Soccer Wire Top 100 Girls Clubs

[Philly_Cat]

New No. 1 club takes over in SoccerWire Top 100 Girls Club Rankings

SoccerWire released a new set of girls rankings.

www.soccerwire.com

So let me first say that a list is a list is a list. Most any rankings are extremely subjective and shouldn't be taken as an end all be all, but more as a broad idea. With that said, it is impressive for any club to be considered one of the top 100 in the country by any ones measure.

And with that said, I do have to ask a question to everyone here, particularly the ones in the constant arguments about Cincinnati girls soccer. The gap between #3 and #97 is pretty huge in my opinion. I'll be the first to say that I'm not very deep into the culture of girls soccer in southwest Ohio, so much of what I know I've read on here.

So I'm confused by why there is such a difference between the two, at least according to these people. I'm even more confused because as I've tried to follow things on Yappi, CUP has been backsliding for quite some time now. And that's not even bringing in the "ECNL is superior" talk. I'm genuinely curious to hear why this list would have them the way they do.

 

[SmallTownBigDreams]

Here is my take for what it is worth

• You have to take things on an anonymous parent forum with a grain of salt. Some people here (it's pretty easy to tell by their posts and sometimes even screen names) have felt slighted by some coaches/clubs for whatever reason so slander anything and everything about that club.
• Some parents have had great experiences and the club can do no wrong in their opinion. There are nuggets of truth in both I would guess, but you need to do some digging often to find the truth

My observations

• Ohio Elite used to be THE girls club in town. When Cardinals ended/became OE people just went there as that was where you needed to be. "Built it and they will come" mentality, and it worked.
• CUP hired some key people: Kurt, Robertson, Litvack, Puppione who turned the girls side around. Like them or don't they did. CUP created competition and retained players. Kurt is the only one left. Everyone else has left for jobs in other places (not sure where Litvack is?)
• Kings Hammer created further competition with Roberts doing a good job. She is no longer there.
• CUP has a huge footprint in the area, people naturally "drift" to them at the minute due to the work done by the above mentioned people and the reputation it created
• CUP won 2 National Championships and 1 Semi Finalist last year. Ohio Elite I believe only their 2004s made the full playoffs (made it to quarter finals?). Ironically it seems the OE teams have a LOT of former CUP players.

In a nutshell I think OE did a good job for a long time, then competition arrived and they have not ben able to have the automatic player influx they had.

CUP did a good job for quite a while, however the architects of that are gone. If you have watched CUP now vs in the past they are much more practical and direct. You won't see much patient buildup and passing, it is pretty direct now. Not right or wrong, just how they play now.

The next year or two will be interesting as the left over from previous directors perhaps ends and the new staffs leave their mark good or bad.

 

[Justanotherparent]

Here is my take for what it is worth

• You have to take things on an anonymous parent forum with a grain of salt. Some people here (it's pretty easy to tell by their posts and sometimes even screen names) have felt slighted by some coaches/clubs for whatever reason so slander anything and everything about that club.
• Some parents have had great experiences and the club can do no wrong in their opinion. There are nuggets of truth in both I would guess, but you need to do some digging often to find the truth

My observations

• Ohio Elite used to be THE girls club in town. When Cardinals ended/became OE people just went there as that was where you needed to be. "Built it and they will come" mentality, and it worked.
• CUP hired some key people: Kurt, Robertson, Litvack, Puppione who turned the girls side around. Like them or don't they did. CUP created competition and retained players. Kurt is the only one left. Everyone else has left for jobs in other places (not sure where Litvack is?)
• Kings Hammer created further competition with Roberts doing a good job. She is no longer there.
• CUP has a huge footprint in the area, people naturally "drift" to them at the minute due to the work done by the above mentioned people and the reputation it created
• CUP won 2 National Championships and 1 Semi Finalist last year. Ohio Elite I believe only their 2004s made the full playoffs (made it to quarter finals?). Ironically it seems the OE teams have a LOT of former CUP players.

In a nutshell I think OE did a good job for a long time, then competition arrived and they have not ben able to have the automatic player influx they had.

CUP did a good job for quite a while, however the architects of that are gone. If you have watched CUP now vs in the past they are much more practical and direct. You won't see much patient buildup and passing, it is pretty direct now. Not right or wrong, just how they play now.

The next year or two will be interesting as the left over from previous directors perhaps ends and the new staffs leave their mark good or bad.

Very well said. If you pay close enough attention, you will notice that players tend to develop in one club and finish in another. I think that probably has some to do with the league/competition when looking to be recruited. Also, CUP had a very good year. A number of high profile commitments, some verbal at this point. Hearing that many GA players are returning to KHA. Likely pretty hard to maintain recent success.