the place between Plano and Frisco are great fields.

 

[lawpoke87]

Which one is Ross Stewart? Dallas has some amazing complexes in the area. Even the public park fields they use for Plano Labor Day are fantastic fields (parking isn't always great). The one with the train cars all over the place between Plano and Frisco are great fields.

Home complex of the Texans in Farmers Branch. Not the largest of complexes but the fields are high quality.

Facilities - Dallas Texans Soccer Club

The Club The Dallas Texans Soccer Club have made significant investments in building two state-of-the-art multi-field complexes for training, games and tournaments, including a clubhouse with meeting rooms and coaches’ lounge, an indoor facility with a small-sided training field, locker rooms...

dallastexans.com

 

[TU_BLA]

Home complex of the Texans in Farmers Branch. Not the largest of complexes but the fields are high quality.

Facilities - Dallas Texans Soccer Club

The Club The Dallas Texans Soccer Club have made significant investments in building two state-of-the-art multi-field complexes for training, games and tournaments, including a clubhouse with meeting rooms and coaches’ lounge, an indoor facility with a small-sided training field, locker rooms...

dallastexans.com

OK. I don't think we've every played there. We were in that general area for some FCL matches a couple years back and the complex was very nice but I don't think it was this one...even though the hotel we had was out in that area, maybe a little closer to Trophy Club. My son went to an EA All Star camp that was held at a complex in North Ft. Worth near the outlet mall and race track. Only 3-4 grass fields tucked down between some warehouses...the fields were pristine.

 

[TU_BLA]

If your kid wants to play 6A HS soccer in OK and play and practice on a grass field, apparently you have to move to Mustang. Really nice game field and practice fields here.

 

[lawpoke87]

I’ve heard TSC Route 66 Tournament being held next weekend is down 100 teams from last year. They’ve even eliminate 2009 girls altogether. Fallout from the tourney the prematurely cancelled in the r fall I assume ?

 

[tudirk]

I’ve heard TSC Route 66 Tournament being held next weekend is down 100 teams from last year. They’ve even eliminate 2009 girls altogether. Fallout from the tourney the prematurely cancelled in the r fall I assume ?

It's about 60ish less. I bet that has a lot to do with it. Looks like a great weather weekend for this tournament.

 

[lawpoke87]

It's about 60ish less. I bet that has a lot to do with it. Looks like a great weather weekend for this tournament.

Weather looks great. Should be a fantastic tournament.

 

[TU_BLA]

We were up in St. Louis this weekend for the Scott Gallagher Showcase. After the Union/Bixby game on Friday night, my son and I were at the airport at 4:45 for a 5:45 flight to StL where my wife picked us up at the airport and headed straight to the Creve Coeur soccer park for an 8am game. Great facility, great parking, nice arrangement for the fans. My son's team played a Borussia Mondchengladbach branded club team from St. Louis, a team from Chicago, and a team from St. Paul, MN over the weekend. 1st game was a 1-1 draw that my son was actually pretty stellar in. The lone goal against probably should have been a foul goal on the attacker as my son went up to grab a cross and got shoved with a forearm directly from behind. I told the ref I had it on film if he needed some VAR to get the call right. My son mad 2 point blank 1 v 1 saves, and 2 really nice fully laid out saves that were labeled for the far posts. I joked with him afterwards that I was going to make him wake up at 4am for every game day from here on out

2nd game, my son was good again and his team played really well for 70 minutes taking a 2-0 lead into the last 10. Unfortunately, the defense just absolutely fell apart and stopped running. All 3 goals came on free runners in 1 v 1 situations. It was brutal. Sunday morning game was really rough. Team looked half asleep and couldn't really do anything. My son had a sequence of about 4 saves in a row and probably 7 saves in the half (among the 20 or so shots that came his direction) and somehow the game was scoreless at half. 2nd half, much the same and the 1st goal came quickly as the lumberjacks from MN had a nice sequence with a good late run that the Blitz defender just sort of watched right in front of him...another 1 v 1 goal. My son was pretty frustrated but there's not much you can do in those situations. Despite that he still made a nice sequence of saves in the middle of the half, with a nice triple save sequence (not sure what the defenders were doing because at least 2 of them completely whiffed clearing the ball). The last 2 goals were nice shots to the far posts. I know one of them my son was a little upset at himself because he didn't set his feet for the shoot and got caught moving in the wrong direction. The other one the D let a kid basically cut in from the sideline to the top of the box without anyone stepping in front or trying to slow him down and the kid hit a low rocket back across his body. Final was 3-0.

