What is the Future for Canada’s Women’s Teams?

[methusela]

Apparently, in Canada, there are over 366,510 registered female players (42%). In 2007, female registration made up 42% of the total registration, up from 31% in 1996. These numbers continue to climb for female soccer players. These promising numbers are reflected in the Canadian Age grade teams in the recent/current FIFA World Cup tournaments. But, is there any future for these women in Canada’s National Women’s Soccer teams?

Some of the younger ones may be fortunate enough to receive NCAA scholarships. Others may not. And, what of these women and their soccer future when they leave NCAA universities and at 25 – 28 years old are at their prime? Are their parents meant to still support them, or are they meant to live off the Sport Canada AAP? Whatever the answer, the CSA’s Strategic Plan states clearly that they must earn a medal in the 2011 FIFA World Cup, or 2012 Olympics.

Will there be another WNT residency camp if Mr. Kerfoot does not pay for one? Will the WNT have any home games before the next World Cup or Olympics? Experience indicates that they may have to wait for another 3 years, even though the Strategic Plan mentions how eminently qualified the CSA is to run tournaments in Canada.

In the meantime, our competition in FIFA is busy planning and making great strides. The US National Women’s teams have residency camps booked, accommodation provided, policies on increases in their remuneration in hand. The Women’s Professional Soccer League is signing (mainly American players and stars of World soccer) to 4 year deals. Among those signing these long-term deals are five Canadians. Meanwhile, others like Timko and Robinson have gone to Australia; Matheson and Wilkinson are in Norway; other players are in Sweden and Denmark. In short, Canadian NWT players are scattered around the world and many are now under multi-year contracts. Assembling these players will be expensive and difficult as Test match windows are short. The CSA may need that increase in revenue from $12m to $25 m in 2013, just to pay for the WNT travel bills.

Is it too much to expect that the WNT might have had a four year plan in position before the old one expired? We could have had a 2008 – 2012 plan for the National Women's program, perhaps one spanning all teams from U 17 to Senior. This plan could have included residency camps, the inclusion of a Canadian team in the Women’s Professional Soccer League, even a residency camp for university age players.

If we had a plan like this, we could have had a Canadian team in the WPSL, a concept which League Trustees might well have found favorable. It could have meant the National Team was training and playing together for 6 months of the year against first-class opposition. No top players would be lost to long overseas contracts. For the remaining 6 months a few of the players could have chosen to play in Europe, but the others could have been invited to train full time in residency in Vancouver.

The group of players graduating from the U17 national program, together with other athletes of pre-university age who might qualify, could have been invited to participate in a full time residency program like the recently ended program for the WNT. Probably though, it would have been best for these younger players to have been billeted with families while they completed their high school education. When they graduated from this they could have been invited to play for W League teams.

Finally, there could have been a full-time residency program for university age players who might have chosen to stay in Canada, perhaps attend Canadian Universities, and then we would have had a pool of players, who would have graduated from university, but who would not have cracked the senior team/WPS roster. This group could have trained all year long and been encouraged to play with a W league team in the summer months.

Of course, this would have been a revolutionary and far-sighted plan. However, it would have meant that three groups of players could have been training full time, all year long, for four years. Obviously athletes could also have been allowed to follow their own development path and then could have been eligible for selection by National Team coaches. The plan could have given Canada the best women's development program in the world.

Of course, the cost of about $2.5 million would have meant that partnerships would have been needed with the COC and the private sector. The CSA might have had to pay some part of the cost. What a shame no one saw the potential and devised such a plan.

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by methusela

Apparently, in Canada, there are over 366,510 registered female players (42%). In 2007, female registration made up 42% of the total registration, up from 31% in 1996. These numbers continue to climb for female soccer players. These promising numbers are reflected in the Canadian Age grade teams in the recent/current FIFA World Cup tournaments. But, is there any future for these women in Canada’s National Women’s Soccer teams?

Some of the younger ones may be fortunate enough to receive NCAA scholarships. Others may not. And, what of these women and their soccer future when they leave NCAA universities and at 25 – 28 years old are at their prime? Are their parents meant to still support them, or are they meant to live off the Sport Canada AAP? Whatever the answer, the CSA’s Strategic Plan states clearly that they must earn a medal in the 2011 FIFA World Cup, or 2012 Olympics.

Will there be another WNT residency camp if Mr. Kerfoot does not pay for one? Will the WNT have any home games before the next World Cup or Olympics? Experience indicates that they may have to wait for another 3 years, even though the Strategic Plan mentions how eminently qualified the CSA is to run tournaments in Canada.

