Discovery League- "We've created a monster!!!"

I just saw that in the 03/04B Discovery there was a 10-0 game Xolos vs Albion SD. That game couldn’t have been beneficial let alone enjoyable for anyone. I would be livid if I had a player in such a lopsided division.
Well, there are 46 total teams in the Boys 03/04 Discovery bracket which is wayyyyyyyy to many teams in my opinion. With that many teams, there are going to be a few teams that really don't belong in the Discovery bracket.
 
I've never seen a league yet that doesn't have at least a few blowouts each weekend. But maybe I've not been around as long as you all. Is that something that actually exists? A youth soccer league where most every game is competitive? Even in AYSO where there is an actual rule that requires balanced teams - it NEVER happens
 
I've never seen a league yet that doesn't have at least a few blowouts each weekend. But maybe I've not been around as long as you all. Is that something that actually exists? A youth soccer league where most every game is competitive? Even in AYSO where there is an actual rule that requires balanced teams - it NEVER happens
Had a season last year at the top level of CSL where there was one blowout in the first weekend but that team quickly corrected. The rest of the season there was never more than a 2 goal differential for any team. Very impressive. Teams often figure out how to step it up if the results matter.

This season may be different because it appears CSL was more accommodating to some teams due to the fear of losing out to SCDSL.
 
For someone to say that blowout means a team don't belong in this or that league is an idiotic statement from someone who never played sport.
Blowouts happen all the time in lowest and highest leagues in the world in ALL sports. Sometimes, because one team is having a great day and the other team don't, or a team have their star players injured, or it could be a bad call that changes the game. There are a lot of reasons that this can happen. Arsenal lost 0:5, so does this mean they don't belong in Premier league? Some may say it's a true statement though :)
 
For someone to say that blowout means a team don't belong in this or that league is an idiotic statement from someone who never played sport.
Blowouts happen all the time in lowest and highest leagues in the world in ALL sports. Sometimes, because one team is having a great day and the other team don't, or a team have their star players injured, or it could be a bad call that changes the game. There are a lot of reasons that this can happen. Arsenal lost 0:5, so does this mean they don't belong in Premier league? Some may say it's a true statement though :)
If Arsenal loses all their games 0:5, they won’t be in the Premier League.

Perhaps we should be talking about Norwich, so it would be more realistic.
 
For someone to say that blowout means a team don't belong in this or that league is an idiotic statement from someone who never played sport.
Blowouts happen all the time in lowest and highest leagues in the world in ALL sports. Sometimes, because one team is having a great day and the other team don't, or a team have their star players injured, or it could be a bad call that changes the game. There are a lot of reasons that this can happen. Arsenal lost 0:5, so does this mean they don't belong in Premier league? Some may say it's a true statement though :)
Its not the blowouts don't happen, it's the number of blowouts. Some Discovery age groups had a significant number of blowouts which were entirely predictable before the season began. To your point, yes the wheels can fall off of any good team, that's the exception rather than the rule. Hopefully, the teams that were blown out the 1st week can improve and make the leagues more competitive.
 
For someone to say that blowout means a team don't belong in this or that league is an idiotic statement from someone who never played sport.
Blowouts happen all the time in lowest and highest leagues in the world in ALL sports. Sometimes, because one team is having a great day and the other team don't, or a team have their star players injured, or it could be a bad call that changes the game. There are a lot of reasons that this can happen. Arsenal lost 0:5, so does this mean they don't belong in Premier league? Some may say it's a true statement though :)
One blowout doesn't mean much but 3 blowouts at 3 different age groups? It's an indication Surf's coach and club is (1) unrealistic about their team's ability or (2) sold a level of play to keep players paying.
 
If Arsenal loses all their games 0:5, they won’t be in the Premier League.

Perhaps we should be talking about Norwich, so it would be more realistic.

lol :)

It is week two of the various league seasons.....it will suck if families are driving all the way to oceanside or Silverlakes and paying for parking to win (or lose) by 6 or 7 goals......but as @watfly said give the kids a few more weeks to see if they figure it out......maybe way too many teams were allowed in Discovery or maybe not......while i do hate to see a 6-0, 7-0, 8-0 or 9-0 score in youth soccer it has happened to Southampton, Manchester City and Arsenal.....the key is to not let sixes and sevens in every league game......good luck to all and lets watch this space.........
 
lol :)

It is week two of the various league seasons.....it will suck if families are driving all the way to oceanside or Silverlakes and paying for parking to win (or lose) by 6 or 7 goals......but as @watfly said give the kids a few more weeks to see if they figure it out......maybe way too many teams were allowed in Discovery or maybe not......while i do hate to see a 6-0, 7-0, 8-0 or 9-0 score in youth soccer it has happened to Southampton, Manchester City and Arsenal.....the key is to not let sixes and sevens in every league game......good luck to all and lets watch this space.........
Yes, adjustments will be made - teams that lost by that many goals will (1) drop a lot of player to play defense and then start booting the ball forward hoping for some luck or (2) they will bring down players from higher teams. Either way, the players on the existing team loses out on development for a whole season.
 
