Distribution of top clubs (ECNL v. GAL)

[Unregistered]

Criteria for GAL Acceptance
- First consideration for admittance into the Girls Academy League should be given to former Girls Development Academy Member Clubs.
- Proven history of developing elite female players.
- Proven history of competing at elite levels of competition.
- Coaching staff experience and licensure.
- Tenure of management and coaching staff.
- Coaching education development within the Girls programming of the club.
- Does New Member Applicant “negatively” impact Girls Academy League member's market by effecting player pool or collaboration.
- History of club leadership




- Does New Member Applicant “negatively” impact Girls Academy League member's market by effecting player pool or collaboration.

If you infringe on another GAL club's market, no admittance for you.

The hypocrisy knows no bounds. On the one hand they scream, “Admit us into ECNL. If there is another ECNL club near by, too bad.” On the other hand, “You can’t come into GAL if you infringe on our territory, that would hurt our business.”

I hope the ECNL never admits another club.

[Unregistered]

Five powerhouse clubs added to GAL:

Sporting Delaware
San Francisco Elite
Baltimore Union
Baltimore Celtic
West Coast Soccer

No, I did not make up these club names.

[Unregistered]

It’s embarrassing at this point. There are only so many good clubs. ECNL (plus the DA clubs they have added for next year) will make for a power house league.

It sucks for the 15 or so strong clubs that were excluded from ECNL, but there aren’t enough of them to make a national league. Clubs 30-60 in GAL are just incredibly weak. The clubs they are adding for 61-80 or whatever will be mom & pop level.

[Unregistered]

It’s embarrassing at this point. There are only so many good clubs. ECNL (plus the DA clubs they have added for next year) will make for a power house league.

It sucks for the 15 or so strong clubs that were excluded from ECNL, but there aren’t enough of them to make a national league. Clubs 30-60 in GAL are just incredibly weak. The clubs they are adding for 61-80 or whatever will be mom & pop level.

Agreed. But so are clubs 40+ in ECNL. There are clubs in ECNL that did not win 1 game in GDA and either were asked to leave or did so on their own.
No league is top to bottom good let alone great.

Form 1 league and have divisions with relegation.

[Unregistered]

Clubs 40+ in ECNL are bad? You have zero idea what you are talking about. Zero.

[Unregistered]

It’s embarrassing at this point. There are only so many good clubs. ECNL (plus the DA clubs they have added for next year) will make for a power house league.

It sucks for the 15 or so strong clubs that were excluded from ECNL, but there aren’t enough of them to make a national league. Clubs 30-60 in GAL are just incredibly weak. The clubs they are adding for 61-80 or whatever will be mom & pop level.

Perhaps but don't you have to build from somewhere? I mean if ECNL is the "best" league and your club can't get in, despite probably deserving to, what is the option? Takle a further step backwards and play NPL? USYS was not a real option and many club boards remember how poorly USYS ran things when they did have more clout. It is pretty reasonable to expect that they've not gotten better and perhaps the clubs see value in taking part in runinng their own league, a lesson learned from ECNL.

Personally, I think clubs running a league has more cons than pros but perhaps these clubs just decided if you cant beat'em, copy them.

[Unregistered]

Which deserving club are you referring to?

[Unregistered]

Which deserving club are you referring to?

There's still a number of clubs not being admitted to ECNL who deserve to be there above some current clubs. If an objective outsider were creating a league of the best clubs in the country, there is a bunch of GA members who would be entered and a bunch of current ECNL that would be dropped. Since thats not the way it works, the clubs have to find a new place to play and i guess they decided better to controil our league than join one where a board serves its own interests and not its members. I dont agree with it but here we are.

[Unregistered]

There's still a number of clubs not being admitted to ECNL who deserve to be there above some current clubs. If an objective outsider were creating a league of the best clubs in the country, there is a bunch of GA members who would be entered and a bunch of current ECNL that would be dropped. Since thats not the way it works, the clubs have to find a new place to play and i guess they decided better to controil our league than join one where a board serves its own interests and not its members. I dont agree with it but here we are.

There is just a small semantics issue here. I agree that a number of clubs including NEFC are capable of competing in the ECNL. That doesn't mean they deserve to be in it.

ECNL positions itself as the best league, but it is FOR its' member clubs, it is not FOR any club that can compete. A competitive club may be invited to join, but no club should think they "deserve" to be invited.

another small nit on prior post: NEFC was NEVER in the ECNL.
Breakers were in the ECNL for one year, and Breakers sub-contracted youth programs to NEFC which allowed those NEFC affiliated players to play in the ECNL as Breakers

[Unregistered]

Agreed. But so are clubs 40+ in ECNL. There are clubs in ECNL that did not win 1 game in GDA and either were asked to leave or did so on their own.
No league is top to bottom good let alone great.

Form 1 league and have divisions with relegation.

The only clubs in ECNL that "did not win 1 game in GDA" are clubs that never played GDA, LMFAO!!!!

Please stop posting flat out freaking lies...

[Unregistered]

Good news! Big sale on DA gear!

https://store.ussoccer.com/collectio...ub-ls-tee-navy

[Unregistered]

Top Hat just finished tryouts. They lost 5-6 starters, per age group, to the Atlanta area ECNL teams 2006-2003 age groups. Lost 14 of 17 kids at 2007. Ouch!

[Unregistered]

Top Hat just finished tryouts. They lost 5-6 starters, per age group, to the Atlanta area ECNL teams 2006-2003 age groups. Lost 14 of 17 kids at 2007. Ouch!

You appear to be a bit lost. Here you go:

http://talking-soccer.com/TS4/forumdisplay.php?f=14

You're welcome.

[Unregistered]

Right, what could GAL’s flagship club have to do with a thread about GAL/ECNL?

[Unregistered]

Top Hat just finished tryouts. They lost 5-6 starters, per age group, to the Atlanta area ECNL teams 2006-2003 age groups. Lost 14 of 17 kids at 2007. Ouch!

Similar story from what I have read around the country, particularly in TX & CA where there was significant player movement to the ECNL.