In the meantime, our competition in FIFA is busy planning and making great strides. The US National Women’s teams have residency camps booked, accommodation provided, policies on increases in their remuneration in hand. The Women’s Professional Soccer League is signing (mainly American players and stars of World soccer) to 4 year deals. Among those signing these long-term deals are five Canadians. Meanwhile, others like Timko and Robinson have gone to Australia; Matheson and Wilkinson are in Norway; other players are in Sweden and Denmark. In short, Canadian NWT players are scattered around the world and many are now under multi-year contracts. Assembling these players will be expensive and difficult as Test match windows are short. The CSA may need that increase in revenue from $12m to $25 m in 2013, just to pay for the WNT travel bills.

Is it too much to expect that the WNT might have had a four year plan in position before the old one expired? We could have had a 2008 – 2012 plan for the National Women's program, perhaps one spanning all teams from U 17 to Senior. This plan could have included residency camps, the inclusion of a Canadian team in the Women’s Professional Soccer League, even a residency camp for university age players.

If we had a plan like this, we could have had a Canadian team in the WPSL, a concept which League Trustees might well have found favorable. It could have meant the National Team was training and playing together for 6 months of the year against first-class opposition. No top players would be lost to long overseas contracts. For the remaining 6 months a few of the players could have chosen to play in Europe, but the others could have been invited to train full time in residency in Vancouver.

The group of players graduating from the U17 national program, together with other athletes of pre-university age who might qualify, could have been invited to participate in a full time residency program like the recently ended program for the WNT. Probably though, it would have been best for these younger players to have been billeted with families while they completed their high school education. When they graduated from this they could have been invited to play for W League teams.

Finally, there could have been a full-time residency program for university age players who might have chosen to stay in Canada, perhaps attend Canadian Universities, and then we would have had a pool of players, who would have graduated from university, but who would not have cracked the senior team/WPS roster. This group could have trained all year long and been encouraged to play with a W league team in the summer months.

Of course, this would have been a revolutionary and far-sighted plan. However, it would have meant that three groups of players could have been training full time, all year long, for four years. Obviously athletes could also have been allowed to follow their own development path and then could have been eligible for selection by National Team coaches. The plan could have given Canada the best women's development program in the world.

Of course, the cost of about $2.5 million would have meant that partnerships would have been needed with the COC and the private sector. The CSA might have had to pay some part of the cost. What a shame no one saw the potential and devised such a plan.

No one ?

Why dont you say Even Pelerud the Direcotor of the womens program at the CSA .. call a spade a spade friend.

He leaves program in disarray losing top player see Leroux lighting up the U20 tornament ... and no long term plan in place.

What has Even done since the Olympics ? Nothing apparently .. except cash cheques....

sad.

[VPjr]

methusala...interesting post.

Reading between the lines, it appears taht you are familiar with a proposal the Whitecaps recently made to the CSA regarding the women's program.

[CoachRich]

quote:Originally posted by Trillium

No one ?

Why dont you say Even Pelerud the Direcotor of the womens program at the CSA .. call a spade a spade friend.

He leaves program in disarray losing top player see Leroux lighting up the U20 tornament ... and no long term plan in place.

What has Even done since the Olympics ? Nothing apparently .. except cash cheques....

sad.

Got to disagree w/ you on this one. Full stop.

[Vic]

With the number of men playing the game competitively from the age of 17 on dwarfing women, we should setup this program for the men first, and then worry about the women.

[terpfan68]

What about equality? I think it has been "men first" for the past 50 years or so and look where we are. The dollars go a lot farther in the women's program and in fact in ALL women's sports. Just look at the gender breakdown of winners in the last winter olympics.

[red card]

quote:The dollars go a lot farther in the women's program

But it doesn't provide sufficient rewards to warrant the same spending as men. Even if we won the Women's World Cup, it will not significantly help Canadian women soccer in terms of finances and making it a mainstream spectator sport. We finished 4th at the 03 World Cup and we have regressed since then.

On the other hand, simply making the Men's World Cup should net ~$10-15m and the media & the avg Cdn attention should approach Olympian levels. So, this accomplishment would be of a better benefit for the women's game.

Keep in mind 85-90% of FIFA's revenues are generated from 1 event; the Men's World Cup; so, this is the prize to aim for.

