I keep telling myself that I'm going to miss it when its gone.
Galway Downs
- Thread starter timbuck
- Start date
Now you know why participation numbers are down and people have a hard time justifying spending 12+ hours away from home and basically two days to play 3 hours of soccer while paying a lot of that experience between the parking, transportation costs, club, league fees, refs, etc.
Not a hobby that comes without some tradeoffs. This kind of time and expensive is really not need for the majority of players, local play should be fine for 70% of them I would guess. For the 25% or so really competitive teams and players that play / to everything else ratio maybe worth it but for everyone to travel like that, I dunno.
truth be told I don't either but have 2 playing soccer and they were both there this weekend. lots of driving and I am getting old and grumpy. Agree on all statements
We drove to Silverlakes and waited 40 minutes to get in because there was a CONCERT--it was crazy and there was poor traffic control even though the sheriff's dept was there.... let the kid out of the car while we battled the traffic because it was faster for DS to walk in...finally get in pay our $12....battle traffic inside the venue. park and start walking to field. Phone rings DS calling to tell me game canceled. COVID case for a player on one of the teams
.Should have stuck around for the concert. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fiesta...g-xzibit-too-short-more-tickets-166865361789#truth be told I don't either but have 2 playing soccer and they were both there this weekend. lots of driving and I am getting old and grumpy. Agree on all statements
We drove to Silverlakes and waited 40 minutes to get in because there was a CONCERT--it was crazy and there was poor traffic control even though the sheriff's dept was there.... let the kid out of the car while we battled the traffic because it was faster for DS to walk in...finally get in pay our $12....battle traffic inside the venue. park and start walking to field. Phone rings DS calling to tell me game canceled. COVID case for a player on one of the teams
Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, Warren G, Too Short- Kinda wish we had a game at Siverlakes this past weekend.
But that is a strange concert to start at 2pm while kids are playing soccer.
Down wind and you might catch a contact buzz.
That crowd and youth sports dont really mix, masks (gas or water filtered) have a totally different meaning.
RedCard
GOLD
I see your Saturday and go all in on my wonderful Saturday.
So here's my Saturday. DD had a SoCal State Cup game at 4pm in Oceanside so had to be there at 3pm. So we left our home in the San Gabriel Valley around 11:45 due to traffic. We had to stop at Dick's Sporting Goods in Chino to get some black Adidas socks cause her club switched names and she didn't get her black socks yet (she a keeper and she doesn't like the highlight yellow colored socks she received … just love those teenage keeper problems). So that made our drive over 100 miles and just over 2 &1/2 hours. Paid the $12 parking then took the hike to field 6 which is the very last field. Both teams were warming up and I was hungry so took a hike back to the front at get a $10 asada quesadilla and a couple of Dr Peppers. Hiked all the way back to field 6, sat down and took a bite of my expensive quesadilla (which was pretty good so it was worth it). Once I took the bite, a golf cart flew across the field, spoke with both coaches, then the golf cart came to us and told us the game was rescheduled due to two nearby fires, one was a vegetation fire right next to the 5 Freeway and the other was a commercial fire a few blocks on the other side of the 5 Freeway (heard later it was 2 restaurants, not sure about that though). There was a lot of ash flying around which were getting into the player's mouths (yuck). So had to pack up, hike back to the car and drive back home 100 miles to the San Gabriel Valley. Got home around 7pm.
So basically, drove 200 miles which took just over 7 hours for some Adidas socks and a $10 asada quesadilla. At least who ever is in charge of the parking at Oceanside did refund everyone their $12. And I'm not complaining cause the health and safety of our girls and other players do come first. It did suck back on that day but all the parents are joking about it now. And it was a coaches decision not to play. Both coaches talked before the game with concerns of the smoke and ash then spoke to SoCal which rescheduled the game. My opinion, the SoCal League people there did do a great job in handling this. Everyone else seem satisfied also with the way SoCal handled this. Thumbs up to them.
Sunday, we were all happy to drive "just" 45 minutes to Silverlakes for a NPL/Discovery game and won to remain undefeated so the weekend end on a good note.
I would pay you to live this experience one more time.
Good for the people running things to be cautious.
But this is another example why travelling far distances for games that can be played locally can go wrong.
It happened with some tournament (GAL?) this past winter in Dallas.
It happened with ECNL playoffs in Florida this summer.
Maybe for a league like ECNL - you need the travel to get national exposure and the right competition.
Couldn't agree more, especially when it's interlaced with the season and the kids are already getting enough games. Seems ridiculous to have to come back on different weekends to just play one game. If it were up to me, I would save my money.
But to answer OP's question, there will most likely not be canopies provided.
outside!
DA
Not in Southern California. We have the population density and number of players. There is no real need for any team to leave Southern California for league play. Maybe 1 to 3 teams per age group have a need to leave the state, and that would only be to compete in a national championship tournament. If there are more teams than that capable of competing for a national championship per age group in Southern California, then they should just host the tournament here. All of the letter leagues have only succeeded in diluting the competition and making it so great teams that are near one another cannot play against each other.
I think I walked past you on my way out. We were on field 7 and called our game at halftime. So almost 5 1/2 hours driving for 45 minutes (and no refund for the parking.)
I agree that everyone at SOCAL handled the situation as well as they could have.
RedCard
GOLD
I didn't know they called the game at halftime. I saw the last 10 minutes or so of the 1st half then went to go get my food. While walking back, I saw your team walking towards the exit but it didn't dawn on me that it was an early exit. Sucks they didn't refund your team's parking, but like you said, SOCAL handled the situation the best they could.