TTP Champions League - food for thought

[Dude]

Only goes to show that you need the blessings of the league, a point Rich illustrated in the other thread.

Anyhow, this could happen. You'd need somebody to work with inside the VMSL that can lobby the teams, and put it to a members vote at the AGM. So long as you have the numbers in the vote process, I'm thinking it can be done- with or without Azzi's blessing.

Unless I misunderstand the whole member / motion / vote process.

 

[ghouse]

There is alot of work to do,,thats why we need alot of help, Most of the help is to ralley the teams and make sure we have them on our side when voteing time comes. Make sure they show up to vote. I have been to FVSL meetings and I know they will listen. They do (in my opinion)accept some change and want what is best for its members. VMSL is where the brick wall will be for sure . So we will need a strong list of guys helping out from there. There also is the UNsanctioned approch. Im not sure how this all will work as this is new to me aswell as most of you. We will need help from everyone to make this fly,,But we can do it. Walls are ment to come down..I read that on a wall in Germany when I was at the Berlin Wall Concert many moons ago. lol. Anyways ,help from BC Soccer, FVSL, VMSL. Everywhere. If you have an in somewhere WE NEED YOU. If you run a team WE NEED YOU. We all must be on the same page here and feel we want or need this event.
To me its more games and thats why were here, games = fun....PERIOD!

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Ghouse, would you get to determine the schedule for your team? Makes sense, doesn't it?

 

[ghouse]

So this meeting,,why not upstairs in the Pub at 8rinks at 7pm Monday.
Ill buy the nachos and beers,,,,Directly after the meeting. of coarse.
How fitting as its right above Sir Azzi's office.
Also lets get this straight here and now, Azzi is not the enemy,he is just wanting what is best for his league as he sees it.
We just want to add something to soccer that we believe would be more fun.
Give us more games.Bragging rights,Mabee some cash,a trophie,mabee a chance to compete in the OCC. Mabee one guy will stay in soccer a while longer because ,Whatever we deside..we are haveing more fun.Thats what counts.
We do not and will not interfere with the FVSL or VMSL. WE will work around their schedules. If we must move our games then we will. They are priority.
See ya 7pm Monday 8rinks pub and Ya Im buyin.

 

[ghouse]

Ghouse, would you get to determine the schedule for your team? Makes sense, doesn't it?

Assmonger!!! if you let me I will..
TTP live draw with pingpong balls and that fricken whachamacallit bingo machine

Oh and my vote will be to let you Richmond boys in. Its time your Premier teams played in a tournament where you belong instead of cleaning up the div 2 and 3 Provincials.
Ya Im calling you and your teams out.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

So this meeting,,why not upstairs in the Pub at 8rinks at 7pm Monday.
Ill buy the nachos and beers,,,,Directly after the meeting. of coarse.
How fitting as its right above Sir Azzi's office.
Also lets get this straight here and now, Azzi is not the enemy,he is just wanting what is best for his league as he sees it.
We just want to add something to soccer that we believe would be more fun.
Give us more games.Bragging rights,Mabee some cash,a trophie,mabee a chance to compete in the OCC. Mabee one guy will stay in soccer a while longer because ,Whatever we deside..we are haveing more fun.Thats what counts.
We do not and will not interfere with the FVSL or VMSL. WE will work around their schedules. If we must move our games then we will. They are priority.
See ya 7pm Monday 8rinks pub and Ya Im buyin.

If you're buying can we have it on Sunday night since I have Monday off and I'll be officially off the wagon by then?

 

[ghouse]

No,,Has to be Monday most of us play Sunday and usually there is no training Mondays so Monday it is.
Guys, Please make it out and speek your minds. We need everyone on board for this or it wont fly.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Monday at 7pm it is then? 8-Rinks Pub?

Let's get a role call to see who is coming from what League/Club/Team and see what we can do to ensure we get some guys that can apply some leverage to their respective Leagues and Clubs...

 

[ghouse]

We need some VMSL Guys for sure

 

[johnnybluenose]

bonefish? KNVB? Regs? zenga? Bronco? alikira? sixfyv? blazearmy? sandbagger? anyone?

 

[Polska]

We need some VMSL Guys for sure

VMSL here. Im in.

 

[Regs]

Holiday Monday is a tough one, I can't commit either way right now.

Premature thought maybe... - call it the Marcus Dressel Memorial Cup and put some real meaning behind it.

 

[johnnybluenose]

I just realized that it was a holiday monday too.... now I'm touch and go,

also...good shout Regs. I like the sound of that...long time TTP'er, instead of calling it the TTP Champs League, you are right, put some real meaning into it...

