Why the ECNL-NEP gap is getting wider

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Why would a reputable D1 college even consider a player that already can’t commit to the highest level of soccer available for their age? They want players willing to go the extra mile, and make sacrifices to get the best training possible. If they can’t even devote the time to the da or ECNL training schedule, how would they do what’s expected of a D1 program?

That's stupid. They want the best players that can help them garner W's so they can keep their job or jump to the next level for more money. Given the choice between a superstar REC player with mad skills and soccer IQ and a mediocre DA player, any college coach would take the superstar ..... pedigree means nothing if you can flat out play.

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Why would a reputable D1 college even consider a player that already can’t commit to the highest level of soccer available for their age? They want players willing to go the extra mile, and make sacrifices to get the best training possible. If they can’t even devote the time to the da or ECNL training schedule, how would they do what’s expected of a D1 program?

Because, in this area, its not the "highest level of soccer available for their age" and the training and coaching they get at their particular club is better and more demanding. Ask those who have spent time at Revs Academy if that program offers its players "the best training possible." Not a chance--and the college coaches know it.

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That's stupid. They want the best players that can help them garner W's so they can keep their job or jump to the next level for more money. Given the choice between a superstar REC player with mad skills and soccer IQ and a mediocre DA player, any college coach would take the superstar ..... pedigree means nothing if you can flat out play.

What you are talking about is very rare. But keep telling yourself that.

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Because, in this area, its not the "highest level of soccer available for their age" and the training and coaching they get at their particular club is better and more demanding. Ask those who have spent time at Revs Academy if that program offers its players "the best training possible." Not a chance--and the college coaches know it.

And where is this “best training” that you speak of?

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Second, nearly 50% of the men's soccer scholarships will be taken by foreigners. Lastly, for a fully funded D1 men's program, that leaves about 1.25 scholarships per graduating class.

Care to post a link to a source to back up this nonsense?

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Care to post a link to a source to back up this nonsense?

Just look at the rosters.

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Meh. You want to go pro on the men's side, you don't play in college. Heck, MLS just got rid of their Combine for college players. Now you play for an MLS DA academy and get a homegrown contract or you go overseas.

For the rest on the men's side, there is very little money in D1 and foreign competition is real. Don't plan on getting much scholarship money and plan on paying for college accordingly and you'll be fine.

Completely different story on the girls side. Plenty of scholarship money for D1 recruits who can play. No real path to the pros and the pay is crap, so play in college and if you want to go pro, go to Europe for a trial for a year or two after you graduate.

Girls: DA or ECNL is the easiest path to D1. Pro path in Europe after college
Boys: DA or NPL is the path. ECNL is still building. Pro path is through MLS or Europe and skip college.

Doesn't get any simpler than that. If D3 is your goal (or projected landing spot), you don't need DA or ECNL.

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Ecnl and DA in New England is garbage for the most part.Recruiters have to do their homework and find talent.All the leagues have certain ages that perform.Look at the current Ecnl laden teams in NewEngland .None made it to their conference finals.Doesnt get much easier than that.

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I used to think that too, until we started playing ECNL and saw the difference in the player pool, the difference in D1 college coach interest, and the difference in showcases. It's a signal, like anything else in life, but the signal isn't completely distorted yet. Yes, all leagues are a bit watered down, but the assumption is now D1 is only really looking at DA and ECNL because the talent is split between the two. Lower leagues don't have the depth of talent so it is more difficult to find the few players who might play D1. The showcases don't lie. The coaches are spending their time and limited travel budgets to go where their recruiting efforts are most effective. Look at the list of colleges for ECNL showcase above and then go look at the GPS showcase or EDP showcase.

Playing in college isn't the issue, playing D1 and scoring a scholarship is. I know a number of players who played low-level club or no club at all, playing D3. Not the case with D1.

Of course you'll have to spend roughly 1/2 of the a full scholarship to get your kid seen, have them give up any other sport or interest, maybe they can see their siblings and relatives during the holidays. But hey everyone gets a full D1 scholarship if they do it. they just hand em out...So it's totally worth it. Unless you're a sub on a DA team, then you get to do all that maybe not get seen after all.

