'23-'24 SoCal and National Forecast and Updates
- Thread starter MARsSPEED
- Start date
Already predicting next year’s championship game before the quarterfinals are even played?
Out in Seattle VDA has earned a bad rep for being goons with 5-10 yellow cards every match.
Not part of the team or even in VDA’s division. Just know the new coach and players pretty well.
Not sure how long you have been around but I didn’t predict a winner this year just teams I thought would make it. Picked PDA last year before the season started and Solar the year before that…
So yeah, I am predicting VDA wins next year no matter how many yellow cards. Unfortunately dirty play sometimes gets the job done as we just saw with USMNT.
VDA 09s have certainly has a bad reputation out here as well for dirty play. The new coach is not going to stand for that next year. He was National Club Coach of the year for 2023 and has only been with VDA a couple of months during High School season.
Again, I’m not picking VDA just because they are somewhat close to my home, I am picking them for everything else except that reason. Just like I would pick Koge if they do in fact land the top Blues players.
I would like to hear your thoughts or predictions for this years Finals? Which side of the bracket looks more difficult? Who do you think is the favorite? Also, do you have a sleeper pic?
We need our own league
I think Surf and PDA are the teams to beat. Toss up. I have Solar 3rd. I have not seen how the brackets line up yet however so no idea who is playing each other or what road they have to take.
Not sure if I could call anyone a sleeper. All of these teams that made it through really do have a chance to go all the way. It’s a very solid group of teams and I honestly would not be too surprised if PDA/Surf/Solar don’t make it to the final.
The biggest surprise to me was MVLA’s performance. Unless they suffered some injuries, I thought they were going to be in the discussion at this point.
PDA vs KC Athletics winner plays the winner of Eclipse vs Legends
Surf vs. Penn Fusion winner plays the winner of HBK vs. Solar
Question for this group as a parent of a player that went through their first ECNL PLayoffs. So, I had some questions and gained a lot of great feedback about positioning my daughter in ECNL for a younger year by asking this age group. Several people mentioned the importance of going to playoffs and while I valued the experience, there were some real let downs.
First of all, I appreciate that parents can be buttholes and refs. don't need to take any flack, but I just expected decency for playoffs. First ref was so horrible, I think both coaches almost apologized to each other for the misfortune. He would call any contact and broke up the rhythm for both sides the whole game. The second one started ok, but gave away red cards like candy and we're on a team that needs more physicality out of our girls. The side refs were oblivious to offsides and allowed at least 1 goal from each side to stand after players were offsides.Third was very good and fair, Fourth called just about any contact like the first one and it led to about 11 set play opportunities for the other team.
This leads to my other complaint. The fields seemed very small compared to our league fields and were the youngest ECNL group. I can't imagine these fields seem big enough for 15 to 16 year olds? Every free kick on the opponent's side is a solid goal scoring opportunity. It just seemed like a small field battle with tight space and lots of fouls and free kick goals. Really sucked for having great competition imo, but maybe I'm missing something?
Next, no rules at playoffs for parents to stay on their own sides. We had obnoxious parents coming on our side coaching and celebrating which caused a lot of conflict and unpleasantness. To top it off, we played 2 teams from Ca. and one from the same county basically. While I was extremely proud and happy with my kid's team and parents, I lost a lot of respect for the playoff situation. More of concern to me was the time and cost for the opportunity. Thank God we're not going to Virginia, because I can't imagine it gets any better especially considering it's only 3 games, but you can basically save the cost of club soccer fees by not making playoffs and basically only miss 3 sub standard games imo.
Are all the playoffs like this? They need a certain amount of fields, so maybe they have to shrink the fields for this or maybe the smaller fields make the game more exciting? Maybe I need to look at this another way? Just curious if this was just a weird year or if this is always the case?
I can't help, but wonder if a team would be better served playing up in a tournament against better competition and staying home vs traveling for these playoffs?
First of all, I appreciate that parents can be buttholes and refs. don't need to take any flack, but I just expected decency for playoffs. First ref was so horrible, I think both coaches almost apologized to each other for the misfortune. He would call any contact and broke up the rhythm for both sides the whole game. The second one started ok, but gave away red cards like candy and we're on a team that needs more physicality out of our girls. The side refs were oblivious to offsides and allowed at least 1 goal from each side to stand after players were offsides.Third was very good and fair, Fourth called just about any contact like the first one and it led to about 11 set play opportunities for the other team.
This leads to my other complaint. The fields seemed very small compared to our league fields and were the youngest ECNL group. I can't imagine these fields seem big enough for 15 to 16 year olds? Every free kick on the opponent's side is a solid goal scoring opportunity. It just seemed like a small field battle with tight space and lots of fouls and free kick goals. Really sucked for having great competition imo, but maybe I'm missing something?
Next, no rules at playoffs for parents to stay on their own sides. We had obnoxious parents coming on our side coaching and celebrating which caused a lot of conflict and unpleasantness. To top it off, we played 2 teams from Ca. and one from the same county basically. While I was extremely proud and happy with my kid's team and parents, I lost a lot of respect for the playoff situation. More of concern to me was the time and cost for the opportunity. Thank God we're not going to Virginia, because I can't imagine it gets any better especially considering it's only 3 games, but you can basically save the cost of club soccer fees by not making playoffs and basically only miss 3 sub standard games imo.
Are all the playoffs like this? They need a certain amount of fields, so maybe they have to shrink the fields for this or maybe the smaller fields make the game more exciting? Maybe I need to look at this another way? Just curious if this was just a weird year or if this is always the case?
I can't help, but wonder if a team would be better served playing up in a tournament against better competition and staying home vs traveling for these playoffs?
