Should my Daughter join a Club that plays in the ECNL?

[Unregistered]

ECNL is a great option if it was 4-6k a year. 8k+ and it becomes a financial investment that doesn't get its return if you're looking for scholarships. It's a great league, with some great teams and some bad teams. Their tournaments as a whole are strong. At the end of the day, there becomes a point when the argument has to change. If you have the money and want your DD to have a strong soccer experience, then more power to you. Enjoy it. If you your doing it for the sole purpose of chasing scholarships, you could be at a great risk of not getting your full return on your investment. I know that if I had the money and it was expendable, I would spend more to create more opportunities for my DD.

I do believe that ECNL girls on average have a better chance at playing in college, but this is also because you're comparing their statistics to those of leagues that have teams that don't desire to move onto college. It would be a great statistic to see how ECNL does with college exposure when compared to the top 2-4 teams in each of their respective states. My guess is that they would look very similar. The top teams in Nor Cal and So Cal outside of ECNL look identical to their ECNL teams when it comes to college recruiting/ placement. OR can't claim ECNL success for college yet, all these girls were developed and played in Non-ECNL programs and events. This one year might've help a little, but majority was done prior. This state has had a program long enough to see the proven differences.

Take it for what it is. ECNL provides great exposure at a larger than typical cost. Is it good? Yes! Does it offer exposure? Yes! Is it the only way? NO! Is it the best way? Depends on your DD and your family situation (I'm not talking specifically finances).

Consolidation is great. ECNL in Oregon is beneficial. Thorns has an opportunity to add to the girls side in Oregon if they can get things figured out. I hope all work out in this state and that we all are better for it.

That's just it. The two clubs that now have ecnl can't claim ecnl was the reason for this years recruiting classes. However, they can say that those two clubs were sending most of the soccer recruits off to college in the first place.

[Unregistered]

If you have $40,000 to invest and your daughter is not top 40% then it is a good option.

Exactly

[Unregistered]

This whole thread is talking about ECNL vs non-ECNL.
The focus is all wrong.
Nowhere is it mentioned the importance of grades. If a player is on ECNL and not earning a 4.0 GPA or better then they should be looking at their schooling more.
Colleges do not want a soccer star with a 2.0 GPA.
Plus - College soccer is not a career. 99.999999% of all women who go to college are going to do something else with their career. Better work on those grades.

[Unregistered]

This whole thread is talking about ECNL vs non-ECNL.
The focus is all wrong.
Nowhere is it mentioned the importance of grades. If a player is on ECNL and not earning a 4.0 GPA or better then they should be looking at their schooling more.
Colleges do not want a soccer star with a 2.0 GPA.
Plus - College soccer is not a career. 99.999999% of all women who go to college are going to do something else with their career. Better work on those grades.

4.0 is a tall order for anyone. I think 3.5 is more the line that girls should shoot for. Although my dd has a 4.1 and plays ECNL and we know of some that have 4.5s.

[Unregistered]

My dd isn't currently playing. But if it's argued anecdotally on T.S. that players can be found anywhere. You would want your dd playing, training and practicing with and against the best players you can find. That way they will have a chance to shine when the coach comes knocking. Once there, have a shot at playing college or at least keep their scholarship for more then a year.

If ECNL is such a bad idea, why did the winners of OYSA send their teams to FWRL? It's all based on the same premise, that you want your kids to challenge themselves, to get better. It's clear after seeing the FWRL results, that it isn't happening in our backwater, inbred league currently.

It's so funny, a couple of years ago, T/S was all abuzz about how Oregon needs consolidation, more out of state play and we need ECNL. Now that it's here, the argument is since our club doesn't have it, we don't need it afterall. Make up your freakin' minds people!

That's the problem. No consolidation. With 2 ECNL clubs and thorns it doesn't work for a small market. One team could be special.

[Unregistered]

That's the problem. No consolidation. With 2 ECNL clubs and thorns it doesn't work for a small market. One team could be special.

That's the rub for me. If it's truly an elite team, the money is not as important. I read on another thread there are 20 ECNL teams in Oregon. I'm sorry, but it's just another diluted xperience. Not to mention, at some ages, the best players are not all in Portland.

[Unregistered]

Enough of the top are in pdx area for one elite team and the few stragglers can always be discovery players.

[Unregistered]

Enough of the top are in pdx area for one elite team and the few stragglers can always be discovery players.

Can someone translate this into English?

[Unregistered]

Oregon could manage to make one strong elite team from pdx players. The few top players from outside pdx area could play as Discovery Players.

[Unregistered]

Oregon could manage to make one strong elite team from pdx players. The few top players from outside pdx area could play as Discovery Players.

Oh now I get it. Yes, true.

[Unregistered]

Can someone translate this into English?

Sure. Your dd doesn't make the cut. So, never mind.

