LA Surf is born
- Thread starter Threeyardsback
- Start date
breakthroughresearch
BRONZE
Ask Barry and Esteban.
SoCal Academy was a true-to-life David vs Goliath story. Small club develops players. Does well with every team. Takes their oldest team and smashes every DA team they play in a single tournament. Would’ve been really cool to see them stay on the map as a small unique/boutique club that could be selective who they sign to their teams and continue to beat other teams from the big-name clubs. Leaving all those clubs scratching their heads asking themselves who this small unknown club is that just ruined their unbeaten season.
I’m sure they could’ve continued to get their players recruited to good schools.
Instead they were overtaken by the Evil Empire.
Sad ending for SCA
I’m sure they could’ve continued to get their players recruited to good schools.
Instead they were overtaken by the Evil Empire.
Sad ending for SCA
It is sad that almost all the small well-run clubs have been swallowed up. They're soon to be a thing of the past.
Some merge to stay alive, such as RB/PQ/Pegasus in north SD County.
cheaper2keeper
SILVER ELITE
When teams boycott the event, those are the results.
SoccerFrenzy
SILVER ELITE
cheaper2keeper
SILVER ELITE
The So Cal Academy 05 team(s) we’re not represented. LA Premier 04 did not show up (that I noticed) but I think they are preparing for the final showcase.
SoccerFrenzy
SILVER ELITE
Wow!! Sounds like a boycott to me.
Mystery Train
GOLD
Well, let me preface this by saying that what a club preaches and what they actually end up producing are often different things. LA Premier is a perfect example. Go through their promo and pr stuff and you will see all sorts of references to “development” and “pathways” yet the best players on their best teams are all recruited from other clubs while players they already had at younger levels moved to other clubs and went on to bigger success.
As for soccer philosophy, LA Premier again talks a good game. They preach technical emphasis and possession style. Once they went DA, they really promoted that aspect. Some of their coaches do an honest job of it too. But watch their teams top to bottom and it’s hard to see any consistency of philosophy. To be fair that is pretty normal for all mega clubs. It’s hard to control that when you have 3-4 coaches in every age group.
SoCal Academy started with just two teams total, and from the start Esteban openly modeled his philosophy on Anson Dorrance (UNC women’s coach) which is more like what the USWNT played like in the early 2000’s: an attacking, aggressive, direct style that also emphasizes individual skill. Again, results may vary depending on the individual coaches, but that’s what their website promoted.
I’m not saying one philosophy is better. What I am saying is that Barry and Esteban preached entirely different things when trying to sell parents on their clubs. So their merger (and their absorption into the Surf kingdom) is the perfect display of why every parent must understand that club soccer, no matter if it’s DA, ECNL or whatever, is only a business. Not a pathway. Not an academy for development. If you know that going in and are a smart, informed consumer, you can find places where your money can purchase a good soccer experience for your kids and that’s good enough. Just don’t buy the BS in those press releases.
There’s not a club in Cal South that has a consistent playing style from top to bottom. Heck there’s not even a consistent playing style in the National teams from age group to age group. Pick the best coach for your kid every season. That’s the pathway
Haven’t all the LA Premier DA teams struggled since they joined the DA? It does have a good marketing machine but not much performance on the elite level. Interesting that they chose a coach for the U16 GNT that does not have a successful DA program - does everyone realize that the entire US Soccer coaching staff now are all British? Why don’t we have any Americans in our own national soccer program?
Or lack of interest
SoccerFrenzy
SILVER ELITE
Whatever it is Good for them!! Sounds like they didn't fall for this BAD deal with LAPFC. Kudos to them for sticking with their team and coach
Thanks for explaining it!
OCsoccerMANiac
SILVER
"Heard That"...?
Isn't your kid on the 2005 Hazell team? you're not a unbiased 3rd party here.
How about YOU explain why you and some of the members of your team decided to not attend the DA try outs?
RedCard
GOLD
No need to be so confrontational. Yes, “heard that” is correct as I was not there.
Our coach told all our 05 families that is up to you if you want to go to the Premier tryouts and to just to let him know. We spoke with our daughters and independently made the decision to stay with a coach who has been loyal to our team and developed our daughters immensely. The girls and families love each other on and off the field.
He even advised one of his players to play for Chavez at 04 as she will be attending his high school in the fall.
I’ll politely bow out of this topic at this point as I don’t want my input to be misconstrued.
Thank you for sharing even though you have every right to ignore the request. There is no need for you to avoid this topic just because you have an interest in it. Nobody else does, and there wouldn’t be a forum if they did.
Good luck to your daughter’s team. Kids only get one childhood - club soccer isn’t worth doing unless you are surrounded by kids and families that all love each other on and off the field (and guided by a quality coach that cares about players as people).
@RedCard
You don't need to bow out of this thread. If anything you provide first-hand info from someone with SCA. And you don't owe ANYONE an explanation about ANYTHING. It's your money and your kid. You do what you think is best for you and yours. Good luck to you/team.
@OCsoccerMANiac
There are better ways of going about trying to solicit info from people. Being a D!<k isn't one of them.