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How big is recreational soccer under the South Carolina Recreation & Parks Association? I know that a number of towns in York County are associated with this organization and one of the advantages they cite is that it is cheaper than affiliating with SCYSA. Another "advantage" is that SCRPA permits co-ed play all the way through U-18.

From the article below, it looks like there are some kids playing under this umbrella in Charleston.

Rock Hill Herald
December 11, 2008
by Karl Lyles
http://www.heraldonline.com/news/sports/story/1011830.html

Not to be critical of a successful rec program outside of SCYSA, but....

If I read the article correctly an all star team was selected from the 7 teams playing in the league, and they competed in the recreational division? Wouldn't that amount to an academy team, by having an evaluation prior to team formation?

"Academy" (U10-U12) is an SCYSA/USYSA concept. Non-member organizations are not subject to SCYSA rules such as those regarding the creteria for determining recreational or competitive teams. They have their own rules and procedures. Competition between all-star teams chosen by coaches at the end of a rec season is a common practice among recreational programs in other sports such as baseball.

My favorite part about recreational soccer is how coaches manage to hold on to the nucleus of their team every season. Justification is "the kids want to play for me".

Why would they ever want to throw everybody back into the player pool each season and divide the kids up evenly (based on talent)?

Coach P,

My mistake. I misunderstood the article, in that I read it to imply that they played this team in the SCYSA cup, which should have subjected them to the rules of SCYSA. I understand the recreational all star thing, just a mis read.

Hurst,
We all played rec ball growing up..There was nothing else.I remember our baseball coach shelling out football pads at our end of season party so we could start practice in a month.Even in rec ball you had those two or three teams that were put together to win and everyone else just beat themselves up but I also remember losing every game our first season and three seasons later we were playing for a championship..It teaches kids to work together when you have the same teammates each year..

cht,

It's a tough call and I'm not slamming rec soccer. I know the rec soccer experience is great, especially when you are on a winning team.....and I know it's fun to play with your friends every year. But if your rec team is consistently loaded each season, how does that foster fair competition within the league? Shouldn't you divide it up evenly to level the playing field?

My dad did it the right way when he coached my sister's little league softball team. My sister was the second best player in the league, my dad's assistant coach had twins who were the first and third best players in the league. He won the coin toss at the pre-season league meeting where he got the first draft pick and chose the fourth best player in the league. That was on the up & up! Well within the rules.

I guess we could line them up against a wall and we take turns picking..I seen some games at the Y here in town and the teams do not look to mismatched..It's affordable..You do not have to travel and the kids are having a good time.

The Tega Cay Rec program has a formal evaluation/tryout on a Saturday morning before the start of the season. The coaches are all present, notebooks in hand, and they watch the players. The draft takes place later that afternoon.

sounds fair..Not sure how it's done here..Unless those little boogers are sandbaggin''...As long as we judge by wins and losses there are always those that are going to undermine the system..Rec thru club..How long do you think it will be before we have 16 Greenville teams playing against 16 Columbia teams at State?

In younger days, still involved in the rec program I had the fortune of coaching a soccer team. Typical situation, I happened to have the time to volunteer, but never played the game. Anyway, there were evaluations on Saturday, all players rated A, B, C, D. First step in the draft was a consensus on the player ratings. Parity was provided during the draft by numbers of each ability level on the team, but selections were made based on that. The only spots committed prior to the "draft" were the coaches children, all others were in the pool. Pretty even games, but, it highlighted the coaches that had experience and ability to train the players.

Later, I had the opportunity to coach baseball. Again evaluations, but individual by the coaches. All players in the draft except coaches children. There was no parity, other than what was provided by the draft, which order was determined by drawing out of a hat. So what do you draft, pitching first, fielding first, hitting first, etc.

bear, that (rec soccer) sounds like it was pretty fair and equitable to me. the last year i coached rec ball, i have no idea how the teams were split up (but they did appear fairly even) but i made the decision to move on after some parents tried to pick a fight with one of the players on my team after the championship match (although she was a big girl for her age, i believe she was, maybe 9?)