Youth soccer club

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

No reason why we can’t start seeing higher level tournaments now with Scheels on board. Exciting times for Tulsa area soccer

It would be even cooler if could higher if Jenks would help out instead of dropping help 8 million dollars for their chamber. They could have added at least 8 more turf fields for that. That would be huge. These people are dumb, dumbs.

They are going to get a lot of money with the new mall.

 

[lawpoke87]

It would be even cooler if could higher if Jenks would help out instead of dropping help 8 million dollars for their chamber. They could have added at least 8 more turf fields for that. That would be huge. These people are dumb, dumbs.

They are going to get a lot of money with the new mall.

Why would the city give $8M to a complex owned, maintained and leased out by a private entity?

Higher level teams would prefer not to play in turf btw.

 

[tudirk]

I know the owner of Scheels was promised things from the city that they never delivered. Every city (Tulsa,BA,Owasso,Edmond,Norman,etc,etc) have a soccer complex. Jenks nope. Jenks discussed purchasing when my friend did but they weren’t going to upgrade it. Scheels is breaking even in its first full year. Indian Springs is printing money for someone since tax dollars paid for all of it (who’s banking all that). I went by Scheels yesterday and the owner was unhappy with a few fields, the drought of Sept and Oct and floods in November have been hard. Looks like they will get the TSC tournament in and it’s up 20 teams over last year. I take it personally when anyone talks negatively about Scheels because the owner didn’t need to take that complex on.

 

[lawpoke87]

I know the owner of Scheels was promised things from the city that they never delivered. Every city (Tulsa,BA,Owasso,Edmond,Norman,etc,etc) have a soccer complex. Jenks nope. Jenks discussed purchasing when my friend did but they weren’t going to upgrade it. Scheels is breaking even in its first full year. Indian Springs is printing money for someone since tax dollars paid for all of it (who’s banking all that). I went by Scheels yesterday and the owner was unhappy with a few fields, the drought of Sept and Oct and floods in November have been hard. Looks like they will get the TSC tournament in and it’s up 20 teams over last year. I take it personally when anyone talks negatively about Scheels because the owner didn’t need to take that complex on.

I had heard Jenks was interested in purchasing the complex prior to the Scheels deal. I prefer the way it turned out. Scheels will ensure the complex is top flight.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

Absolutely. Would love to get her and her two best friends who play at Energy back to Tulsa before they graduate and help TSC make a run at nationals. Hoping she can commit to a college at the end of her sophomore year and take some of the pressure off.

I hope so. It would make a big difference in that age group.

It is wild how many kids go to places other than Tulsa. Back in the day, we had it out with OKC and parents did not go down there. I see how high the colleges that girls achieve at TSC and that they are able to get USYNT invites and wonder why they travel so damn far. I can understand there are some not-as-good markets, such as ours, where certain age groups are not as great as others.

That said, I know some coaches are hurt because they had it out with Barry or Eric or don't like the coach at a specific age. Whether they get fired or they quit, they start talking endless crap about the club. The team that JM used to coach is a prime example of this. His team went to the national finals in ECNL the next year they weren't as good because they couldn't

It is interesting.

It is wild. I know some of these of that things. Arkansas has kids that come over here because they done have they don't NL here. Some OKC kids come up here too. it is a little crazy

Back in the day, we friggin hated OKC teams. Celtic boys was actually the best OKC team and when we played them we had it out with them.

I know the owner of Scheels was promised things from the city that they never delivered. Every city (Tulsa,BA,Owasso,Edmond,Norman,etc,etc) have a soccer complex. Jenks nope. Jenks discussed purchasing when my friend did but they weren’t going to upgrade it. Scheels is breaking even in its first full year. Indian Springs is printing money for someone since tax dollars paid for all of it (who’s banking all that). I went by Scheels yesterday and the owner was unhappy with a few fields, the drought of Sept and Oct and floods in November have been hard. Looks like they will get the TSC tournament in and it’s up 20 teams over last year. I take it personally when anyone talks negatively about Scheels because the owner didn’t need to take that complex on.

