Best new thread on TTP! 
Honestly, I thought 15 or so years ago (God, been on TTP a long time now) that at some point, the tide would have to shift over to the Valley as being a more desirable place to play- for a lot of good reasons.
Mainly, and obviously, cost of real estate for young people. I was young once, and chose to buy a house in Cloverdale for $225K that would have cost me an extra $50 in Coquitlam, and another $100K in Burnaby...then dramatically worse as you moved into the City, then North Van. Well, that home is now selling for $800K out here, and we all know what the real estate market is doing in Vancouver. The affordability equation factored in for guys like me, and Utah...and now you have Mini Utah running the show as one of the FVSL's bright and upcoming players. Suffice to say, he's playing in the Valley because he has roots in the Valley.
That said, I predicted a shift then, and it still hasn't happened- and maybe now, literally a generation later, it is starting. Local footy politics may have more to do with this, but perhaps now, the stars are aligning such that it makes sense for guys to shift over to the FVSL.
The West Van thing is still baffling to me, but whatever...if there can be a Langley team in the VMSL, why can't there be a West Van team? Both are stupid, but it's a bit of a turf war.
The latest Provincial results are obvious...the VMSL is still the top dog, and I'm sure will remain so, as far as number of top level squads, for a while. But maybe, with a couple of savvy shifts / acquisitions, the power will start to shift.
Maybe by the time I have grandkids...
Honestly, I thought 15 or so years ago (God, been on TTP a long time now) that at some point, the tide would have to shift over to the Valley as being a more desirable place to play- for a lot of good reasons.
Mainly, and obviously, cost of real estate for young people. I was young once, and chose to buy a house in Cloverdale for $225K that would have cost me an extra $50 in Coquitlam, and another $100K in Burnaby...then dramatically worse as you moved into the City, then North Van. Well, that home is now selling for $800K out here, and we all know what the real estate market is doing in Vancouver. The affordability equation factored in for guys like me, and Utah...and now you have Mini Utah running the show as one of the FVSL's bright and upcoming players. Suffice to say, he's playing in the Valley because he has roots in the Valley.
That said, I predicted a shift then, and it still hasn't happened- and maybe now, literally a generation later, it is starting. Local footy politics may have more to do with this, but perhaps now, the stars are aligning such that it makes sense for guys to shift over to the FVSL.
The West Van thing is still baffling to me, but whatever...if there can be a Langley team in the VMSL, why can't there be a West Van team? Both are stupid, but it's a bit of a turf war.
The latest Provincial results are obvious...the VMSL is still the top dog, and I'm sure will remain so, as far as number of top level squads, for a while. But maybe, with a couple of savvy shifts / acquisitions, the power will start to shift.
Maybe by the time I have grandkids...
