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TOPIC: Girls Rankings |
| Anonymous
January 23, 2018
10:07:14 PM
Entry #: 4240557
| I'm not really sure sir what it is you have against Lourdes soccer but they are the only team in dade county that has made it to the state tournament for the past two years in a row. They are the top seed in this region for a reason and your bias towards coral reef is very evident and in bad taste. Was their win against Boca (the state runner up last year) not enough proof for you? Maybe try keeping the bias down and sticking to the facts. Thanks
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| Kickit
January 24, 2018
8:49:32 AM
Entry #: 4240594
| Not sure what the griping is about? Isn't Lourdes ranked #1 in this poll?? They are just saying that they are not sure about a few close wins that they have had. And yes, the Boca win was maybe the best win for this program in the last 5 seasons since 2013, under their previous coach. But keep it in perspective, Boca was without 6 starters due to injury, not sure if they will all be back for the playoffs. No one doubts that Lourdes has the best overall talent in the county and they have a total of 8 coaches between their JV and Varsity teams to guide them along the way, the most coaches in the county and I believe the state for just a JV and Varsity program.
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| Independant Observer
January 24, 2018
11:36:11 AM
Entry #: 4240613
| If Reef is ever going to challenge Lourdes for the top spot, this will be the year. Reef has a boatload of talent for a public school and an actual soccer coach coaching the team, which is not to be underestimated. There are just a handful of teams in the county with above average talent and depth, but without someone that knows what they're doing to run things, you really don't have much.
I've followed the Reef team pretty closely this season, watched them play about half a dozen times and they have the pieces to challenge Lourdes. The problem is, they take a pretty big hit next season when they lose their top 3 scorers and their top defender, and at least 5 other seniors. So its do or die for them.
Honestly, I'm rooting for them. I'd rather see a public school team come out of Dade than a Lourdes that has the benefit of being able to provide scholarships to athletes and pay their coaching staff significantly more than a public school coach, but in the end the girls will have to settle it on the field. Regardless of who comes out on top, I hope one of them can bring a State title back home to Miami.
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| CAN'TKICKIT
January 25, 2018
3:25:19 PM
Entry #: 4240725
| @kickit Lourdes has 3 coaches, not 8. They went to the state final two seasons ago and state semi last year. Please tell me how a regular season win vs Boca is somehow their biggest win in 5 years? Were you at the Boca game? I was. Didn't see you there. Boca was with all of their BEST players. #12, #10, #9. Keep that in perspective. Lourdes also played Boca last year without their best player, something else for you to keep in perspective.
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| Kickit
January 25, 2018
6:21:41 PM
Entry #: 4240738
| No. I was not at the Boca game. Just going by what was reported by top drawer Soccer.com. Great for Lourdes! 3 coaches between JV and Varsity????
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| Soccer Fan
January 26, 2018
12:22:37 PM
Entry #: 4240831
| Meanwhile at the public schools a math teacher gets a small supplement to coach the soccer team.
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| FLORIDASCORES
January 26, 2018
2:03:07 PM
Entry #: 4240836
| Anyone coaching for money must be insane, especially in high school. Most do it because they love the sport.
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| Soccer Fan
January 27, 2018
8:05:51 AM
Entry #: 4240904
| You missed the point. Its not about the money, its about the quality of coaching. The private schools and some of the more fortunate public schools have ACTUAL soccer coaches, not a security guard or math teacher as their coach.
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| FLORIDASCORES
January 27, 2018
11:04:27 AM
Entry #: 4240913
| Perhaps I did miss the point, but what I have learned through my coaching experience is that talent dictates your success. Quoting Pat Riley "a coach is as good as his players". Being a high school coach has many limitations such as the pool of players that is available during your tryouts. Coaches/schools that recruits do well for extended periods of time, those that don't.......well you do know. Why is it that certain schools are perennial powers, is it because their 1, 2 or 3 coaches are "real coaches"? Perhaps but I can guarantee you that I can take those same coaches to some schools that don't recruit and .....guess what, they won't be district champions either. Why do we have have people that don't know soccer or any other sport coaching, take a wild guess 0)
If recruiting bans were enforced and if public schools only played other public schools, it would be a more balanced system, however it is what it is. Please don't take the rankings too personal, they are not meant to insult any team and there are no vendettas against successful teams. We just want to recognize those that are doing well and we wish there was more time to make this website better but the manpower or womanpower is not there. We just hope that next year we can make this project better. Enjoy the playoffs.
