Girls Soccer: Why no love for Flintridge Sacred Heart?
They're the Star-News' No. 1 team as selected by our very own Keith Lair (who also ranks girls basketball, btw). Didn't know there was animosity, if you will, between FSHA and the rest of the girls soccer world. Shall we call it a cat fight? Na, it's not that bad. But lets just say they're not quite ready to compliment each other's, uh, uniforms, let alone their style of play or success.
Here's a sample of the "love 'em or hate 'em" comments from a previous thread:
Anonymous: ... glendora 1-0 and maranatha 3-2. Monrovia gets absolutely no credit and they actually want to compete instead of playing safe and easy games just to keep their record. Stats don't mean anything. Sacred Heart's overrated!!
Angel Bec: ... It's official - FSHA is the Yankees of high school soccer. They are the team everyone loves to hate.
My Left Foot: ... Fsha 1-Harvard Westlake 0 .. Harvard Westlake ranked # 1 by Daily News # 1 by CIF D-2 .. FSHA still won't win league, but they are the best team in THIS area.
Lisa: I can understand why some of you feel that Sacred Heart is overrated however, since the start of the season FHSA has played 5 of the teams ranked in this poll. FSHA recorded 3 shut-outs and prevailed in one game via shoot-out. The only recorded tie was against Monrovia. Furthermore, Monrovia lost to Maranantha... Sacred Heart shut them out 2-0... You do the math. It is hard to compare 2 schools when they don't play in the same division or the same league.
high school fan: FSHMA's impressive win over Harvard-Westlake should not be taken lightly either.
Another Voice: Yankees of girls soccer, I like that Angel Bec. I love to hate them too.
soccernut: The previous post is correct, FSHA are the Yankees with respect to buying a team. As many are aware (see recent LA Times article) Frank Pace recruits many players (eg 7 freshman recruits) to play soccer for money (eg paid tuition scholarships) for the school. I thought this only happened at the next level (college and pros). I guess GREED is good for fair competition even at the high school level! No sour grapes here, they still have never won a CIF crown.
R2 Soccer: soocernut...not only has FSHA never won a CIF title it has never won a playoff game under Frank Pace.
from the sidelines: I can understand why so many people love to hate FSHA. Frank Pace no doubt gets on everyone's nerves. He talks the talk, does use his money and connections to his advantages, and probably is extremely underqualified to actually coach top club players year in and year out... But regardless of him, I don't think the girls should suffer such scrutiny because of the bad rep their coach has brought upon their program. They are talented athletes who are probably working really hard to try and battle through a tough Mission league. They just beat two top notch teams. I think they deserve a lot more credit than they are being given. Say what you want about their annoying coach, but don't discredit the actual girls who are working hard for their success.
Another Voice: I saw the LA Times article. I didn't read anything in it about FSHA recruiting players. As for paying players, I didn't read anything about that in the LA Times story either. FSHA is run by nuns not George Steinbrenner. The coach actually seemed like a good guy. I'm thinking you have been at happy hour too long on this fine friday night. Did he cut your kid or something? Don't get me wrong. I don't much care for FSHA but they are pretty good. Still I KNOW they won't win their league. They will be lucky to finish .500. Fair is fair and soccer nut is unfair. Maybe he or she should change his or her name to just plain nuts.
The article the folks above are referring to is from a mentor, a friend and from my favorite sports columnist, T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times. (I got to talking to T.J. at the Rose Bowl game. He said in seven years I can have his job. I'm holding him to that offer)
Anyway, with all this fuss I had to take some time and catch up with Frank Pace. We met Tuesday morning for a cup of coffee at Starbucks over on Lake and Green Street, just a block away from my office. We spent two hours talking about sports and of course his beloved Tologs.
I told him about the love-hate relationship people have over Flintridge Sacred Heart. He gave me his coaching philosophy and what he considers a successful season.
Some bloggers mentioned that he's never won a playoff game. But look at the competition Flintridge has faced. As Pace put it, the Tologs essentially are fighting year in and year out for first place in a four-team league given that Chaminade and Harvard-Westlake will almost always wrestle for first place.
