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True cost of ECNL soccer

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    #16
    It seems like not all ECNL clubs are equal, yet the cost seems to be the same (other than clubs who travel more pay more). Many ECNL clubs train 3-4 times a week. If your training less than that, but paying the same, is it still worth it? Also, if one ECNL club is attending multiple college showcases and ECNL post season tournaments, and your ECNL club is going to one college show case and no ECNL post season tournaments, are you getting your money's worth? After all, you could argue that all the players on those other teams are going to get looks by college coaches before kids on your team - just by virtue of them being at more college coach-attended events. Of course, not all ECNL-level coaching is created equal. Better clubs have better coaches for the most part. All in all, while I think there is a great difference between top ECNL teams and top lets say EDP teams, I would argue hat the spread between a bottom ECNL club/team and a top EDP club/team isnt that much.

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      #17
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      It seems like not all ECNL clubs are equal, yet the cost seems to be the same (other than clubs who travel more pay more). Many ECNL clubs train 3-4 times a week. If your training less than that, but paying the same, is it still worth it? Also, if one ECNL club is attending multiple college showcases and ECNL post season tournaments, and your ECNL club is going to one college show case and no ECNL post season tournaments, are you getting your money's worth? After all, you could argue that all the players on those other teams are going to get looks by college coaches before kids on your team - just by virtue of them being at more college coach-attended events. Of course, not all ECNL-level coaching is created equal. Better clubs have better coaches for the most part. All in all, while I think there is a great difference between top ECNL teams and top lets say EDP teams, I would argue hat the spread between a bottom ECNL club/team and a top EDP club/team isnt that much.

      No edp is not even close to ecnl. Ecnl is much, much better. Doesn’t matter the ecnl club, top or bottom. They play better competition and have a stage to play on. There is no stage for Edp. There isn’t any showcases where you can play in front of tons of colleges. Come on now.

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        #18
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        You just answered your own question.
        I assume you mean Gda. Yeah, ecnl and Gda are the 2 best. But edp or icsl is not even close. Laughable.

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          #19
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          I assume you mean Gda. Yeah, ecnl and Gda are the 2 best. But edp or icsl is not even close. Laughable.
          Agreed...and trust me...I really don't want to debate the too. There's plenty of fodder on here (Region 1) about it. They are heads above the other leagues. I just questioned why it was positioned as only ECNL.

          That being said, it's not impossible to "make it" going the other route. Much harder, yes, but not impossible. Talent will always be found....but you had better be an outstanding talent and having connections help.

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            #20
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Agreed...and trust me...I really don't want to debate the too. There's plenty of fodder on here (Region 1) about it. They are heads above the other leagues. I just questioned why it was positioned as only ECNL.

            That being said, it's not impossible to "make it" going the other route. Much harder, yes, but not impossible. Talent will always be found....but you had better be an outstanding talent and having connections help.
            Yeah agreed. I meant ecnl/Gda. Easily far and away 2 best leagues in US. Some may say ecnl has the edge for girls? Besides the point lol.

            But edp , icsl or pags??? Not even close. Serious players will move to a ecnl or da club. Which is why edp , etc are so bad now.

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              #21
              Let’s all remember that these ECNL teams are made up of the best of the girls that try out from that area. Not necessarily the best around. There are plenty of players that are as good if not better who play for edp and pags. Icsl is a joke. But don’t get hung up on these teams being the best girls. Not everyone can afford to pay what is expected for ecnl. And not all ecnl coaches and clubs are great.

              Yes DA and ECNL will give you a leg up for college recruiting. But you are paying a lot of money and not guaranteed a college scholarship.

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                #22
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Let’s all remember that these ECNL teams are made up of the best of the girls that try out from that area. Not necessarily the best around. There are plenty of players that are as good if not better who play for edp and pags. Icsl is a joke. But don’t get hung up on these teams being the best girls. Not everyone can afford to pay what is expected for ecnl. And not all ecnl coaches and clubs are great.

                Yes DA and ECNL will give you a leg up for college recruiting. But you are paying a lot of money and not guaranteed a college scholarship.
                Edp is also a joke in pa and nj by u13 and above. Best kids are in ecnl and da by then.

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                  #23
                  Rare is the person/player who will look at back at their soccer journey, every dollar spent and see if come out as a positive ROI. If that is your only reason for playing, please leave the sport now.

                  Play because you want to. You want to be the best you can be. You want to test yourself against others. You want to improve. You want to win. You love the game. No different than any other activity. How many families drop this much for skiing with no hope for winning a gold medal?

