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**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 07:38 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

https://www.soccerwire.com/news/i-wo...-youth-soccer/

Interesting article hit my feed last night. A couple of quick points:

1) Don't be the guy who mocks something they don't understand (it's uncomfortable for some seeing the youth, girls especially, having a voice).

2) An acknowledgement of where ECNL sits currently (so that should save 15 pages of hating right there).

3) An acknowledgement this is a long-term solution to a current problem they see today (so buckle up for at least a few more years of mockery from some).

Thanks for sharing. Funny article:

1. wow quoting an Oakwood coach that's funny in itself
2. Tophat is still looking to jump ship soooooooooooo quick to the ECNL. Once they leave all bets are off.

Seems like all these genius's are just 100% copying the ECNL model

Oh well to each their own. GAL/DPL seems like Just a complete rudderless ship.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Thanks for sharing. Funny article:

1. wow quoting an Oakwood coach that's funny in itself
2. Tophat is still looking to jump ship soooooooooooo quick to the ECNL. Once they leave all bets are off.

Seems like all these genius's are just 100% copying the ECNL model

Oh well to each their own. GAL/DPL seems like Just a complete rudderless ship.

Does ECNL offer a similar girls advocacy group and a voice from the players? That's the base of the article. Did you even read it?

[says 'to each their own' which is preceded and followed by commentary just the opposite]

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Does ECNL offer a similar girls advocacy group and a voice from the players? That's the base of the article. Did you even read it?

[says 'to each their own' which is preceded and followed by commentary just the opposite]

The problem with the "girls advocacy group" is that any feedback provided is going to have at least some potential business impact, which kids do not understand, and will be shut down by the club owners and DOCs. Also, I know many GA families and no one is happy about the team lead choices because everyone knows it ends up just being the manager's kid, so it is just more interference from the same overbearing parents who have to bulldoze everyone out of their path.

It is a nice idea but having team leads for u13 teams?

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 08:10 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Does ECNL offer a similar girls advocacy group and a voice from the players? That's the base of the article. Did you even read it?

[says 'to each their own' which is preceded and followed by commentary just the opposite]

Do you think LL will listen to what 16 year old girls in this "advocacy group" have to say????
This seems like a PR ploy if there ever was one. lol advocacy group. Okie dokie then!

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 08:11 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The problem with the "girls advocacy group" is that any feedback provided is going to have at least some potential business impact, which kids do not understand, and will be shut down by the club owners and DOCs. Also, I know many GA families and no one is happy about the team lead choices because everyone knows it ends up just being the manager's kid, so it is just more interference from the same overbearing parents who have to bulldoze everyone out of their path.

It is a nice idea but having team leads for u13 teams?

Of course they won't always get their way. But, what's wrong with giving the girls a voice?

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Do you think LL will listen to what 16 year old girls in this "advocacy group" have to say????
This seems like a PR ploy if there ever was one. lol advocacy group. Okie dokie then!

Yes, you would look at it as a PR ploy. Because, the thought of someone doing something different is frightening...

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 08:18 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Of course they won't always get their way. But, what's wrong with giving the girls a voice?

Because when they never get their way, the charade becomes obvious. I think theyre better off avoiding that in the first place. I think the league could be good but they should just concentrate on making sure clubs truly offer a great product. Guarantee that girls teams get the coaches just as good as boys sides. Give girls the same access to the better fields, dont say you are doing 4 days per week and then cancel twice. Use the technology partnerships to improve the player experience. It is all there. ECNL (which my kid currently plays in) is NOT the greatest run thing in the world. It just has more of the better clubs but these things change.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 08:27 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Because when they never get their way, the charade becomes obvious. I think theyre better off avoiding that in the first place. I think the league could be good but they should just concentrate on making sure clubs truly offer a great product. Guarantee that girls teams get the coaches just as good as boys sides. Give girls the same access to the better fields, dont say you are doing 4 days per week and then cancel twice. Use the technology partnerships to improve the player experience. It is all there. ECNL (which my kid currently plays in) is NOT the greatest run thing in the world. It just has more of the better clubs but these things change.

