Oakwood GDA Reality Check

[Unregistered]

So I have a daughter coming up through the system in lower Fairfield County. She currently plays premier at U13, and is considered one of the better players on the team. As I see it, if she continues to progress, she basically has three options for high level soccer in our area. 1) CFC United (ECNL), 2) NYSC (GDA), and 3) NYCFC (GDA). Of these 3, it seems that NYCFC is the club witha the most resources and credibility. Am I wrong?

The reason you're post is getting some flak is that you are assuming at U14 that your D will make a roster spot on an ECNL/DA team. The reality is that many of the U14 teams have few roster spots available because players were already ID'd at U12/13. If your D isn't playing on an NPL/Pre-ECNL at U13 and one of the top players on that roster, she will have a tough time breaking in at U14 to DA and ECNL. Maybe you're being modest saying your D is "one of the better players", but if you can't say she is undoubtedly the best player on the team or top 3 and that team is already playing at a high competitive level, she will likely have a tough time.

Speed of play, physicality, technical skill, fitness and athleticism all increase as you move up the ladder and many players playing at lower levels can't adjust/compete when they move up. Just my .02, and maybe none of this applies to your D. Good luck.

[Unregistered]

The reason you're post is getting some flak is that you are assuming at U14 that your D will make a roster spot on an ECNL/DA team. The reality is that many of the U14 teams have few roster spots available because players were already ID'd at U12/13. If your D isn't playing on an NPL/Pre-ECNL at U13 and one of the top players on that roster, she will have a tough time breaking in at U14 to DA and ECNL. Maybe you're being modest saying your D is "one of the better players", but if you can't say she is undoubtedly the best player on the team or top 3 and that team is already playing at a high competitive level, she will likely have a tough time.

Speed of play, physicality, technical skill, fitness and athleticism all increase as you move up the ladder and many players playing at lower levels can't adjust/compete when they move up. Just my .02, and maybe none of this applies to your D. Good luck.

These are the posts that make me chuckle. they imply that the standards at this level are way higher than they are. There are some players in the ECNL or GDA who posses very littel of what you just laid out.

[Unregistered]

Exactly. And yet the Club is called garbage, lower tier and all sorts of other derogatory terms. Its telling that a Club that fries to mostly focus on development, looks to give all the kids PT and keeps rosters manageable is crucified for not "winning" enough.

It shows you how many evaluate a Club. The NYCFC model is not popular becasue its a very simple one. They try and help you get out what you are willing to put in. If you need to be yelled at, wrong place. If you are not motivated, wrong place. If you are looking to the players around you to make you better, wrong place. If you are looking for the coaching staff to oversell you to College coaches, wrong place. If you want to play in games where you will have the better talent most games, probably the wrong place although that may change.

Im not saying there are not kids like that there. There are, but I dont think they are enjoying it.

Hey New OW Dad, have you ever seen WC play? It's not exactly the beautiful game there.

They have plenty of very borderline players there. When my kids team played them in the spring it was a pretty one sided affair now to think that it's further diluted isn't great.

Cycle through the season and the showcase events and then draw your own conclusions. Breakers and Penn Fusion are probably the most organized on the field and their teams strive to player a similar style.

[Unregistered]

Hey New OW Dad, have you ever seen WC play? It's not exactly the beautiful game there.

They have plenty of very borderline players there. When my kids team played them in the spring it was a pretty one sided affair now to think that it's further diluted isn't great.

Cycle through the season and the showcase events and then draw your own conclusions. Breakers and Penn Fusion are probably the most organized on the field and their teams strive to player a similar style.

So the WC team your daughter's team played is the same one wearing the NYCFC shirts this year? Same team?

[Unregistered]

Hey New OW Dad, have you ever seen WC play? It's not exactly the beautiful game there.

They have plenty of very borderline players there. When my kids team played them in the spring it was a pretty one sided affair now to think that it's further diluted isn't great.

Cycle through the season and the showcase events and then draw your own conclusions. Breakers and Penn Fusion are probably the most organized on the field and their teams strive to player a similar style.

If you mean NYCFC, have you seem all their teams play ? I doubt it. Every club has borderline players, even yours.No shock you focus your attention there as opposed to the facilities, coaching, NYCFC backing and the 7 or so NT players they have as well.

[Unregistered]

So the WC team your daughter's team played is the same one wearing the NYCFC shirts this year? Same team?

Ignore the bonehead. The NYCFC is not the same team as before. Their record thus far speaks volumes and I believe they beat OW 3 out of 4 games.

[Unregistered]

The reason you're post is getting some flak is that you are assuming at U14 that your D will make a roster spot on an ECNL/DA team. The reality is that many of the U14 teams have few roster spots available because players were already ID'd at U12/13. If your D isn't playing on an NPL/Pre-ECNL at U13 and one of the top players on that roster, she will have a tough time breaking in at U14 to DA and ECNL. Maybe you're being modest saying your D is "one of the better players", but if you can't say she is undoubtedly the best player on the team or top 3 and that team is already playing at a high competitive level, she will likely have a tough time.

Speed of play, physicality, technical skill, fitness and athleticism all increase as you move up the ladder and many players playing at lower levels can't adjust/compete when they move up. Just my .02, and maybe none of this applies to your D. Good luck.

While I'm not a big GDA fan this is a huge issue at many ECNL clubs - supposedly identifying talent at now 12 years old and essentially locking the rosters until they're off to college. Yes the studs rarely change but moving down the line a lot still can change between puberty, development, maturity etc. Some GDA clubs may do the same, but from what I've seen in BDA your roster spot is far less secure than in ECNL, as it should be

[Unregistered]

These are the posts that make me chuckle. they imply that the standards at this level are way higher than they are. There are some players in the ECNL or GDA who posses very littel of what you just laid out.

