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[ThiKuBC]

Yes, my boys are 95-96.

I am in contact with Rush to arrange something. I only have one full weekend available between now and the end of our season. May 21-22. otherwise it would have to be weeknight - and we'd only do that if the drive wasn't too long to get there. Our season ends at the Crossfire Challenge, FYI. We have a LOT of Saturdays available, and we can discuss if we visit you or if you visit us on one or more of those.

If the travel is long we won't want to drive down on a Saturday as we will have a big league game the Sunday and that wouldn't be the best prep. if the drive isn't long or if we can host that won't be an issue as I have a squad of 20. THANKS.

[SoccerFlicks]

Ahhh May 21st n 22nd is a showcase weekend for us but I will see if the younger team is available.  I have already talked wih the coach so he is good to go with organizing a weekend - Ill get you in touch with the manager.

We are looking to fill some dates in June and hope to have the U-19 squad come down to play.  I was hoping we could make it an international weekend of several teams, several games.

You up for that in June?

[ThiKuBC]

Official League Web Site developed - updates on it surely to follow.

http://bcsoccerpremierleague.net/

[ThiKuBC]

Further Updates:

(These are obviously league-wide documents)
League Operations Policy - http://membersystem.bcsoccer.net/BCSA/Clubs/portals/BCSoccerPremierLeague/Media/File/Technical%20Documents/EA%20Sports%20BCSPL%20-Technical%20Operations%20Manual.pdf
Fitness Testing - http://membersystem.bcsoccer.net/BCSA/Clubs/portals/BCSoccerPremierLeague/Media/File/Technical%20Documents/EA%20Sports%20BCSPL%20-Fitness%20Testing%20Pkg.pdf
Scheduling Web Page - http://www.bcsoccerpremierleague.net/

League starts week after this with a 3-month exhibition schedule. Full season starts in February/March 2012. Scheduling page needs fine-tuning.

As you can see on the scheduling one club hosts another club each game day. IE, the first weekend all Magnuson Ford Mariners teams play the Vancouver Island Wave teams so on and so forth. I love this idea as all clubs travel together - and that also allows easily for young players to move up and get time with an older team on any given day.

The Fitness Testing is particularly impressive. Also, notice the technical (certification) levels the coaches must have by 2014 - yes yes, I know certifications aren't everything.

Playing time requirement - over the course of the season each player will have played 30% but not required for each game.
Substitution Policy - u13 has OPEN subs. u14-18 have FIVE subs IN-GAME with an additional TWO subs maximum at half-time. Each team must have 16 players minimum.TWO goalkeepers have to be named on each match-day.

How is this relevant? This weekend CROSSFIRE ACADEMY sent teams to the BCSPL's Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Tournament on Labour Day weekend (September 3-5). Here are the results - Crossfire teams did "OK". "SPL" is the elite division. http://membersystem.bcsoccer.net/BCSA/Clubs/portals/BCSoccerPremierLeague/Media/File/Technical%20Documents/EA%20Sports%20BCSPL%20-Technical%20Operations%20Manual.pdf

[ThiKuBC]

This league is now done for the mini-season. Each team played 7-8 games I believe. While I wasn't a coach in the league - I had the u12's which are an age below the u13 minimum - I believe it was a success. As the only issue I hear about now is "what about the players getting released? How do they join a team that is in mid-season etc....and vice-versa how does a kid leave their team and join a BCPL team?"

I did step-in and coached the u17 boys team for one game. It was something of a mid-table battle played on poor field conditions in poor weather - heavy rain, water spots on the field that grew as the game went on. It ended in a draw and was very competitive. I didn't put my team through any training sessions but I was very pleased with what I "inherited" in regards to their attitude and playing style. The opposition were a strong team that played as much of a technical-passing game as they could in the conditions as well.

Knowing what tier 1 was like in the years prior compared to this league that has now taken over the mantle of tier 1 - I feel pretty strongly in saying tier 1 has improved greatly here. However, it will take probably 3 full seasons before the league can be deemed a success.