I won't speak for all, but for our club:

* Girls coaches as good as boys (I think better in a couple of cases)
* Girls have same access to the fields as boys
* We practice 3x/week and add a 4th for those not playing HS
* Technology partnerships in place (fitness monitoring, game filem/review sessions)

That being said, knowing the girls have a voice has already proven fruitful so far. I hold nothing against ECNL and the leadership openly acknowledges is the current leader.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 09:23 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Does ECNL offer a similar girls advocacy group and a voice from the players? That's the base of the article. Did you even read it?

[says 'to each their own' which is preceded and followed by commentary just the opposite]

1) It's not an ownable idea. ECNL can easily do the same thing. Just like some GAL supporters raving about the filming technology GAL is using, which ECNL can also replicate. They're gimmicks, not real solutions to what ails US soccer

2) As another said it's all well and good to listen to a player group but they're teenage girls and many of their points simply can't be implemented. Any league can do focus groups and with players and parents and get the same information. Online surveys are easy and cost nothing to do. Good to get customer feedback but only if you're going to do something with it.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 09:24 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I won't speak for all, but for our club:

* Girls coaches as good as boys (I think better in a couple of cases)
* Girls have same access to the fields as boys
* We practice 3x/week and add a 4th for those not playing HS
* Technology partnerships in place (fitness monitoring, game filem/review sessions)

That being said, knowing the girls have a voice has already proven fruitful so far. I hold nothing against ECNL and the leadership openly acknowledges is the current leader.

If true yours is more the exception to the rule. GDA had all of that and couldn't make it, and that was with the backing of USSF.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

1) It's not an ownable idea. ECNL can easily do the same thing. Just like some GAL supporters raving about the filming technology GAL is using, which ECNL can also replicate. They're gimmicks, not real solutions to what ails US soccer

2) As another said it's all well and good to listen to a player group but they're teenage girls and many of their points simply can't be implemented. Any league can do focus groups and with players and parents and get the same information. Online surveys are easy and cost nothing to do. Good to get customer feedback but only if you're going to do something with it.

1) Of course it's not an "ownable idea". Anyone else can do the same, isn't that a great thing? This isn't about what ECNL, or anyone else, can do or will do. It's about something GAL is doing.

2) Why is the concept of giving teenage girls a voice so scary for some?

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

If true yours is more the exception to the rule. GDA had all of that and couldn't make it, and that was with the backing of USSF.

I tend to not comment on what others are doing, since I don't know. I'll just leave it at that.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

1) It's not an ownable idea. ECNL can easily do the same thing. Just like some GAL supporters raving about the filming technology GAL is using, which ECNL can also replicate. They're gimmicks, not real solutions to what ails US soccer

2) As another said it's all well and good to listen to a player group but they're teenage girls and many of their points simply can't be implemented. Any league can do focus groups and with players and parents and get the same information. Online surveys are easy and cost nothing to do. Good to get customer feedback but only if you're going to do something with it.

I agree these are mostly minor tweaks and gimmicks to the DA platform. What the article and most fail to realize, however, is the real genesis of GAL was not motivation around tweaking a platform with new gimmicks but saving club owner's and coaches' sources of revenue. Like a run on the banks during a financial crisis, there was a moment there where there could have been a catastrophic run from the clubs. Some of that clearly did occur but there was a scramble to create a new league with the primary motivation to save their cash flow. Nothing wrong with that but let's be real most of these gimmicks are afterthoughts.

**Unregistered** · 09-22-2020, 10:33 AM

Let's call a spade a spade here. All GA is was a way for club directors to save face with the quick and utter failure of DA. GA is nothing more than a stop gap for the club owners. They know it. Parents know it and the older teams know it.

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