FBR 06

bwgophers wrote:
Always been curious as to why the outcome at the end of the tunnel is almost identical, but the path to get there is SOOOOOOO different?

bwgophers wrote:A little different direction, but relevant to the topic at hand and something I've always scratched my head over...

My oldest DD plays select softball.  Been immersed in that scene in NTX longer than I have in the academy/select soccer scene.

- 90+% of the coaches in select softball don't get a single dime in income for their coaching.
- While there are some larger, more prominent "clubs" in the area, none of them have anywhere near the infrastructure of the soccer clubs in NTX, with paid DOC's and management staff, club-owned facilities, etc.
- There are no "contracts", players can move freely between teams/clubs at any time, outside of certain qualifying tournaments for regional or national events, there are minimal roster restrictions outside of age limits.  Guest play is common and happens all of the time.
- There is a forum, but it is used almost exclusively to post for teams looking for players, holding tryouts, looking for pickup (guest) players for a tournament.  Parents and coaches don't get on and lament about emphasis on winning over development, or poor umpires, or wring their hands because some team brought in a stud pickup pitcher and won a tournament last weekend...
- I have NEVER seen a ranking of local girls select softball teams in any age group, from U8 up to U18.

Despite all of this stuff that is in place in NTX soccer, but isn't in place in NTX softball, NTX still manages to be considered a regional hotbed of girls softball talent in the US (along with, and slightly behind, of course, SoCal).  Like soccer, the Brass Ring for 99% of the girls playing select softball in NTX is a College Scholarship, hopefully at a big time D1 program.  NTX regularly places girls on the US National Team, and the US has been dominant in international competition for years.

Always been curious as to why the outcome at the end of the tunnel is almost identical, but the path to get there is SOOOOOOO different?

SocDad wrote:

bwgophers wrote:A little different direction, but relevant to the topic at hand and something I've always scratched my head over...

My oldest DD plays select softball.  Been immersed in that scene in NTX longer than I have in the academy/select soccer scene.

- 90+% of the coaches in select softball don't get a single dime in income for their coaching.
- While there are some larger, more prominent "clubs" in the area, none of them have anywhere near the infrastructure of the soccer clubs in NTX, with paid DOC's and management staff, club-owned facilities, etc.
- There are no "contracts", players can move freely between teams/clubs at any time, outside of certain qualifying tournaments for regional or national events, there are minimal roster restrictions outside of age limits.  Guest play is common and happens all of the time.
- There is a forum, but it is used almost exclusively to post for teams looking for players, holding tryouts, looking for pickup (guest) players for a tournament.  Parents and coaches don't get on and lament about emphasis on winning over development, or poor umpires, or wring their hands because some team brought in a stud pickup pitcher and won a tournament last weekend...
- I have NEVER seen a ranking of local girls select softball teams in any age group, from U8 up to U18.

Despite all of this stuff that is in place in NTX soccer, but isn't in place in NTX softball, NTX still manages to be considered a regional hotbed of girls softball talent in the US (along with, and slightly behind, of course, SoCal).  Like soccer, the Brass Ring for 99% of the girls playing select softball in NTX is a College Scholarship, hopefully at a big time D1 program.  NTX regularly places girls on the US National Team, and the US has been dominant in international competition for years.

Always been curious as to why the outcome at the end of the tunnel is almost identical, but the path to get there is SOOOOOOO different?

One of the biggest PERCEIVED things, is the lack or limited options parents have in the matter.  Level the playing field....No Contracts, no fees (only league play)(or maybe a small capped set amount)
.....take the money out of the equation and its a whole different ball game

"Where much is given (Time & Money).....much is expected"

Ferenc Puskás wrote:the FBR reinforces the emphasis on results and not development, has no positive purpose for the players, and may potentially result in players dropping the sport at an early age.  

SickofSilliness wrote:

Ferenc Puskás wrote:the FBR reinforces the emphasis on results and not development, has no positive purpose for the players, and may potentially result in players dropping the sport at an early age.  

Says the parent on a low-ranked team . . .

or on a higher ranked team afraid that Suzy might get replaced.

bwgophers wrote:
I will disagree with both of 4-3-3's points above.  The socio-economic cross-section of families that I've dealt with in softball is not significantly different from what I've dealt with in soccer, and from my experience, by the time you get to the select levels at U12 and above in softball, the number of coaches who can (and do) truly teach the finer points of a fastpitch swing (much different from a baseball swing), or a pitching motion, or the footwork and fielding mechanics necessary to shave 0.2 seconds off of fielding a ball and getting a throw to 1st base, are just as few and far between as the soccer coaches that can and do teach the finer points.

Zizou wrote: Change the pressures on the kids and the parents just might reduce the amount one would pay an individual to be number #1 reducing the amount being paid to win could even increase the amount paid towards that coach with the knowledge and willingness to develope. This might even reduce the amount of dead beat coaches we have working the system because the money is so lucrative and easy to make.

Borussia wrote:Nah, the 08s is being worked up as we speak.  Wait till that one... haha

Kicks 08 "defacto #1"

Borussia wrote:Just found out his DDs team didn't have fall data included and dropped 20 spots... haha

Borussia wrote:Ah, love you to man. Keep throwing the darts. I'll be sure and say hi at futsal.

Anyone that wants to ask, Gophers will verify I've given up FBR.  

I do wish the knew guy the best of luck with it.  Pay no attention to the haters and PMs.  I couldnt, so I hope he/she can.

bwgophers wrote:

Borussia wrote:Ah, love you to man. Keep throwing the darts. I'll be sure and say hi at futsal.

Anyone that wants to ask, Gophers will verify I've given up FBR.  

I do wish the knew guy the best of luck with it.  Pay no attention to the haters and PMs.  I couldnt, so I hope he/she can.

Hey Bo, 4-3-3 wasn't talking about you... that's straight out of his autobiography...

Zizou wrote:Why would you even be thinking in terms of win losses and ties. Their lies the problem! We should be thinking about games not it terms of who is #3 and #13 and did we tie. This type of thought process is what is hurting the development of our young soccer players. Parents are the front line of this problem.