ECNL-Girls: FL only division

[Guest]

Does anyone know the discussion points on this topic? What barriers are preventing this from happening or what's egging it forward? I did notice that we are the biggest conference with 16 teams so maybe that's a talking point to split.

[Guest]

Instead of playing quality teams half the season we can play each crappy Florida team twice. Yay

[Guest]

Does anyone know the discussion points on this topic? What barriers are preventing this from happening or what's egging it forward? I did notice that we are the biggest conference with 16 teams so maybe that's a talking point to split.

If it is too expensive to travel to GA, SC, AL and 2-3 showcases out of state, go with another league.

[Guest]

If it is too expensive to travel to GA, SC, AL and 2-3 showcases out of state, go with another league.

Nah. We'll stay with the league that gets kids in front of college programs.

[Guest]

Does anyone know the discussion points on this topic? What barriers are preventing this from happening or what's egging it forward? I did notice that we are the biggest conference with 16 teams so maybe that's a talking point to split.

Boys ECNL has a Florida League. On the girls' side, DPL promotes to ECNL-R and DPL has a Florida league. ECNL-R promotes to ECNL, and ECNL-R has a Florida league. ECNL Girls is the only one without a Florida conference. Of the ECNL SE Conference, there are 8 Florida teams and 8 non-Florida teams. It would seem that adding one or two Florida and non-Florida teams, and then lopping off the Florida clubs off into their own conference, makes sense.

The ECNL-R Option
Promotion from within ECNL-R is the most likely. ECNL may be waiting for one of the existing girls ECNL-R clubs (that doesn't already have ECNL) to be ready for promotion. See Braden River, Space Coast, Wellington, Chargers, and Swan City. Of those teams, Space Coast seems to be the only clear choice for promotion to ECNL, having averaged a team standing of just over 2 throughout all age groups. Wellington managed the next highest club standing of 5.6 - but didn't compete in all age groups (a big no-no for ECNL). Braden River, Chargers, and Swan City all followed at 6.5, 7.5, and 8.5, not exactly screaming that they're ready for ECNL.

The Poach from GA Option
Even if you believed that ECNL might reach over into GA to add an additional Florida ECNL team, the options aren't appealing. SW Florida is struggling for talent (see Florida West's ECNL and ECNL-R teams) and IMG reportedly had some difficulty filling at least one age group last year. ECNL won't add a third franchise to Tampa (sorry, West Florida Flames). Florida United (FC Prime's Broward neighbor) would never be granted ECNL. Palm Beach Gardens was mid-table across all age groups and Clay County was so infamously bad that they were removed from the league.

The Others
That leaves the misfit toys (USYS, NPL, and other leagues). It's extremely unlikely that ECNL would allow one of those teams to leapfrog Braden River, Space Coast, Wellington, Chargers, and Swan City into ECNL. it would take an exceptional club to do that. Not sure where that club is in Florida. Team Boca was the class of the SE E64 Conference, and (despite what the Boca haters say) they have coaches, facilities, and money. But E64 was so poor that the schedules were not even played. It also seems that Team Boca whiffed on ECNL and is headed to NPL. There aren't enough hallucinogenics to make one believe that an existing NPL team would be selected for ECNL.
No Expansion Needed
it wouldn't be extraordinary for ECNL to sever Florida off into its own conference in 2024/25 even without adding any additional clubs. The New England Conference has 8 teams (including 2 FC Stars clubs). One has to wonder though, if that's the case, why wasn't it done this year? There's probably a lot more to consider than just the SE Conference when determining whether to chop a conference in two. Playoff structures, showcase locations, etc. are probably involved.

[Guest]

ECNL Florida Division….

Welcome to 2008….Florida State Cup.

ECNL has morphed into EXACTLY what it was founded to improve upon. Nothing about a Florida division is “Elite.”

What a money grab joke.

[Guest]

ECNL Florida Division….

Welcome to 2008….Florida State Cup.

ECNL has morphed into EXACTLY what it was founded to improve upon. Nothing about a Florida division is “Elite.”

What a money grab joke.

100% Agreed. ECNL had the chance to make a real difference about 5-years ago and they just caved in and went for the money grab.

