CASL College Showcase this Weekend

[BUtifulGame]

A very few TN teams were accepted at the big college showcase this weekend (only 6 - only 2 accepted in elite play). No TN teams competing in the new National League.

 

I hope these teams will take advantage of the tickets to the NCAA semis!

 

CASL SHOWCASE

Premier Classic &

Select Teams

 

Girls U15 BRENTWOOD PREMIER TN (Competing in Premeir B#1 Bracket)

Girls U15 REDOUBT FUTBOL REDBOUBT FC 94 BLACK (FORMERLY CHATTANOOGA ASSAULT) TN (Competing in Elite A#1 Bracket)

Girls U16 FC ALLIANCE 93 BLACK (FORMERLY VELOCITY PREMIER) TN (Competing in United C#1 Bracket)

Girls U16 BRENTWOOD '93 GIRLS PREMIER TN (Competing in Elite A#1 Bracket)

Girls U17 COLLIERVILLE 92 LADY LOBOS TN (Competing in Premier B#8 Bracket)

Girls U19 EAST RIDGE EXPRESS 91 TN (Competing in Premier B#8 Bracket)

 

Good luck Tennessee!

[chasanooga]

I hope these teams will take advantage of the tickets to the NCAA semis!

 

 

In 2006 we watched North Carolina win the national championship by defeating Notre Dame in a thrilling match 2-1. This is amatuer soccer at its best! I hope all will try to catch some games, it is a beautiful facility.

[chasanooga]

I just heard that East Ridge Express won their first game 2-0. Way to go girls!

[BUtifulGame]

Congratulations to the two TN teams that played today.

 

The Collierville Lobos beat the NJ Freedom 1-0 and the East Ridge Expresse beat the FC Frederick Premier (MD) 2-0 and the KC Metro Dynamos (KS) 1-0.

[BUtifulGame]

TOUGH weekend all around for the elite teams out of TN. This weekend's play highlighted the continued need for player development in TN. Teams from TN were playing thier 1st tournament of the season against teams that were ending their club season. TN is also up against the un-necessary obstacle of the "school ball" rule from the TSSAA that does not allow club players to play during their school soccer season, putting them at a major disadvantage.

 

Here are results:

 

Girls U15 BRENTWOOD PREMIER TN (Competing in Premeir B#1 Bracket) - did not make tournament bracket

Girls U15 REDOUBT FUTBOL REDBOUBT FC 94 BLACK (FORMERLY CHATTANOOGA ASSAULT) TN (Competing in Elite A#1 Bracket) - Shut out in all 3 games

Girls U16 FC ALLIANCE 93 BLACK (FORMERLY VELOCITY PREMIER) TN (Competing in United C#1 Bracket) - lost in semis

Girls U16 BRENTWOOD '93 GIRLS PREMIER TN (Competing in Elite A#1 Bracket) - did not make tournament bracket

Girls U17 COLLIERVILLE 92 LADY LOBOS TN (Competing in Premier B#8 Bracket) - true showcase play, ended ranked #4 of 4

Girls U19 EAST RIDGE EXPRESS 91 TN (Competing in Premier B#8 Bracket) - true showcase play, ended ranked #1 of 4

[Bean0007]

while player development is always an ongoing thing, I hardly think that the tournament results can be blamed on that. It has more to do with the mixed up school vs. club seasons that we have IMO. Since HS has ended, there has been very little oppourtunity for the teams to practice, primarily due to weather. On top of that, very little time to play together in games and develop the chemistry that some other teams/states have been doing while here in TN we are playing HS. But no matter when the season is, I think to ask HS kids to do both club and HS at the same time is not in their best interest.

[BUtifulGame]

Bean,

 

I don't see that our positions are all that different. The pressure to play scool ball in Tennessee has put elite club teams at a disadvantage because they are not allowed to do both at the same time - a rule that most states abandoned years ago. I agree that it is not the ideal situation to do both, however, to stay competitive with the other elite teams - it is necessary.

 

As for player development, we do disagree. Tennesse is years behind in getting high-level coaching in place and in developing support for a club environment that delivers solid basic skills and puts politics aside. Instead, politics inside local clubs and in the ODP program have watered down player development. Tennessee has created an environment where "who you know","how much you give" and "where you are from" are more important actual talent or potential.

 

Until these things change, Tennessee team in elite play will remain easy prey for other states.

