Discovery League

[jpeter]

What is the initial feedback for Discovery league so far?? How is the competition? How is it having all games at Silverlakes? Do you want to participate in the Discovery league again next year?
Any "pathway" opportunities open up from scouts attending games?

No skin in the league or division but we have about a half dozen or so friends playing in discovery this year, older boys.

The only real difference we've heard about is having all the games at silverlakes. Everything else the comp, refs, atmosphere is basically no different than it was before in DSL, nobody has seen a single scout yet or mentioned anything about any additional advantages playing in the division.

Not having any home games and the location and fields at silverlakes has been somewhat of a drawback noted especially when you train & used to playing on fuller side turf fields much closer to home.

 

[Mystery Train]

I think it's pretty clear that where you have polite, well mannered parents who are not living vicariously through their children's soccer exploits or coaches who are actually teaching instead of building a fantasy world where they are Pep Guardiola pursuing a Champions League title, it doesn't matter where they sit. When you have the opposite of those things, the seating chart also doesn't matter.

 

[MA0812]

What is the initial feedback for Discovery league so far?? How is the competition? How is it having all games at Silverlakes? Do you want to participate in the Discovery league again next year?
Any "pathway" opportunities open up from scouts attending games?

Timbuck - Aside from having all of the games at Silverlakes there is absolutely ZERO difference. 7 of the 11 teams are the exact same teams that we played in Champions last season and the other 4 teams came from Europa so the competition and the level is no more "Elite" than it was before. Yes you have to apply and be selected but its pretty much a forgone conclusion which teams get in if SCDSL wants to sell it as the top tier. It really only watered down the other flight 1 levels by pushing a large number of teams from flight 2 that finished mid pack or higher up into Europa and some into Champions to fill the void from those that went to discovery. For many of those mid pack teams they haven't won a game yet. All in all its more semantics and hype than anything else in my opinion based on my experience so far. If you win Discovery then yes there are some prizes to be won. Others may have a different experience depending on what age group they are in.

 

[Overtime]

Timbuck - Aside from having all of the games at Silverlakes there is absolutely ZERO difference. 7 of the 11 teams are the exact same teams that we played in Champions last season and the other 4 teams came from Europa so the competition and the level is no more "Elite" than it was before. Yes you have to apply and be selected but its pretty much a forgone conclusion which teams get in if SCDSL wants to sell it as the top tier. It really only watered down the other flight 1 levels by pushing a large number of teams from flight 2 that finished mid pack or higher up into Europa and some into Champions to fill the void from those that went to discovery. For many of those mid pack teams they haven't won a game yet. All in all its more semantics and hype than anything else in my opinion based on my experience so far. If you win Discovery then yes there are some prizes to be won. Others may have a different experience depending on what age group they are in.

It is the Legends and Slammers division! Look at G2002 Discovery. Six teams between Legends and Slammers all occupying the bottom of the standings. More qualified teams were denied entrance to discovery. Those teams at least $1000 better off. So
Much better if DPL, CSL, Scdsl combined as one league....the top teams from each league would create a balanced and competitive league.

 

[MWN]

Timbuck - Aside from having all of the games at Silverlakes there is absolutely ZERO difference. 7 of the 11 teams are the exact same teams that we played in Champions last season and the other 4 teams came from Europa so the competition and the level is no more "Elite" than it was before. Yes you have to apply and be selected but its pretty much a forgone conclusion which teams get in if SCDSL wants to sell it as the top tier. It really only watered down the other flight 1 levels by pushing a large number of teams from flight 2 that finished mid pack or higher up into Europa and some into Champions to fill the void from those that went to discovery. For many of those mid pack teams they haven't won a game yet. All in all its more semantics and hype than anything else in my opinion based on my experience so far. If you win Discovery then yes there are some prizes to be won. Others may have a different experience depending on what age group they are in.

There will be a showcase. The failure of the Discovery league to date is they should be filming every game, which has value for scouting, college recruiting, etc.

 

[TT the Bear]

Watching the B01s Discovery, there have been a lot of lopsided games. Like 7-0, 6-1 type games. Somewhat surprising for an "elite" league. Maybe that's a source of some of the player and parent misbehavior. I haven't heard of a single scout attending a game. It is a shame they aren't providing videotaping as promised.

 

[timbuck]

What about the recently announced "Scouting Zone" arrangement? Is that in place yet?
http://scdslsoccer.com/the-scouting-zone-discovery-division

 

[TT the Bear]

What about the recently announced "Scouting Zone" arrangement? Is that in place yet?
http://scdslsoccer.com/the-scouting-zone-discovery-division

Haven't seen any evidence of Scouting Zone. To be fair, my kid and his team were required to sign up for SZ when they played in Surf last year so maybe we haven't received any information from SCDL because the team was already registered.

 

[soccerfun]

Not only are they not videoing taping the games they will not allow parents hire a professional to video tape the games. The following is an excerpt from an email I received from our team admin (The email came from SCDSL).

NO OUTSIDE VIDEO COMPANY IS ALLOWED AT SILVERLAKES OR RANCHO MISSION VIEJO RIDING PARK so DO NOT coordinate video services with anyone for either of those venues. They will NOT be allowed on-site. We do NOT have a recommended videogarapher company for these venues because they are not approved to be on the premises of either venue.

Parents can certainly video their own games but we are not allowed to have one contracted through the league.