But Flintridge beat Chaminade and Harvard-Westlake and those wins shouldn't be taken lightly. Some perspective? Both Chaminade and Harvard-Westlake were missing key players. The victories were nice but at full strength things could be much different.
Pace said he was surprised to see FSHA as the No. 1 team in the CIF-SS Division II poll. He said he didn't vote FSHA in the top 10. He actually considered it but instead gave the nod to Notre Dame Academy, which the Tologs beat two days ago, 2-0.
So what does Pace consider a successful season?
"If we finish in the top three that's a good season," he said. Can you blame them? Again, look at the competition they have within the Mission League. It's like playing in the playoffs come league.
Pace talked about the rich tradition at FSHA. He's been coaching there 11 years with the help of co-head coach Cathy Desmont.
Initially, I thought he was referring to the winning tradition. But as Pace acknowledged, he has not won a league championship, a CIF playoff game and no less a CIF championship.
So what tradition could he be talking about?
"Our job isn't just X's and O's," Pace said. "We have an obligation to mentor them and be their coach in all aspects; send them to college to continue their education. If we can send them to college we've done our job."
Santa Clara, New Mexico and Stanford are among the many schools Pace has contacts with.
I asked Pace if he ever felt he had a team that would be special. His response?
"2011," he said. That's when the eight freshman girls will be seniors. Currently, there are seven seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and seven freshman.
So when you talk about FSHA and Frank Pace it's not all about wins and losses. It's about making a friend, coaching a friend and getting the most out of them. Rest assure, Pace sleeps very comfortable at night.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world."
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
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La Salle 8 vs Mary Star of Sea 1
12-3-5, 3-0 first place in league #6 rankings in D4
Great Job Girls keep working hard
Not only have they won all five league games so far, they have not even been scored on! We are very proud.
Congrats to FSHA remaining undefeated. They won over Louiseville 3-0.
Way to go girls!
Dude...sounds like you are writing a press release about LC. Get over yourself you're not even halfway through the season. I watched the Temple City game myself.
Offensively, TC couldn't do much. Your backs were faster and better soccer players. TC just couldn't get much done. Your GK did a good job. But you guys aren't invincible. Lets see what happens when you've got to face a team that can shoot.
Defensively, TC was not much of a match either. In the first half, passing wasn't so sharp, but the second half you guys actually looked good. By then, TC figured out a defense, they grabbed on to the jersey of that striker and hauled her to the ground. By the time the ref got around to showing cards, it was game over.
You guys looked decent at times, and very good other times. Now you guys have a target on your backs and the second go around will be a lot different. We're planning on it.
The La Canada girls soccer team continued its dominance in the Rio Hondo League by defeating Temple City 2-0. La Canada has a 12 game unbeaten streak and has given up only three goals in that span. LC's overall record is 11-2-1 and 4-0 in the RHL. The team also captured the Duarte Tournament in December by defeating Alverno in the final.
La Salle beat St. Joseph 2-1 and 3-1 Bishop Amat.
great start in league 2-0, 11-3-5 overall.
Anybody know the score of the Girls San Marino Temple City game?
Just having a little fun...
The nice thing about this season is that everyone's expectations were set so low for LC that the girls don't seem to feel any pressure. They are a very hard working team with excellent chemistry. If the offense starts to click in the same way that the defense has come together, they will be very difficult to stop
OH Sparta,
Whether LC is lucky or good, their record speaks for itself. No need for excessive sarcasm...
Well Miguel - I have to hand it to you...most of the time when football season ends the blogs gets a little "vacation" because most people could care less about soccer. With your knowledge and interest in the game and focusing on certain teams - you've brought a lot to the top ... as it stirring the pot :)
But I love it because ALL of these girls need to get the attention that they deserve. If anything you have brought life back to girls high school soccer!
Hey RHL Fan, maybe there is a reason why LC has given up only four goals in 13 games this year....could this mean they have a suffocating and strong defense? Maybe LC is not putting up the numbers like last year on offense but its defense is much stronger. Just ask So. Pas, it took them thirty minutes just to get past midfield. The same with Monrovia, they seem to want to physical players and not play soccer like it should be played.
can anyone tell me why Monrovia is 0-3. they where my pick to win league. plenty of talent???