[terpfan68]

Yes, but to make the men's world cup we would probably have to spend about $20 million. I am sure that after the next women's world cup in Germany there will be a lot more money in the pot. Remember all those female soccer players buy equipment and are potential supporters of the professional men's leagues. That's why the European countries don't need financial support from community organizations or governments. The pro clubs support the developing women's programs in those countries.

[CoachRich]

quote:Originally posted by red card

But it doesn't provide sufficient rewards to warrant the same spending as men. Even if we won the Women's World Cup, it will not significantly help Canadian women soccer in terms of finances and making it a mainstream spectator sport. We finished 4th at the 03 World Cup and we have regressed since then.

On the other hand, simply making the Men's World Cup should net ~$10-15m and the media & the avg Cdn attention should approach Olympian levels. So, this accomplishment would be of a better benefit for the women's game.

Keep in mind 85-90% of FIFA's revenues are generated from 1 event; the Men's World Cup; so, this is the prize to aim for.

Red Card,

Hate to break it to you but the "the dollars go a lot farther in the women's program" is correct.

The WP gets the majority of their $ from SC AAP, the SC as a team & the COC as a team based on their performance. Also there are or was the Kerfoot sponsorship. Hence the $ the WP would normally get from the CSA have always gone elsewhere in the CSA. This was pointed out by Pellerud & the players in the media.

Your other comments are complete BS as funding should be based on performance in their respective gender as it is done w/ government support to sports. Not some maybe reward that folks like you have been praying for decades. I guess the next thing you are going to say is that the take off of the female game was because 47K & the 3rd best tv viewership at that time was all about a men's game at Commonwealth in 2002.

The female & male game should not be pitted vs one other as they are their own entities & they should support themselves. The day someone like you wants to fund the programs at the expense of the others is the day you will have to step over over my warm body & quite a few others.

Vic,

I'm surprised as if anyone should have known the Senior split is almost the same as Youth it would be you as you are great resource person

[Trillium]

quote: No one ?

Why dont you say Even Pelerud the Direcotor of the womens program at the CSA .. call a spade a spade friend.

He leaves program in disarray losing top player see Leroux lighting up the U20 tornament ... and no long term plan in place.

What has Even done since the Olympics ? Nothing apparently .. except cash cheques....

sad.

quote:

Got to disagree w/ you on this one. Full stop.

So Coach Rich your telling me he saw the possiblity but just could not make it happen ?

Seriously Pelerud came to Canada and said .. in his first week .. "oh you dont have any clubs here" and it went down from there in terms of his real understanding of the game in this country, he squandered a lot... was it not Pelerud who advised K.Kiss to quit university soccer at the NCAA level ?

He leaves with no true legacy, a steadly dropping results in the program which if he had been competent as a coach would not have happened if he changed and adapted, he did not bring in techncal assistants to fill his weakness areas, instead he ignored the broader needs of his national pool players.

As head of the womens program across Canada did he ever truly work with the university and college coaches ?

Did he develop a relationship of trust with the Lady Lynx or the Ottawa Fury when the emerged ?

Can you honestly say the Womens program is in good shape ?

Its a shambles, the much vaunted residencys have been seen to be failures because the players were not playing in weekly competitive leagues for clubs.. instead they were isolated and nurtured in a small group with no outside athletic challenge. Pelerud by doing it eliminated the prospect of seeing other players in clubs outplaying his national team selections, cause they were not playing in club soccer and he was not out watching.

His long ball legacy perpetuated the win at all costs dont play the game technically status .. because when you turned on the National team games on tv youth players and parents saw..kick and run, and thought oh hey thats the way to go ... and coaches followed suit in some cases... developing girls/womens teams to win based on constant recruiting of players versus developing players.

Over nine years he could have tremondous impact... he has not the impact has come from coaches at lower levels developing players. What we need now is a National coach to go out and pick the new technical players in the game and polish them to play internationaly.

Thats the hope for a new WNT head coach.

[terpfan68]

All the topics on the women's program always return to the same sad refrain. Pelerud, Pelerud, Pelerud. Although Shakespeare said "Past is prologue" lets look to the future and not sing the same sad song anymore.

[red card]

quote:Yes, but to make the men's world cup we would probably have to spend about $20 million.

that figure is way off since the CSA annual current budget is under $15m & their goal in 5 years is to reach $25m.

quote:Your other comments are complete BS as funding should be based on performance in their respective gender as it is done w/ government support to sports

One of the problems with the CSA is that it is managed too much like a govt organization. If it is managed more akin to a corporation, then the money split depends on a risk/reward analysis. In this case, in my view, the risk/reward favours the men.

quote:The female & male game should not be pitted vs one other as they are their own entities & they should support themselves.

