Did you hear....?

Gunners are on the bubble to lock in a bye in D3. They will also be moving to Texas Spirit to be the 00 team. Rumbles through the ranks are being felt now, discontent also prevalent as jaw dropping club fees will take effect. Lots of uncertainty as to what players will actually open their checkbooks and make the move. Discontent setting in as no one knows who's going where or doing what. As an independent team one can assume fees were around $1000, but soon to come ill be $3000?

Welcome to club my fellow peeps! If this is rumor is true, i predict a Gunners meltdown, team folds, and players scramble. TS like most clubs will encourage selling hotdogs at the AAC, to entice them to stay.

Hi Big, it is that time of the year - Sadly.

Actually, I see that as a good move. It is extremely tough and demanding to survive as an independent. TX Spirit can provide admin and support structures for the team. Being a part of a club will relieve the coach of some of the planning task and lets him \ her concentrate on doing what they do best, coach.

disclaimer, I am not with Spirit nor have I ever played with TXS, but I do respect a lot of the coaches and stability that TXS has shown over a long period of time.

Congrats Gunners as you have just unlocked an achievement on the select soccer seriousness level.

I thought they were very good when we played them. They had consistent, threatening, offensive possession. Our scores were lopsided because they played the offside trap the entire game and we finally timed a few runs and through balls correctly. I thought they had the talent to play a more straight up defense, but they never did.

Noob wrote:Actually, I see that as a good move.  It is extremely tough and demanding to survive as an independent.    TX Spirit can provide admin and support structures for the team.    Being a part of a club will relieve the coach of some of the planning task and lets him \ her concentrate on doing what they do best, coach.  

disclaimer, I am not with Spirit nor have I ever played with TXS, but I do respect a lot of the coaches and stability that TXS has shown over a long period of time.    

Congrats Gunners as you have just unlocked an achievement on the select soccer seriousness level.      

now pay up

Noob wrote:Actually, I see that as a good move.  It is extremely tough and demanding to survive as an independent.    TX Spirit can provide admin and support structures for the team.    Being a part of a club will relieve the coach of some of the planning task and lets him \ her concentrate on doing what they do best, coach.  

disclaimer, I am not with Spirit nor have I ever played with TXS, but I do respect a lot of the coaches and stability that TXS has shown over a long period of time.    

Congrats Gunners as you have just unlocked an achievement on the select soccer seriousness level.      

I guess it depends on how you define "good".

My guess is that most people on independent teams are just fine paying $2000 less for their team.  If they move to Spirit and maintain their same coach, do you honestly believe that TXS will suddenly bring $2000 of value?

Noob, I heard Gunners started as a rec team moving up thru the ranks and picking up key talent along the way. Being an independent was a good thing for them, and probably what kept them together. A mish mash of rough & tough raw talent that fought its way into D3.

Any club can provide "admin and support", a good manager can do that - its not hard - its tedious but not hard, and that's why most mgr's kids get free rides. "Being a part of a club will relieve the coach...." Again, this is the role of the mgr.

I am sure TX Spirit can offer as much as other clubs - Texans, Sting, FCD, Liverpool - all player mills, that can offer exposure and have connections. Club may be stable - but coaches, like players, come and go. They may be able to provide the showcases, but are college coaches really looking at U15 now, or focusing on the 2015, 2016, class, the ENCL, D1 & D2 teams. These players are 14-15 - i doubt colleges are looking and showcase tourneys are benefiting them right now. This is a "selling opp" clubs use to retain and or bring in teams.

Could be beneficial if TS can take this team and ready them for exposure when the time comes. What does that mean? well, as all the player mills do, they will cut the fat and bring in players to showcase.

We'll see if the congrats are in order after the final games next weekend. An Achievement? by merging with a big club?
"Congrats Gunners as you have just unlocked an achievement on the select soccer seriousness level."
The achievement was getting to where they are by being an independent. Oh, the value a D3 spot brings is amazing.

What happens if they don't retain the bye? and don't requalify? Open checkbooks and pay $3000 for PPL D1? But, But .....of course we cant forget "they can also get admin and support" with those fries. more like "Tissue and a ride to the double AC to sell hotdogs, peanuts, and beer"
What happens if they do get the bye? they still need at least 75% of the players to come back to keep it. Business logic says "keep the fees the same, get them all to come back so the bye sticks, then bring in more players, cut the fat, change the name" Wala! there's the extra $2000 value as Soccer says"

May be a good thing, or the start of a complete meltdown. Again, I heard this is a rumor, but if you start seeing alot of Gunners players guest playing, then we'll all know.

I can see coaches licking their chops -waiting for June.

