My Problem with the Whole ECNL Thing....

[Unregistered]

I get concerned that these leagues, ECNL and the DA, could cannibalize the other leagues. If they developed their own players from younger ages, maybe I would see it differently but the way it is set up now, its the "going pro model" in a youth environment. The clubs that have these leagues are dependent on all the other clubs for players. Already, the small clubs don't have enough girls in the older age group because they all go to the bigger clubs. Now the same thing will happen with all the older girls teams at the bigger clubs, go to ECNL or go home, go play rec. With the perception that colleges just are not going to any other games, they are only looking at ECNL players, any girl not in the league will just leave the sport. I hope ECNL isn't to dependent on the fees from these other leagues for support, eventually they won't exist, not above U14 or 15 anyway.

I don't know, I don't know how you can continue to take the best players off a team year after year and expect that team to sill exist. I just won't happen. teams will start to fall apart earlier and earlier. this model is not sustainable.

[Unregistered]

I get concerned that these leagues, ECNL and the DA, could cannibalize the other leagues. If they developed their own players from younger ages, maybe I would see it differently but the way it is set up now, its the "going pro model" in a youth environment. The clubs that have these leagues are dependent on all the other clubs for players. Already, the small clubs don't have enough girls in the older age group because they all go to the bigger clubs. Now the same thing will happen with all the older girls teams at the bigger clubs, go to ECNL or go home, go play rec. With the perception that colleges just are not going to any other games, they are only looking at ECNL players, any girl not in the league will just leave the sport. I hope ECNL isn't to dependent on the fees from these other leagues for support, eventually they won't exist, not above U14 or 15 anyway.

I don't know, I don't know how you can continue to take the best players off a team year after year and expect that team to sill exist. I just won't happen. teams will start to fall apart earlier and earlier. this model is not sustainable.

It's only sustainable for the ECNL shark. Only the biggest and best clubs will coexist.

[Unregistered]

It's only sustainable for the ECNL shark. Only the biggest and best clubs will coexist.

Yep. More like "biggest and best FUNDED" clubs will exist. And the biggest clubs will have a Gold, Silver, Bronze team at each age group, etc. that just feed the ECNL teams.

[Unregistered]

It's peculiar to me that national women's soccer leagues seem to struggle financially and fold and yet so many think a national girls soccer league is a smart thing.

[Unregistered]

It's peculiar to me that national women's soccer leagues seem to struggle financially and fold and yet so many think a national girls soccer league is a smart thing.

A dichotomy. ECNL is the ticket to college and supported by players who can pay.

[Unregistered]

Aside from the fact that there are just too many bleeping threads about ECNL (that's why I had to start another to get above all the noise! ;).

I really can live with the fact that it may be the league with the most talent and currently the most scouted by college scouts. What really bothers me is when anyone tries to convince me that ECNL is good for anyone other than the 18-20 girls on THAT team. All of these numerous threads (currently Jax has the most of this kind) that are begging for "clubs to come together for the common good of North Florida because that is what's best for the kids." Let's be really clear. The more direct, honest request would be "all surrounding clubs cough up the 1-2 truly outstanding kids in our age group and give them to us so that we can have 18-20 kids that just run away from the pack and receive all kinds of benefits." So I ask, why would ANYONE want to help with that?

I hear phrases like "this area really needs talent aggregation around ECNL for this area to play at the national level" which is a fancier way of saying what I describe above. OK, so let's just say all the surrounding clubs coughed up their best kids and the talent aggregated and that ECNL team rolled to a National Championship, etc. How SPECIFICALLY does the 10-12 county area that fed that talent into that ECNL team benefit?

Like I said at the beginning, I actually have no problem with ECNL. I think it is a wonderful platform for the 100 girls in each age group (25 X 4 teams) in Florida that can swing it. But let's call it for it is - a great opportunity for those 100 kids in each age group in Florida - not this regional engine that improves soccer for many teams in an area. And if I sound grumpy, I'm not actually. Just trying to enjoy the end of one season and the beginning of another without this constant drum beat of ECNL propaganda.

Cheers!

elected
You're right. It's good for those 100 kids x 5 teams per club for a total of 500 +-.

And it's also be good for the U.S. National teams at all age levels. Almost all the girls selected to play for The U.S. National Teams are from ECNL.
And it's good for all the college coaches to find top talent at the games and especially at the tournaments.
I think my daughter has a chance to be one of those 500 Florida girls. Can't wait to see.
Others will be happy with their non ECNL team. I also wish all those girls the best of luck. Why can't they wish us the same.

