by Sonofadomer (2017-06-14 09:56:07)
Edited on 2017-06-14 09:57:05
regional tournament. Anyone have any experience with the regional tournaments - looks to be played over a week's time with first 3 days of round robin pool play. Anyone with prior knowledge that could share their experience?
But I'm not sure what to tell you. The teams are almost always very good (although in Region IV you love seeing a Wyoming, Montana, or Alaska team in your group), and your team usually needs to finish first or second in your group to advance to the quarters. For most teams, getting to the quarters is an achievement. Older teams have substitute restrictions, younger teams do not (same rules as your state cup competition).
It is intense, and goes quickly.
Was wondering more about the competition level and refereeing. While we have a solid team with 2 players that are regional ODP level players and the other 9 are very solid players - we have no bench. The coach actually cut all 5 bench players after the spring season - not sure which ones are coming to the tournament - and we picked up 4 new players that cannot participate. Depth will probably hurt us but was wondering if the teams typically have 16 solid players or if some of them rely on that 1-2 exceptional player.
We played a top team from New York in a spring tournament and they were a solid team - they beat us 3-1 - but they had 1 player that was so much better than any other player on their team and field. He ended up scoring all 3 goals. Was wondering if that is what we will see at these regional tournaments.
and I mean that..
Safety, professionalism and effort. Thems the goals.
The game is about you, not the players.
on rolling their socks to their knees instead of wearing them low?
I had probably the best ref in Fort Wayne 25 years ago telling me to roll my socks up during halftime of one game. Didn't even see him around, was like a 10 year old boys game and he approached us at halftime.
Any time I'd play he'd do our games and I'd yell at him and get yellows. Was quite funny, but ruined my tanning game that summer.
Which means two or three stripe official socks folded down from below the knee. Trust me, I don't love the look either.
That said, I focus on game and player management when working with the young refs. Professionalism is demonstrated, not lectured on.
it helped, but I was just a punk teenager.
Always enjoyed refing games.
... answer without knowing the age/gender and opponents. But as a general matter the teams tend to be quite good, although not as good as they were before the Developmental Academies hit the scene.
A weak bench obviously will hurt when you have to play three days in a row just to qualify for the quarters. When I coached in regionals we always rested some starters and gave bench players more time in the easiest game of the three to save legs for later games. The weather tends to be hot and that adds fatigue to the legs and makes recovery tougher. That is true for your opponents as well, but if you have no bench, you'll still be at a disadvantage.
What state are you from, and what states are your opponents from?
As for refereeing, it tends to be much better than your usual tournaments, but still can be variable. Each state in the region sends refs, and they tend to want to include young, developing refs for part of the contingent to give them experience.
We are probably the 3rd best team in the state and can compete with the top 2 with our 11 starters. In the Southern sub region, that consisted of SC, NC, FL, GA, TN. The top 3 SC teams finished at the top of the standings. Think Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana are in the Southern Regional. The teams from Texas and Oklahoma are usually some of top teams in country.
As a general matter, I find gotsoccer's rankings very inaccurate. What you can get, however, is all of the schedules and results from your opponents from there. Checking across regions can be difficult, but every now and then you can find a tournament and find some common opponents. It might be worth looking at past Super Y results if you can find them, although those teams aren't always compatible.
... associations and both send teams to regionals. In the past, they often were world beaters, but the Academy programs has blunted their bite, to some extent. However, the Academy programs probably don't affect the U13 landscape. At times in the past North Carolina has produced some good teams, but I haven't paid attention lately. My youngest is now 30 years old.
What is your draw?
1st game - Dallas
2nd game - team from Mississippi
3rd game - host team from Greensboro
I'm guessing the game Sunday night against Greensboro will decide the 2 quarterfinal qualifiers but we shall see.
Link if so inclined to follow. Thanks for the info! We are definitely looking forward to the tourney and hopes of a good showing!
http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org/events/2017-Region-III-Championships/Schedule/13U-Boys/Division+1/
... soak it in. One can never be sure of getting back. You are fortunate to not have to deal with extreme travel. The back to back years my younger son went (U14 and U15) we had to travel from Seattle to New Mexico and Utah, respectively.