Consistently strong competition does not exist in any youth soccer league with the possible exception of the funded leagues on the boys side.

Leagues with promotion and relegation have a better chance of more consistent competition levels but it is argued that then it becomes all about the wins ( as if wining is not ultra important in every league regardless if it is closed or open,

In any case youth soccer has way too many leagues and many are way too expensive for any one to get that critical mass needed.

The USSF overreached in their attempt to smash the ECNL. Are you really that surprised?

MAPLE had it right we need to get back to that!

This smash the ECNL narrative is tired and beyond dumb. ECNL has just as many flaws. ECNL had the first mover advantage and yet has allowed Clubs to do as they please under the guise of they know whats best. That has led to abusive coaches, uneven facilities, Uneven practice schedules and all sorts of rule bending by those with the power to do so.

Both leagues have warts. Both are run by egomaniacs

What a first class waste of a weekend. O goals scored across all platforms. Wow.

You seem to have problem with LISC. Why don't you take it to them?

I disagree, the poster is illustrating one example (LISC) of how US Soccer is not delivering. There are 2-3 other teams in the group that are just as bad. They are selling DA as having 'more meaningful games' and that clearly doesn't seem to be the case. They claim that 'The Academy values individual development of elite players'. If the games aren't competitive how is that good for development. Furthermore, if a team can't muster a single goal then how can they claim they have elite players.

Long Islander here (with a D committed to a Mass school, so I check this board out every now and then), please allow me to explain...

USSF gave East Meadow Soccer Club a GDA spot (long time ECNL club). EMSC happens to be THE most dysfunctional club in NY, a revolving door of entire teams and individual players, every year. Once EMSC and Albertson Fury (the other ECNL club on LI) both got GDA, top EMSC players flocked to Fury. So EMSC realized they didn't have the talent pool to sustain both GDA and ECNL, so they teamed up with a local training organization named Rough Riders. Rough Riders main function is to fleece local rec teams and create a "select team" in each age group of the top rec level players who compete against (and get pummeled by) NPL and Region 1 teams in low level tournaments.

So ECNL gets wind of what's going on with East Meadow Soccer Club and basically gives them the ultimatum of ECNL or GDA, so they choose ECNL and basically just hand over GDA to Rough Riders-a training organization who has no formal teams, no player pool, no facilities, nothing...but they have lots of email addresses for parents of kids who have either gone to a clinic or camp or tryout along the way, so they start sending out dozens of email blasts. But keep in mind, these emails are being sent to rec level players who don't travel more than 15-20 minutes for an "away" game and practice 1-2x a week at the local elementary school and pay between $150-300 a year for soccer. As you can imagine, the response level was low, but anyone who showed even a remote interest got a roster spot. That was phase 1.

Phase 2 was naming Massapequa Soccer Club a "partner club". Massapequa plays in Nycsl NPL, a mid level NPL league, where the majority of their teams routinely finish in last or 2nd to last place. They had 1 or 2 strong teams, but those teams were mostly 01 and 02 players who weren't willing to give up HS ball, although they did force some to play GDA, with the threat of being benched during NPL games and tournament. So LISC got a handful of Massapequa players that are also currently rostered and playing on NPL and HS teams while simoultaneously playing GDA. The teams in other age groups are mostly rec level players or kids who got cut from ECNL or NPL teams and they're aso rostered and playing for LISC.

Then you have phase 3, Naming Brentwood a "partner club"...Brentwood is the only club lower on the NPL totem pole than Massapequa. When Massapequa finished 2nd to last, it's only because Brentwood is last. Brentwood's talent pool is so limited, they routinely hand out their NPL slots in multiple age groups to other local teams like KK Atletico. So there's another level of confusion-kids from outside clubs playing for Brentwood when they're not playing for their own club and then playing for LISC as a "Brentwood" player when they're not playing for Brentwood or their own club! Follow, lol???

Not to mention the highest level the main LISC trainer, Maria Logan, ever trained was a bunch of Brentwood "B teams" (remember the "A teams" were low level NPL and trained by someone else). She has the lowest coaching license available and literally no relationship with any colleges or former players playing in college.

So there you have, if anything you should be happy LISC was able to field teams at all this weekend, I know it was questionable as late as Thursday...

Thanks for wasting our time with all that.

Us soccer is in charge of the GDA. The buck stops with them and if there is a poor quality experience out there for the players they should do something about it. That goes for both the Boston Players and the Long Island players.

I agree. The USSF has paid lipservice to this GDA thing. There are teams/players in this league that should not be. There are referees and coaches who should not be. Just saying its the best will not make it so, however why are we surprised? The leadership on the womens side @ USSF is more interested in grandstanding than actually rolling up their sleeves and building a better platform. That takes real knowledge and determination. It also takes the ability to build bridges with other leagues and administrators. t need people to believe in you and your vision. People have to WANT to work with you.

That will NEVER happen with the current leadership. They dont have the knowledge or the respect of those around them to get it done and I see zero evidence that they are trying to get it.

LISC is just another example of how out of touch they are

I, for one, appreciate you detailing all of this for us. Didn't waste my time at all. The GDA bid became a hot potato. Also agree that this is all on USSF and if they don't come in hard, especially during this inaugural year, the brand will suffer. I don't think it will be irreparable, although I do expect ECNL brass to say so

Guess staying in New England NPL was the right decision for our family. I pretty much knew it would be, but any nagging doubts have been resolved based on all the reports I've heard.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating against GDA. Right down the road is the other LI GDA club that's really doing a great job. We recently went to cheer on my D's former teammate (who is now at Fury) playing against another solid GDA team and it was great to watch. So I can see why some are really into it.

Thing is, clubs like LISC who *know* they don't have what was supposedly required for this league (talent pool, coaching staff and licensure, facilities), should politely refuse participation next year. We all know USSF won't do anything about it.