SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP BFA & MPSC

Why not in the heart of the lowcountry..North Charleston..a close drive for everyone and no established club in that area other than a few individuals who are trying to start a club there..I agree that soccer professionals would make themselves available like those who work in the CESA-Columbia program..

It would take some getting used to in regards to having to drive a little further--it was always nice to get to practice in a maximum of ten minutes back when I played--North Charleston seems like a good place as long as decent fields can be kept up. It also has the added benefit of not being associated with any club in particular and thus wouldn't carry any hard feelings from any side.

I was just picking a central location that is untapped by any other soccer club...N Charleston is baseball country..I grew up there..The rec departments offer soccer but the kids move on or quit by teenage years..I think some time and effort in this area of the lowcountry could prove to pay off for the soccer community as a whole..

>>[swimmer2] Don't talk about it being about the kids when all I see are parent, coach and club officials in this thread.<<

There should be acronyms and even awards given out when the same logical fallacy is repeated often enough on this message board. Swimmer2 -- it may very well be that "it being about the kids" is wrong; however, whether or not adolescents participate in the discussion is hardly a measure of the validity of the argument.

>>Reason for transfer rule is to protect a team that has established its roster, budget and makes plans based on that roster.<<

Then make it against the rules to transfer, period. Or create a financial penalty for transferring. But creating a rule that states that you have to get the coach you're leaving to sign a piece of paper or you sit out for 30 days is nothing short of stupid.

>>And if you do not think that asking players to guest play in a tournament and then somehow that player all of the sudden wants to transfer to the team he 'guested' for , you head is in the clouds, sand, etc. Recruiting pure and simple.<<

I'm not sure where your head is; but there's no doubt that a club allowing a player to guest isn't completely altruistic -- clubs do things for selfish reasons just as players (and parents) do. The point is to increase the range of choices rather than build a set of arbitrary and capriciously interpreted rules that forbid choice. Because the more you forbid choice, the less that a service provider (whether that is a coach, a club, or whatever) has to worry about providing the absolutely best service possible.

>>My orignal point about failure of a merger is basic sales :
if your product isn't being bought by your target audience - don't blame the buyer - fix the product.<<

Couldn't agree more.

>>[Beezer] It's not an ego if an individual has a strong vision towards bettering development and the situation down in the Lowcountry.<<

Huh? Let me understand your position here -- it's not an "ego thing" if the person has what are basically good intentions? Here's what I intepret you as saying: it's not an ego thing if I [Beezer] agrees with them. Okay...

>>The ego down in the Lowcountry preventing a working relationship between Bridge FA and Mt. Pleasant seems to be the non-soccer decision maker(s) at the MPRD, who make all soccer decisons for it's figurehead club, MPSC, and it's figurehead DOC.

For those not familiar with the structure down in Mt. Pleasant: RD is Recreation Dept. and SC is Soccer Club and, yes, the non-soccer "rec" administrator(s) make most of the soccer decisions, including to not discuss, negotiate or even consider any relationship with Bridge FA.<<

Then quit whining and create a great club with great services and draw all the kids you want to Bridge.

>>So down in the Lowcountry, who has the ego? A driven soccer coach who has developed many youth players, clubs and programs? Or a non-soccer Recreation Dept. administrator(s) with not one soccer interest to benefit youth soccer players and their development?<<

Again...for your own sake...quit whining and work on providing better services at Bridge.

>>Looks like CESA is in good shape vs. the one area of the State that could organize and compete if they got their ducks in a row.<<

Hey...I think the folks in Columbia, and particularly CUFC, might strongly disagree with you on that -- and given the results of the Fall challenge cup, they'd have a right to.

Actually, considering the bad history between individuals and clubs in the Lowcountry, the Bridge FA has done a great job considering it's been such a short time.

The number of posts on various topics, on this website, talking about CESA and then Bridge FA as the State's top clubs is a great testament to Bridge FA and that alot of other people agree they're doing something right so far.

Again, it's only been a year and a half with alot of team and individual accolades.

Maybe a new opportunity for BFA to consider, central location?

New place to play on the Wando
Recreation complex planned for Daniel Island
Charleston Post & Courier Wednesday, February 21, 2007

"A real estate company and the city of Charleston are rolling out plans to develop a major waterfront recreation area on Daniel Island that would include a large marina, boat ramp, community fishing pier and five athletic fields."

"The site, which runs two miles along the Wando River on either side of the Mark Clark Expressway...A city-maintained recreational area with three baseball fields, two soccer fields and room for a gymnasium."

http://www.charleston.net/assets/webPage...bDate=2/21/2007

Or, build some new fields with this resource!!! I see Summerville has used this resource in the past (you can look up previous grantees on their website by state).

US Soccer Foundation
http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/site/c.gpLPJQOpHkE/b.879945/k.A80B/Grants_Overview.htm
Grants Overview

About the Grants Process
At the core of the Foundation is its annual grant making program. Starting in 1995, almost $20 million dollars in cash, equipment, and services have been awarded to more than 380 grantees in all 50 states. Our grantees represent the entire spectrum of soccer communities from the small rural club to the U.S. Soccer Federation, the National Governing Body for the sport of soccer in the United States. The Foundation’s impact on soccer through the annual grants program has been significant…and continues to grow.



Focus and Objectives
For the 2007 grant cycle, the following focus has been established to guide the Foundation’s funding decisions:

For 2007, the Foundation will award Grants exclusively to projects and programs that develop players, coaches, and referees in economically disadvantaged urban areas. This year we are focusing on approximately 340 "urban areas" that include populations of 100,000 or more.

The one exception to this exclusive focus is the Foundation's All Conditions Fields (ACF) Grants. ACF Grants support the construction of state-of-the-art synthetic grass soccer fields and will continue to be available to projects serving all types of communities, though the highest priority will be given to projects serving players in economically disadvantaged urban areas.

What happened to the North Charleston idea (proposed earlier) and why wouldn't the coaches at Charleston Southern get behind this?