# CRL League Play



## 46n2 (Sep 14, 2018)

How Elite is CRL?


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## GunninGopher (Sep 14, 2018)

Look at the teams in the age bracket you have the most knowledge of and decide. I think it is a little bit watered down from a few seasons ago. They've upped the number of teams and on the girls side I think DA impacted it.

Usually very good competition and has a lot of benefit because you get a first round bye in National Cup and have some solid games to warm up going into it. Really good for after high school to get the team back together.


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## Toch (Sep 14, 2018)

CRL should be eliminated all together and go back to FWRL


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 15, 2018)

Toch said:


> CRL should be eliminated all together and go back to FWRL


What is FWRL?


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 15, 2018)

GunninGopher said:


> Look at the teams in the age bracket you have the most knowledge of and decide. I think it is a little bit watered down from a few seasons ago. They've upped the number of teams and on the girls side I think DA impacted it.
> 
> Usually very good competition and has a lot of benefit because you get a first round bye in National Cup and have some solid games to warm up going into it. Really good for after high school to get the team back together.


Very watered down, just like scdsl and CSL and going to keep getting worse.
ECNL and DA are taking most of the best kids.


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## Soccer (Sep 15, 2018)

Still good comp at U12, U13.  At older ages still 2 -4 really good teams regardless of DA or ECNL.  But usually a big drop off from this teams to other teams in it.

Biggest problem is that it is a mess.  You would think after 5 or 6 years Cal South would have it down pat, but a mess every year. For instance this year I hear they put games out in Norco in the blazing heat of summer.  Every year they try and recreate the wheel.


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## Multi Sport (Sep 15, 2018)

Sheriff Joe said:


> What is FWRL?


Joe it's Far West Regional League.


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 15, 2018)

Multi Sport said:


> Joe it's Far West Regional League.


Thanks, is that no more? Is that different then national league?


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## Multi Sport (Sep 15, 2018)

Sheriff Joe said:


> Thanks, is that no more? Is that different then national league?


All gone and tptally different, not to mention much better, then the National League.


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## Rev234 (Sep 15, 2018)

Multi Sport said:


> Joe it's Far West Regional League.


Winner of CRL goes to compete in FWR


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## Multi Sport (Sep 15, 2018)

Rev234 said:


> Winner of CRL goes to compete in FWR


My mistake. Still around.


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 16, 2018)

Rev234 said:


> Winner of CRL goes to compete in FWR


I believe that is the national league far west regional.


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## Rev234 (Sep 16, 2018)

^ Here is our experience. Our team won crl. As a result of winning CRL  then went  to Hawaii to participate in FWR. Did not win there but are now accepted into National  League.


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## MA0812 (Sep 17, 2018)

It's another road to Far West Regionals which was a great experience for the girls. In the G04 bracket the number of teams doubled from last season and frankly many of those teams shouldn't be in CRL. There shouldn't be 5-0 blow outs if the right teams were accepted. The top teams will still be the top teams, have a legit chance at making it to regionals, and the competition will be as it should however playing those blow out games serves no purpose to either team and increases the risk of injury.


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 17, 2018)

MA0812 said:


> It's another road to Far West Regionals which was a great experience for the girls. In the G04 bracket the number of teams doubled from last season and frankly many of those teams shouldn't be in CRL. There shouldn't be 5-0 blow outs if the right teams were accepted. The top teams will still be the top teams, have a legit chance at making it to regionals, and the competition will be as it should however playing those blow out games serves no purpose to either team and increases the risk of injury.


That is also the case for any team in league play, not in ECNL or DA.
Some of these teams are like playing a really shitty high school team.


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## MWN (Sep 17, 2018)

Multi Sport said:


> All gone and tptally different, not to mention much better, then the National League.


