Adios Metro?

[dezza]

Heard a rumour that the Metro/Selects division is going to get shitcanned. Anyone have deep enough links to Youth Soccer here to confirm?

At this point it makes total sense since everyone and their uncle are being admitted into BCSPL over the last 12 months, so the competition is getting completely watered down. It stands to reason that the increased player pool is going to be made up of kids that would have previously been at the metro level, thus eroding the metro player pool.

What a clusterfcuk... The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[Regs]

Wow. That's a lot of players going back to "house" teams, no?

 

[dezza]

Well the way it's explained to me is that no one would "go back"

They would just stop fielding Metro teams at the intake level (U13), which lines up with how the new BCSPL franchises enter the league (3 new clubs with U13 this year, and 3 more in 2021). So each year there would be one less age group (the youngest) of metro until the whole thing is extinct.

 

[Regs]

So it cycles out in 5 years at which time Devos & CSA will come up with some other "blueprint" and the same knobs running the show all these years can look progressive in moving the game forward... and no one will complain because we'll be hosting a World Cup right around then

 

[dezza]

5 years and 130 more useless Canada Soccer Nation podcasts.

Maybe he could have Birarda on the next one to tell his side of the story.

 

[Yoda]

So basically Metro will then become SPL, just more expensive? So a nice way to make more money out of the same kids.
am I understanding this right?

 

[dezza]

So basically Metro will then become SPL, just more expensive? So a nice way to make more money out of the same kids.
am I understanding this right?

Yes, that's essentially been the complaint about BCSPL since it's inception. The proponents of the league were always pointing to the exclusivity of it, and claiming it enabled them to focus on just the best players with "professional" coaches (who we all know were the same guys doing metro before) making it "elite."

Now that the floodgates to entry are open, it truly is the $elects division, and all it took was 8 years to get here and prove the naysayers right.

 

[Dude]

Nobody saw this coming?

Metro was the top elite level prior to HPL. Add in a level above that to try and correct the issues of watering down Metro, and you have now watered it down more. As @dezza said, since everyone and their dog is being awarded a BCPL spot, it basically becomes the old Metro without boundary restrictions...they way it should have been for a while. Biggest change?

Cost to families to play at the highest elite level has increased substantially.

Bravo, BCPL. Way to really fcuk it up.

 

[Yoda]

Nobody saw this coming?

Metro was the top elite level prior to HPL. Add in a level above that to try and correct the issues of watering down Metro, and you have now watered it down more. As @dezza said, since everyone and their dog is being awarded a BCPL spot, it basically becomes the old Metro without boundary restrictions...they way it should have been for a while. Biggest change?

Cost to families to play at the highest elite level has increased substantially.

Bravo, BCPL. Way to really fcuk it up.

And you’ve gotten rid of boundaries in the process
You’re gonna end up with a few strong teams and bunch of weak teams in no time and clubs will struggle to field competitive teams year after year and players will go elsewhere instead of staying in a club. Unless there’s “out of district restrictions?

 

[Dude]

Philosophical conversation, but players will always gravitate to where they have the best opportunity. Puts pressures on clubs to build good programs, and players to perform. Better to have the cream rise to the top in all instances. Club dominance in this format is not absolute, since the driver of that type of dominance is typically compensation (think Yankees, Barca, Bayern, etc.).

But, whatever....it's a player pay model w/ a massively watered down system. So, lower level, and few quality players that can get to the top due to financial barriers. So, the "top" is a lower level.

 

[Bigbadsoccerwolf]

And you’ve gotten rid of boundaries in the process
You’re gonna end up with a few strong teams and bunch of weak teams in no time and clubs will struggle to field competitive teams year after year and players will go elsewhere instead of staying in a club. Unless there’s “out of district restrictions?

Why is that a problem? If all your players keep leaving then offer a better product. I’m fed up of fcuk heads always moaning about players leaving their club. The odd few will be down to mental parents but if your losing multiple players from your bcspl team to another’s each year then take a hard look in the mirror.
It is Surrey or Mountains fault that the best players want to play for the best team? So I should be stuck to play for my shite local club because of “district” rules and not allowing me to drive more than 15 mins? Gimme a break fcuk sakes.

