The ECNL Sales Pitch - Fact or Fiction

[Unregistered]

it's not about ecnl, although they're currently the strongest teams. it's about the amount of talent available. there is only enough for a couple regional - nationally competitive teams per age group and it assumes and requires a consolidation of talent. when the consolidation happens the two teams place 40 kids in college, most in d1, plus another 15 or so from secondary teams. when it doesn't, there are typically far fewer total girls committing to D1 programs. compare the current u19 group, with talent consolidated at an early age on three teams with the current 18's or 17's, where other than the u18 stars ecnl team, talent has not really consolidated and you should see what i mean.

How does this work tho when 24 girls travel, inviting all the college coaches to watch them, but only 18 put on a uniform?

[Unregistered]

My daughter should have thrown in the towel at U14 then instead of concentrating, plugging away, and landing on a top D1 soccer team. U13 no odp, low level club team, more interested in ice cream and bean bag dolls. 2 years later the switch flipped.

I'm not a coach. Just a parent with a slightly different perspective.

Big difference between a kid that under achieves because they lack the intensity and one that under achieves because they lack the body.

What level of college program did your daughter end up playing in?

[Unregistered]

How does this work tho when 24 girls travel, inviting all the college coaches to watch them, but only 18 put on a uniform?

Add to that, only 13-14 actually play because of substitution rules and the need to win.

[Unregistered]

Add to that, only 13-14 actually play because of substitution rules and the need to win.

What this tells you is that if you are going to be #16-#24 you should probably go play for NEFC, a wonderful alternative for those just below the top level and who want their club experience and all travel to be free.

[Unregistered]

Not a money grab at all - why would you teach you kids to write off their dreams so easily?

Outside of the top 5 or so, who are fairly well know and fair likely, there are probably 50+ kids at u13 who have the potential to be other 19 of the 2 dozen. The only sure way to know if those kids will make it or not is if you don't give them a chance.

The key ingredient is objectivity. When you are trying to convince parents to partake in a path that is now costing upwards of $10,000 a year you should want them to know exactly what they are getting themselves into and what the potential for success is before they commit. One thing that should be made clear is those 19 that you write about are not going to the much balihooed UCLA's for free like a few are trying to portray, they are actually going to the Bryants and Holy Crosses of the college ranks and not getting all that much in the way athletic aid to go them. The picture that gets painted often is vastly different from the reality that is actually out there,

[Unregistered]

The key ingredient is objectivity. When you are trying to convince parents to partake in a path that is now costing upwards of $10,000 a year you should want them to know exactly what they are getting themselves into and what the potential for success is before they commit. One thing that should be made clear is those 19 that you write about are not going to the much balihooed UCLA's for free like a few are trying to portray, they are actually going to the Bryants and Holy Crosses of the college ranks and not getting all that much in the way athletic aid to go them. The picture that gets painted often is vastly different from the reality that is actually out there,

btdt, you do have stamina. You realize I'm sure that you continue to spout out untruths. You continue to say folks have said things or believe things they have not said. I can assure you that no one or almost no one thinks their kid is going to get a major scholarship to UCLA. You act like you are warning people about things they don't know. For some, going to a Holy Cross even with little to no money will be more than worth it to them. Parents send boys and girls to prep schools for 50K a year too. Your kids go to private school, right? Why do you keep telling lies??? And why are you determined to fight to the death on arguments you started and against ideas that no one has uttered except for you???

[Unregistered]

btdt, this is patently obvious to everyone here now, but the other thing is that you are not a fair fighter. If Stars next year produce the kind of results you now say would count as decent then you will simply tweak your argument and find a way to yet again disparage these other clubs. You frankly have become a laughingstock on this board. In terms of logic you are completely inept. And I have never once seen you concede anything on any topic on any thread, and come back and say you were wrong about something (in a discussion with another poster).

[Unregistered]

The key ingredient is objectivity. When you are trying to convince parents to partake in a path that is now costing upwards of $10,000 a year you should want them to know exactly what they are getting themselves into and what the potential for success is before they commit. One thing that should be made clear is those 19 that you write about are not going to the much balihooed UCLA's for free like a few are trying to portray, they are actually going to the Bryants and Holy Crosses of the college ranks and not getting all that much in the way athletic aid to go them. The picture that gets painted often is vastly different from the reality that is actually out there,

I am actually in disbelief that you can just make up a figure like $10,000.00 Our ECNL experience cost less than half that amount, and was only slightly higher than our previous experience last year when we played NERP. By the way, my kid only wants to go to school on the east coast and will be very happy attending a school much like Bryant and Holy Cross. Oh, and she will have a very substantial scholarship to boot.
Please stop with all the misinformation and be happy for the kids who achieve their dreams.

