SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP South Carolina United FC - Information

"Go to Greenville" can't be the only answer to everything.

Again, with great respect to what the folks at CESA are doing, making that the only option is logistically excluding a segment of players who can't commit to that kind of distance--and if the idea is to make SC soccer stronger, it doesn't make sense to start off by excluding players--ANY players--from opportunities.

I know individual players in the Charleston area I would put up against individual CESA players any day of the week, but they cannot or will not make that drive. Now, people can say "If they're really committed, they'd drive, and if they're not, oh, well, who needs them." It might even be convincing, except that all I've been reading here is about how SC soccer is not as successful as surrounding states, small talent pool, etc., etc...it becomes apparent that something is needed.

Seems logical that the way to increase the overall quality of SC soccer is to make sure that there are good opportunities for participation, enjoyment, development, competition, advancement, and exposure at all levels, in all areas of the state. Go at it from that angle, and it wouldn't surprise me much if, over time, this "small talent pool" everyone is always complaining about became significantly larger.

Coach...stop making sense!! The question is SC willing to put the time in now so that down the road good things can happen.For years I have heard..well,we're going to start with the little ones but it seems as if we lose patience and move back to the norm..

Just depends on whether people are looking for the quick fix or the long-term investment...too often the strategy that maximizes what's available at the moment is NOT the one that produces the most results down the road, and can actually have the opposite long-term effect.

Please tell me if I've got this right. The purpose for SC United FC, for girls, would be for a player to be able to play with a team in 3 of those 6 events listed, events that they presumably would not otherwise be playing in with the SCYSA team they regularly play on. And the SC United FC team would conceivably be made up of players from many different SCYSA club teams, correct? What if some of the players on the SCUFC team that is accepted to a particular tournament, are also on variious SCYSA teams that also are accepted to the same tournament? Or are the SCUFC teams intended mainly for players who are on teams that most likely will NOT be accepted or applying to the mentioned events? From what I'm gathering, a SCUFC team would be for a player on maybe a less successful team that still would like more exposure than their SCYSA team can afford them. Can someone tell me if I'm on the right track to understanding this?

I think this is meant for the committed players and parents no matter what club they play for..I picture it more like an ODP team..There could be a conflict with players playing for their club team at one of the events but maybe that is why they are carrying a roster of 22 to allow for those who can't play..Easy answer? call one of the contacts and run it past them and come back and let us know

I support anything (within reason) that promotes the advancement of girls soccer in South Carolina. I also realize that not every exceptional high school (club) girl soccer player aspires to play soccer in college. (See LadyVolDad's post under "College Recruiting".)

Hard headed and live and learn have both asked about the conflict of the SCYSA club team and the SCUFC team going to the same tournament. Very good point.

I ask this...if SCUFC's purpose is to maximize the South Carolina female player's exposure to college coaches, what can the club really provide that is not currently being provided by the CESA Premier team in most age groups? Given that the CESA Premier team is (1) the SCYSA state champ, (2) a participating team in the Region 3 Premier League, and (3) an automatic invitation to the five tournaments cited, why would any of the 16 girls on this roster need to roster on SCUFC?

The competitive advantage that I see for SCUFC, is reducing the travel time, for girls from Charleston and Columbia, to attend competitive training sessions.

Again, not trying to pooh-pooh the idea, just trying to see where it best fits in the grand scheme of South Carolina girls club soccer.

Silently thinking of the team that would be formed by combining the better ladies of the CESA Premier team and the better ladies from the rest of the state.

Outside observations only:

Hurst makes a good point in response to HH and L&L's good questions; there would be no need for members of a team that already has guaranteed access to these events to roster with SCUFC; they already have what SCUFC is offering, so that should minimize conflicts with a player being on two teams headed for the same tournament. If I am reading into this correctly, the SCUFC effort is targeted toward players in other areas who might not otherwise get these opportunities, attempting to put more SC girls in the mix than just those rostered with CESA.

As for the competitive edge, the reduced travel time may not just result in less gas money and fewer hours on the road--it may help eliminate the factor of quality players having to choose to participate or not participate based on their ability to make those trips.