West Coast/Surf OC

I highly doubt it....Blues will stay Blues unless they are having major issues.
Coaches getting old at the Blues and parents beginning to realize that TB, LD, RR almost retired and the big girl that joined them a few years ago BH they keep only because of her kids being descent players. RD is a cool cat but doesn't really know the game of soccer and the B brothers no one wants to work with. Just a matter of time.
 
I doubt a Striker/Pats merger would ever be a reality. DE would never relinquish or share control of the Strikers with the Pats. Too much bad blood between the two clubs.
Interesting inside information for your first substantive post on this board. I don't know anything about the leadership of those two clubs. I just think they complement each other on the girls side. In the corporate world I've seen many mergers happen between fierce competitors. Sometimes the best interests of the two institutions (given current market conditions) simply compel the merger.
 
Last edited:
Interesting inside information for your first substantive post on this board. I don't know anything about the leadership of those two clubs. I just think they complement each other on the girls side. In the corporate world I've seen many mergers happen between fierce competitors. Sometimes the best interests of the two institutions (given current market conditions) simply compel the merger.

I would only expect this to ever happen if AR retires, which will be never. Don’t see this merge happening. Would see Blues going in with Pats first, which is still extremely unlikely.
 
AR from strikers? He may not have a choice. They only had 3 or 4 teams last year.
If anything, oc strikers and at least MV strikers should come together.
 
AR from strikers? He may not have a choice. They only had 3 or 4 teams last year.
If anything, oc strikers and at least MV strikers should come together.


Yes in a couple of years. His 02s and 03s are his last decent teams I think. CB, DR, and PA leaving and taking their teams was crippling.
 
I would only expect this to ever happen if AR retires, which will be never. Don’t see this merge happening. Would see Blues going in with Pats first, which is still extremely unlikely.
Couple of things to share about Irvine Strikers and Pats, for those who are relatively new to their background.

JS used to be at Strikers under DE in the 90s. JS left for Pats - they are friends and friendly competitors today. Both clubs mainly focused on boys side until they realized girls parents actually pay and pay on time.

When Laguna Hills Eclips merged with Strikers, AR and NP was given the whole girls side to manage. But DE didn't need both AR and NP so NP left for Pats and is running girls side of DA under TC.

So Pats has DA boys and girls, Strikers has DA boys and ECNL girls. The 3~4 Strikers OC teams in SCDSL is just the reserves for ECNL.

So far so good? Based on the above, the likelihood of Pats and Strikers merging is very small because neither will give up their own club names and would have to give up one of the boys DA programs. Will not happen (this is different than franchises having DAs like LAGSD and LAG given their lack of proximity and different ownership, whereas Pats-Strikers would have to be a merge because both have recognizable national names and the personalities involved). As a side note, Pats and Slammers had a handshake for merge 4~5 years ago but the club name was the sticking point and fell a part. Some of the forum old timers should remember that...

Onto OC Blues. They are out there and interesting for someone to approach. They are nationally know so it will take quite an effort to merge them. They have no need to live under other brand name. As for their coaches, the only one I know is RD, who is the head coach at Vanguard University mens and women's programs and the coach of the year for their conference. Both mens and women teams are in NAIA nationals currently. My guess, is they will survive just fine as is.
 
A Beach-Strikers mergers could make sense. It would give Beach a presence in OC and finally give them ECNL (maybe to little to late). Strikers would get the lifeline they need and AR might be able to continue to run the OC program. Obviously this is complete speculation but from the outside it would appear both clubs have something that would benefit the other.
 
A Beach-Strikers mergers could make sense. It would give Beach a presence in OC and finally give them ECNL (maybe to little to late). Strikers would get the lifeline they need and AR might be able to continue to run the OC program. Obviously this is complete speculation but from the outside it would appear both clubs have something that would benefit the other.

Beach do not need ECNL for the girls now as they have DA, which could potentially help strikers struggling girls and strikers having a DA boys side could help Beach, even though Beach have Boys ECNL.

I could never see beach and strikers merging though as they both have their own identities and I'm sure neither would want to give up name or power
 
Beach do not need ECNL for the girls now as they have DA, which could potentially help strikers struggling girls and strikers having a DA boys side could help Beach, even though Beach have Boys ECNL.

I could never see beach and strikers merging though as they both have their own identities and I'm sure neither would want to give up name or power
Would you have ever thought that West Coast would become Surf?
 
How does Blues survive in this climate of consolidation and mergers. They simply don't have the numbers to survive the no Fee DA! Blues has no affiliates and no money to support these high level teams unless blues coaches can convince parents to pay for haphazard development........at the flight 3 level like these other clubs are doing......
 
The WC parent meeting was today, have only heard tidbits from a friend. Was interesting to hear that OC Surf will apply for more boys DA levels other then U12 that WC currently has, potentially as an affiliate of Orange County SC. BOD of WC remains unchanged and will work under the full time staff of Surf Cup Sports. Several mentions of it being being a partnership.

Maybe someone who was there can chime in some more?
 
How does Blues survive in this climate of consolidation and mergers. They simply don't have the numbers to survive the no Fee DA! Blues has no affiliates and no money to support these high level teams unless blues coaches can convince parents to pay for haphazard development........at the flight 3 level like these other clubs are doing......

They survive because those parents drink the kool aid and they like the neon uniforms. You didn’t see a rush of kids fleeing Blues to run over to free Pats DA. The ECNL kids at blues who will never make the surpreme team could have taken the free DA. Same with the ecnl kids at the other age groups. That says one of 3 things; stay at blues at all costs because it’s Nirvana, DA isn’t worth leaving for, or Pats isn’t worth leaving for, or perhaps a combo of all three.
 
They survive because those parents drink the kool aid and they like the neon uniforms. You didn’t see a rush of kids fleeing Blues to run over to free Pats DA. The ECNL kids at blues who will never make the surpreme team could have taken the free DA. Same with the ecnl kids at the other age groups. That says one of 3 things; stay at blues at all costs because it’s Nirvana, DA isn’t worth leaving for, or Pats isn’t worth leaving for, or perhaps a combo of all three.

Blues also have DA, just not free. So the answer must be pats is not worth leaving for
 
How does Blues survive in this climate of consolidation and mergers. They simply don't have the numbers to survive the no Fee DA! Blues has no affiliates and no money to support these high level teams unless blues coaches can convince parents to pay for haphazard development........at the flight 3 level like these other clubs are doing......
I a guessing it is Blues Cup that really keeps the club financially solvent.
 
Back
Top