SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP CESA Press Release: Establishing a Columbia Program

[Preface: I received this earlier this afternoon from CESA.]

For immediate release 11/14/05

Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA) announced that they will establish a program in the Columbia area beginning in the spring of 2006. Jim Heilich, who has been a CESA staff member since the club’s inception and former Columbia Soccer Club Director Eddie Crosby will help to implement this new program. Chris Christian, who led the Columbia Soccer Club Under 13 Boys to the Challenge Cup State Championship last season, will also join Heilich and Crosby as a member of the CESA staff. CESA has offered training in the Columbia area over the past year and is now committed to forming recreation, academy and select teams based in Columbia.

CESA is in the process of hiring other high profile coaches from the Columbia area. Co-Executive Director Andrew Hyslop said, “ We have had a great deal of interest from players, parents and coaches in the Columbia area and Pearse and I feel sure that when we provide top quality coaching and a solid infrastructure our program will be well received in Columbia.”

Please contact Andrew Hyslop at 864-329-1113 for additional information regarding CESA and immediate plans for the Columbia area.

This gets better everyday. Almost like a soap opera without the good looking women .

The funny thing is that after reading all the comments on this board today about CESA in Columbia I was actually going to make a joke about CESA opening a satellite office in Columbia.

I'm sure this will stir things up in the state...

Someone needs to help Striker out. He will either be upset that the evil red machine is moving into his backyard or be extemely happy that a merger seems possible.

Regardless, I think Shearer may need to get him some Newcastles.

floored.... I was just floored.... in my wildest thoughts this one never came in...

So is this the "Emprire Strikes Back"?

I have read 2004striker and I have commented on the needs for the cola area.... I will however say that at this point without any other info available...THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING... Call it gut reaction or whatever but this cannot be good for the sport in the state.

Diluted talent is bad, concentrated talent means no visibility (politics, wink-wink, nudge-nudge). Monopolies are frowned upon in everything and it should be here. I have seen first hand what CESA has done and I applaud their success, but I cannot believe this will fly with the locals. Where would they practice (where DO they practice)? Why would anyone provide them with fields... there must be a million questions.

Chico, I know the decision you made.... you have in the past posted what I believe to be objective threads.... Can you provide me with rationale as to why this would be good for the state and all the players not the top 18 at each age group.

In exploring a move to CESA for my kid,and practicing in Cola 2 days with 1 in Greenville, I had several concerns.1) the level of training he would recieve. Not from a coaching standpoint, but from the players he would train with. Would there be enough older ,higher level kids to work with? 2) With only training with the full team once a week, would the coach get enough looks at you to have you as a main player in his rotation.. Out of sight,out of mind.......

This move by CESA looks like it would address some of these questions, but how long will it take before a CESA team based in Cola would be equal to the other Cesa teams or CSC or NECSA for that matter?

YES, YES!! There is a Santa Claus!! And he still wears RED! Given the DOC mindsets of all the area clubs and now CSC without Eddie to lead the way to quality soccer in Cola., this is the only and best solution. CESA will bring its organization, and desire to provide avenues for all players to attain their best, with this new club. I asked Bridge people when they 1st began if they might be interested to establish alliances with other state clubs and grow in that manner. But I received no response. CESA has evidently seen the Cola. environment as one that lacked an organized effort to go in any definitive direction. But they also saw the tremendous potential to create excellent teams at all levels in the Cola. area. I wish them well. I can now sleep easier at night, knowing that soon, all will be well in Cola. area soccer. And all of my fellow posters will no longer have to put up with my 'dream merger' rants. I will now get back to the Red Neck League, and my other 'dream' of creating an RNL alliance in the upstate.

I'm sure that CESA is not doing this blindly. If you look at the coaching staff they are starting to put together, they are pretty confident that they will be able to get the kids. You are essentially talking about a new club in the Columbia area that is going to take players away from the other clubs, especially CSC. My guess is that this will force the hand of the other clubs to do something to keep players from going to CESA.

I would love to see more details of this though? Fields, teams, ages?

Why not do away will all clubs in the state, and just have CESA bases in the midlands, piedmont, and lowerstate. That way, we can just have a bunch of scrimmages between CESA and the top 18 players in the state will represent south carolina at regionals every year.
Honestly, I like CESA in Greenville, I like the idea of Bridge in the Summerville area, and I like the idea of a merger in Columbia, but where will it end?

>> [futbol(soccer)] Chico, I know the decision you made.... you have in the past posted what I believe to be objective threads.... Can you provide me with rationale as to why this would be good for the state and all the players not the top 18 at each age group.<<

Why is this good for all players not the top 18 in each age group?
I believe that CESA is one of the most misunderstood entities around. Not that what they're trying to do is secret -- these folks are as subtle as being hit on the head with a 2x4. The merger announcement said it, "...full range of services for youth soccer players." The web site said it "CESA was formed to offer more opportunities for youth soccer players..."

