SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP How is Bridge tryouts going

scdad - I think the operative words were 'donated by a sponsor'. I know that Bridge is hard at work securing sponsorship but that takes time. I agree with Sideliner, $30 is a small price to pay for some great training!

In my humble opinion, CESA's tryouts are underpriced at the premier/challenge level and appropriately priced at the classic level when you look at the rate structure of comparitive clubs in a 100-200 mile radius.

I have no clue what the Bridge financial structure is with respect to alliance clubs and field "rentals" and the like, but even taking that out of the picture it's expensive to run a tryout appropriately with sufficient coaches/trainers at each session to evaluate the many players that are there. I'd make the argument that I'd rather spend a little more to increase the quality of the tryout than to scrimp on coaches and trainers and do a poor job evaluating players.

scdad - I have to agree with BridgeFA that this is there first year and budget is definitely a concern. It's also a numbers game in that CESA will have on average 1500 kids tryout for select teams at $15 a kid (that's $22,500) and the Bridge at $30 (if they had 1 team for each age group boys and girls) works out to around $6480.
I think CESA can afford to kick in a t-shirt or two, but if you're trying out for a t-shirt stay out west.

The big temptation on any message board is to 'throw grenades'. Pleae only speak to your own knowledge and the facts. Do not speak for others and their motives.
Don't cast me as a naysayer either. If you do your research, you'll see I have been a proponent of a premier level merger for several years. The devil is in the details.

>>[Vapor7] ... and the Bridge at $30 (if they had 1 team for each age group boys and girls) works out to around $6480.<<

For Bridge, 14 teams [U12-18 boys and girls] at $30 for a total of $6480 means 15.4 kids per team trying out - doesn't sound right, what am I missing?

Me thinks Vapor7 ees not so good weeth heez math.

My figures were based on U13-U18 boys and girls 1 team in each age group with a roster of 18. The bridge website did say U13 to U18.

Vapor7: Bridge probably [hopefully] has more kids than 18 per tryout per age group per gender.

Please note that I am not criticizing Bridge for charging $30; as I said earlier it seems to me to be an appropriate amount for the level of evaluation needed at the challenge/premier level.

I'm sure it's probably confidential, but it would be fascinating to understand the financial model underlying Bridge, e.g., the fee split arrangement, if any, of member clubs and the field/facility "rental" structure. For non-municipal supported clubs, the key is typically primarily the capital debt structure; from what I've read of alliance-oriented clubs, the key is always the partnership structure.

Chico,

I was being conservative with the numbers on the Bridge side since this is thier first year and only 2 clubs are in the alliance. The key word being alliance not merger.

Kids in the area still have a choice and the clubs that are not in the alliance may still field some good teams.
Now if you are in the Greenville area clearly there is only one club to play for.

I think the Bridge will have some great teams this first year but not in every age group. That will not happen until all the clubs in the area agree to the concept. (Maybe in a few years when CESA has enough state cups to fill the
Bi-Lo Center).

Some clubs still only want to try to be the best in the Charleston area.

GO BFA!!!

Chico,

As a start, go to the SSC web page. On the left, there is a link to a document that defines the relationship in general terms. If after reading that, you want more detailed information, ask it through the question/comment feature on the Bridge FA web page. You are correct in that it is somewhat confidential, but given the right circumstances it is possible to share it.