ECNL vs Non-ECNL

[Unregistered]

My daughter is playing for an ECNL team not for its league, but because it’s the best program for her within an hour drive. She’s on the team because she earned a spot. Would’ve we chosen to go there if she would’ve only earned a NPL spot? Yes! I agree that ECNL is NOT the only way for a player to achieve their (not your) goals and dreams. I also agree that there are a handful of teams that can win a game against an ECNL team. For the most part, in the state of Florida these ECNL teams would rank in the top 10 and on any given day any top 10 team could defeat the other. Would I drive 4 hours round trip 3x week (at least 12 weekly hours) for training purposes? No! Simply because I don’t believe that this league is the only way. On a side not, I do hope that Florida gets assigned 2 other teams (north and south) to strengthen the competition in the state.

I could be wrong but I do not see ECNL adding many clubs. Two reasons: the more clubs the more watered down the product gets and right or wrong the desire is to remain Elite. Next FL soccer reputation is that it is parent driven not club driven and ECNL wants club driven partners. Just my two cents and as I said I could be wrong.

[Unregistered]

I understand the rules perfectly my friend. No need to get nasty. There are 16 discovery positions open in Florida. (U14 is not allowed To have discovery players in case you didn't know.) My point was that there are very good players going as far as Illinois and further west who could have played here in Florida and chose not to. Ocys has tapped the Jax market and Miami for all I know, for some of their discovery positions and that was smart. However, there are many other good players who can make a difference and chose to do that elsewhere.

Are you just so protective of your brand that you can't be honest with the level of play here in Florida the last two years? I am sick of hearing "wait until next year." When Ocys was pretty much at the bottom of every division and wff was not much better, why wouldn't girls look elsewhere to better programs? Just asking or is that spewing more nonsense?

You've hit it- ECNL people (mainly the parents that like to consider their daughter "elite") will never deal in facts. They are bought into the concept that wearing a patch makes her the best, and their egos won't allow them to see otherwise.

ECNL know this, and they encourage the thinking in order to expand the brand.

Marketing.

[Unregistered]

You've hit it- ECNL people (mainly the parents that like to consider their daughter "elite") will never deal in facts. They are bought into the concept that wearing a patch makes her the best, and their egos won't allow them to see otherwise.

ECNL know this, and they encourage the thinking in order to expand the brand.

Marketing.

Unfortunately college recruiters have also bought into the patch. Unfair? Marketing driven? While you continue the grassroots campaign to right the injustice, I'd prefer to deal with 'what is' and not 'what should be'. Please don't give us examples of the little engine that could, we know some girls at Non ECNL clubs make it to big programs but the stats say your chances aren't great.

Good luck.

[Unregistered]

You've hit it- ECNL people (mainly the parents that like to consider their daughter "elite") will never deal in facts. They are bought into the concept that wearing a patch makes her the best, and their egos won't allow them to see otherwise.

ECNL know this, and they encourage the thinking in order to expand the brand.

Marketing.

Exactly the same marketing that the FKK minions use when endlessly trying to convince families that the ONLY way to play in college is to go through HM. Just not true.

[Unregistered]

Exactly the same marketing that the FKK minions use when endlessly trying to convince families that the ONLY way to play in college is to go through HM. Just not true.

Why do you people insist on bringing FKK into every thread? It's like you have a complex or something.

[Unregistered]

Unfortunately college recruiters have also bought into the patch. Unfair? Marketing driven? While you continue the grassroots campaign to right the injustice, I'd prefer to deal with 'what is' and not 'what should be'. Please don't give us examples of the little engine that could, we know some girls at Non ECNL clubs make it to big programs but the stats say your chances aren't great.

Good luck.

Well, sure... But if youve been around youth soccer long enough, you know that college coaches (not "recruiters") also bought into ODP and other programs before there was ECNL. Its a cycle like any other. Some Coaches tend to follow a pack mentality just like parents do. But most good ones aren't so stupid as to completely buy into the plainly untrue hype that "the best" are found only in that league- that's a transparent ploy to get gullible parents hooked- and it works on parents quite well.

I personally know of a few very good coaches who are already following a "contrarian" strategy. They are developing relationships with very strong NON-ECNL clubs in order to get first look at very good players not seen by those who simply follow ECNL. If, as you imply most coaches are drawn to ECNL, it is mathematically indisputable that they are missing a wide and deep group of talent. The coaches that look for that talent are reaping rewards.

Good luck to you as well.

[Unregistered]

Exactly the same marketing that the FKK minions use when endlessly trying to convince families that the ONLY way to play in college is to go through HM. Just not true.

I've never heard anyone claim that HM is the only way to play in college. I've been at CFK, OCYS and FKK. Never heard it. I think you're making that up.

