Common' Dex, I didn't call you an East German. What I said, I think, was that very authoritarian athletic organizations can be very efficient and win with consistancy, ie. the East Germans in the cold war period. This was in the context of my suggestion that parents could have a useful voice in team decisions. Water under the bridge.
I haven't had much useful to say here because I'm not a club person. I have great respect for the professionals, coaches, parents and others who put in the hours upon hours needed to keep the clubs running and improving. My focus is undoubtably self serving and short sighted but remains a bottom up approach. My daughter, her team, her club.
In looking at Mark's analysis of the last four years it seems clear that GFC and SG have come up with a more successful formula for consistantly producing classic soccer champions and runners up than the other clubs of the state, though clubs in every region seem able to produce this same product at different times. The list of serious competitors extends statewide, though not with the same frequency.
R2's idea that a very restricted number of very elite teams may not best serve the broader interests of soccer in SC is a fertile field to plant thoughts in and see what they grow into.
Have a great second half of the weekend, everyone.
lpaf
