# CSL Brackets vs SCDSL



## Futbol30 (Sep 5, 2019)

How do the brackets compare between the two leagues? F1 in SCDSL is comparable to what in CSL? Gold? Silver Elite? I'm so confused because I see teams that play in tournaments with F1 SCDSL teams in Silver over at CSL. This may be a stupid question so I'm hoping someone can help me out here.... It's a bit confusing when I take a peek at CSL and see the various levels. If someone can dumb it down for me I would appreciate it. Thanks!!! 

This is just me being curious btw....

 Good Luck to everyone this weekend in SCDSL, CSL, DISCOVERY, DA, ECNL and everything in between!!!


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## Banana Hammock (Sep 6, 2019)

Generally speaking (not always true):
Premier=Discovery
gold=F1
silver elite=champion/Europa
silver/bronze=F2

Summer tournament are a bit misleading.  Some teams play up some play down some play the appropriate level.  Summer  is a time to experiment with new players.  And some teams just play for got soccer points.  So the summer tournament season means nothing.  Over the years, I have come to believe that the summer tournament season is really not worth it.  A lot of teams don't have complete roster.  There are always kids on vacations.   Most teams have guest players all summer.  Now that we are in the recruiting age, we only do big showcase events.


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## MWN (Sep 6, 2019)

Banana Hammock said:


> Generally speaking (not always true):
> Premier=Discovery
> gold=F1
> silver elite=champion/Europa
> ...


I agree with @Banana Hammock  on this, just note that SCDSL allows coaches/DOCs to place teams in the level that the coach believes they belong.

CSL has a fairly rigid promotion and relegation model.  Its not uncommon in CSL to find teams that don't belong in the level they are playing and either destroy everybody or bomb every game.  I remember 4 or 5 years ago, when my son played on a CSL team we had two teams in our "Bronze" division that destroyed the other teams regularly.  The first was a Silver-Elite team the previous year that had enough changes in players that it was forced to drop down to Bronze by CSL's rules, the second was a team from Palm Desert that went on to win President's Cup and go to Regionals.  Neither team had any business in Bronze, but by CSL's rules were forced to play that division.

At the younger levels, 2 or 3 fast superstars can dictate whether a team wins or loses.  At the older levels its much more of a team effort, both on defense and offense.  You will also find that SCDSL tends to have stronger Girls teams and CSL tends to have stronger boys teams.


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## Messi>CR7 (Sep 6, 2019)

Banana Hammock said:


> Generally speaking (not always true):
> Premier=Discovery
> gold=F1
> silver elite=champion/Europa
> ...


Also at the younger ages (B2010 and G2009 and younger), they don't always have a gold division.  So Silver Elite would be the highest level for those age groups.


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## espola (Sep 6, 2019)

I thought I had a lot to say on this topic but I couldn't put together more than a short paragraph, so I gave up.


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## jrcaesar (Sep 6, 2019)

To add: Some of the top Silver Elites are competitive with or equal Flight 1/Champions teams, but haven't yet advanced into Gold (3rd place finishes, etc.).


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## timbuck (Sep 6, 2019)

Coast teams are typically from smaller clubs that have 1 or 2 teams in an age group.  And from smaller or more isolated cities.
So if you play a team from Palm Desert or Santa Barbara-  you are probably getting the top 15 players from a 30 mile radius on that team.  
SCDSL has most teams in Orange County and the teams are a bit more diluted nowadays.  There are at least 6 clubs within 20 minutes of Irvine.  
In SCDSL -You may get a club that has 4 teams in an age group- 1 Champions/Discovery, 2 Europa and 1 Flight 2.  You could probably form an all-star team from the Europa and Flight 2 team that would likely win a gold bracket.  (The Europa teams on their own would do ok against the gold teams, but I think Gold might be slightly more competitive than Europa).
ECNL and DA are mostly from SCDSL teams too.  So you get a bit of dilution due to that as well.


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## Dargle (Sep 6, 2019)

Flight 1 has become heavily diluted by all of the clubs that felt it imperative to have a team called "Flight 1."  On the boys side, my experience from friendlies, tournaments, and State Cup/Nat'l Cup, the latter of which should arguably be the fairest comparison, is that Europa teams in Flight 1 can range from low to mid-Silver to Silver Elite and Championship teams are typically mid to high Silver Elite to low Gold.  The typical comparison for mid to high Gold is Discovery division, although that varies from age group to age group.  As others have alluded, the reason CSL can tend toward under-placement and SCDSL to over-placement is the promotion-relegation system v. the club's placement system.  This especially true since a strong second year team can be in Silver given that is as fast as they could be promoted (one level per year), while the top team at a powerful club can be Flight 1 even if it is weaker than other clubs' top teams.  Those distinctions, however, are a bit overblown.  CSL has elevated teams more than one level because of an especially strong performance at League Cup and club power and preference has more of a role in promotion/relegation/placement than it used to (no doubt due to the SCDSL alternative).  Plus, SCDSL's creation of Flight 1 divisions and Flight 3 is effectively a way to replicate the CSL levels.


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## pewpew (Sep 6, 2019)

espola said:


> I thought I had a lot to say on this topic but I couldn't put together more than a short paragraph, so I gave up.


Thank you!!
Just kidding “E”


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## espola (Sep 6, 2019)

pewpew said:


> Thank you!!
> Just kidding “E”


There were some that said that Gary Sparks was only in it for the money, but I think he was just trying to make things better.  Back in 2004 and 2005, when Presidio had its website crisis, he declined the opportunity to absorb all the better Presidio teams into a sort-of CSL South.


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## Futbol30 (Sep 6, 2019)

Thanks everyone for the responses, they were all informative... except maybe Espola.. haha I'm kidding.

 Lets hope there are no teams beating up on anyone in any of the divisions this year because that's no fun for anyone and does no good for anyone involved. 

I was gonna reference "Back in my day when CSL blah blah blah but didn't want to age myself"... oops too late

Thanks Again and best of luck to everyone this weekend...


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## Justafan (Sep 6, 2019)

espola said:


> There were some that said that Gary Sparks was only in it for the money, but I think he was just trying to make things better.  Back in 2004 and 2005, when Presidio had its website crisis, he declined the opportunity to absorb all the better Presidio teams into a sort-of CSL South.


I thought you gave up.


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## espola (Sep 6, 2019)

Justafan said:


> I thought you gave up.


I had a lot more to say.  Maybe later.


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## ItsCalledSoccer (Sep 7, 2019)

It's very difficult to compare. I wouldn't spend too much time focusing on brackets, its just a group of local teams to play against. There will forever be teams in the incorrect flights, whether too high or too low. Each league can be stronger in certain geographical areas and also for boys/girls.


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