Sadly though you are correct - in that EDP/NEP showcases don't get any worthwhile college looks, unless of course your looking at DIII. Just a terrible choice to have to make if you have don't want to spend 20K at least a year, have other sport/activities you excel at and want to have a somewhat normal family life. The jet setting is fun in the beginning but that fades quickly If your not one of the top handful of players on your ECNL/DA team, I.E you standout, you are likely not much better off than the NPL kids,and worse off if you consider the cost and travel time commitments

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Of course you'll have to spend roughly 1/2 of the a full scholarship to get your kid seen, have them give up any other sport or interest, maybe they can see their siblings and relatives during the holidays. But hey everyone gets a full D1 scholarship if they do it. they just hand em out...So it's totally worth it. Unless you're a sub on a DA team, then you get to do all that maybe not get seen after all.

Sadly though you are correct - in that EDP/NEP showcases don't get any worthwhile college looks, unless of course your looking at DIII. Just a terrible choice to have to make if you have don't want to spend 20K at least a year, have other sport/activities you excel at and want to have a somewhat normal family life. The jet setting is fun in the beginning but that fades quickly If your not one of the top handful of players on your ECNL/DA team, I.E you standout, you are likely not much better off than the NPL kids,and worse off if you consider the cost and travel time commitments

Maybe it’s not such a terrible choice to make. The reality is, sports aren’t a meal ticket to college and/or a pro career for the vast majority of players. The reality is, sports aren’t that important in the grand scheme of things. They are a fun pastime, and a good way to keep active and healthy. The billion dollar industry that youth sports has become, mostly benefits those that run the businesses that they’ve become.Best advice: play sports , because you love to play sports. Enjoy your youth, and experience as much as you can, while you are young, free and healthy. Try to get good grades, and save as much as you can for college. You’ll be alright.

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Meh. You want to go pro on the men's side, you don't
Boys: DA or NPL is the path. ECNL is still building. Pro path is through MLS or Europe and skip college.

Doesn't get any simpler than that. If D3 is your goal (or projected landing spot), you don't need DA or ECNL.

Care to share that NEP showcase link with 140 colleges? NEP dads are funny!

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Care to share that NEP showcase link with 140 colleges? NEP dads are funny!

http://events.gotsport.com/events/co...?EventID=70999

2019 GPS Thanksgiving showcase. Mostly DIII's, some DII's with a few D1's. I think Northeastern is the strongest DI on the girls side and UConn on the boys. It's still early, so I would expect some more local schools to register before the tourney.

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Getting recruited is driven by the player primarily, they ultimately have deliver the goods in that process on and off the field. Secondarily, it's about relationships, all of them, coaches, parents, etc., and certainly the club's ability to market and leverage their relationship to given schools within that player's universe. If any kid or their parent approaches the process, and plenty do, with the mentality that their affilation with a particular club and league is going to get it done, they will likely contribute to the ridiculous number of anecdotes of players who hit the transfer portal or disappear altogether from the college roster pages on the web.

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Maybe it’s not such a terrible choice to make. The reality is, sports aren’t a meal ticket to college and/or a pro career for the vast majority of players. The reality is, sports aren’t that important in the grand scheme of things. They are a fun pastime, and a good way to keep active and healthy. The billion dollar industry that youth sports has become, mostly benefits those that run the businesses that they’ve become.Best advice: play sports , because you love to play sports. Enjoy your youth, and experience as much as you can, while you are young, free and healthy. Try to get good grades, and save as much as you can for college. You’ll be alright.

Being a recruited athlete is the most influential hook at most highly selective schools.

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http://events.gotsport.com/events/co...?EventID=70999

2019 GPS Thanksgiving showcase. Mostly DIII's, some DII's with a few D1's. I think Northeastern is the strongest DI on the girls side and UConn on the boys. It's still early, so I would expect some more local schools to register before the tourney.

Pick the top 30 schools on that list. Nineteen of them have attended my child’s regular season games. Eight of them have attended 3+ times.