TSC's 06 RL team was in St. Louis as well. They didn't score a goal all weekend. We were talking with one of the dads of a player my son played with when he was at TSC. He was frustrated because they committed to this tournament without having a full complement of players available and so were using some lower level players and a lot of 07s. Tony Winters was coaching.

As for TSC tournament, I should get some game assignments on Saturday. I won't be doing games on Sunday as my son and I are headed to Ann Arbor to visit UM. At it's peak, TSC was drawing 400-500 teams for the Spring tournament and needing pretty much every field at Mohawk, Indian Springs, and using some of Titan or MTSC. I know the Fall tournament that they bailed on after Saturday, most games were in Jenks with only a few at Mohawk. And it's not just the ridiculous canceling a tournament for a few drops of rain. The price of the tournament is really high compared to some others. Last I saw, if you were in the showcase age groups (u15-u19), it was $1200 and they were promising 4 officials on every game, every game was recorded, stats for players were kept, 50 college coaches and scouts...yada yada yada. There are so many promises they made that they weren't able to keep. The VEO's were scheduled...so if the previous game went long or your game started late, your VEO recording was incomplete. There was a program using AI to do the stats...well the AI wasn't intelligent at all and it was terrible. And there may have been a 4th official at the 1st scheduled game slots but it usually fell apart after that because you had refs bail after a game because of injuries, refs that overslept and decided not to come in, etc. 2 Springs ago, I actually started a game as center for a game because the ref assigned didn't show up on time. I did about the 1st 20 minutes, he finally shows up, and they pull me off to let him finish the game. I was actually pretty pissed and so were the teams as I had established a tone for the game with the players and not allowing a lot of the clutching and grabbing I noticed early on. New ref came in, screwed up the time in the first half and had coaches bitching at him. Dad from the sideline started going nuts, he was told to leave. It was just so hacky. Dude, if you don't show up on time for your job, you don't get paid. And they always get a ton of referees to come in from out of town for this tournament and I know several who aren't coming for the Spring because of what happened last Fall. Sure TSC put them up in a hotel but TSC did not pay for them to come in from Wichita or St. Louis (guy my son and I worked with on the last game before they punted the tournament and were scheduled to work with him on 5 games that day, came in from StL...he's not coming back). They didn't pay for his travel and if you're driving that's easily $100-$150 in gas plus food on the road...TSC does feed refs when they're working). If he did 6 games on Saturday he probably got about $250 for those...$100 is not worth the 12 total hours of drive time IMO.

And Blitz and WSA are both saying their tournaments are growing. Blitz's is April 19-21 and WSA's is the following week I believe.

 

[lawpoke87]

TSC Route 66 tourney has 59 girls teams in 2024. They had 108 in 2023. I couldn’t believe those numbers at first so I double checked them. They are accurate. They’ve lost approx 60 teams just on the girls side.

The boys isn’t quite as bad dropping from 144 to 102.

 

[lawpoke87]

It's about 60ish less. I bet that has a lot to do with it. Looks like a great weather weekend for this tournament.

I just ran the numbers. I show a decrease of 101 teams from 2023 to 2024. These numbers come directly from the TSC websites.

 

[TU_BLA]

I just ran the numbers. I show a decrease of 101 teams from 2023 to 2024. These numbers come directly from the TSC websites.

