lasoccerbaw
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 3, 2021 16:57:08 GMT -6
Everyone should look at the Alabama FC model and then tell me why we aren’t doing the same here
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 3, 2021 18:57:59 GMT -6
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Post by viewgator91 on Mar 4, 2021 8:08:58 GMT -6
Seriously, why aren't we? Louisiana clubs can't seem to work together for stuff like.
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Post by wildcatstriker on Mar 4, 2021 8:50:47 GMT -6
Seriously, why aren't we? Louisiana clubs can't seem to work together for stuff like.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 4, 2021 9:22:33 GMT -6
I don't see how the Alabama F.C. model threatens any clubs' Benjamins
My dream is that the clubs would consult with the Alabama FC member clubs to learn how they did it. If you get CSC, BRSC, Mandeville and LA Fire then this is a reality. BRSC and CSC teams have formed "Alliance" teams for years. Today, New Orleans players come to Baton Rouge to play. There is so much cross-pollination already. It wouldn't hurt the clubs because they would be voluntarily sending their best to play on the ECNL squad. Currently, the clubs lose their players to other clubs if their club doesn't have the best team in the age group. That's the reality now, and that's where the Benjamins are lost. I've seen it so many times.
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Post by viewgator91 on Mar 4, 2021 9:50:15 GMT -6
I don't see how the Alabama F.C. model threatens any clubs' Benjamins My dream is that the clubs would consult with the Alabama FC member clubs to learn how they did it. If you get CSC, BRSC, Mandeville and LA Fire then this is a reality. BRSC and CSC teams have formed Alliance clubs for years. Today, New Orleans players come to Baton Rouge to play. There is so much cross-pollination already. It wouldn't hurt the clubs because they would be voluntarily sending their best to play on the ECNL squad. Currently, the clubs lose their players to other clubs if their club doesn't have the best team in the age group. That's the reality now, and that's where the Benjamins are lost. I've seen it so many times. Do you have a kids that plays? The clubs can get cut out if the parents pull the strings. Our money/kids make the game happen more than the clubs.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 4, 2021 10:13:58 GMT -6
Nah, I'm a former Louisiana player who was negatively affected by the fact that Louisiana club soccer is not identified by many college coaches as "competitive." I know there are good players here that want to play at the highest available level. If they could play for multiple years in an ECNL team, we would see way better outcomes, kids playing in college, etc.
The problem is that many club parents don't realize that ECNL exists and that is where college coaches are going. They think that because they are the best club team in Louisiana, then that must mean something in terms of their players going to play in college.
The clubs have to make money, but the clubs are competing against each other. This will always be the case, and this is good in some ways. But when there is a forum where college coaches go, and no teams in Louisiana have access to it, then there has to be a recognition that collaboration has to happen to get LA players to that forum, for the good of the players.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 4, 2021 10:29:39 GMT -6
When you're a big fish in a pond of small fish, you're only a medium-sized fish, at best, in the ocean. Why would anyone come fish in the pond?
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Post by yallcrazy on Mar 4, 2021 10:54:46 GMT -6
You are still following the bread crumbs. Follow the bigger money instead. You are assuming higher quality means more money for the clubs. Not necessarily so. Creating truly elite teams loses clubs money. Nobody wants to play on a "B" team for long. The moment parents realize that their kid has no real “future” in soccer because they didn’t make the top team, the enrollment checks stop. Why would a sane person spend all that time and money for all that travel ball if there is no big prize at the end of the rainbow? Just for a sense of companionship and teamwork? That's what high school ball is for. Key is to keep the illusion of top scholarship potential up for as long as possible all the way to U19 to keep the maximum dollars coming in. And then hope that no one actually looks at the data that proves that the system doesn't work--at all. I would have more respect for them if the clubs would tell parents/players the truth about their miniscule chances of success getting to the next level. Instead of everyone just shaking their heads when its all over, "wow, I can't believe this amazing kid isn't going to play in college".
