National Cup - 03/14U

[Bruddah IZ]

Good point. Not playing CRL, but beat one of those (bye) teams 6-0 (surf cup) and another one of those Bye teams 1-0 at SCDSL finals. Maybe they are seeded where they should be, just don't like driving to silverlakes.

Seems the gauntlet has worked for Blues Holley all year. Why change? Use the first week as a warm up. Then rinse and repeat. No offense to Pats, Albion and Breakers

 

[Cinderellasdad]

Who's assigning Techs

Hey I'm just happy to see Tech is popping in the 03 group. Any plans for an "03 bracketology?" Just like the old forum days.... Hint Hint

My thoughts exactly.

 

[The Driver]

Hey Group E describe your team in 500 words or less since none of you share Intel on YouTube. Hmm Albion you can go first. If you aren't the typing type shoot the link. Thanks

 

[GunninGopher]

Kudos to basing this off of CRL. Great way to do it! These teams are definitely the strongest @ 03!

I don't have a stake in the decision, and it will be my daughter's first time in National Cup, so I'm fairly naive about all of this. That being said....

If they were set upon awarding byes this season, maybe CRL was the best choice, but it is far from ideal. All these teams progressed a lot since May. Sure prior tournament results are meaningless, but the CRL play-in was right after many teams were formed and CRL play commenced shortly thereafter.I suppose that CRL, being a Cal-South league, is preferred over SCSDL. It just seems like ancient history.

I wonder if the teams that have a bye are glad about it. I suspect that the top seeds in the groups will be better off having played some meaningful matches right before the elimination rounds. Sure there will be some surprise losses/ties but they will all advance with some recent, meaningful game experience. The only down side as I see it will be that some will face a bye team or first seed in the round of 32, where all the teams that were awarded a bye will face a second seed.

Will the teams with a bye be rusty?

 

[MakeAPlay]

I don't have a stake in the decision, and it will be my daughter's first time in National Cup, so I'm fairly naive about all of this. That being said....

If they were set upon awarding byes this season, maybe CRL was the best choice, but it is far from ideal. All these teams progressed a lot since May. Sure prior tournament results are meaningless, but the CRL play-in was right after many teams were formed and CRL play commenced shortly thereafter.I suppose that CRL, being a Cal-South league, is preferred over SCSDL. It just seems like ancient history.

I wonder if the teams that have a bye are glad about it. I suspect that the top seeds in the groups will be better off having played some meaningful matches right before the elimination rounds. Sure there will be some surprise losses/ties but they will all advance with some recent, meaningful game experience. The only down side as I see it will be that some will face a bye team or first seed in the round of 32, where all the teams that were awarded a bye will face a second seed.

Will the teams with a bye be rusty?

I wouldn't worry about rust. My question is will the coaches be scouting so that their team is tactically prepared. There are usually a bunch of blowouts in pool play so keeping a team fresh and healthy I would think outweighs the potential for rust. I would take a first round bye at the end of a long season any day. It's the coaches job to let the girls know what is at stake and to understand that not being prepared would be flushing the hard work that they did all season down the drain.

 

[The Driver]

I wouldn't worry about rust. My question is will the coaches be scouting so that their team is tactically prepared. There are usually a bunch of blowouts in pool play so keeping a team fresh and healthy I would think outweighs the potential for rust. I would take a first round bye at the end of a long season any day. It's the coaches job to let the girls know what is at stake and to understand that not being prepared would be flushing the hard work that they did all season down the drain.

True a bye can be harmful in the wrong hands. The right kind of rest is important.

 

[soccerfun]

Good points, but all these teams played tier 2 surf cup. Didnt play champions in the fall, but beat all the teams that did. Didn't make it out of bracket play in Surf thanksgiving because they were bracketed with Surf EC NL who won the tournament (blues leading at the half). Like I said you make some good points, but fun to debate. Good luck to your DD as well (what does DD stand for)?

I wondered that too - darling daughter, right?

 

[GunninGopher]

I would take a first round bye at the end of a long season any day.

If the bye was at the end of a long season, I'm sure you'd find unanimous agreement. What about for a competition starts 3 months (1/4 year) after the long season ends?

 

[MakeAPlay]

If the bye was at the end of a long season, I'm sure you'd find unanimous agreement. What about for a competition starts 3 months (1/4 year) after the long season ends?

The season starts in June pretty much and ends in December right? National Cup starts the middle/end of February right? There are a bunch of tournaments in January and February that are used as tune ups right?

 

[GunninGopher]

The season starts in June pretty much and ends in December right? National Cup starts the middle/end of February right?

For the teams in question, league play ended late October. Playoffs ended mid November. National Cup does start in mid February (3 months after mid November).

There are a bunch of tournaments in January and February that are used as tune ups right?

Actually no, there aren't a bunch of tournaments in the post season. It is nothing like the summer. There aren't any Cal-South sanctioned tournaments after mid January shown on their tournaments page (aside from the state tournaments). I doubt a team would find any meaningful scrimmages outside of their own club or affiliate that close to National Cup. There may be 'Friendlies' and Showcases out there to play, but not much. The best tune-up games for the teams in question are those that would be found in the group stage.

