Seacoast GDA

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But they are all good clubs and USSF needed them for geography and credibility. The reasons GDA is struggling is multifaceted; having ECNL clubs in the league wasn't one of them.

So tired of this “all good clubs” NO stars stunk almost like LI and Empire
Stars only put in one decent squad into DA. Bye and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

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Ok, I haven't been following along too closely, but my understanding is that there are clubs from around the country who are leaving GDA. I'm not saying every club or all the good clubs, etc... but enough clubs are leaving that it would make me wonder about the program. And to your point, those "good old boys clubs" that are now leaving have to be leaving for a reason. You can say that they were tied to ECNL. Fine, but if GDA was so wonderful and the girls all loved it and were comfortable with it and it was going so well, there is NO WAY you can convince me that they would just leave simply because their hearts were with ECNL. Come on now...

For
Thanks JD...not your heart but wallet buddy. Nice try

[Unregistered]

Another ridiculous post by the same poster responding to himself. There is no way anyone can say that after a year GDA is in good shape. We have one more year in it, and then the rest of you can fight over whose is bigger. Some of us preferred one league last year, but then you couldn’t argue to the world that your daughter is best.

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Another ridiculous post by the same poster responding to himself. There is no way anyone can say that after a year GDA is in good shape. We have one more year in it, and then the rest of you can fight over whose is bigger. Some of us preferred one league last year, but then you couldn’t argue to the world that your daughter is best.

Not the same poster. Can everybody say that one year is not a good data sample for anything to be condemned or praised? That founder ECNL clubs did jack squat to help DA grow by double dipping? Hard not to think it was not premeditated. As if they did it and gave their players a sour taste of it so they can say ECNL is better. If they were not allowed to do both and had to choose one league, none of this would happen. Players that wanted DA would go and those that want ECNL would stay. But they were afraid of taking a hit and see DA growing.

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Not the same poster. Can everybody say that one year is not a good data sample for anything to be condemned or praised? That founder ECNL clubs did jack squat to help DA grow by double dipping? Hard not to think it was not premeditated. As if they did it and gave their players a sour taste of it so they can say ECNL is better. If they were not allowed to do both and had to choose one league, none of this would happen. Players that wanted DA would go and those that want ECNL would stay. But they were afraid of taking a hit and see DA growing.

I can say that at least for Stars, I don’t think there was a grand plan. At the meeting rolling it out, JD gave a positive perspective on GDA and predicted that with the backing of the USSF it would succeed. He never trashed it. I think he honestly thinks that for his constituency and his players’ development, having ECNL and other options of playing outside ECNL works best. I think the same can be said for BBA. For BBA’s constituency, DA works best. BBA had the option of moving back to ECNL and it chose not to. I don’t fault BBA at all. Different clubs with different approaches, and both are successful in implementing their programs and seeing kids improve. I’m with the others who have said they don’t care about the badge. If your kid is happy, improving, and is in a good place to reach her goals, who cares.

[Unregistered]

So tired of this “all good clubs” NO stars stunk almost like LI and Empire
Stars only put in one decent squad into DA. Bye and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

You cannot credibly say Stars is bad based on this year's DA results, or just about any club. Prior to GDA they were a very strong ECNL club. Which players joined DA vs ECNL varied club to club and even within clubs. Clubs may have had leanings one way or another but didn't force people to join anything. The PLAYERS decided. With the talent split the results only show one portion of the picture.

As for Empire and LISC? They never should have had the badge to begin with if USSF cared at all about quality. They were put in as geographic placeholders.

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I can say that at least for Stars, I don’t think there was a grand plan. At the meeting rolling it out, JD gave a positive perspective on GDA and predicted that with the backing of the USSF it would succeed. He never trashed it. I think he honestly thinks that for his constituency and his players’ development, having ECNL and other options of playing outside ECNL works best. I think the same can be said for BBA. For BBA’s constituency, DA works best. BBA had the option of moving back to ECNL and it chose not to. I don’t fault BBA at all. Different clubs with different approaches, and both are successful in implementing their programs and seeing kids improve. I’m with the others who have said they don’t care about the badge. If your kid is happy, improving, and is in a good place to reach her goals, who cares.

Not a bad post at all.

[Unregistered]

Initially there was more enthusiasm for GDA. But then as member clubs started being announced and the league grew bigger and bigger, some of the enthusiasm started to fade. There are a number of clubs that had no business being in a league that was supposed to be about quality training, competition and players. All those clubs then had trouble recruiting top players because the premise of GDA didn't work for many players and they had a strong option that did work for them with ECNL. Most teams got a handful of skilled players then had to fill the rest of their rosters with whoever they could get (and whose parents could afford it). If GDA had started smaller and had tighter quality control they wouldn't be scrambling now to right the ship. The ship might not sink, but adding club like Seacoast just to grab more market share in this area will not help improve it's already tarnished image. They should be jettisoning poor performers, not adding more.

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Fact check. There are at least 5 BBA DA girls on one team alone who turned down DA offers to return, and are heading back to the NPL team. Maybe fewer on your team, but throughout all the age groups there are quite a few, which is shocking after just one year. Seacoast take heed!

And where are they on the roster depth chart not that I think your answer will be objective. I know some kids left DA because they knew with the tight sub rules that they wouldnt play some games at all, get 15 minutes in a third or so and start and get a half in 25%. Thise families decided that wasn't for them. I don't see top 12 -14 kids dropping down. I am sure you will tell me i am mistaken, but most understand the truth. Kids "choosing" NPL or ECNL over DA for highschool are either seniors seeking the rah rah, not good enough for waivers, not good enough for regular PT at the top level, or kids in the u16 age group who are basically keeping the single age groupings alive (so cal)

Saying kids are leaving the GDA is not a reflection of the overall level. The kids the USSF want, those in the top 10% of DA teams aren't leaving.