[Unregistered]

Aspirations to play college soccer and hopes of a scholarship are apt to influence many decisions young players and their parents make. We've relayed some of the common questions we've heard from parents to Lisa Lavelle, president of The Sport Source, which has spent more than 20 years in college counseling for student-athletes.

By Lisa Lavelle

My daughter got invited to play for an ECNL team. It's very expensive and they practice four times a week, requiring a significant commute. Some of the players from that club have gotten college scholarships, which makes it sound like the financial investment may pay off. But what if she's just a roster-filler? She's thrilled that she got asked and wants to make the move. Besides the thousands of dollars we'd be spending, I'm concerned how the time commitment might affect her homework. How do I make this call?

Great question, let’s examine a few factors when making this decision. First let’s look at cost. It is estimated the average cost to participate in ECNL is about $8,000 to $10,000 annually when all the related expenses are added up.

When it comes to scholarship allocation, money is money and when it comes to college scholarships a student-athlete's grades can equal big bucks and remove a barrier to entry when a coach has little to no money left in the budget.

The fact is, collegiate soccer is a non-revenue sport, and when it comes to women’s soccer at the collegiate level, the Division I women's programs that are “fully funded” have 14 scholarships that are allocated over four years -- often with a roster with 23-32 players.

So if it’s about a scholarship, athletically speaking not everyone will get a “full-ride” and in many cases little to no athletic money. Which brings me back to cost -- at $10K per year and your child plays ECNL for let’s say four years -- you would have spent $40K

If you live in California and your daughter wants to attend UCLA -- the new student mandatory fee for the first year is $15,131 -- based on ECNL dues and fees paid, you could have covered nearly three years of college tuition with the same amount of money spent on playing ECNL.

ECNL rules say the roster can have a maximum of 30 players -- and realistically, it all comes down to money and players -- so your instinct could be correct. Club teams at any level can’t guarantee playing time either. Remember, if she is really good, and a game-changer, college coaches are looking for the brightest and best players for their roster, especially if they can add value, depth and dimension to their college team.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to sports, and what one coach sees as a great player, another coach might not.

As an example, in Dallas, there was young girl who tried out for an ECNL team, was told she was not good enough -- so she continued to play for her high school and club team. When National Signing Day came around, she signed with Davidson. While the ECNL coach said she was not good enough for his youth team -- the college coach said she was great for his collegiate program. Bottom line, college coaches will be the final judge on who they recruit, and pick student-athletes they think are right for their program.

As you consider the options for your daughter, you need to be aware that there is a significant time commitment to playing ECNL, including travel and training, along with various tournaments that are out-of-town. All of this adds up and based on the commitment required, it may require your daughter to be out of school for one or more days. These are un-excused absence days, and depending on the school, your child might be required to attend summer school to maintain her academic and attendance requirements.

Take for example, Royal High School in California, its policy states “Teachers may fail any student who accrues a total of seven (7) unexcused absences in any one semester.” Teachers are not required to provide make-up work or allow students to take tests missed because of absences which have been designated as "unexcused" or "truant."

Each state and school has their own policy, so before you make your decision to pursue ECNL or any sports program that would require your child to miss school due to travel and events, parents should speak with the school counselor and find out what if any ramifications will apply if their child has excessive absences due to ECNL or other sporting events.

Parents should also review the club policy regarding travel, tournaments and make sure the club understands excessive absences due to sports participation outside of their school could cause their child issues along the way. When it comes to NCAA Division I or II sports, students must meet both academic and athletic eligibility.

HECK NO!

Same goes for the TA side.

at the young ages (U10/U11/U12) you need a coach that works tons on 1v1 and 2v1's.
you need a coach that plays players in all positions. The three most important positions in the game at this age are the three in the back (defending). EVERY kid should play in the back for extended periods of time (months). In the back all principles of play are taught by just playing the game. This only works if you have a coach that is not in it to win but rather to teach those principles of the game. The coach should constantly force the team to play through their GK with NO PUNTING!
ABSOLUTELY NO PUNTING!

This simple restriction teaches the game in its simplest form.

[Unregistered]

Sure. Your dd doesn't make the cut. So, never mind.

Nor does yours. And even if she does, you are flushing her college money down the toilet. Smart. And if that was your post, you also have trouble formulating a sentence, which doesn't bode well for your dd in college anyway.

[Unregistered]

Some expert.

Aspirations to play college soccer and hopes of a scholarship are apt to influence many decisions young players and their parents make. We've relayed some of the common questions we've heard from parents to Lisa Lavelle, president of The Sport Source, which has spent more than 20 years in college counseling for student-athletes.

By Lisa Lavelle

My daughter got invited to play for an ECNL team. It's very expensive and they practice four times a week, requiring a significant commute. Some of the players from that club have gotten college scholarships, which makes it sound like the financial investment may pay off. But what if she's just a roster-filler? She's thrilled that she got asked and wants to make the move. Besides the thousands of dollars we'd be spending, I'm concerned how the time commitment might affect her homework. How do I make this call?