Did you notice what occurred last weekend? CESA has 6 challenge teams that are playing in the semifinals of the challenge cup. This is a big deal not for "bragging rights" or anything else like that but because it means that approximately 100 players get to play past the first weekend. Approximately 100 players can get into better tournaments next year. Approximately 100 players have developed additional skills to potentially achieve more in high school play than they would otherwise. I believe that it's a better metric in terms of CESA meeting its core mission than how many state challenge cup titles CESA wins.

For the purposes of challenge cup play, imagine CESA were two clubs consisting of the Premier teams and the Challenge teams. Here's the analysis.

Club Analysis: Semifinal Slots
------------------------------
CESA-PR - 7
CESA-CH - 6
CSC ----- 4
NECSA --- 4
Bridge -- 3
CFC ----- 1
MPSC ---- 1
LCSC ---- 1
CUSC ---- 1
Coastal - 1
NA ------ 1

Did you note the coaches associated with some of the upsets this weekend? Carlos Osorio and the U17B challenge team. Terry Archenhold and the U17G challenge team. Russel Shelley and the U15B challenge team. These are big name coaches -- and are a clear signal as to the importance of the mission.

The classic cup and American cup this weekend are likewise a big deal to CESA and are watched incredibly closely.

Is CESA "perfect"? Heck no. But to cast CESA as only focusing and servicing the premier teams is to describe an elephant as a "snake-like thing" -- while that's true for the elephant's trunk, it rather misses the point.

>> [futbol(soccer)] Chico, I know the decision you made.... you have in the past posted what I believe to be objective threads.... Can you provide me with rationale as to why this would be good for the state and all the players not the top 18 at each age group.<<

Why is this good for the state?
The state is a big place. I'm going to first recast your question in terms of why I think this is good for the Columbia area.

At this time, Columbia-area clubs offer what I term the "myth of choice." Why is it a myth? If I have a kid that wants to play regional- and national-level soccer, there is no choice because no club offers this across multiple age groups and genders. If I have a kid that wants to play social soccer, there is no choice -- the "local" club is where all his friends are and the local club typically has a monopoly on the "local" fields. If I have a kid that doesn't have the skills to play on the "A" team but has a lot of ambition, I typically can't get the level of coaching/training on the "B" team that the "A" team gets so my kid falls farther behind.

I used run a business within a large company. One of the industries we had as customers were banks. Banks then had (and many still have now) financial models based on the theory that once you acquired a customer, that the "switching cost" to go to another bank were so high that you could afford to treat that customer relatively poorly and still retain the customer.

I believe that there is an analogy here with youth soccer clubs. I don't find most youth soccer clubs to be focused on offering additional and better services to its customers...and I believe that the basis for this is that the "switching costs" are relatively high because of the local monopoly on fields and the social interaction once a team is formed. There are certainly counter-examples of this (note: I rather admire what I perceive to be the CRSA model -- offer a high school feeder program and focus on increasing the penetration of soccer in the immediate community -- and if you have more ambitious kids and/or teams then help them make a decision as to whether to go to a club playing at a higher level.)

I believe that CESA will offer a different model of a youth soccer club than any Columbia has yet seen. As such, I think that more Columbia-area players and parents have the chance to get a "real" choice rather than the "myth of choice". You could also make the argument that this will cause Columbia area clubs to have a knee-jerk reaction and do something (e.g., merge, partner, etc.) to provide better services. The problem is that these same clubs haven't done anything significant in the last 18 months; so I can't predict what if anything will change for the better -- but I guess we can always hope. But I have to admit that I've grown a bit skeptical of Columbia-area soccer -- for example, even if CSC and NECSA did some type of knee-jerk merger at this point, it's not clear to me at all that they would be doing so to offer superior services instead of simple fear that they might lose even more ground to the CESA and thus better "circle the wagons." I'd actually rather see CESA and CSC merge because I think it would accelerate offering more and better services to more Columbia youth. But I'm sure that many would find horror in that as well.

Now...back to your original question. Why do I think this is better for the state? Because if I'm a parent in Columbia, or Aiken, or Augusta, or Rock Hill, or Charleston -- I have a shorter driving distance for superior services. Also because I believe that CESA is more focused on increasing the penetration of soccer -- and I want to see improvement in all soccer in the state.

OK... Then let me ask you this.... I "HEAR" that many parents on the challenge level teams are not happy with the premier level placed on a pedestal, when the "B" team is just as capable.

A monopoly is good if your standing within the group, a monopoly is bad if you are outside the group. Being outside I see it differently.

Superior services locally remains to be seen, not practicing with your squad is, in my opinion a problem (I agree with Bdad11). However if the intent is to create a CESA-Midlands SC, then a name is just a name.

practice fields? where do they do it today? How will they do it in the future?