1. How many move on to university?
2. How many national club titles are won (at the u16 or u18 ages) or at least runners up? (BC teams should, in reality, finish 3rd based on stats every year)?
3. How many BC provincial team titles or runners-up/thirds are won?
4. How many kids are picked-up by the Whitecaps at u14 or u16 and are retained by the Whitecaps for the u18 team - and heck, how many move to the Whitecaps MLS team (after year 3 I predict zero as it'll be the kids that are on the current u14 team that have the best shot at that I imagine....so this should be checked maybe 6-8 years from now)....?
5. Player retention??
6. How many kids move on to the national team/national training centres/professional soccer other than Whitecaps (NASL, USL, Europe....etc)

Anyway....the league is on a winter break and starts its first full season next year starting in March I think. My team will be "u13" but not part of the u13 league in BCPL as we transition to officially start u13 in 2013 (as we are 2000-born). We will play exhibition season and tournaments (watch for us down in Bellingham and maybe Seattle this summer! I HOPE!) and then enter a mini-season from Sept-Nov just as was done this fall for the current teams. Should be fun! I'll be contacting certain Washington clubs re: games....

[ThiKuBC]

Nice new web site: http://www.bcsoccerpremierleague.net/

League starts-up today for first full season - includes the Whitecaps u14 team playing exhibition matches v. every BCSPL franchise, and I think the u16 Whitecaps might be too here and there?

Season runs until July, takes a break over summer until some point late August then goes until November. B/W July-August kids thus have chance to train with the Provincial squad, maybe the National Training Centre, maybe Whitecaps and otherwise rest and enjoy family time over the valuable summer months.

The 2000-born kids are all wrapping up their 8v8 season and all PL teams have started or will start their tryouts for that age group very soon. The 2000-born teams will all have slightly different scheds. Some will start right away and train over Spring-early Summer, then take July to mid/late-August break, some will not start until mid/late-August. Then will mirror the regular campaign in September and play 7-8 league games, then start first full season February 2013. This will be the case for all future years pending minor changes here/there.

I imagine you'll see some of these 2000-born teams in some Washington tourmaments....my club, for example, is slated to attend Baker Blast and a tournament in Oregon.....and some others but not sure if in Washington.

Exciting times.

ps-why this league? Whitecaps have already signed 3 players from this league to their residency after the initial 8 game season. It's nice to see Sounders now having a u15 and u17 non-Academy team(s)....maximizes exposure.

[sounderfan]

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Soccer+Premier+League+aims+launch+players+success/6224422/story.html

[anyudes]

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Soccer+Premier+League+aims+launch+players+success/6224422/story.html

Excellent link. Thanks...

[ThiKuBC]

Yes, it seems to be paying off so far.

This winter Whitecaps signed 3 kids to their residency program by scouting the league (a 4th player was signed from Eastern Canada).

And yesterday it was announced 2 GK's from the u16 age group are going to England on trial with 3 teams. Both from this league.

Pretty cool!

[Islander]

Sure wish Whitecaps would have posted the Schedules/Results for last weekends College Showcase.

[ThiKuBC]

Fusion FC has a few results posted - http://www.fusionfc.ca/announcements/week-3-schedules

Tynecastle put out a team in the u18 div I think....I bet if you went to their site you'd find something?

If you went to each franchises web page you might find results. But re: Whitecaps posting the results...tbh they are quite good at promoting "scores don't mean much...development first."

Results at this event are meaningless. The success will be found in kids being offered schols.

[Islander]

meaningless to you.  Priceless to me.

[ThiKuBC]

Sorry didn't realize it was just girls last weekend - the boy showcase is this weekend.

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2012/03/successful-weekend-whitecaps-fc-college-showcase

[Islander]

got 'em, thank you.

[ThiKuBC]

Here's the boys event....scores and whatnot through this link too. here's the schools scouting...

http://club.whitecapsfc.com/tournaments/collegeshowcase/attending.aspx