US Youth Soccer has taken control as of this year of the National Championship series and National League by doing a reorganization.  There are now 13 "Conferences" and technically CRL is no more.  Its now called National League - Pacific Conference (powered by CRL).  The Pacific Conference is now basically just Cal South, with Cal North teams migrating to US Club soccer from US Youth Soccer.   The top teams in the Conference will earn advancement to the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and a chance to earn a spot in the National Tier of the Leagues Program, the US Youth Soccer National League. 





One of the reasons you will see some weaker teams admitted is economics.  Cal South pays the way for the top teams to go to Regionals (bypassing the National Cup qualifier).  We need a critical mass of teams and with the Cal North teams not really participating we get a few more weaker teams in the brackets.

That said, with almost every league there are a few dominate teams that whip the other teams by margins of 4,5,8, etc.   The DA has this, ECNL has this and virtually every other league has this.


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 17, 2018)

MWN said:


> US Youth Soccer has taken control as of this year of the National Championship series and National League by doing a reorganization.  There are now 13 "Conferences" and technically CRL is no more.  Its now called National League - Pacific Conference (powered by CRL).  The Pacific Conference is now basically just Cal South, with Cal North teams migrating to US Club soccer from US Youth Soccer.   The top teams in the Conference will earn advancement to the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and a chance to earn a spot in the National Tier of the Leagues Program, the US Youth Soccer National League.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So the only way to get to regionals from socal is win CRL or National Cup?


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## MWN (Sep 17, 2018)

Sheriff Joe said:


> So the only way to get to regionals from socal is win CRL or National Cup?


Practically speaking, that is the path.  There are always a few exceptions where a runner up punches their ticket because other team had two tickets (only need one) or a regional winner declines to go freeing up a spot (happens frequently).


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## MWN (Sep 17, 2018)

Let me add, the goal is to get to Frisco Texas at the National Championship.

Teams in the USYS National League Conference - Top 4 go straight to National Championship (U.S. Youth Soccer qualifiers).  The others that didn't punch their ticket go play in their State's National Cup.
Teams in National League - Regional Conferences (13) - Winner of age group goes to Regional Championship (Hawaii), with winner going to National Championship.  For CalSouth, CRL is no longer.  Its now National League - Pacific Conference powered by CRL (some marketing guy can't let the CRL name go).
All other teams go play in State ran National Cup, winner goes to Regionals.


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## younothat (Sep 17, 2018)

On the old board we talked  & campaigned about a "Champions League" concept for a number of years,   Cal South jumped in at some point and created CRL but it was narrowing focused, disorganized, expensive and not that appealing from a scheduling standpoint. 

In the earlier years the competition was very good so our son's U12 team auto qualified,  did well and was invited back but by then the lure of ussda was too strong for most players and  the majority  moved on.  The comp at regional wasn't that good the year we went,  fun for the kids but the Midwest designation, think it was  KC had good food but not much else to offer. 

At first basically a  Cal South production  w/  Nocal as a afterthought , the other leagues and bodies  not  included so the whole "Champions League" concept really never materialized  which is a shame,   I would much rather see the top 3-4 teams in each league  or org (USYS, USclub, Ussda, etc) or something like that  play each other in a tournament like the real "Champions League" does.

What we have now is every league or org claiming to have some sort of "state, regional,  national,  championship" when in fact those are mostly closed tournaments,  some have qualifications to get in others all you need to do is pay the $$$ and play in there league for x number of games.   These have turned into big money makers with high costs to enter, travel,  scheduling at funny times, etc.   They tend to schedule so many games that by the end all the players are spent and the quality of play is not what it should be, but at least CRL and whatever this Pacific Conf is realized that and went to a single game a day format.  

What you have now I don't know if its better or worse?  16 teams in two brackets with a cup tournament and the end to determine which one team moves on but even if your teams wins still has to play in the Cal South National Cup tournament.   Not sure what this about anymore  besides more $$$;  State, National, and this league are the biggest money makers for CS.