I'm truly delighted to see that we have a few LC bashers on the thread to balance out the FSHA bashers.
LC has been using up luck at an alarming rate with its (true) 10-2-1 start. I will have to tell Louie to start buying lottery tickets before it all comes crashing down. LC is so bad they have no business being on the same pitch with RHL's kids... Heck, they probably aren't even good enough to sweep out FSHA's JV team bus.
R2 would probably say that they were all too stupid to get into Flintridge Prep (which as he would tell you, of course, is where EVERYONE in LC wants to go to HS).
What all of you bashers don't understand is that none of this is luck: it is all a big conspiracy. We all write big checks to the boosters "dirty tricks slush fund" to pay off the refs, disable the busses of opposition, pay for the really GOOD kids to go to FSHA so that we don't have to face them in the RHL etc. But we're getting desperate to come up with new ideas; we may launch a hedge fund to take over the companies that employ parents of talented soccer player in the SGV so that we can transfer them to locations out of state.
SHhhhhh...this is all our little secret!
Anonymous said
"You still managed to avoid addressing the point about why Frank never brings in Kathy for interviews, why he doesn't defer to her in any public setting, why he acts like he is the head coach during recruiting, etc. How do I know this? Frank tried to recruit my daughter."
Did it ever occur to you that maybe Kathy doesn't want to talk to the press or spend her weekends at club games? Frank never "brings" her - that sounds a bit patronizing to me.
Enough of the FSHA bashing. Coach Pace is clearly the guy everyone loves to hate, but the comments are getting old. I'm proud of the those girls --I hope they continue their amazing start to league.
La Canada may be undefeated in league, but they're not that amazing -- just really lucky, in my opinion. The completely baffling team to me is Monrovia. They are such a physical and seemingly talented team, yet their 0-3 start is ??? I don't get it.
News Flash: When confronted with facts about JR's performance, you backed down on your misogynist argument...good for you.
You still managed to avoid addressing the point about why Frank never brings in Kathy for interviews, why he doesn't defer to her in any public setting, why he acts like he is the head coach during recruiting, etc. How do I know this? Frank tried to recruit my daughter.
For your sake, I hope that Rocky movies aren't your only source of intellectual inspiration.
ranking coaches in top 10 girls soccer
who coaches club and who doesn't ?
who has coached high school for a long time ?
which coach has more success high school?
any more questions ?
give me #1 coach that you want to coach your high school team ?
Anyone who thinks Frank Pace is totally in charge at FSHA has never met either Frank Pace or Kathy Desmond. They work as well together and respect each other much as any two coaches who have ever shared a coaching job. From what I've seen he defers to her a lot. Sometime (if Anon ever actually attends an FSHA game) just watch who does most of the talking at halftime. To paraphase something Rocky said to Adrian in the first Rocky movie (during the ice skating scene)
He's got gaps, she's got gaps, together they fill each other's gaps. Why does Anon have to be so negative
And, if she has forgotten more about soccer than Frank will ever know, than maybe they aren't so poorly coached after all.
Maybe in fact Anon is the one who has no idea.
Then why doesn't Miguel, or anyone else interview Kathy? She has forgotten more about Soccer than Frank will ever know, but make no mistake, Frank is in charge.
As for Jolie....she didn't and couldn't get teams out of Bronze over multiple seasons at CCU.
To say FSHA has mediocre (or no) coaching is an insult to Kathy Desmond who just may be the best coach in the area. Whatever anyone thinks about Frank Pace, he is only the Co-Head coach at FSHA. Remember, alongside every successful man is a successful woman. Notice the Maranatha coach (who is a woman) didn't get great reviews either. Maybe there are other issues.
To R3Soccer- You hit the nail on the head. Thanks.
R2 Soccer: your latest comment doesn't even merit a response.