Great question, let’s examine a few factors when making this decision. First let’s look at cost. It is estimated the average cost to participate in ECNL is about $8,000 to $10,000 annually when all the related expenses are added up.

When it comes to scholarship allocation, money is money and when it comes to college scholarships a student-athlete's grades can equal big bucks and remove a barrier to entry when a coach has little to no money left in the budget.

The fact is, collegiate soccer is a non-revenue sport, and when it comes to women’s soccer at the collegiate level, the Division I women's programs that are “fully funded” have 14 scholarships that are allocated over four years -- often with a roster with 23-32 players.

So if it’s about a scholarship, athletically speaking not everyone will get a “full-ride” and in many cases little to no athletic money. Which brings me back to cost -- at $10K per year and your child plays ECNL for let’s say four years -- you would have spent $40K

If you live in California and your daughter wants to attend UCLA -- the new student mandatory fee for the first year is $15,131 -- based on ECNL dues and fees paid, you could have covered nearly three years of college tuition with the same amount of money spent on playing ECNL.

ECNL rules say the roster can have a maximum of 30 players -- and realistically, it all comes down to money and players -- so your instinct could be correct. Club teams at any level can’t guarantee playing time either. Remember, if she is really good, and a game-changer, college coaches are looking for the brightest and best players for their roster, especially if they can add value, depth and dimension to their college team.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to sports, and what one coach sees as a great player, another coach might not.

As an example, in Dallas, there was young girl who tried out for an ECNL team, was told she was not good enough -- so she continued to play for her high school and club team. When National Signing Day came around, she signed with Davidson. While the ECNL coach said she was not good enough for his youth team -- the college coach said she was great for his collegiate program. Bottom line, college coaches will be the final judge on who they recruit, and pick student-athletes they think are right for their program.

As you consider the options for your daughter, you need to be aware that there is a significant time commitment to playing ECNL, including travel and training, along with various tournaments that are out-of-town. All of this adds up and based on the commitment required, it may require your daughter to be out of school for one or more days. These are un-excused absence days, and depending on the school, your child might be required to attend summer school to maintain her academic and attendance requirements.

Take for example, Royal High School in California, its policy states “Teachers may fail any student who accrues a total of seven (7) unexcused absences in any one semester.” Teachers are not required to provide make-up work or allow students to take tests missed because of absences which have been designated as "unexcused" or "truant."

Each state and school has their own policy, so before you make your decision to pursue ECNL or any sports program that would require your child to miss school due to travel and events, parents should speak with the school counselor and find out what if any ramifications will apply if their child has excessive absences due to ECNL or other sporting events.

Parents should also review the club policy regarding travel, tournaments and make sure the club understands excessive absences due to sports participation outside of their school could cause their child issues along the way. When it comes to NCAA Division I or II sports, students must meet both academic and athletic eligibility.

When it comes to explaining, or perhaps understanding, Lisa has little idea of what she is talking about. Yes, D-1 has 14 women's full scholarships and D-2 has 9.9. But these scholarships can be broken into segments and given to players in partial amounts. So, each year, (something Lisa implies is for four years), 28 players could have 50% of Cost of Attendance women's soccer scholarships. That's right, COA which equals tuition, books, fees, room and board (at the colleges dorms, cheaper with roommates in an apartment), misc. like an occasional pizza and/or health/beauty products plus estimated travel costs to home and back. 50% equals more like 60%+ of real expenses. My DD's book allowance of $400 each year paid for all new books which cost 4 or 5 times as much.

Revenue generated by women's soccer doesn't enter into the fact that nearly any college program you select is fully funded. Only short-bus students aren't academically eligible unless they only took basket weaving in high school. Those that struggle to meet academic requirements won't make it through college. Most of the advice by Lisa is pretty much worthless.

[Unregistered]

When it comes to explaining, or perhaps understanding, Lisa has little idea of what she is talking about. Yes, D-1 has 14 women's full scholarships and D-2 has 9.9. But these scholarships can be broken into segments and given to players in partial amounts. So, each year, (something Lisa implies is for four years), 28 players could have 50% of Cost of Attendance women's soccer scholarships. That's right, COA which equals tuition, books, fees, room and board (at the colleges dorms, cheaper with roommates in an apartment), misc. like an occasional pizza and/or health/beauty products plus estimated travel costs to home and back. 50% equals more like 60%+ of real expenses. My DD's book allowance of $400 each year paid for all new books which cost 4 or 5 times as much.

Revenue generated by women's soccer doesn't enter into the fact that nearly any college program you select is fully funded. Only short-bus students aren't academically eligible unless they only took basket weaving in high school. Those that struggle to meet academic requirements won't make it through college. Most of the advice by Lisa is pretty much worthless.

Short bus students? Really?