SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Midlands Soccer [Moved from Thread with **** in Name]

Euro Fan: I'm sure you know this, but just to be clear -- with the merger (I think it was last spring) of Lexington's non-recreational soccer clubs there are now three Lexington soccer clubs: LCGSA (girls-only recreation), LRSC (girls and boys recreation) and LCSC (boys and girls competitive).

All three clubs should be commended on getting together to host the SCYSA recreational, classic, and challenge tournaments. I know it meant a lot to many businesses in the area from the comments I got.

Success is usually measured by meeting whatever mission statement you have set for yourself.

So, Lexington's mission is to have great facilities while CSC's is populating the high schools with coaches?

Dex,
I wish Lex. mission was to strive for above average soccer to be played on those facilities. I dont know how that CSC mission comment has any validity to the discussion, but it is definitely not correct. CSC mission is to win state and regional championships and not populate high schools with coaches. You must have had some of Shearer's brown ale egg nog! The CSC coaches come from the Irmo/Chapin/Dutch Fork areas because thats sorta where they live and breathe. But the coaches defintely don't pick all their own players-for instance the U17 premier boys team this past year was composed of players from the following schools - Chapin (1), Irmo(4), Dutch Fork(1), Mid-Carolina(1), Brookland-Cayce(2), AC Flora(2),South Aiken (1), Wilson Hall(1), Dreher(2). Last season they had a player from Myrtle Beach.

Why is everyone attempting to over-analyze the merger and results of CESA? Undoubtedly a rhetorical quesiton, but the point is, whether the purpose of this type of analysis were to evaluate one's own personal situation or perhaps if a respective club were trying to determine where they stand, don't you think there is certainly a more appropriate place for this to be discussed and a better "cast" with which it is being discussed? Right. Therefore, in my mind, most of the posters who are "thinking out loud" regarding this topic seem to be either trying to minimize the successes achieved by CESA, rationlize the decisions made by CESA, disregard the idea of playing for a club such as CESA, justify the purpose/mission of other clubs or to design a master plan for all other clubs to follow.

Although I am not affiliated with CESA in any way, if I were to pursue a relationship with them for whatever reason, the decision to do so (or not to do so)wouldn't be hashed out on this message board. Furthermore, I really don't think Eddie (well, maybe Eddie), Tripp, Rick, Clark, etc. are taking notes from this thread either.

One last point, I think one of the posters made light of the feat achieved by CESA this fall referencing the results from St. Giles and GFC from last year. I would caution anyone who believes that previous successes equate to future successes. As a coach, it always bothers me for parents (who make up the majority of the posters on this board)to try and align their coaching ability and knowledge of the game to that of a coach. A majority of the coaches at CESA are professional trainers/coaches and are clearly above any tactical or technical concept that most parents could even conceive, much less teach.

2004,
I am not above having the brown ale, but I happen to be fairly lucid right now. I was being facetious. I agree with you- I was referencing Euro fan. Sorry for the confusion.

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Dex come on by for another brownee eggnog????

"I Wish" there it is.

Well.......coach,
I don't think there is an over-analysis of the CESA merger. It is just fun to talk about and what the possibilities may be in the midlands. This is called a soccer forum for the purpose to share, discuss, rant, listen, observe thoughts and ideas about high school and club soccer. Nothing much is ever accomplished here except the sharing of ideas and some fun at times. If the DOCs dont read this dribble then its OK. They won't consider a merger until CESA has swept all state championships again for the 9th or 10th year in a
row.

Ok Dex,
I have never been the sharpest knife in the drawer! I miscombopulated your comments. Sorry.

[Preface: “coach”, please understand that everything posted here is meant to be respectful and intended to solicit more precise information concerning not just what you find erroneous and/or distasteful, but what you proffer should be done instead.]

>> [coach] Why is everyone attempting to over-analyze the merger and results of CESA? Undoubtedly a rhetorical quesiton, but the point is, whether the purpose of this type of analysis were to evaluate one's own personal situation or perhaps if a respective club were trying to determine where they stand, don't you think there is certainly a more appropriate place for this to be discussed and a better "cast" with which it is being discussed? Right.<<

No, I can’t think of a more appropriate place, at least not at a first-level of analysis. However, obviously you do think that there are more appropriate places. Could you precisely outline just what those places and methods are? Many of the people on this thread are discussing inter-club issues and issues that they see as relevant to meeting the needs and desires expressed by their children; just what environment do you see as superior for that discussion?

>> Therefore, in my mind, most of the posters who are "thinking out loud" regarding this topic seem to be either trying to minimize the successes achieved by CESA, rationlize the decisions made by CESA, disregard the idea of playing for a club such as CESA, justify the purpose/mission of other clubs or to design a master plan for all other clubs to follow.<<

I probably agree with you here; I find some of the messages to be outlandish. However, I learn from many of them. This no doubt implies that I am ignorant, to which I would not argue.

It’s clear you find the topics rather distasteful [which of course begs the question as to why you’re wasting your time reading them; but that is clearly rhetorical] and do not believe that a great deal of thought goes into most postings. I understand your message.

I’ll be clear regarding why I post to this message board, and why I find doing so to have continuing value. Slightly less than two years ago I began trying to understand the soccer environment in the midstate. I found that I could meet and talk to parents, coaches, board members, and the like all day long and not ever get enough information to make viable decisions concerning what my child was asking. Each one had their agenda [as they no doubt should] – and there wasn’t enough time in the day to physically meet with each so that I could weigh those agendas against each other.

