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I was wrong. There isn't any anti- CESA sentiment on this board.

The dog and pony show of Chass and CHT was really good though.

Facts, in fact, do not speak for themselves. CESA is doing all they do with smoke, mirrors, and rhetoric.

Bottom line is this.If you don't want to lose players to CESA then that is your problem , not CESA's. You simply need to produce a better product- not try to tear CESA down. I was slammed for supporting CESA but it's OK for everyone else to take their shots. Like lumpy said- it has been built well and you can't do a thing about it but complain.

Harry,
I never said it was not worthwhile..Most kids that go finish out their playing days at CESA..When I make a point that other areas are capable of producing solid soccer players or If someone says " you have to be good to make a CESA team" and I reply that the development was started somewhere else or why recruit down here?
It seems to come across as if I have a problem with the upstate..I appreciate the fact that CESA gives us strong teams to measure ourselves against..My child has taken part in the college combine and is looking forward to playing in the CAPS program..A solid program..second to none..While I may not be on here day in and day out tooting CESA's horn..I have nothing but respect for what they have done.
I guess if I have to think of a problem or something that bothers me is that for the next 15 months we are going to be labled as cheaters because of someones actions and others have worked to [censored] hard dowwn here giving kids a chance to play at the next level..There is no problem with supporting CESA..That's your club and you should be proud of it..Praise CESA without calling my club cheaters and we're all good..
I do not always explain myself well..It's hard to grasp what someone is saying when we read posts and make up our own minds what someone is saying..I'm guilty of that.

>>[lowcountryboil1] Cesa is all about winning state even more than development, that why players only have to attend one practice per week if they live outside the Greenville araea. I believe they think talent will prevail over teamwork which is a shame.
Can't say it has not worked for them in most cases.
Drink the CESA Kool Aid. <<

>>[CUnitedParent] Andrew and Pearce
Recruit
South Carolina
Everyday<<

>>[lowcountryboil1] I think parents pushing there kids to drive up to 6 hours in a day on Hwy 26 or 85 is nuts, both these are are nasty roads They are living on the edge for soccer.<<

Sigh...

The purpose of this note isn't to argue, but to help anyone who hasn't made their mind up yet about their kid and youth soccer in South Carolina. I do want to share a few personal facts from a situation I found myself in a few years ago.

At age 13, my kid had played with two completely different teams that won South Carolina Challenge Cup youth championships, both on fields that were less than 5 minutes from my home. However, in the fall after her team winning its second championship, it was clear that her level of commitment was different from the other kids. A lot of kids had left, the others simply weren't as committed as she was (and by committed, I mean training/practicing hours each day, 7 days a week.) She was frustrated and wasn't having fun.

She knew about GFC, primarily because she knew about some of the players up there on the U17 and U18 teams that she idolized. She asked if we'd take her to train. We talked to her coach, who completely understood and supported it and wrote a letter to Andrew Hyslop, who was the DOC there. Andrew invited her up and let her work with the U17 and U18 teams. This kid, who was less than 5 feet tall and less than 100 pounds, was thrust in the middle of a situation that was probably more challenging than a lot of us can imagine.

She loved it. She had met a group of kids that were every bit as passionate about soccer as she was. Kids that watched it on TV. Kids that practiced when they didn't have to. Kids that were flat out better than she was...not just bigger (every kid was bigger than her then) but flat out better.

She begged us to take her there repeatedly. She began practicing with some college players that fall which Andrew helped arrange. That spring, she was playing games against D1 colleges at age 13. GFC let her go up there and do double training - 3-4 hours in a row with first a boys team and then her team or an older team. She had previously had trouble getting boys teams to let her train with them. Not there. (Note: By the way, also not at Aiken that summer, where Justin Rhodes' Fire boys team welcomed her and let her do double workouts with the U18 boys and then a summer girls team.)

