Surf Cup move

Eusebio said:
Saw this in the B2002 thread, but I figured I would mention it here.

I gotta agree, at least in the Polo Field location, Surf Cup had a very pedestrian feel this weekend unlike previous years. The problems I have (very similar to the post I quoted):

- No more grand entrance. My kids used to get pumped walking through the main entrance under the "Best of the Best" signs with the high energy music pumping. What happened to the grand entrance and why is the tent so far removed from the main parking areas and fields? No wonder I saw so few people wearing Surf Cup T-shirts.
- Too many flights. I've watched many Surf Cup games over the years and there's a definite drop-off in the quality of play, particularly in the lower flights.
- Lack of Quarterfinals. I was talking to a out of state parent and he was very disappointed that there wasn't any quarterfinals like in previous years, especially for a 3-day tournament. With only group winners advancing, often the third game is pointless for a lot of teams, so these out of town teams travel far and pay a lot of money just to play 2 meaningful games. However some age-groups do still have quarterfinals, so I wonder again if it's an issue of having too many flights/teams where there's not enough space to have quarterfinals for most brackets.
- Spotty time management. Again, another out of town parent was complaining to me that their games were shortened because the games were running behind schedule. So they're paying a lot of money and they can't even get complete games.

Anyway my point to post this here wasn't to antagonize Surf supporters but to maybe get some answers from someone in the know about some of the shortcomings and see if they are just temporary. With Surf just getting the Polo Fields, this weekend hasn't been a great showcase for how they're going to run the tournament on those fields going forward. It's felt like just another San Diego tournament.
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Interesting. I suppose only time will tell. The only major change is the grand entrance. Number of flights have been growing for a couple of years now but all other complaints are normal and have yet to adversely affect annual applications.
 
Eusebio said:
Saw this in the B2002 thread, but I figured I would mention it here.

I gotta agree, at least in the Polo Field location, Surf Cup had a very pedestrian feel this weekend unlike previous years. The problems I have (very similar to the post I quoted):

- No more grand entrance. My kids used to get pumped walking through the main entrance under the "Best of the Best" signs with the high energy music pumping. What happened to the grand entrance and why is the tent so far removed from the main parking areas and fields? No wonder I saw so few people wearing Surf Cup T-shirts.
- Too many flights. I've watched many Surf Cup games over the years and there's a definite drop-off in the quality of play, particularly in the lower flights.
- Lack of Quarterfinals. I was talking to a out of state parent and he was very disappointed that there wasn't any quarterfinals like in previous years, especially for a 3-day tournament. With only group winners advancing, often the third game is pointless for a lot of teams, so these out of town teams travel far and pay a lot of money just to play 2 meaningful games. However some age-groups do still have quarterfinals, so I wonder again if it's an issue of having too many flights/teams where there's not enough space to have quarterfinals for most brackets.
- Spotty time management. Again, another out of town parent was complaining to me that their games were shortened because the games were running behind schedule. So they're paying a lot of money and they can't even get complete games.
- Lack of game balls. Some fields only had two or just one official game ball. This meant there was often a 30 second delay on goal kicks just to get the ball back in play. These delays really start to add up. There should be a minimum of 3 game balls on every field.
- No tournament pins. It's a small thing, but it's always frustrating when big tournaments skimp out on the small things, especially with such high entrance fees. The Las Vegas tournaments had the same issue. Most kids love tournament pins and it's not expensive to make.

Anyway my point to post this here wasn't to antagonize Surf supporters but to maybe get some answers from someone in the know about some of the shortcomings and see if they are just temporary. With Surf just getting the Polo Fields, this weekend hasn't been a great showcase for how they're going to run the tournament on those fields going forward. It's felt like just another San Diego tournament.
Click to expand...

Really? Your 15 - 18 year old really misses a tournament pin?
 
Truth said:
Really? Your 15 - 18 year old really misses a tournament pin?
Click to expand...

The youngest age group playing this weekend is 2002, so my 13-18 year old really missed the tournament pin.

And I actually still have 3-4 tournament pins that I got when I was 16-17 years old. Back then though, we only played a couple of tournaments a year. They're on a 2x2 shelve (aka my personal shrine) hidden in a corner of the house with cobwebs that has all my youth athletic accomplishments. It managed to avoid banishment to the garage when my kids started playing soccer and even playing in some of the same tournaments.

Anyway, I'm sure some kids toss them in the trash or lose the pins after the first day. But there are a lot of players (of all ages) that like collecting the pins to show-off what tournaments they've been in, especially if it was a premier tournament. If small local tournaments can muster up the resources to provide/sell pins, then I'm sure Surf Cup could as well. Obviously it's nothing close to a dealbreaker and it's a minor issue but parents often question these omissions when they're paying such high entrance fees.
 
Eusebio said:
Saw this in the B2002 thread, but I figured I would mention it here.

I gotta agree, at least in the Polo Field location, Surf Cup had a very pedestrian feel this weekend unlike previous years. The problems I have (very similar to the post I quoted):

- No more grand entrance. My kids used to get pumped walking through the main entrance under the "Best of the Best" signs with the high energy music pumping. What happened to the grand entrance and why is the tent so far removed from the main parking areas and fields? No wonder I saw so few people wearing Surf Cup T-shirts.
- Spotty time management. Again, another out of town parent was complaining to me that their games were shortened because the games were running behind schedule. So they're paying a lot of money and they can't even get complete games.
- Lack of game balls. Some fields only had two or just one official game ball. This meant there was often a 30 second delay on goal kicks just to get the ball back in play. These delays really start to add up. There should be a minimum of 3 game balls on every field.

