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    Girls Development Academy expanding age brackets

    Announced during the winter showcase

    GDA will have age brackets at u14 u15 u16 u17 and u18/19

    How will that affect ECNL? Also heard that they were either thinking about or talking about taking a break during the FALL high school season to allow HS school players that are in the DA to be able to play. The only real thoughts I have on that is that not every part of the country plays high school soccer in the FALL.

    #2
    -It has not been officially announced but most likely be happening

    -It will impact the ECNL very little. You decide either one league or the other. They'll have to fill in the two squads of 16 and 17s with whoever else they can convince to give up HS.

    - High school soccer is played at different times in different parts of the country. Can't do a national league and national events when some players are in HS (and cannot play DA) and others aren't.

    - USSF doesn't give a crap about HS soccer.

    Comment


      #3
      GDA players around here are not pleased about this. This will weaken the club talent wise. Improve it money wise.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        -It has not been officially announced but most likely be happening

        -It will impact the ECNL very little. You decide either one league or the other. They'll have to fill in the two squads of 16 and 17s with whoever else they can convince to give up HS.

        - High school soccer is played at different times in different parts of the country. Can't do a national league and national events when some players are in HS (and cannot play DA) and others aren't.

        - USSF doesn't give a crap about HS soccer.
        I have to agree people do have a choice of what league their child plays in or what club they play for and what that club will offer. Overall what is your thoughts on the whole separating the 16/17 into their own groups. Do you feel it will be better or maybe no real change at all. In my opinion I believe the 16 will be happy due to now they are playing on a similar playing field with kids within age range.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          GDA players around here are not pleased about this. This will weaken the club talent wise. Improve it money wise.
          That's why it's being done. It's not about the soccer. It's about the $ and trying to keep more players in GDA vs elsewhere. But when the announcement comes out USSF will do a masterful spin job.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            I have to agree people do have a choice of what league their child plays in or what club they play for and what that club will offer. Overall what is your thoughts on the whole separating the 16/17 into their own groups. Do you feel it will be better or maybe no real change at all. In my opinion I believe the 16 will be happy due to now they are playing on a similar playing field with kids within age range.
            By that age there's not as many substantial differences. Girls especially are done with puberty; boys are more all over the map. You either can compete or you can't. It just gives a few of the slower/smaller ones a bit more time to see if they will make it. USSF originally did it to challenge the better younger players. Those are really the only players USSF cares about anyway. My take is its about money.

            different poster

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              Announced during the winter showcase

              GDA will have age brackets at u14 u15 u16 u17 and u18/19

              How will that affect ECNL? Also heard that they were either thinking about or talking about taking a break during the FALL high school season to allow HS school players that are in the DA to be able to play. The only real thoughts I have on that is that not every part of the country plays high school soccer in the FALL.
              If it looks like ECNL and smells like ECNL .... then might as well play ECNL rather than playing for a bunch of NPL-level (or lower) teams, coaches, and teammates. Sorry, USSF has no idea what they are doing and this just proves it even more.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                If it looks like ECNL and smells like ECNL .... then might as well play ECNL rather than playing for a bunch of NPL-level (or lower) teams, coaches, and teammates. Sorry, USSF has no idea what they are doing and this just proves it even more.
                Yeah I have to be honest that I think you are somewhat right or at least see maybe what some of us are saying is the obvious. I wouldn't go as far to say that they don't know what they are going but its obvious that they are still trying to compete with ECNL when if you ask me only discredits what the USSF is all about. They are suppose to be our governed body of soccer and they are finding themselves in a cat fight with a league that is suppose to be below them. My older daughter played in the ECNL and GDA and I see on paper how the GDA would like to be but we all know that they haven't lived up to those promises made to the players in their league but really has just tried to mask the effort with fear of not being looked at for their Youth National Teams. Again that is and what will be the problem in my opinion of soccer in our country going forward. I don't think the right kids will be identified if they take that stance. Their are plenty of great kids that only play NPL or Region 1 etc soccer.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Yeah I have to be honest that I think you are somewhat right or at least see maybe what some of us are saying is the obvious. I wouldn't go as far to say that they don't know what they are going but its obvious that they are still trying to compete with ECNL when if you ask me only discredits what the USSF is all about. They are suppose to be our governed body of soccer and they are finding themselves in a cat fight with a league that is suppose to be below them. My older daughter played in the ECNL and GDA and I see on paper how the GDA would like to be but we all know that they haven't lived up to those promises made to the players in their league but really has just tried to mask the effort with fear of not being looked at for their Youth National Teams. Again that is and what will be the problem in my opinion of soccer in our country going forward. I don't think the right kids will be identified if they take that stance. Their are plenty of great kids that only play NPL or Region 1 etc soccer.
                  I have a radical idea...how about they get together and do what’s best for girls soccer.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    My daughter is in the GDA and I think that having separate groups for the U16 and U17 teams is a good thing. It prevents some girls from having to play in EDP and other leagues during those critical U16 (sophomore) recruiting years. It keeps them playing on a level field with other girls their age. Despite how all the ECNL people try to spin it, the majority of GDA girls are in it for college recruiting opportunities. Not going pro.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      My daughter is in the GDA and I think that having separate groups for the U16 and U17 teams is a good thing. It prevents some girls from having to play in EDP and other leagues during those critical U16 (sophomore) recruiting years. It keeps them playing on a level field with other girls their age. Despite how all the ECNL people try to spin it, the majority of GDA girls are in it for college recruiting opportunities. Not going pro.
                      I agree I think that the splitting up the ages is a plus for the GDA. I don't think that ECNL has anything to do with that other than in the ECNL its always been split. About the recruiting process I don't feel that it has any bearing on recruiting to be honest. College coaches are going to go to see kids playing and if they know of a kid is worth the look and worth the time to try and see if that kid will fit into their program them leagues really don't matter. Leagues are for us PARENTS...........we only care about that stuff I assume. Like I said my older child played ECNL and then the first year of GDA and she was already committed through the ECNL so the GDA had no bearing on that process. Also the poster above you made a great suggestion and how about they both work together rather than against each other for the better sake of ALL the GIRLS. I believe that the ECNL has wanted to work the GDA but as I said the USSF is not even hearing that or feels that they need to take orders or listen to orders from a "SUCCESSFUL" female soccer league lol lol but hey I can only assume that the GDA will get better and will grow but it will probably be out of my league by that time unless something happens in the next few years.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        I agree I think that the splitting up the ages is a plus for the GDA. I don't think that ECNL has anything to do with that other than in the ECNL its always been split. About the recruiting process I don't feel that it has any bearing on recruiting to be honest. College coaches are going to go to see kids playing and if they know of a kid is worth the look and worth the time to try and see if that kid will fit into their program them leagues really don't matter. Leagues are for us PARENTS...........we only care about that stuff I assume. Like I said my older child played ECNL and then the first year of GDA and she was already committed through the ECNL so the GDA had no bearing on that process. Also the poster above you made a great suggestion and how about they both work together rather than against each other for the better sake of ALL the GIRLS. I believe that the ECNL has wanted to work the GDA but as I said the USSF is not even hearing that or feels that they need to take orders or listen to orders from a "SUCCESSFUL" female soccer league lol lol but hey I can only assume that the GDA will get better and will grow but it will probably be out of my league by that time unless something happens in the next few years.
                        Exactly!!! Our talent is so split here on the East Coast. The best players are not playing together. Pushing each other, like they should be

