SOCCER POSTS ONLY... Can this be done?
- Thread starter Footy30
- Start date
Per the CDC masks, social distancing, being outdoors keeps the virus from spreading. That was what everyone did at soccer in Az this weekend. Everyone I saw was spread out and wearing masks. We ate outside once, other two times were in our room or car.
What doesn’t work is groups together inside for this past Thanksgiving. Seeing people go into Circle K no mask, even the two sheriffs I saw. No masks for groups to travelers at the rest area restrooms going to and from Arizona, and I'm not talking soccer families, these were old couples, groups of men and women, families with very small children. I imagine more people got the virus from Black Friday than Arizona soccer.
The tourneys did a much better job than the rest of society.
Desert Super Cup was pretty flawless, at least for us. Parents stayed in the cars until about 10 mins before kickoff, someone always around reminding people to wear their masks (over their noses), hand sanitizer stations, circles on the fields to keep social distance. We were at Reach, easy getting in and out, little to no traffic.
At the hotel all workers, and guests were complying by wearing masks.
At the hotel all workers, and guests were complying by wearing masks.
The drive home was the superspreader event not the hotel or the games. The 10 was a parking lot my GPS took me off roading no joke which was a parking lot too. Someome pulled out pug goals and started playing literally in the desert at Quartzite.
I notice that some clubs are holding Free ID events (aka tryouts) this month. I wonder what the thought process is for those clubs. Are they throwing in the towel and forming new teams for the spring or are they just supplementing current teams with the hope there may be some games in the new year?
For those of you on a traditional fall season team (ie not MLS Next, ECNL etc) what is your team or club thinking? Obviously it's impossible to plan for anything but is the current team staying together and still practicing in hopes there may be league games in the new year or maybe just staying together in hopes of playing or tournament or in the long shot that there's some form of state cup?
For those of you on a traditional fall season team (ie not MLS Next, ECNL etc) what is your team or club thinking? Obviously it's impossible to plan for anything but is the current team staying together and still practicing in hopes there may be league games in the new year or maybe just staying together in hopes of playing or tournament or in the long shot that there's some form of state cup?
notintheface
GOLD
Having spoken with a few associates, there is a whole lot of "survival mode" going on. Clubs that would have 3-4 teams per age bracket are running with 1-2. Tryouts this year are going to be nonexistent. If you were on the team in February, you have a spot available. Kids from teams that disband because of numbers, coach leaving, etc., are being shuffled to other teams.
I truly do not know what's going to happen when everyone starts asking for the $3-4k per year for 2021 after having collected fees for 2020. If we don't get this virus under control, I think it's reasonable to say 40-50% of clubs will evaporate.
Eagle33
PREMIER
I believe strongest clubs with the right mindset and philosophy will survive and if others will fail, it's not a bad thing.
notintheface
GOLD
I hope you're right, but what I am afraid of is that there is a metric shitton of discretionary spending that is evaporating, and the kids who were ballers but just barely on the bubble in terms of their parents commitment (money or time or otherwise) will wind up being left out, and that hurts everyone because the level of competition is going to drop. For clubs that have a good pipeline of player development, this is a black swan event times 10 and I think we're going to see knock-on effects for clubs, tournaments, player travel, etc, for a long long time.
I think that we are going to see a a significant increase in the widening of the gap. Not just soccer, but education, income, etc. The "have" clubs will continue to get stronger (maybe not in terms of size but influence) and the "have nots" (a great X song BTW) will get weaker or disappear. The "have" parents will continue to pay big bucks for their kid to play at (insert uber club here) and the "have not" kids will disappear from the scene. Even with club scholarships the "have not" kids have a difficult time getting to practice due to their parents lack of resources. I sure hope I'm wrong, and I don't think we've reached that point yet for soccer, unfortunately we have with education.. A thinning, or consolidation, of clubs is not necessarily a bad thing in some areas, as long as it doesn't thin out some of the affordable options.
notintheface
GOLD
Agree - the coming income inequality is going to put club soccer out of reach of a lot of people unless we start seeing significant outside investment. I don't know if that means Nike, or Budweiser, or even the EPL, but then how shameful is it that the richest country in the world is even in this situation. Sorry-- I went too political there, didn't I.
Every parent here could stand to volunteer at their local AYSO chapter to help keep fringe kids in the sport. This is a lost year, no question, but how we react to this year in 2021 and 2022 will define how serious the US really is about soccer and the pipeline.
I would go a bit deeper. Most clubs are not elite player producing clubs. Many exist, on shoe string budgets, to give kids a place to go after school and the weekends. They provide structure, guidance, etc. The "have not" kids suffer in multiple ways. Meanwhile, in Surf Land, the "haves" are arguing over getting their ulittle playing time in AZ. I'm not against playing time, but sometimes perspectives need to be adjusted. But in typical "have" fashion, if their is a will, there is a way (with the $$$). Not casting shade, if you have the means, do you.
If 45 other states are playing youth sports why can't Surf Cup run a tournament. Some of you guys need to step back. If you don't want your kid to play, then don't play. We don't need your sermons on here. It is legal to do. Let everyone make their own choice. You all just want everyone to follow your lead and sit out so your kid doesn't miss out. We can make our own decisions.
The answer to your question is in the covid section of the off topic 2 forum.
This thread is for soccer. If you want to argue either direction about whether covid is important enough to justify restrictions, do it there.
electrichead72
SILVER ELITE
My kid has two games this weekend in Area 51.
Multiple games both days at this location.