I agree and my pathway is to optimize the funding for the women's game. It's the 80/20 rule of 80% of your revenues coming from 20% of your base, which is used to keep alive the other 80% so that a portion of them can progress to being part of the 20% that are cash cows.

I don't believe the women's team can get sufficient, consistent funding on their own to build up the development infrastructure that other soccer countries already have; will need to tap into the potential cash cow of the men's team. Otherwise, I believe we have seen the glory days of the women's more behind us than ahead of us as the game is taken more seriously across the world. We are losing our first mover advantage and being succumbed by our backward soccer culture and infrastructure.

[terpfan68]

My point was that based on past experiences it would take more than 20 million to make the men's team qualify for the World Cup. It won't happen in 2010 (of course) and if we started right now with $20 million in the bank to spend it would be iffy if we could qualify in 2014.

[CoachRich]

The CSA is a NSO. NSO's are funded in part by government entities like SC AAP, SC & COC. More importantly member dues from the grassroots. Because of that you can not focus those monies on one gender over the other. The only way to give a gender more $ is through sponsors & game revenues but the CSA is horrible at that. The problems w/ the CSA as a NSO are far too numerous to list but the D&T paper is a great start & read.

80/20 can't work w/ the CSA as it's a NSO. Especially when it's already being monitored by women's groups like CAAWS who have already talked to the SC. Further, there is no cash cow from the MP & there is no potential cash cow w/ the state the CSA is in. The U20 WC was a prime example of no profit event for the CSA members unlike other NSO's that make $ for their members.

The WP does get the funding & exists in a large part due to the funding they get from SC APP, SC & COC based on their performance. It's my understanding when we did the interviews in the media on the lack of CSA funding of the Seniors that they only get 15% of their budget from the CSA.

Other soccer countries benefit by having pro teams in their infrastructure. The UK, Europe & Asia are great examples.

The glory days are over as the CSA has no plan & the players have not been communicated to at all. The CSA are using the excuse we don't have a Head Coach for the Seniors. Kind of funny when they had a plan & the NSO should have a program plan. Recommendations were made for the WP program & a expanded sponsored WP as mentioned at the beginning of the thread.

I agree that we have are losing our first mover advantage and being held back by our backward soccer culture and infrastructure. As I said before we can't wait on the CSA & it's time for the Clubs/Districts to get together & map their own development structure w/ out the CSA's & PSO's help. Failing that the only other solutions for change are a action by the players or the CSA follows what the US has done as we have more in common w/ the US than anywhere else.

[Trillium]

Come on guys.. the WNT program can be turned around quickly in terms of its business attributes.

1. Plan to play between ten and sixteen home games in Summer 2009 and after. Note that womens national teams have greater possibility of coming to play us then mens teams do.

2. Price game tickets between ten and twenty dollars in venues able to hold 15k games to be focussed in under four centres, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto and Edmonton. If you get to sixteen you play four games in each city once a month for four months. Your potential game day reciepts are 150,000 to 300,000 per game plus jerseys .. and concessions cuts etc.

3. Take carded WNT on the summer team roster and move the carded money to players on Fury, Lynx, Whitecaps with right to call those players to play at any time.

Essentially what you create is FC Canada and build a fan base and stars, your player have competitive games for sixteen plus weeks during our home summer season for the WNT and then you go to Europe in the fall and to Central America and the Carribean in late fall early winter.

Expenses for such a progam ?

1. Coaching staff ( already a budgeted cost surely ).

2. Stadia rental at ten to fifteen thousand dollars per game.

3. Hotel costs home team twenty five persons.. roughly ten thousand per game times twelve ( one of four citys will be the team home ).

4. Expenses for vistiing teams or negogiated away contract... to be negogiated but no worse then ten thousand a game for most of our potential opponents. My guestimate 600,000 dollars then salarys for twenty five players at 30k average roughly a 750,000 dollars. Total operations cost .. under two million agaisnt revenue total of potential of 200k x 16 = 3.2 million ancillarys extra.

5 Current womens tax to CSA 300,000 at five dollars each .. becomes 1.5 million.

So the money is available.

Now all it takes is for the CSA to hire a WNT manager who is buisiness oriented and to hire a Coach to run the on field process.

[methusela]

This thread started with a question about the future of the WNT program, but this seems to have evinced much bitterness about Even Pellerud as a coach. The effects of Pellerud on Canadian soccer can be argued endlessly, but I am more interested in what happens next to the WNT? Where is the plan?