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          I have a radical idea...how about they get together and do what’s best for girls soccer.
                          It's been tried. Depending on who you ask:

                          US Soccer came and and wanted ECNL to take a back seat, and allow them to be the leader. ECNL said "F-No! We've got a model we feel works great for girls so we'll just stick with that, thank you very much."

                          or

                          ECNL put a league and place that was exclusionary, and by not allowing more teams entry too many players are not playing there (for differing factors which each family applies individually). With no US Soccer oversight, they felt the women's game was going to (or already had) suffer.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            It's been tried. Depending on who you ask:

                            US Soccer came and and wanted ECNL to take a back seat, and allow them to be the leader. ECNL said "F-No! We've got a model we feel works great for girls so we'll just stick with that, thank you very much."

                            or

                            ECNL put a league and place that was exclusionary, and by not allowing more teams entry too many players are not playing there (for differing factors which each family applies individually). With no US Soccer oversight, they felt the women's game was going to (or already had) suffer.
                            I have to say that or agree I think you are right lol......I am pretty sure that US Soccer came to ECNL and told them or said to them that they wanted to somehow take "CHARGE" of what they had built for years and in my opinion working to some extent as we say depending on who you asked. Is US Soccer was all for the development then it would be simple to say or simple to just ASK the ECNL to create a league within it's league that would be run by the ECNL but with the guidelines and rules that the US Soccer set forth. The problem with that is $$$$$$$$ and if you think that US Soccer formed their league just to find talent..........well lets just say we all know that just isn't true at all. I hate the term "WATERDOWN" because we are talking about children here and to say that either of these children are not worthy is just in my opinion is CRIMINAL in the parenting world. Sure everyone's child will not reach the highest level of this sport that we deem as parents, being professional or National Team Status. Sure plenty will and plenty have fell short of that, but doesn't mean they are bad players at all. So to say one league is watered down or becoming so.............I doubt that and for the sake of Long Island, let be real there is no way that the best kids could possibly play on the same team in my opinion.....THERE IS SIMPLY TOO MANY GOOD AND GREAT KIDS. Its just not possible but what needs to be done, is that clubs need to be accountable and clubs need to be better ALL AROUND and not just looking out for their "SPECIAL" players but all players even if that kid is not in your club. These clubs should be in the business of helping find and helping develop these children.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Put whatever fancy initials you want on your daughters league. College coaches don’t care. They want to see competitive soccer players who play with other strong players. I went into this GDA thing with the thought it would get my daughter into big D1 schools. Maybe 3 or 4 of the girls on her team will be picked up by a big school. The rest of the girls will play lower level D1 or D2&3 schools, and yes, she is on the infamous 02/03 team

                              Comment

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