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EDP New England States League Is Unveiled

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    #76
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    To think, it started with one league; MAPLE; which was bolstered by having to apply and qualify for regional play. ODP had significance then and was some kind of path to national play/training. There was also, at that time, the Super Y league, which GPS populated.

    The academy started 9 years ago in some effort to form better National teams. This took away from ODP and minimally from region 1. With the start of the DAP and before the NEP started, Massachusetts boys were dominated by the FC Blazers.

    Feeling left out and wanting to count for something, GPS with the support of the Bolts started NEP. MAPLE had this 'unwelcoming' format of 'promotion and relegation'. If you won, you advanced and if you lost you got dropped. Hmmm.... The Bolts having placed their better players in the preAcademy and the Academy, now saw all their other teams struggling in the 'lowly' MAPLE divisions. The NEP gave them some chance to stay significant aside from the Academy. GPS saw a league that they could control. Hence the NEP started. The Bolts, in the NEP still sucked, while GPS found some kind of dominance. Once NEFC joined the NEP, MAPLE declined rapidly.

    Meanwhile, Region 1 play seems insignificant for New England teams and who knows what ODP is anymore.

    What now?? Boys ECNL!!!!!!!!!!

    Now MAPLE is gone having had the remaining teams converted to a region 1 branch. Now the significant MAPLE teams have either independently joined NEP or did so by joining a larger club like GPS (e.g. GPS Hammer), while the better region 1 New England branch teams are leaving to join the EDP.

    The EDP is a very competitive league up and down the east coast that has multiple divisions that are determined by 'promotion and relegation'. For a year...maybe two, Valeo was playing EDP. The problem with EDP....if you are not in the top division.....is the travel up and down the east coast for lower tier divisions.

    Is this different then NEP teams traveling 2-3 hours for lower division games? Maybe not, but the EDP games will require more than 2-3 hours for travel to get down to NJ and PA.

    Things sure seemed a lot simpler when MAPLE was the one main league, Regional play was the higher level, and ODP had significance.

    But.....clearly with the new multiple league system....DA, ECNL, NPL, NEP, EDP.....things are so much better......................

    Happy to be getting out of this mess soon.

    Great Breakdown. May I add, not 2-3 hours drive, try 3.5-5 hours. Weekends on 95S

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      #77
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Things sure seemed a lot simpler when MAPLE was the one main league, Regional play was the higher level, and ODP had significance.

      But.....clearly with the new multiple league system....DA, ECNL, NPL, NEP, EDP.....things are so much better......................

      Happy to be getting out of this mess soon.
      The business of soccer exploded, but has the game on the field really moved forward that much?

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        #78
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        The business of soccer exploded, but has the game on the field really moved forward that much?

        Depends on how far back you want to go. But, yes, the game on the field is light years beyond what it was. Is it better than 10 years ago? I can't answer. But, it is so much better than 20 years ago it's hard to express it enough.

        I was a decent enough D2 player and played with D1 and D3 players for years after, and kids today have as are skillful as any of them.

        Comment


          #79
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Depends on how far back you want to go. But, yes, the game on the field is light years beyond what it was. Is it better than 10 years ago? I can't answer. But, it is so much better than 20 years ago it's hard to express it enough.

          I was a decent enough D2 player and played with D1 and D3 players for years after, and kids today have as are skillful as any of them.
          I probably should have been a little more clear in making my point, and perhaps distinguished the conversation between men's and women's side of the game as well.

          I don't think anyone would argue the game has gone backward, so that's certainly not my point, but to the extent the business has taken us for the ride that it has, has it been worth it or provided the expected or promised return to those making the investment? Has the game "exploded" in any proporationate way that the business has? On that, I would argue no, in some respects not even close.

          We're still on the same path of these same experts rolling out new powerpoint presentations every few years adding to the alphabet soup, diluting the pyramid, etc.

          Comment


            #80
            Have you seen the list of teams in the Edp for the 19/20 season. If you are from MA get that new car ready as you are putting miles on it. Some leagues have only 1 Ma team meaning at least 4 trips to ct or ny, just in the fall and at u11/12. Traveling like that in the da or ecnl, maybe understandable, but in a 2nd tier league?. Complete madness but that’s what youth soccer is and the kool aid keeps being drunk.

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