For the record, I like Scheels a lot. I am three probablty 3-4 times a week. It is the only place other than Case on the west, which is way out on west side, that is close to anything. If he is doing as a passion project, that is even cooler.


Indian Springs only has that completely terrible convenience store that has been for at least 30 years now and has not improved at all.

West Bank is terrible. For some crazy reason Roger bush had this insane notion that they should get the city to dump 50 million so they could hold better tournaments, pay less for maintaining fields and make more money for himself. But at least he is a "non-profit," ?

I think all teams want to play on grass. If you don't, I question whether you are a real soccer player or not.

 

[TU_BLA]

Indian Springs only has that completely terrible convenience store that has been for at least 30 years now and has not improved at all.

West Bank is terrible. For some crazy reason Roger bush had this insane notion that they should get the city to dump 50 million so they could hold better tournaments, pay less for maintaining fields and make more money for himself. But at least he is a "non-profit," ?

I think all teams want to play on grass. If you don't, I question whether you are a real soccer player or not

Not exactly true about Indian Springs any longer. 121st and Elm, about 2.5 miles away has a big shopping and fast food scene along with Russo's and a couple of other local restaurants. Also, now at Aspen and the Creek you have the new Reasor's and at least 8 new fast food and semi fast restaurants. That's only 2 miles from ISSC. That part of BA is really developing.

You mention Case. Unfortunately while there is the WalMart and a few restaurants down the street, the fields at Case are far below most of the other complexes in this side. I still am not sure if they've got their lights working except in the 1 field and it struggles to grow grass at any point in the year. Add to that it has by far the worst parking situation of any of the complexes in the Tulsa metro.

As for West Bank, it's still a pipe dream of the WSA folks to turf all those fields. The problem is they need actual infrastructure in there as well as improved rest room and concessions facilities. That's only the beginning. It's going to take millions of dollars to remediate that property from years of petro chemical pollution on and near that site. Hell, even just the initial analysis and consultation with an environmental company that does that is likely to cost several hundred thousand dollars just so they can work up a remediation plan (this is what my wife does for a living and she and a colleague have met with them about the site and what they want to do).

And I agree with Lawpoke on the turf. It's nice because you don't have to cancel games for rain but it actually isn't the best for the athletes or the game. The ball reacts differently. As a GK, my son hated diving and sliding on turf. And in the HS ranks, when you get a chance to play on grass, you relish it. That happened at Mustang last season which has a great grass soccer field for matches as well as a nice set of grass practice fields.

Honestly, if they're sinking money into Scheel's, I hope they look at what TU did for its soccer fields at Hardesty and the practice pitch in the drainage field. Premium grass fields, probably the best in the state. Yes, more maintenance and they don't get as much play there but anyone who has played in it will tell you it's preferable. Not sure how you manage that with a multi field complex or the amount of play they get between training and games, but it would be nice.

 

[lawpoke87]

My perfect complex would have 6-8 turf fields for training and academy / lower level competitive games. 2-4 premium tiff grass fields with irrigation. Those fields would be off limits or see limited training and be reserved for higher level competitive competition. We played on a grass field at Toyota this am which was immaculate. Looked like the TU pitch.

 

[TU_BLA]

So my son's Tufts Club team made it to the national quarterfinals before falling to Georgia Tech 2-0 last evening. In their group games they beat SLU 1-0 in their first game on Thursday. Really solid effort. 2nd game was a 1-1 draw with Virginia Tech, last year's national runner up. VaTech scored first and Tufts equalized early in the 2nd half. When VaTech tied SLU, Tufts went through as the group winner and earned a spot in the round of 16 bs Oregon on Friday AM. Oregon scored a crazy goal early off a set piece after a foul. Tufts equalized just before halftime on a Pk given for a handball (legit call). The build up from Tufts leading to the handball was a nice play and the 10 cut in and hammered a shot from the top of the box. Tufts scored a second midway through the 2nd half off a headed corner. It was a great goal. Oregon keeper made an absolutely amazing save a couple minutes later to keep it 2-1. Ball was headed out off another Tufts corner and a MF let it bounce once and absolutely hammered a 1/2 volley low and to the GKs right. This was labeled for just inside the post and it was blistered. GK got a hand on it to tip it wide. With about 6 minutes left Oregon was given a PK for a foul in the box. It was iffy IMO. PK was converted for 2-2. No one scored in the ET periods and it went to PKs. Oregon and Tufts each converted their 1st tries and then both missed the second attempts (shots were sent wide). They then converted the next 6 each. On Oregon's 9th attempt the Tufts GK made a huge save. Tufts shooter then hit a ball hard and just high enough that the Oregon keeper couldn't keep it out. Tufts wins 2-2 (8-7). GaTech beat Grand Canyon in PKs setting up the quarterfinal match. Tufts struggled but were without 3 players for that match (2 were injured and 1 missed the match due to yellow card accumulation. They looked like a team that was playing their 4th game in 2 days.