>>[futbol(soccer)] I "HEAR" that many parents on the challenge level teams are not happy with the premier level placed on a pedestal, when the "B" team is just as capable.<<

You're using figurative terms like "placed on a pedestal"; in order to answer you at all I have to understate literally what that means. Concretely, ignoring the Premier teams altogether, CESA has more of their Challenge teams playing in the semifinals than any other club has of any teams in South Carolina.

>>A monopoly is good if your standing within the group, a monopoly is bad if you are outside the group. Being outside I see it differently.<<

CESA isn't a monopoly...even in the GSA (Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson) metropolitan area. I believe that Greenville area soccer offers much more choice than Columbia area soccer because different clubs exist that specifically differentiate themselves. Foothills Premier, for example, has since CESA was created cast themselves in the mold almost as the "anti-CESA". For example, where CESA focuses on a complete reassessment of the players on a team each year at tryouts, Foothills Premier literature leads you to believe that they focus more on team consistency. Other clubs in the area include USA, Carolina FC (formerly Spartanburg), Clemson (which had a select team based in Greenville), etc.

Certainly CESA offering a youth soccer program in the Columbia metropolitan area doesn't constitute a monopoly. CRSA, CSC, LCSC, and NECSA continue to exist. In fact, CESA could merge with a Columbia club and it still wouldn't result in anything close to a monopoly with respect to providing services to youth soccer players.

>>Superior services locally remains to be seen,<<

Absolutely true; when there is a new service/product on the market it's impossible to judge the quality before it's actually sold and often you can't judge it unless you buy it. You have to make decisions based on what we used to call "incomplete experience". I tried to indicate my subjectivity when I used variations of the term "Why I think" in the post -- it's based on my kid's experience only.

>>not practicing with your squad is, in my opinion a problem (I agree with Bdad11).<<

I don't know of any players at this time that don't practice with their team at least once a week. The majority of non-local players that I know of practice with their teams twice a week. And some practice with their teams three times a week.

However, the following is something from another post I wrote a few days ago which gets to the root of this:

quote:

---

Here's what confuses me the most about those that doubt the "some training remotely" concept -- you've seen it in action for years -- those I know specifically about are the older GFC teams and last year's CESA's teams. It's not like you have to accept anything on faith; the proof is already there.

What I strongly suspect is that there are a lot of people who don't like the "sometimes training remotely" paradigm. I completely understand that. As a parent only training locally is a much simpler concept with which to deal. But it seems strange to confuse what you don't like versus what has been shown to be effective.

---

>>practice fields? where do they do it today? How will they do it in the future? <<

For specific questions, please use the contact information in the press release. I'm not blowing you off -- I'm letting you know that I don't have the details of the new program and if anyone does, it's the folks who operationally run CESA.

To summarize all of this; other than posting the press release, all I've done here is answered your question about what I personally think is the rationale for this being "good." Do I have any biases? Of course, I volunteer at CESA and I have a kid that not only plays there but gets a level of training she wanted that we could not find in Columbia [which circularly comes back to why I volunteer there.]

It is interesting to go back just one year and look at the discussions on this merger topic after CESA took all 8 state championships. The full thread can be accessed below. But a few posts are included here and prophetically concluded by Talon in his statement as to when a merger may take place : "......but only under the right circumstances led by true soccer leaders."
I believe CESA has proven to be and will continue to prove to be true soccer leaders in SC.

http://www.scsoccer.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000479#000000

Author Topic: Midlands Soccer [Moved from Thread with **** in Name]
Chico
Registered Member
Member # 1734
posted December 14, 2004 09:12 AM
Moved this to a new thread to focus on what 2004striker wants to talk about.

[2004striker] OK, OK, enough of this CESA Lovefest!! I too applaud the merger and acknowledge your accomplishments in one year, and Mark, as you may have surmised from all of my rants about a Cola merger, I only am pleading for the same in Cola. It is what Cola needs to keep up with you fine folks at CESA. And in the long run a merger here would make SC a stronger, more vibrant soccer state on the regional and national scene. But, for the sake of my personal sanity, can we move on past this Lovefest?
We in the midlands now need to hear from the respective area club officials -CRSA/CSC/LSC/NECSA- who have the power or position to discuss, review and consider a merger. But, my hopes have been dashed like Prancer too many times before with sounds of silence about the merger issue. The afore-mentioned midlands clubs clearly know what the future holds for them. As I have asked too many times before, do you want to field average, convenient teams that may, on occasional odd years, merely challenge for state championships or do you want to field consistent yearly teams that win those championships and go on to regional challenges? Midlands clubs, there is an open goal for a shot, but do you even make an attempt?
Posts: 570 | Registered: Apr 2003 | IP: Logged

Chico
Registered Member
Member # 1734
posted December 14, 2004 09:43 AM
You and I have discussed the idea of a Columbia-area merger on this message board as have others for a very long time. The reasoning had nothing to do with a single upstate club; instead it had to do with the fact that no one in the midstate was offering a full range of services for youth soccer players -- in particular, highly ambitious and talented players.

