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[chicken wing]

Gary White, WSYSA Technical Director,  "Recently, it has come to our attention that other organizations outside of the US Youth Soccer family are attempting to create new clubs and programs that do not fit within the vision of player development in Washington. As a member parent of Washington Youth Soccer, you should be aware of such organizations."

Why is Gary White spying on and infiltrating other soccer programs?  Most associations and clubs within WSYSA do not even know what Gary's vision for player development is. 

Classic problem at WYS, rather than promote and successfully implement a player development program, do nothing for years, then criticize anyone who may actually start a program .

Gary, rather than threaten everyone, why not reach out and help these "groups"?

[sounderfan]

"Recently?"   

[EWSoccer64]

Sounds like Gary White is advertising for these "other programs".   After all, he says we should all be aware of them!
Gary, next time please go even further and supply a list.  I don't want to miss one of these new programs!

[Bathos]

Sounds like Gary White is advertising for these "other programs".   After all, he says we should all be aware of them!
Gary, next time please go even further and supply a list.  I don't want to miss one of these new programs!

That's what I wondered.  Why should we be aware of them?  To check them out as an alternative?  To report them to the police?  Pray for their wicked souls?  Reduce our speed? 

[chicken wing]

"Recently?"  

WASHINGTON YOUTH SOCCER PLAYER DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY

Dear Washington Youth Soccer Parents:

My name is Gary White and I am the Technical Director for Washington Youth Soccer. As a soccer family within Eastside Youth Soccer Association, you are a Washington Youth Soccer member. I am writing to you to provide further insight regarding the current soccer opportunities and player development pathways in your local area and within Eastside Youth Soccer Association.

Recently, it has come to our attention that other organizations outside of the US Youth Soccer family are attempting to create new clubs and programs that do not fit within the vision of player development in Washington. As a member parent of Washington Youth Soccer, you should be aware of such organizations. We think it’s important that you are informed of which programs/clubs are supported by Washington Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer so that you are able to choose the correct environment for your child to be successful.

Guided by effective operational governance with clear standards, Washington Youth Soccer has delivered quality soccer experiences focused on individual player development for over 50 years. As the largest youth soccer organization in Washington, we are the state's affiliate of US Youth Soccer. We are also an official partner of Seattle Sounders FC, where we combine our developmental and coaching expertise to positively impact player development in our state. Excellent examples of players who have come through our system include well-known, national team players like Hope Solo and Kasey Keller.

As the sixth largest membership in the nation, we represent over 128,000 players (ages 4-19) and their families, 15,000 coaches on 12,000 teams. Washington Youth Soccer seeks to give all of our players the opportunity to excel at the appropriate level of play. Our established player pathway, (below) carefully designed to bring the best education and age appropriate training to your player, allows players to move seamlessly between the various levels of play offered through Washington Youth Soccer and US Soccer.

This player pathway currently exists within your association. As a long standing member of Washington Youth Soccer, Eastside Youth Soccer Association is the foundation of recreational and select soccer in your area. For players seeking to play at the highest level of the game, Eastside FC is the only recognized elite club in your area who competes within our Regional Club League (RCL).

We must focus on appropriate training and education within our current structure to prevent diluting the quality of our programs offered to our members.

If you have any questions regarding the current Washington Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer affiliated clubs and programs in our state, or our different levels of play feel free to contact me at gary@WashingtonYouthSoccer.org

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to play a role in the development of your child.

Best Regards,

Gary J. White
Technical Director, Washington Youth Soccer

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Ask Hope Solo or KC Keller about G White's player development program.  What players has Gary White actually produced?  Any player who has ever made the news in WA Soccer NEVER participated in G White's player development program....    Gary White wasn't even a WA resident when Hope Solo and KC Keller played.  Is Gary going to take credit for (to name a few) Chris/Sean Henderson, Marcus Hahnemann, Michelle Akers, Preston Zimmerman, Leighton/Ciaran Obrien, Nik Besagno, and recently Kellen Rowe....  

Please give credit where credit is due, Gary!  Stop embarrassing WYS.

[Southend soccer mom]

What other programs is he referring to?

[Holiday]

I just got this today too. It appears to be directed at families in the ISC Gunners program. The following sentence gives it away:
"For players seeking to play at the highest level of the game, Eastside FC is the only recognized elite club in your area who competes within our Regional Club League (RCL)."
I don't know of any other "new programs" in this area that have affected EFC enrollment numbers the way ISC has in the past couple of years.

[Southend soccer mom]

Thanks Holiday. After reading the EYSA website I made that conclusion too. Gunners have good teams but I would think Eastside wouldn't have to worry too much about them since they only offer programs up to U13.

[chicken wing]

Gary White should go back to England!  Taking credit for player development in WA is an insult to numerous coaches who have!

[Holiday]

ISC Gunners will continue to have teams at higher age groups each year. The program started with U10s three years ago, that's why they don't have any team older than U13 now. But next year they will have U14s, the next year they will have U15s, etc... Unless, of course, Gary is successful at scaring the parents away from the program, and the talented kids leave.