Tufts had never earned a point in their 3 previous trips to nationals. So this was a big step. Even the Tufts AD sent a message congratulating them after their win over Oregon. The Tufts team/club is 100% student run and doesn't have any type of faculty advisor or coach. Oregon had a paid coach. BYU recruits players out of HS to come and be part of their program and they get money to play their (they've won 3 of the last 5 championships). The level of play is way higher than I anticipated. They can really play and I'm sure a lot of the players I saw probably could have played D2 or D3. Heard a rumor that some of the players on a couple of the P4 schools had been run off of the varsity programs at those schools by coaching changes.

We took a peek at BYUs roster and they're running two GKs out there that have to be 6'5-6'7. They were absolutely giant. BYU beat GaTech in the semis 5-0 and will play Ohio State in the finals. Ohio State beat Tulsa (yes TU) 2-1 and then tied GaTech. GaTech beat TU 4-1 so won the group with a better GD. This is only TUs 6th year to have a club soccer program, so not bad. They were easily the smallest school there followed by Tufts and SLU, and then Grand Canyon, Boston Univ and Boston College. The other 19 schools were all large public institutions like North Carolina, Ohio State, Texas, Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, Mizzou, Colorado, VaTech, GaTech. Tufts was the only D3 school to make the championship this year. According to parents of the older players, they are set up for a nice run for a few years and they all seem to be looking forward to my son taking over the GK role (current GK is a senior). We met a few of the older boys over the weekend. This group could be described as Tufts version of a fraternity (Greek life is not a big thing at Tufts). And they seemed to take in all the freshman (5 made the team this year) and really make them feel part of the group. My son seemed to be really comfortable around them which is not easy for him (he's a bit introverted). Glad he found his peeps!

 

[Gmoney4WW]

So my son's Tufts Club team made it to the national quarterfinals before falling to Georgia Tech 2-0 last evening. In their group games they beat SLU 1-0 in their first game on Thursday. Really solid effort. 2nd game was a 1-1 draw with Virginia Tech, last year's national runner up. VaTech scored first and Tufts equalized early in the 2nd half. When VaTech tied SLU, Tufts went through as the group winner and earned a spot in the round of 16 bs Oregon on Friday AM. Oregon scored a crazy goal early off a set piece after a foul. Tufts equalized just before halftime on a Pk given for a handball (legit call). The build up from Tufts leading to the handball was a nice play and the 10 cut in and hammered a shot from the top of the box. Tufts scored a second midway through the 2nd half off a headed corner. It was a great goal. Oregon keeper made an absolutely amazing save a couple minutes later to keep it 2-1. Ball was headed out off another Tufts corner and a MF let it bounce once and absolutely hammered a 1/2 volley low and to the GKs right. This was labeled for just inside the post and it was blistered. GK got a hand on it to tip it wide. With about 6 minutes left Oregon was given a PK for a foul in the box. It was iffy IMO. PK was converted for 2-2. No one scored in the ET periods and it went to PKs. Oregon and Tufts each converted their 1st tries and then both missed the second attempts (shots were sent wide). They then converted the next 6 each. On Oregon's 9th attempt the Tufts GK made a huge save. Tufts shooter then hit a ball hard and just high enough that the Oregon keeper couldn't keep it out. Tufts wins 2-2 (8-7). GaTech beat Grand Canyon in PKs setting up the quarterfinal match. Tufts struggled but were without 3 players for that match (2 were injured and 1 missed the match due to yellow card accumulation. They looked like a team that was playing their 4th game in 2 days.

