'24-‘25 SoCal and National Forecast and Updates

Darmah said:
With only one Southwest 2009 league game remaining, the top eight qualifiers for playoffs look to have been decided. Any opinions or surprises with the standings? Do you think combining the Sonoran and Mojave together helped or hurt any teams?
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Some of my thoughts…

- I think the final 8 makes sense overall
- I’m sure most who are close would say the biggest surprise would be Beach having a rougher season this year after winning the league last year. They had a key player in Europe all year and also dealt with a lot of injuries based on what I know. They should make it into the playoffs unless somehow Pats beats SD Surf by 5 goals this week.
- From my own personal preview: SD Surf, Legends, and Koge were the strongest teams. These were the 3 opponents we faced where it wasn’t a competitive game - or maybe it was tight for a half before the doors were eventually blown off. My guess is they are who do the most damage in the playoffs.
- LV Heat Surf probably had the harshest end to the season: losing 2 of their last 3 and, by virtue of their loss to Phoenix Rising in their last game, dropping from the Champions League to (likely) Showcase A
- Places 8-13 are/were really tight. 6 teams all with .37 PPG
 
Combining divisions this year was great for this age group cutting down games from 24 to 16. With college showcases and camps this year 24 games would have been too much. At 16 league games we still play more games than any other division (other than Nor Cal).
 
If Surf win Thur then they’ll get #1 playoff seed. AZ Arsenal and Legends will narrowly get #2 and #3 seeds. And then Sharks, HBK, Royals, Eagles, Beach will all be #4 seeds. If you’re outside of SW you will not want to draw any SW teams, especially as a #4 seed. We just beat each other up in SW division so nobody has a great W-L record or GD.
 
I was thinking that Legends SD(Sharks) probably benefited the most with having one division. They seemed to always be the 4th team in the Sonoran just missing out on the Champions League. Surf, Koge, Blues(not since the breakup) and Arsenal seemed to be too much for them. On top of some of the challenges Tim Powell sated about Beach, maybe Beach not getting to play the Mojave division twice effected their Point Per Game in a negative way. Either way they are a very good team and will likely win their group even at the 4 seed. I would love to hear Mars predictions when the playoff groups are announced.
 
Orangeteam said:
My personal cocnern is more about clubs trying to moonlight the players into club training while they are already on a HS schedule that at best borderlines them into overtraining. The timing of HS, HS playoffs, and GA or ECNL summer events puts these kids at higher injury risk.
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There are strict rules prohibiting this in CIF. If the players get caught they will not be playing HS anywhere, and the HS team will forfeit any games that were played with that player on the roster, if they attended any practice, game, event with a Club team during HS season.
 
Code said:
There are strict rules prohibiting this in CIF. If the players get caught they will not be playing HS anywhere, and the HS team will forfeit any games that were played with that player on the roster, if they attended any practice, game, event with a Club team during HS season.
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I think they can do any and all things except any practice activity/scrimmage/competition bigger than a 5v5…so if a club wants their players to do skills, drills, 1v1s, 2v2s, rondos, fitness, film, or any other session outside of that, a player can do this without violating CIF rules. Not saying I advocate for this, but I think that’s the rules.
 
Code said:
There are strict rules prohibiting this in CIF. If the players get caught they will not be playing HS anywhere, and the HS team will forfeit any games that were played with that player on the roster, if they attended any practice, game, event with a Club team during HS season.
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Post #35 has the actual statements about east coast teams having HS soccer in the spring.
The context of my comment was about that, not california
 
rainbow_unicorn said:
If Surf win Thur then they’ll get #1 playoff seed. AZ Arsenal and Legends will narrowly get #2 and #3 seeds. And then Sharks, HBK, Royals, Eagles, Beach will all be #4 seeds. If you’re outside of SW you will not want to draw any SW teams, especially as a #4 seed. We just beat each other up in SW division so nobody has a great W-L record or GD.
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I 100% agree with this. While I don't think anyone in their right mind would take a SoCal team for granted, some certainly will looking at records. That's a big mistake. Iron sharpens iron. At the same time, I wouldn't want to draw any of the top 3 in North Atlantic, Texas, or Midwest.
 
Tim Powell said:
I think they can do any and all things except any practice activity/scrimmage/competition bigger than a 5v5…so if a club wants their players to do skills, drills, 1v1s, 2v2s, rondos, fitness, film, or any other session outside of that, a player can do this without violating CIF rules. Not saying I advocate for this, but I think that’s the rules.
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In the past the San Diego Section and Southern Section had different rules about activity with outside teams. The SS allowed practice but barred competing; the SDS barred any type of participation. Rule 600 in the 2024-2025 SDS Green Book was changed and now matches the SS Blue Book. Rule 600 now indicates a player may not compete with an outside team.
 
