LA Surf Implodes

Now I hear that LA Surf was trying to cut coaches pay and up charge the yearly fees...
 
I'm confused? What happen to that email Tech? Float that in and then take it back like a little morsel? I swear I thought I saw email from coach barry? So is Coach Chavez still Doc at LA Surf and just the other two coaches left to their previous roots or are the two joining a new club already in progress?
 
Been an observer but had to post on this topic... we got "swallowed" by Surf so .....hopefully it's a year and done deal?
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Good afternoon all,

I wanted to update the group regarding Pomona and Covina areas and some information released in the last 24 hours.

During our integration for this upcoming season of LA Premier groups (Pasadena/LC, Hollywood and Sherman Oaks) and LA Surf Original Groups (Socal Academy, Sotilo and SGV Surf) we have worked in good faith to bring everybody in and facilitate positive conversations.

During conversations specifically with Pomona (Sotilo) and Covina (SGV Surf), there has been some resistance to commit for next season and fully integrate with energy and enthusiasm in our endeavor to provide Best of the Best Opportunities and Experiences for players.

Hence, They have decided to pull away and form a new organization.

This is primarily due to their desire to stay independent and operate as a group outside of the parameters set by us at LA Surf. Nothing crazy or out of the norm here when organizations attempt to come together.

An email was sent out by their leadership that has a few inaccuracies, but nothing to get overly concerned with, such as number of teams (13+23 = 36, not 60) and organizations involved (does not include the Socal Academy groups). I have attached the screenshot. In essence, it's the Sotilo and SGV Surf group that are pulling away. We wish them the best as we move forward to our plans to develop the best youth soccer club in the country.

Wanted to give you some perspective as I know there is always assumptions made and rumors flying. Feel free to communicate with your groups.

Any questions, comments or concerns give me a shout.

Thanks all,
Barry

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photograph
Barry Ritson
Chief Executive Officer
 
everyone this is all nonsense, the teams who r leaving (Pomona , Covina , SGV ) r like 35 teams, not 60. San Marino is unaffected and staying as part of LA Surf. No coaching payment issue, Brian Waltrip decided he didn't want to give up control after all and wanted to remain in charge after realizing he wasn't anymore. buyers remorse is all. hard 2 believe, that's all
 
No communication in terms of $$$ too.. was told we are becoming surf... anyone can let me know the ball park figure of 2006, 2007, & 2008 fee?
 
Here's what probably happened:
Group 1: "We want your best players. And we want "our" guys to coach the top teams."
Group 2: That's not fair. We developed them. They like playing for our coaches. The families have put their trust in is.
Group 1: Yeah, but we have better coaches. It will be better for their "development." They need to be on the right "pathway. And your coaches will take a pay cut. We are giving ours a raise."
Group 2: "Go F yourself. We'll go do our own thing."
 
Here's what probably happened:
Group 1: "We want your best players. And we want "our" guys to coach the top teams."
Group 2: That's not fair. We developed them. They like playing for our coaches. The families have put their trust in is.
Group 1: Yeah, but we have better coaches. It will be better for their "development." They need to be on the right "pathway. And your coaches will take a pay cut. We are giving ours a raise."
Group 2: "Go F yourself. We'll go do our own thing."
Wow, the f*cking inner workings of how all of us are talked about in the back rooms with all the dads. Go talk to your group leader (TM) and get the low down. Give me a shout if your about to leave and I'll share off the record with you. Is coach Chavez still Dr Chavez?
 
I read this. This deal was put together without being really put together it sounds like. Kind of like moving into together without tying the knot. These things happen in deal making like these in business. At least they tried to get the all the families to marry each other. This might be more about nothing and more about a few coaches and their clans not merging. All pipe down now. Everything will be the same, same everything. Go back to your family group and be nice :)

 
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everyone this is all nonsense, the teams who r leaving (Pomona , Covina , SGV ) r like 35 teams, not 60. San Marino is unaffected and staying as part of LA Surf. No coaching payment issue, Brian Waltrip decided he didn't want to give up control after all and wanted to remain in charge after realizing he wasn't anymore. buyers remorse is all. hard 2 believe, that's all