I would guess (again, not knowing any facts) that the teams in question will be at least 1 month from a meaningful game when they are in the elimination round. On the plus side, I assume most of them will be facing a second seed in a game which they'd be highly favored to win.

Like I said, I don't know if it is a good thing. I was just a-wonderin' !!

 

[MakeAPlay]

For the teams in question, league play ended late October. Playoffs ended mid November. National Cup does start in mid February (3 months after mid November).



Actually no, there aren't a bunch of tournaments in the post season. It is nothing like the summer. There aren't any Cal-South sanctioned tournaments after mid January shown on their tournaments page (aside from the state tournaments). I doubt a team would find any meaningful scrimmages outside of their own club or affiliate that close to National Cup. There may be 'Friendlies' and Showcases out there to play, but not much. The best tune-up games for the teams in question are those that would be found in the group stage.

I would guess (again, not knowing any facts) that the teams in question will be at least 1 month from a meaningful game when they are in the elimination round. On the plus side, I assume most of them will be facing a second seed in a game which they'd be highly favored to win.

Like I said, I don't know if it is a good thing. I was just a-wonderin' !!

It's been awhile for me but I seem to remember there was an OC tournament of champions and a few others thst were well attended by pre-high school aged teams. Again it's been awhile. Good luck to your player in National Cup. Hopefully you don't have to drive to Lancaster anymore like we used to.

 

[Kicker4Life]

Most (if not all) the teams with BYE's are Teams playing in CRL. These teams will play 6 games across the last 3 weekends of January.

Rust shouldn't be an issue.

 

[GunninGopher]

I see that you are talking about the season starting in June. I've been referring to fall League Play, not CRL, which you may be referring to. I don't know the CRL Schedule.

I may have missed your point. Sorry.

(didn't see the 2 responses before posting)

 

[Sandypk]

It's been awhile for me but I seem to remember there was an OC tournament of champions and a few others thst were well attended by pre-high school aged teams. Again it's been awhile. Good luck to your player in National Cup. Hopefully you don't have to drive to Lancaster anymore like we used to.

Youre right, TOC was a week ago. Vegas is in January. CRL is in January. Plenty of play time for teams with byes. I dont think the bye teams will be rusty. Hopefully the 03s get lucky and play at Silverlakes.
Just curious MAP, were you a gymnast? I might be mixing you up with another parent, but thought I'd ask.

 

[Sandypk]

3 bye teams played tier 1 Surf cup.
Relevance? The team that didn't get the bye beat 2 of the 3.

You're right, I stand corrected. 3 teams played tier 1 in Surf cup. Blues Holley played tier 2, right? Didn't LA Galaxy win the Tier 2 division and they are also in CRL, so they deserve the bye. I'm not sure which team/s you think Blues should have had the bye instead of....

 

[iliv]

You're right, I stand corrected. 3 teams played tier 1 in Surf cup. Blues Holley played tier 2, right? Didn't LA Galaxy win the Tier 2 division and they are also in CRL, so they deserve the bye. I'm not sure which team/s you think Blues should have had the bye instead of....

Like I said, they're probably seeded where they should be, just fun discussion to have. Also every parent thinks their kids team is getting the short end; I realize that. But to take the bait, Surf cup was some time ago. Winning SCDSL champions tournament was more recent and should be worth something. LA galaxy was eliminated in the first week, beach hodson eliminated first week, sharks eliminated the first week, demelo and sdsc eliminated second week, Surf eliminated 3'd week, and legends eliminated in finals. Like I said, maybe Blues winning scdsl was a fluke, and are seeded right where they should be. Just discussion, and just 13 year old soccer.

 

[GunninGopher]

Just discussion, and just 13 year old soccer.

If anyone can reliably predict in advance what 13 year old girls will do, think, feel or say, I'd like to attend their seminar, take their class or buy their book!!!

 

[bababooey]

I wondered that too - darling daughter, right?

Yes, DD is short for Darling Daughter.

 

[bababooey]

I am not sure I understand the reasoning behind arguing which teams should have a bye and which should not. All teams will get their chance to prove their worth in a couple of months. The interesting thing will be what player changes have been made for NC. I don't think you will see major player movement now, but a player here or there could really help some teams.

As for rust, all teams will prepare for the NC properly. Some will use tournaments to get ready, some will use CRL, others will use scrimmages.

 

[Sandypk]

Like I said, they're probably seeded where they should be, just fun discussion to have. Also every parent thinks their kids team is getting the short end; I realize that. But to take the bait, Surf cup was some time ago. Winning SCDSL champions tournament was more recent and should be worth something. LA galaxy was eliminated in the first week, beach hodson eliminated first week, sharks eliminated the first week, demelo and sdsc eliminated second week, Surf eliminated 3'd week, and legends eliminated in finals. Like I said, maybe Blues winning scdsl was a fluke, and are seeded right where they should be. Just discussion, and just 13 year old soccer.

Yep, just discussions. I agree. My DD is just 13 too. It's fun to discuss things on these forums.