There are sure to be people who disagree that this is needed -- and quite a few of them have also posted on this message board saying that what the midstate, in particular the Columbia area, now has is fine.

Look -- when my daughter fell in love with soccer and wanted to train instead of sleeping and eating -- I agitated for a while at my daughter's midstate soccer club to take it from a "volunteer" club [USSF lingo] to a "professional" club with higher aspirations. Most people either didn't care or actively didn't want it. I looked around the Columbia area; couldn't find anything that I thought was as serious as she wanted to be. But it wasn't rocket science -- when she was 12 years old (she's 14 now) she began pestering me about taking her to the upstate.

I know that there are teams in the midlands that are wonderful; but the problem is finding a club that is wonderful. You're right; that's not going to happen without a merger. But I don't believe that most parents want a merger. And I don't see any leadership out there, with the exception of Crosby at CSC, who have expressed an interest. While I disagree with his perspective, I have to respect Heise on this board who has prefaced most discussions of this type with something along the lines [I'm paraphrasing] that he's 90% focused on HS soccer in any case. Were that everyone was so honest with respect to intent.

So I think that your choices are to get with CSC and give them your own personal time and energy to build a midlands-dominant soccer club or to use your personal time and energy to get with an upstate-dominant soccer club and help them provide broader and deeper services for all SC players. I chose the latter...and honestly, I chose it before it became a bit more obvious (e.g., before any mergers). But I fully respect anyone who chooses another path.

2004striker, the reason that I think some people attack you about this merger thing is that they see it as "barking at the moon" -- the moon doesn't care. I care -- you care -- but most people don't. I don't like it, but I completely understand that for casual soccer players, what the Columbia area has now meets their most of their needs.

One last note -- and I'm trying to state fact here, not engage in a lovefest. But those CESA teams -- a lot of them have a lot of players from 20 miles, 30 miles, and up to 100 miles away. At one point there was a girl flying in each weekend from California to play on a team. For most of the season, CESA offered two practices a week for Columbia players IN COLUMBIA and the people training were incredibly highly qualified in every sense of the word. Last time I said this on the message board a lot of people told me that this wouldn't produce high-quality teams. I disagree. But regardless, there's yet another option for highly ambitious players in the midlands that aren't lucky enough to find that one really serious team in their gender and age bracket that is five minutes from their home.

2004striker
Registered Member
Member # 2433
Member Rated:posted December 15, 2004 08:34 PM

There is no way that egos can be addressed. The clubs gotta, wanta, haveit. CSC is the only one that indicated a desire to work together with the rest....but nothing came of it last year. CRSA wants to feed players into its area school, which is OK, but will not challenge CESA anytime soon; NECSA wants to win, unless too much winning infringes on the social atmosphere of the club. And I have not a clue as to what LSC wants. They have a great facility there and nice fields, but obviously don't want quality soccer played on them. So....no merger is gonna happen with those mind sets. I have decided, therefore, to start a new club to compete with CESA- it will have no egos, no name or flashy uniforms, no soccer moms,no obnoxious dads, no ODP players allowed, no parents at tryouts or practices cause they ain't gonna be nice and pretty, and no whining about playing time cause we gotta win championships. These are just a few initial regulations of the new club. I gotta work on the name, fees, fields, organization, and a few other things. But I will let you know when I get it all together. Posts: 937 | From: South Carolina | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged |

Talon
Registered Member
Member # 1987
posted December 15, 2004 08:37PM
2004striker - that's called a pipedream! Sorry to rain on your parade, but that won't happen.

I agree on many of your points and think that Charleston and Columbia would both strengthen their cause with mergers, but only under the right circumstances led by true soccer leaders.

What's your point??? Are you actually falling for this? So what happens when CESA Cola beats CESA Greenville??? OR when 75% of the kids in cola dont want to go to Greenville to train? Will they not have too? Will there be only one team?


TOO many questions.

Duh, yeah....I'm falling for it....Maybe I be stupid....but with Heilich and Crosby in charge its a no-brainer.

Shearer: I completely understand this line of thinking; it's the same thing that was said when CESA was announced. And you're right -- there are an enormous number of questions -- just as there were when CESA was announced.

I understand skepticism; I even understand cyniscm given the experiences that many have had with respect to the youth soccer club environment in the Columbia area. And there's no doubt that it's not going to be for everyone.

But what I don't understand is why there would be negativity about another option for players and their parents in the Columbia area.

No NO not anything negative about CESA just too many question w/out answers. You are right CESA has done great.....but this is year two right?

I like to see it this way......take a new night club/ bar in five points or any college town.....man that place is "off the hook" for a few months/years then BANG its gone why???? people stop going and you have to change the name. Now when you walk back in the this place it has the same old bathrooms and smae old drinks but a new name and EVRYONE loves it.....Well this is my opinion of club soccer.