One or two superstars don't make the money, a high volume of average players do. Allowing those top players to train and play with other teams, including ECNL and GA, only makes the other players/parents stuck at home mad and jealous. So top players are given the choice, stay within the club and follow a system that has proven over decades to fail on a national level. Or go outside the club for training/competition supplementation with ECNL/GA and get ostracized. Every single person or entity that tries to fix the problem in Louisiana becomes soccer public enemy number one. You with your postings are about to take the title, congratulations bud.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 4, 2021 11:28:18 GMT -6
You are still following the bread crumbs. Follow the bigger money instead. You are assuming higher quality means more money for the clubs. Not necessarily so. Creating truly elite teams loses clubs money. Nobody wants to play on a "B" team for long. The moment parents realize that their kid has no real “future” in soccer because they didn’t make the top team, the enrollment checks stop. Why would a sane person spend all that time and money for all that travel ball if there is no big prize at the end of the rainbow? Just for a sense of companionship and teamwork? That's what high school ball is for. Key is to keep the illusion of top scholarship potential up for as long as possible all the way to U19 to keep the maximum dollars coming in. And then hope that no one actually looks at the data that proves that the system doesn't work--at all. I would have more respect for them if the clubs would tell parents/players the truth about their miniscule chances of success getting to the next level. Instead of everyone just shaking their heads when its all over, "wow, I can't believe this amazing kid isn't going to play in college". One or two superstars don't make the money, a high volume of average players do. Allowing those top players to train and play with other teams, including ECNL and GA, only makes the other players/parents stuck at home mad and jealous. So top players are given the choice, stay within the club and follow a system that has proven over decades to fail on a national level. Or go outside the club for training/competition supplementation with ECNL/GA and get ostracized. Every single person or entity that tries to fix the problem in Louisiana becomes soccer public enemy number one. You with your postings are about to take the title, congratulations bud. I think you're a really intelligent person who definitely knows what is up. No sarcasm there. I think your point about "maintaining the illusion" is extremely shrewd. I'm proposing a collaborative ECNL set-up in Louisiana-- where Louisiana players don't get classified as Discovery Players for Alabama F.C., Houston or Dallas teams-- because the option will be here. It seems we're basically at a point where the best Louisiana players are just lining the pockets of out-of-state teams that routinely compete at a high-level. Right now, clubs are trying to sell "the opportunity" of being identified by an ECNL team as a discovery player. I'm sure this "you have an opportunity to be identified" thing has worked-out for some players, but that is chicken**** compared to what we could do if Louisiana clubs collaborated. I'm no expert on Alabama soccer, but in the Alabama F.C. situation, you have to be on one of the member club teams to get a shot to get to make an Alabama FC ECNL team -- either that, or be a discovery player. I'm not positive what the numbers of the Alabama F.C. member clubs looks like, but they seem to have figured out something that works monetarily, or else, Alabama FC wouldn't exist anymore. Those member clubs seem to be financially viable, or else, Alabama FC would've collapsed in on itself. I'm sure many before me have thought about this issue. You seem to have. Let's keep the conversation on this board going so we can lift the veil off of Louisiana soccer.
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Post by yallcrazy on Mar 4, 2021 13:49:03 GMT -6
Man, you better put kevlar on front and back if you want to go down this path...
You would probably have to cast a wider net and combine Louisiana and Mississippi to get enough talent to compete, as neither state has ECNL or GA. Makes no sense to do all that work and be an ECNL bottom feeder, which is what Alabama FC mostly is on both the girls and boys side. Also, the ECNL Discovery Player rule is problematic for your plan because it requires that any player who lives too far away must count as one of only (2) DP spots allowed per team. That's the problem with the DP enticement of Louisiana players for out of state clubs is the DP spots are extremely limited, and they can replace you in the blink of an eye. A Forward, for example, going to Texas as a DP has to produce and score goals immediately. Which is very difficult to do if you don't practice with that team regularly. And it encourages very selfish play to maintain a DP spot.
On the girls side, creating a single Louisiana/Mississippi Girls Academy team makes the most sense. The GA does not have the restrictive DP policy--you can have as many out of town players as you want. There has been talk of entering Louisiana ODP as a "club" into the Girls Academy, which is a really smart idea if it could be pulled off.
On the boys side, following the Alabama ECNL model is a great idea. You'd have to start in ECRL (entry level ECNL league) for a couple years and prove the concept before being accepted into ECNL. You'd have to locate it in Baton Rouge to get the most geographical pull, and get special permission from ECNL to allow players who live far away to be considered full time players, instead of limiting them to 2 DP spots, and thereby destroying the whole concept. Practice locations would need to rotate three times a week (ie Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Northshore) to accomodate all travellers, with players being required to make 2 of the 3 practices. The other two days a week would be used for private IDP (Individual Development Plan) where players focus on their own deficiencies.
And lastly, you'd have to create a system where the current clubs make MORE than they are currently making, which means the cost to the individual families will go way up for those playing on the statewide superteams. Successful soccer is sadly pay-to-play in this country, and unfortunately the only solution in Louisiana is to charge the elite players alot more to put them in a position to compete nationally. That means players whose families can't afford elite soccer will either be left out, or have to rely on scholarships. As of right now, most elite players are paying a fortune (up to $80/hr) in private lessons to make up for the deficiencies of the club system, so the money is already being spent.
Good luck with your endeavor. There has never been an ECNL or DA team in the history of the state, so I have little faith the clubs will unite to make it happen. But hopefully a really good capitalist will come along and make it a win-win for everyone.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 4, 2021 14:43:20 GMT -6
Hey Louie, Hubie, Michael & Shane -- let's do something that's never been done here before. Let's put the state on the map. ECNL Application
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Post by firebruin on Mar 5, 2021 0:16:15 GMT -6
I could see Fire becoming an ECNL club within the next 2 years. The commitment level of time and money by the parents on the team is one problem that I see. In order to do ECNL, you will be travelin to either Florida/Georgia or Texas almost every weekend for matches.
