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?
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?
Comment