[Unregistered]

elected
You're right. It's good for those 100 kids x 5 teams per club for a total of 500 +-.

And it's also be good for the U.S. National teams at all age levels. Almost all the girls selected to play for The U.S. National Teams are from ECNL.
And it's good for all the college coaches to find top talent at the games and especially at the tournaments.
I think my daughter has a chance to be one of those 500 Florida girls. Can't wait to see.
Others will be happy with their non ECNL team. I also wish all those girls the best of luck. Why can't they wish us the same.

If you can by yourself, break down your numbers so we can see where you are putting all those kids.

[SickofSilliness]

elected
You're right. It's good for those 100 kids x 5 teams per club for a total of 500 +-.

And it's also be good for the U.S. National teams at all age levels. Almost all the girls selected to play for The U.S. National Teams are from ECNL.
And it's good for all the college coaches to find top talent at the games and especially at the tournaments.
I think my daughter has a chance to be one of those 500 Florida girls. Can't wait to see.
Others will be happy with their non ECNL team. I also wish all those girls the best of luck. Why can't they wish us the same.

They cant wish you the best of luck because you're spouting ecnl marketing material without regard to facts. About 35% of recent YNT players are from non ecnl teams. About the same percentage of d1 commits are also from non ecnl clubs. ECNL has the majority of top talent, but not all, and there are plenty mediocre players paying for ECNL.

[Unregistered]

They cant wish you the best of luck because you're spouting ecnl marketing material without regard to facts. About 35% of recent YNT players are from non ecnl teams. About the same percentage of d1 commits are also from non ecnl clubs. ECNL has the majority of top talent, but not all, and there are plenty mediocre players paying for ECNL.

so 65% of D1 are from ECNL? does anyone know what % of kids play ECNL?

[Unregistered]

so 65% of D1 are from ECNL? does anyone know what % of kids play ECNL?

Approx 1%. Maybe 100x as many non-ECNL clubs in the country.

[Unregistered]

76 Clubs

so 65% of D1 are from ECNL? does anyone know what % of kids play ECNL?

If it's 65% of D1 commitments, that would mean 76 teams in the country provided a majority of the D1 commitments. A large portion of the remaining 35% probably came from the National League and RPL. That leaves a small percentage from hundreds of teams throughout the country.

What I would question, and I don't have the answer is whether these percentages are changing over time. Is the percentage of D1 ECNL players increasing? The league is pretty young, but if we see that the number increases each year, that says something.

[Unregistered]

ECNL started their first year with the most elite clubs in the country (40 clubs in total). If you look at the statistics of college commitments pre-2009, you would find that about 65% of all players came from these "elite" clubs, like PDA, Dallas Sting, Irvine Strikers, Chicago Eclipse, CASL, etc. Nothing has changed. It's the same clubs. The only difference is that these clubs are now ECNL members.

The majority of college commits come from SoCal, Northeast, Texas and the Mid-West. Nothing has changed.

[Unregistered]

ECNL started their first year with the most elite clubs in the country (40 clubs in total). If you look at the statistics of college commitments pre-2009, you would find that about 65% of all players came from these "elite" clubs, like PDA, Dallas Sting, Irvine Strikers, Chicago Eclipse, CASL, etc. Nothing has changed. It's the same clubs. The only difference is that these clubs are now ECNL members.

The majority of college commits come from SoCal, Northeast, Texas and the Mid-West. Nothing has changed.

So your kids isn't playing against those teams or players...

[Unregistered]

So your kids isn't playing against those teams or players...

Actually, we have never lost to an ECNL team. But, thanks for your concern. My daughter will be fine.

[Unregistered]

Okay

ECNL started their first year with the most elite clubs in the country (40 clubs in total). If you look at the statistics of college commitments pre-2009, you would find that about 65% of all players came from these "elite" clubs, like PDA, Dallas Sting, Irvine Strikers, Chicago Eclipse, CASL, etc. Nothing has changed. It's the same clubs. The only difference is that these clubs are now ECNL members.

The majority of college commits come from SoCal, Northeast, Texas and the Mid-West. Nothing has changed.

I know it has changed since our club has played ECNL. I would say it's the competition the girls face throughout the year. We now have significantly more players playing in strong D1 programs, and many start as freshman. It's defintely prepared our players to play in college.