I know probably 4-5 years ago, this tournament had 400+ total teams, something like 459 if I recall. It may have been the last year Jim and Mark owned the club or maybe Barry's 1st year but a combination of poor playing surfaces at Mohawk that year, so many other tournaments and a ton of local teams not coming to play because of price/HS soccer commitments is a bad combo. Add to that the debacle of the Fall. If I were Barry and TSC, I'd be pulling that list of teams from the Fall and sending a survey to them as to what factors led to them deciding not to play in the TSC event. If it's the cancelation, you can fix that and lure them back, if it's scheduled time conflicting with other events (I believe there is an ECNL event coming up soon in Round Rock), that's outside of what TSC can control. If it's price, again that is something TSC can work on.

Find out what's happening and adapt. Give a credit to teams to come back and play if the cancellation in the Fall left a bad taste. Reduce the price to something more manageable and do some heavy recruitment of local teams...maybe a local discount to play and then the other clubs could offer that in reciprocity for TSC to attend their tournaments. I mean, my kid has not played 1 TSC team or WSA team in league play the last 2 season (in his age group...WSA is playing one of their teams up in the FCL league). Which is completely stupid.

 

[HuffyCane]

If this thread gets any longer, we are going to have to rename it “TSC Making More Moves”

 

[lawpoke87]

If this thread gets any longer, we are going to have to rename it “TSC Making More Moves”

Ironic that it was started by someone who doesn’t post on the thread. 🤷‍♂️

 

[TU_BLA]

Ironic that it was started by someone who doesn’t post on the thread. 🤷‍♂️

Asking about a club that no longer exists

 

[TU_BLA]

And I will continue to post but mostly regarding my exploits as a referee as my son's club career winds up here in the next couple of weeks. There's a bit of sadness to all of that BTW.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

And I will continue to post but mostly regarding my exploits as a referee as my son's club career winds up here in the next couple of weeks. There's a bit of sadness to all of that BTW.

Booker T Wash? (BTW)

How long are you staying for your visit at U of M?

 

[TU_BLA]

Booker T Wash? (BTW)

How long are you staying for your visit at U of M?

Just a day. We fly up Sunday and then leave Monday evening. My Michigan geography is not up to snuff. I thought Ann Arbor was sort of the in the middle of nowhere, but really it's only 30 minutes from the airport and just a few minutes longer to Detroit proper. And it's really close to Ypsilanti, which I have actually been to.

We're going to try and meet with their new soccer coach. They only show 2 GKs with eligibility still on the roster and they're both the same height as my son.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Just a day. We fly up Sunday and then leave Monday evening. My Michigan geography is not up to snuff. I thought Ann Arbor was sort of the in the middle of nowhere, but really it's only 30 minutes from the airport and just a few minutes longer to Detroit proper. And it's really close to Ypsilanti, which I have actually been to.

We're going to try and meet with their new soccer coach. They only show 2 GKs with eligibility still on the roster and they're both the same height as my son.

Too bad you can't spend at least another day there. So maybe your son's playing days aren't over. The height thing sounds like your son would have a better chance if he doesn't discount a goalie just on height alone. Maybe a partial scholarship in a year or two if your son works out for the team. The coach didn't even have to recruit him, he just showed up on his doorstep, for educational reasons.

 

[TU_BLA]

Too bad you can't spend at least another day there. So maybe your son's playing days aren't over. The height thing sounds like your son would have a better chance if he doesn't discount a goalie just on height alone. Maybe a partial scholarship in a year or two if your son works out for the team. The coach didn't even have to recruit him, he just showed up on his doorstep, for educational reasons.

I was just saying his days of club soccer are over. HS soccer will be over soon as well, hopefully mid May to be honest. He might get one more State Cup in June but who knows, Blitz can't seem to figure this age group out.

Yeah, he's missing a day of school to go up and he really doesn't like doing that and he has to be back before Tuesday as they have a game against Sand Springs, and you can't be absent from school and still play (I don't know how well OSSAA monitors this). We'll be going to Tufts the following week and he has met their coach at a camp and spoke with him a bit. He needs to reach out to them and to the WPI coach as those are the schools he is down to at this point unless GaTech comes back with an offer of admission OR NC State comes back with a nice scholarship.