SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Bridge FA

The Bridge Futbol Alliance, (Bridge FA), is a reality in the low country.
Recently this concept was tested with two teams playing in the TFC Friendlies in Fayetteville, NC, in the middle to latter part of February. Last weekend, the first competitive tournament was entered with a U14 team (Bridge FA 90s) playing up in the U15 age group at the Beach FC Spring Classic held in Va Beach. The team was rostered under US Club Soccer for this tournament. This team, comprised of players from the Coastal Attack 90's, former Mount Pleasant Patriots, SSC Sporting, SSC Rapids Blue, and SSC Rapids White, were the Champions of the rain shortened tournament, with a goal differential of 14-1. There were two complete games with a 10-0 goal differential, and then a shortened, 15 minute half semi, score 4-1, and finally a PK only final which was won 4-1. Both the TFC Friendlies and the Spring Classic have had very positive results. Excitement is high as we begin to truly pool the talent in the low country.
Bridge FA, is a new and separate club, formed as an alliance with other low country soccer clubs. Currently the James Island Youth Soccer Club, and the Summerville Soccer Club have formed the alliance, and discussions are continuing with other area clubs. The concept of Bridge FA is that it will become the low country "challenge" level club. Bridge FA will begin operations with the Fall 05 season. Tryout dates and locations are being finalized. Watch for additional information.

Bear,
Is this a complete merger of SSC and JIYSA? MPSC is not a part of the merger?

Striker,

This is not a merger of any clubs. Each area club retains their identity, and exists to serve their local players in rec and classic play.

The basic concept is this, alliance member clubs will not field challenge teams, but rather challenge level players will play for Bridge FA.

MPSC currently is not a member of the alliance. However, MPSC players were members of all 3 of the teams that have competed under the name Bridge FA, to date. Discussions, however, are continuing with MPSC, to bring them into the alliance.

A significant amount of time and effort has gone into this, and with tryouts less than two months away, it is time to begin to publicize this accomplishment.

So the highest level players will play for Bridge FA? Will you have teams in the premier league as well? I guess that will depend on how they do in the fall. But if some teams already qualify for premier league for next fall, will they be moved under the Bridge FA name? Sounds like a great concept. Hope it works for you! (Cool name, too!)

I'm really confused. It's a separate club that will just have challenge teams? That means that all of the alliance teams are feeder teams to Bridge? Why just not merge?

Striker,

Yes, the highest level players, from alliance member clubs, would train with the highest level players from the area, and play for Bridge FA. To say that Bridge FA will or will not have premier teams in the fall, requires too much speculation at this point. The mechanisms are in place which allow Premier teams to move clubs, as has happened before.

CornerFlag,

Yes, it's a separate club that will only field challenge teams. As far as the way you state feeder teams, that's one way to look at it. Another way is for a common training syllabus for a much larger group of players, therefore, developing all area players. One answer on the why not merge is, the multiple business models between the area clubs lead to items which can't be overcome.

I know you may not be able to say before tryouts, but what age/gender teams do you anticipate fielding for fall season? And who will be the coaches?

Bridge FA will field teams from U13 to U18, boys and girls, where the numbers and ability allows.

Just as there is a pool of players which are currently dispersed among clubs, so are coaches/trainers currently dispersed.

Do you think you will get MPSC to join in due to their recent successes on the field? It does sound like that concept may work in Cola. Some players have been reluctant to move from NECSA to CSC, and vice versa or from CRSA to CSC. Some reasons given for the reluctance have been distance and just don't like 'that club over there'. But with a separate and new challenge/premier club of all the best in Cola., then maybe there would be less reluctance to switch clubs. You could even have coaches from the several classic clubs also coach a challenge/premier team in the new club and still remain affiliated with their classic club because the level of play would be different. OK area clubs, take a look at Bridge FA..........
Cola.'s new club could be called Capital Futbol Alliance (CFA) or Capital Soccer Alliance (CSA).
YES!!!!!!! It will work!!

I guess the rest of the state will have to get to work to catch up with the BRIDGE.Who is the decisonmaker for the new superclub.