SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP USSF Academy

Now that the SCYSA U15-18 cups are finished, Bridge FA is looking for a few players to complete their U16 & U18 Academy pools. The U16's are 91-92 players and U18's are 89-90 players.
Interested parties should contact Clark Brisson at 843-270-0596 or email him at [Email]clarkbrisson@netzero.net.[/Email]

Please note that if you qualified for regionals you are still tied to USYSA

Why doesn't Bridge fill the spots with its own players?

Ultimately though, it's important to keep in mind that this isn't a competition between clubs. The sole purpose of their existence is to create an environment where our kids can play soccer, improve as they can, and have fun.

Clever, but no dice. My question isn't inconsistent with my other statement. In fact, attempting to lure players from one club to another is antithetical to the best interests of youth soccer.

If Bridge couldn't fill up its Academy teams with players from within Bridge, why did it join?

I thought it was both clever and perhaps more importantly a valid point of view. Quite often those that espouse the best interests of youth soccer are taking a position that really means "best interests of me and my kid."

Someone makes a post on a message board concerning openings at another club for another program. You equate that to "attempting to lure players from one club to another" and state that such an attempt is "antiethical to the best interests of youth soccer."

I understand how you could resent this if a player from your kids' team does this and later decides to join Bridge -- you don't want to lose the kid to another club. In other words, I understand how this is potentially "antiethical to you personally." But I do not understand how this is "antiethical to the best interests of youth soccer" -- could you please make your case?

I think what H-Daddy is trying to point out is that if this was practiced and perpetuated throughout SCYS(A), you would have no stability, no loyalty....and potentially mass chaos, as teams scramble to finalize their rosters.

Sort of akin to.........a market economy!

Much like our economy, there's a balance between regulatory and market forces. There are sufficient regulatory forces in place (roster freezes, penalizing kids for transferring, etc.) to ensure those that are wary of allowing complete freedom of choice for kids that "mass chaos" will not occur.

Pray tell -- how does Bridge offering slots on its Academy teams after the state championships have occurred in the manner in which they did (i.e., a message board) threaten to erupt into "mass chaos?"

By the way -- as a modest suggestion -- perhaps the way to ensure loyalty to a club or a team is for the club or team to earn it through offering increasingly superior services rather than regulate it and forbid choice.

Help me understand the loyalty thing..you complete your fall season with the club you are loyal to and then you are offered a chance to continue soccer thru an academy program with another club..I only see this as a win-win

The generic, "anyone interested please call" message is not, of itself, improper. My issue is with recruiting in general. I would prefer it be against the rules, period. There is no mystery about where the clubs are in this state. The big ones all have websites. If my son wants to talk to CESA or Bridge FA, he can contact them. I think the clubs should leave each other's players alone. Why should a club contact a player and try to get him/her to change teams? Is that beneficial to the overall health of the clubs in SC? I don't think it is.

More specifically, why did Bridge join the Academy if it didn't intend to fill its teams with Bridge players? There are more than enough 91/92's playing at Bridge to fill the U-16 roster. Why is it necessary (or appropriate) to broadcast a call for players? Was the purpose of joining the Academy to field the strongest possible team wearing the Bridge colors, regardless of where the players come from, or was it to give Bridge players the benefit of what the Academy program is supposed to offer?