| Norcal Premier Launches US CLub Soccer sanctioned U21 League |
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| on 03 Mar 2008 | |
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If you asked any
College coach if they could have their incoming freshman play on a PDL,
a NPSL or a Under 21 teams they would answer with a resounding – YES!
The players would come with experience playing against older players, a
reality in College soccer.
Hello Norcal Soccer Clubs, If you asked any College coach if they could have their incoming freshman play on a PDL, a NPSL or a Under 21 teams they would answer with a resounding – YES! The players would come with experience playing against older players, a reality in College soccer. Beginning this year, US Club Soccer began offering player passes and insurance for adult soccer. In addition, they have begun sanctioning Adult Soccer Leagues. This June and July we will offer a Norcal Premier Under 21 Division for Northern California Soccer Clubs. We are excited to present the 2008 Under 21 Norcal Premier Soccer League for Men’s and Women’s teams. The league is free of charge, subsidized with funds generated by the Norcal Premier Leagues, and Norcal State Cups. We have long believed Soccer Clubs should offer soccer for all soccer players, not just youth soccer players. Finally, we can realize this vision and assist Clubs in developing a “first team” for their Clubs. The Under 21 League is the first step towards our vision of assisting Clubs in offering soccer to its members for their lifetime. Our second step will be taken in 2009 when we offer an Under 23 Division and the final step will be a partnership with the National Premier Soccer League or a similar organization to offer Clubs an open league format – for players of any age. We must be honest! The structure we envision is not an original idea! We have looked around the world and copied what we like best from different areas. The most important idea offered by the world’s soccer community is Soccer Clubs that offer soccer for youth and adult players alike. We believe the days of youth only Soccer Clubs should and will be gradually ending. This step into adult soccer is important for Soccer Clubs because of the following reasons: 1. Lifelong connection to their Soccer Clubs: Adult soccer teams offer Clubs an opportunity to keep players connected to “their” Clubs for the lifetime after they have completed their youth soccer. The idea of youth Soccer Clubs is unique to the United States. In most countries, a Soccer Club is an institution which offers soccer for players’ age’s 6 to 60 or higher. Indeed, from a mini – kickers program to the old men teams (Alte Herren – in Germany) players develop a lifelong relationship or connection with “their” Clubs. This assists the Clubs in many areas including membership, community support and sponsorships. In our country, or at least in our State, many of our Clubs’ relationship with their most motivated and loyal youth players ends after they graduate from High School and move into the workplace or College. A player can play loyally 10 to 12 years in a youth Club, but once they turn 19 most Clubs offer nothing more for these players – not even a Club membership. Of course, there are some exceptions, Santa Clara Sporting has a first team, and San Juan has Real San Juan, but most Clubs offer nothing after their players Under 19 year. This must change! Many players return to their community once they have completed College. They should be able to come back to “their” home Clubs and play the sport they love!. Some players never leave for College. They should be able to continue to play for “their” home Clubs and as an adult take on various roles – coach, sponsor, managers, etc – the roles, based on world experience are too many to list. My favorite role, based on my experience in Europe, is the mostly older men, (“the tipsters”) looking for the talented young players who will become the next professional player. Franz Beckenbauer, arguably one of the top ten players ever, was about ten when he first came to the attention of professional soccer teams. Johann Cryuff, one of the top ten players ever, was discovered by the club, Ajax, where is mother was employed washing the uniforms. Players, who attend a local College, should also be able to play soccer for “their” Clubs. The Norcal Premier League beginning with the Under 21’s this year and the Under 23’s in 2009 will assist Clubs in offering a high level soccer league for its adult members. This important step will assist Clubs in developing members who maintain a lifetime connection to “their” Clubs. As the number of adult players within Clubs increases, so will the number of teams and Divisions – as well as the ability to structure the competition locally, regionally and state wide. 2. Creating a Soccer Culture: We believe there are kids who play soccer and “footballers”. “Footballers” have a passion for the game, - they watch it on TV, they go the stadium, they follow the standings and their favorite team - and most importantly - they play on their own. In our country, our Clubs face a challenge of creating a “soccer culture”, which grabs the kids for a lifetime. This is one of the greatest, perhaps “the greatest” challenges facing youth Soccer Clubs. I recently saw a team of “footballers” – players, coaches and parents - at the Norcal State Cup(s) in Manteca. After losing a tough match, and as most of the other teams were leaving after their games, the coaches and parents spent two hours watching other games while the players using their bags for goals played for two hours with little adult supervision. It is these types of “footballers” that hold the future of American soccer in their …… feet and their hearts! We believe youth Soccer Clubs will benefit immensely from having their youngsters attend a Friday or Saturday night match, with their top players competing against other Clubs top players. A first team or an older team gives the young players in their Club the opportunity to watch older and better players compete. Not only does this help them become better players, but also this is an important tool in creating a soccer culture, which in turn gives players an exciting connection to the “World Soccer Movement” which dwarfs any other sporting movement in the history of the World. 