ECNL and GA club changes - official announcements

[Guest]

There's good teams all over and good players scattered across the leagues. My D plays ECNL but knows some very good players on GA teams. Having chatted with their parents, they all seem to acknowledge that the difference is mostly down to depth. My D will be going to school with a number of kids from both leagues. It really should just be one big league where they can drop some of the dead weight like Stars White, FSA, and Oakwood.

[Guest]

Think about that when you're driving 45 minutes to an hour each way to practice on some ECNL team that most likely will get shelled by California and Texas clubs when it actually matters at the end of the season.

Why is it that in MA the assumption is that no one can hang with Cali or Texas but looking at last year Worldclass who is in NY played and beat California and Texas teams in playoffs and then just had pretty close games vs Solar and DKSC this weekend. Why do MA teams act like it isn't possible to compete when it is? If WC can be competitive then Stars can.

[Guest]

Why is it that in MA the assumption is that no one can hang with Cali or Texas but looking at last year Worldclass who is in NY played and beat California and Texas teams in playoffs and then just had pretty close games vs Solar and DKSC this weekend. Why do MA teams act like it isn't possible to compete when it is? If WC can be competitive then Stars can.

It's because California and Texas teams practice 4 days a week year round and so does all the local competition around them.

If ALL the MA soccer teams I'm talking not just GA and ECNL could practice year round MA might have a chance.

[Guest]

Also the top GA my kid plays for practices 10 minutes from our house. ;-)

Think about that when you're driving 45 minutes to an hour each way to practice on some ECNL team that most likely will get shelled by California and Texas clubs when it actually matters at the end of the season.

And there we have it. GA Daddy loves his commute, but hates ECNL has higher status. That explains a lot.

[Guest]

It's because California and Texas teams practice 4 days a week year round and so does all the local competition around them.

If ALL the MA soccer teams I'm talking not just GA and ECNL could practice year round MA might have a chance.

My kid has been practicing at least five days a week all winter, some days on her own outdoors because the fields have been clear. Plus some weight training or conditioning. It's not just the weather, it's also that the training model for MA clubs doesn't support more days per week, because the kids with the commitment to do that are spread across 5-10 teams in 4-5 leagues.

But what the top MA teams really need to do to get good is to play each other, instead of the weak teams in their leagues. There are maybe 1-2 very good teams in each of about 4-5 different leagues.

[Guest]

My kid has been practicing at least five days a week all winter, some days on her own outdoors because the fields have been clear. Plus some weight training or conditioning. It's not just the weather, it's also that the training model for MA clubs doesn't support more days per week, because the kids with the commitment to do that are spread across 5-10 teams in 4-5 leagues.

But what the top MA teams really need to do to get good is to play each other, instead of the weak teams in their leagues. There are maybe 1-2 very good teams in each of about 4-5 different leagues.

If MA top level teams played each other (both GA and ECNL) and you practiced 4x a week you might have a chance. But what you’re not seeing is ALL the CA and TX teams play 4x a week year round not just the top teams. This is the difference

When a CA or TX team goes shopping for new players any team or league is going to be practicing 4x a week year round. Or at the very least they know that players understand what’s expected and don’t question it.

[Guest]

If MA top level teams played each other (both GA and ECNL) and you practiced 4x a week you might have a chance. But what you’re not seeing is ALL the CA and TX teams play 4x a week year round not just the top teams. This is the difference

When a CA or TX team goes shopping for new players any team or league is going to be practicing 4x a week year round. Or at the very least they know that players understand what’s expected and don’t question it.

And yet we get the occasional MA kids on national teams.

[Guest]

4x a week trainings is a must to get to the next level. I’ll add, our friends in CA tell us their players are given Coach assessments 3x a year, they develop and individualized player development plan. The players train two hours a day 4x a week. They watch as a team game videos and discuss. They include agility training weekly. Lots of ways we could improve. Each national coach has an assistant too.

[Guest]

And yet we get the occasional MA kids on national teams.

Um...because NT kids are freaks of nature who largely develop themselves

[Guest]

4x a week trainings is a must to get to the next level. I’ll add, our friends in CA tell us their players are given Coach assessments 3x a year, they develop and individualized player development plan. The players train two hours a day 4x a week. They watch as a team game videos and discuss. They include agility training weekly. Lots of ways we could improve. Each national coach has an assistant too.

California parent. Having a head coach and assistant coach both working with the team at the same time during games is very nice. In our case the head coach focuses on what's happing on the field providing instant feedback to players when needed. The assistant coach sits on the bench with the players explaining what they did well, why the head coach made certain decisions, and how to improve. In the background our DOC is taking notes and watching without commenting and sometimes the club owner is doing the same. Feels very professional and our record reflects the coaches efforts.

The coaches DOC and club owner can do this because they all have 1-2 teams and when the top teams are playing at another clubs fields since they have to be there all day anyway, they just all coach together instead of standing around waiting for their teams time to play.

[Guest]

4x a week trainings is a must to get to the next level. I’ll add, our friends in CA tell us their players are given Coach assessments 3x a year, they develop and individualized player development plan. The players train two hours a day 4x a week. They watch as a team game videos and discuss. They include agility training weekly. Lots of ways we could improve. Each national coach has an assistant too.

And their doctors provide HGH injections 3/week.

[Guest]

It's because California and Texas teams practice 4 days a week year round and so does all the local competition around them.

If ALL the MA soccer teams I'm talking not just GA and ECNL could practice year round MA might have a chance.

Is NY weather really that different? WHy does WC play these teams closely and get some W's but everyone here assumes there's no way Stars could ever do the same, despite always playing worldclass really closely over the past few years? It is like people throw in the towel vs Cali/Texas before the first kick of the ball.

[Guest]

Is NY weather really that different? WHy does WC play these teams closely and get some W's but everyone here assumes there's no way Stars could ever do the same, despite always playing worldclass really closely over the past few years? It is like people throw in the towel vs Cali/Texas before the first kick of the ball.

Indoor facilities?

[Guest]

Indoor facilities?

Stars trains pretty close to year round at their facility so not sure indoor facility really plays into the equation.

[Guest]

Stars trains pretty close to year round at their facility so not sure indoor facility really plays into the equation.

so they train outside in the snow ?