I began by outlining a comprehensive plan, which, as VPjr points out, had already been submitted, considered by the CSA executive, and rejected. No discussion, no consultation. No reasons given. Except that the WNT lacks a coach. Where is the plan then, and who is responsible for writing it and evaluating its progress?

As CoachRich explains, most of the present WNT funding comes from Sport Canada’s AAP and NSO grants, and from COC, and all these sources are dependent on results and international rankings. These sources of revenue allow the CSA to enjoy the benefits of the women’s success while only contributing 15% of their budget. However, the government does not just hand over the money. There is a requirement for a four year rolling SFAF (Sport Funding and Accountability Framework ) plan. Where is it? What’s in it? Why the secrecy?

Perhaps the CSA is hoping to recruit a WNT coach who will be a messiah? Will she or he be asked to set up a network of money-making games through their international contacts and then establish a plan for the further development of the Women’s program (while playing possession soccer of course.) Does such a messiah exist? Surely, we need a team of coaches, an agreed upon and integrated strategic and tactical plan that includes performance, funding plan and fitness plans. Ideally we need a management group to set out this plan and evaluate its progress, while a team of coaches under the inspired leadership of the new Head Coach, executes the plan. The CSA Strategic plan has optimistically set the goal of a medal in the next Olympics or FIFA World Cup, so we need to maintain our first-mover advantage if that goal is to be attained.

I have already mentioned in another forum (See Go Big Red “Affirmative Action for Women Needed,”) that the CSA lacks women in leadership roles. We have one woman director on a Board of 20 and there is no women representation on the executive. The CSA’s Women’s committee is moribund. There are no women bringing WNT issues to the table. Women player representatives have been ignored. The CSA needs a plan to attract more women in administrative, coaching and leadership positions, but where will they come from? What is the plan?

The players have had no communication with the CSA. WNT star players have signed four year contracts with WPSL or overseas Clubs and their availability may already be compromised for an integrated team plan. WNT players have been told that for the last 3 years they had to play only overseas matches as the CSA maintains that women’s home games always lose money. For the last 5 years, players have had to survive on AAP card money and the generosity of benefactors, or the support of family. The CSA has even cut back their nominal appearance fees and share of prize money and has no policy for setting these in the future. The WNT needs a plan for the equitable treatment of players.

As Kara Lang has recently said, we are at “a crucial point in the [WNT] program.” For so many of the WNT players most “of their youth has been put into the WNT.” The past may well be the Prologue, as one forum writer puts it, but let’s get on with Act 1, Scene 1. The CSA has rejected a comprehensive plan which would have cost them only $600 thousand a year. What do they have instead, and when will they let everyone know?

[Vic]

Why do I get the feeling you are motivated by a family relation...

No one owns a national team but the country. Everyone has a right to be free of all corporate bias, interest and interference. Period. No taking the pretty ones, the one's the coach likes, or the one's who tow the corporate tune. The best players, equal opportunities, fairness, integrity. Zero tolerance for any influences outside that.

And besides, everything from here in will be under the purview of the new coach, not the CSA.

"The players have had no communication with the CSA. WNT star players have signed four year contracts with WPSL or overseas Clubs and their availability may already be compromised for an integrated team plan."

You say it like it's a travesty or recent news. Not only all our men do that, as well as the rest of the world, but our star women players have been doing that for 20 years.

And I for one, would sure as Hell like to see the past resolved before we deal with anything about the future. We destroyed the lives of three great players because they had the maturity and courage to stand up to dirty pool. You want to go forward, clean up the past first.

And there are a lot of great talented young players coming through. Kara Lang (and the rest of the gang) would be wise to not think they're going to be given anything or they may find themselves on the outside looking in.

[The Ref]

Pellerud is the worst that could have happened to women soccer in Canada. His legacy is a string of ruined careers and ruined programs.

[Vic]

The Past 5 Years

2008 U20 WWC Group elimination (1 win)

2008 U17 WWC Quarter-final loss (1 win)

2008 WNT OLY Quarter-final loss (1 win)

2007 WNT WWC Group elimination (1 win)

2006 U20 WWC Group elimination (1 win)

2004 U20 WWC Quarter-final loss (2 wins)

We need a major shakeup.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Vic

Why do I get the feeling you are motivated by a family relation...

No one owns a national team but the country. Everyone has a right to be free of all corporate bias, interest and interference. Period. No taking the pretty ones, the one's the coach likes, or the one's who tow the corporate tune. The best players, equal opportunities, fairness, integrity. Zero tolerance for any influences outside that.

