Predictions for next few months?

What will happen now that season has ended? Will Solar Chelsea(Gio) stay a team or do the girls start flocking to other D1 teams? What about Defeeters? They are more likely to get better players since they do have an ECNL spot but that didn't help them this year. What about FC Dallas Blue? They struggled to draw players last year and finished low this year. I even wonder if Sting Brown will keep enough girls. Don't think they are feeling much love from Sting powers that be right now. Their coach leaves and they give them a coach that is suspended and can't even coach them in league play until after September? Ouch.

Then there is D2. Can't wait to see how Fever stacks up against the D1 teams. I think Sting Dunstan will be a team to watch next year too.
Looking forward to summer tournaments.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

The top 4 D1 teams are set.  May be 1-2 players will be added to solidify the bench but their starters are only getting better.  Texans 02 at the 5th spot looks shaky toward the end of the year.   They ended the year by losing to Andro and tying with Sting Brown.  They need help on defense and midfield play.  They will have a hard time getting defense starters next year since Texan South looks like the ECNL team.  Same is true to for Sting Brown which is the second 02 team at Sting.  Sting Higgy practically is the ECNL team.  Dallas FC Blue and Andro have regressed this year.  Overall, the #5-8 teams aren't going anywhere fast.  I don't see how they can attract the talent that they need to compete with the top 4 teams just because they don't have the ECNL spots.  Anything can happen but the law of average says the competition among the top 4 teams in the next 12 months will be intensified and interesting to watch.  Will FCD and Sting Higgy hold their top spots or TXN south and Solar Red challenge them for supremacy?  It's exciting to watch great soccer in preparation for ECNL.

How does a coach get suspended for a few months??

I think FCd and sting ( Higgs) are set - probably add a player or two , sting has lean bench and need players-( think they could struggle if they lose a core player but if they don't , they'll remain strong) - FCd may have a spot or two if there is mild movement. south should be set too. SOLAR RED- will most likely lose several - dual coaching does not seem to work for majority of team. So I'd say they will drop off, after losing girls. Rush/ sting ( brown) should merge better playerS AND got to FEET bc individually they'll not compete with better teams . IMO . ANDROMEDA has cone on strong , if they can pick up a few players they'll be real deal. I think Feet, Gio, FCd blue will fall to D2and or continue to struggle in D1 . fever will come up but stay near end of pack , it will be tough for them to get in any higher that 6th. But who knows that's why we play right.

jsullivan81 wrote:How does a coach get suspended for a few months??

Good question. What's the story here?

whoshotjr wrote:I think FCd and sting ( Higgs) are set - probably add a player or two , sting has lean bench and need players-( think they could struggle if they lose a core player but if they don't , they'll remain strong) - FCd may have a spot or two if there is mild movement. south should be set too. SOLAR RED- will most likely lose several - dual coaching does not seem to work for majority of team. So I'd say they will drop off, after losing girls. Rush/ sting ( brown) should merge better playerS AND got to FEET  bc individually they'll not compete with better teams . IMO . ANDROMEDA has cone on strong , if they can pick up a few players they'll be real deal. I think Feet, Gio, FCd blue will fall to D2and or continue to struggle in D1 . fever will come up but stay near end of pack , it will be tough for them to get in any higher that 6th. But who knows that's why we play right.

I don't believe that SOLAR RED will loose but the few of those who need to go. However, who will coach them? Texans South is stuck (despite a strong finish and a win against FCD.) They won't be able to attract significant talent to Arlington to improve their position. So, Rush/Texans stand to gain the best talent from those better players in D1 looking to try something better. Rush/Texans stock will climb in the fall while Texans South will drop.

Stingers Brown will be a ghost town. Those folks feel completely left out to dry. The Soccer mom's SUV's will be motoring around North Texas looking for greener pastures. Stingers will look to Texans/Rush for opportunities.
The interesting shake-up could be at FCD Premiere. If top 2-3 players move up to '01 ECNL, that team will need to fill some scoring. Once again, Stingers will hope to jump in. Better contributors at 'Feet/Geo/FCD Blue would be smart look at Andro and/or the likely openings Stingers Brown to keep pace with peers. 'Feet will hang on as a bottom feeder for talent since they hold that very valuable ECNL slot. Could GIO slide over and create another distraction?

FEVER - Welcome to D1. This team will very quickly recall how fast the play is (even against Andro and FCD Blue.)

If one of these teams fold, the club keeps the bye, right?

Zeko2 wrote:If one of these teams fold, the club keeps the bye, right?  

My understanding is "YES".

So what would be interesting is if STING BROWN, since it's being discussed somehow folded (which who really knows), my presumption is STING DUNSTAN would move up to D1 as well, but then who would take the missing D2 spot?  STING has two other quality teams already in D2 (STING CENTRAL & STING NORTH), but none in D3 --- so the question is would LHGCL let them keep their 'D2' spot with the next STING team in PPL DII??

My prediction

As soon as things calm down a bit, we will reach a nice even level of pandemonium.

Pale Rider wrote:My prediction

As soon as things calm down a bit, we will reach a nice even level of pandemonium.  

Sounds about right. It's that time of year again. Let the fun begin!

So what would be interesting is if STING BROWN, since it's being discussed somehow folded (which who really knows), my presumption is STING DUNSTAN would move up to D1 as well, but then who would take the missing D2 spot?  STING has two other quality teams already in D2 (STING CENTRAL & STING NORTH), but none in D3 --- so the question is would LHGCL let them keep their 'D2' spot with the next STING team in PPL DII??