This yahoo sports article details it out:

https://sports.yahoo.com/us-soccer-g...000044659.html

Talks about how other countries are making rapid advances on the girls side and the U.S. is stuck with ECNL.

[Guest]

Boys ECNL has a Florida League. On the girls' side, DPL promotes to ECNL-R and DPL has a Florida league. ECNL-R promotes to ECNL, and ECNL-R has a Florida league. ECNL Girls is the only one without a Florida conference. Of the ECNL SE Conference, there are 8 Florida teams and 8 non-Florida teams. It would seem that adding one or two Florida and non-Florida teams, and then lopping off the Florida clubs off into their own conference, makes sense.

The ECNL-R Option
Promotion from within ECNL-R is the most likely. ECNL may be waiting for one of the existing girls ECNL-R clubs (that doesn't already have ECNL) to be ready for promotion. See Braden River, Space Coast, Wellington, Chargers, and Swan City. Of those teams, Space Coast seems to be the only clear choice for promotion to ECNL, having averaged a team standing of just over 2 throughout all age groups. Wellington managed the next highest club standing of 5.6 - but didn't compete in all age groups (a big no-no for ECNL). Braden River, Chargers, and Swan City all followed at 6.5, 7.5, and 8.5, not exactly screaming that they're ready for ECNL.

The Poach from GA Option
Even if you believed that ECNL might reach over into GA to add an additional Florida ECNL team, the options aren't appealing. SW Florida is struggling for talent (see Florida West's ECNL and ECNL-R teams) and IMG reportedly had some difficulty filling at least one age group last year. ECNL won't add a third franchise to Tampa (sorry, West Florida Flames). Florida United (FC Prime's Broward neighbor) would never be granted ECNL. Palm Beach Gardens was mid-table across all age groups and Clay County was so infamously bad that they were removed from the league.

The Others
That leaves the misfit toys (USYS, NPL, and other leagues). It's extremely unlikely that ECNL would allow one of those teams to leapfrog Braden River, Space Coast, Wellington, Chargers, and Swan City into ECNL. it would take an exceptional club to do that. Not sure where that club is in Florida. Team Boca was the class of the SE E64 Conference, and (despite what the Boca haters say) they have coaches, facilities, and money. But E64 was so poor that the schedules were not even played. It also seems that Team Boca whiffed on ECNL and is headed to NPL. There aren't enough hallucinogenics to make one believe that an existing NPL team would be selected for ECNL.
No Expansion Needed
it wouldn't be extraordinary for ECNL to sever Florida off into its own conference in 2024/25 even without adding any additional clubs. The New England Conference has 8 teams (including 2 FC Stars clubs). One has to wonder though, if that's the case, why wasn't it done this year? There's probably a lot more to consider than just the SE Conference when determining whether to chop a conference in two. Playoff structures, showcase locations, etc. are probably involved.

Florida only division makes sense only from a financial sense which is probably why it will happen eventually. The Florida Divison on the boys side is terrible at national events. There are clubs in the boys florida conference that have no business being in ECNL and the only reason they are is because numbers are needed for their own conference. Now for the boys the reduced travel costs are probably worth is because very few of those players will ever play in college. The girls side is different. The competition that being in the SE Conference gives them an advantage over the boys side when they get to the national events, especially the showcases. The girls teams are much better prepared for these since they play the GA teams in the fall, before any of the showcases take place (Nashville, FL and New Jersey). As much as the reduced travel is enticing, it's not worth the drop off in talent that would be required for a FL only conference.

[Guest]

100% Agreed. ECNL had the chance to make a real difference about 5-years ago and they just caved in and went for the money grab.

This yahoo sports article details it out:

https://sports.yahoo.com/us-soccer-g...000044659.html

Talks about how other countries are making rapid advances on the girls side and the U.S. is stuck with ECNL.

Most definitely! If ECNL had just absorbed the Girls DA teams when it folded there would be one league for the best teams in the country. There would have been areas that consolidation would have been necessary (Jacksonville had no business having 3 clubs) but overall this would have worked great.