Anyway my point to post this here wasn't to antagonize Surf supporters but to maybe get some answers from someone in the know about some of the shortcomings and see if they are just temporary. With Surf just getting the Polo Fields, this weekend hasn't been a great showcase for how they're going to run the tournament on those fields going forward. It's felt like just another San Diego tournament.
Click to expand...

I deleted parts of your post that I am not going to comment on.

- I was not at the Polo Fields this past weekend. At the Oceanside complex everyone had to enter through the huge tent with music playing and the Soccerloco store. There were players taking team and individual pictures in front of the Surf Cup signs in the tent. Great vibe and way to enter the tournament.
- With games set only 10 minutes apart, all it takes is one jerk coach that does not get their team on the field when requested by the referee to throw the schedule off. We had several games where the team manager failed to provide either the player cards or coach cards to the Field Marshal. The referees cannot check in the players without the cards and on a couple occasions the coaches had to track down their managers, thus delaying the start. The tournament rules state that all games must end 5 minutes prior to the start of the next game. It is impossible for the referees to get the teams checked in, hydrate and apply sunscreen in 5 minutes. The 10 games that I worked were within a couple minutes of being on time and we did not have to shorten any games. Of course we just went to the Gatorade tent on the sideline to hydrate and started calling the players back on the field after 2 minutes during halftime. Needless to say, it was difficult and took good coordination between the referees, Field Marshals (I worked with some really good FM), and coaches to keep the games on time.
-We usually only had one ball on the fields I worked and the ball would return quickly to the field, usually within seconds. There are enough spectators, players, etc. around the fields that would help so I had no problems on my fields.

Sounds like a very different experience at Polo Fields vice Oceanside. I thought Oceanside was run very efficiently.
 
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Things change, I feel lucky that my daughter was able to play in Surf Cup when it truly was Best of the Best. Being one of the few teams attending the Polo fields back in the day made your DD feel Special, it made the trip , expense and hassle of getting family and friends to the polo fields worth it all.
With 60 teams and 3 flights maybey its been diluted a bit, maybey its lost some of its magic and exclusivity,but its still the premier event in our area. And come on guys, you get to see your daughters games on you tube, ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpzx06ajBzr8eRLzDibM1og) you dont have to drag you whole family down to Polo Fileds or Cam it yourself for them to see your daughter play. For me its even a bit closer being in Oceanside with better fields. Things change, Im open to it. The top players will still be there ,and there is more Soccer for everyone to enjoy now.
Surf Cup...I'm in....Where do i pay for parking? What's the link to watch other games online while I'm on the fields? Where do i buy my DD her official Surf Cup shirt and where do i get the lettering done! Where is the Smoothy Guy? Where is the Dippin Dots Guy, Im in , Im in , In Here!!! More More MORE!!!! AGGH HAHAHAHA I LOVE IT!!!!
 
SOCCERMINION said:
Things change, I feel lucky that my daughter was able to play in Surf Cup when it truly was Best of the Best. Being one of the few teams attending the Polo fields back in the day made your DD feel Special, it made the trip , expense and hassle of getting family and friends to the polo fields worth it all.
With 60 teams and 3 flights maybey its been diluted a bit, maybey its lost some of its magic and exclusivity,but its still the premier event in our area. And come on guys, you get to see your daughters games on you tube, ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpzx06ajBzr8eRLzDibM1og) you dont have to drag you whole family down to Polo Fileds or Cam it yourself for them to see your daughter play. For me its even a bit closer being in Oceanside with better fields. Things change, Im open to it. The top players will still be there ,and there is more Soccer for everyone to enjoy now.
Surf Cup...I'm in....Where do i pay for parking? What's the link to watch other games online while I'm on the fields? Where do i buy my DD her official Surf Cup shirt and where do i get the lettering done! Where is the Smoothy Guy? Where is the Dippin Dots Guy, Im in , Im in , In Here!!! More More MORE!!!! AGGH HAHAHAHA I LOVE IT!!!!
Click to expand...
Dippin' dots are dumb........until I tried the oreo cookie dots!! I gave my daughter more money and told her to get another.
 
timbuck said:
Does this improve Presidio/SDDA?
PRESIDIO – SDDA TO USE POLO FIELDS
http://goalnation.com/surf-cup-sports-presidio-soccer-league-partnership/
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Perhaps from a combination of core competencies? As always, time will tell. But certainly a long term deal is a win win deal from a club stand point:

In addition to the new annual showcase and tournament, Presidio Soccer League announced its unequivocal support and endorsement of Surf Cup Sports’ plan to seek permission from the City of San Diego to operate at the San Diego Polo Fields. Earlier this month, the City of San Diego released for public bid a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the lease of the San Diego Polo Fields for the next 25-30 years.


 
Sure, coaches are important. And good club structure.
But I think access to quality fields is probably the number 1 thing that clubs need to be concerned with.
He who has the land, wins.
 
timbuck said:
Does this improve Presidio/SDDA?
PRESIDIO – SDDA TO USE POLO FIELDS
http://goalnation.com/surf-cup-sports-presidio-soccer-league-partnership/
Click to expand...

That was the article I was referencing in my earlier post. I believe previously Presidio/SDDA were using Ryan Park for their showcases, so the Polo Fields will definitely give them a bigger venue for those events

But to your question does this improve Presidio/SDDA? I don't think really makes a significant improvement. Presidio's problem is that they've been bleeding teams/talent to SCDSL/CSL for years, particularly in the olders. And now with DA expanding into the younger age-groups, it's only going to get worse especially on the boys side.. And on the girls side, you'll have DA, ECNL, SCDSL, and CSL all draining teams/talent from Presidio even further in the olders.

Presidio needs to find a way to be relevant in the changing landscape. Using the Polo Fields for a couple of tournaments is nice but they got bigger problems.
 
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