Blues 06 - For those that want to talk about it

[ESPNANALYST]

If you say so. My daughter's coach sure thinks that they are. They have two commits from Surf right now and they are top 10 players in the country. She has played with both of them at YNT camps and in club and she thinks that they are awesome and are going to fit right in with her college team. There is only two other players in the whole county that they are looking at and they both also play for Surf.....

Love you but again this hypothesis doesn't work yet because their chokehold on ECNL still exists until Aug. They controlled more square mileage of talent than in any other geographic area and now they do not. 2019 will be the year to watch in my opinion as to who really has the proof!
By that time your beauty will be bored with all of us and continuing to kick ass. You get to watch and laugh at all of this mess

 

[MakeAPlay]

....in your past experience based on a previously held model which no longer exists.
To be frank iron sharpens iron- when you have a group of elite girls all together things click. They make one another better and the Coaches (who are good) can actually do their jobs.
CC isn't there any longer MAP

We will see how it shakes out. My player is a year removed from club soccer and things are changing.

 

[MakeAPlay]

Love you but again this hypothesis doesn't work yet because their chokehold on ECNL still exists until Aug. They controlled more square mileage of talent than in any other geographic area and now they do not. 2019 will be the year to watch in my opinion as to who really has the proof!
By that time your beauty will be bored with all of us and continuing to kick ass. You get to watch and laugh at all of this mess

I agree that we will know by 2019. As always good luck to your young lady. Keep her eyes on the prize and it will all work out for her.

 

[Sped]

Love you but again this hypothesis doesn't work yet because their chokehold on ECNL still exists until Aug. They controlled more square mileage of talent than in any other geographic area and now they do not. 2019 will be the year to watch in my opinion as to who really has the proof!
By that time your beauty will be bored with all of us and continuing to kick ass. You get to watch and laugh at all of this mess

Your story's great, except it ignores that kids leave non-ECNL clubs for Surf even at the U9 and U10 ages for reasons that have nothing to do with ECNL.

Let's hope that they're more than a brand ... as I'd say the "surf" brand took a big hit today with Anaheim surf 2006 team being disqualified from state cup for cheating.

I don't think anyone is confusing Surf SD and Anaheim Surf in this regard.

 

[CopaMundial]

Any younger playing on a top team that leaves Carlsbad for another club obviously doesn't have older kids that play and have no idea how DA will change things down the road. ECNL is over and the playing field has changed dramatically overnight. No need to drive 2 hours just to be on a so called super team. Your player will be seen right in your backyard in the years to come. Good luck.

That is the most simple of thinking. Having a DD that is older and plays ECNL and a younger DD that travels north, I will say that the DA additions are not an overnight change as some of the clubs might think. I don't know of any quality players bouncing just yet. Remember, all ECNL players are bound till May 1 and cannot try out or speak to other clubs. That being said, there are many reasons for taking kids to various clubs. Yes, the landscape has changed, but not overnight? DA addition will take time, don't get over excited too soon. New DA clubs are holding tryouts when all the top ECNL players are prohibited from participating. Even so, I've not heard of a single ECNL player thinking about any of this. They have more important things happening right now, like their possible last year of HS soccer (should they decide to play GA), preparing for the next half of ECNL season, injury recovery and grades. So?

And no matter how you look at it, every club has a culture. Find the right team, right coach and culture, regardless of titles. And then, relax and watch your kids play. Worry about their health, not their trophies. It's a marathon, not a sprint. FYI, from Cbad to the OC is between 30-45 mins, depending on south or north.

 

[ESPNANALYST]

Your story's great, except it ignores that kids leave non-ECNL clubs for Surf even at the U9 and U10 ages for reasons that have nothing to do with ECNL.

I don't think anyone is confusing Surf SD and Anaheim Surf in this regard.

People who buy into the 7-10 year old super team concept are a special bunch but that's a whole other thread. People who pay 2k for a B or C team at Surf for a 7-10 year old again special bunch different thread.
And yes @norwegian you are correct it taints a brand but again arrogance of either a homer parent or Surf Coach overrides common sense.

 

[Sped]

People who buy into the 7-10 year old super team concept are a special bunch but that's a whole other thread. People who pay 2k for a B or C team at Surf for a 7-10 year old again special bunch different thread.
And yes @norwegian you are correct it taints a brand but again arrogance of either a homer parent or Surf Coach overrides common sense.

That's all fine, but it still doesn't explain why the flow goes one way and not the other.

 

[Lightning Red]

Like I said - wake me when Duggan can pull Surf's top players over rather than the other way around.

Sorry Sped. There aren't any of MD's 04's leaving. In fact, it's quite the contrary. Check out both teams 04 kick arounds and let me know what you see.

 

[ESPNANALYST]

I cannot answer this post without sharing what I know so best to just watch the bomb go off in May. All the best

 

[ESPNANALYST]

Sorry Sped. There aren't any of MD's 04's leaving. In fact, it's quite the contrary. Check out both teams 04 kick arounds and let me know what you see.

