Future of the New England Girls NPL

[Unregistered]

Please. NEFC, through the Breakers, will now have GDAP and ECNL to siphon off all of the NPL talent. And in the NE, NEFC was the only quality program. And, the ECNL has added a slew of top NPL clubs into their league going forward this year and next. The numbers don't lie. The NPL will fade.

NEFC will have nothing next year except NPL. Breakers have the DAP on their name alone and cannot be in the ECNL as well. NEFC cannot get in the ECNL with their second teams so will be stuck in NPL minus their best players that will have left to Breakers GDAP and parts unknown for the exposure they need. The NPL will become even weaker with the loss of NEFC top teams and Oakwood.

[Unregistered]

NEFC will have nothing next year except NPL. Breakers have the DAP on their name alone and cannot be in the ECNL as well. NEFC cannot get in the ECNL with their second teams so will be stuck in NPL minus their best players that will have left to Breakers GDAP and parts unknown for the exposure they need. The NPL will become even weaker with the loss of NEFC top teams and Oakwood.

Why can't the Breakers be in the ECNL as well? I find it hard to believe that the ECNL is going to be a one year stint for them.

[Unregistered]

Not the poster but when speaking in generalities about the leagues overall I agree NPL will be the loser in this situation. Of course there will be local variations depending the clubs involved, but even some top NPL clubs are going to lose top players. Few can provide the same level of exposure as ECNL or GDA. College coaches can only shop so many venues as well. If they think the quality of competition is declining in NPL it will be harder for an NPL player to get their attention. Yes I know coaches shop for players. But playing in a top league gives you pass through the first door into their office.

The NPL will end up being the winner simply because it isn't a national league and doesn't mandate national travel which the parents of that next tier player who will become it's core player will realize gives them much more flexibility to target their marketing efforts specifically to the college coaches that will be most interested in them. Makes no sense to travel all the way across the country when a non ECNL tournament like NEWSS right in their back yard will put them in front of the coaches they are going to want to be in front of. The ECNL is going to have to morph into something other than what it is now if it wishes to remain relevant.

[Unregistered]

The NPL will end up being the winner simply because it isn't a national league and doesn't mandate national travel which the parents of that next tier player who will become it's core player will realize gives them much more flexibility to target their marketing efforts specifically to the college coaches that will be most interested in them. Makes no sense to travel all the way across the country when a non ECNL tournament like NEWSS right in their back yard will put them in front of the coaches they are going to want to be in front of. The ECNL is going to have to morph into something other than what it is now if it wishes to remain relevant.

What part of National Premier League don't you understand, snowflake?

[Unregistered]

What part of National Premier League don't you understand, snowflake?

Thank you. I was wondering the same thing. Part of NPL's problem is that it is a mashup of different and inconsistent regions. ECNL truly is a national platform and that is why will it remain the solid #2 choice, NPL #3. For all it's flaws ECNL has shown (will continue to show even with GDA) it offers a path to college soccer (with BDA/GDA being the path to top D1 college soccer). NPL cannot do that - it isn't even doing it now. In the end families are far more about that then almost the soccer itself.

[Unregistered]

Why can't the Breakers be in the ECNL as well? I find it hard to believe that the ECNL is going to be a one year stint for them.

The ECNL has allowed only 11 of its current member clubs (including Stars and PDA), based on performance, to compete in both GDA and ECNL. The rest of the current ECNL clubs of this season have had to choose between ECNL and GDA application. That's why there have been a rash of clubs dropping from the original GDA list to remain in the ECNL after the ECNL announcement. Breakers (not NEFC) have the choice of GDA or ECNL, but not both. They have been touted as a GDA club in announcements so one can infer they have chosen not to play ECNL next season. NEFC are not in the mix as they have neither an ECNL spot or an GDA invitation. If in doubt, ask your club directly.

[Unregistered]

What part of National Premier League don't you understand, snowflake?

The ECNL is a true national league that requires you to travel across the country in order to participate. It is similar to the USYS national league and will stagnate just like that league has for the same reasons - cost. The NPL is a national league in name only. What it really is, is just a bunch of regional leagues all flying the USCS banner. The reason why it will succeed and the ECNL will fail is because once the Stars leave the ECNL (and they will have to if they wish to remain in the DA) it will be seen as just a very expensive second tier league with a bunch of suspect clubs like FCB in it. Contrary to the hype found the DA WILL have the best players playing in it and those clubs will then place their next tier down players in the NPL because it will the only option available. When you combine those clubs with what already exists in the NPL that will make the NPL the strongest regional league around here. Much stronger than what the ECNL will have left in it so when parents look at the superior competition and the cost, they'll pull their players from the ECNL clubs. Bye bye ECNL.

[Unregistered]

The ECNL is a true national league that requires you to travel across the country in order to participate. It is similar to the USYS national league and will stagnate just like that league has for the same reasons - cost. The NPL is a national league in name only. What it really is, is just a bunch of regional leagues all flying the USCS banner. The reason why it will succeed and the ECNL will fail is because once the Stars leave the ECNL (and they will have to if they wish to remain in the DA) it will be seen as just a very expensive second tier league with a bunch of suspect clubs like FCB in it. Contrary to the hype found the DA WILL have the best players playing in it and those clubs will then place their next tier down players in the NPL because it will the only option available. When you combine those clubs with what already exists in the NPL that will make the NPL the strongest regional league around here. Much stronger than what the ECNL will have left in it so when parents look at the superior competition and the cost, they'll pull their players from the ECNL clubs. Bye bye ECNL.

