Quote:
Originally Posted by Locke
Oh my God, I totally forgot how much I dont miss the political BS that is soccer in Calgary.  |
To be honest, this latest issue is a direct result of the pie in the sky promises and money makers that have taken over in youth club soccer. With each club having an "academy" and forcing players and parents into the political game as young teenagers, if not sooner...with the promise of something bigger (hint: there isn't a clear path to anything, certainly not that an academy can perpare you for over your natural skill, talent, and work). The clubs don't want their academy's suffering at the benefit of another (Foothills), which is what the problem is here.
After community soccer, played up until 12, I played in a simpler time of club soccer. You lived in an area of the city, you played for that club. 2 transfers per team were allowed, from another quadrant.
SE - Celtics SW - Foothills NE- Eastside NW - Blizzards -South Central - Chinooks.
We practiced no more than 3 times a week (mostly twice) and games on the weekend. 3 national championship appearances in 5 years, and most of the core of the team went onto play AMSL, finally breaking through in 1999 winning Men's Nationals.
Club soccer was fun. Little politics because players lived in the area played on the team, so there was continuity and friendships. We went and played out a lot on our own because we wanted to.
Now, there are no geographical restrictions. Teams can cut players and those players can go to another club and bump someone else off potentially. This leads to politics and favoritism amongst players, coaches, and parents, and each is doing all they can to stay ahead of their teammates.
To that end, when one club starts an academy and the others have to follow suit. Practice 4 or 5 times a week because the other club is doing it (which equals more committed to soccer), as well dryland training and in class strategy sessions and personal development instructors.
A woman from my office got a personal trainer for her 14 year old daughter so she would stay in shape following a foot injury, so she could make the next tournament in Seattle....if she didn't make that trip, she'd be on the bubble for indoor next season and beyond, as two girls had that happen to them a previous year and their spot got taken after injury....14 years old.
When I played, if the tournament the parents planned in Seattle wasn't going to work with family plans, oh well, we'll pick up someone who can go and see next week...and never a thought about lack of commitment, as parents and players would be threatened with now. Our coaches were very good soccer men, but not paid or promoted as such to attract players, as is done now by clubs with a bunch of pomp and resume promoting so that they can justify fees.
Maybe I was lucky, don't know....but taking the regional restrictions off of club soccer just means continuous games of one-upsmanship and pissing contests between clubs to see who can brag about the best players and the best programs (and all the problems that sort of popularity contest brings), all while collecting money from parents who have no choice but to fork over $$.
I know probably 3/4 of the original PDL Storm team back when; there was no issue with that because it was outside of the umbrella that Foothills in this case is trying to keep to itself. AMSL and PDL lived together, and while not ideal, there wasn't infighting amongst clubs to stop players from playing, because the clubs didn't have the power (or desire) to stop player from playing at a higher level.
Now, clubs are hosting events for kids as young as 4 (kids plays community soccer until about 10). Our daughter is having fun and doing well with at 4 years old, but a shudder to think about clubs trying to recruit her (if she continues with this) as she enters Grade 3 in a few years to sik their teeth into her (and our wallets) for a outcome (nevermind having to be exposed to politics at an early age) in 15 years that can't be any better than I had growing up.
It's ridiculous, and then that sort of in fighting and popularity contests carries through into adult leagues because that's what it's been like for so long already. It takes away from the kids having fun first and developing, as they are always always looking over their shoulder at who's coming for them within their own team/club, let alone other clubs, if they don't perform up to whatever's coaches perceptions are of them, instead of a team concept....again, as young teenagers. Then you have to deal with coaches who know the power they posses etc etc etc.
Calgary's bigger now, so there would be many more clubs then there was back in the 90's, but going back to a youth club geographic system would do wonders for taking the politics out of the sport for kids, coaches, and teenagers, and all the crap it brings. Won't happen now though, too much money for those running the current clubs at stake, and someone has to try and do something more then the club next door.
It's disgraceful and a shame. There isn't a big pot at the end of the rainbow, for what these clubs try to promise to help you achieve...over the past 15 years, guys Owen Hargreaves, Kevin McKenna, Lars Hisrschfeld Christine Lathom, Stephanie O'Neill and other Calgary/Alberta products that gained National caps, came out of that youth club regional system in this city, with regular coaches and having fun playing soccer on good teams with good friends...each and didn't need academies and thousands of dollars to a club to run extraneous programs to get to where they got.
My 2c.