This is a very interesting hypothetical...Sting could potentially 'convince' another D3 team to move to Sting perhaps that could somewhat compete in D2.

or maybe the 2nd place team from D3 would get the extra spot if that D2 spot was to remain open.  I'm not sure--but I'm sure something like this has happened before.

beautifulgame1 wrote:So what would be interesting is if STING BROWN, since it's being discussed somehow folded (which who really knows), my presumption is STING DUNSTAN would move up to D1 as well, but then who would take the missing D2 spot?  STING has two other quality teams already in D2 (STING CENTRAL & STING NORTH), but none in D3 --- so the question is would LHGCL let them keep their 'D2' spot with the next STING team in PPL DII??


This is a very interesting hypothetical...Sting could potentially 'convince' another D3 team to move to Sting perhaps that could somewhat compete in D2.

or maybe the 2nd place team from D3 would get the extra spot if that D2 spot was to remain open.  I'm not sure--but I'm sure something like this has happened before.

Here is the rule:

"2. General Definitions for League Playing Format and Qualifying Tournament

a)Teams are invited back into LHGCL for the next soccer year (“Bye”) according to the playing format below. The spirit of a bye is to reward returning teams/players for their performance the prior year. A “team” is generally determined by the team name and club affiliation. There is no minimum number of players from the previous soccer year that must be retained by a team to keep a Bye for the club for the next soccer year. "

So, let's say teams move up and there is an empty spot.  They'd just move up another DIII team and add another qualifying spot this summer. Doubt the club would allow the spot to remain vacated.  I did find it amusing that the spirit was to reward the teams/players for their performance for the prior year, but then immediately state there are no minimums for the amount of players returning.  Huh???

Isn't Dunstan moving to D1 anyway? Then Sting Central Parker or Sting North would get the additional Sting D1 spot? and so on and so on down the line.

Also, I think the spot can be "given" to another Sting team if at least one player from the team that earned the bye "stays" (or actually moves) to the team taking the bye. It doesn't even have to be a LH team...just whomever that coach (and player that stayed) wishes to give the bye too.

Look at how Sting Central Cuevas got the bye in the 01 division.

Of course...this speculation is all contingent on there no longer being a Sting Brown team.

Sting has done this type of thing to this team over and over...remember Sting Royal? And it isn't just this Sting team that jerks people around. IMHO it seems to be club culture. The girls mean nothing...no matter how much the coach "preaches" otherwise. And yes, I'm speaking from experience, we've definitely been "stung".

If Brown folds I think Sting would try to build another team. Probably wouldn't have too much trouble getting girls to try out for a D1 team. No way Sting gives up a Lake Highlands spot and that's what happens if they just move up Dunstan.
Only one team moves up from D2 so Dunstan is not moving up.

"Isn't Dunstan moving to D1 anyway?"

No, Sting Dunstan is not moving to D1.  Only 1 team (Fever) is moving to D1 this year and only 1 team (LP Thompson) is moving from D3 to D2.  It's not the same as last year in terms of teams moving up.  Still 2 teams from D1 & D2 being moved down a division though and only the top 4 remaining D3 teams don't have to re-qualify.  Confusing for sure!!

Fever is certainly deserving it seems, but Sting Dunstan is also a very good team that plays fast.  

And in D3, I'm not sure Andromeda isn't the best team right now.  They absolutely killed us this weekend.  It was a barrage of goals.  They certainly will be tough to beat next year in D3 (unless some of these crazy movements move them up to D2.

mommabear1 wrote:Isn't Dunstan moving to D1 anyway?  Then Sting Central Parker or Sting North would get the additional Sting D1 spot?  and so on and so on down the line.

Also, I think the spot can be "given" to another Sting team if at least one player from the team that earned the bye "stays" (or actually moves) to the team taking the bye.  It doesn't even have to be a LH team...just whomever that coach (and player that stayed) wishes to give the bye too.

No, sting dunstan is not going to D1. (Curious why you think they are?)

And no, there is not a requirement that you keep "one" player for the bye to be valid as you are suggesting.

DOH! I knew two teams didn't move up...just "forgot". I am easily confused at times

If current players on Sting Brown team leave, I am sure that there is a long line of U12 girls around the block who want to play for a D1 LH team.  Sting will use these spots to build a new team to keep the money machine rolling.  Sting will not give the BYE to any other current Sting teams.  They have done this many times in the last 5 years and they will do it again.  Those girls and their self righteous parents who are currently on the Sting Brown team need to check their ego at the door and make sure that they are good enough to start for another D1 LH team before leaving Sting Brown.  Are the girls that good?  Why is the team ranked 6th out of 10 teams?  May be 2-3 girls on the current roster can start for Texans.  At best these 2-3 girls  will be sitting on the bench for FCD, Sting Higgy, Solar Red and Tx South.  Also, why would these girls move to lower teams like Andromeda and FCD Blue?  So staying where they are and trying to get better with their skills and conditioning by playing every saturday before trying out for ECNL next year is their best option!  No girl has gotten better by sitting on the bench and watching others playing EVER!

Even if sting girls are as good as other top five team, they probably wud not get a chance. Do you all find that coaches are not welcoming to new talent? It seems new players usually sit the bench while coaches remain loyal to girls and families that have been on team longest. You can go to new teams but have a hard time cracking in as a new player, especially on top 5 team.