 

[ghouse]

I have had alot of guys ask if we can move the meeting to the following Monday as alot of the guys are out of town this weekend,,So being a holiday and all,,We are now moveing the meeting to the following Monday at 7pm Pub at 8rinks and yes Im still buying. Monday November 19th.
This will give us a little more time to get a few more people out.
Please ,this weekend ask around. We do need more help. VMSL ,FVSL.Richmond. Any connections you have we need.

 

[ghouse]

Just a reminder so no one shows up until Monday the 19th at 7pm 8rinks Pub.
Please everyone come out.

 

[johnnybluenose]

So lets fire this chat back up leading to the meeting on Monday. What are we going to discuss, we want/should try to have a plan to ensure we are not there for 5 hours debating everything.

We should (in my opinion anyways) Form some sort of a defined group of individuals, or committee for lack of a better term, to make sure stuff happens so this just isnt all on Rich's lap. Someone to start the process of scheduling, referees (maybe a ref that is a TTP'er wants this role?) coordinating with Leagues, someone to beuarocrat with the BCSA, fields, rules, etc....

is this going to be real casual or really serious?

all good topics I think we can discuss...


or....are we just going to sit down, have a beer, and decide who is going to be in, and what leagues, and how do we ensure certian leagues buy in? etc...

again, I think a role call is in order also, can we try and get someone to ensure the leagues are all on board, although that looks like a good discussion too...

 

[ghouse]

I agree.
I have a staff member of mine who will be coming out,His resume is very impressive and will be doing most of the leg work as thats his job. He has many many city contacts in all our various municipalities. He has put on so many of the larger festivals and events that putting this together will be easy for him. I feel we need 1 person on a sort of payrole job role so as to get the job done. Mabee I am wrong but vollenteers never seem to finnish what they start and the few that do are so far between its hard to find them.
We need help in the areas of getting close to the people that can help us get this done. People who know or are friends with the powers at be so when our proposal is ready those people get it and take it serious. Everyone believes this Cup will be fun. But what else will it do for Soccer in our area. VMSL wants to know (WHY) what are we playing for. Fun to me is enough. But to them its not quite enough. OCC berth,mabee. Cash, mabee. Trophy and bragin rights, ok. But again (WHY). I feel its because we need just alittle more soccer than one game a week. Something else to raise awareness of our sport. Something more to talk about here on TTP. And if just one more great local youngster stays interested in soccer because of one more fun event, We did our part in makeing our sport stronger.
I am out looking and scouting new players all the time now.
When I talk to the 16-17 year old and younger for that matter kids about soccer they all say the same thing. My parents are makeing me choose between hockey and soccer or I cant make practice cause I have football the same night.
Why is hockey and football more attractive to these kids.
Lots of reasons Im sure you all know.
The biggest reason I have heard is that they have more fun at the other sports.
Pisses me off to hear that day in and day out.
But I was there once and I remember what I felt and I felt the samething and really I see it now as an adult.
Football is a short season and ends when it gets near December (it ends when it gets to cold to practice)
Hockey is indoors and yes its cold but you dont notice it.
My point is and you all tell me if Im wrong. My practices have slowly dwindled down from 44 guys to 20 as the weather has changed on an average.(2 teams).But when we have a game no matter what the weather is like, everyone shows.
We play friendlies at 10pm wednesday nights now and low and behold everyone shows up yet when its a practice at that time,,we are lucky if half the guys show up. You hear every excuse in the book.
My point is ,more games over the winter means more guys showing up staying fit and at least getting cardio. Oh and haveing FUN.
To the younger guys desideing what sport to stay with,,More fun will get them out and keep them in our sport instead of loseing our talented athletes to other sports which as of now in their minds are more fun.
To me ,More games = More fun.
More fun = More guys playing our sport.
I am from Kelowna where we only play soccer in the summer. When I moved here many moons ago I was shocked that you all played in the winter. So be it,it is what everyone else does all over the world, But other than North america you dont have Football and for the most part hockey to compete with so it works. In Ktown we always had full turn outs to all practices as the warm weather was attractive and it was FUN to go down to the park for some practice footy.. Here ,,God its a dreadful time of cold wet kick around where you dont learn much cause you spend more time thinking of how you can leave early...Dont say im not dedicated with what ive just said cause im the first to arrive and the last to leave week after week and if you know me you know I am always there. What I am saying is what I know is true to most every kid out there and their parents too. It takes a real baller to turn up all the time. If you say all we want is ballers,,well most of the best soccer players are not ballers,they are just straight out better atheletes and we lose them to other sports. And Canada loses out on the world level because of it.
So in my opiniun we need this so we all can have more games (fun). And again if 1 person stays in soccer because of it,we did our job.

