Best Academy?

[Admin]

It's gotta start somewhere - just like Cascadia. Definitely didn't hear flattering things about it's first year.

OK, and according to that website, they started in the fall... and lasted 2 weeks?

Cascadia was ZERO like that from what I recall.

Definitely didn't allow teams to promote "who their best player is" in any way shape or form...

 

[E11even]

It's gotta start somewhere - just like Cascadia. Definitely didn't hear flattering things about it's first year.

Not entirely sure what you heard, but we can certainly own that year 1 (and probably every subsequent year) will have challenges.

I think what is important realize with leagues (or any specific function in the game) is that someone's experience is individual and unique. For example if a team was in a group with few similar teams, that required more than reasonable travel, their experience would have been poor.

A league's role, by our assessment, is to provide and organized, highly communicated, standards based model that clubs can depend on. What we cannot do is control who enters, in what age, level, or gender. We manage the best we can, with what we get. This is where there needs to be some patience as people (clubs) adopt the league and submit more teams, allowing us to create more competitive and geographically responsible flights.

I believe what we are doing is giving a tool to clubs so that they can promote a spring option for soccer that is organized, so that parents can register with their club with confidence. This is an area that soccer is struggling in. Parents are busy and want outlets for their children that are well organized and predictable. Last minute communication, constant changes, poor management is driving participation from this sport. We can talk about coaching and technical all day long but the first exposure to soccer (and other activities) is organizational. For your average player, even great coaching can be undermined by poor organization.

I'm not into bashing what others do/do not do on here, but I can say with confidence that some clubs, who are trying to become more professional in their approach, are learning how to use the league as a tool. They are creating more process, transparency, detailed timelines, and getting teams organized and to us earlier. This then gives us what we need to organize the league. Together, the club and league work to service the player and parent.

If anyone is curious on how/what we do, best to check our website at www.cascadiasoccer.com

Also love any feedback and ideas on how to make things better. Don't be shy - email us anytime!

 

[LosBlancos]

I just think the simple fact that someone is trying to start an academy league is incredible. This is what happened in Ontario and eventually OSA had to recognize them and brought them into the fold. BC needs to do this as well, and everyone in BCSA that is afraid of these private academies is just looking out for themselves instead of developing a better player. Most parents I talk too in the U13-U15 range are sick and tired of the lack of certain standards, the quality of coaching, the ridiculous cost of BCSPL compared to Metro, the boasting that it's the best of the best and it being the sole access to provincial and national programs. Plus read all the other comments in the other thread and it seems like very little listening is being done to what "we" want to improve the game. Having gone through the whole HPL process recently, I think that giving kids and parents different options will be nothing but beneficial for everybody involved. I truly hope the league becomes a great success.

 

[TKBC]

OK, and according to that website, they started in the fall... and lasted 2 weeks?

Cascadia was ZERO like that from what I recall.

Definitely didn't allow teams to promote "who their best player is" in any way shape or form...

I didn't explore the web site. The bit I saw said the league starts in spring.

I didn't say they had the same problems as Cascadia. But I am aware that Cascadia had attendance issues, and some other issues. ie, some teams playing 8 games, others playing only 1 due to no-shows. Every league has hiccups - let's support and help them grow, especially in the spring where there is a huge gap in our programs in this province (always has been).

 

[TKBC]

Not entirely sure what you heard, but we can certainly own that year 1 (and probably every subsequent year) will have challenges.

I think what is important realize with leagues (or any specific function in the game) is that someone's experience is individual and unique. For example if a team was in a group with few similar teams, that required more than reasonable travel, their experience would have been poor.

A league's role, by our assessment, is to provide and organized, highly communicated, standards based model that clubs can depend on. What we cannot do is control who enters, in what age, level, or gender. We manage the best we can, with what we get. This is where there needs to be some patience as people (clubs) adopt the league and submit more teams, allowing us to create more competitive and geographically responsible flights.

I believe what we are doing is giving a tool to clubs so that they can promote a spring option for soccer that is organized, so that parents can register with their club with confidence. This is an area that soccer is struggling in. Parents are busy and want outlets for their children that are well organized and predictable. Last minute communication, constant changes, poor management is driving participation from this sport. We can talk about coaching and technical all day long but the first exposure to soccer (and other activities) is organizational. For your average player, even great coaching can be undermined by poor organization.

I'm not into bashing what others do/do not do on here, but I can say with confidence that some clubs, who are trying to become more professional in their approach, are learning how to use the league as a tool. They are creating more process, transparency, detailed timelines, and getting teams organized and to us earlier. This then gives us what we need to organize the league. Together, the club and league work to service the player and parent.

If anyone is curious on how/what we do, best to check our website at www.cascadiasoccer.com

Also love any feedback and ideas on how to make things better. Don't be shy - email us anytime!

A very long email from a short remark I made. As I've said - let's support everyone let's not just rip them. Every league has issues in year 1 - so let's not bag on them whether it be Cascadia, BCSPL, BCCSL, this new academy league etc - we can talk about league issues, but the intent has to be to improve them the leagues.

Spring has been an issue for at least 20 years since I was a young player and at least two different spring/summer leagues were created....and both ended after 1 season! That pattern has to stop. Our 2nd tier kids, kids who can't afford (etc) BCSPL and late developers need somewhere to play. I am feeling quite encouraged there is Cascadia, and now an academy league running concurrently. This would, to me, fill the gap that exists.