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## Sheriff Joe (Sep 17, 2018)

MWN said:


> Let me add, the goal is to get to Frisco Texas at the National Championship.
> 
> Teams in the USYS National League Conference - Top 4 go straight to National Championship (U.S. Youth Soccer qualifiers).  The others that didn't punch their ticket go play in their State's National Cup.
> Teams in National League - Regional Conferences (13) - Winner of age group goes to Regional Championship (Hawaii), with winner going to National Championship.  For CalSouth, CRL is no longer.  Its now National League - Pacific Conference powered by CRL (some marketing guy can't let the CRL name go).
> All other teams go play in State ran National Cup, winner goes to Regionals.


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## Phineas&Ferb (Sep 17, 2018)

Is it true that if you play in CRL and do a STATE/NATIONAL CUP and you win the cup the team automatically forfeits going to regionals?


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## Frank (Sep 17, 2018)

Phineas&Ferb said:


> Is it true that if you play in CRL and do a STATE/NATIONAL CUP and you win the cup the team automatically forfeits going to regionals?


There is a requirement that you play National Cup and not just use CRL to get to FWR


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## DefndrDad (Sep 17, 2018)

Phineas&Ferb said:


> Is it true that if you play in CRL and do a STATE/NATIONAL CUP and you win the cup the team automatically forfeits going to regionals?


Not true.  If the CRL winner and the national cup winner are not the same team, both of them go to regionals. If the same team wins both it opens up another spot and they choose another team.


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## DefndrDad (Sep 17, 2018)

DefndrDad said:


> Not true.  If the CRL winner and the national cup winner are not the same team, both of them go to regionals. If the same team wins both it opens up another spot and they choose another team.


 This almost happened in G03 this year. If IE surf had won national cup. They lost in the semi‘s and the Hawks won the cup. So IE Surf, hawks, and a third Cal South team (beach) got a wild card and all went to regionals. Where incidentally 2/3 knocked each other out.


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## Rev234 (Sep 17, 2018)

MWN said:


> US Youth Soccer has taken control as of this year of the National Championship series and National League by doing a reorganization.  There are now 13 "Conferences" and technically CRL is no more.  Its now called National League - Pacific Conference (powered by CRL).  The Pacific Conference is now basically just Cal South, with Cal North teams migrating to US Club soccer from US Youth Soccer.   The top teams in the Conference will earn advancement to the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and a chance to earn a spot in the National Tier of the Leagues Program, the US Youth Soccer National League.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just to be clear they DO NOT pay for the entire expense. They give some money and the teams have to come up with the balance.


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## jpeter (Sep 17, 2018)

DefndrDad said:


> This almost happened in G03 this year. If IE surf had won national cup. They lost in the semi‘s and the Hawks won the cup. So IE Surf, hawks, and a third Cal South team (beach) got a wild card and all went to regionals. Where incidentally 2/3 knocked each other out.


Similar to one the boys age group:

CRL winner made quarters but all sudden blown out by surprise team who was then blown out by the eventual winner.

CRL team had several no shows for quarters  some of the parent where actually very pleased they didn't have to travel yet again for another weekend since they would be spending big and attending regionals regardless.


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## MWN (Sep 17, 2018)

Rev234 said:


> Just to be clear they DO NOT pay for the entire expense. They give some money and the teams have to come up with the balance.


That is true.  The amount paid does not cover all expenses and definitely doesn't cover the families.  Depending on where the regional tournament is located (i.e. not Hawaii), teams have the discretion to make their dollars go farther by using airplanes, trains, buses, or cars and staying in the budget hotels, etc.  A few years ago, the team from Palm Desert skipped flying to Utah, they did a little go fund me style fundraising and they all drove in personal cars.


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## MA0812 (Sep 17, 2018)

https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/pacific-conference/

If you click on the link to the schedules it takes you to the CRL page


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## Phineas&Ferb (Sep 17, 2018)

DefndrDad said:


> Not true.  If the CRL winner and the national cup winner are not the same team, both of them go to regionals. If the same team wins both it opens up another spot and they choose another team.


Thank you!!!!


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