I am glad kids have "other options" ...I am glad the level of play is better etc.....to be honest if EC is in w/ CESA Iam glad he is sticking it to those CSC board members.....but there are way too many questions to not be "carfeful" about this "merger"

Chico,

Any word on where CESA Cola will train?.

Shearer: Understood. You're right, CESA is only of 18 months old. My perspective goes back a little further, as many of the training and coaching paradigms in use seem to be the best-case of the constituent clubs. But nevertheless, that's not a ton of history...and with this newly announced Columbia program, there are even more questions.

One of the things I do is invest. When I look at smaller companies with limited histories, I look at two things first and foremost: the market for their products/services and their ability to execute. The ability to execute comes from the operational leadership of the company. My bets are on CESA -- because my bets are on the people involved in this in both metropolitan areas.

I honestly don't know where training will be; however, I know that the folks arranging it understand the "pecularities" of gaining access to Columbia-area soccer fields and have an array of options engaged. Again...not trying to blow anyone off...but if you want to know specifics then you need to use the contact information in the press release.

Shearer,

I can't really address any of your questions, cause I ain't involved. I am only good at stirring up trouble and having wild dreams. I cannot predict how all levels will be organized, but I am mainly interested, and can only speak on, the mechanics employed to attain the highest level in the respective age groups. One quality result I hope to see from this would be that there would be one high level team per age group that can be successful on a regional/national basis. As far as travel, after you established your select team (that will be composed of players from upstate, Cola. and possibly the Aiken to Sumter corridor and maybe some from lowcountry to have a true statewide select team); you could have full team practices/training in Cola. once a week, and then in the respective Greenville/Columbia areas the rest of the week. It will probably not be a best of Greenville-area CESA select team v. best of Cola. area CESA select team. To be successful on a regional/national basis, it will have to be one select statewide team per age group.

This is a stream-of-consciousness post, but I will try to keep it short.

One long-term outcome of this would appear to be the creation of "permanent" ODP-type teams. However, many of us have seen that it is difficult for SC to be consistently competetive in the region in the ODP environment. I believe that soccer is a team sport, not just a bunch of all-stars thrown on a field together. The players need to practice TOGETHER AS A TEAM on a consistent, regular basis. If I personally could afford the time and $ (especially with the price of gas these days) to drive to the Greenville area, that would be one thing. Since I don't have either, that is not an option for my family. So, unless the "teams" would be "localized" then it is not appealing to me. And if they are, I fail to see the long-term benefit. For others, and whatever reasons they may have, it may be something they are interested in. I must say I am a little disappointed in the ex-CSC staffers only because I have listened to what they have said to the parents and players over the past several years and I believed them. I guess I am naive and believe alot of rhetoric. But, in the end, people have to do what is best for themselves and families.

Chico as usual thank you for the information....

I will give it more thought and post later.

It's Closed. Never went in it was "old"


oh and 2004 sucker didn't you mean "wet" dreams

I was big in Knock knock and No Name. That was my spot.....but that was a long time ago in a "galaxy" far far away......(well off of Sparkelberry)!!!

Shearer plays the part of Lloyd Christmas in this classic:

'Lloyd Christmas: Excuse me, miss, what's the soup du jour?
Waitress: The Soup of the Day.
Lloyd Christmas: Mmmm...sounds good, think I'll have that.'

what????????

There has been discontent at CSC, mostly with the former DOC. It wasn't that parents were complaining about their child getting playing time or being on the 'A' or 'B' team, but they were dissatisfied with the coaches evaluations and the poor quality training that was offered to the younger players. Quite a few players were considering traveling to CESA simply to get better training than they were being offered at CSC. Now that CESA is picking up some of those responsible for the poor training at CSC, will they still want to go the CESA route with the possibility of getting the coaching they were trying to get away from?

Maybe they're better coaches than administrators. Could be that a DOC needs to be more of a manager than a coach? Who knows, not me.

What is curious though is the belief that to be a great soccer player you have to participate in a specific club. My question is how do all the South American and European kids become so good? Do they have all these club organizations, each claiming to be better than the other? Or do they just play, and play, and play and play whether it's in the school yard, the backyard the dirt roads through the town. Do they play with teams or just one or two friends who live nearby, or by themselves just for entertainment?

Shearer,
Just like George W., you just don't get it!

dhunter,
I really don't think its all about developing 'great soccer players'. Its about developing great soccer teams. There are plenty of 'great players' on average teams and very good teams, yet those teams don't win consistently just because they may have a few great players. Quality is all about creating a best team to beat out of state teams and win big tournaments on a consistent basis. If you can establish that, then those individual players may be considered among the best, and will have success in college.

Yeah but if you don't play on the best teams or the best clubs you will suck in college!

Yeah I didn't get it.......I have no idea why lloyd christmas came up? I guess you are going to say that Feno and I should run for president vs bush and your mother......not funny so who cares.

Is that the same as IMG?

