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    #61
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    The notion that playing DA or ECNL automatically makes you a better player is foolish. A few months ago several DA teams were playing in the NPL, now that they have put on the DA patch, they have become better players?
    Yes, they have. US Soccer says they're now the best of the best.

    Comment


      #62
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      The notion that playing DA or ECNL automatically makes you a better player is foolish. A few months ago several DA teams were playing in the NPL, now that they have put on the DA patch, they have become better players?
      Of course not.

      But, will they be better players in 6-12 months. Absolutely.

      A college coach told me that the biggest reason that they want kids at the higher levels is because the speed of the game at DA or ECNL makes it easier to adapt to college play. If you are a great player at your level but the level is slow paced then you will get run over in college. The college coaches don't have the time or don't want to take the risk for a kid that can't keep up with the ball movement.

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        #63
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        Of course not.

        But, will they be better players in 6-12 months. Absolutely.

        A college coach told me that the biggest reason that they want kids at the higher levels is because the speed of the game at DA or ECNL makes it easier to adapt to college play. If you are a great player at your level but the level is slow paced then you will get run over in college. The college coaches don't have the time or don't want to take the risk for a kid that can't keep up with the ball movement.
        You need to read back a page. I think someone already addressed the speed of play issue. Basically not a huge difference between mid pack ECNL & DA teams and Mid to top NPL teams. Keep an eye on the Jeff cup results this weekend... lots of NPL vs ECNL match ups. I don’t think the outcomes will be lopsided as you ECNL sycophants expect.

        Comment


          #64
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Of course not.

          But, will they be better players in 6-12 months. Absolutely.

          A college coach told me that the biggest reason that they want kids at the higher levels is because the speed of the game at DA or ECNL makes it easier to adapt to college play. If you are a great player at your level but the level is slow paced then you will get run over in college. The college coaches don't have the time or don't want to take the risk for a kid that can't keep up with the ball movement.
          What a crock. These teams have the same players with the exact same coaches. I guarantee in 6-12 months they play the NPL teams they were playing just a few months ago the results would be similar.

          Comment


            #65
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            What a crock. These teams have the same players with the exact same coaches. I guarantee in 6-12 months they play the NPL teams they were playing just a few months ago the results would be similar.
            The only difference between the DA and all of the other leagues is the amount of training time the DA players are SUPPOSED to be putting in. Over time that will result in a better player. They have to actually do it though.

            Comment


              #66
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              What a crock. These teams have the same players with the exact same coaches. I guarantee in 6-12 months they play the NPL teams they were playing just a few months ago the results would be similar.
              Girls soccer is girls soccer regardless of the league. The talent is much more balanced.

              On the boys side I can tell you that playing DC United, the Montreal Impact, the Seattle Sounders and the New York Red Bull’s is a completely different level.

              Comment


                #67
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                With some top clubs dropping DA and going all in for ECNL is it true that ECNL has the best “top” clubs and the most depth? I’m very familiar with the northeast but no idea the difference nationally, if any.

                Maybe more important...if your d is looking to play college ball does it matter which league? Guessing coaches are showing up to most worthwhile showcase events

                Full transparency..no troll, DA parent considering a switch.
                Neither ECNL or DA are the top clubs. The top are in Europe, South America, and increasingly Asia. Already on average 25% of men’s and 17% of women’s college teams are international players, and on some teams, those numbers are double. You’ll just continue to see those %’s increase. College coaches keep going abroad to find talent because the clubs here are not producing it.

                Comment


                  #68
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Neither ECNL or DA are the top clubs. The top are in Europe, South America, and increasingly Asia. Already on average 25% of men’s and 17% of women’s college teams are international players, and on some teams, those numbers are double. You’ll just continue to see those %’s increase. College coaches keep going abroad to find talent because the clubs here are not producing it.
                  Zzzzz

                  Comment


                    #69
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    The only difference between the DA and all of the other leagues is the amount of training time the DA players are SUPPOSED to be putting in. Over time that will result in a better player. They have to actually do it though.
                    Number of practices, playing 10 months out of 12, and the ratio of games to practices (i.e. more meaningful games).

                    Well meaning, but won't move the needle in terms of developing smarter soccer players. Why? Most clubs struggle to put on 3 practices per week and players are lucky if they get to 3 practices per week, especially in HS. All the teams my kid has been on very few players made all three practices every week consistently and most weren't doing additional soccer elsewhere, so 3 was the max and it wasn't consistent. The kids who are moving the needle in terms of development were playing and training 5 days per week.

                    Also, it comes down to content. What are the kids being taught? Here's an example of what I see in most clubs, including ECNL and DA: 4 teams squeezed on one full-sized soccer field. No one using the big nets because there are only 2 and the fields are split in 1/4. Small-sided games are fine for a warm-up are activation activity, but at some point, you need a half a field (or at least 1/3) and a full-size net. You need players in their respective positions for the formation(s) you use. Whether it's defending, attacking, transition, set pieces, whatever... at some point, you need the space of the big field for the patterns, movements, runs, and most importantly, scale. Your GK's need a full size net and lines so they can accurately and consistently use the correct markers for their line and angles, when to come out, etc. Small nets or cones doesn't cut it. You play the way you train so train the way you play.

