Comments on: East Bay Boys Soccer Notes: Top teams, players, rankings, standings, stats

By: chuck

chuck — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:05:31 +0000

what do you need for the box above website?

By: Scout

Scout — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 05:20:23 +0000

Campo 1 Alhambra 1

By: Waterboy

Waterboy — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:02:42 +0000

Albany beat Pinole 1-0. Albany missing players, with both goalies ineligible were still the better team. Pinole has an athletic forward, the quarterback of their football team. If he was a better finisher it would have been Pinole with two goals.

By: Matt Smith

Matt Smith — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:17:00 +0000

I definitely want to hear how that Pinole v. Albany game goes.

As far as games for this week, I will be seeing San Lorenzo v. Hayward on Tuesday and then Livermore at De La Salle on Thursday. My first look at SLZ and Livermore.

By: Waterboy

Waterboy — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:26:05 +0000

For any of you that want a New Years Day High School Soccer Fix, 5:30 game at Cougar Field(behind El Cerrito Plaza, home field for Albany) between Albany High School and Pinole Valley.

By: The Truth

The Truth — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 01:16:19 +0000

Closeup- I agree with most of your comments in #48 and 49 but I stand by my comment about the academy players on a macro basis.That being said it never hurts to add a quality player to your squad.

By: Closeup

Closeup — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:48:48 +0000

Truth: Just to be clear, my primary point was to be able to see the “collection” of talent vs dispersed talent in different leagues. For the most part, I don’t see much disparity at all between “club” and “academy” talent. That said, the definition of a good player for me is one that raises the quality of play of those around him, or even against him.

By: richard marnhout

richard marnhout — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:23:36 +0000

The caution that sweeper was refering to was for persistent infringement.If the referee notices a player committing a number of fouls-including trifling ones to which he has applied advantage,the perpetrator is cautioned for persistently infringing the laws of the game
OR,if he notices a pattern of fouls committed against a particular player(frequently a star striker or wing)he may caution a player for the same offence. Though it is traditional to inform the captains of the offending team that a pattern of fouls against a particular player has been observed and will not be tolerated, it is not mandatory, and the referee may act without said warning if he deems it necessary to protect the fouled opponent.

By: The Truth

The Truth — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:53:18 +0000

Number 47 makes a few good points but I disagree with the premise that the 5-10 academy players make that big of a difference in total.The academy is simply a marketing function of a few powerful clubs looking to make brand improvements.Oh yeah, if YOU are willing to play like a robot and have above average skills you too could make an academy team,Just pony up the 5g”s and your in.BTW, the academy team is not very good relative to their competition.
All in all,starting about 4 years ago,, the quality of the high school play has improved.Not because of a few very good players but because the sport is attracting better athletes over all, there is a focus on skill development at an early age and because the local clubs are developing consistent coaching philosophies and developing all of their teams, at all levels of competition,in the same way. So this is a ground up development manifested by local competitive clubs and not a top down improvement because of an “academy” allowing the players to participate. That is why you are seeing the higher quality of play.

By: Closeup

Closeup — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:41:52 +0000

With academy players allowed to participate, this is probably the highest level of high school soccer I have witnessed in past years. Its a great showcase of all the young talent the Bay Area possesses and refreshing from all the club/academy politics that have segregated our area talent. Some of these boys have crazy skills and touches and the “offensive minded” high school soccer vs “possession” soccer of D1 has allowed these boys to really have fun. In the SRV/Newark game, it was also a great display of why soccer is so fun to watch, i.e., where good ol’ hard work and grit goes a long way to neutralizing crazy soccer skills and on any given day, anyone can win, especially as it seems, in this high school season. Let’s fill up the stands even if our kid isn’t playing. Matt, would really appreciate your recommendations on matches of the week, from week to week. Happy New Year all, this is a fun forum!