2024 SoCal State Cup Discussion
- Thread starter ColdPizza
- Start date
What's even the relevance of "State Cup" these days (particularly for U12 and above), given all the different leagues and gaming circuits?The never ending season
really no relevance for U12 and above...
I think its good for the non GA or ECNL teams. IMO if your GA or ECNL you shouldn't be allowed to join SoCal State Cup. I think its very unfortunate and frankly sad when GA or ECNL teams join state cup. Your seeing the teams that cant get to their own organizations playoffs or championships joining socals state cup which should absolutely not be allowed. I don't think those teams want the good GA or good ECNL teams showing up to State Cup.
RandomSoccerFan
GOLD
Here are the schedules/results from 2023. If you look in the top bracket for U13 and U14, there are a couple ECNL teams.
Here are the brackets for 2024, where there appear to be fewer ECNL teams. For the most part, there are only RL teams represented, but there still are some ECNL teams in U13.
Here are the brackets for 2024, where there appear to be fewer ECNL teams. For the most part, there are only RL teams represented, but there still are some ECNL teams in U13.
rainbow_unicorn
PREMIER
Those ECNL teams usually end up getting knocked out
Teddy_Olive
BRONZE
If they stopped inviting ECNL and GA teams who would be left? Seems then it would just be a SOCAL league championship. They would need to stop calling it State Cup and the biggest youth soccer event in SOCAL, and a pathway to National Finals. When it really isn’t. Can’t have it both ways
Noticer
BRONZE
GA teams should be allowed in state cup- for ECNL teams in it, it's embarrassing and ECNL shouldn't allow it.
You understand that both GA and ECNL are just leagues, correct?
SOCAL is another league. If ECNL (or GA) teams choose to participate in SOCAL league and SOCAL allows it who cares.
However, if you're in a higher perceived league and participating in a lower perceived league you'd better win or people will start asking questions.
Teddy_Olive
BRONZE
If they want to exclude ECNL or any other teams it shouldn’t be called State Cup when it really isn’t
Teddy_Olive
BRONZE
If you want to exclude certain teams who are from Southern California don’t say you are representing Southern California in a National Championship
RandomSoccerFan
GOLD
This isn't a great look, but it's arguably even worse in NorCal. There are multiple "state cups", one run by NorCal Premier and one run by CalNorth. CalNorth advertises theirs as the "real state cup" since there is by some viewpoints a more national pathway afterwards, but the competition is very low level, the top finishers are nowhere near the top of the state, and likely wouldn't compete well in not only the other state cup, but any of the higher leagues being discussed here.
It's called SoCal State Cup, which means teams that play in the SoCal league. Each league has its playoff, region, national, or otherwise.
If the rules allow for ECNL teams to join, then there is nothing wrong with them joining.
It's better for everyone because it raises the level of competition. It would be nice to actually have a state cup with all leagues involved.
Isn't there still 2 "State Cups" as well going on? One run by SoCal and one run by Cal South? Or did Cal South finally drop theirs? If your in an age bracket that has GA or ECNL then you know its not truly a state cup tournament to determine the true best in the state. For girls everyone knows the best play in ECNL and I didn't even know that's a debate so right now the team that wins the ECNL National Championship is the best team in the nation. If GA teams start beating ECNL teams then maybe there's some debate but that's not happening at the top levels of Girls ECNL. If your a Girls 2010 team and you win SoCal State Cup and your touting your the best 2010 Girls Team in the state then well.. good for you... There's only 2 GA teams now ranked in the top 20 of the Nation for the 2010 age group. Tophat is ranked #7 and I've called that out before. I want to say they were #2 when that other discussion took place. Let's take a look... yep. Last time they played an ECNL team they tied Carolina Elite 2-2 (ranked 139 in the nation) and lost to Gwinnett SA 1-4 (ranked 25 in the nation). I'm sorry but I will continue to say I don't see it going well for Tophat if they tried to play any of the top Southwest ECNL teams.
I personally think its lame and if you cant cut it in your own leagues playoff system then don't go in the lower leagues playoff system. If you play F1 at least back in the day State Cup was the playoffs to determine the best in the age group. They should let those kids have that.
My point is don't do that to the teams that don't have any other choice. You could put a bad ass flight 1 team together but ECNL or GA is not going to allow you in their playoff structure to prove it.
Annoying isn't it.
Some leagues have good teams. Some leagues have bad teams. Some leagues have both.
Closed leagues guarantee that if you're not part of their program you won't get to play their teams.
What exactly are you letting the kids have at the highest level of state cup if you exclude teams because you think they are too good? I think it's more fun for the kids to beat those ECNL teams.