Also and look I understand it's club soccer and very competitive, but so many players get very little play time as it's playoffs. The real irony is so many stay on super competitive teams to get this sub par playoff experience to only play a limited amount of time at the playoffs after spending small fortunes to get there? I saw several girls crying after games and I know many of these girls are going right back to these teams??? It is what it is, but maybe I'm mainly reaching out to those parents and teams that did not go to the playoffs with a message that you didn't miss a damn thing? I hear so much talk about burn out and it not being fun as I witnessed first hand so much of what is not fun about this experience.
The fields were absolutely too small. It looked like 11 players on a 9v9 field. As you note, the small fields caused a lot of unnecessary contact. I saw multiple late slide tackles from a team which normally plays a very nice possession game.
Last year was at Surf, on normal sized fields. Virginia Fields are also a good size. It's just Seattle and a few of the Phoenix fields that are so small.
rainbow_unicorn
PREMIER
Yes, fields are small and grass is thick at Seattle but have to learn how to adjust.
Our refs were fine for the most part. Have to deal with the fact that you won't always get the call.
Yes, it is expected that starters will get a lot more playing time at playoffs because every team there is there to win. Subs will get minutes during regular season and showcases.
Our refs were fine for the most part. Have to deal with the fact that you won't always get the call.
Yes, it is expected that starters will get a lot more playing time at playoffs because every team there is there to win. Subs will get minutes during regular season and showcases.
Super thick fields that make playing real soccer impossible. Adjust is understatement, especially for Socal teams who usually have really nice fields. Small fields suck. Ref is a coin flip. Happy to hear about the refs for your games. The hardest part for middle- and low-class families is the cost to play in the playoffs. Our team won it all in Seattle and we were rewarded to go play in Texas and won the natty in a 107 temps. The fact is you better have a lot of money or a line of credit to pay for travel playoffs. My wife's niece will most likely be up there in a few years and I already told my sister-in-law to start putting money away in a special "youth soccer playoff fund" to prepare for the cost.
My buddy who attended Seattle this past week told me for his kid and family 10k cost. Including airfare, car rental,hotel, food etc. now it will be another 5k in Virginia just dad and kid alone for a week.
The cost to win a natty today for a family of four from Socal is north of $25K now if they all go to VA. My old house in Temecula is now going for $922,000. The only way to avoid the cost is for your dd to earn a full ride and have her go alone Veritas. The poor are priced out and the middle class will dip into the rainy-day fund or put it on CC to earn points and hope dad gets that bonus he was promised to pay it off. The rich, they have plenty of play money and that's what the big problem is. It's not fair
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Yeah, sheeze! We limited our costs and went very conservatively and my kid's sibling gets a trip in return considering she deserves some family treasure as well, so it's never just the actual cost. Next year might be easier for us if the kids go alone though and then we can stream.
I remember Veritas and a few others mentioning the importance of playoffs and my team was fortunate enough to make them, so super proud to be on a team that was able to accomplish that. I will say that we got extra playoff training, extra club resources to show up and compete, and the kids earned a valuable experience, so I see the value.
My issue is that I figured we would have at least decent refs and fields. Depending on one's budget, money would be better spent on training, latin leagues, and future funding. What I'm really saying is I at least expect a pleasant playoff experience and it's a bigger circus than regular league. I can't get over how bad our refs were at playoffs and then no rules for where parents can cheer. I was just really let down with the organization of the playoff structure. To think there were 5 to 7 girls or more sitting on the bench more than playing makes me cringe! It's their money and time though, so it is what it is.
8 days off work and huge expense for 3 to 4 sub par organized games where ECNL forces you to stay at whatever hotel they choose is not a good deal for parents paying with this. I just feel trapped in this circus, but at least I know a few more things now. If my kid earns the playoffs, I'll make it happen, but Thank God she didn't earn Virginia and I hate thinking like a loser!
Honestly, my biggest takeaway is to avoid the highest level teams setting up going to Virginia if you're not a starter. It's one thing to go and at least play, but to go there to sit just to say you're on a high level team is not helping your kid grow as a player. I saw several girls on winning teams crying after games. It's definitely funner to win than lose, but part of competitive sports is losing and I'd rather my kid be playing and growing as a player and taking her losses, but she is never showing up to lose. There are just teams more unwilling to lose than hers and how blessed we are to get to compete against them!
Also, I will say out of state teams truly start stepping up in ECNL. You can't underestimate anyone at ECNL Playoffs!
Many areas still have all the spectators on one side. Mostly, it works. People talk to each other and it builds community. Same as going out to lunch together after a game.
The cost of that community is sometimes you have someone erupt into cheers when their daughter scores a goal against your daughter's team.
rainbow_unicorn
PREMIER
Are they flying first class and stay at Four Seasons?
Well also when games get physical and cheap shots start coming out from either side, parents get involved and then throw in the cheers for goals where refs totally miss an obvious offsides during these games where 1 team will advance. I've just never seen sherriffs at our regular league games or tournaments? Kind of silly to waste govt. resources when you can just separate emotional parents. We've seen one yellow card on our team the last year and a half and somehow we ended up with loads of cards there including reds that cost us players in crucial games. Just different, but it's not hard to separate parents. I've just never seen this no rules on where parents watch. Live and learn.
LA (not San Diego) refs tend to let a lot go. I don't know why this is. My theory is many of the refs are of Latin decent and grew up playing a more physical game so this is how they ref now.
I remember in one state cup a player literally grabbed my kids arm and did some kind of karate flip while they were on a breakaway for goal. No call + my daughter had to limp off the field to the nurses tent because they didn't stop play.
Seattle refs are likely on the other end of the spectrum. What you thought was hard play they saw as cleats up death kicks to the head.
Did you expect anything different from Pacific Northwest people. ;-)