 

[TKBC]

I just think the simple fact that someone is trying to start an academy league is incredible. This is what happened in Ontario and eventually OSA had to recognize them and brought them into the fold. BC needs to do this as well, and everyone in BCSA that is afraid of these private academies is just looking out for themselves instead of developing a better player. Most parents I talk too in the U13-U15 range are sick and tired of the lack of certain standards, the quality of coaching, the ridiculous cost of BCSPL compared to Metro, the boasting that it's the best of the best and it being the sole access to provincial and national programs. Plus read all the other comments in the other thread and it seems like very little listening is being done to what "we" want to improve the game. Having gone through the whole HPL process recently, I think that giving kids and parents different options will be nothing but beneficial for everybody involved. I truly hope the league becomes a great success.

I agree.

 

[TKBC]

Also worth noting that these various clubs that are now being designated Category 1 or 2 (by the CSA) is likely leading toward a significant change in BCSPL.

 

[E11even]

Speculating what/when the CSA changes are going to happen is anyone's guess. No time soon realistically. OPDL has declared they are not adopting the PDP in 2018, so that pushes off to 2019 minimum. Other provinces are a long way off as well. I suspect any noticeable or material changes in BC will be 2020 or later. Not sooner for sure.

 

[E11even]

I didn't explore the web site. The bit I saw said the league starts in spring.

I didn't say they had the same problems as Cascadia. But I am aware that Cascadia had attendance issues, and some other issues. ie, some teams playing 8 games, others playing only 1 due to no-shows. Every league has hiccups - let's support and help them grow, especially in the spring where there is a huge gap in our programs in this province (always has been).

There is no chance a team played only one game.

 

[TKBC]

There is no chance a team played only one game.

Based on the league web site when I checked it last year after the season was done - some teams had 8 games played recorded, others just 1 in the same division. Maybe the league site wasn't being updated? Stories of teams refusing to travel for their away games. Like I said - hiccups with any league in year 1. Let's move support them and move forward!

 

[TKBC]

Speculating what/when the CSA changes are going to happen is anyone's guess. No time soon realistically. OPDL has declared they are not adopting the PDP in 2018, so that pushes off to 2019 minimum. Other provinces are a long way off as well. I suspect any noticeable or material changes in BC will be 2020 or later. Not sooner for sure.

What is PDP in Ontario? In BC I'd not expect to see any changes until 2019 at earliest either.

 

[E11even]

What is PDP in Ontario? In BC I'd not expect to see any changes until 2019 at earliest either.

PDP is the CSA's effort to standardize all HP leagues across the country. BC (BCSPL) and Ontario (OPDL) are supposed to become PDP's.

There was a push for this to be in 2018. Not going to happen. 2019 - maybe, but I suspect only in terms of a brand change, not meaningful changes such as franchise expansion consideration or other significant moves

 

[Football_9999]

PDP is the CSA's effort to standardize all HP leagues across the country. BC (BCSPL) and Ontario (OPDL) are supposed to become PDP's.

There was a push for this to be in 2018. Not going to happen. 2019 - maybe, but I suspect only in terms of a brand change, not meaningful changes such as franchise expansion consideration or other significant moves

 

[Football_9999]

Any good private soccer Academies out there these days?[/QUOTE
Surrey United / Elite soccer is terrible the staff is to busy playing with their cell phones. I went to a camp there and I was shocked how unprofessional they were. I was one and done with Elite soccer in Surrey. Don't waste your time or money.

 

[TKBC]

PDP is the CSA's effort to standardize all HP leagues across the country. BC (BCSPL) and Ontario (OPDL) are supposed to become PDP's.

There was a push for this to be in 2018. Not going to happen. 2019 - maybe, but I suspect only in terms of a brand change, not meaningful changes such as franchise expansion consideration or other significant moves

I think this is a good idea. Similar to USSDA. Not that USSDA is perfect by any stretch, but it's standardized. And from there you can refine, refine, refine. Right now Canada's biggest youth dev issue is everyone, every club (often teams within clubs) are doing their own thing.

 

[TKBC]

Jason DeVos tweeting again in the last couple days that private academies should be folded into the regular league structures with the NFP. I agree completely. Kids should have the chance to sign for whatever program offers them the best service. If that means I, as a NFP coach, loses players, then so be it. It's about the players, not me.

I am hearing academies will be folded into the league structure in BC in the relatively near future as the category 1 and category 2 ratings are rolled out and finalized. A number of clubs already identified as cat 1.

 

[Nate]

6 months has passed. Anyone have updates on academies joining league structure in BC?

Jason DeVos tweeting again in the last couple days that private academies should be folded into the regular league structures with the NFP. I agree completely. Kids should have the chance to sign for whatever program offers them the best service. If that means I, as a NFP coach, loses players, then so be it. It's about the players, not me.

I am hearing academies will be folded into the league structure in BC in the relatively near future as the category 1 and category 2 ratings are rolled out and finalized. A number of clubs already identified as cat 1.

 

[TKBC]

6 months has passed. Anyone have updates on academies joining league structure in BC?

I am hearing this as well. It will be a tough transition at first as kids move from NFP's to academies, and back and forth. New teams join leagues etc. But once the dust settles after a year or two it will be no issue. Each year kids will move, new academies will start, and traditionally strong NFP's programs relative to their leagues will grow and shrink. As should be the case. Families should be able to participate in a club/program that works for them. All academies and NFP's will have to provide appropriate services.