[Guest]

Boys ECNL has a Florida League. On the girls' side, DPL promotes to ECNL-R and DPL has a Florida league. ECNL-R promotes to ECNL, and ECNL-R has a Florida league. ECNL Girls is the only one without a Florida conference. Of the ECNL SE Conference, there are 8 Florida teams and 8 non-Florida teams. It would seem that adding one or two Florida and non-Florida teams, and then lopping off the Florida clubs off into their own conference, makes sense.

The ECNL-R Option
Promotion from within ECNL-R is the most likely. ECNL may be waiting for one of the existing girls ECNL-R clubs (that doesn't already have ECNL) to be ready for promotion. See Braden River, Space Coast, Wellington, Chargers, and Swan City. Of those teams, Space Coast seems to be the only clear choice for promotion to ECNL, having averaged a team standing of just over 2 throughout all age groups. Wellington managed the next highest club standing of 5.6 - but didn't compete in all age groups (a big no-no for ECNL). Braden River, Chargers, and Swan City all followed at 6.5, 7.5, and 8.5, not exactly screaming that they're ready for ECNL.

The Poach from GA Option
Even if you believed that ECNL might reach over into GA to add an additional Florida ECNL team, the options aren't appealing. SW Florida is struggling for talent (see Florida West's ECNL and ECNL-R teams) and IMG reportedly had some difficulty filling at least one age group last year. ECNL won't add a third franchise to Tampa (sorry, West Florida Flames). Florida United (FC Prime's Broward neighbor) would never be granted ECNL. Palm Beach Gardens was mid-table across all age groups and Clay County was so infamously bad that they were removed from the league.

The Others
That leaves the misfit toys (USYS, NPL, and other leagues). It's extremely unlikely that ECNL would allow one of those teams to leapfrog Braden River, Space Coast, Wellington, Chargers, and Swan City into ECNL. it would take an exceptional club to do that. Not sure where that club is in Florida. Team Boca was the class of the SE E64 Conference, and (despite what the Boca haters say) they have coaches, facilities, and money. But E64 was so poor that the schedules were not even played. It also seems that Team Boca whiffed on ECNL and is headed to NPL. There aren't enough hallucinogenics to make one believe that an existing NPL team would be selected for ECNL.
No Expansion Needed
it wouldn't be extraordinary for ECNL to sever Florida off into its own conference in 2024/25 even without adding any additional clubs. The New England Conference has 8 teams (including 2 FC Stars clubs). One has to wonder though, if that's the case, why wasn't it done this year? There's probably a lot more to consider than just the SE Conference when determining whether to chop a conference in two. Playoff structures, showcase locations, etc. are probably involved.

This is good content. Post more often please. We need more civil discussion like this and less of the gibberish and it could actually be an informative board for parents.

[Guest]

Girl’s ECNL would suffer if it went down to a FL only region. Playing the GA, AL and SC teams really benefit the teams. If the girls only played within FL, they would not have that hard challenge. Going out of state really pushes our girls to want to play harder and better themselves.

[Guest]

Girl’s ECNL would suffer if it went down to a FL only region. Playing the GA, AL and SC teams really benefit the teams. If the girls only played within FL, they would not have that hard challenge. Going out of state really pushes our girls to want to play harder and better themselves.

It's not that big a deal. There are 2 out-of-state travel weekends per season. For that they get to play 8 teams from out-of-state. If anyone doesn't want to do that there is the Regional team, or possibly a boys team they could play on. I don't see what there is to make a big deal over.

[Guest]

It's not that big a deal. There are 2 out-of-state travel weekends per season. For that they get to play 8 teams from out-of-state. If anyone doesn't want to do that there is the Regional team, or possibly a boys team they could play on. I don't see what there is to make a big deal over.

What boys team would want a girl in it.Are you on crack

[Guest]

What boys team would want a girl in it.Are you on crack

If you had a daughter that was any good, they would be asking her to play with the boys. Boys will also pick girls first if they are any good. Obviously you are not in the know about these things. Maybe you know more about crack than soccer.

[Guest]

When the USWNT can't beat 14 year old boys on what grounds do you think any boys team would want a girl in the team ? Maybe once they turn 18 but sure not for soccer reasons.