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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26
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Joined: Sep 2007
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CHT,
I would bet changes are needed. It looks like changes are needed in Summerville, Bridge, Mt.Pleasant, DI, JI and other ones I can't remember right now. I believe Summerville has missed a great opportunity with the price of gas going up parents/players are thinking about staying closer to home to play. The new CESA-Summerville could have swayed them to stay in Charleston.
Look at all the clubs listed above with a few missing ...somebody needs to realize Charleston area will have a hard time competing against bigger clubs and other states if we keep adding more and more clubs for the kids to play. it seems if you aren't happy with one coach or club just go to another...there are plenty to choose from. Let the ego's go and combine some clubs so we can have some competitive teams.I know of numerous negotiations that have happened over the years but never work out. What's the problem ?
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 45
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The discussion of a unified place for the lowcountry challenge player has been going around for years. We've had people working really hard to make that happen and it always falls through by only a few people. Six votes in this instance, one person at town hall in Mt P, etc. In these discussions one of the solutions was to model after CESA. We are not SSC members and were willing to make the drive to Summerville CESA and give it a shot because of CESA success. . However, before tryouts SSC parents were complaining they could not keep their parent coaches, etc. I thought the point of hiring consultants was to change the status quo?? It did not sound like anything was changing (which was SSC's right) and the appeal was lost. The initial reason for looking elsewhere was the possibility that BFA would not be able to secure fields. BFA leadership resolved the field issue and we are thankful to BFA for their continued vision for the challenge player. We are happily sticking with BFA! 
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 26 |
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The initial reason for looking elsewhere was the possibility that BFA would not be able to secure fields. BFA leadership resolved the field issue and we are thankful to BFA for their continued vision for the challenge player.
We are happily sticking with BFA!
We are too!!!!!!!!! 
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Joined: May 2008
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I just want a place for my daughter to play where the coaches are there to teach the kids soccer. I had a very bad experience with a "licenced coach" on an "academy" team at SSC that left a bad taste in my mouth. I voted yes to CESA hoping that a non-biased management system would allow the club to weed-out the bad coaches(or at least make them actually perform) that seem to be able to stick around season after season. Now my daughter will be playing in another club close by hopefully getting some individual skills training and team training that I was expecting from SSC. I hope for the children's sake that someone is able to come in and turn SSC into the business it needs to be and not the political environment that it currently is. I don't care about names or the colors of the club that my daughter plays for, all i want is the best possible training and opportunities for the future. This being said, I really hope that things at SSC turn around and soccer becomes the focal point so that my daughter can go back there and thrive - that is until there is a team for her age at BFA
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Joined: Feb 2003
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Brace
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I had a very bad experience with a "licenced coach" on an "academy" team at SSC that left a bad taste in my mouth.
What about these licensed coaches? "What license does Steve Spurrier or Tommy Bowden have for football?" I realize that these are different sports with different credentials, but still it begs the question.
I find it hard to believe that an "A" or "B" licensed coach knows more simply on an awarded basis than some coaches that have done this professionally for more than a decade or two, Some of these "awardees" are nothing more than former college players that have 'played at a high level' and are then grandfathered in as "coaches", though they don't know the first thing about management, teaching, scheduling, etc.
"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,147
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I had a very bad experience with a "licenced coach" on an "academy" team at SSC that left a bad taste in my mouth.
What about these licensed coaches? "What license does Steve Spurrier or Tommy Bowden have for football?" I realize that these are different sports with different credentials, but still it begs the question.
I find it hard to believe that an "A" or "B" licensed coach knows more simply on an awarded basis than some coaches that have done this professionally for more than a decade or two, Some of these "awardees" are nothing more than former college players that have 'played at a high level' and are then grandfathered in as "coaches", though they don't know the first thing about management, teaching, scheduling, etc.
i think the old ball coach has a national championship under his belt.does that count as a license?
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,256 Likes: 2
Coach
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Joined: May 2002
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After kidding around, I think this deserves a serious answer. Of course, this will only be speculation -- a "if I were in their shoes" kind of answer.
As always, a very well-reasoned speculation, and also a well-thought-out business model. Again, I'm pretty much just playing devil's advocate; I'm not involved in the situation except through peripheral relationships, and I don't have any firsthand view of the meeting or knowledge of the details of the proposed business relationship between SSC and CESA. There are too many variables there that I'm not knowledgeable about to make any kind of judgement about what was "proper" or "improper" from a business arrangement perspective, because I don't know the exact nature of the proposed business arrangement.