So let me get this straight. The fate of ECNL lies in the hands of the Stars?

WOW, you folks really need to stop banging your cousins and get out of your state once in a while.

[Unregistered]

The ECNL is a true national league that requires you to travel across the country in order to participate. It is similar to the USYS national league and will stagnate just like that league has for the same reasons - cost. The NPL is a national league in name only. What it really is, is just a bunch of regional leagues all flying the USCS banner. The reason why it will succeed and the ECNL will fail is because once the Stars leave the ECNL (and they will have to if they wish to remain in the DA) it will be seen as just a very expensive second tier league with a bunch of suspect clubs like FCB in it. Contrary to the hype found the DA WILL have the best players playing in it and those clubs will then place their next tier down players in the NPL because it will the only option available. When you combine those clubs with what already exists in the NPL that will make the NPL the strongest regional league around here. Much stronger than what the ECNL will have left in it so when parents look at the superior competition and the cost, they'll pull their players from the ECNL clubs. Bye bye ECNL.

Correction: Stars will not have to leave the ECNL if they wish to remain in the DA. They will be in both GDA and ECNL.

[Unregistered]

Correction: Stars will not have to leave the ECNL if they wish to remain in the DA. They will be in both GDA and ECNL.

Think through the practicality of that. The Stars are going to have to support the DA over the ECNL if they want to stay in the DA. Just the politics of the situation. USSF will probably give them a bye for a year or two but eventually all the ECNL clubs will be asked to pick a side. That means that they will have to move their best players out of the ECNL and into the DA and that will create an imbalance where they would end up putting their "B" teams up against other club's "A" teams. Does anyone really expect JD to allow his teams to be bottom dwellers? No, he'll do the practical thing and switch his "B" teams over to the NPL to compete against the "B" teams from other clubs like NEFC.

[Unregistered]

Vast majority of clubs could never support both GDA and ECNL regardless of politics or being forced to pick a side. There's just not enough talent and too many clubs - don't forget GDA is almost as big as ECNL. Where are all these top players and coaches going to come from?

[Unregistered]

I think Stars and Breakers/NEFC are playing chicken with each other right now in regards to GDAP and ECNL. Each is waiting to see what the other does (choose one over the other), and will react accordingly...most likely choosing the other to fill that space. Spring should be interesting.

And to the jamoke who keeps posting about NEFC not having GDAP or ECNL... anyone who knows anything about girls youth soccer in this area, knows that is in legal naming rights only. To deny the fact that the Breakers ECNL teams are not defacto the old NEFC Elite teams and still remain the top of the NEFC youth soccer pyramid, is just a disgruntled Stars or FCB parent/coach. Who knows what exactly will happen in the 2017/2018 year, but that's the truth of the situation now. Might as well come to terms with it. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.

[Unregistered]

Vast majority of clubs could never support both GDA and ECNL regardless of politics or being forced to pick a side. There's just not enough talent and too many clubs - don't forget GDA is almost as big as ECNL. Where are all these top players and coaches going to come from?

Soccer was played before the ECNL came along and it survived and it will survive the GDA as well.

[Unregistered]

Think through the practicality of that. The Stars are going to have to support the DA over the ECNL if they want to stay in the DA. Just the politics of the situation. USSF will probably give them a bye for a year or two but eventually all the ECNL clubs will be asked to pick a side. That means that they will have to move their best players out of the ECNL and into the DA and that will create an imbalance where they would end up putting their "B" teams up against other club's "A" teams. Does anyone really expect JD to allow his teams to be bottom dwellers? No, he'll do the practical thing and switch his "B" teams over to the NPL to compete against the "B" teams from other clubs like NEFC.

Time will tell and Stars will have the ability to make the best move for them or continue in both. Breakers will have to choose earlier i.e. now. NEFC have no choice whatsoever and could be at the mercy of not only Breakers pillaging their best players for GDA but Stars and FC Boston taking the players from NEFC that don't want to give up HS soccer (a mandate of the GDA) and want a higher college exposure through the ECNL. Shifting landscapes for sure.

[Unregistered]

Not the poster but when speaking in generalities about the leagues overall I agree NPL will be the loser in this situation. Of course there will be local variations depending the clubs involved, but even some top NPL clubs are going to lose top players. Few can provide the same level of exposure as ECNL or GDA. College coaches can only shop so many venues as well. If they think the quality of competition is declining in NPL it will be harder for an NPL player to get their attention. Yes I know coaches shop for players. But playing in a top league gives you pass through the first door into their office.

You are making this too complicated. Top D1 schools will recruit DA and ECNL players. Top D2 & D3 schools will recruit NPL and other top teams on premier teams. Not rocket science needed to understand how the system works. There are exceptions to the rules depending on needs and abilities.