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| soccerfan
January 29, 2018
7:38:41 AM
Entry #: 4241057
| The quality of coaching makes a huge difference. Take a look at Ferguson. They have been one of the top teams for the past several years. They still get quite a bit of talent entering the school. What has happened to them the past two years? There was a change in coaching. While the current coach loves soccer, she does not know the game very well and unfortunately the girls are trying to do their best coaching themselves. If Ferguson had a coach who knew part of the game( more than just kick and run) and knew strategy or even positioning, they would have been a much better team
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| floridascores
January 29, 2018
9:58:13 AM
Entry #: 4241066
| I would disagree with you. I know Fergusons girls soccer and indeed there are plenty of coaches out there are better than most coaches at Ferguson, both boys and girls. However, as a former high school soccer player and now a coach, I can tell you that my former high school coach was not the reason why we made it and lost in the 1988 GMAC boys finals (yes, I am old). I think that coaching looks so easy from the sidelines and that it is such a thankless job. Most parents are supportive and most kids are a pleasure to coach and mentor. But every year very few parents decide to become professional critics instead of supporters of this beautiful experience. We forget that although winning feels great, the positive experience and lessons we learn along the way are very important. Ferguson girls always has had talent and so did the boys which has not won a district title since 2010, but I don't hear anyone complaining about that. Do you really believe that as a player my talent diminished because of a coaching change, I can tell you it did not? High School season is extremely brief, from Oct 31 to Jan. 20 for most girls teams. The clubs are mostly responsible for their development since it is prohibited by the FHSAA for high school coaches to train year round with their team. As I tell my soccer players, if we win is because of their talent, discipline and dedication........and not because I have a license that says that I am a coach with a semi-professional resume.
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| Kickit
January 29, 2018
10:49:56 AM
Entry #: 4241081
| I agree with Floridascores statement. And as far as the FHSAA rules about not coaching your players year round, unfortunately there are a few high school coaches in Miami that do just that. It seems to be about the money, they are not suppose to be paid for club and the high school for coaching some of those same players during the high school season. If the FHSAA ever pursues them, they could lose post season eligibility or worse. Maybe their Athletic directors have not made them aware of this conflict of interest. Unfortunately the FHSAA rarely pursues such violations, but those coaches are gambling with their schools reputation.
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| Soccer Fan
January 29, 2018
12:21:01 PM
Entry #: 4241094
| I think you people are underestimating the impact a youth coach has on a team. And while I agree that talent is a HUGE factor in who wins or loses, I really don't think there's a huge disparity in talent among the top schools in Dade County. Lets just look at the teams on this site's top 10, you really thing that outside of maybe Lourdes or Reef that any of those other teams cant beat one another or at least compete with one another fairly consistently??
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These are not professional athletes, they are kids. The truth, whether you choose to accept it or not, is that when you go from a professional type setting being trained 3 or 4 times a week by a licensed club coach (as most of the good soccer players do with their club teams) to an unstructured practice run by someone that doesn't have a coaching background, then you're certainly going to have a drop off, regardless of the amount of talent on the roster. And you can sit there and say, well the players can coach themselves, but the truth is that they can't. The coach ultimately decides who plays and who doesn't, what position they play on the field and what tactics to employ. No group of 15,16, and 17 year old kids is going to tell their coach how to run their team. There's theory and there's reality and in your scenario, that is far from reality.
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| FLORIDASCORES
January 29, 2018
7:05:28 PM
Entry #: 4241119
| I don't underestimate youth or club coaches. I do give them most of the credit for the success and talent in high school soccer.
On the boys side, Sunset (1990's and early 2000') Varela (2000's) have had success because of the great club competition in Kendall. But I give most of the credit to the kids dedication and the parents contribution of time and money. Without the combination of those three there would be no national or state champions in Florida. What I don't like about today's culture is that we are too quick to blame others instead of ourselves. If a player's, coach's, or parent's ego is way bigger than his/her talent you will always have problems in that team, whether is a high school, club or even professional team. I don't see high school soccer as a developmental system for soccer and it is very difficult for anyone to find high school coaches, take it from me, it is not as easy as it looks and I am not talking about just coaching a game. Soccer Fan, I really enjoyed discussing this with you even if we disagreed on some points. Keep on enjoying the sport.