                    In this country, the clubs are too concerned with packing teams into as small a field space as possible to save money. Go watch an academy HS-aged team overseas train. You'll start to get the idea of what I'm talking about. Soccer IQ starts with coaching and training content and that requires a coach to have the space and the time and understanding to coach the correct topics in the correct way. Do we play on a 1/4 of a field? Do we play with half-size nets or pug nets? Do we play with kick-ins? No. So why are we constantly using these things? Because we have to make do with what we have.

                    Saw a coach the other day training a group of kids on a 1/4 of a field how to play out the back, only he only had the space (and numbers) to only use 2 backs. Great idea, but if you play a 4-3-3 the outside backs and center backs have different roles, movements, and passing options. You really should have 4 backs, or at least 3, to get players to understand how, when and where to move and pass and the space to make that happen. US gets short-changed in a lot of ways, and this is one.

                    Comment


                      #70
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Zzzzz
                      #truth. The NCAA D1 winner had 7 or 8 international players this year and D2 had even more than that. International players are still smaller percentage in women's soccer but growing fast. The problem is I think it will hit a wall at some point. There aren't as many highly trained female players as here are men. But top programs will keep shopping abroad

                      Comment


                        #71
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        You need to read back a page. I think someone already addressed the speed of play issue. Basically not a huge difference between mid pack ECNL & DA teams and Mid to top NPL teams. Keep an eye on the Jeff cup results this weekend... lots of NPL vs ECNL match ups. I don’t think the outcomes will be lopsided as you ECNL sycophants expect.
                        MY kids ECNL team is playing 3 non-ECNL teams. Since we don't do Got Soccer events we have very few points and got put a bracket or two lower than we should have, but meh. Jeff Cup isn't a huge deal with two ECNL showcases and Nationals coming up. I'm curious to see how we do vs NPL teams. We shall see tomorrow.

                        Comment


                          #72
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Number of practices, playing 10 months out of 12, and the ratio of games to practices (i.e. more meaningful games).

                          Well meaning, but won't move the needle in terms of developing smarter soccer players. Why? Most clubs struggle to put on 3 practices per week and players are lucky if they get to 3 practices per week, especially in HS. All the teams my kid has been on very few players made all three practices every week consistently and most weren't doing additional soccer elsewhere, so 3 was the max and it wasn't consistent. The kids who are moving the needle in terms of development were playing and training 5 days per week.

                          Also, it comes down to content. What are the kids being taught? Here's an example of what I see in most clubs, including ECNL and DA: 4 teams squeezed on one full-sized soccer field. No one using the big nets because there are only 2 and the fields are split in 1/4. Small-sided games are fine for a warm-up are activation activity, but at some point, you need a half a field (or at least 1/3) and a full-size net. You need players in their respective positions for the formation(s) you use. Whether it's defending, attacking, transition, set pieces, whatever... at some point, you need the space of the big field for the patterns, movements, runs, and most importantly, scale. Your GK's need a full size net and lines so they can accurately and consistently use the correct markers for their line and angles, when to come out, etc. Small nets or cones doesn't cut it. You play the way you train so train the way you play.

                          In this country, the clubs are too concerned with packing teams into as small a field space as possible to save money. Go watch an academy HS-aged team overseas train. You'll start to get the idea of what I'm talking about. Soccer IQ starts with coaching and training content and that requires a coach to have the space and the time and understanding to coach the correct topics in the correct way. Do we play on a 1/4 of a field? Do we play with half-size nets or pug nets? Do we play with kick-ins? No. So why are we constantly using these things? Because we have to make do with what we have.

                          Saw a coach the other day training a group of kids on a 1/4 of a field how to play out the back, only he only had the space (and numbers) to only use 2 backs. Great idea, but if you play a 4-3-3 the outside backs and center backs have different roles, movements, and passing options. You really should have 4 backs, or at least 3, to get players to understand how, when and where to move and pass and the space to make that happen. US gets short-changed in a lot of ways, and this is one.
                          If that is the case you should switch clubs. I have a kid at an academy club but he is not at academy age yet. Most of the kids make the 3x practices per week and they also do futsal or some other training. And at the practice they always have the whole field whether it is indoor or outdoor. The bad thing about US soccer is it costs so much but it is also a good thing. If you aren't getting what you are paying for then go to the club that does. The market will force the clubs to either change or go out of business.

                          Comment


                            #73
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            MY kids ECNL team is playing 3 non-ECNL teams. Since we don't do Got Soccer events we have very few points and got put a bracket or two lower than we should have, but meh. Jeff Cup isn't a huge deal with two ECNL showcases and Nationals coming up. I'm curious to see how we do vs NPL teams. We shall see tomorrow.
                            Jeff Cup organizers don't solely rely on gotsoccer points, that's why the top brackets usually are at least half ECNL teams (that also don't get many got soccer points).

                            Comment


                              #74
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              MY kids ECNL team is playing 3 non-ECNL teams. Since we don't do Got Soccer events we have very few points and got put a bracket or two lower than we should have, but meh. Jeff Cup isn't a huge deal with two ECNL showcases and Nationals coming up. I'm curious to see how we do vs NPL teams. We shall see tomorrow.
                              Jeff Cup is a pretty big deal, just look at the list of coaches attending.

                              Comment


                                #75
                                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                                Jeff Cup is a pretty big deal, just look at the list of coaches attending.
                                It's a bigger deal for non ECNL teams, less so for ECNL teams that have their own well atteneded showcases. If you're not in GDA or ECNL then this is a great event.

                                Comment

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