Tufts had never earned a point in their 3 previous trips to nationals. So this was a big step. Even the Tufts AD sent a message congratulating them after their win over Oregon. The Tufts team/club is 100% student run and doesn't have any type of faculty advisor or coach. Oregon had a paid coach. BYU recruits players out of HS to come and be part of their program and they get money to play their (they've won 3 of the last 5 championships). The level of play is way higher than I anticipated. They can really play and I'm sure a lot of the players I saw probably could have played D2 or D3. Heard a rumor that some of the players on a couple of the P4 schools had been run off of the varsity programs at those schools by coaching changes.

We took a peek at BYUs roster and they're running two GKs out there that have to be 6'5-6'7. They were absolutely giant. BYU beat GaTech in the semis 5-0 and will play Ohio State in the finals. Ohio State beat Tulsa (yes TU) 2-1 and then tied GaTech. GaTech beat TU 4-1 so won the group with a better GD. This is only TUs 6th year to have a club soccer program, so not bad. They were easily the smallest school there followed by Tufts and SLU, and then Grand Canyon, Boston Univ and Boston College. The other 19 schools were all large public institutions like North Carolina, Ohio State, Texas, Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, Mizzou, Colorado, VaTech, GaTech. Tufts was the only D3 school to make the championship this year. According to parents of the older players, they are set up for a nice run for a few years and they all seem to be looking forward to my son taking over the GK role (current GK is a senior). We met a few of the older boys over the weekend. This group could be described as Tufts version of a fraternity (Greek life is not a big thing at Tufts). And they seemed to take in all the freshman (5 made the team this year) and really make them feel part of the group. My son seemed to be really comfortable around them which is not easy for him (he's a bit introverted). Glad he found his peeps!

Did your son get to play any in the tournament?

 

[TU_BLA]

Did your son get to play any in the tournament?

No. But we didn't expect him to unless things got out of hand, either way, in one of the games. This trip wasn't about expecting him to play. He doesn't get to come home for Thanksgiving because of the Tufts class schedule going through Wednesday (he'll spend it with my mom and sisters in MA). We did get to spend some time with him and took him to lunch on Friday afternoon (and took him to get a haircut as well, he was looking a bit shaggy 🤣).

The team captain asked to meet us and he actually apologized that Zach hadn't gotten any minutes but that he's set to play every minute the next 3 years. He mentioned how impressed they were during tryouts and that he was one of the first players the captains had a consensus on . And the Jr Captain and another junior who we suspect will be a captain next year both really like my son.

Like I said earlier, the other parents who went down (about 15 in all) really think this team is set up to have another great season next year and expect the team to make it back. Don't know where the tournament will be played since it seems that they move it every two years. It had been in Foley, AL before moving to Round Rock (BTW, the Round Eock complex is A+++. Combo of turf fields and 4 premium grass fields. Women played mostly on the turf, men Played on the grass.). I could see the tournament going to Lakewood Ranch in FL or perhaps even Tucson. I mentioned Dallas and Toyota would be a perfect place because of the airport situation.

And let me tell you something. Texas needs to change their state flag to a "Road Work Next eleventy billion miles" sign. Dear God, it's awful.

 

[lawpoke87]

WSA 14's and TSC 14's going to play in the TSC Tournament. Should be a great game. Good chance they play twice. Kudos to Waylon for playing the game.

Looks like TSC’s 14s had a rough go over the weekend. Lost to Waylon’s 14s twice and tied WSA’s second team 14s. I do believe playing in the Dallas league has helped Waylon’s crew.

TSC’s 13s lost to FC Dallas third 2012 team in the finals. Nice to see TSC attracting quality clubs to its tournaments. Heard it was a really good tourney.

 

[tudirk]

My son missed the tourney as we are vacationing in St Lucia. I haven't heard many reports other than about 15 percent increase in teams.