[Unregistered]

ECNL has the best competition and the best elite players in the US.
My daughter plays ECNL.

Therefore my daughter is one of the best elite players in the US.

DI, here we come.

[Unregistered]

Well, sure... But if youve been around youth soccer long enough, you know that college coaches (not "recruiters") also bought into ODP and other programs before there was ECNL. Its a cycle like any other. Some Coaches tend to follow a pack mentality just like parents do. But most good ones aren't so stupid as to completely buy into the plainly untrue hype that "the best" are found only in that league- that's a transparent ploy to get gullible parents hooked- and it works on parents quite well.

I personally know of a few very good coaches who are already following a "contrarian" strategy. They are developing relationships with very strong NON-ECNL clubs in order to get first look at very good players not seen by those who simply follow ECNL. If, as you imply most coaches are drawn to ECNL, it is mathematically indisputable that they are missing a wide and deep group of talent. The coaches that look for that talent are reaping rewards.

Good luck to you as well.

Thank you for writing this so well. My thoughts too and some forget ECNL has only been around a few years in FL. A player has different and maybe even more opportunities out of the ECNL pack!

[Unregistered]

My daughter was recruited because of her involvement in ECNL.

What is ECNL truly is?

The easiest way, lazy in some sense, way for a college coaches to identify potential talent. DI coaches flock to their events because it provides access to players in a cost and time effective manner. Convenience does not mean it is better, just simpler.

[Unregistered]

ECNL has the best competition and the best elite players in the US.
My daughter plays ECNL.

Therefore my daughter is one of the best elite players in the US.

DI, here we come.

You're the greatest!

[Unregistered]

wow

ECNL has the best competition and the best elite players in the US.
My daughter plays ECNL.

Therefore my daughter is one of the best elite players in the US.

DI, here we come.

You're the greatest!

[Unregistered]

My daughter was recruited because of her involvement in ECNL.

What ECNL truly is?

The easiest way, lazy in some sense, way for a college coaches to identify potential talent.

DI coaches flock to their events because it provides access to players in a cost and time effective manner for them.

Convenience does not mean it is better, just simpler.

[Unregistered]

My daughter was recruited because of her involvement in ECNL.

What ECNL truly is?

The easiest way, lazy in some sense, way for a college coaches to identify potential talent.

DI coaches flock to their events because it provides access to players in a cost and time effective manner for them.

Convenience does not mean it is better, just simpler.

Wow. Bitter? The reason that ECNL is the preferred league for college recruiting is because it is the league that is patterned after college soccer.

Teams travel throughout the year so the girls must learn how to function without mommy packing them while monitoring their diet and sleep. They have to learn how to live together, travel together and keep their personal issues from disrupting the team.

The level of talent is the best in the country. Check out the team rankings on www.topdrawersoccer.com and you will see 20-23 ECNL teams in the top 25. Putting that kind of concentration of talent in regional showcases allows scouts the opportunity to evaluate youth league girls playing in collegiate conditions. You don't see 10-0 blowouts in college like you see in high school soccer. It is easy for a skilled player to look like the next superstar when she is playing against a wide variety of experienced players. It is an entirely different scenario to see her play against like-skilled players. If she can dominate against top ECNL teams, then she is probably the real deal.

The play-off structure for ECNL is patterned after the NCAA D1 brackets. It provides for some very exciting games as every team in the draw has a chance to run the table. The pressure to keep performing without long rests between games is what develops the kind of grit that makes a great collegiate player and cohesiveness that provides great runs for teams.

Finally the coaches can save on their travel budget by attending up to 5 regional showcases each year, a national play off and then National Championship - 7 total tournaments. Some teams travel to many of these so it is a chance to evaluate players several times against strong competition. Under the state system of USYS, a coach would need to attend 50 State Cups, 4 Region Championships and then the National Championship. That is traveling to 55 tournaments! Not even Stanford can afford to do that.

US Club Soccer simply has a better model that provides better evaluation of the physical, mental and emotional ability of players.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;1333945]I personally know of a few very good coaches who are already following a "contrarian" strategy. They are developing relationships with very strong NON-ECNL clubs in order to get first look at very good players not seen by those who simply follow ECNL. If, as you imply most coaches are drawn to ECNL, it is mathematically indisputable that they are missing a wide and deep group of talent. The coaches that look for that talent are reaping rewards.[QUOTE]

You are not serious. You are just throwing crap at the thread hoping it will stick. Go ahead and name those coaches dad. Give us at least 3 NCAA coaches who are skipping ECNL to scout FYSA games. The truth is that great non-ECNL teams like Top Hat always go to the big tournaments like Disney Showcase. A college coach can scout the same teams 3-4 times a year at these elite tournaments.