                  If you get some return in the end, great. But, that should not be the goal

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                    #24
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Rare is the person/player who will look at back at their soccer journey, every dollar spent and see if come out as a positive ROI. If that is your only reason for playing, please leave the sport now.

                    Play because you want to. You want to be the best you can be. You want to test yourself against others. You want to improve. You want to win. You love the game. No different than any other activity. How many families drop this much for skiing with no hope for winning a gold medal?

                    If you get some return in the end, great. But, that should not be the goal
                    Well said. The OP has the wrong attitude. Not surprised though.

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                      #25
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Not too many clubs transparent about travel costs. Hard to do upfront. You gotta figure at least 10-12 hotel nights between away ecnl games, tournaments and showcase. More if you make ecnl post season. Average cost is $200/night. So minimum is $2000-2400 in hotel. Add to that the cost of gas, tolls, food and airfare and rental car for showcases and ecnl post season and it could easily be another $2500 on top of the hotel costs.
                      You must come from a club that shoots from the hip and allows teams to control what they do, which doesn’t work well most of the time. Clubs like PDA, FC Delco, Penn Fusion and other more organized clubs don’t allow teams to make decisions. Decisions are made by the club. So, the schedule is already planned out well in advance, along with the age group budget. Again, you get the budget up front, and know what you will need to spend. Costs are based off of players, and not the players family. Most DA and ECNL clubs do team travel, and parents are not expected to attend, so costs for parents aren’t a factor. Penn Fusion has gone away from this, and kids are now staying with their parents again, adding more cost travel. It is clear at tryouts how each club manages the cost. The schedule and budget are already established well in advance.

                      As for leagues, there are GDA and ECNL for girls, and then a massive drop off after that. DA on the boys side is far and away the best, and in my opinion, there is not a huge difference in level of play between USYS leagues and boys ECNL. The ECNL league has superior organization and better structure.

                      An experienced coach and DOC can help with travel costs if they make an effort; if they care. Some DOC and coaches don't understand costs, especially those that don't have families.

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                        #26
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        You must come from a club that shoots from the hip and allows teams to control what they do, which doesn’t work well most of the time. Clubs like PDA, FC Delco, Penn Fusion and other more organized clubs don’t allow teams to make decisions. Decisions are made by the club. So, the schedule is already planned out well in advance, along with the age group budget. Again, you get the budget up front, and know what you will need to spend. Costs are based off of players, and not the players family. Most DA and ECNL clubs do team travel, and parents are not expected to attend, so costs for parents aren’t a factor. Penn Fusion has gone away from this, and kids are now staying with their parents again, adding more cost travel. It is clear at tryouts how each club manages the cost. The schedule and budget are already established well in advance.

                        As for leagues, there are GDA and ECNL for girls, and then a massive drop off after that. DA on the boys side is far and away the best, and in my opinion, there is not a huge difference in level of play between USYS leagues and boys ECNL. The ECNL league has superior organization and better structure.

                        An experienced coach and DOC can help with travel costs if they make an effort; if they care. Some DOC and coaches don't understand costs, especially those that don't have families.
                        Yes for the girls it’s ecnl and da. After that forget about it. Edp is a rec league now and so is pags.

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          All the DA and ECNL clubs in Pennsylvania are transparent. They give you the costs and payment schedule upfront, most at tryouts. There is little in the way of surprises. SJB are a bit more unorganized, but Penn Fusion, PDA and Continental FC all were very clear about the costs at tryouts. Parents know before they agree to playing on the team.
                          Wrong

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                            #28
                            Don't be so naive. There are better kids on edp teams than there are on ecnl teams. That is precisely why FCB and FCD struggle at the regional and national level. I am not sure what the edp clubs are selling their top kids but in a way its sad because in the kids best interest they should encourage them to move on. But you are correct about quality. A last place northeast conference ecnl team easily finishes top 3 in edp, probably wins the usys state cup and region 1.

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                              #29
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              Wrong
                              perhaps not FC Bucks, but Delco and Penn Fusion do.

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                                #30
                                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                                Don't be so naive. There are better kids on edp teams than there are on ecnl teams. That is precisely why FCB and FCD struggle at the regional and national level. I am not sure what the edp clubs are selling their top kids but in a way its sad because in the kids best interest they should encourage them to move on. But you are correct about quality. A last place northeast conference ecnl team easily finishes top 3 in edp, probably wins the usys state cup and region 1.
                                This might be true in some cases team vs. team, but the exposure in the ECNL and GDA is far greater than any other league. The structure of the ECNL is better, it is just a better league for the players, and you get way more for your money. It is a fact, not an opinion.

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