SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Atlanta Cup - Where are the SC Girls?

Striker,

Here's some earlier discussion on the Atlanta Cup. I'll be there with my daughter's U-13 team out of Charlotte.

OK, Thanks.
I missed all that. If CESA is not going to CASL or WAGS or Atlanta, and CUFC is going to Disney Qualifier, then we need to consider spending all that money in-state that would normally be spent on all that travel and expenses.(especially with gas prices as they are). I propose that CESA and CUFC and Lex. jointly sponsor a big-time tournament in Cola. SC does not have anything on a large scale. Now that NECSA & CSC have merged, and there are enough fields and facilities here between Lex.& CUFC to put on a big tournament. And with the presence of CESA in the mix, I think it could attract quality teams from the southeast and beyond. I know this is a big leap of faith to expect CESA and CUSC and Lex. to cooperate on such a venture, but you do have some incredibly organized people in those clubs. It would also get some backing from the city and county since it would be an economic bonanza for the area. Also all profits could be split between the clubs. Just soccer food for thought.

As far as launching a big-time tourney in SC:

Rock Hill has the premium facility (although 8 fields are not enough).

Columbia has the central location (easy to get to via interstate from anywhere).

Greenville has the experience and organization. (CESA)

Charleston has the amenities (great city, beaches).

I have heard great things about Manchester Meadows and can't wait to see them one day. Maybe during the fictional big-time tournament there could be some showcase games or the finals played there. Its only 1hr15 from Cola.(not a bad distance when you consider that the finals at Atlanta are always held an hour away from where you played the prelims. Charleston does not have enough quality fields, so it would have to be centrally located in Cola.

Lets just DO IT!

WAGS, CASL, Disney and PDA are the top events for quality and quantity and are not overrated. The reason very low numbers of SC teams are there is because 1) they don't get in or 2) get placed in low brackets, CESA included.

Also, the reason SC players don't play at alot of out-of-state schools is because 1) they are not good enough for the money they need and/or 2) are not respected enough by coaches.

In-state, they are used to fill in-state quotas set by the administrations. That's why alot of top players stay in-state, because schools fill their SC spots with the top players without it costing much.

That's the truth and bottom line on those topics.

I'm pretty sure the CUFC U17 girls team is going to WAGS.

Beezer - Whatever! You're wayyyyyyyyy off!

Lindsey Beam can play just about anywhere. Beth Keller could have played just about anywhere. Alex Mouton was a solid recruit for USC and had opps elsewhere. Brynn Post had lots of options as well. You know not of what you speak!

Unfortunately, we don't have great numbers of players in SC that are of "top caliber" but we have enough to be respected!

Beezer,
By now, I guess I know that you are speaking of "SC soccer" in general, but there are clubs/teams that are exceptions and it rubs me the wrong way when I see you lump them into your contempt for SC soccer.
Just so you'll know (not that you will be impressed), CESA u16G (now rising u17G), the same CESA u16G that "only" got to the quarters at Regionals, WON (I know you don't give much credence for anything less than winning!) the Champions B Division of the Raleigh Shootout last fall. The Champions B Division was the 2nd highest possible division out of 8 divisions. The current u16G national champion Real Colorado National was in this division, as well as a few other Regional semi-finalists and quarterfinalists.
Also, the CESA u17G (rising u18s) won all their games at Raleigh. I don't know how the rest of the CESA teams did.
I don't know why CESA teams aren't playing Raleigh this year (maybe it's because it's at the same time as the SCYSA State Cup) or why they aren't playing WAGS, but I wouldn't think it would be because they couldn't get in, although this might be the case for some other SC teams/clubs- I don't know.
I'm tired of seeing you dis-respecting all of SC soccer when there are clubs/teams that have done plenty to bring respect to SC. Don't throw the babies out with the bath water.

I could only find 2 South Carolina teams on the WAGS 2006 acceptance list: Columbia United FC U15 Elite and SAA U11 Elite.

sbs and 202677:

Of course there are one-off teams and individuals from time to time but, for the most part, you two are "way off" in trying to defend SC players and teams as a consistent whole.

As someone pretty darn close to D-I and Region III coaches on a pretty routine basis, I think I can say the ideas reflected in my post are pretty accurate and not just mine by a long shot.

It's that naive and protecting approach that you two, and SC people, need to snap out of and realize change is needed.

>>[Beezer] WAGS, CASL, Disney and PDA are the top events for quality and quantity and are not overrated. The reason very low numbers of SC teams are there is because 1) they don't get in or 2) get placed in low brackets, CESA included.<<

You were doing fine on your argument until you threw in the gratuitous "CESA included." So help me out here; CESA's premier teams pretty much all got into Disney [not the qualifiers, but the showcase itself] last year and this, they've done well in high brackets, and yet CESA teams can't get into these tournaments or are seeded low? CESA has most (I think it's "all") of its premier teams going to Disney but walked away from CASL and WAGS because of this? This doesn't make sense.

I do believe that there is a core to your message which is true -- South Carolina soccer is weak and needs change. In your zealous attempts to agitate for change in South Carolina soccer, however, it appears to me that you are overreaching in your arguments by drawing broad generalizations with an unknown and unverifiable "appeal to authority" argument and by refuting specific evidence as only "one-off" examples.

But it goes beyond even this. Did you read the Score at the Shore reports cited by others in this thread? Broad, statistical evidence that cross-region participation in college soccer enrollment is miniscule; and yet you blithely toss that away because it gets in the way of your preconceived thoughts and argument.

Bottom line: I don't disagree with your core argument that South Carolina soccer is weak and in need of fundamental change. But in your zeal to make your arguments, you are coming across as more naive and protecting of your personal ideology than others are of the teams and clubs on which their children play. Recognizing that South Carolina soccer has undergone significant change in the past few years and can no longer be painted with a broad brush through simple-minded generalizations doesn't weaken your fundamental argument; however, the inability to recognize this does.