Seems like PDA Blue is starting to heat up at the right time. I certainly wouldn't want that draw when the team is clicking. I'll be out at Silver Lakes for GA Playoffs. DD wanted to go back and play for her old FC Virginia coach. As long as she is happy I guess. Not to worried about college anymore as she is just worried about getting into the best Academic School whether D3 or D1. My bank account on the other hand is worried!
 
Just going to add something most of you probably already know. Two teams I would want in my bracket are Internationals and Pittsburgh Riverhounds. My DD's team beat Riverhounds twice and finished 2nd to last in the Northeast. We are not participating in the North Carolina Event where her now old team plays both LA Breakers and Rebels. Decided it was best to get the last league game in with her new team in preparation for GA playoffs instead (and also save a little money.)
 
Alrighty MARsSPEED - It's almost go time.

Your reputation precedes you and inquiring minds will want the full write-up. If this starts at 8PM Eastern time tonight, and is a true draw that finishes at, say, 8:30....that gives you just under 15 hours to put it together for us to read with our morning coffee at 8AM Pacific time if you stay up all night.

Need:

- Who's going to emerge from each group
- What is the group of death
- Dark horses
- Prediction for most lopsided victory in group stage
- Predictions for quarter finalists, semi finalists, finalists, winner

Any other requests, folks?

You can put together a few versions. Perhaps you have where you would put your money, but then also you can put together a true hater's "anybody but SoCal" lineup for the final 4. 🤪🤪😂😂

Goofing around of course. Actually interested in your take as I am sure many others are...


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MARsSPEED​

Feel free of course to lay our your thinking on U16 GA too.


Given you're tuned into GA as well, that schedule is already out (link above), and we will all need something to read in the final hour before tonight's ECNL draw, you have a little less time to get that together. 😜
 
Interested to see how June 15 was for this age group? Can you share if it was what you expected for the good or bad. Any advice what you would have done differently. And what help get interest from coaches?
Thanks
 
4kidssake said:
Interested to see how June 15 was for this age group? Can you share if it was what you expected for the good or bad. Any advice what you would have done differently. And what help get interest from coaches?
Thanks
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I would go to more camps and do better job reaching out to coaches. My kid got her day 1 Full Scholarship offer and commited. Going to showcases help but it maybe best to target about 5 schools and go to the id camps. Out of state schools are the most aggresive during these times.
 
Wooo, flying to California today! Good to see the weather will be cooling down. Got stuck in a really tough bracket for GA…not sure if we will make it out. City GA it also in our group.

As for June 15th, we got quite a number of Mid Majors, one Big East, but no P4s. Not worried because DD has a higher value pit on Academics. Two schools she likes and one is D3. Hoping she kills it over the next few days to get some more interest.

Going to the Rose Bowl tomorrow night for PSG game. If anyone can tell us best Sushi restaurant in Anaheim area, would be appreciated. We love some good restaurants so feel free to PM with any recommendations!
 
MARsSPEED said:
Wooo, flying to California today! Good to see the weather will be cooling down. Got stuck in a really tough bracket for GA…not sure if we will make it out. City GA it also in our group.

As for June 15th, we got quite a number of Mid Majors, one Big East, but no P4s. Not worried because DD has a higher value pit on Academics. Two schools she likes and one is D3. Hoping she kills it over the next few days to get some more interest.

Going to the Rose Bowl tomorrow night for PSG game. If anyone can tell us best Sushi restaurant in Anaheim area, would be appreciated. We love some good restaurants so feel free to PM with any recommendations!
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Have a cold one on me Mars. Good luck and welcome to sunny Southern California:cool:☀️ I will be in HB soaking in the rays from the sun July 4th!!!

This place is super tasty, if you like Italian😋 https://www.mamacozzas.com/
 
MARsSPEED said:
Going to the Rose Bowl tomorrow night for PSG game.
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I was at the PSG - Atletico game... It won't be as bad tomorrow, but take this article very, very seriously. The parking was so bad people were showing up with 10 minutes left in the game. I'm definitely getting the shuttle bus or walking from Old Town Pasadena next time.

The bowl isn't fit for purpose:

www.theguardian.com

Club World Cup fans tell of ‘dangerous’ Rose Bowl conditions amid heat and lack of water

Supporters who attended PSG’s noon kick-off against Atlético Madrid have talked of a struggle to access water and feeling unsafe
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
KingMI said:
I would go to more camps and do better job reaching out to coaches. My kid got her day 1 Full Scholarship offer and commited. Going to showcases help but it maybe best to target about 5 schools and go to the id camps. Out of state schools are the most aggresive during these times.
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How does that work? Was this school your top choice and you let them know that you're ready to commit? Assuming you have been to multiple ID camps for them so that they were familiar with your player?
 
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