And besides, everything from here in will be under the purview of the new coach, not the CSA.

"The players have had no communication with the CSA. WNT star players have signed four year contracts with WPSL or overseas Clubs and their availability may already be compromised for an integrated team plan."

You say it like it's a travesty or recent news. Not only all our men do that, as well as the rest of the world, but our star women players have been doing that for 20 years.

And I for one, would sure as Hell like to see the past resolved before we deal with anything about the future. We destroyed the lives of three great players because they had the maturity and courage to stand up to dirty pool. You want to go forward, clean up the past first.

And there are a lot of great talented young players coming through. Kara Lang (and the rest of the gang) would be wise to not think they're going to be given anything or they may find themselves on the outside looking in.

I certainly do not think that Methusela, whether related to a player or a member of the Whitecaps family, is unjustified in asking the questions he/she is asking.

Furthermore, Methusela makes some very valid and well thought out points. I completely agree that there is a pathetic lack of female voices at the CSA level representing the interests of the players.

However, I'm not convinced that letting the Whitecaps regain control of the WNT program was a good idea and I'm pleased the CSA rejected the offer at this time as it would certainly have derailed the process of hiring a new WNT coach. Let them (the CSA) hire the person they deem most qualified, rather than accept the 'Caps deal ahead of the announcement and create the impression that Kerfoot/Lenarduzzi (and possibly EP himself) have influence over who wins the job.

The new coach will be hired soon enough, I'm quite certain of it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the interview process were to commence soon. Whether this person will be held up as a "messiah" is irrelevant. If they hire the most high profile of the candidates available, I'm sure that it will be viewed in a similar vein to when Osieck was hired for the men (outsider comes in to save us from ourselves). Sadly, this is what is needed...we do need to be saved from ourselves but I'm not convinced that a coach, by himself/herself,

can do that alone There needs to be a committment to allow this person (if it is the right person) to devise a plan of attack and then get out of that person's way and let them have at it. If the plan is sound and in the best interest of the sport, then Kerfoot et al should be more than willing to return to the table to discuss how they can help realize the new coach's goals, assuming that they are interested in such an arrangement.

BTW, the new coach will most certainly be formally announced in the new calendar year, or just before the end of this calendar year. EP is on the books until the end of this year so they won't add a new mouth to feed until the EP obligation is over and done with.

[Richard]

Matters little who the new coach is, the CSA is budgetting to spend just $1,095,00 on the senior WNT in 2009 and that's contingent upon getting the extra $5 player registration tax they're currently begging from the provinces. This is insufficint to run any kind of competitive program.

[soccerhero]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

Matters little who the new coach is, the CSA is budgetting to spend just $1,095,00 on the senior WNT in 2009 and that's contingent upon getting the extra $5 player registration tax they're currently begging from the provinces. This is insufficint to run any kind of competitive program.

The flipside......all the money in the world would not have helped EP implement and run a successful program. In his case you are not capable of doing what you dont know.

[Vic]

Thanks for the number Richard. Our only hope from here in is brains.

I'm thinking the CSA should be in charge of recreational and house league soccer in the country and Hockey Canada should run our national soccer teams.

[CoachRich]

I find it hilarious time after time that folks here point out the problem is all the NT level. Sure it's part of it but the real problem is our development/structure model compared to other countries.

Our die is cast even before the players hit the NT pathway. Hence don't wait on the CSA to fix the system. Fix the system away from the CSA as that is what other countries are doing before the kids stream into the NT pathway. As Vic has pointed out & so have I there is a huge difference w/ what we give our players compared to outside of NA & that's before they hit the NT pathway.

How do we compare our system to the Euro's who are scouted into Pro Club's Women's Programs before they are 15. How do we compare our NT level w/ others when those same U15's are streamed into a NT program that starts at U15. We can't.

We need to focus on our development/structure model on what the Youth Clubs/Districts are not doing before the players hit the Provincial & NT pathways. To rely on the PSO & NSO to develop your best players is the wrong place. Other countries that have a true club development/structure model are proving that they are passing us bye & are catching even the US.

[Richard]

quote:Originally posted by Vic

Thanks for the number Richard. Our only hope from here in is brains.

I'm thinking the CSA should be in charge of recreational and house league soccer in the country and Hockey Canada should run our national soccer teams.

My pleasure. The number comes right out of the budget posted here.

I also think that we need a separate national organisation to operate our national teams, one that has no connection with the present CSA who couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.