GFC merged with SGU to form CESA. She still loved it. As she turned 14 she begged us to take her there 3 times a week. She would go and do double-practices each time - again, 3-4 hours in a row. When she wasn't there, she was practicing at home - by herself or with anyone who would have her. During the seasons, CESA had Columbia practices in addition to Greenville - so on her fourth day she'd practice in Columbia.

As she got older, she went to Greenville less and practiced in Columbia more - I can remember her senior year in high school she was only going up once a week - but was practicing in CESA- and non-CESA practices still at least four times a week.

Look - I absolutely understand parents who think it's crazy to drive 100+ miles one way for a soccer practice. I was one of those until my kid was 13. But it really depends upon your kid. I can tell you that the way my kid talked me into it was that she was willing to work harder than anyone I knew - to me, if she was willing to invest the time and energy then I thought if I could that I should try to support her.

But I'm thankful that the options of GFC and later CESA existed for my kid. I like lots of options for parents - because there are all sorts of kids out there. I think people who perceive that South Carolina club soccer is a win/lose situation are short-sighted. And I respectfully think people who believe that CESA's success is due to recruiting are...well, wrong.

Some clubs develop and some clubs just take.

CESA does a great job of developing players and have built solid teams. Understandably players from other areas are then drawn to those teams making them stronger.

Bridge on the other hand has taken from the local clubs without prior involvement in those players development and have had a negative impact on the clubs they have taken from, creating a lack of trust. Yeah, they have created opportunities to a few players but most of them were better off where they were.

MPSC has obviously done an amazing job of developing players as players are recruited constantly from them; with parents being sold on the grass is greener, when reality is the majority are better off staying with MP.

A positive posts about CESA without bringing someone else down..Thank you..Shibumi!!

Onthefence,
I seem to see a different picture..Over the last two weeks I have seen kids trying out at two or three different clubs..Bridge players trying out elsewhere also..This is what the lowcountry has boiled down too..Everyone trys out everywhere and then makes their decision based on the core of the team..

CHT, why do you think that is?
Maybe the economy, convenience of practice locations, excessive game day schedules, recent ethical concerns, coaching is just as good at other clubs, or maybe people are realizing the grass isn't any greener.

yep, shibumi, very nice post...and then onthefence comes along....

onthefence - if you recall - i know you don't WANT to recall - but if you recall, the bridge TRIED to get everyone to do something similar to what cesa did. remember, bridge ALLIANCE - was to be made up of players from all clubs who wanted to be a part of it. (not really wanting to get into this whole thing again) but it didn't quite work that way because not everyone wanted what was best for the lowcountry - too many personal agendas and too many egos (along with plenty other issues).

cesa was able to successfully join the two clubs in greenville - what if they had not been able to do that? i feel certain they would now be "borrowing" players from each other from one season to the next. but, that is not the case - they WERE able to make it work.

so, back in the lowcountry - not everyone decided to work together. are you saying that the bridge should have just given up and walked away?

if you're not saying that, what is the alternative?

make up your mind.

thanks shibumi, for trying to keep it positive....maybe you can help onthefence a little with his attitude.

I think people or players have an idea where they want to play but they tryout elsewhere just in case they don't make a particular team..Or as players get older they want to play with friends and if a friend says I'm trying out here to..then the others follow..Some players get frustrated with their coach or are not happy with the success of the previous year..Maybe they really like their coach and the coach is moving to another club..i have seen whole teams move to a different club on more than one occasion..All the points you made are viable and true..It also does not help the fact that we have four or five clubs within 20 miles of each other..My child has played at three different clubs but has been with the same one for the past three years..

and parker/mak, IF you were referring to me when you said, "I was slammed for supporting CESA" i just want to reiterate that i am all for club cheerleading and showing off accomplishments, as long as you don't try to tear down everyone else in the process (same for loc dog).

if cesa is where they are, and you are proud of that and comfortable with everything they've done, you really shouldn't feel the need to lash out at other clubs. it's just not necessary. that's kinda what i've been trying to say for what feels like forever.