3. Long-term development over short term “success”: The top team in Clubs around the world is referred to as the “first team”. In Soccer Clubs around the world, a Clubs’ players dream of playing for their Club’s first team. A Clubs’ top players may dream of playing at a professional level, but for most players the “first team” of their Club is enough. Once a Club has a first team, the focus changes. No longer is a Club fixated on an Under 11 State Cup – for example. Instead, they are looking more to their senior teams - their adult teams. Of course, they still pay attention to their youth teams, who are very important for the future of the Clubs but that idea becomes very clear – they are very important for the future of the Clubs. If the success of our Clubs was more measured through the number of players they put into College, professional or top level amateur soccer we would have an idea of a Clubs’ player development program. If we looked at a Clubs’ first team success rather than a Clubs’ Under 13 team success, we would have a better idea of the Clubs’ player development program. Let’s watch the skills of our players at twenty-five; and have programs that will help the twelve year old have equal or better skills a generation later. This concept is important in youth soccer, because in youth soccer a team can achieve success through the quality of one or two players – due to their size and physical maturity. Especially in ages Under 13 to 16, there are players who have matured early while there are others of the same age who physically mature years later. In adult soccer, most of the time, players are competing based on their qualities as an adult – not when they have experienced their growth spurt. All of this does not in any way diminish the excitement of playing in the younger “big games or big event”, but it helps to keep those games in the perspective of the lifetime of players and Soccer Clubs. The President of St Andrews Soccer Club in Scotland once told a reporter “We are a small Club and if we produce a professional player every few years, we are happy”. Even Ajax Amsterdam has a goal of producing two players a year - for their first team! The rest, who do not make an Ajax first team, play at a professional or amateur level for other clubs. 4. Player Development Opportunities: If you asked any College coach if they could have their incoming freshman play on a PDL, a NPSL or a Under 21 teams they would answer with a resounding – YES! The players would come with experience playing against older players, a reality in College soccer. Yes, you did read this at the beginning of the letter – its that important! Many top youth players would not be able to step into a NPSL or PDL team but they would make a Clubs’ Under 21 team. It is vital Clubs begin to offer their top players this experience before they go to College. For those players not going to College it offers them the ability to keep playing while they begin their working lives. Every serious Soccer Club in the world plays their top players up. Imagine - Wayne Rooney played for Everton at age 17. Messi played for Barcelona at age 17, Michael Owens played for Liverpool at age 18. Again, the world wide model is clear - The best youth players play up! Why is this? It is because the focus of most Soccer Clubs is the individual player’s development. A top Under 18 or Under 19 player should be playing with adults. They should be playing with players who can push them physically and offer them more of a challenge. Imagine in our countries, Wayne Rooney, Messi and Owens, would probably have remained with their youth teams – in order to win a State Cup – for example! It is clear that in our Country more of our top players need to play up. Especially now that we have the flexibility of the US Clubs player pass. Our Clubs should be looking to play their top players up – for the benefit of the young players and for the future of American football! If an Under 14 player has the body of a man, should he play against boys, in a situation where he can use his body and his power and strength to dominate a little kid? Playing in situations, which allow a player to dominate due to size and strength may be great for a team’s results and help them advance in state cup – for example, but it does not help a young player develop the qualities to compete - once every one has grown. This concept is so important that Gerrard Houllier, the French Technical Director, in charge of their famed Youth National Training Program, will fire a coach if he believes they are selecting a player due to their size rather than their soccer playing ability. They recognize the danger is selecting due to size rather than ability. They recognize the danger in allowing a younger, physically mature player to play in his or her age group rather than making them play up against players who will force them to develop their abilities – because raw athleticism, size and strength are not enough against players of equal athleticism, size and strength. With a U21 team you will be able to play up your top players! We encourage you to begin building your modern club today. Offer your top older players a chance to speed up their development and your former players the chance to remain in your club – forever! Pertinent Information - Norcal Premier Under 21 League - For Men’s and Women’s Teams Aim: Our goal is to provide Youth Soccer Clubs the chance to connect with adult soccer and become true Soccer Clubs - based on the World’s Model. Clubs will have the opportunity to offer its top older youth players, players graduated from high school, and College players a chance to play soccer and develop during late spring and early summer. Our long-term vision will involve expanding adult leagues into the rest of the year, thereby connecting youth and adult soccer seamlessly and allowing Clubs to develop “members for life”. When: June through July – Teams will play 10 - 14 games or more. Days of Competition: Teams will be encouraged to play games on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday evening – at times when the youth teams can attend! If there is interest we will host a Memorial Day Weekend Jamboree to select U23 Norcal Premier Select team Registration Deadline: April 1st To register: Go to norcalpremier.com click on U21 League – Female Division will be open by Friday, March 7th – Men’s is open now. Who: Any team registered with US Clubs Soccer. Depending on the number of teams we may form more than one division. How many players: Up to 26 players can be rostered on the US Club Roster. 18 players can be on the game roster. Over 21 players: Each team will be allowed to have three over age players. Two may be on the field any time. Teams will be encouraged to use younger players as much as possible. League Cost: $ “tbd” Jamboree entry fee– covers administrative cost for fields, insurance and referees, $500 performance bond - $250 of which will be returned to the team at the end of the season if your team is in good standing* - $250 per team will be used to send a Norcal Premier Select team to the Under 23 National Cup Regional on June 20 in Arizona with the National Finals in Seattle on August 8th to 10th. Estimated team budget: $ “tbd” Jamboree Entry Fee $500 – Performance Bond ($250 returned after season if in good standing*) * Good Standing = no expenses or fines due to league as a result of forfeits or no shows to games $460 – @ $23 X 20 player for registration, insurance and player pass (each player is $23, if under 20 $16 each player) Your team will be responsible for referee fees and field use fees for your home games! Norcal Premier will pay for a referee assignor to schedule all referee’s. Contact: John Cleveland (408) 888-9609 \n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it <mailto: \n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it > Benjamin Ziemer 707-888-8125 \n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it <mailto: \n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it > |
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