Multiple teams from his club and also other clubs. At least four different clubs are participating just based on the schedule.
More games already scheduled for the 19th/20th weekend.
We went to AZ a few weeks back and the upcoming January tournament in Vegas doesn't seem like it's going to happen, so it seems like this is it for the time being.
Two kids out of the entire club of maybe 25 teams have tested positive. No spread in the teams. Those two were siblings that got it from their parents.
Thankfully they are all doing well.
So far so good since early August when training started again.
Multiple games both days at this location.
Multiple teams from his club and also other clubs. At least four different clubs are participating just based on the schedule.
More games already scheduled for the 19th/20th weekend.
We went to AZ a few weeks back and the upcoming January tournament in Vegas doesn't seem like it's going to happen, so it seems like this is it for the time being.
Two kids out of the entire club of maybe 25 teams have tested positive. No spread in the teams. Those two were siblings that got it from their parents.
Thankfully they are all doing well.
So far so good since early August when training started again.
Hopefully you are not screaming at me. We are playing every weekend in AZ. It's your choice and I'm not preaching about how the virus relates to soccer cuz it doesn't when strictly talking about spread.
If you ask me from a business perspective for our AZ clubs, Surf isn't needed. We have 2-3 large tournaments every FEB that are filled with CA teams - come back then. You were probably here last year in FEB. Our last big tournament was under the national spotlight because our local media are a bunch of jackies. As a result, the city of phoenix and tempe shut down fields, hurting local clubs and kids. What we don't need is more media and local politician hysterics. If Surf happens, the hysteria will follow suit. Surf may not actually correlate to additional virus spread but that's how it will be painted.
I can't control what happens and I'll have a player who will play if Surf if the top girls teams come and our club decides to stay in the tournament, which isn't clear right now If I had a choice, based on the realities of our current environment, I'd pull the plug and let AZ soccer go about it's natural pathway this time of the year - HS soccer and limited club play and practice. Enjoy your Christmas and New Years without games. Under normal circumstances, a tournament in AZ in the winter is a good thing - weather is great, tons to do when not playing.
So, I'm not hating on your desire to play. I am painfully aware of what pip speak local politicians and cowardly media are capable of. I'd rather not give them the opportunity to become more like CA.
46n2
SILVER ELITE
I don't agree with your statement (and its fine to disagree too )
Before Covid , where did all of the clubs come to play --Southern California , period!
This is the first time ever teams are coming to AZ teams, and actually we're only coming for use your fields because your state has less restrictions than ours. This may be the first time AZ teams get much better due to playing 10 to 1 games versus what CA teams get to play......
Id enjoy the revenue and games as much as you can ...
46n2
SILVER ELITE
as for big clubs losing money, Id say theres no discretion when it comes to who is gonna go away and who will survive. If you look at the top LA clubs, their silent right now, the biggest issue is going to be sub par talent being place on decent teams cause teams need to generate money , every club will have the their top team for sure with the best of the best---- but the second team will be filled with B,C and D players , guarantee'd.
The top teams are not even scrimmaging each other , their just sharpening their skills and working behind the scenes....
the same strong club team will remain on top once the whistle can blow again. its the second teams that will suffer the most.
The top teams are not even scrimmaging each other , their just sharpening their skills and working behind the scenes....
the same strong club team will remain on top once the whistle can blow again. its the second teams that will suffer the most.
This isn't the first time that CA teams travel to Arizona for a large tournament. CA teams travel every year to AZ for tournaments in FEB. It's the first time (and likely last) that Surf is holding a tournament in AZ, there lies the difference in what you are trying to communicate.
You are missing the spirit of my post I guess. Putting aside my desire to play soccer on a weekend that normally it doesn't get played, the optics of a tournament in the midst of pandemic hysteria doesn't make a lot of sense. I'm a realist and understand that your (and my) outrage will have minimal impact on the decision making that overreacting politicians will make. If you live in CA, you already know this.
As a business owner, I get the revenue piece. Smart business owners try to avoid short term gain and focus on long term growth. A few days of targeted revenue gain for some areas of the valley are not going to be felt across all businesses. Hysteric politicians enacting stricter requirements across the spectrum will effect all. You will drive here, spend a drop in the bucket, then go home.
I've been able to remove the emotional aspect of watching kids play soccer and claiming my "freedoms" and focus on the reality of possible impact on what happens after Surf has come and gone.
And by the way, I respect what Surf is trying to do, save their business. Capitalism is inherently selfish and is often survival of the fittest - I get it and I don't disagree. It's not the end of the world if you miss 3 games at a time when it wasn't even scheduled.
Surf will have some challenges to pull this off. They will intentionally not provide you any type of meaningful information but will hold their cards close to their chest. The holiday classic tournament scheduled for this weekend has already cancelled all games for youngers due to lack of fields and restricted it to in state teams only.
We will see what happens.
I speed read too for a living so I will make a quick comment. This is all about freedom, not soccer. We were born into a system of control. School, college, job, married, retirement and then die. Let's all be honest here. Is that freedom? How about just play life, play some more and then just play. Mix in some work too
46n2
SILVER ELITE
I agree 100 percent with your statement above , but on the regular , you would never see a CA team go to AZ more than once in a regular season. The influx of competition you guys are getting is great, its making your kids much better than years before , and Im jealous of it really.
Enjoy this time and better yet make some money off the CA parents.
I know parents from San Diego like anything that will make the voices be louder on the sidelines , maybe get some megaphones, they love to scream and coach their kids from the sidelines.