DA Divide - MLS v. non-MLS

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Nothing earth-shattering here, but gets at the ongoing tension on the boys' side within the DA:

http://www.soccerwire.com/blog-posts...self-together/

[Unregistered]

Nothing earth-shattering here, but gets at the ongoing tension on the boys' side within the DA:

http://www.soccerwire.com/blog-posts...self-together/

Very interesting. I know this will sound snarky although that's not my intention, but I can't help but wonder how clubs like Slammers and So Cal Blues, with their storied histories of winning national tournaments and sending players to national teams, feel about Thorns academy getting admitted to the GDA? If you stop arguing and taking sides for a minute, and look at it dispassionately, it's obvious they only got the GDA slot because of the Thorns name. Does that make the league stronger? Not initially at least. And perhaps that's the reason why the top clubs accepted in GDA also affirmed their membership in ECNL - maybe they aren't willing to bail on ECNL for a league that takes teams with the history/record of Thorns academy.

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Very interesting. I know this will sound snarky although that's not my intention, but I can't help but wonder how clubs like Slammers and So Cal Blues, with their storied histories of winning national tournaments and sending players to national teams, feel about Thorns academy getting admitted to the GDA? If you stop arguing and taking sides for a minute, and look at it dispassionately, it's obvious they only got the GDA slot because of the Thorns name. Does that make the league stronger? Not initially at least. And perhaps that's the reason why the top clubs accepted in GDA also affirmed their membership in ECNL - maybe they aren't willing to bail on ECNL for a league that takes teams with the history/record of Thorns academy.

Given the regional nature of the GDA--why would Southern California clubs care about what goes on here in Portland? Since there aren't any NWSL teams in California, they don't have to worry about being pre-empted by a professional franchise.

I suppose you could ask about FCP or CU being passed over--but I'm not crying in my beer over that.

Ideally, we would have a "youth pyramid", along with pro/rel, and clubs competing at different levels of the pyramid, and some sort of compensation (for lower level clubs) when players move up the pyramid. Currently, we seem to vacillate between either a) a few clubs having permanent elite status, and exploiting that to the detriment of everyone else; or b) a free-for-all where everyone is equally mediocre.

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Given the regional nature of the GDA--why would Southern California clubs care about what goes on here in Portland? Since there aren't any NWSL teams in California, they don't have to worry about being pre-empted by a professional franchise.

I suppose you could ask about FCP or CU being passed over--but I'm not crying in my beer over that.

Ideally, we would have a "youth pyramid", along with pro/rel, and clubs competing at different levels of the pyramid, and some sort of compensation (for lower level clubs) when players move up the pyramid. Currently, we seem to vacillate between either a) a few clubs having permanent elite status, and exploiting that to the detriment of everyone else; or b) a free-for-all where everyone is equally mediocre.

Not sure what Blues think about Thorns Academy; do know a couple of ECNL DOCs that aren't thrilled to be put in the position they have been put in with Girls DA (basically, nothing was fundamentally broken, why in the hell is Federation getting involved).

For the record FC/CU weren't passed over - they opted not to apply, for now.

Am in agreement directionally - on youth pyramid.

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Not sure what Blues think about Thorns Academy; do know a couple of ECNL DOCs that aren't thrilled to be put in the position they have been put in with Girls DA (basically, nothing was fundamentally broken, why in the hell is Federation getting involved).

For the record FC/CU weren't passed over - they opted not to apply, for now.

Am in agreement directionally - on youth pyramid.

I guess we all in PDX should feel good that US Soccer only gave us one GDA ...
2 ECNL and 1 GDA is two teams too many.

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I guess we all in PDX should feel good that US Soccer only gave us one GDA ...
2 ECNL and 1 GDA is two teams too many.

Screw US soccer. THEY NEED US. We dont need them.

[Unregistered]

Screw US soccer. THEY NEED US. We dont need them.

Word.

[Unregistered]

Not sure what Blues think about Thorns Academy; do know a couple of ECNL DOCs that aren't thrilled to be put in the position they have been put in with Girls DA (basically, nothing was fundamentally broken, why in the hell is Federation getting involved).

But something was broken. ECNL had managed to hijack the college recruiting pipeline for girls. The ECNL trolls were happily promoting this--telling everyone and their dog that the top talent is all at CU and FCP, the TA clubs (and other independent clubs) all suck, and if the TA/independent clubs have any players that don't suck, they had best quit their current teams and hightail it to the ECNL, otherwise they won't get noticed.