 

[TU_BLA]

My son missed the tourney as we are vacationing in St Lucia. I haven't heard many reports other than about 15 percent increase in teams.

They didn't have to cancel games for rain or other types of weather issues so that's a plus already

This past weekend was an absolutely fabulous one for soccer both here and in Round Rock.

 

[lawpoke87]

They didn't have to cancel games for rain or other types of weather issues so that's a plus already

This past weekend was an absolutely fabulous one for soccer both here and in Round Rock.

That Round Rock Complex is one of the best I’ve seen. Heck…might be the best

 

[TU_BLA]

That Round Rock Complex is one of the best I’ve seen. Heck…might be the best

It is. And we only saw the primary 8 fields (4 turf, 4 grass). There were at least 4 others at the Round Rock complex plus 10 others at Old Settlers Park which is adjacent plus another 8 or so small sided fields there as well. My friend who is a lawyer in Round Rock says that every other weekend the Old settlers fields are taken over by cricket (there's a large Indian population in that area due to Dell, and now the Tesla Giga plant and the Samsung chip plant he said).

I really liked that complex and think Scheel's in Jenks has that potential with some premium grass fields.

 

[lawpoke87]

TU_BLA…..any chance you’re officiating ECNL games this Saturday at Scheels? My kid plays at 2pm

 

[TU_BLA]

TU_BLA…..any chance you’re officiating ECNL games this Saturday at Scheels? My kid plays at 2pm

Not on Saturday. I'll be in Bartlesville at a swim meet. Sunday I might do some ODP games as Oklahoma is hosting a series of ODP friendlies. I need to do some games...it's been a couple weeks.

 

[lawpoke87]

Joao named academy director at FC Tulsa Looks like FCT is going full speed ahead with their youth program

I’ve lost track on the number of youth soccer clubs now in the Tulsa metro

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

Joao named academy director at FC Tulsa Looks like FCT is going full speed ahead with their youth program

I’ve lost track on the number of youth soccer clubs now in the Tulsa metro

According to my buddy he is still coaching their blitz team

 

[lawpoke87]

According to my buddy he is still coaching their blitz team

I assume he will finish the fall season there. Might stay until they find a new coach. I have no info on that arrangement

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

I assume he will finish the fall season there. Might stay until they find a new coach. I have no info on that arrangement

You could be right. This is a very, very good team he is leading, and they are probably worried some might bolt. It seemed weird that he would stay on and do that, and Blitz would tolerate that. My friend is also somewhat naive about things like this.

I wonder if he was asked to told to find something else after his little BA thing. This was the most effortless solution without making it too public about a firing.

Since I was a kid, Tulsa has had clubs come and go with various good coaches. The only club that stayed around with excellent teams is TSC. Pride, Thunder, Nationals, BASC at times, Highlanders, WSA was horrendous for a long time. Blitz has only been around for the last couple of years. Back then, they had girls' teams but no boys' teams, and the girls' teams were nothing special.

The coaches get mad at something for whatever reason and bounce. They take some key players, a team or two, and then try to start something else because they think they can do better. It may be overpay, over their thoughts on development, or over their thoughts on leadership. Tulsa is weird that way. They get very, very loyal to the club.

I have been amazed at the development of OEFC and how many teams there are in each age group. I have a hard time believing that could happen in Tulsa. Celtic seems to be stepping up their game on both boys' and girls' sides. They were completely legit on the boys' side back in the day, but Norman Fury was kind of meh.

 

[lawpoke87]

Youth soccer isn’t a level playing field. OEFC and TSC will continue to attract the majority of the high quality talent when those kids hit U12-U13 as they are the only two clubs in the state playing on the top platform (ECNL). This is especially true on the girls side where the talent pool is much smaller than on the boys side Other clubs can field very competitive teams on the boys side due to said depth Much more difficult with the girls

Soccer coaches are generally arrogant type A people. They get into disputes with club directors / owners and dip to the next opportunity Some go for the money. OEFC is the top club in the state in part due to their ability to keep their coaches in club. WSA has improved for the same reason I’ll always be a fan of Blitz as they gave my daughter the opportunity to first play competitive soccer.