Latest merger affiliate partnership....

Espola, coachsamy... what of the rumored SDSC and Poway Vaqueros merger?

I haven't heard that rumor. History indicates that every year or two there is a new club started in North County, and some survive (like 4s Ranch), some disappear, and some get absorbed. There was an attempt to start a breakaway club from Poway 2 years ago, but it went nowhere - except that some of the better Poway coaches moved on. SDSC was formed a few years back by the merger of the RB and PQ clubs, and a couple of years before that RB had absorbed Pegasus (formally known at one time as San Diego Soccer Club, thus the source of the current name).

Poway Youth Soccer League gets special treatment from the Poway Recreation Department because it is the largest youth athletic entity in town, and most of the players live within city limits. As a result, they get priority free access to the city-owned fields and to the city-built fields on school district property after hours and weekends. There would have to be some fancy dancing to hold onto those advantages if PYSL disappeared into a big merger.
 
And more....
Central Valley Monarcas Academy joins Surf Soccer Club as its newest national affiliate, and is now known as Central Valley Surf Soccer
http://cvsurf.minhxtran.com/faq

LAUFA OC B05 PRE USSDA from Yorba Linda/Placentia. Guess those Pat's YL teams did move over for national cup.

The oxy names: LA United of OC, Surf of the central valley I dunno but they sound like those law firms or divorce celebrities that keep adding on names to the end or something...
 
And more....
Central Valley Monarcas Academy joins Surf Soccer Club as its newest national affiliate, and is now known as Central Valley Surf Soccer
http://cvsurf.minhxtran.com/faq

LAUFA OC B05 PRE USSDA from Yorba Linda/Placentia. Guess those Pat's YL teams did move over for national cup.

The oxy names: LA United of OC, Surf of the central valley I dunno but they sound like those law firms or divorce celebrities that keep adding on names to the end or something...

"our desire to continue developing quality players on and off the field is more achievable when we are partnered with one of the strongest brands in youth soccer."

?????
 
SD Surf takes over Riptide. South San Diego I think?
And Albion takes over San Marco United. North (And slightly east) San Diego
 
SD Surf takes over Riptide. South San Diego I think?
And Albion takes over San Marco United. North (And slightly east) San Diego
Riptide is at Liberty Station in Point Loma, central San Diego. Less than a mile from Albion's Robb Field. I believe that both clubs share some of the local fields in Point Loma. At the younger ages, both clubs compete for kids from the same neighborhood. It will be interesting.
 
Riptide is at Liberty Station in Point Loma, central San Diego. Less than a mile from Albion's Robb Field. I believe that both clubs share some of the local fields in Point Loma. At the younger ages, both clubs compete for kids from the same neighborhood. It will be interesting.

2 miles as the crow flies, more like 3 if you are driving.
 
2 miles as the crow flies, more like 3 if you are driving.
I stand corrected and did not change my post ...
1.4 miles from the middle of Liberty Station to the edge of Robb Filed if you run it.
2.5 miles if you drive to the edge of Robb Field taking the quickest route, not necessarily the shortest
3.4 if you drive all the way around Robb Field and into the parking lot

In any case the point was that the clubs compete for the same players.
 
Cal FC-DMS11 are merging, although it looks more like an acquisition or takeover given that Metcalfe was very publicly selling off all of his coaching equipment recently.

https://www.facebook.com/Calfootballclub/posts/2510124605669104

This appears to be part of a general trend to link youth clubs with professional or adult teams so that they resemble more true academy set-ups. In this case, it appears to be the acquisition of a youth club by a semi-pro or pro team (Cal FC will be playing in NPSL's Founders Cup, which is technically an adult league organized under the amateur US Adult Soccer Ass'n, but it includes some former NASL clubs that appear to pay all of their players).

By contrast, Santa Monica United recently announced the start of a UPSL adult team of the same name, which looks to be more organically linked with the youth club since it appears to be coached by and include players from the SMU youth coaching ranks, although the adult team seems to trace its roots to a previous adult team that was once in UPSL, Sporting Santa Monica. Either way, this looks to be more common as both NPSL and UPSL are growing quickly. At its best, the relationship can be mutually beneficial, providing coaches, training opportunities, and a post-graduate home for the youth club and a place for the adult team players to earn some extra cash (coaching), share field space, and recruit players. At it's worst, it's just another way to leverage pay-to-play. SMU seems like it has a better chance at the former than Cal FC given the ties to current SMU coaches, but we'll see how they both develop.
 
Cal FC-DMS11 are merging, although it looks more like an acquisition or takeover given that Metcalfe was very publicly selling off all of his coaching equipment recently.

https://www.facebook.com/Calfootballclub/posts/2510124605669104

This appears to be part of a general trend to link youth clubs with professional or adult teams so that they resemble more true academy set-ups. In this case, it appears to be the acquisition of a youth club by a semi-pro or pro team (Cal FC will be playing in NPSL's Founders Cup, which is technically an adult league organized under the amateur US Adult Soccer Ass'n, but it includes some former NASL clubs that appear to pay all of their players).