[sounderfan]

OK, I will see if anyone at ISC want's to address this.

[skagitcoach]

Chickenwing, go grind your ax elsewhere. Nowhere in that letter does Gary White take credit for developing Solo and Keller. He simply stated that they are a product of Washington State Youth Soccer. 

[Independent]

"We must focus on appropriate training and education within our current structure to prevent diluting the quality of our programs offered to our members."

I need a better selling job than this.  What is the real benefit for me to have my son play for EFC, or any pay to play organization that costs a significant amount of money.  My son loves to play, is reasonably skilled, and reasonably athletic.  But, I am realistic enough to recognize that the chance of him playing at high level is very small.

So WYS, why should I PAY $2,500-3,500 for my son to play this game?  He will learn enough to love playing the game by just playing the game.  That should be the goal for most parents, develop kids who love to play the game for the joy of it and to be physically fit. 

The pay to play culture that has developed here is really beyond the pale.  All I hear in the quote I posted is that we must not dilute the revenue stream going to WYS.  Plain and simple.

[chicken wing]

Chickenwing, go grind your ax elsewhere. Nowhere in that letter does Gary White take credit for developing Solo and Keller. He simply stated that they are a product of Washington State Youth Soccer. 

Why Gary White put Hope Solo and KC Keller's name on his lettr?  Laughable.  He contact these individuals for permission to use their names?

[sounderfan]

Next stop, Guam:
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18733%3Agfa-welcomes-gary-whites-visit&catid=38%3Asports-news&Itemid=152


 

[tripleplay]

Out of curiosity, was EYSA the only lucky association to get this letter?

[skagitcoach]

Chickenwing, I'm merely pointing out that you wrote that Gary White took credit for developing Solo and Keller. In fact, nowhere in that letter does White take credit for developing them. All White said is that Solo and Keller are products of Washington State Youth Soccer. Neither is there anything in the letter that could even remotely be construed as disparaging the coaches who did in fact work with them and develop them. You clearly have some sort of ax to grind with WYS and Gary White, which is your prerogative -- but don't make stuff up.

[PrideNJoy]

I don't know, is ISC going US Club as well in some cases?

i kind of read it like this.......you're at a fork in the road......the one you've been on is WYS and it's model....should you venture off that path and onto another and create your own model or find another similar model on the new path.......you might not find your way back home to wys.

i don't know what isc may be doing, just reading between many thin lines here.   Which path is the continuously narrowing path leading to the end of the road?   Choose wisely.

clubs can work together to make their association better within WYS and it's model, or flip the bird to the association, to WYS,  and risk having the legs cut out from under the club and the association and have avenues to WYS leagues, tournaments, cups, fields, referees, etc........be gone.   

[chicken wing]

Next stop, Guam:
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18733%3Agfa-welcomes-gary-whites-visit&catid=38%3Asports-news&Itemid=152


 

Thanks..... his vision for player development probably preceeded his visit to Guam by 20 years also.

[EWSoccer64]

Chickenwing, go grind your ax elsewhere. Nowhere in that letter does Gary White take credit for developing Solo and Keller. He simply stated that they are a product of Washington State Youth Soccer. 

Well, I will say that Gary is NOT well versed in the history of WSYSA.  Hope was primarily a field player with her club teams, and same at HS.  Where she played GK as a youth was with the old Washington East ODP.  The same Washington East ODP that the WSYSA's "Development Plan" took away from the kids on our side of the mountains.   Ever since, the number of kids who are part of the ODP/Sounders Academy/Alphabet Soup of Current Quasi ODP programs has been in decline.
Thanks for reminding us in Eastern Washington just how great the "WYS's Development Plan" is, Gary. 

[EWSoccer64]

Next stop, Guam:
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18733%3Agfa-welcomes-gary-whites-visit&catid=38%3Asports-news&Itemid=152


 

Thanks..... his vision for player development probably preceeded his visit to Guam by 20 years also.

Hey Chickenwing, care to explain why the USCS operation in the state cheated the ASE girls out of their promised slot in the NWCL?  Is that part of your USCS "Vision of Development"?  To make and brake promises?  To cheat teams out of their rightful spots?

[sounderfan]

I am hearing from a few people, and the arrow seems to be pointing at Islanders FC, the new club on Mercer Island, as being the reason for the letter...


"I believe Gary's letter is in response to something that just occurred on Mercer Island a couple of days ago.  An announcement went out about a new club starting up called Islanders FC.  It is a club that will be holding tryouts to form competitive teams for the Spring PSPL.  It's causing quite a ruckus on MI.  I'm guessing EFC is also not pleased with this development."  ---anonymous

[goldengoal]

I am hearing from a few people, and the arrow seems to be pointing at Islanders FC, the new club on Mercer Island, as being the reason for the letter...