I never said all the players belonged, I said they were ID'd early and positions are often locked in, making it difficult to break in later. Plenty of examples of girls who were strong at U11/12, went through puberty and put on weight and now can't hack it at the higher levels because the athleticism is gone. Too many players early on rely on speed and size vs skill and later have difficulty performing when those advantages level out. Problem is clubs are about money first and ID'ing/developing the best players second (or third).

[Unregistered]

While I'm not a big GDA fan ..... but from what I've seen in BDA your roster spot is far less secure than in ECNL, as it should be

Translation: I am a GDA/USSF lackey (intern) and I will defend the empire at all costs. How could you have seen anything to date that would give you this impression? GDA has not had any turnover yet because they are in the first day of their infancy .... their has been no 2nd tryout yet. How could anyone say something this idiotic at this point in time? Furthermore, they could have a lot of turnover this year because a lot of people leave. They may have little turnover because no new kids come to tryout. You don't know as your sample size, to date, is ZERO!

[Unregistered]

The reason you're post is getting some flak is that you are assuming at U14 that your D will make a roster spot on an ECNL/DA team. The reality is that many of the U14 teams have few roster spots available because players were already ID'd at U12/13. If your D isn't playing on an NPL/Pre-ECNL at U13 and one of the top players on that roster, she will have a tough time breaking in at U14 to DA and ECNL. Maybe you're being modest saying your D is "one of the better players", but if you can't say she is undoubtedly the best player on the team or top 3 and that team is already playing at a high competitive level, she will likely have a tough time.

Speed of play, physicality, technical skill, fitness and athleticism all increase as you move up the ladder and many players playing at lower levels can't adjust/compete when they move up. Just my .02, and maybe none of this applies to your D. Good luck.

Some truth to this... first all the “better players” on lower level teams look better until the are compared head to head with those in tougher leagues. Second, your kid doesn’t have to be better than th worst player on the team they are trying for. They need to be quite a bit better and then the kid playing the position currently.

[Unregistered]

Translation: I am a GDA/USSF lackey (intern) and I will defend the empire at all costs. How could you have seen anything to date that would give you this impression? GDA has not had any turnover yet because they are in the first day of their infancy .... their has been no 2nd tryout yet. How could anyone say something this idiotic at this point in time? Furthermore, they could have a lot of turnover this year because a lot of people leave. They may have little turnover because no new kids come to tryout. You don't know as your sample size, to date, is ZERO!

Yes that's why I said I'm not a fan. It was a all a ruse to fool you.

I had a boy in BDA (college now) so I'm well aware of the league's many flaws and benefits. One is that roster spots are earned, not grandfathered in. I also have player in Ecnl. It too has many flaws like the one I and another poster discussed - players rarely lose their spots from 13 on.

[Unregistered]

Yes that's why I said I'm not a fan. It was a all a ruse to fool you.

I had a boy in BDA (college now) so I'm well aware of the league's many flaws and benefits. One is that roster spots are earned, not grandfathered in. I also have player in Ecnl. It too has many flaws like the one I and another poster discussed - players rarely lose their spots from 13 on.

That was the old world when DA was the only big game in town. GDA is clawing to fill rosters with talent at 90% of their clubs. The other 10% are better but still weaker than top ECNL. With advent of boys ECNL the competition will hurt DA over time as players now will have another reasonable option that will allow them to make their own choice to play HS. With the demise of the USMNT in the WC everyone shoild be realizing now that USS has no clue what their doing. The turnover you see on boys dap is not because they are fair its because their training is not revolutionary and players from outside DA are flat out better despite the DA training pitch. Furthermore with GDAP driving up all DA programs we all see now that pay to play has just become more expensive in their world for the masses of non MLS clubs. Stop goving these clowns credit. They suck at what they do. No more koolaid for you azzhat.

[Unregistered]

That was the old world when DA was the only big game in town. GDA is clawing to fill rosters with talent at 90% of their clubs. The other 10% are better but still weaker than top ECNL. With advent of boys ECNL the competition will hurt DA over time as players now will have another reasonable option that will allow them to make their own choice to play HS. With the demise of the USMNT in the WC everyone shoild be realizing now that USS has no clue what their doing. The turnover you see on boys dap is not because they are fair its because their training is not revolutionary and players from outside DA are flat out better despite the DA training pitch. Furthermore with GDAP driving up all DA programs we all see now that pay to play has just become more expensive in their world for the masses of non MLS clubs. Stop goving these clowns credit. They suck at what they do. No more koolaid for you azzhat.

10% are better but still weaker than top ECNL.

what is top ECNL? The teams are not playing much. I know you would like your scenario to be true on the girls side, but it isnt. Your percentages are made up. No fact behind them at all.

[Unregistered]

I'm New England, an ECNL player plays 5 months with her ECNL team. During that time they play multiple double weekend games and 2 events.

A DA player from New England has a 8.5 month season, very few double weekend games, 2-3 showcases, and costs the same if not cheaper.

[Unregistered]

I'm New England, an ECNL player plays 5 months with her ECNL team. During that time they play multiple double weekend games and 2 events.

A DA player from New England has a 8.5 month season, very few double weekend games, 2-3 showcases, and costs the same if not cheaper.

ECNL trains from late November through late June. That would be 7 months.