1. FSHA. Agree with earlier poster. They have great players and a mediocre coach
2. La Canada. A real surprise to me after losing so many from last year, only a few seniors this year
3. La Salle. A strong team that is doing very well. Can't tell if they are improving
4. Arcadia. Good, but not great this year
5. Maranatha. Their offense is one player. Shut her down and win. Weak Coach
6. Ramona Convent. Seems pretty decent but limited depth. An injury or two and it would be over
7. Alverno. Two or 3 strong players among a supporting cast. Long ball offense
8. Prep. Very weak team. Defenders kick the ball out constantly and don't counterattack
9. Keppel. Not bad actually, but limited depth like Ramona
10. San Marino. A solid team but lots of questions.
1. FSHA - great talent no coaching. will see how far they can go in playoffs just by individual skills
2. La Canada - work hard plays like a team not pretty soccer. getting the job done coaching is same
3. La Salle - new coach, ball movement, set pieces, counter attacks well. maybe same as last year in playoffs
4. Arcadia - new coach, great forward, play good soccer will be suprise teams in playoffs.
5. Maranatha - good team overall no weakness will do some damage in playoffs.
6. Ramona Convent - has a good chance of reaching semis. have not seen them but results are good
7. Alverno - has a good chance of winning CIF no coaching.
8. Prep - most improved team, just no consistency could be a suprise team also
9. Keppel - no idea
10. San Marino - always has a good team should make it playoffs.
I'm just not sure that I believed the story and was looking for confirmation
Anon,
Thanks for the information. Based on that why would you then ask the rest of us why FSHA and La Canada don't play each other? Seems like you already knew the answer.
The information came from a LC Dad that had two girls play for Louie before graduating.
La Canada used to play FSHA in pre-season scrimmages. That stopped a few years ago. I know Frank Pace and I seriously doubt that he would be recruiting any of our players. If he looks at players it's during club season. My daughter used to play at Crown City before it merged with LAFC. He came to a few of our games and talked to my daughter. We were happy with the La Canada school district and she wasn't interested in going to an all girls school. I haven't seen him at any La Canada games for the past 4 years and I have been to them all.
Not quite sure where you got your information from but it's incorrect.
You'd think then that Prep would be intelligent enough to call the area newspapers and invite them to their games or call in their scores. If you look at the free Newspaper that goes to all area residents it's back to back coverage of Prep's plays, dances, homecoming, etc..
Then again maybe some people send their kids to Prep to get EDUCATED.
Sheesh ... get your money back.
If you look at La Salle's record, you get a picture of just how even the top teams are. La Salle tied Maranatha, FSHA, and La Canada.
Does anyone really know why FSHA and La Canada don't play each other? Someone told me that years ago Pace tried to recruit Bilowitz's players after the game and now LC won't play them anymore?
R2, Since you love one-upsmanship so much, I figure that I'll call myself R3!
The "media savvy" comment is true. Go on HighSchoolSports and look in the press box...compare Prep against any other school, and it will be obvious even to you that Prep has a serious effort to get press coverage. Its not immoral, illegal or bad, but it does happen to be true.
By the way, my girls go to Poly. Their second choice was Westridge
high school fan...whatever you say. You seem to have some animosity towards Flintridge Prep...did you find its admission process too challenging?
R2 Soccer=
I was at the game today. Westridge had far more shots on goal than Prep and outplayed them. If you consider yourself an expert in soccer evaluation, have at it. You are also obviously free to call my comments "idiotic", but if you bothered to ever read the Glendale News Press, Prep's "home town" paper,you can see how Prep managed to spin last year's weak 3 win season despire their losing season.
Thank you.
I meant to say that Alverno recorded a tie, even though they admit that La Canada won.
A couple of points to make
1) Alverno lost to La Canada in the Duarte tourney, even though Alverno admits they lost in PKs.
2) La Canada has allowed a total of 1 goal in the past 9 games: a bizarre PK.
3) Even if you don't think Pace had much to do with it, give the FSHA girls props....beating HW and Chaminade is huge.
4) Kevin Mejia is a great example...so is Cam Meeker, but there are lots of others
It doesn't matter what team people talk about - FSHA and Pace always seem to slip in. Can't you get it through your thick heads that you feed into it? This is actually starting to be entertaining. "Media Savy" uh huh .....
