Yes Burnaby was very impressive from the mid-90's until, what, the early teen years when BCSPL began, and still produced some very strong metro teams after that? Like you said, when I played too, the coaches weren't paid and yet teams played superb football, all the top coaches were in the league as were all the top players. Cost was a fraction of today. Teams utilized the 3 OOD rule, by providing good coaching which attracted players. Todays insistence we need "a license pro coaches" is nice in theory, but folly in practice. TD's should be supervising training, demanding certain standards, and if coaches don't satisfy that be moved on regardless of license.
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Yes Burnaby was very impressive from the mid-90's until, what, the early teen years when BCSPL began, and still produced some very strong metro teams after that? Like you said, when I played too, the coaches weren't paid and yet teams played superb football, all the top coaches were in the league as were all the top players. Cost was a fraction of today. Teams utilized the 3 OOD rule, by providing good coaching which attracted players. Todays insistence we need "a license pro coaches" is nice in theory, but folly in practice. TD's should be supervising training, demanding certain standards, and if coaches don't satisfy that be moved on regardless of license.
It's quite well known as well that BCSPL players are totally fried by the end of u18 and many quit, or aren't good enough for even VMSL. Certainly I've heard this on the girls side (MWSL not VMSL of course). It's no surprise to me whatsoever a collection of friends playing metro come out the other fresher, and by the way, also playing at a high standard.
Staying at Port Moody made a heckuva a lot of sense, particularly as the CMF team was excellent and battered that PM team in the cup.
It's all good no need to check and report back. I assume it's cheaper (but still expensive at younger ages). I just appreciate that the cost goes up at 16+ when the players are truly serious about the game, and likely the definitely most talented players.
My son plays BCSPL. He plays for the competition and it’s not really on his radar to leverage soccer into a university scholarship. I see a ton of chatter here that indicates that a scholarship is the focus of playing BCSPL. Is it? Is my son an anomaly? I don’t know...
Canucks4Ever
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When I was coaching BCSPL the priority was 100% scholarship placement for every graduating team. There would always be one or two kids who didn't want to go to school, but for anyone who was the club was vehement in their efforts to get them placed on a soccer team with scholarship at post secondary.
Bearing in mind this fully included "scholarships" to Langara/Douglas/Cap etc.
Also to a point raised earlier I definitely saw plenty of burnout and would be very interested in see the numbers on how many HPL kids were one and done with playing at post secondary.
The post-secondary focus is literally one of the pillars of the league.
Taken from the Coastal BCSPL page for example...
GOALS/OBJECTIVES: The objective of the program is to create and provide an excellent experience by ensuring that safety, organization, structure and enjoyment exists for both players and coaches. The environment created by the club will provide an opportunity for players to develop technical ability, comprehension of team play and formations, and individual Speed, Agility and Quickness (SAQ). The end goal will be the identification, advancement and continued development of future High Performance coaches and players, for Whitecaps FC, CSA , College/University/CFC Adult League players.
Yes that’s my point. They get selected at 12 years old into BCSPL. I’m wondering how many on each roster are laser focussed on university soccer and how many just happen to be strong players and that’s where their abilities landed them when they tried out 6 years ago. It’s possible my son is an outlier but I wonder. Of the 5-6 players on his team that can likely play university soccer, how many of those are really wanting that.
As @ThiKu suggested, BCSPL probably shouldn't start until U15 or U16. That would help get the right players in for what is supposed to be a "high performance" league.
Out of curiosity does your son play soccer on his own outside of his BCSPL team? Pick up games at a local park, ball against a wall to work on his touch, dribbling drills in the backyard, etc? Do any of his teammates?
What the league wants, what the parents want, and what the player wants can be three very different things.
I can be a little more cynical now that I'm no longer involved in the league:
"Yes, I know you've paid all this money and your kid didn't make it into the Whitecaps residency program... but hey, he did get a scholarship to Quest! Still #winning!"
I can only speak for my old club. We had, and continue to have, good people involved who genuinely want the players develop and move on to bigger and better things. There's nothing wrong with being focussed on making the Caps, or getting a full-ride stateside, or just wanting to play at a high level for the competition and then age out into other activities while maybe playing in the VMSL or a lesser league as an adult.
There is, however, a convenient cover for everyone - Whitecaps included - in the amateur benefits. It distracts from the fact that, no matter how you slice it, BC kids aren't making even the remotest of impacts in MLS.
By now, they should be.
I can be a little more cynical now that I'm no longer involved in the league:
"Yes, I know you've paid all this money and your kid didn't make it into the Whitecaps residency program... but hey, he did get a scholarship to Quest! Still #winning!"
I can only speak for my old club. We had, and continue to have, good people involved who genuinely want the players develop and move on to bigger and better things. There's nothing wrong with being focussed on making the Caps, or getting a full-ride stateside, or just wanting to play at a high level for the competition and then age out into other activities while maybe playing in the VMSL or a lesser league as an adult.
There is, however, a convenient cover for everyone - Whitecaps included - in the amateur benefits. It distracts from the fact that, no matter how you slice it, BC kids aren't making even the remotest of impacts in MLS.
By now, they should be.
How much are fees for BCSPL compared to regular soccer. Sorry for not having a clue but I grew up outside the lower mainland so I have no idea what the structure and fees are. Did someone say thousands? lol...what a joke. haha
it's more on the a couple thousand versus a few thousand... I think MUFC was at $2400 a season, paid in three instalments, while I was there... that's mostly all-in, although travel tournaments like college showcases stateside (Vegas, Phoenix, Florida) would be extra...
That's basically $300 a month for the season, although I think we may have been on the lower rather than higher end of things league-wide...
I believe CMF have the lowest fees coming in around ~$2k (they actually post a transparent breakdown of different fees for different age groups depending on what's included)
But some of the other franchises charge over $3k. I know for a fact Fusion and TOFC are both that high.
But some of the other franchises charge over $3k. I know for a fact Fusion and TOFC are both that high.
And back to that league pillar thing: UBC is hosting an ID camp for 2003 boys this weekend. You’d think that every single player in BCSPL would be notified. Nope. You’d think my son’s club (Fusion) would notify their 2003 boys team. Nope. I mean what the actual f*ck?
Tongue firmly in cheek, but seriously! Fees for try-outs, fees for this, fees for that. The nickle and dime-ing is way out of hand.
So if this is the directive at club and league level, how the hell can UBC (Canada’s top soccer program) run an ID camp and we get crickets from league and club? And Fusion is in the back yard of said university. It’s truly mind boggling.
Seems like an issue you should take up with the powers that be at your son's club. Maybe the board needs to hold the employees to a higher standard...