Amen. He has no idea. Albion had no problem either ....

 

[bababooey]

That is the most simple of thinking. Having a DD that is older and plays ECNL and a younger DD that travels north, I will say that the DA additions are not an overnight change as some of the clubs might think. I don't know of any quality players bouncing just yet. Remember, all ECNL players are bound till May 1 and cannot try out or speak to other clubs. That being said, there are many reasons for taking kids to various clubs. Yes, the landscape has changed, but not overnight? DA addition will take time, don't get over excited too soon. New DA clubs are holding tryouts when all the top ECNL players are prohibited from participating. Even so, I've not heard of a single ECNL player thinking about any of this. They have more important things happening right now, like their possible last year of HS soccer (should they decide to play GA), preparing for the next half of ECNL season, injury recovery and grades. So?

And no matter how you look at it, every club has a culture. Find the right team, right coach and culture, regardless of titles. And then, relax and watch your kids play. Worry about their health, not their trophies. It's a marathon, not a sprint. FYI, from Cbad to the OC is between 30-45 mins, depending on south or north.

Copa: I agree 100% with your last paragraph. That said, your first paragraph is not 100% accurate (at least for the 03 ECNL players). You state that all ECNL players are bound till May 1 and cannot try out or speak to other clubs. I can tell you I personally witnessed at least five current 03 ECNL players at the Pateadores DA tryouts. The cannot try out part applies only to ECNL to ECNL clubs, but some of the DA clubs do not have ECNL status and thus are not tied to this draconian rule. As for the speak to other clubs, that is also inaccurate. I know of three different players who are current ECNL players and each of them have been offered spots on DA I teams (and I am sure many others too). I doubt there are DA I offers in writing to the current ECNL players, but if you think that the 03 and 04 DA I coaches have not been making phone calls to their "wish list" players, I respectfully disagree.

You may be spot on with your assertion about players not even thinking about any of this, but I can guarantee parents are thinking about this long and hard.

Please understand I am not trying to call you out. I am just trying to shed some light on the 03 and 04 DA teams.

 

[Lightning Red]

I'll take your word. In fact, if the 04's aren't the club's best squad, I'm not sure which is. Now the other 100 teams....

BTW, who's your keeper next year? B team surf's keeper?

BTW again, how much better would your team be if all the girls who used to play at Cbad but now are at Surf would have stayed instead of bolting because they didn't want to play for Duggan after Heather left? You ever stopped to count how many of those players started at Carlsbad but left? The girls that won state cup at Arsenal? The girls who split for Blues? That's the issue I'm discussing.

There are "3" DA teams in SD. The keeper we select will be just fine. Plenty of excellent players out there. The same question could have been asked about this team's keeper last year. I think it worked out pretty well.

 

[Sped]

There are "3" DA teams in SD. The keeper we select will be just fine. Plenty of excellent players out there. The same question could have been asked about this team's keeper last year. I think it worked out pretty well.

A softball player plucked out of rec is your keeper, yes? With DA evening the playing field, why is the club only looking to snag Surf's B team keeper?

And how about my prior inquiry? How much better would your team and the 2005's be with the several girls who started at Cbad but bailed at the U-littles? Did you ever ask Duggan why wasn't able to hold on to all those girls? Or why even the club's own coaches and directors have/had girls playing for Surf instead of Carlsbad? That's gotta be a hard one to explain.

Look, I've got kids at Carlsbad. They stay because soccer's not their first sport and because their friends are there. The club's fine. It's just not Blues or Surf.

 

[Lightning Red]

First let me address the softball playing keeper. In one year this kid right now is one of the top 5 keepers in So Cal. She is an amazing athlete. She also happens to be one of the best softball players in the state if not the West. There isn't another kid around with the hands she possesses.
Second, it's none of my business as to why parents feel compelled to leave one club for another. Every situation has its own set of circumstances. I personally have a dd that plays at Surf as well. Both kids had different needs for development. What's right for one is not necessarily right for others. I've been one of the fortunate ones where things have worked out well for both of them. I've seen plenty of others try to leave because they believe the grass is greener. Many of these kids and parents have found out the very hard way that they should have stayed out. For those leaving a top flight team to go to another clubs second or third teams is an enigma to me. Most will find out that promotion from within is not the motto.
On the other hand let's look at the LAGSD 04 team. Almost all home grown and over half of the players were on the "B" team up until U11. That has to say something about development. Another thing is the bond that these kids have is truly special. They are great teammates but even better friends. They want to be with each other all of the time. They push each other not only to be better soccer players but better in everything they do. This doesn't come around too often. Because of this they all have a very deep love for the game and I would expect that to continue. They are all driven by the same thing and lean on each other to drive them and pick them up when things aren't working out.
The Surf and Blues club brands are very strong. No doubt about it. They just aren't right for everybody.
Finally, nobody is chasing any Surf keeper. When kids choose to show up for a practice or kickaround that's one thing. If those kids have what it takes to make the team that's great. If not, there are other options. LAGSD has one of the best if not the best Goals Against Avg in So Cal. That's not changing anytime soon.
As for my younger she has back to back State Cup titles to chase down this weekend!