Dhunter... outside the US, facilities for other sports (Latin America) are basically non-existant. In South America it is basically play all the time. There are clubs that provide the structure, but the best players are the ones that do it all the time playing evrywhere against everybody. This is where you learn....akin to City basketball, there are clubs , but the ones that can play; play everywhere all the time to become better.

Chico... I searched the CESA website for the announcement... nothing. Is there a time delay?

To me this is a good move. I like the fact that Crosby is sticking it to CSC. Can't beat em join em.

That's a lot of really good coaches. It will be interesting to ee what tripp miller and alan riches do. What's Hiller and Savitz doing? I bet Dennis is in hawg heaven.

dhunter, do you really have any idea why eddie left? Do you have any affiliation with him or CSC? Probably not. In that case why don't you stick to reporting facts instead of hear-say. I honestly think that Eddie made a decision for him and his family. Why wouldn't a coach want to train the best players in his/her area? It's ok though, you are just poorly informed.

Keepcoach, just because you are from Irmo does not give you the right to start popping off. So last week Eddie resigns from CSC due to family reasons, but last night he is now on with CESA. he resolved his family issues in one week? Sounds more like internal problems to me.

Keepcoach01,
Sorry, but I do know what I'm talking about. Have had affiliations with CSC and Crosby. He manipulated the BOD, he lied to coaches, he lied to parents. That's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.

Loc, he made a personal decision and even though you may not agree with it, you have to respect it. It is a better decision for his family, what else can you say? What does my being from columbia or irmo make a difference really? I'm guessing that's just your stereotype you have of people in irmo, which honestly isn't far off with most people. But just know that it is a stereotype. I just get sick of people who honestly have NO idea about what went or is going on.

Wow Dhunter,
Tell us how you really feel! If the problems were as bad as you profess, then it is best for all parties concerned that changes take place. But I think the end result will satisfy all concerned in the years to come.

Really guys who cares...Eddie is no longer with CSC and is now with CESA. His reasons for leaving are HIS reasons not ours. Bottom line is CESA is coming to Cola and Eddie is with them...CSC and NECSA may be able to work out a merger...no matter how you look at it the winds of change have started to blow and reguardless of the outcome it can only help the kids.

LOC,

Why the hate towards Crosby? I figured you would love another good coach at CESA. Sounds like someone is jealous that they got looked over. Maybe like Fredo when Mike got to be the godfather.

Also people in Irmo usually now what's going on there. Just like the people in Greenville,Rock Hill and Charleston know. I would even imagine people on the way to the beach know too.

Eddie's here. Eddie's there. Seems like Eddie is everywhere!

Had to get off the floor from laughing so hard. I knew there was more to the story than family reasons for Crosby to walk away from CSC before he was fired. At least that is what it looks like since you have Tripp Miller waiting in the wings as the new Director of Coaches.

CESA comes to Columbia and Crosby bolts for the greener pa$ture$, while CSC and NECSA don't want to be left out in the cold and join forces to combat the invasion. Straight out of a World War II novel this is!

What's so funny is that this has been discussed for years about the need for a merger for the most talented teams in the Columbia area, but the northwest and northeast powers would have none of it. Now since the cash cow is being threatened, the decision for an alliance has proved necessary.

Great stuff folks! Keep it up! This kind of entertainment usually costs $8.50 at the picture show.

One more thing. I'm not against this merger at all and think it can be quite healthy for the Midlands, much like the Columbia Metropolitan Soccer Association was for the Columbia area back in the 1990s. That was the group I worked with while my son played from the U13 to U18 age levels.

However, my suggestion would be to focus the needs of this merger at the top level players for state and regional competitions. Approach it like an ODP team in which the best players make the team and leave the politics out of it. If a team Mom is the manager of the team and her little Joey doesn't make it, tough! Leave the younger age groups to the organizations that are actually interested in player development and allow any second tier players to continue their development at the local club.

Eddie was a person who I always looked up to with high regard. Since u-11 he always taught us that dignity, itegrity, and respect were just as important as our play on the field. He always discouraged kids who wanted to leave the club and preached to us that we had the talent we needed to be successful right here in Columbia. After hearing the news about how Eddie had abandoned many of the kids he helped bring through that club, I was more dissapointed than anything else. How could he go directly against something he had so adamantly preached to all of us? I almost feel like he abandoned us. And to reiterate a point Dhunter made; Eddie promises a lot, but produces a little.

Tyler

I have not said anything negative towards Eddie. My shots have been at the CSC board. I knew Eddie was not leaving on his own accord. Something went down. Could be Eddies fault, could be the boards. Probably a combo of both.

Thats great that CESA added Eddie, but it has absolutely no bearing on my personal life.

Wow!!! This is amazing!!! Will the USC women's coaches be as involved in Columbia as they have been in Greenville?

Seems odd that they've struggled to qualify for the SEC tournament, but have not actively recruited South Carolina except for the few CESA kids (Alex Mouton, actually from RNE/Columbia).