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I can say that at least for Stars, I don’t think there was a grand plan. At the meeting rolling it out, JD gave a positive perspective on GDA and predicted that with the backing of the USSF it would succeed. He never trashed it. I think he honestly thinks that for his constituency and his players’ development, having ECNL and other options of playing outside ECNL works best. I think the same can be said for BBA. For BBA’s constituency, DA works best. BBA had the option of moving back to ECNL and it chose not to. I don’t fault BBA at all. Different clubs with different approaches, and both are successful in implementing their programs and seeing kids improve. I’m with the others who have said they don’t care about the badge. If your kid is happy, improving, and is in a good place to reach her goals, who cares.

Nope. ECNL made BBA choose last year. And what teams and league did JD end up coaching? You can't say that he randomly choose teams and that he didn't make people think that he's backing up ECNL.

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And where are they on the roster depth chart not that I think your answer will be objective. I know some kids left DA because they knew with the tight sub rules that they wouldnt play some games at all, get 15 minutes in a third or so and start and get a half in 25%. Thise families decided that wasn't for them. I don't see top 12 -14 kids dropping down. I am sure you will tell me i am mistaken, but most understand the truth. Kids "choosing" NPL or ECNL over DA for highschool are either seniors seeking the rah rah, not good enough for waivers, not good enough for regular PT at the top level, or kids in the u16 age group who are basically keeping the single age groupings alive (so cal)

Saying kids are leaving the GDA is not a reflection of the overall level. The kids the USSF want, those in the top 10% of DA teams aren't leaving.

That's part of the issue - USSF only cares about a small percentage of players. But they need all the rest to make the league work. Families see it, they're not fools. With boys there are fewer good options for quality competition and college exposure. Girls have an option. It works for many of them. Like someone said teams got a handful of talented players and many of the rest were players who either couldn't even get on an ECNL roster before or were ECNL benchwarmers. They either don't care about HS or weren't varsity starters. This league that's supposed to be about the best of the best just isn't.

[Unregistered]

Nope. ECNL made BBA choose last year. And what teams and league did JD end up coaching? You can't say that he randomly choose teams and that he didn't make people think that he's backing up ECNL.

I’m talking about the upcoming year. BBA could have rejoined ECNL and it chose not to. I don’t understand why you are so angry. I think most Stars parents respect the choices BBA parents make. I don’t even understand what making people think he’s backing ECNL even means. I find it hard to believe you have any information about what someone else is making people think let alone thinking. His club is returning to ECNL, so of course he believes in that platform for his players. I’m offering the same perspective to BBA. BBA likes the DA platform, and it works for you. And I can tell you because I was there that he has never trashed DA as a concept. He has said that a program backed by USSF will succeed. And it was obvious to anyone at the last meeting that he struggled with the decision and did not come to it lightly.

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And where are they on the roster depth chart not that I think your answer will be objective. I know some kids left DA because they knew with the tight sub rules that they wouldnt play some games at all, get 15 minutes in a third or so and start and get a half in 25%. Thise families decided that wasn't for them. I don't see top 12 -14 kids dropping down. I am sure you will tell me i am mistaken, but most understand the truth. Kids "choosing" NPL or ECNL over DA for highschool are either seniors seeking the rah rah, not good enough for waivers, not good enough for regular PT at the top level, or kids in the u16 age group who are basically keeping the single age groupings alive (so cal)

Saying kids are leaving the GDA is not a reflection of the overall level. The kids the USSF want, those in the top 10% of DA teams aren't leaving.

Not OP, but ask around about the 04’s. From what I’ve heard, it is a combo of both starters & reserves that are choosing to leave... some to play HS next year, some because of cost & commitment, etc. I see there are those who are trying to denigrate them, and make them seem like a bunch of bitter bottom of the bench players, but that just is not reality or the full picture (not to mention fair to the girls). Just because families have decided not to chase a badge, does not mean they were somehow not worthy of the badge in the first place. As a parent of a younger player who may soon have to make this choice, it makes me think twice about how the GDA may habr overestimated its appeal to even the younger players. Ladylt year, I read all about how the middle schoolers will never miss high school if they start with the GDA right from the start, but apparently that is not the case. Many girls tried it, but have decided to bail for several reasons before they hit high school. ECNL isn’t looking that much more appealing to us either now. But we have another year to figure it all out, thank goodness.

[Unregistered]

I’m talking about the upcoming year. BBA could have rejoined ECNL and it chose not to. I don’t understand why you are so angry. I think most Stars parents respect the choices BBA parents make. I don’t even understand what making people think he’s backing ECNL even means. I find it hard to believe you have any information about what someone else is making people think let alone thinking. His club is returning to ECNL, so of course he believes in that platform for his players. I’m offering the same perspective to BBA. BBA likes the DA platform, and it works for you. And I can tell you because I was there that he has never trashed DA as a concept. He has said that a program backed by USSF will succeed. And it was obvious to anyone at the last meeting that he struggled with the decision and did not come to it lightly.

Nowhere was it reported that BBA/NEFC was offered a spot back in the ECNL for the upcoming season. Unless you have proof that the offer was actually on the table, I would highly doubt it’s veracity.

[Unregistered]

But they are all good clubs and USSF needed them for geography and credibility. The reasons GDA is struggling is multifaceted; having ECNL clubs in the league wasn't one of them.

This is false. USSF needs to create stable destinations with good coaches and facilities. They then need to attract players over time based on the quality of player those destinations produce.

its not a short term plan.

They do more damage having non committed Clubs in the GDA not matter how "good" you think those Clubs are. I dont know what credibility means when talking about a club. I dont see the relevance. Its not like we are talking about Man United. There are commercial entities that will work for some and not others.