PPL Schedule Posted

Next year, if the trend for the last 10 years holds, there will be more teams in all age groups, not just U11G, wanting to play in PPL than there will be fields for. PPL is planning to set limits on the number of teams in all age divisions, boys and girls. This will probably affect scores of teams. PPL now accepts all teams that register. This will probably not be the case next year.

jumpstart wrote:Next year, if the trend for the last 10 years holds, there will be more teams in all age groups, not just U11G, wanting to play in PPL than there will be fields for. PPL is planning to set limits on the number of teams in all age divisions, boys and girls. This will probably affect scores of teams. PPL now accepts all teams that register. This will probably not be the case next year.

Will there be a qualifying tournament you think?

There will have to be a placement tournament for U11G and U11B. Other age groups will probably just need a placement tournament for lowest division.

jumpstart wrote:In Fall 2003 there were 12 U11G teams playing in PPL. In Fall 2014 there are 40 U11G teams playing in PPL. I don't think PPL is going away any time soon. The demand is only increasing.

PYSA has now reached the limit of fields available in Plano. Next season PPL may limit the number of teams that participate because they will not have enough fields to have any more teams than they have this year.

In what League will the overflow teams play in?

I think it would be great for kids to have more options to play if they want to play.  The problem is Everyone can't be on the number 1 team or in Lake Highlands.  The crime, as I've said before  there are a lot of crappy coaches and or clubs making a money grab at the same rate for a top ten team.  That being said.....There are parents that will pay this amount even if soccer should really just be a recreational sport for their kid.  Because of this the price goes up for everyone.  In the end you can't blame the crappy coach or club because some idiot parent will pay for a uniform.  My dd is in LH, but the minute we see her ability or desire is not at that level we are out.  We would go to an Indie team for a fraction of the price and play for fun or have her do something else, it's just not worth the time and money.  The reality is none of the clubs will offer a different level of cost and time when you have so many crazy parents trying to live vicariously through their kid.  If you're paying $3000 for a team that can't get into PPL, You don't have a bit of sense.  IT"S JUST SOCCER!

soccersounder wrote:Brings up a thought... The Club Volleyball model is different and if translated over to NTX Club Soccer, it might look something like this:

Club Fee $1000 - Team to Play PPL and practice once per week and play 1 tournament with a D License or better coach

Club Fee $1600 - Team to play PPL and practice twice per week and play 2 or 3 Tournaments with a D License coach or better

Club Fee $2200 - Team to Try to qualify Lake Highlands, practice twice a week play 3 or 4 Tournaments (one out of town) and a C License Coach or better

Club Fee $3000 - Team will play Lake Highlands, Practice 3 times a week, play 4 to 5 tournaments (2 out of town) and a B License Coach or better

How many would prefer that type of set up?

A tiered system might make some sense, but there are some things that should be considered. Licensing is WAY overblown. A national "E" license is recommended for coaching ages 9-12 and then progresses from there. The course for licensing does not teach someone how to coach. It mainly is a course designed to suggest how US Soccer recommends kids at that age be trained. There are a LOT of top coaches who do not have a National C or B license. I don't think most people are even aware of what the licensing consists of. Any good coach should continue to further their education, but licensing alone does not a good coach make.

Another thing to consider is taking the PPL as a whole from a talent perspective is a mistake. There are a handful of PPL teams in D1 or D2 who can compete with D3 LHGCL teams. Some of these teams are a bad QT from already being in LHGCL and will eventually be there (see Sting Sanchez 03). These teams play the same number of tournaments as LHGCL teams, have the same club resources available and in many cases the same quality coaching. There is a huge talent disparity between PPL D1/2 and D3/4 and beyond, but you don't see many big club teams at the lower levels. The same disparity exists between LHGCL D1 and D3.

In my humble opinion, the tiers ready exist. PPL teams who are in the top 2 divisions are working toward their eventual shot at LHGCL and pay for the same resources as the top teams. Teams below those levels are likely paying a lower price already and that level fits their comfort level. Saying that the PPL is a glorified rec league isn't necessarily accurate as referenced in other posts. There are quality teams there who with hard work will eventually promote to LHGCL in the coming years or players on those teams who will get their shot.

If your DD doesn't get significant playing time at a top club where you pay a premium, then you have a choice to make. Do you pay for the training and less time in a game? Do you move her to a lower level team without the brand name so she can play, but sacrifice top coaching? Tough choice for some people.

I'm pulling for a bwgophers league!

Think about it......

Everyone would be seeded based on the FBR and no one would ever have any issues with who is #1!

Having the cost directly related to the league the team qualifies for equates to and monitarily rewards a "win at all cost" attitude for coaches. Bad idea.

My daughter, a 92, played on a U11G team in Plano Div2. I started out as the team manager. Several of the players on that original team went on to play on teams in LHGCL, on their high school teams and even a Div 1 college team. My daughter was also a club swimmer and a soccer referee. She left competitive soccer after U12 to swim competitively and was on her high school and college varsity swim teams. Who could have predicted any of this at this age group for any of the girls?