Sorry Midlands:

quote:

---

How could he go directly against something he had so adamantly preached to all of us? I almost feel like he abandoned us. And to reiterate a point Dhunter made; Eddie promises a lot, but produces a little.

---

I think this is a question a lot of folks are asking today. Perhaps only a reply from Eddie himself will allow us to know his true intentions.

>>[futbol(soccer)] Diluted talent is bad, concentrated talent means no visibility (politics, wink-wink, nudge-nudge). [...] <<

Concentrated talent means no visibility? First, if you're committed to being the "biggest fish in a small pond" and you have sufficient talent, there's nothing to stop you from playing recreation or classic and being a hero. In fact, there's nothing to stop you from playing on a non-competitive challenge team...although getting visibility might be more difficult. But more importantly, I believe that the premise is flawed. Concentrated talent increases visibility, if that concentrated talent is coached to play together as a team and has success.

Secondly, I understand the fear of politics. A personal anecdote. When I was asked to volunteer with CESA, my first question was whether they could give me a promise that it wouldn't hurt my kid who plays there. I knew that they take a pretty hard line on politics -- and I wanted to make sure that the directors or coaches would try to prove a point through me or my kid.

I fundamentally believe that politics occur in youth soccer clubs primarily when boards get involved in day-to-day soccer operations. Boards have absolute responsibilites regarding strategy, financials, values, policy, and the like. But when you have a board of parents making decisions such as which players play on which teams, or which tournaments will be attended, or which coaches will coach which teams -- it's a recipe for the "good ol' boy network" and politics at its worst. It's great for a board to set coaching selection strategy (i.e., we want to make sure that we provide great coaching for challenge and classic and not just premier teams); it's another for a board to get actively involved in deciding the specific coach that will coach the U11B team. Because once that occurs, you're only a tiny bit away from "Board member and donor Mr. Smith wants Coach John to coach the U11B team because Mr. Smith's son loves Coach John."

I'm not sure that this is well understood, particularly in places in which politics have run rampant.

>> [benp] Why not do away will all clubs in the state, and just have CESA bases in the midlands, piedmont, and lowerstate.<<

What you are implying here is a logic fallacy known as the slippery slope fallacy. However, I'll answer it affirmatively in any case, i.e., why there should be more than one club per MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area).

As I noted in another post, I believe that the upstate has as much or more choice than the midstate has had to date...and I posted my rationale and the clubs involved.

The reason that there should be more than one club per MSA is that there are always going to be players and parents that want something other than what CESA offers. For example, there are going to be players that want to play challenge but not practice very much. There are going to be parents that want to be more "in control" and get to dictate which tournaments the team attends. And so on.

That's all well and good. However, there's a much more insiduous "choice" that people sometimes want to be able to make. It's the one where as a player you tell the club that you to be on a regionally/nationally competitive team, compete and win in RIIIPL, and so on -- but you want the team to stay together regardless of tryouts because they're all friends, you don't want to practice 3 (or whatever) times a week, you don't want to practice 20 (or whatever) miles away, you don't want to travel to tournaments, etc.

Jack Welch, former CEO at General Electric, had a great saying: "Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it would be." It's pretty applicable here. Make a choice of club and team, but don't lie to yourself about the reasons for your choice or the probable outcome of your choice.

Chico--do you ever work?

Not much right now. After my first several operations as an amateur brain surgeon (see my profile), there has been little in the way of repeat business.

However, if you have any hints on either the dollar/Euro exchange rate futures [.853 right now, who woulda thunk?], or what Bernanke will really do [as a fellow South Carolinian, don't you think he owes us a few under the table previews?], please let me know.

Unfortunately, I must confess to this forum, that I was one of Chico's few early patients. That is why I now dream so much.

Dang it... I thought I was the only patient......

Who jumped first?

Was EC going to get fired by the CSC Board? Did he catch wind of that move and bolt for CESA?

Did CESA approach EC and in turn he leaves CSC high and dry?

Has TM been waiting in the wings for these chips to fall?

Where does this leave DC?

Does this signal the end of the PS era at Irmo?

"It's a riddle trapped inside an enigma!"

riddle me this......

Cokefan,
If all your questions were to be appropriately addressed, what would it matter?

And the reason you need answers is???

[Sorry for the late replies on some of these; it was a busy week.]

>>[dhunter] What is curious though is the belief that to be a great soccer player you have to participate in a specific club.<<

I believe that this is an example of the straw man fallacy.

I've never seen any post, or heard anyone, say that to be a great soccer player you have to participate in a specific club. Please let me know if I'm simply ignorantly missing who said this. The truth is much more nuanced and lies not in a specific club but instead in a specific environment.

The role of the club in helping a player realize his or her ambitions lies in at least the following:

1. Level of training. This is determined by the players with whom you train and the coach doing the training. A very talented group of players can offset a less talented coach, and a very talented coach can offset a less talented group of players.