By spending a few weeks on this message board asking questions and posing opinions that others could refute, I was able to greatly accelerate my learning of what was really going on in terms of soccer in the state. Was there glib misinformation given? Of course, but each and every time someone tried to sell a bill of goods someone else refuted it – and it’s pretty clear when reading the posts who has a well-considered, thoughtful opinion and who is out there pursuing grudges and the like. This, and a truly wonderful coach who stood up against personal and club interests and who guided my child and her parents, were the key factors enabling us to help me help her make a decision.

Roughly a year ago my child made a decision to switch soccer clubs [it was the first and so far only time]. So now that this decision has been made to I continue to participate on this board? There are two reasons. First, I still learn reading this message board. That may mark me as completely ignorant and beneath your level of understanding; however, I at least have a feeble ambition to learn more. Secondly, I still find the obfuscation with respect to soccer clubs to be amazing and would like to ease any other parent’s way through this if possible.

>>Although I am not affiliated with CESA in any way, if I were to pursue a relationship with them for whatever reason, the decision to do so (or not to do so)wouldn't be hashed out on this message board.<<

Far be it from me to critique your analytical method, but it might be interesting to those of us less knowledgeable to understand what would be your precise method for making decisions in this situation.

>>Furthermore, I really don't think Eddie (well, maybe Eddie), Tripp, Rick, Clark, etc. are taking notes from this thread either.<<

I can tell you that when I began pursuing this that I was amazed at the readership and the level of attention to these discussions. I receive several e-mail’s and telephone calls each week concerning this stuff – and it’s difficult to watch my daughter play soccer with all of the conversations on sidelines with people who want to talk about it. And I can promise you it’s not just parents; but other volunteers, coaches, and at times even players.

>>One last point, I think one of the posters made light of the feat achieved by CESA this fall referencing the results from St. Giles and GFC from last year. I would caution anyone who believes that previous successes equate to future successes. As a coach, it always bothers me for parents (who make up the majority of the posters on this board)to try and align their coaching ability and knowledge of the game to that of a coach.<<

I must be confused. I went back and read the messages posted to date on this and related threads, and I haven’t seen anything posted in which parents are trying to state technical or tactical advice to coaches [or players] regarding soccer. In fact, I’ve found this and surrounding threads refreshingly clear of the backbiting and name calling with regard to on-the-field strategy and tactics that are unfortunately still too much a part of debate concerning athletics.

What I do see is a debate concerning, for want of a better word, club strategy and the best thing to do in terms of club strategy for soccer players in the midstate area. Certainly it’s arguable whether a merger of two or more clubs would provide better services or whether everyone would be better off going to club X or whether everything is fine and dandy the way it is now.

>>A majority of the coaches at CESA are professional trainers/coaches and are clearly above any tactical or technical concept that most parents could even conceive, much less teach.<<

I agree with your assessment that professional coaches are by their nature professional, and thus are expected to have more knowledge concerning soccer than parents. I probably disagree that most parents lack the ability to “conceive” tactical or technical concepts in soccer; but I do believe that almost all soccer coaches know much more about soccer than almost all soccer parents.

However, I think if you take a look back at the basis of discussion, you’ll find that a debate regarding soccer tactics and techniques is not the intent. Instead, you have a group comprised mostly of parents trying to understand how thirteen and a half soccer clubs can all say that they’re the best soccer club in South Carolina, and all say that they provide the best service regardless of the player, can all be right. This isn’t meant to disrespect these clubs or the people in these clubs; simply to try to articulate the challenge that many parents face in finding a club that meets the unique needs of their child and their family.

LPAF said something in an earlier message about a “superior product”. I don’t think that way. I don’t think of clubs as producing product. I think of clubs as providing services. Now, does this mean winning isn’t important? No, because particularly at higher levels of soccer the more you win the more services you can provide. But the focus has to be providing services to individual players first, and everything else second.

There is an honest desire by some players and parents in the midlands for there to be one or more clubs that provide higher level services to players [e.g., regional and national competition]. This doesn’t mean that the parents are stupid or don’t understand soccer; it simply means that there are people who don’t want to travel an hour and a half for soccer and want it provided closer to home. Are they the minority? No doubt. What should they do? At some point agitation for change against entities that aren’t changing [or aren’t changing fast enough] has to be met with acceptance – either play where you are or go to where the services are you desire. I think that time is now; but that’s just my ignorant, non-soccer-coaching opinion.

Mark Campbell, the intent of my post was to try and defend the sometimes complicated, advanced decision-making that, in my mind, club personnel are qualified to deal with. I used CESA as the example, because it seems that they are the most popular club right now to analyze/discuss. While it may be fun for posters to discuss this, at times the intentions and comments have strayed towards a more critical tongue. I like to read the message board really for two reasons. First, I want to try and monitor the threads to make sure that my players are not offending any other player/program. Secondly, the board can be informative. At times, I do read these threads and find some very interesting discussions.

I also tried to state my opinion, which I thought was fair game, that if I were to make a decision, it would be done outside of a forum. The only people necessary for that type of decision are the ones who sincerely care for that player. As far as obtaining important info. from other people on the board, that is obviously a benefit from the board, but was different (hopefully) from my point. Furthermore, the "places" were reference to the club personnel discussing their situations in the company of their board/coaching staff and not a public forum, where best interests vary.