And in many ways--they were right. Resource-starved college coaches were all too happy to quit turning over stones looking for talent, and instead just show up at ECNL showcases.

Good for ECNL clubs. Good for D1 coaches. Not necessarily good for the girls, particularly lower-income ones who can't afford the travel.

Now, the GDA may become the same thing--meet the new boss, same as the old boss. If it does, it would be a shame.

But there should be many roads to Rome; if there's only one then whoever runs the tollbooth can get fat and happy.

[Unregistered]

I guess we all in PDX should feel good that US Soccer only gave us one GDA ...
2 ECNL and 1 GDA is two teams too many.

Yes and GDA will almost certainly come out on top. Any consolidation will be a move in the right direction.

[Unregistered]

I guess we all in PDX should feel good that US Soccer only gave us one GDA ...
2 ECNL and 1 GDA is two teams too many.

So adding the GDA was a step in the WRONG direction then, correct?

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Wrong

So adding the GDA was a step in the WRONG direction then, correct?

Only good thing is that best players will migrate to one team (the GDA). That is all this area can produce. Wrong direction was the ECNL money grab... instead of sticking to one elite division they kept going deeper and deeper in levels which basically soiled their image. ECNL is a money grab... they basically let anyone in...ergo CU and FC here locally. It was not for the right reason (i.e. great clubs, great track record) it was simply to piss on the Timbers. Plain and simple.

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Only good thing is that best players will migrate to one team (the GDA). That is all this area can produce. Wrong direction was the ECNL money grab... instead of sticking to one elite division they kept going deeper and deeper in levels which basically soiled their image. ECNL is a money grab... they basically let anyone in...ergo CU and FC here locally. It was not for the right reason (i.e. great clubs, great track record) it was simply to piss on the Timbers. Plain and simple.

For awhile now Washington had only 2 ECNL teams (moving to 3 next year); DA is immediately starting with 3 up there. Relative to ECNL, Girls DA is not looking all that elite.

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For awhile now Washington had only 2 ECNL teams (moving to 3 next year); DA is immediately starting with 3 up there. Relative to ECNL, Girls DA is not looking all that elite.

The DA just gutted the ECNL league of their most elite players in 2017-18 from their top performing clubs.

Yes, the ECNL abused the word 'Elite' for it's purposes of marketing and brainwashing the parents of the horrible clubs allowed into this hodgepodge league. So, if the best clubs ever to play in the ECNL are leaving for the DA(2017), are you saying the ECNL was not Elite? and the Top Teams that are vacating the ECNL league are not in Fact elite? That's why the Girls DA is not looking elite. Understood.

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The DA just gutted the ECNL league of their most elite players in 2017-18 from their top performing clubs.

Yes, the ECNL abused the word 'Elite' for it's purposes of marketing and brainwashing the parents of the horrible clubs allowed into this hodgepodge league. So, if the best clubs ever to play in the ECNL are leaving for the DA(2017), are you saying the ECNL was not Elite? and the Top Teams that are vacating the ECNL league are not in Fact elite? That's why the Girls DA is not looking elite. Understood.

The facts are: girls will leave the ecnl for DA and like dominoes others will follow. Top ecnl clubs are hedging by creating DA teams which will pound a nail in the ecnl coffin with every defection to. DA while their ecnl teams become 2nd teams.

As to USSF taking over it does not have the same end goal as the ecnl nor will it have the abuses.

HS soccer is the unfortunate recipient of the collateral damage.

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The facts are: girls will leave the ecnl for DA and like dominoes others will follow. Top ecnl clubs are hedging by creating DA teams which will pound a nail in the ecnl coffin with every defection to. DA while their ecnl teams become 2nd teams.

As to USSF taking over it does not have the same end goal as the ecnl nor will it have the abuses.

HS soccer is the unfortunate recipient of the collateral damage.

Not a single fact in here! Instead of creating something unique and differentiated the USSF has preceded to merely change the name on the cover. Oregonians are all to familiar with this after the Timbers slapped their name all over clubs that were already in place and operating independently and what's changed? Nothing. Until the USSF kicks up some money and builds their own clubs with their own coaching curriculum nothing has changed. Just rebranding the same teams that have been doing the real development all along. Come on USSF, try actually building something that is better!