 

[Dude]

You make a very good point Ghouse.

As a coach, my single biggest beef is that I have to coach my kids in the winter.

~We get rain outs every second weekend, almost guaranteed. Not enough turf to go around.
~If it isn’t rained out, the weather is likely the shits. Most kids hate playing in the rain. Now, we do get them warm, and excited, but we also walk all over other teams who are cold. Who’s benefiting from that?
~Most soccer coaches for kids are hockey dads. Why? Not enough players giving back, and the hockey dads, sorry to say- get it. Problem is they don’t understand the game.
~I get my kids one hour a week, in a guym. I've invested in indor balls, and it has helped, but let's get real. The guym sucks, but it is all that we can get, being nightime, and considering the higher age groups all get the lighted fields.

I know how much more I could do w/ my boys if I had summer weather and conditions to work with. When I get them at the beginning of the season, it is remarkable how much they improve. Why? Good conditions and PT.


One other thing. My kid plays both hockey and soccer. He’s grown up around soccer- hanging around w/ me in the room before and after games, in Geoff McCormick’s soccer school since 3, and me coaching his team since U-6. He really, really likes soccer.

He LOVES hockey. When there is a conflict, he almost always chooses hockey. And guess what? Next year, we can’t do both. We barely manage now, because my daughter also plays soccer, and on the days Mini Dude chooses hockey, we have to somehow manage to be in three places w/ two parents (since I am committed to coaching his team).

I can tell you right now next year he’ll pick hockey, and I don’t blame him. More tournaments, more trophies, more recognition, more fun. The hockey parent gets it. Soccer parents do not. I find soccer parents are there so their kid can get exercise, and be involved. Now that I am turning their kids into good little players, they are bitching and moaning about my pleas to get the kids into a summer tourney, and train once / week through the spring / early summer. I have five kids on my 12 boy roster who are well good enough to play in the Surrey United Players Academy, yet only two tried out: my son, and another. Both were selected (mine chose not to be a part of it, because it fell on hockey practice nights. Power Skating of all things. The boy LOVES to skate.). The other 3 didn’t even bother pushing their kids to try out. “Too competitive”. “Too expensive if he makes it”. And, the one I hate the most, “To much time commitment”. Christ! These other three kids LOVE the game, and they’d benefit. I can tell you the one playing now will do something in the game. He is quitting hockey next year to focus on soccer. And he plays goal in hockey, and is damn good. One for us, boys!

In hockey, every parent wants their kid to improve, and when the manager comes around collecting money for track suits, tourneys, whatever, nobody bitches.

Get our game being played in the summer (so far as kids up to U-18 are involved), and let’s start changing the whole mentality. There is no reason why we should be a 2nd tier sport.

 

[BlazeArmy]

Well said Ghouse and Dude.

I think one of the main problems with youth soccer locally is the fact that a lot of the parents don't understand the game at all and didn't grow up playing it.

I know all of us on here love the game but i can't tell you how frustrating it was when i was coaching youth soccer when i would hear complaints about playing time and strategy ideas from parents on the sidelines. I coached Gold or Silver teams in Tsawwassen or White Rock from u-15 to u-18 over a period of 9 or 10 years. (all the while i played the gme and managed my own club teams.)

We always had 3 or 4 sets of parents who got it, they would offer to help out with the practices and managed that side of things while i was left strictly with coaching. 3 or 4 would be supportive but not offer any help but it was nice to see they wanted to supprt their children. a couple would know nothing about soccer and want to learn whcih was always nice. There are 5 or 6 who i never met and they were strictly paying for their kids soccer and using us as a babysitting service it seemed like. The main problem was the 5 or 6 on each team who were at all the games and were always complaining about how we did things. How come the ball didn't go up the field quick enough, why do we only have 3 defenders, why their son Johnny ( who hasn't made a practice in 5 weeks) wasn't starting and why the slow kid was upfront and not playing defense were he could not hurt the team. It was absolutely unbelievable. I ignored them for the most part but there was a parent i had to ban from being on the same side of the field as me and eventually i had to ban him form games as he was yelling at kids to do the exact opposite o f all the things we were trying to get them to do. On a basic level that is one of the problems.


Hoping to make it out for monday night. May have to be in Calgary for work but might be going tuesday am now.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Issue is that this is a hockey and football country, not a soccer country.

End of. More kids play soccer because unfortunately, most parents are lazy and cheap. Soccer is cheaper, and there are no 5 am practices in a cold rink.

Babysitting service is right. It is a cheap form of daycare, and the kids get orange slices!

If the CSA and BCSA got their heads out of their arses and applied the same management priciples they use at Hockey Canada, we would be a success at soccer...sadly this is not the case.