Covina is SGV, and San Marino is definitely leaving
 
All I have to say is wait until June 1st to see what happens. May 31st is the last DA League game so if it's like anything like last year; and it sounds like it; all hell will break loose on June 1st. So let me explain as I was with SoCal Academy when this all went down last year. In February of 2019, that's when SCA, SGV Surf and Sotilo all joined together to make LA Surf. Everything was business as usual between Feb and May 2019. The carrot LA Surf dangled in front of us was ECNL. Now, they never promised us ECNL, but said since we have the "Surf" name, ECNL would be easier to get into, especially since Surf Sports works closely with ECNL in providing fields and that Surf Sports has someone on the ECNL board. So, it all seem good to go for SoCal Academy cause that's want we wanted, ECNL and not DA. But we never saw anyone from SGV Surf or Solito during this time. Now, on the Monday after the last DA game; which was in May 2019, that's when we were told LA Premier was coming over with their DA teams and "requested" that all SCA players try out for the DA teams. Now some of you may remember how that DA tryouts turned out, which was pretty low. None of the players from my dd team went to the tryouts. A lot of players from SCA came from LA Premier (not my dd) in the past for various reasons, but mostly because they were unhappy, so when we found out LA Premier was coming over, It was not pretty. LA Surf did lose 3 teams because of this, the SCA 05 and 07 teams and the 04 LA Premier DA team left.
I can see why Solito and especially SGV Surf are upset and want to leave. SGV Surf was used as a pawn in all of this. Surf wanted SoCal Academy but had to throw SGV into the mix to make it bigger. We never saw any SGV players and they stay at South Hills HS while we stayed at San Marino HS. And to my knowledge, no SGV players were invited to the DA tryouts. I know a couple of SCA 04 players that were forced to tryout and they made the team (no surprise there), but those players just said no thank you cause they wanted to play high school soccer.
And with SGV Surf, they had their name changed 3 times in the last 3 seasons. 1st, they were IE Surf West, then SGV Surf, and now LA Surf. That's a headache just in itself.
But like I basically said in my opening sentence, if history repeats itself, and it looks that way, just wait until the 2019/2020 DA season concludes on May 31st...
Tuned in after the last DA Game, same Surf time, same Surf channel...…………….
 
It was just a matter of time before this exploded, thought it would last longer but didn’t last a year. From what I am hearing all fingers are pointing to LAPFC management for this explosion. Welcome to US Club soccer where greed and wins surpasses your kid and their true development. All the lies and sweet talking these coaches/DOC do with parents is quite sad. Don’t fall for it folks. Remember we are the cu$tomers so choose wisely and do what is in your child best interest. Good Luck to all involved
 
The restrictions of DA just don't make sense for girls/womens' soccer. Every woman on the USWNT played high school soccer and played other sports in high school. That team is doing pretty well I think.
 
So, in the last month or so, DA Docs/Coaches seem to be on the move in the middle of da season. Gus was let go at OC Surf and took his flock to Liverpool. KB went to WSU and told everyone on a Thursday and was gone on Friday. Now this from LA Surf? This breaking news is half way through the DA season as well which makes it odd. I wonder what kind of goodbye the mystery leader will get from LA Surf? I will hold judgement on the actual "why" this went down. My dd Doc at San Diego Surf just disappeared one day without answering any of my questions. This Doc had a few questionable deals going on and I felt it was my right to ask what the hell he was up to and why he lied to me three big times and so many white lies I lost count. What a mess for all the customers. That email was horrible by the way :(
And what flock did Gus take with him?
 
All of this is just business and can be messy, especially when you're talking about youth sports (read cottage industry).

While I fully understand all the arguments about development style, philosophy and building the best club and so on, at the end of the day its all about dollars. The control issue being implied is more of business control rather than soccer control.

Couple of things to think about. Sotilo is owned by Estillo-Honda and has academies all over the world as well as own couple of professional teams in Scandinavia and Africa. They also took a small stake in Surf Sports (parent company for Surf SC) few years ago. When they announced LA Surf, it make sense from branding but probably never realized what they expected so why not go back to being Sotilo and grow their own brand. As for SGV, probably didn't like the arrangement so why not join Soltilo. Sounds like they have been a gypsy club the last few years.

We tend to think that club soccer is youth sports first, then business but in reality, its business first and youth soccer is the medium in which the money flows. Its all about branding and marketing. Kids are commodity that funnels monies to the club from parents (consumer).

May not like it but its true...
 
The way Legends handled KB leaving looks so much more professional and great communication for those at Legends. That's the way to handle things like that. This is more like a nasty divorce and we all know what happens when kids are involved in a nasty divorce. BS and should never happen in girls soccer. BTW, how is all this effecting the girls? What about the Jr and Srs? Do you know how much pressure some of them feel? When my dd was in middle school one of the students hung herself. She left a note saying she felt too much pressure. I have more but it's to sad to share them. Some of these dudes, coaches, docs and dads don;t give a shit about our dds. Trust me when I say this. This is war in LA for market share and our poor dds are caught in the middle because we as parents want them to get a scholarship in soccer and they all know that. We need to send a message loud and clear. In socal, 11 girls made U16 and U17 list. I'm happy for them. Why do we need a league that has crappy rules, makes you travel all over the country and then makes you take long bus rides to AZ, NoCal and Vegas to make them a boat load of money and maybe another 100 or so goats better. Plus they make you pay. I'm embarrassed to add it all up. On top of all that, you have to give up HS Soccer. WTF?????

P.S. Lets give Beach, Legends and Pats the GDA. 100% fully funded btw :) Two teams in each age group. Stub Hub for all of LA . Great Park for OC and Silverlakes for IE and SD top goats who want that life now. The other teams play ECNL and other leagues plus HS Soccer.
 
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