SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP That was quick....

Food for Thought ... Just because someone coaches College soccer does make them a better soccer coach - especially at the youth level!

Generally speaking the level of coaching at Club in SC is HIGHER than that of College soccer in SC.

I venture to bet the Top 20 Coaches in SC would consist of more Club Coaches than College Coaches!

And please dont get me started on Mary ...

Mary should of been back a long time ago.

anyone know why he left?

College coaches bring something completely different to the table. I prefer college coaches to club coaches as the players get older. It doesn't have to be about whether the college coach is better than the club coach, it's that they are different. I happen to really like the college coach my child has, and we also have a very good club coach. They concentrate on different things, and he learns from both of them

"I venture to bet the Top 20 Coaches in SC would consist of more Club Coaches than College Coaches!"

Ralston Moore, for example.

You can plug in any coach you want. If the program is poorly conceived and administered, you will have a poor product. And SC ODP is poorly conceived and administered.

Club coaches will lean towards their players? Maybe not intitianly but they see them more. College coaches may use it as a recruting tool and not have the over all good of ODP in mind.( i said maybe). So who does it? Parents!!!
I do not think who coaches is the problem but who runs ODP as a whole. Not to say who is over it now is a problem but if there is going to be change then it should start at the top. It seams eople take over and they say they are going to make change but it is what they see should be changed. No one wants suggestions or to listen to the masses.

What's to stop a club coach from using ODP as a recruiting tool? Seems to me there is less enforcement of that side than there is with college coaches. They are bound by NCAA rules and enforcement of those rules is likely strict. I would hope that SC college coaches are using ODP as recruiting tool (within the regulations of the NCAA). It's their opportunity to get their eye on the talent inside the state, and, perhaps, see how that talent develops over the years. Not that I don't think they have to look outside of ODP. Certainly, the top talent in the state isn't there, although there are a few players who are the top players in their age group who are participating in the program (Savannah McCaskill would be one of them).

I don't have a problem with a club coach using ODP as a scouting tool either, just as long as they allow that player to complete their commitment to the team they are on.

I agree that ODP in SC needs some major changes. Hopefully, those changes will come now. If they don't it will be even more difficult to attract any talent at all.

I have no problem with college coaches using ANY program as a venue for evaluating (and even recruiting) talent, as long as that does NOT impact the selection process and/or playing time. I have seen several instances where coaches spend more time building relationships with prospective recruits than actually working to "develop" every kid involved.
The reality here is, NEITHER the NCAA nor SCYSA is particularly interested in imposing sanctions on coaches who cross the line.

I would think that if ODP were primarily club coaches, we'd see an even bigger drop in numbers of those participating. A lot of players are involved in ODP because of the access to college coaches. Some coaches are good and others aren't, although most seem pretty good to me. Some college coaches may be there for the wrong reason, but I would think that most are there because they want to see it be a good experience for the kids involved. There are easier ways to see a talented pool of kids at a given time, than at an ODP training or event. That's just my opinion. I do believe that SC ODP has significant issues, and the last couple of years has brought a weaker rather than stronger program. The tryouts were a mess, and the cost is actually significantly higher this year than last. Hopefully, with the change in administrator there will be a change in direction in the program. I"m not holding my breath, but I do hope it does improve.