By contrast, Santa Monica United recently announced the start of a UPSL adult team of the same name, which looks to be more organically linked with the youth club since it appears to be coached by and include players from the SMU youth coaching ranks, although the adult team seems to trace its roots to a previous adult team that was once in UPSL, Sporting Santa Monica. Either way, this looks to be more common as both NPSL and UPSL are growing quickly. At its best, the relationship can be mutually beneficial, providing coaches, training opportunities, and a post-graduate home for the youth club and a place for the adult team players to earn some extra cash (coaching), share field space, and recruit players. At it's worst, it's just another way to leverage pay-to-play. SMU seems like it has a better chance at the former than Cal FC given the ties to current SMU coaches, but we'll see how they both develop.

Yeah good observations about DMS, heard there was some $$$ changing hands to make that happen. Same thing with the FC Golden & Blues Alliance I understood.

The UPSL could shake thing up a bit if both these clubs decide to field youth teams in the academy 4th division.
 
When will one of these "Soccer Media Magazines" like Goal Nation or Soccer Today actually do an investigative story and not just throw out marketing fluff from "Business Development Directors".
 
When will one of these "Soccer Media Magazines" like Goal Nation or Soccer Today actually do an investigative story and not just throw out marketing fluff from "Business Development Directors".

Fluff and $$$ changing hands sometimes. Infomercial style almost.
 
Here's the official letter announcing the Strikers MV/OC Surf arrangement.
https://www.soccertoday.com/surf-gr...U1tQG5AmhR-W6lygN3Le1aSVXL5wEa99opmqj5OIAAV4k

“Surf is an organization that’s taken care of everything and they’re delivering on what they say,” said Castle, Sr., OC Surf Mission Viejo’s president.

“Branding is super, super important, and the Surf brand name is highly respected and deserves to be — People in this area love name brands. That’s why so many people drive a Lexus over a Toyota,” said Castle.

Just saw on Facebook that the former Strikers MV that became Oc Surf Mission Viejo will no longer be a Surf.

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE BECOMING
MISSION VIEJO FOOTBALL CLUB!
Based on Community spirit and the development of players and
coaches we are no longer continuing as OC Surf MV.
We will retain our great relationship with Surf Sports Inc., San Diego and
will complete our 2019-20 season as OC Surf Mission Viejo through State/National Cup.
 
Just saw on Facebook that the former Strikers MV that became Oc Surf Mission Viejo will no longer be a Surf.

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE BECOMING
MISSION VIEJO FOOTBALL CLUB!
Based on Community spirit and the development of players and
coaches we are no longer continuing as OC Surf MV.
We will retain our great relationship with Surf Sports Inc., San Diego and
will complete our 2019-20 season as OC Surf Mission Viejo through State/National Cup.
This is insane!!!! Plus, you better be nice to SCS or you won't get invited to next years SCS "Best of the Best" flight 2 Ford Division that is diluted because of DPL. Lexus Division or bust Mr Jones and Mr Smith :) Screw Ford and the Toyota diluted divisions.
 
I totally commend them for trying to maintain a local club identity.
Wonder what league they will play in?
Wonder why the surf thing didn’t work out? (Money, power or player funneling are my guesses).
 
I totally commend them for trying to maintain a local club identity.
Wonder what league they will play in?
Wonder why the surf thing didn’t work out? (Money, power or player funneling are my guesses).
Keep it Local Coach and if out of the bunch a true Unicorn is developed by the club and coach. let him or her hop all around the OC and SoCal to find that true Unicorn challenge that only other Unicorns can bring. To sum it up: After 8 years and about $30K spent (I did get half a season free one year but don't tell anyone), it all comes down to this for the girls. Find a local coach and team. Build a healthy nest for the 99.5% of the players and wait until 15 to hop all around looking for better players if your so incline too. Or, you can move to Oregon and be home schooled and go pro.
 
I totally commend them for trying to maintain a local club identity.
Wonder what league they will play in?
Wonder why the surf thing didn’t work out? (Money, power or player funneling are my guesses).
There's a meeting tomorrow at 730pm-930pm at MVHS that will supposedly explain everything. I don't know if I can go but would love for someone, who can attend, to summarize on here.
 
This merger/affiliate absolute madness is why there will always be a place for smaller clubs. Of course, running a boutique/smaller club, I would say that. There are pros and cons to both which I’ve talked about and written about before but there will always be room for both big and small/niche IMO.

If you run a solid program and want to maintain coaching standards (among many other things that become uncontrollable at scale), I don’t see why you would want to merge or affiliate. I get the idea and some of the rationale behind it but by the sound of things, it more often than not turns out to be not anywhere near as good as promised and occasionally, turns into a disaster or farce.

Now, if you have an average/poor program and want to merge or affiliate to get a boost and try to revlitalise your club or program, I completely understand the merger or affiliate route. Ultimately, if the kids are better off then it’s hard to argue against it.

My kids club was a successful small club but they didn't merge with Surf for any of then above reasons. They merged because DA & ENCL wouldn't let them into the party because they were a small club. Even though Socal Academy used to beat up on DA/ECNL teams all the time, the "Elites" wouldn't let them in. They merged with Surf and got instant DA.
 
I imagine that they will continue in SCSDL. This year they put 5 teams into the SCSDL play-offs with at least 1 team continuing on to the semi-finals in flight 1.

There are a group of parents that are loyal to the coaches and will continue with the club because of the coaching - branding doesn't matter. From my understanding there was a disagreement as to what was promised as opposed to what was delivered when the deal was made last year. By breaking from surf they will be able to continue to provide the same coaching/resources as in the past at a decreased price to the parents.
 
Back
Top