2. Level of competition. This is determined largely by the skills of the team members and the coaching a player receives. You get to play in better leagues, and against better teams in better tournaments, the better your team is. In addition, there may be the opportunity for even stronger competition in the form of college scrimmages if the better college teams will schedule your team [or pool].

In terms of supporting your child as a highly ambitious soccer player, you have to first figure out what are the available clubs given your situation and then of those you have to judge which clubs and teams offer the highest levels of training and competition.

>>[Cola Fan] ...the silence is deafening!<<

I think the reason for this resounding silence is that everyone has decided [with help from the moderators in locking some of the more egregious threads] to try to keep names and personalities out of this. At one point, this board began sounding like the Georgia message board; I think that most participating in it want to keep it as civil as possible.

Chico.....Say it ain't so you repeated something!!!!! WOW!!!

You have already used the Straw Man on me!! I am shocked you used something twice!!

I can see the application of the 'Straw Man Theory' to Shearer and dhunter as quite appropriate, yet I do feel a further application, 'The Scarecrow Theory' is appropriate for both, as well. That is the theory from one of the great classics, The Wizard of Oz, in which you may recall that the Scarecrow was in search of a brain.
>>Scarecrow: I haven't got a brain... only straw.
Dorothy: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.>>

Shearer: I calls 'em like I see 'em.

No...seriously...I tend to use the fallacy stuff a lot...simply as a way of trying to communicate what I think is going on in a dialogue.

I found the following on the NC soccer message boards. Someone was looking for info on CESA, here is one poster's reply:

"CESA dominates SC because of lack of appropriate competition, not even more so than Greenville FC did pre-merger. Their teams go in the following order: Premier, Challenge, Classic, and from what I have seen their Challenge teams can hang pretty well with the 1st division here in NC."


It's a credit to CESA that they can perform so well on the Regional Premier level, when they suffer from a lack of "appropriate competition" here in the Palmetto State.

Time for the Bridges, NECSA/CSC's and the rest of the state to step up and "give them a game". We'll all be better off for it. Congrats CESA and keep up the good work. You've proven to be the bench mark and you have represented the state very well.

The scores in the challenge cup last year were for the most part very, very close...

Here's another thread (dated 11/2/05) from the NC Forum that shows a more common view of South Carolina soccer:

>>MR: Anyone know anything about these teams?

CESA 91 Challenge
Carolina FC 91

Comments welcomed!<<

>>Crawdad64: I've got money on them being from Other Carolina.<<

>>mattbman (Administrator): Yes, Crawdad is correct, they are from the lesser Carolina.

CESA challenge would be their second team, but their top team won the state championship, so you don't know.

I think Carolina FC is a new club or a merger because I never heard of them before this year. But, they have to have some financial backing behind them, because they are in the process of building an 11 field complex there in Spartanburg, SC

>>Amused: CESA is by far the strongest club in S. Carolina.<<

>>LDSM: That is not really saying a whole lot. As a rule SC soccer teams are very weak compared to other Region III teams.<<

Will CESA be operational this spring in Columbia?

CESA was operational last spring and this fall in Columbia, i.e., there was training offered...so my guess is "yes." But I doubt that this is much help to you since it's the specifics of what's being offered that are probably what is important to you. In terms of the specifics offered with respect to the expanded program, you need to contact CESA per the contact information in the press release to find out more.

I thought you where on the board?

John: Not sure where you're going with this (an implication I should state more about the Columbia expansion? -- I've been pretty darned talkative on this thread! -- or perhaps an existential riposte involving my being "where on the board" -- which if that's the case then I don't get it), but as I've noted several times on this message board I was on CESA's board. I had to leave the board due to some family issues...I still think a lot of the club (and the board, for that matter).

CESA is operationally run by two co-executive directors: Andrew and Pearse. These dudes are the folks to talk to about details on this or any other detail of CESA's operations...see the contact information in the press release if there are any detailed program-specific questions. I would imagine things are occurring quickly and that the pace will only pick up after the finals tomorrow. -- Mark

[Postscript: an advertisement in the SCYSA State Cup Program states:

quote:

---

Carolina Elite Soccer Academy will field recreation, academy, and classic teams in the Columbia area beginning Spring, 2006. For more information, please contact Andrew Hyslop at Andrew@CarolinaEliteSC.com or call 864-329-1113.

---

So the answer to 202677's question appears to be "yes."

DO YOU THINK CSC WILL TOTALLY FALL APART NOW AND ALL GO TO CESA? im mainly wondering about the U-15 boys what will happen there

futbol G, Are you talking about the U15 boys team know or the U15 boys team for next season?

I'm assuming he means the ones that will be u15. Because the u15's at csc suck, but the u14s are the top team in the state right now

thats what I thought b/c the U14's right know are very good and the U15's do suck. I do not know what is going to happen there does anyone else know or think of anthing that would happen???