ECNL the truth of the matter

[Unregistered]

Take a look at the standings for the 4 New England ECNL clubs as the league draws to a close for the year.

U15
Stars 18th of 26 teams Flight A
CFC 14/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 17/26 Flight B
Scorpions 21/26 Flight B

U16
Scorpions 4/26 Flight A
Stars 5/26 Flight B
CFC 22/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 23/26 Flight B

U17
Stars 7/26 Flight A
CFC 25/26 Flight A
Scorpions 17/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 25/26 Flight B

U18
Stars 2/26 Flight A
CFC 22/26 Flight A
Scorpions 23/26 Flight A
Soccerplus 16/26 Flight B

So less than half of the New England teams play in the top flight (7 of 16) and of those only 3 play in the top half of Flight A. At the other end of the spectrum 8 teams play in the bottom half of Flight B.

Stars have the best showing with 3 of their 4 teams in Flight A and the one team in Flight B in the top 5th. Scorpions and CFC have 2 of their 4 teams in Flight A, but Scorpions is the only one with a team in the upper half of Flight A. Both clubs' Flight B teams are in the bottom half. All of Soccerplus teams are in the bottom half of Flight B.

With the exceptions of Stars U18 (2nd in Flight A), Stars U17, (7th in Flight B) and Scorpions U16 (4th in Flight A), New England teams don't look very especially competitive and that is being kind for most.

So can parents of these teams, especially the 8 playing in the bottom of Flight B, really rationalize the travel that they are having to do to play in the ECNL? Or do they feel, as it seems to me, that they are supporting an idea meant to benefit only 3 or 4 teams at the top of the Top Flight. Ya, I understand this is about development, and under that philosophy we're not suppose to be concerned with wins and losses, but it would irk the heck out of me as a parent to be putting in this kind of time and money to see my kid's team not even have some moderate success in the standings. What say you ECNL parents?

[Unregistered]

Now come on BTDT

[Unregistered]

Winning is always good, but the emphasis now shifts towards exposure to D1 coaches. The best teams will always do good i.e. PDA..but getting the coaches eye in the U15 (sophs only) and U16 group is what the focus is. Recruiting coaches will tell you that they don't go to see teams win or lose, they are looking at the players.

[Unregistered]

Take a look at the standings for the 4 New England ECNL clubs as the league draws to a close for the year.

U15
Stars 18th of 26 teams Flight A
CFC 14/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 17/26 Flight B
Scorpions 21/26 Flight B

U16
Scorpions 4/26 Flight A
Stars 5/26 Flight B
CFC 22/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 23/26 Flight B

U17
Stars 7/26 Flight A
CFC 25/26 Flight A
Scorpions 17/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 25/26 Flight B

U18
Stars 2/26 Flight A
CFC 22/26 Flight A
Scorpions 23/26 Flight A
Soccerplus 16/26 Flight B

So less than half of the New England teams play in the top flight (7 of 16) and of those only 3 play in the top half of Flight A. At the other end of the spectrum 8 teams play in the bottom half of Flight B.

Stars have the best showing with 3 of their 4 teams in Flight A and the one team in Flight B in the top 5th. Scorpions and CFC have 2 of their 4 teams in Flight A, but Scorpions is the only one with a team in the upper half of Flight A. Both clubs' Flight B teams are in the bottom half. All of Soccerplus teams are in the bottom half of Flight B.

With the exceptions of Stars U18 (2nd in Flight A), Stars U17, (7th in Flight B) and Scorpions U16 (4th in Flight A), New England teams don't look very especially competitive and that is being kind for most.

So can parents of these teams, especially the 8 playing in the bottom of Flight B, really rationalize the travel that they are having to do to play in the ECNL? Or do they feel, as it seems to me, that they are supporting an idea meant to benefit only 3 or 4 teams at the top of the Top Flight. Ya, I understand this is about development, and under that philosophy we're not suppose to be concerned with wins and losses, but it would irk the heck out of me as a parent to be putting in this kind of time and money to see my kid's team not even have some moderate success in the standings. What say you ECNL parents?

I say this:
1. look at the standings at the end of PDA and perhaps they will differ
2. my kid always traveled a lot before ECNL
3. non ECNL teams(MPS,Aztecs) travel just as much or more
4. my kid got seen, signed, and committed through an ECNL event

[Unregistered]

Take a look at the standings for the 4 New England ECNL clubs as the league draws to a close for the year.