A few of the clubs in Arkansas did something similar to the Alabama deal by combining at the older age brackets to form a more competitive "elite" squad at each age level.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 5, 2021 11:50:32 GMT -6
I could see Fire becoming an ECNL club within the next 2 years. The commitment level of time and money by the parents on the team is one problem that I see. In order to do ECNL, you will be travelin to either Florida/Georgia or Texas almost every weekend for matches.
A few of the clubs in Arkansas did something similar to the Alabama deal by combining at the older age brackets to form a more competitive "elite" squad at each age level.
It seems, geographically, it would make the most sense for a LA team to play in the Texas conference. That conference has some Oklahoma clubs. The thing about parental commitment is the catch, but a lot of club teams are going to showcases or are playing in RPL already. The difference with the ECNL travel is that it will actually pay off for players in terms of college opportunities... Instead of traveling hours to games/showcases where there is a chance no one even watches your team.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 5, 2021 11:57:50 GMT -6
If there is an ECNL club here, I guarantee that you can draw enough players from all over South Louisiana (with committed parents) to fill it. When you take into account the entire soccer-playing population of South Louisiana, it starts to be competitive. Heck, we have more players than Alabama ( according to 2013-2014 USYS numbers) and they have an ECNL team.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 5, 2021 12:00:31 GMT -6
We can either have clubs that trying to apply by themselves (unlikely to win admittance because of historic Louisiana irrelevance on a national scale) or LA clubs can make like Alabama F.C. and collaborate. We all of a sudden become big-enough to throw our weight around.
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Post by realsoccer on Mar 5, 2021 14:52:05 GMT -6
If there is an ECNL club here, I guarantee that you can draw enough players from all over South Louisiana (with committed parents) to fill it. When you take into account the entire soccer-playing population of South Louisiana, it starts to be competitive. Heck, we have more players than Alabama ( according to 2013-2014 USYS numbers) and they have an ECNL team. Clubs here like to try and make sure that they are the only show in town. Every club would want control of the GA or ECNL team. That would be the reason I don’t see it working. Using Baton Rouge as an example... if GST had the team, do you really think that BRSC would allow their players to do it? If the Jesters in New Orleans had the team...would Fire allow it? It would be fun to see how it would play out. That’s for sure.
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lasoccerbaw
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shrimp boots are better than predators & vapors in dat wet wet winter
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Post by lasoccerbaw on Mar 5, 2021 18:15:36 GMT -6
If there is an ECNL club here, I guarantee that you can draw enough players from all over South Louisiana (with committed parents) to fill it. When you take into account the entire soccer-playing population of South Louisiana, it starts to be competitive. Heck, we have more players than Alabama ( according to 2013-2014 USYS numbers) and they have an ECNL team. Clubs here like to try and make sure that they are the only show in town. Every club would want control of the GA or ECNL team. That would be the reason I don’t see it working. Using Baton Rouge as an example... if GST had the team, do you really think that BRSC would allow their players to do it? If the Jesters in New Orleans had the team...would Fire allow it? It would be fun to see how it would play out. That’s for sure. I’m telling you, it’s not going to work if one club is on the application. I don’t care if it’s GST, BRSC, Fire, whatever. It’s going to take collaboration for the ECNL folks to recognize that the player pool will be talented enough to deserve an ECNL spot. ECNL will overlook individual clubs. It won’t overlook the successes of all of the clubs put together. Once again, look at the Alabama FC model
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Post by yallcrazy on Mar 5, 2021 18:42:28 GMT -6
Someone with enough money and soccer passion needs to buy out all of the clubs in Louisiana and put them all under one financial umbrella. Then the ECNL conglomerate would be easy to achieve.
How much would it cost to buy BRSC for example? Anybody have an educated guess?
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Post by kevin on Mar 5, 2021 19:00:29 GMT -6
Someone with enough money and soccer passion needs to buy out all of the clubs in Louisiana and put them all under one financial umbrella. Then the ECNL conglomerate would be easy to achieve. How much would it cost to buy BRSC for example? Anybody have an educated guess? You can't really buy a non-profit, can you? But if you want to know a little something about the financials: projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/720805656You can also look up the other clubs in the state. Here's another way of looking at it: what are the total annual expenses for an ECNL program (teams from U13-U19)? Coaches, travel, fields, everything. It's gotta be a pretty huge number. But if I hit the Powerball, that's probably where some of the money would end up--creating my own soccer fiefdom. I think that Alabama FC powerpoint is a little too handwavy when it comes to money. They'll just magically get more sponsors? Or they're just making profits off the lower-tier players to fund the travel of the elites. Or the parents are just footing the bill for all the extra travel. I've probably told this story before, but one of my students a few years ago was on a really good club volleyball team that ended up winning the top U17 division at one of the biggest national tournaments. They were based on the North Shore but had kids from both sides of the lake and also some kids from BR and Lafayette. In terms of population, you have to have that wide of an area to pull from in order to have any chance of competing with the metro areas of 3-4 million.
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