Let's see if we can start a thread about girls high school soccer AND NOT mention the obvious.
It's going to be a looooooong season......
Westridge lost to South Pas, and lost badly to Monrovia. That has to keep them out of the Top 10.
Maranatha deserves to be in there after a tie with LaSalle and La Canada both, and no significant losses
FSHA is tough...saw them play HW and Natalie Z shut Haley Boysen down cold
La Canada is also tough....just beat Monrovia in a real physical game
LaSalle is very good...excellent ball movement
We'll see about Arcadia when they play CV....er....excuse me....Crescenta Valley High School.
Alverno doesn't belong after losing to Ramona Convent and La Canada....and are just beating up on very small schools that barely have soccer programs now.
Flintridge Prep lost badly to Alverno and La Canada.
San Marino could be stronger than anyone thinks unless they just caught Monrovia napping.
high school fan...I was at the Westridge game today and if you think Westrdige "dominated" that game you don't have much credibility when it comes to evaluating a soccer match. However, After its win today Westrdige definitely should be in the top 10. Your "media savy" comment is so idiotic I'm thinking you're just kidding....right?
The updated top 10 list for the SGV girls' high school soccer teams this week is definitely an improvement over last week's rankings. However, I must take issue with the absence of Westridge from the list. The Tigers have only one loss in Prep league play (to Chadwick), are currently in second place and dominated the media -savvy Flintridge-Prep team today, resulting in the Rebels' second loss of the season. (See: Glendale News-Press and their fawning articles on FP).
Whatever,
This is your quote in part, buddy:
"... I think FSHA gets no love because that's all you focus on."
You said it. I was just countering. Relax.
Arroyo,
Excellent point. Look at Marshall. They have fantastic players who play for LAFC's academy - yet don't play for thier own high school soccer team.
Kevin Mejia is a good example. He's recruited to play for Boston College but I don't think he's ever stepped out on the field for Marshall to play for the high school team.
Imagine if all area club players who attend Pasadena area public schools played for their high school teams? We would all be on a different page.
Frank Pace is a good business man. Don Shepherd (LAFC Club President) is a good business man. It all comes down to that - good business.
As a coach, the one guy I always worry about facing is Louie Bilowitz. I never would have believed that his '09 team would be this tough after losing all those starters from last year, and starting two freshmen to boot, but it is. I am pretty sure that Louie doesn't take a nickel for doing the job either.
Miguel -
First do not come at me like that I asked a question why we don't here about other high school teams and their players. I was not harsh in speaking of FSHA I have no problem with them their a good team. I must have upset you because I spoke of your employer "Star News" . And I was not referring to your blogs I, commented on the article I was reading when I noticed all the comments.
I have several friends who's daughters play for Pace. Based on my conversations with them, I have no doubt whatsoever that he is a great guy, and really tries to do his best for his girls. I don't think that I've heard anyone dispute that.
However, I truly believe that CLUB coaches, not HS coaches are responsible for 95% of the development of these players. Most Frosh Varsity starters walk onto their HS teams with 5 to 7 years of club experience, private training, camps and skill development clinics under their belts before their first HS practice. These kids have been through a Darwinian selection process in soccer that began when they were U-Little AYSO All Stars.
The strength of a HS team depends far more on how many of these highly skilled players that a school can attract than any other factor. The public schools have no control over how many club players live in their districts. But the private schools can recruit, and FSHA takes advantage of this. My hypothesis is that any "Yankees Syndrome" concerning FSHA has far less to do with Pace than it does with aggressive recruiting (compared to Mayfield, Westridge, Poly and Prep) of soccer players at FSHA. Maybe this is just a case of simple jealousy that the public schools can't recruit.
If you want to evaluate coaches, look at the guys that take whatever mixture of players enroll in their school every year and consistantly turn out strong teams; those are your premier coaches
Miguel,
Thanks for sharing about Frank Pace. There are two sides to every story so it was nice that he got to speak.
Whenever girls high school soccer is mentioned FSHA is bound to be mentioned in a negative way so I don't think it bothers either the coach or the girls much. They are used to it - sort of like talking about PHS/Muir football.