"I believe Gary's letter is in response to something that just occurred on Mercer Island a couple of days ago.  An announcement went out about a new club starting up called Islanders FC.  It is a club that will be holding tryouts to form competitive teams for the Spring PSPL.  It's causing quite a ruckus on MI.  I'm guessing EFC is also not pleased with this development."  ---anonymous

A little competition only helps the kids, especially when clubs that belong to WYS get complacent and think because they are the only game in town they dont have to get better or feel they can get away with anything. Then they try to funnel/force players into their broken club by running to mom and dad (WYS) asking "why are they doing these evil things to my club". We are such a great club and care about the kids so much and our programs are so great, we just can't prove it. I am sure that PSPL does or will do similar things, but US club is not as closed as WYS or US Youth.

Sounds like a certain group in the educational system that says "our kids are learning, I can see it in their eyes"

[Edson Arantes]

Perhaps Guam can keep him. Don't they have a national team that plays in the Oceania Region of FIFA? Hire him- Please!!!!

[Front Yard Chickens]

And if the egg farmer couldn't afford to have his son play on a  RCL team...denied the opportunity to compete at the highest level he might not have been

[chicken wing]

Chickenwing, I'm merely pointing out that you wrote that Gary White took credit for developing Solo and Keller. In fact, nowhere in that letter does White take credit for developing them. All White said is that Solo and Keller are products of Washington State Youth Soccer. Neither is there anything in the letter that could even remotely be construed as disparaging the coaches who did in fact work with them and develop them. You clearly have some sort of ax to grind with WYS and Gary White, which is your prerogative -- but don't make stuff up.

“ As the largest youth soccer organization in Washington, we (Gary White and WYS Staff) are the state's affiliate of US Youth Soccer. We (Gary White and WYS Staff) are also an official partner of Seattle Sounders FC, where we (Gary White and WYS Staff) combine our developmental and coaching expertise to positively impact player development in our state. Excellent examples of players who have come through our (Gary White and WYS Staff) system include well-known, national team players like Hope Solo and Kasey Keller.”

Gary doesn’t take ALL the credit, but does take credit for player development of Kasey Keller and Hope Solo……

Skagitcoach, how much credit would you give Gary White for developing players like Kasey Keller and Hope Solo?

[skagitcoach]

Chickenwing, of course I would not give Gary any of the credit for developing Keller and Solo. None of us would. The point is that Gary is not taking personal credit for their development in that letter, no matter how much you want to convolute the plain meaning. You clearly have an ax to grind and so you are reading into that paragraph something that it just does not say. The 'we' and 'our' in that context simply refers to Washington State Youth Soccer Association. Yes, Gary is a part of WYS, but it is clearly not an attempt on his part to take personal credit for developing Solo and Keller -- it is a statement of fact, which is that Keller and Solo are products of Washington State Youth Soccer. Look at it this way...when President Obama, in his inaugural address, said "We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth," it's obvious that he is not taking personal credit for the nation's prosperity in his use of the word "we." Neither is Gary White taking personal credit for developing Solo and Keller when he uses the words "we" and "our" in his letter.

Peace. Out.  

[EWSoccer64]

Hey chickenwing, come on and explain why the PSPL cheated the tri-cities girls out of their promised NWCL slot!

Since you want to hold people accountable, all of a sudden......

[jjj]

ISC Gunners will continue to have teams at higher age groups each year. The program started with U10s three years ago, that's why they don't have any team older than U13 now. But next year they will have U14s, the next year they will have U15s, etc... Unless, of course, Gary is successful at scaring the parents away from the program, and the talented kids leave.

i'd say there are a couple issues here.  ISC makes up more than half of the eastside youth soccer assoc so when some ISC teams go to PSPL this puts direct pressure efc and their rcl teams. -talent.

it's just competition,  for whatever problems there may be with the pspl, ISC is happy sending teams there.

looks like some gunners teams may be invited to encl or so the rumor goes...

efc may have historically dissed their biggest member and the families, -so efc is just trying to put some kind of pressure on ISC.

ISC is supposedly  cheaper and this is hurting efc right now...

ISC seems to be treating their families well etc. so they are staying.

efc keeps putting pressure for isc to SEND their best kids over but kids/families don't want to go...  
If they don't want to go, ISC is instead trying to make sure these kids have good development opportunities.

these rcl guys seem to be saying we are the only way your kids will get recruited to college.
and some people are saying maybe not so much anymore and or who cares

imo it's just competion for talent

i think communication from ISC to their families is quite good so this letter may not have much impact.

jjj

[Independent]

I think jjj makes some great points.  And, I think ISC is offering a relatively good value.  )Probably not worth getting into a discussion on the problems that high cost pay to play may have on overall USA development).

I do think the PSPL needs to take a long hard look at having the ISC DOC serving as the Technical Director for the PSPL.  When situations occur like the ASE / ISC  entry into the NWCL at minimum there is the appearance of a conflict of interest.  That is NEVER good.