U15
Stars 18th of 26 teams Flight A
CFC 14/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 17/26 Flight B
Scorpions 21/26 Flight B

U16
Scorpions 4/26 Flight A
Stars 5/26 Flight B
CFC 22/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 23/26 Flight B

U17
Stars 7/26 Flight A
CFC 25/26 Flight A
Scorpions 17/26 Flight B
Soccerplus 25/26 Flight B

U18
Stars 2/26 Flight A
CFC 22/26 Flight A
Scorpions 23/26 Flight A
Soccerplus 16/26 Flight B

So less than half of the New England teams play in the top flight (7 of 16) and of those only 3 play in the top half of Flight A. At the other end of the spectrum 8 teams play in the bottom half of Flight B.

Stars have the best showing with 3 of their 4 teams in Flight A and the one team in Flight B in the top 5th. Scorpions and CFC have 2 of their 4 teams in Flight A, but Scorpions is the only one with a team in the upper half of Flight A. Both clubs' Flight B teams are in the bottom half. All of Soccerplus teams are in the bottom half of Flight B.

With the exceptions of Stars U18 (2nd in Flight A), Stars U17, (7th in Flight B) and Scorpions U16 (4th in Flight A), New England teams don't look very especially competitive and that is being kind for most.

So can parents of these teams, especially the 8 playing in the bottom of Flight B, really rationalize the travel that they are having to do to play in the ECNL? Or do they feel, as it seems to me, that they are supporting an idea meant to benefit only 3 or 4 teams at the top of the Top Flight. Ya, I understand this is about development, and under that philosophy we're not suppose to be concerned with wins and losses, but it would irk the heck out of me as a parent to be putting in this kind of time and money to see my kid's team not even have some moderate success in the standings. What say you ECNL parents?

why do you care?

[Unregistered]

The travel is no different than what teams like the MPS Renagades do. They go to many of the same tournament, end up in lower brackets against weaker teams and have a horrible loss/win record.

[Unregistered]

I say this:
1. look at the standings at the end of PDA and perhaps they will differ
2. my kid always traveled a lot before ECNL
3. non ECNL teams(MPS,Aztecs) travel just as much or more
4. my kid got seen, signed, and committed through an ECNL event

5. If my kid is good enough, she will be signed and commited without going through ECNL event.

[Unregistered]

One big factor is being missed. Many of the teams in ECNL are very strong and being in Flight A or B does not make much difference. A prime example is the Stars are in the A Flight in U-15 and lost to the current top team PDA 4-3. They also lost to a low B flight CFC team 5-1 and it's not a knock on Stars but it does show that there is very little if any difference between the two flights. I agree with a previous poster that it's not about wins and losses, it's more about coaches looking for individual players no matter what their team record is.

[Unregistered]

One big factor is being missed. Many of the teams in ECNL are very strong and being in Flight A or B does not make much difference. A prime example is the Stars are in the A Flight in U-15 and lost to the current top team PDA 4-3. They also lost to a low B flight CFC team 5-1 and it's not a knock on Stars but it does show that there is very little if any difference between the two flights. I agree with a previous poster that it's not about wins and losses, it's more about coaches looking for individual players no matter what their team record is.

So the goal in Youth Soccer today is to do anything and everything possible to get the child seen by a College Coach.

[Unregistered]

5. If my kid is good enough, she will be signed and commited without going through ECNL event.

Then why do you care if others choose a different path?

[Unregistered]

- ECNL is a great program if you are U15 - U17 and for sure your player will see the field at least 15 minutes a half. So ask the coach and get this reassurance...realizing it has to be justified. It won't matter if your team is Bracket A or Bracket B if your player is strong. But, will a Bracket B "strong but not special" player get recruited by a top 10 type D1 program if they are losing....probabaly not unless they have strong academics or alumni connections to the program. But really, this wouldn't be different with any premier program. The fact it, today's landscape is about the "in" thing which is ECNL. But, do look at the coach attendance at the Las Vegas showcase...This,along with Disney at xmas, looks like the venue for college coaches to come to see "everyone" else and party a little with their fellow coaches. The question remains tho if this tourney will exist for long because it is put on by an ECNL team. Rumor has it that it might not be around for long. After the Las Vegas Showcase, it is getting pretty hard for non-ECNL teams to find good showcase tournaments. Even the tourney that aren't ECNL, are often put on by an ECNL club and many ECNL teams still attend knocking out spots for other clubs. Therefore, non-ECNL clubs will continue to benefit by participating in the Regional/National USYS league and showing well at the State Cups/Regional Cups. (Coaches attend regionals, but who knows how that will change if ECNL clubs stop going to State Cups.)

