Interesting take. Based on Topdrawer rankings, maybe this thread has been wrong on FCUDA. Both 17s and 18s (which must be 18/19s) are top 25 in country. https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer/club-soccer-team-rankings/women/u18/6/1073
Just moved 5 of my teams to Canlan for indoor training. $100 per our for 1/3 field. Really had no choice as we have missed 3 technical trainings as a result of the rain.
Topdrawer is a fun website, but I don't think they put a whole lot of effort into the fidelity of their club content. I think much of it is self-reported, not much gets verified. Here is their explanation of their rankings: ((TeamRank is the comprehensive team-ranking system devised by TopDrawerSoccer.com to provide an objective and common-sense approach to determining which elite youth soccer teams are the best in the nation. The rankings, updated monthly, are primarily results-based, with a nod toward the league and championship competitions that emulate how excellence is determined in leading soccer nations around the world. Tournaments are also included but at a reduced value due to the many mitigating factors involving such events, including attrition and guest players. A final layer of executive evaluation is provided to account for variables that often impact results, thus ensuring that the monthly lists are not subjective, but are not purely mechanical. )) I'm guessing FCU got a very healthy portion of "executive evaluation" added to its ranking. Their oldest team has only played two games so far this fall, including a 5-0 victory over Salvo, possibly the worst side in the history of GDA. Sockers U19 also were treated very nicely in their ranking. Two games this weekend, including FCU v. Sockers... so perhaps their will be a bit of a reality check and less reliance on "executive evaluation" when the table is updated. YSR is way better, but even they struggle to get their ranking method right with so little GDA-ECNL-MRL crossover games played.
Lots of games in the rain and no time to recover. They used to have the golf course staff put in new patches all the time but probably hard to keep up after last spring and this fall
U14 Sockers DA 2-1 over FC United for first win. That sockers team has 4 starters out to injuries since beginning of season. Know nothing how the game went other than a fifth girl now out with an injury. Starting #9, wing, center back and one more have been out for most all games. Looking at record / level of competition given those realities one could presume this team is going to be pretty good when healthy.
Canlan gave us half a field for $100 because no one was using it. I am signing a contract for 2 hours at $200.00 for one practice a week indoors on half a field for 3 teams. What a deal!
We have 1 player out with a shattered fibula and tibia. One out with a foot sprain, one player who is out with head injuries, one sprained ankle and others are just limping around. It's like hockey the higher you get!
Footage of Sockers FC 18/19 GDA from Kelly Clarkson show Brandi Chastain And World Cup Players Surprise Chicago Girls’ Soccer Team
06/05 DA players got to walk the teams out for their recent game at Soldier Field. My kid got to do that twice as well as for CONCACAF games. Pretty sweet deal.
4 of the Sockers girls from the clip on the Kelly Clarkson Show also played a small field competition during halftime of the US WNT game vs South Korea at Soldier Field.
Got coffee with some of my old coach friends today. Don't know why but sometimes this forum and talking soccer gives me that itch to get back into it. If only it didn't consume lives lol. So the latest was that FCU is being shopped around by their owners. Word was that was the plan from the beginning when this company took it over: organize and turn a quick buck. What would a youth soccer club be valued at? I mean its not like the very small number of for-profit clubs actually turn a big profit. They don't have any land assets outside of some warehouse spaces. Be interesting to see how that plays out. The rumor about the one coach being let go from the HS job hasn't appeared to affect his position at the club. That's positive. Heard that Sockers is continuing their re-structure bringing in a new GM. Not sure who it is. Also told that more than one of their DA coaches are not happy with the changes and are looking around. One boys coach one girls coach. Be a shame if they leave. Sockers have been the most consistent of any of the top clubs in the area in both team performance and staff. Saw that the Sockers/FCU derby scored are posted. Sockers winning at 14 and 19, with ties at 15,16,17. Heard the 19s was ugly for FCU but the rest were good games. To be fair Sockers have a second U17 going to YNT camp in November who plays on their 19s who also have the leading scorer in the country right now fwiw. FCU have a U16 who's scoring for fun. I guess its not all bad?
Interesting to see how FCU would be valued. Wonder if that word is getting out to parents and what effect that will have with top players. Re:Sockers: hope that GM is a stellar hire that can retain/attract talent.
Common knowledge it is up for sale, a lot of big salaries to pay and more competition for players popping up all around them. Girls DA surviving for now, but they have a load of PT players that are top club team players that want to play HS, but they are just plugging the holes for now. Heard from numerous parents that they have some FT players that have been getting subbed or played up (a weaker 2005 girl and two weak 2004s played with the u19s last week as they were destined to get beat anyway) when these PT players are there. They will struggle to field teams once these kids either have MRL or State Cup games and even worse when they all play HS in the spring
Another poster said last week that a quick flip was their plan all along. Is this going to be a quick flip for a profit, or a quick dump because they have reassessed what the opportunity is? Friends told me they were very quick to try and monetize their investment by selling all sorts of al-a-carte club suggested additional training programs. Maybe that didn't quite pan out the way they projected? Maybe they bought to get some institutional knowledge, now they will go back to focusing more on tournaments and soccer experiences where the money is, and get away from the hard work of developing soccer players. Anyone know what they paid or what they are asking? That would be interesting to know!
Not sure, but wonder what happened to the surplus they had put away before they bought it. Would love to know how much they want to sell it for. Definitely trying to make money off every single aspect, they are certainly taking pay to play to new limits. Huge mark ups on travel, own tournaments , parking fees, concessions, private training, uniforms at 300 percent mark ups with loads of added stuff players will never use, rosters upward of 20+ players. Sending their teams to extra clubs tournaments so these other clubs have to attend their own tournaments. They think nothing of 8 teams on a field for practice. https://www.travelfirstagency.com/ https://www.soccereventsgroup.com/
So whats the latest on th Fall season for the boys and girls in Chicagoland? Looks like we are winding down our last few weeks - indoor training and games are being announced. On the side we are looking at games on 2 teams at The Mac and 1-2 evenings of Futsal at Lifezone - all local which is really nice.
Playoffs for top 16 teams in 07G MWC qualifier for Prem 1/2, First division spots starting this weekend. Top 4 seeds: Fire South Premier, ELA, Evolution, Galaxy 07. Next 4: GLSA Galaxy 08 FC Alliance Wizard FC