 

[jpeter]

Watching the B01s Discovery, there have been a lot of lopsided games. Like 7-0, 6-1 type games. Somewhat surprising for an "elite" league. Maybe that's a source of some of the player and parent misbehavior. I haven't heard of a single scout attending a game. It is a shame they aren't providing videotaping as promised.

There is normally at least one

What about the recently announced "Scouting Zone" arrangement? Is that in place yet?
http://scdslsoccer.com/the-scouting-zone-discovery-division

Subscription site like Captain U, Hudl, etc...get a free trail pay after or if you want the "Advanced features. Good to download a few Clips the dozen-or-so colleges that might end up following you never hear....anyway. Personal emails including clips to schools of interested can work well.

 

[TT the Bear]

Not only are they not videoing taping the games they will not allow parents hire a professional to video tape the games. The following is an excerpt from an email I received from our team admin (The email came from SCDSL).

NO OUTSIDE VIDEO COMPANY IS ALLOWED AT SILVERLAKES OR RANCHO MISSION VIEJO RIDING PARK so DO NOT coordinate video services with anyone for either of those venues. They will NOT be allowed on-site. We do NOT have a recommended videogarapher company for these venues because they are not approved to be on the premises of either venue.

Parents can certainly video their own games but we are not allowed to have one contracted through the league.

Wow, that’s almost like they’re actively hindering recruiting efforts. Quite the opposite of their supposed mission.

 

[timbuck]

Are they waiting for one of the BOD members to launch their own video company that will be the “exclusive partner” of Silverlakes?

 

[MWN]

Are they waiting for one of the BOD members to launch their own video company that will be the “exclusive partner” of Silverlakes?

Appreciate that Silverlakes is looking for all the money they can get.
Silverlakes and the Legends FC have a relationship because the Silverlakes manager is also the Legends FC director.
Legends FC is one of the founding members of SCDSL.

SCDSL has a pricey contract with Silverlakes for fields and needs to fill its fields, the Discovery league fulfills that need. There is nothing wrong with a League having a contract for fields, Presidio and CSL do it as well.

This is appears to be a play by Silverlakes and not SCDSL/Discovery league from what I can tell. That said, when the Discovery League was announced there was a bullet point that said the Discovery league would provide filming for a fee ... so maybe SCDSL has some skin in the game. In any case its crap. Boo on Silverlakes and SCDSL if this is either one's policy.

The video company simply provides a Certificate of Insurance naming the gaming league and the venue as additional insured if liability is a concern ... happens all the time and is easy.

 

[TT the Bear]

Appreciate that Silverlakes is looking for all the money they can get.
Silverlakes and the Legends FC have a relationship because the Silverlakes manager is also the Legends FC director.
Legends FC is one of the founding members of SCDSL.

SCDSL has a pricey contract with Silverlakes for fields and needs to fill its fields, the Discovery league fulfills that need. There is nothing wrong with a League having a contract for fields, Presidio and CSL do it as well.

This is appears to be a play by Silverlakes and not SCDSL/Discovery league from what I can tell. That said, when the Discovery League was announced there was a bullet point that said the Discovery league would provide filming for a fee ... so maybe SCDSL has some skin in the game. In any case its crap. Boo on Silverlakes and SCDSL if this is either one's policy.

The video company simply provides a Certificate of Insurance naming the gaming league and the venue as additional insured if liability is a concern ... happens all the time and is easy.

Oh, I appreciate Silverlakes is a profit-seeking enterprise. I appreciated it every time I pull into the parking lot pay line. Or pay $3.50 for a small bottle of water (which I need ASAP because it's 100+ degrees in Norco in September and my kid has already run through the large bottle he brought from home before the game even starts).

But SCDL is different. According to its own by-laws, SCDL is a charitable, non-profit organization that advocates for soccer players. They shouldn't be instituting policies that hurt players' chances of developing and being recruited. Filming does just that -- facilitate development and recruiting. And if it's Silverlakes' policy, then SCDL should be fulfilling their mission and fighting Silverlakes for their players' rights to film themselves, even (especially?) if it means hiring a professional videographer. If they cared "first and foremost" about "true player development" as they claim, they could use their market power to negotiate a low-cost film option on behalf of all the Discovery teams, but I've seen no evidence of that. Maybe it's in the works.

 

[Simisoccerfan]

I hope you all realize it is the middle of the college season. No scouts are going to go to your games right now. Maybe DA or ECNL but not Discovery League.

 

[espola]

I hope you all realize it is the middle of the college season. No scouts are going to go to your games right now. Maybe DA or ECNL but not Discovery League.

Unless they happen to be in town for a game -- oh, never mind, they won't have any weekends free until mid-November.

 

[Lightning Red]

Unless they happen to be in town for a game -- oh, never mind, they won't have any weekends free until mid-November.

Washington State was at the 04 DA LAGSD vs Blues game last Sat. WSU played at UCLA the night before. I agree that it doesn’t happen often this time of year.

 

[Justafan]

I hope you all realize it is the middle of the college season. No scouts are going to go to your games right now. Maybe DA or ECNL but not Discovery League.

Correct, I think all they promised was a showcase in the spring. Nobody in their right mind should expect college coaches now.

 

[Justafan]

I hope you all realize it is the middle of the college season. No scouts are going to go to your games right now. Maybe DA or ECNL but not Discovery League.

And I actually don’t expect too many at that Spring showcase.

 

[jpeter]

And I actually don’t expect too many at that Spring showcase.

Why have a Spring Showcase? Doesn't the season end in November, Teams should be in good form then as opposed to taking what 4-5 months off and then playing.

If there was a spring part of league that would make sense to have a Spring Showcase