[franklyspeakin]

As for player development, we do disagree. Tennesse is years behind in getting high-level coaching in place and in developing support for a club environment that delivers solid basic skills and puts politics aside. Instead, politics inside local clubs and in the ODP program have watered down player development. Tennessee has created an environment where "who you know","how much you give" and "where you are from" are more important actual talent or potential.

 

Until these things change, Tennessee team in elite play will remain easy prey for other states.

 

 

Amen sir.

I do have a question to the powers that be?

Can we review and possibly change/modify the current system in TSSAA with regard to playing club year round or moving to the same schedule as other surrounding states. My suggestion would be club players can play club soccer during high school season but not high school soccer.

 

I have read on another forum on this board that this sports is an elite sport which means that money talks. it's all about "who you know". I believe this is true and the "elite teams" are not truly elite with regards to the players on the roster but the parents who get their kids on the roster. I love this game true and true but Tennessee as a state have a long way to go. It would be nice see the teams from around the state both boys and girls get national attention for the quality of players that we develop in state .

 

Thanks for reading

I'm off my soapbox

 

Franklyspeakin

[Bean0007]

What makes it an 'elite' sport is the $$. You can't play and travel without it. ODP is now under new management, and from what I understand is improving, but it is still expensive. If you have club and HS running at the same time, it will kill the HS programs here, but maybe that will be the sacraficial lamb to improve the overall soccer quality. It will certainly help if the training is year-round. As far as club politics, I'm sure it is there to some degree everywhere. But I personally don't see it. But my exposure to different clubs is limited. I do think it would help if our seasons were reversed, at least for the girls. With the guys, some decisions will have to be made for the boys with football vs. soccer.

[BUtifulGame]

Travel is expensive, but many teams are able to find sponsorship and grant funding to offset costs. Unforunately, I don't see the clubs in Tennessee pursuing alternate funding as much as in other states. again, this is mostly due to each club trying to keep its own piece of the pie rather than pulling together for the "greater good" of the sport and players. Even the tops team I see out of TN are without any sponsorship funding. Conversely, at CASL I saw teams sponsored bu huge corporations and small companies. I aspoke with one coach who said all of their airline travel was sponsored by one company and another company headquartered in their town covers their hotel accomodations for the team.

You may find this elitist, but it is no different than sponsoring the Boys and Girls Clubs or YMCA programs.

 

As for ODP - the Tennessee roster is 100% politically built. Most players from outlying areas have a difficult time even getting scouted and therefore invited to training camps. Last year even players from state championship and state finalist teams were not all invited to training pools. If these are the top 2 teams in an age bracket, shouldn't it go without saying that these players be invited to training pools? As a result, many elite players feel that ODP is not a good use of their time and money. When that happens, the pool is flooded with lesser players to meet roster requirements and the vicious circle continues year after year.

 

I will reserve judgement on this year for now as only one training has been held thus far this year. However, I did not see many of the girls I expected to see in several age brackets. Middle TN is always over represented in deference to the state's relationship with the Murfreesboro championship and association office contracts.

 

I state again emphatically that until a more a more streamlined group of larger clubs push local and state egos aside and take the leap into a more pro-active approach to youth player development in Tennnessee, soccer will remain stagnant. With that comes the re-alignment of schedules to mirror that of the rest of the region, off-seson training oportunities to increase stregth and fitness, the addition of higher level coaching year -round and more community/government relations to increase awareness of the economic impact of soccer.

 

Until these theings happen, Tennessee will continue to be the rest of the region's/nation's doormat in elite play.

[franklyspeakin]

BUtifulGame,

I agree with all that you say about soccer in the state of Tennessee and I don't see any changes coming in the near future. I feel sorry for all the players across this state because I've heard all to often the stuff the hinders soccer from being a bigger event as it around the world. We can express our concerns but I bet this time next year someone else with write about the same things that you wrote about. As much as I like to see changes in Tennessee with regard to soccer the less I think it will happen because of some/all the following obstacles-

 

1- Large geographical area with low population density

2- Player pool isn't strong in the larger cities

3- Club politics "goes on everywhere"

4- Parents " let the coaches coach and just watch the game without becoming actively involve"

5- Football is king

 

There might be other reasons that I've missed but you get my point.

 

If anyone feels up to it, we can take action to gradually change the perception of soccer in the state.

[CHAMPDDS]

A little off topic, eh, guys ?