- Once a player has their commitment, then it gets tricky. Nothing more embarrassing then your committed college coaches sitting on the sidelines watching to support you and be sure you remain consistent before they sign you in Feb, only to have the coach decide your player won't play because the coach doesn't like the players hair that day or decides to mess with the player with their coaches sitting there... :) . Talk to the coach before tryouts for U18 and see what their philosophy will be in regard to playing time across their rosters. (This is different than USYS non-ECNL teams because of the allowed roster sizes.) So really look at roster sizes at the U18 level and make the decision if it is worth that risk. If all is well, the ECNL still provides the best venue for a U18 team to keep their competition level high and consistent (no one at that point cares if it is a Bracket A or B team, since teams are playing across the brackets now for regional games.) U18 players do get a little bit of the "I'm checked out" mentality cuz academic prep for college gets pretty intense senior year (think AP classes) and a priority.

[Unregistered]

So the goal in Youth Soccer today is to do anything and everything possible to get the child seen by a College Coach.

If you go the ECNL route at U15 and above, it is. Its just another layer on top of youth soccer and having a venue option to play at the next level being college. Just like ODP and id2, the next level being at a regional or national level.

What is the knock on ECNL? Either you want to be part of it or you don't. If you don't, why all the bashing and be satisfied with the level of club ball you choose not what others choose, there are many fine ones. Its the similar bashing that ODP takes and probably the id2 program.

[Unregistered]

- ECNL is a great program if you are U15 - U17 and for sure your player will see the field at least 15 minutes a half. So ask the coach and get this reassurance...realizing it has to be justified. It won't matter if your team is Bracket A or Bracket B if your player is strong. But, will a Bracket B "strong but not special" player get recruited by a top 10 type D1 program if they are losing....probabaly not unless they have strong academics or alumni connections to the program. But really, this wouldn't be different with any premier program. The fact it, today's landscape is about the "in" thing which is ECNL. But, do look at the coach attendance at the Las Vegas showcase...This,along with Disney at xmas, looks like the venue for college coaches to come to see "everyone" else and party a little with their fellow coaches. The question remains tho if this tourney will exist for long because it is put on by an ECNL team. Rumor has it that it might not be around for long. After the Las Vegas Showcase, it is getting pretty hard for non-ECNL teams to find good showcase tournaments. Even the tourney that aren't ECNL, are often put on by an ECNL club and many ECNL teams still attend knocking out spots for other clubs. Therefore, non-ECNL clubs will continue to benefit by participating in the Regional/National USYS league and showing well at the State Cups/Regional Cups. (Coaches attend regionals, but who knows how that will change if ECNL clubs stop going to State Cups.)

- Once a player has their commitment, then it gets tricky. Nothing more embarrassing then your committed college coaches sitting on the sidelines watching to support you and be sure you remain consistent before they sign you in Feb, only to have the coach decide your player won't play because the coach doesn't like the players hair that day or decides to mess with the player with their coaches sitting there... :) . Talk to the coach before tryouts for U18 and see what their philosophy will be in regard to playing time across their rosters. (This is different than USYS non-ECNL teams because of the allowed roster sizes.) So really look at roster sizes at the U18 level and make the decision if it is worth that risk. If all is well, the ECNL still provides the best venue for a U18 team to keep their competition level high and consistent (no one at that point cares if it is a Bracket A or B team, since teams are playing across the brackets now for regional games.) U18 players do get a little bit of the "I'm checked out" mentality cuz academic prep for college gets pretty intense senior year (think AP classes) and a priority.

15 minutes a half.........oh boy.

[Unregistered]

15 minutes a half.........oh boy.

It's better to be seen 15 minutes a half for the three days your at the tournament on the main fields, then to play on the fields 20 minutes away where there aren't any coaches to watch you.

[Unregistered]

If you go the ECNL route at U15 and above, it is. Its just another layer on top of youth soccer and having a venue option to play at the next level being college. Just like ODP and id2, the next level being at a regional or national level.

What is the knock on ECNL? Either you want to be part of it or you don't. If you don't, why all the bashing and be satisfied with the level of club ball you choose not what others choose, there are many fine ones. Its the similar bashing that ODP takes and probably the id2 program.

" another layer on top of Youth Soccer "

Creating more " layers " is a guarantee of better players , better development? Wouldn't it make more sense to try and improve the current leyers?

It isn't like ODP . ODP is not run by the " Elite" clubs themselves.

The " watering down" and spreading thin of the existing pool of youth players by the constant adding of new " layers' , or the League du Jour, only adds to the expense , anxiety level, and unintended consequences experienced by all players playing at each and every level.

I actively Referee all levels of Youth, including ENCL. I really don't see anything " elite " about it, except the parents preception that it is.