How is CESA gonna be pronounced? (SEE-SUH or CESS-SUH?) Oh well, I guess it doesnt matter.....but I don't know if I agree with all the prognosticators that this new club will dominate SC soccer statewide. There are still strong clubs in Aiken, MPSC, SSC & CSC. It would however, make state soccer more competitive if the Cola. clubs would merge, but I dont know if they want to go in that direction. I also don't know that the new CESA club will continue to attract Cola area players, at least with the boys side. It will now be even more competitive to make the best clubs at CESA, and if the guys who were going up to GFC/St. Giles teams stay in the midlands then the Cola teams will be just as strong as CESA. However, I do believe that CESA will pick up the best girls in the state who want to play at the highest level. There is currently only one girls state champ from midlands-CSC Burn Navy 89 Girls. If CSC can continue to strengthen its girls program in other age groups and challenge for other state titles, then it may be able to keep some of the best girls in the midlands. It appears that the only answer in the Cola area to the new merger with CESA, will have to come from CSC. This is the only area club with higher goals and aspirations. The other area clubs LSC/NECSA/CRSA just want to operate on a very small scale; producing good to average (at best) soccer teams, but not playing at a high level or in top tournaments. In the final analysis, maybe CESA will prove to be the best thing for Cola area soccer since the invention of the smiley-face ball. But the area clubs have to take the merger at CESA serious and work with CSC to strive for the highest level of soccer they can produce. If Cola area soccer remains the way it is now, with the several separate clubs; next fall CRSA, LSC, NECSA will all be struggling for wins; while CSC will be the only competitive Cola area club and battling CESA alone.