 

[MakeAPlay]

First let me address the softball playing keeper. In one year this kid right now is one of the top 5 keepers in So Cal. She is an amazing athlete. She also happens to be one of the best softball players in the state if not the West. There isn't another kid around with the hands she possesses.
Second, it's none of my business as to why parents feel compelled to leave one club for another. Every situation has its own set of circumstances. I personally have a dd that plays at Surf as well. Both kids had different needs for development. What's right for one is not necessarily right for others. I've been one of the fortunate ones where things have worked out well for both of them. I've seen plenty of others try to leave because they believe the grass is greener. Many of these kids and parents have found out the very hard way that they should have stayed out. For those leaving a top flight team to go to another clubs second or third teams is an enigma to me. Most will find out that promotion from within is not the motto.
On the other hand let's look at the LAGSD 04 team. Almost all home grown and over half of the players were on the "B" team up until U11. That has to say something about development. Another thing is the bond that these kids have is truly special. They are great teammates but even better friends. They want to be with each other all of the time. They push each other not only to be better soccer players but better in everything they do. This doesn't come around too often. Because of this they all have a very deep love for the game and I would expect that to continue. They are all driven by the same thing and lean on each other to drive them and pick them up when things aren't working out.
The Surf and Blues club brands are very strong. No doubt about it. They just aren't right for everybody.
Finally, nobody is chasing any Surf keeper. When kids choose to show up for a practice or kickaround that's one thing. If those kids have what it takes to make the team that's great. If not, there are other options. LAGSD has one of the best if not the best Goals Against Avg in So Cal. That's not changing anytime soon.
As for my younger she has back to back State Cup titles to chase down this weekend!

If she is that good of a softball player she likely won't be playing soccer much longer. Travel softball is super expensive and time consuming. U14 is next year right?

 

[Lightning Red]

If she is that good of a softball player she likely won't be playing soccer much longer. Travel softball is super expensive and time consuming. U14 is next year right?

Yes, and her first commitment is softball. She is that good. It's a shame because she is that good in soccer as well.

 

[Striker17]

Never said they were. I think this discussion started with the claim (not by you) that Blues will no longer be a top destination for players now that teams like Albion and LAGSD have DA. My opinion is that Blues and Surf will remain the top dogs, and the other 2 will generally be 2nd choice. That's not a knock on those programs, and it's certainly not to suggest that they won't field teams better than Surf or Blues now and then. I will say, however, that the 04 LAGSD team, as good as it is, would be better if the several girls who left at U10 etc. were still there. That's still on Duggan and he still has no idea how to fix it.

On the keeper, I'm sure she's great. But let's just watch the larger picture this tryout season. How many keepers will the club lose at 04, 05 and 06? I know at least 3 that won't be back next year already, and that's just from the top team or two in each age. And yes, Blues is getting one of them.

I respectfully disagree. It's about coaching staff. Blues 04 age group for two consecutive years has lost large amounts of girls due to their selection of coaches. I can't see that changing moving forward.

 

[MakeAPlay]

I respectfully disagree. It's about coaching staff. Blues 04 age group for two consecutive years has lost large amounts of girls due to their selection of coaches. I can't see that changing moving forward.

That would break a fairly long run of good top teams for them. I don't think that it will change but since November nothing surprises me.

 

[CopaMundial]

Copa: I agree 100% with your last paragraph. That said, your first paragraph is not 100% accurate (at least for the 03 ECNL players). You state that all ECNL players are bound till May 1 and cannot try out or speak to other clubs. I can tell you I personally witnessed at least five current 03 ECNL players at the Pateadores DA tryouts. The cannot try out part applies only to ECNL to ECNL clubs, but some of the DA clubs do not have ECNL status and thus are not tied to this draconian rule. As for the speak to other clubs, that is also inaccurate. I know of three different players who are current ECNL players and each of them have been offered spots on DA I teams (and I am sure many others too). I doubt there are DA I offers in writing to the current ECNL players, but if you think that the 03 and 04 DA I coaches have not been making phone calls to their "wish list" players, I respectfully disagree.

You may be spot on with your assertion about players not even thinking about any of this, but I can guarantee parents are thinking about this long and hard.

Please understand I am not trying to call you out. I am just trying to shed some light on the 03 and 04 DA teams.

You are very right!!! Didn't think of that, but ECNL and DA are different entities. So, yes, flood gates are open! Crazy times.

 

[ESPNANALYST]

speaking of bombs, ask Duggan how his top girls 2008 team looks all of a sudden (and I'll give you a . Again, nothing to do with DA or ECNL, just people.

Well, Surf coaches are more than aware Duggan's been calling and emailing promising spots on the DA team, but we'll see how far that really goes, lol.

You seem upset Coach. I know it bothers you four girls you wanted from his 04 didn't come over. Maybe next year

 

[Kicker4Life]

I have more kids at Galaxy than I do surf.

....then why Do you spend so much time putting down Galaxy?