 

[Bigbadsoccerwolf]

Philosophical conversation, but players will always gravitate to where they have the best opportunity. Puts pressures on clubs to build good programs, and players to perform. Better to have the cream rise to the top in all instances. Club dominance in this format is not absolute, since the driver of that type of dominance is typically compensation (think Yankees, Barca, Bayern, etc.).

But, whatever....it's a player pay model w/ a massively watered down system. So, lower level, and few quality players that can get to the top due to financial barriers. So, the "top" is a lower level.

Spot on Dude.
and yes the watering down is a killer. Especially as there were only about 15 decent coaches in the whole league, and 14 of them are at two clubs - easy to guess which just look at which clubs succeed.

 

[Dude]

Why is that a problem? If all your players keep leaving then offer a better product. I’m fed up of fcuk heads always moaning about players leaving their club. The odd few will be down to mental parents but if your losing multiple players from your bcspl team to another’s each year then take a hard look in the mirror.
It is Surrey or Mountains fault that the best players want to play for the best team? So I should be stuck to play for my shite local club because of “district” rules and not allowing me to drive more than 15 mins? Gimme a break fcuk sakes.

This.

 

[Yoda]

Fair comments. I was just referring to the fact that you’ll end up with 3 strong teams and a bunch of weak ones that get shite kicked every weekend by them. Doesn’t make much for an “Elite League” was what I was trying to get at. Carry on.

 

[Dude]

Counterpoint...

You have that now, no?

Boundaries restricting player movement mean that the district has to do more with less. Even great clubs are limited w/ boundaries. Remove the boundaries, and a well run club w/ great coaching can now excel.

 

[Spankmemanky]

We model our development system on England...first fcuk up.... ‘66 this!!

secondly, it’s become big business $3500 + a player not including travel or tournaments..... that’s a 700% increase in less than a decade ...for what??? It’s the same recycled bullshit..... a few true Clubs who get it

BCSPL clubs should be responsible for a min of 2 feeder teams (call it premier 2, premier 3 to make everybody feel like theyre special) ...50+ kids in an age group overseen by 1 coach with assistants who run the other two teams.... dialogue then flows about development and such... one coach is then responsible for scouting .... gold/silver/bronze for the hidden gems missed by the dude who knows sweet FA about talent identification and long term development.

the development chain is ego driven and oppositional rather than fluid.... which causes implosions

coaches run 4 sessions a week, players must attend any 3...guaranteed great turnouts for every session....& you get a wider view of the group not the minute 15 players in a district.

gold and silver run the same way
Bronze and house ditto

 

[Yoda]

Counterpoint...

You have that now, no?

Boundaries restricting player movement mean that the district has to do more with less. Even great clubs are limited w/ boundaries. Remove the boundaries, and a well run club w/ great coaching can now excel.

for sure, but I was thinking in terms of these smaller clubs who are losing players to other clubs, struggling to field reasonable teams or teams at all. I’ve watched it with both my girls in metro as years go by. Teams just fold up. But you can’t do that with an SPL team or you lose your spot no?
I’m not as involved as you are but I’ve had 2 kids who’ve played metro since day 1. And metro teams seem to fade away from clubs

 

[Dude]

for sure, but I was thinking in terms of these smaller clubs who are losing players to other clubs, struggling to field reasonable teams or teams at all. I’ve watched it with both my girls in metro as years go by. Teams just fold up. But you can’t do that with an SPL team or you lose your spot no?
I’m not as involved as you are but I’ve had 2 kids who’ve played metro since day 1. And metro teams seem to fade away from clubs

Um, I am not involved at all, not anymore. I'm interested in a system that works for players and all parents. We don't have that.

 

[utah]

In order for any of this to make sense BC Soccer has to create a place for said players to play at the end of this pricey journey. So far BC Soccer has failed miserably at this.

 

[Dude]

Utah- I see it as failures on the system essentially reducing the content of the prospect funnel on the youth side, and he’s, failure to have a pathway. Mini Utah was born 4 years too late. Yah just couldn’t wrap it for a bit, could you?