[Unregistered]

Add to that, only 13-14 actually play because of substitution rules and the need to win.

Either you are spreading lies, or you just don't know what you are talking about.

There were 19 on the roster with 1 player injured most of the year.

Every game all 18 on the game roster played. Almost always 35 minutes or more (of 40 minute games). There were a couple of exceptions, usually due to injury or rehab.

Sub rules help with playing time. By not allowing reentry, subs expect they will be in for the remainder of the half, instead of a bunch of short shifts, looking over their shoulder every mistake.

Pressure to win in the ECNL is lower. Very few games are critical. Don't get me wrong everybody plays to win, but there are very few make or break games.

[Unregistered]

The key ingredient is objectivity. When you are trying to convince parents to partake in a path that is now costing upwards of $10,000 a year you should want them to know exactly what they are getting themselves into and what the potential for success is before they commit. One thing that should be made clear is those 19 that you write about are not going to the much balihooed UCLA's for free like a few are trying to portray, they are actually going to the Bryants and Holy Crosses of the college ranks and not getting all that much in the way athletic aid to go them. The picture that gets painted often is vastly different from the reality that is actually out there,

I'm not trying to convince anyone to take a path. It is you who insist that a d1 dream is futile if you are not one of the fastest 2-3 players on your team by age 13. What nonsense.

There is a lot more to the desire to play d1 soccer than UCLA and scholarships. These girls want to play the best soccer they can play and athletic aid has nothing to do with the picture.

Whay do you want people to think the dream is impossible when it really isn't with a little luck, a little talent and a lot of hard work?

[Unregistered]

Every game all 18 on the game roster played. Almost always 35 minutes or more (of 40 minute games). There were a couple of exceptions, usually due to injury or rehab.

Come again, please? I'm assuming you mean 40-minute HALVEs, but even so, it is mathematcially impossible for a team of more than 12 players to have everyone play 35 minutes of each 40-minute half.

[Unregistered]

btdt, you do have stamina. You realize I'm sure that you continue to spout out untruths. You continue to say folks have said things or believe things they have not said. I can assure you that no one or almost no one thinks their kid is going to get a major scholarship to UCLA. You act like you are warning people about things they don't know. For some, going to a Holy Cross even with little to no money will be more than worth it to them. Parents send boys and girls to prep schools for 50K a year too. Your kids go to private school, right? Why do you keep telling lies??? And why are you determined to fight to the death on arguments you started and against ideas that no one has uttered except for you???

$2000 - Teem fee (includes team fund)
$1500 - ODP
$2400 ($1200 x 2 - Distance Tournaments -$650 air, $250 hotel, $150 car, $100 meals, $50 gas & tolls)
$2000 ($500 x 4 - Local Tournaments - $250 hotel, $100 meals, $150 gas & tolls)
$1300 ($50 x 26 - Private trainer)
$650 ($25 x 26 - Conditioning coach)
$250 - Uniforms and equipment
$1300 ($50 x 26 - Gas and tolls)
______
$11,400

Slice, dice and throw out all you want. It adds up and it sure aint a drop in the bucket.

[Unregistered]

Either you are spreading lies, or you just don't know what you are talking about.

There were 19 on the roster with 1 player injured most of the year.

Every game all 18 on the game roster played. Almost always 35 minutes or more (of 40 minute games). There were a couple of exceptions, usually due to injury or rehab.

Sub rules help with playing time. By not allowing reentry, subs expect they will be in for the remainder of the half, instead of a bunch of short shifts, looking over their shoulder every mistake.

Pressure to win in the ECNL is lower. Very few games are critical. Don't get me wrong everybody plays to win, but there are very few make or break games.

If your player is accustomed to playing 70+ minutes a game why would you switch to a situation where they would play any less than that. After U14 all leagues do not allow reentry in a half. The politics behind this are not simple math.

[Unregistered]

Big difference between a kid that under achieves because they lack the intensity and one that under achieves because they lack the body.

What level of college program did your daughter end up playing in?

When she lacked drive, she lacked, to borrow your phrase, "the body". Even though she had superior vision, skills and technique, she was overlooked by ODP evaluators. She luckily wasn't overlooked by a top club, and the competition to earn playing time and play well drove her to work on all aspects of her game so much that she landed at a D1 program.

[Unregistered]

If your player is accustomed to playing 70+ minutes a game why would you switch to a situation where they would play any less than that. After U14 all leagues do not allow reentry in a half. The politics behind this are not simple math.

what would be preferable--I think for most players, 50 minutes of playing time against a high caliber opponent would trump 70 or more minutes of playing time against an average or below average opponent