Yes, adjustments will be made - teams that lost by that many goals will (1) drop a lot of player to play defense and then start booting the ball forward hoping for some luck or (2) they will bring down players from higher teams. Either way, the players on the existing team loses out on development for a whole season.

maybe.....I think it will vary by team.....
 
Yes, adjustments will be made - teams that lost by that many goals will (1) drop a lot of player to play defense and then start booting the ball forward hoping for some luck or (2) they will bring down players from higher teams. Either way, the players on the existing team loses out on development for a whole season.
You mean they will start doing what the other teams do?

I get development at u12, but Discovery is probably it for most of these kids. This is the age where they should be reaping the rewards of all that "development" and learning to play to win. This is the premier league for them. Let them win a game or two for the love of all that is good and holy, development be damned.

In any event, learning to bunker and counter isn't contrary to soccer development. When players go to college or major leagues they aren't always on teams that control possession and they aren't always playing against teams that do level 1 press. Effort, physicality, grinding, scoring on a "better" team against the run of play all build character. At the end of the day, if you want to put the ball in the goal, you have to find a way to put the ball in the goal.
 
Well, there are 46 total teams in the Boys 03/04 Discovery bracket which is wayyyyyyyy to many teams in my opinion. With that many teams, there are going to be a few teams that really don't belong in the Discovery bracket.
There are 116 total teams in the 03/04 age bracket.
They are set up:
50 - Discovery Teams
37 -Flight 1 Teams
21 -Flight 2 Teams
8 - Flight 4 Teams(not sure why they skip flight 3, but whatever).

I took statistics in college and barely remember it. But I think the curve should probably look like:
29 - Discovery Teams (really should just be named Flight 1)
56- Flight 1 Teams (Really should just be named Flight 2)
29 - Flight 2 Teams (Really should just be named Flight 3)

But this lipstick covered pig is going to be hard to unwind.
 
There are 116 total teams in the 03/04 age bracket.
They are set up:
50 - Discovery Teams
37 -Flight 1 Teams
21 -Flight 2 Teams
8 - Flight 4 Teams(not sure why they skip flight 3, but whatever).

I took statistics in college and barely remember it. But I think the curve should probably look like:
29 - Discovery Teams (really should just be named Flight 1)
56- Flight 1 Teams (Really should just be named Flight 2)
29 - Flight 2 Teams (Really should just be named Flight 3)

But this lipstick covered pig is going to be hard to unwind.
Kids quit over time. You slowly lose teams.

If you downgrade teams each year to keep the ratios right, kids will feel like all the work is pointless. So you’ll lose kids even faster.

Not an issue for the TM of a top team. But it creates a real problem for the lower ranked teams.

Norcal uses the grade inflation solution, too. A medium skill team finally gets upgraded to “gold” right about the same time the top teams start premier. No one is fooled. But the kids are still happy to hear that they moved up.
 
For what is worth, in G09 there are:

8 teams in Discovery
28 teams in Flight 1
57 teams in Flight 2
60 teams in Flight 3

It appears a bit more balanced.
 
There are 116 total teams in the 03/04 age bracket.
They are set up:
50 - Discovery Teams
37 -Flight 1 Teams
21 -Flight 2 Teams
8 - Flight 4 Teams(not sure why they skip flight 3, but whatever).

I took statistics in college and barely remember it. But I think the curve should probably look like:
29 - Discovery Teams (really should just be named Flight 1)
56- Flight 1 Teams (Really should just be named Flight 2)
29 - Flight 2 Teams (Really should just be named Flight 3)

But this lipstick covered pig is going to be hard to unwind.

Agree, but the renaming of flights could be even more accurate/tough truth than you suggest above given MLS Next and ECNL.....after U12 there isn't really a flight 1 at all.......
 
Kind of like the city telling you they are improving your neighborhood, but then they just change street signs. We live on Rodeo drive now! Movin' up!
Sort of. But the street is still the same street. The kid actually is getting better over time. Nothing wrong will telling him so.
 
The kid actually is getting better over time. Nothing wrong will telling him so.

I do that all the time. Kid doesn't need a flight label to know that. Needs to see it in individual games.

My kid isn't an idiot. She understands that she is better at 16 than she was at 15, but so is everyone else and advancement is relative in direct competition. If her team gets promoted even though they finished dead last, she doesn't think they got any better relative to other teams. I would have to explain to her not to worry because all the teams got promoted and it is the same as last year. She doesn't believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus, so I am pretty much done lying to her.
 
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