ECNL National Showcases for U18/19

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I am not necessarily a fan of GDA but I understand why some choose that path because they have the correct training to game ratio in place. Until HS reduces the unhealthily schedule of playing 6 days a week with a minimum of 2 game days, the injuries will continue. Especially since most HS coaches overuse their ECNL level talent.

Of course there will still be injuries, but definitely fewer of them.

is it different from playing in college?

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Agree. ECNL can go to Grad Year teams while gda can’t. Ecnl would capture majority of market share with a switch to grad year teams. Gda is playing their cards; ECNL would be stupid to sit idly by and not play their major card.

Let’s get going on this ECNL!

[Unregistered]

I have an 02/2021 (hs jr) so we are living your next year now.
Her team is playing ECNL FL in Jan, PDA in May, and Playoffs in June.
The only change from last year is no Phx in April.

Next year will essentially be same since the Composite teams accommodate for trapped seniors

Ecnl u18/19 does not do PDA . It is just florida.

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Ecnl u18/19 does not do PDA . It is just florida.

So 1 showcase for a trapped junior? Just got sick to my stomach. Seriously.

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is it different from playing in college?

College is worse than high school because it’s the same rules AND you travel to play crappy teams. But it’s just 1 season.

[Unregistered]

So 1 showcase for a trapped junior? Just got sick to my stomach. Seriously.

And to make you sicker, that ONE Showcase is poorly attended because all the seniors are already committed so they don’t go, a few already committed juniors don’t bother either and the team can barely gobble enough players to go.

The previous year, when the trapped players were sophomores and playing with all the juniors, they sat the bench more because “the juniors are in the heat of recruiting”...now when the trapped players are juniors, it’s a hobbled together team and the main push is to get any remaining seniors committed because “it’s their last chance”. The bulk of the juniors are on the u17 team so that is where all the junior love goes (the trapped sophomores on the u17 are getting screwed on that team).

Seriously ECNL, switch to grad year age groups and GDA will gain huge market share.

[Unregistered]

hypocritical, routine for clubs to play and host tournaments with 2 games in a day, 3 games in 2 days, spare me

[Unregistered]

So 1 showcase for a trapped junior? Just got sick to my stomach. Seriously.

Review the rules and if need be contact ECNL leadership - I know trapped 8th graders can play down in the fall while their older HS teammates play HS. It is possible that these kids can play down in a showcase to get exposure. There are very few of them, and really by HS the whole "age" thing really isn't a thing. You can either hang or you can't. I know there's the composite teams where clubs dump odd man out players but coaches don't really go to those games.

If your player has fewer showcase opportunities then they are going to have to get to more ID events. Push your club to make sure she's targeting the right programs and that they help pre-sell her so she's on their short lists. If she is looking at local schools, send them her schedule and they may come watch a local league game. It's going to take more work but isn't impossible, again assuming she targets the right programs that will be interested in what she has to offer them

[Unregistered]

hypocritical, routine for clubs to play and host tournaments with 2 games in a day, 3 games in 2 days, spare me

unrelated, but whatever bro. ecnl and da don't do that, just lower level tourneys

[Unregistered]

is it different from playing in college?

College is HS on steroids. The stakes are much bigger, travel way worse, time spent training + practices much greater (workouts on top of practices). It's even more physical than HS.

[Unregistered]

Review the rules and if need be contact ECNL leadership - I know trapped 8th graders can play down in the fall while their older HS teammates play HS. It is possible that these kids can play down in a showcase to get exposure. There are very few of them, and really by HS the whole "age" thing really isn't a thing. You can either hang or you can't. I know there's the composite teams where clubs dump odd man out players but coaches don't really go to those games.