Speaking of coaching - it's amazing how some people can jump on Frank Pace about his style of coaching. Try watching a club soccer match where the coaches are screaming at the girls, the refs and the parents in Spanish. There is a certain coach in the SGV who is a fantastic trainer but has been banned from the Coast Soccer League and pretty much from all clubs in the area because he can't keep his yapper shut.
Here is to ALL area teams - may you play hard, clean and injury free!
Hey, Whatever:
I've written ONE blog thread on FSHA. That's all I focus on? Oh please! Stop crying a river and get with it. There's plenty on here. I've been on the job five months and written only once about FSHA. Somebody needs to get his/her facts straight.
Miguel - There are many talented players in this area who attend different schools but why don't we hear about them ? I think FSHA gets no love because that's all you focus on. I think people would like to read about how other soccer programs are doing in this area. It really doesn't shock me Star News is famous for focusing on certain schools. I think its just sad..... Good luck to all schools & players !!!!!!!!
Miguel - There are many talented players in this area who attend different schools but why don't we hear about them ? I think FSHA gets no love because that's all you focus on. I think people would like to read about how other soccer programs are doing in this area. It really doesn't shock me Star News is famous for focusing on certain schools. I think its just sad..... Good luck to all schools & players !!!!!!!!
Wow, it's interesting to hear all the comments in regards to Frank pace. I do not know him personally, but I have had the pleasure of watching him Coach several games. People who claim to know soccer will probably describe his style or tactics as too loud, but it is not their oppinion that is important. (I coached soccer for over 16 years, and in the end the only oppinions that really mattered were the oppinions of the young ladies that I coached.) So for those of you who are concerned or offended by Franks style or tactics, why not ask the oppinion of his former or current players before forming your own oppinion. (YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED.)
I find it ammusing when people choose to measure a programs success by CIF Championships. If I can recall correctly, the only SGV Girls Soccer programs to have won CIF Championships have been in Division 4 (Pasadena Poly, Monrovia and La Salle.) FSHA is way beyond D4 Soccer. (Compare apples to apples) Frank has achieved great things in his 11 years at FSHA. Mayfield Senior School is ranked 8th in your poll. Their coaching Staff has been together for at least 7 years if not more and what have they accomplished with their program. Hats off to you Frank for on a job well done. I'm confident that the people that really count (your players) appreciate your efforts!!!
haha I've known Pace for years. He is genuinely a great guy. He not only coaches for no fee, but he also puts in a lot of his own $$ into the program. He's dedicated and he sincerely cares for the girls and their families. If you've ever seen him coach (like R2 Soccer mentioned), you would definitely witness his intensity and "screaming" on the sideline. He's just a tad bit old school so to say. I think what people fail to recognize is that he's not the only coach at FSHA. There are some talented coaches that work with the girls there. It's a great soccer program all around and the girls are doing an amazing job this season! With the Mission league being bumped down to CIF D2, the Tologs have a genuine shot at making their first appearance in the big show. Much luck to this talented team!
FSHA will have a good chance of winning CIF Championship in 2-3yrs i agree. this years team will suprise some schools in playoffs. winning league is possible but we just have to wait and see.
I insisted on paying for coffee but he wouldn't let up. I got a tall vanilla mocha. I hadn't been to Starbucks since Christmas when my cutie pie took me for a date. In case you care, she had surgery on her ankle last week so we've put our dating on hiatus until she's back on her feet, no pun intended.
When Pace said he cares more about developing young women and sending them to college I believe him. Believe me, I can tell when a coach is yanking my chain. Pace certainly was not.
Good interview Miguel...it's nice to know that Pace says he cares more about developing educated young women than winning soccer games. I will choose to believe that but at the same time add that I've seen game behavior from him that would indicate otherwise...maybe that's where some of the negative energy toward Pace comes from. My first impression of him was "that guy needs to lighten up."
Here is to FSHA shutting all of us up and not only getting that first playoff win but waltzing through the D2 playoffs like they have rolled over their first three league opponents.
Who paid for the coffee?