Submitted via email by another coach, but it raised some good points, so I have included in this thread:

What are you really trying to do?

Run an end of the year tournament where all participants have a fair chance to win?

Run an end of the year tournament based on what teams have accomplished during that season?

Run a tournament to recognize the best teams at that time?

Run an end of the year tournament that HIGHLIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER & OFFERS MAXIMUM EXPOSURE/OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOLS, PLAYERS & FANS

Some of you would say we are trying to do all of these, but how you set up the tournament will most likely favor one over the others.

The reality is collectively we all could probably come up with the 2-6 teams that actually have a legitimate shot to win in a given year AND the 4-10 teams that WILL ACTUALLY win over multiple years. The rest of the teams are just playing for the experience and to possibly be the "Cinderella Team" making it all the way to the Championship!

The discussion thread leads towards "seeding" and notes groups like the NCAA Basketball tournament. It also moves towards "downplaying" Region (league) results noting that they are just "geographical considerations". None of the comments adds all the elements into a "big picture". NCAA is a PROFIT driven tournament. It also utilizes NEUTRAL SITES featuring MULTIPLE GAMES for EXPOSURE and EXCITEMENT. If Regions are just for geography then lets play all games at midpoint neutral sites. NO, then follow the model for many major soccer tournaments and play a HOME & AWAY aggregate format >>>> TRAVEL DOES MATTER! What a difference when I coached at Hilton Head and traveled to Berkeley for a "Region Game" vs. coaching at West Ashley and making that trip!!!!

How does the state tournament actually run?

At this time we basically follow a "model" that is the easiest for the SCHSL to "oversee" BUT do as little as possible to actually run. This model is used for many sports and by MANY states (not just SC). The changes being proposed don't REALLY change that; they only HELP/SUPPORT/PROTECT those "FEW" schools that will probably be the dominant teams no matter what the format may be!!! It insures that the "Cinderella" team will NEVER gain an advantage over the "BETTER" team and in fact, will always have a "DISADVANTAGE" entering "The Tournament".

What can we do? ANY change will come down to convincing the Athletic Directors who in turn would have to convince the SCHSL to make meaningful changes. Why would an Athletic Director at "Last Place" Region Team "Whats-a-mattaU" High School care about protecting the top teams in some other region ???!!!!! In NCAA Basketball that is why there are two "Also Ran" tournaments in addition to the NCAA. That is why in NCAA football we continue to have end of the year "Bowl Games" even if teams are not selected for the championship spots! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO OFFER FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS????

Another "thread" on the forum is highlighting the USL "Academy Tournament". Another attempt to "highlight" (group, take) the best players and send them in one direction. Anybody following the NCAA bribery scandal for NCAA basketball? For me it's all tied together. How does that affect high school soccer? If your goal is not to "highlight" high school soccer then you are merely riding the "down hill slide" to where soccer will no longer be needed in the high school athletic landscape!!! "ELITE CLUB SOCCER" is trying to replace "Club Soccer" .... high school soccer isn't even a variable in their equation for what soccer should be.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

Do nothing, leave it alone, don't draw any negative attention to soccer. The athletic directors already see soccer as an "inconvenience" and the sport WITH THE MOST EJECTIONS! (Let's try to explain that to them one more time !!!! )

Run tournament with only Regional Champions. Play home & away in the 1st round. Neutral site "knock-out" after that. (Want to get REALLY crazy ... at the same time run a simple "Challenge Cup" knock out format tournament for anyone else that wants to play in end of season competition and schools will allow them.)

Depending on size of the "classification" ... World Cup format tournament. In 5A ... 32 teams break down to groups of four (4) .... 4 group winners advance into quarters, semis, Final Championship. Spread tournament out over three (3) weeks (2 games per week). Group of four (4) round robin guarantees each team 3 games (great for that year that you can't win it, but want the experience for following season). Play group double headers (OFFICIALS WILL LOVE THIS, they only want to show up if they are getting two (2) paychecks anyhow!). Lower seed does not get to host; 2nd seed hosts 1st round, 3rd seed hosts 2nd round, 1st seed hosts 3rd set of games. NOTE: WE ACTUALLY RAN OUR "SECTIONAL" TOURNAMENT IN MY 1ST COACHING LIFE BEFORE STATE TOURNAMENT WAS IMPLEMENTED AND DICTATED THE FORMAT (LARGER STATE .... MANY, MANY MORE SCHOOLS.)