Sorry to piss on your tortilla, but if you want to stay Rec +, there is always Flash and plenty of other options. You are one month and 11 days away from being U16 which is the prime on collegiate recruiting. So moan and groan about the money, because college isn't cheap. A college coach will recognize Texans, Sting, FCD, and even ole little Spirit. So make your choices wisely.

Noob wrote:Sorry to piss on your tortilla, but if you want to stay Rec +, there is always Flash and plenty of other options.    You are one month and 11 days away from being U16 which is the prime on collegiate recruiting.   So moan and groan about the money, because college isn't cheap.    A college coach will recognize Texans, Sting, FCD, and even ole little Spirit.   So make your choices wisely.    

Apparently, select soccer is only for college-bound players.

SickofSilliness wrote:

Noob wrote:Sorry to piss on your tortilla, but if you want to stay Rec +, there is always Flash and plenty of other options.    You are one month and 11 days away from being U16 which is the prime on collegiate recruiting.   So moan and groan about the money, because college isn't cheap.    A college coach will recognize Texans, Sting, FCD, and even ole little Spirit.   So make your choices wisely.    

Apparently, select soccer is only for college-bound players.

Select soccer is for highly driven competitive student athletes who love the beautiful game. This mindset lends itself to players who want to play even at the next level. The next level is collegiate soccer.

Noob wrote:Sorry to piss on your tortilla, but if you want to stay Rec +, there is always Flash and plenty of other options.    You are one month and 11 days away from being U16 which is the prime on collegiate recruiting.   So moan and groan about the money, because college isn't cheap.    A college coach will recognize Texans, Sting, FCD, and even ole little Spirit.   So make your choices wisely.    

Hmmm...I see. So an independent in LH D-3 Will get less attention than all club teams no matter what level they are. No Sweet 16's here....You better get your sweet 16 butt in front of those colleges coaches. Remember this is about D-1 Scholarships.

Noob wrote:

SickofSilliness wrote:

Noob wrote:Sorry to piss on your tortilla, but if you want to stay Rec +, there is always Flash and plenty of other options.    You are one month and 11 days away from being U16 which is the prime on collegiate recruiting.   So moan and groan about the money, because college isn't cheap.    A college coach will recognize Texans, Sting, FCD, and even ole little Spirit.   So make your choices wisely.    

Apparently, select soccer is only for college-bound players.

Select soccer is for highly driven competitive student athletes who love the beautiful game.   This mindset lends itself to players who want to play even at the next level.   The next level is collegiate soccer.  

or,

Select soccer is for highly driven competitive student athletes who love the beautiful game.   They enjoy playing on a team with girls who they have developed relationships with over years, and see it as a competitive outlet at a level higher than that which they would find in High School (or in addition to).  However, they have no desire to continue their soccer experience as a collegiate athlete.  As such, they are satisfied at playing on the team they are on, paying only $1000 per year.

or

They can't afford  $3000-$5000 to year, and are overjoyed at the experience that Gunners provided for only $1000.


But nice of you to decide for everyone.

As I have always believed, I hope select soccer is not Plan A for college tuition. Chances are that you would have been better off investing those funds all those years. Sure would be nice if it comes though.

As a smaller non-ECNL club, Spirit has LH representation in 96, 97, 98, 99, 01, and 04 age groups with several of those being in D1. I would think the Gunners 00 team would fill a need/void if this is true. I would think the club also will try to fill the 02 and 03 void. One of the calling cards is NPL membership through City FC. I would think they could keep enough players to maintain the bye plus add talent to replace any that were lost. To the comment about seeing a lot of Gunners players guest playing, where would they go and remain on a solid LH team and not have to pay more than what they are paying now (presuming that $1,000 number is close to being accurate)? To me that number seems awfully low, maybe somebody can comment more on that.

Kinda funny that the term "select soccer" is still being used. The last "club" to portray any semblance of "select soccer" was D'Feeters, until they went the way of multiple teams per age group.

Not trying to dis anyone. Just think that now we are more of a "club soccer" environment in NTX.

Btw, how many spots will be open in D3 through relegation?

4

KnKsDad wrote:Btw, how many spots will be open in D3 through relegation?

Unless there is a crazy end of season resolution, there should be 4 spots open for the 2015-16 U16 DIII league.

Tx Spirit Gun 00 should receive a bye.

sportsnerd wrote:4

Thanks.

Gunners need a point in there last 2 games (not necessarily an easy feat as they play FWFC and Sporting) or a Meja loss to Fever. If there is a tie I believe Meja has the H2H tiebreaker and would receive the bye.

You are correct about the tie breaker. And it's a distinct possibility that Meja can beat Fever since Meja has the motivation to try to avoid relegation and Fever is sort of a lame duck. But who knows who will show up at this point.