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| SOCCER FAN
January 29, 2018
7:31:23 PM
Entry #: 4241122
| That's the thing though. The Kendall area continues to produce good soccer talent due in large part to the recreational programs in the area, the DA on the boys side and the girls competitive program, Kendall United on the girls side. The talent is there. Its the reason that Ferguson was able to do so well in years past with competent coaching. I just find it hard not to blame the coach when you have a roster full of club players, which not a whole lot of high schools can say they have..
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| Let’s be real
January 29, 2018
10:24:28 PM
Entry #: 4241139
| There’s definitely some truth to kendall on the boys side but as far as the girl, they do not produce one quality player. The prime example is pinecrest, cutler ridge, Coral gables and or key Biscayne . Any program that is lucky enough to hire a club coach succeeds
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| SOCCER FAN
January 29, 2018
11:16:24 PM
Entry #: 4241147
| You have no idea what you're talking about. Here's one for you and give it a couple more years. The girls side at Kendall is relatively new.
http://www.nsusharks.com/news/2017/11/29/womens-soccer-nsu-lands-four-on-united-soccer-coaches-all-south-region-teams.aspx
Ferguson Graduate, Kendall United product
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| SOCCER FAN
January 29, 2018
11:18:47 PM
Entry #: 4241148
| Just because you don't know, doesn't mean they don't have any....
http://www.kendallsoccer.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1204354
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| Joker
January 29, 2018
11:19:00 PM
Entry #: 4241149
| Lmao did you just try to shine light on a player from NSU . NSU ARE YOU SERIOUS... Terrible soccernprogram, terrible school, and terrible player
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| SOCCER FAN
January 30, 2018
8:01:18 AM
Entry #: 4241186
| Oh, you must be one of THOSE parents that thinks their kid is going to play for the USWNT or go to Stanford or UNC.
Cool. I get it now.
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| SOCCER FAN
January 30, 2018
8:03:40 AM
Entry #: 4241188
| Define "quality player" ?
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| Soccer_Guy
January 31, 2018
7:47:31 AM
Entry #: 4241281
| As a former Dade County coach I'll add my piece and let you sort it out from there.
I coached a small private school girls team several years back, and while we were pretty good for our size we were nothing like the top teams in the county.
In the the 8 years I coached the most club players I had on one team was 4. Whenever we played a team from 2A we routinely faced schools with entire rosters filled with club players. At times it felt overwhelming and unfair, but it just became the norm and it's something I constantly prepared the girls for.
During my second-to last season I took a squad with exactly 2 active club players all the way to the state final four beating multiple schools with club rosters. When you compare the talent and skill-set of my girls with the teams we beat we had no business even making those games close. But our game-plans were spot on and we absolutely outperformed nearly everyone that year because we were a better TEAM.
Yes, these big schools with rosters filled with club players have significant advantages. But, they can also be beaten. Just takes the right group of players and right coach to do it.
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| soccerfan
January 31, 2018
8:50:10 AM
Entry #: 4241286
| I agree with soccer_fan. Talent doesn't always outweigh coaching. The fact is, when you get two strong teams up against each other, coaching comes into play. It becomes more about the strategy and taking away the other teams strengths. When you have a coach that doesn't know the game its hard for the girls to beat a good team on their own at this age. Prior to the coaching change, Ferg had a coach that at least new a little and understood that the girls came from strong coaching backgrounds. The current coach doesnt understand the game and if the girls do something other than what they are told to do(for example, they are not ALLOWED to play the ball back), she pulls them and benches them. On top of the lack of knowledge, she has no respect from the payers on the team. Girls leave in the middle of a game because she benched them, dont show up for practice and more... Yes, the girls should be more disciplined, however if a player walks off the field in the middle of a game quitting, the coach should NOT be calling her and asking her to come back.
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| Are you serious?