There's also been a lot of speculation about culture, though, and it seems that may have played a bigger role. That's the thing even a logically sound business model often doesn't take into account...the respect for the cultural identity of the stakeholders on both sides of a potential arrangement.
Shibumi, from your recently-adopted moniker, I think it's safe to say you're somewhat familiar with Eastern cultures, in particular, the very strong sense of honor that is such a deeply-rooted part of every aspect of life and is often very hard for a Western mind to understand. Offer a Japanese businessman the most profitable deal, but in a manner that compromises his honor--even in a slight and completely unintentional way--and you will usually be left wondering why he politely but very firmly turned it down; in fact, he would cut off his own hand before accepting. Learn how to make arrangements for accomplishing the same goals while still respecting and accomodating his sense of honor, though, and you may find yourself with a deal.
Japan isn't the only culture that has a strong, and often incomprehensible to outsiders, sense of honor. Here, we're more likely to call it pride, but it means about the same thing. Anyone wishing to have dealings with folks of this culture need to understand this, and understand that sometimes it's not what you offer; it's how you offer it. A "straightforward, no-nonsense" approach, no matter how honest and valid, isn't always what works...and if it doesn't work, it doesn't matter how honest and valid the arguments are. Perception is reality; it doesn't matter whether someone is talking down to you or not. What matters is whether they are perceived as talking down to you.
As has already been mentioned, this is a culture of men and women who were willing to fight a war against an entity they saw as an outside entity that sought to exert unwelcome control, with the focal flashpoint being an antiquated agricultural model that would have been obsolete within a few years anyway...simply because they didn't want to be forced by outsiders to do even what was inevitable anyway. They lost that war, and suffered for it...knew that was the likelihood going in...but you'd be hard pressed to find any of their descendents who would say they regret that they stood up and fought it. They'd rather lose on their own two feet than (in their eyes) let someone else pull the strings, and the best thing they feel they can do for their children is to instill the same sense of pride.
Now, there are plenty of people who don't "get" this, any more than Jim Rome "gets" soccer...but the important thing is not to understand it; the important thing is to understand that it exists, and to understand that to some, these things are important, no matter now much your own values may differ. To some folks, pride in your colors means more than money in the bank or the level of license held by a coach...and while that may not be logical, I'm not so sure it's a bad thing. One thing is for sure; no amount of bad-mouthing or saying that way of thinking is wrong will do anything to change it; if anything, it will only make folks dig in harder. So, once you accept that something is a part of the situation, it is much easier to find ways to work WITH it.
So...perhaps the BEST leadership for a club like SSC would be a person, or a group, that knows and understands the culture and the pride involved--Oldskoolpinewood has elaborated on this fairly well--and also understands the necessary steps and practices to increase the quality of experience for the players; someone who can move the club toward its goals while still allowing the stakeholders to keep a sense of identity and personal pride. Maybe even someone who understands that if it's that important to them to wear the blue they've grown up with, then small concessions can help gain support for big improvements, and make more overall progress than all-or-nothing, "my way or the highway" approaches. If I were in their shoes, that's what I would go for. Whether such a person exists, or whether SSC is passing up what many see as a good thing for a perfect thing that will never materialize...well, I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Just my own speculation, which should in no way be construed as an expert opinion, or anyone else's opinion, for that matter.
I've got good news and bad news...
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Joined: May 2007
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Gee. I thought this was a kids sport.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 34
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All these eloquent posts and written facades dont change a thing. CESA will continue to send more teams to RIIIPL, continue to put more kids in front of college scouts, continue to grow a recreation program of appx. 2,000 kids, continue to grow an Academy Program with record numbers, continue to run a successful Top Soccer program, continue to send teams to Europe, continue to build team camps, continue to build the CAP program, continue to ..., and all without SSC.
I was a bit outspoken early in this thread because I wanted for you in Summerville the same thing we have here in the upstate. I tried to challenge you to look past any bias and see what was really being presented.
I would say "It's your loss," but if you have truly taken the time to evaluate it and dont want it, thats ok. No hard feelings. No passing judgement. You are the only ones who can decide what is right for your kids. CESA should quietly walk away and go back to business as usual on Monday morning.
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Joined: Apr 2007
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In regards to putting kids in front of college scouts. Cesa doesn't seem to place anymore kids in college programs than CUFC, Mt Pleasant Soccer, and Bridge FA. Anyone have statistics that would apply?
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