If your player has fewer showcase opportunities then they are going to have to get to more ID events. Push your club to make sure she's targeting the right programs and that they help pre-sell her so she's on their short lists. If she is looking at local schools, send them her schedule and they may come watch a local league game. It's going to take more work but isn't impossible, again assuming she targets the right programs that will be interested in what she has to offer them

This whole false narrative about needing exposure is the same stupid logic that sold the ECNL in the first place. If your kid can actually play at a D1 level prospect, they're not trapped because the college coaches already know about them. They have been hearing about them through the coaches grapevine since the 8th grade and don't forget that if they are that good there is a body of work and resume outside of the GDA/ENCL to prove their worth. Those coaches will come out to practices if they have to so don't fret about going to showcases to be discovered. Your kid's job is to work day in and day out to become the best player they can be. Your job is to accurately target the level where coaches are going to see them as an impact player and then do everything you can to get your kid to their ID clinics and camps. In the end it is far easier to get "discovered" in that setting than in a cattle call audition like a showcase. It then really comes down to how well you and your kid do your jobs.

[Unregistered]

This whole false narrative about needing exposure is the same stupid logic that sold the ECNL in the first place. If your kid can actually play at a D1 level prospect, they're not trapped because the college coaches already know about them. They have been hearing about them through the coaches grapevine since the 8th grade and don't forget that if they are that good there is a body of work and resume outside of the GDA/ENCL to prove their worth. Those coaches will come out to practices if they have to so don't fret about going to showcases to be discovered. Your kid's job is to work day in and day out to become the best player they can be. Your job is to accurately target the level where coaches are going to see them as an impact player and then do everything you can to get your kid to their ID clinics and camps. In the end it is far easier to get "discovered" in that setting than in a cattle call audition like a showcase. It then really comes down to how well you and your kid do your jobs.

Absolutely FALSE! The top programs in the country get the top prospects. Those are the kids all the coaches know. The vast majority of kids on those ECNL and GDA programs are not household names and need to be seen in showcases. If the kid wants to go to school within two hours of home, the coaches may come out and see them but not much further than that.

[Unregistered]

This whole false narrative about needing exposure is the same stupid logic that sold the ECNL in the first place. If your kid can actually play at a D1 level prospect, they're not trapped because the college coaches already know about them. They have been hearing about them through the coaches grapevine since the 8th grade and don't forget that if they are that good there is a body of work and resume outside of the GDA/ENCL to prove their worth. Those coaches will come out to practices if they have to so don't fret about going to showcases to be discovered. Your kid's job is to work day in and day out to become the best player they can be. Your job is to accurately target the level where coaches are going to see them as an impact player and then do everything you can to get your kid to their ID clinics and camps. In the end it is far easier to get "discovered" in that setting than in a cattle call audition like a showcase. It then really comes down to how well you and your kid do your jobs.

You are assuming someone wants to go to school locally. I could be wrong, but I am not expecting the college my daughter is looking at that is based in Florida to come to a practice in Massachusetts...

[Unregistered]

Review the rules and if need be contact ECNL leadership - I know trapped 8th graders can play down in the fall while their older HS teammates play HS. It is possible that these kids can play down in a showcase to get exposure. There are very few of them, and really by HS the whole "age" thing really isn't a thing. You can either hang or you can't. I know there's the composite teams where clubs dump odd man out players but coaches don't really go to those games.

If your player has fewer showcase opportunities then they are going to have to get to more ID events. Push your club to make sure she's targeting the right programs and that they help pre-sell her so she's on their short lists. If she is looking at local schools, send them her schedule and they may come watch a local league game. It's going to take more work but isn't impossible, again assuming she targets the right programs that will be interested in what she has to offer them

Nobody said it is impossible. It's just stupid that any kid born in the last 4 or 5 months of the year can't have the same opportunities as those born earlier in the year.

[Unregistered]

Absolutely FALSE! The top programs in the country get the top prospects. Those are the kids all the coaches know. The vast majority of kids on those ECNL and GDA programs are not household names and need to be seen in showcases. If the kid wants to go to school within two hours of home, the coaches may come out and see them but not much further than that.

Please stop drinking the Koolaid, college coaches don't go to showcases to discover new unknown talent, they go to evaluate talent that they have reason to be interested in. There is always a level of awareness by the coach derived either from a player's reputation or a fellow coaches recommendation that is present before they even think about watching a kid play at a showcase. It's a business trip for them, not a fishing expedition. Good recruiters are organized and know who they are there to see. They never

Be wary of the ECNL Koolaid. Once you strip away the false need for exposure, there is really no need to be in that league except for status.