January 31, 2018
8:58:40 AM
Entry #: 4241287
| The girls team that started KU was a very strong team. They had 6 girls continue to play at the college level. Yes there are other clubs who have their full roster playing in college, but this was from a small unknown club. The player at NOVA is a quality player. She is an ODP player and has represented the US in Brazil as well as in other tournaments. Believe it or not some of the best players choose to play in the lower levels in college, not because of lack of talent, but because they realize the education is more important than soccer and do not want to give the commitment required to play D1 soccer or because they are looking for the school that best fits what their goals are for college and beyond
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| Soccer_Guy
January 31, 2018
3:42:15 PM
Entry #: 4241312
| from FLORIDASCORES
"I think that coaching looks so easy from the sidelines and that it is such a thankless job. Most parents are supportive and most kids are a pleasure to coach and mentor. But every year very few parents decide to become professional critics instead of supporters of this beautiful experience............................. As I tell my soccer players, if we win is because of their talent, discipline and dedication........and not because I have a license that says that I am a coach with a semi-professional resume."
I personally know of a very successful soccer coach who recently walked away from coaching a school team because there was one particular parent who had an axe to grind and because he had some influence within the school community he made things unnecessarily stressful. Rather than deal with the parent, the school listened and thus enabled. This coach saw the writing on the wall and reluctantly (but wisely) stepped down. Unfortunately the new coach has had to deal with the same parent because the athletic department didn't and this parent has made this season a nightmare for the new coach and team.
One parent and a weak athletic department has created havoc on what was one of Dade's most successful teams.
I don't know anything about Ferguson's soccer program, but if the team's coach had the support of her team's parents and school administration my guess is things would have gone a lot more smoothly. Most parents are amazing, but every year it seems like athletic departments spend far too much time and resources trying to silence the one or two squeeky wheels.
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| Ferguson Fan
January 31, 2018
6:31:13 PM
Entry #: 4241324
| "I don't know anything about Ferguson's soccer program"
No, you don't. But I can tell you for a fact , there has not been ANY parent contact with the DA at Ferguson to oust the coach. In fact, the parents are very supportive (at least as much as they can be, given the quality of high school soccer vs club soccer and the risk of injury for what amounts to be recreational level soccer 90% of the time) The girls on the team play because they love the sport, but they're not stupid either. When their school coach contradicts every way they've been taught to play the game and the results are losses, you come to the realization on your own that maybe your coach is not up to the task.
Furthermore, I don't care if you're facing the #1 team in the country it's NEVER OK to tell your players that you expect them to lose. You try to inspire them, you prepare them, you motivate them to play their best, you definitely don't make them lower their expectations. Sadly, this was the case in 3 matches vs Coral Reef and their match vs Miami Springs.
I wasn't at the District SemiFinal game, but from what I heard, the game was 1-1 af the half and could have easily been 2-1 in Ferguson's favor before all hell broke loose in the second half. Adjustments were made by one side and not the other and the rest as they say is history. I believe the game finished as a 7-1 defeat.
In the half a dozen games I attended, I saw formations that can best be described as bizarre, players playing out of their natural positions and lineups and substitutions that just didn't make any sense.
One final note, the simplest task in the world for a coach is probably submitting a preseason outlook outlining returning players from the year before and score/stat reporting after a match to the Herald. Do you think this was done this season?? For a school with an established record and soccer program, for those items to be completely ignored this season is inexcusable. But nobody complained. We just kept on chugging along even though our daughters got the short end of the stick.
The truly sad part in all this, is that even with enough talent to run a succesful program, I fear that many of the players won't come back to play next season because the fun has been sucked out of high school soccer for them.
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| Soccer_Guy
February 1, 2018
7:44:20 AM
Entry #: 4241360
| Again not knowing anything about the Ferguson situation other than what has been posted here it's difficult to pass judgement as there could be several legitimate reasons or understandable explanations as to why things are the way they are and why things are done the way they are done.
That being said getting the season preview done (and not just minimally but thoroughly and with some thought), reporting scores, attending the end-of-season coachs' meeting and submitting all-dade forms are absolute musts for high school coaches. How many coaches, even from some of the good programs, actual get these done? I agree this is not acceptable. Should be a requirement although I'm not exactly sure how it can be enforced.
I've been on all sides of this in my life/career: as a player, as a coach, as a parent and as an administrator. All view the same situation differently and rarely is one side completely right. Truth is often somewhere in between. The most important thing in all of this is to understand that appropriate communication is important. If things are communicated in an efficient and effective way many of these issues disappear. So the onus is on all of us to make this experience the best it can be for all involved.
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