Ecnl finals score board here-

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You are highlighting the issue surely. Why risk losing games to develop all your players? Unless you take the long view, which very few do, you are probably going to use the players that win you as many games as possible.

It all comes down to what you see as the main objective of the process and what you consider success.

If the goal is to develop greater numbers of College level players who have the option of attending better and better Colleges becasue of soccer, then you accept these games for what they are and the role they play and move on. If you really want to focus your energy on winning the games, then perhaps you do things a little differently.


I dont see these teams who make the finals as being any better than many others so Im not sure I put the same significance on the results as many do. A bounce here and a bounce there is usually the deciding factor.

I agree, but unfortunately the culture is all about winning. And to be fair, a lot of it is driven by the parents. I've watched numerous parents push to have their kid on the "top" team . Their kid gets there and sits on the bench, when they would have been much better served staying on the "b" team, playing, and continuing to develop. Parents love to say my kid's team is playing at "Nationals" or traveling here or there for tournaments. Who cares if your kid isn't developing? Eventually the women's college teams will be filled with international players who focus on development, then it will begin to matter.

[Unregistered]

I agree, but unfortunately the culture is all about winning. And to be fair, a lot of it is driven by the parents. I've watched numerous parents push to have their kid on the "top" team . Their kid gets there and sits on the bench, when they would have been much better served staying on the "b" team, playing, and continuing to develop. Parents love to say my kid's team is playing at "Nationals" or traveling here or there for tournaments. Who cares if your kid isn't developing? Eventually the women's college teams will be filled with international players who focus on development, then it will begin to matter.

Your PoV is interesting re the internationals. Its already starting to gain momentum at some very good schools. FSAu have done it for a while, but when other top ACC schools start to do it we should pay attention.

For me you can break the elite recruiting out from the rest, but there will be a trickle down unless we develop better players. The West coast is largely its own animal. If you look at the elite schools that are more East Coast relevant, we collectively produce very few kids who a get in and even fewer who make an impact.

[Unregistered]

You are highlighting the issue surely. Why risk losing games to develop all your players? Unless you take the long view, which very few do, you are probably going to use the players that win you as many games as possible.

It all comes down to what you see as the main objective of the process and what you consider success.

If the goal is to develop greater numbers of College level players who have the option of attending better and better Colleges becasue of soccer, then you accept these games for what they are and the role they play and move on. If you really want to focus your energy on winning the games, then perhaps you do things a little differently.


I dont see these teams who make the finals as being any better than many others so Im not sure I put the same significance on the results as many do. A bounce here and a bounce there is usually the deciding factor.

The goal of USSF is not about developing college soccer players - it's about developing NT players. The goals for most DA players is to play in college. When you have two sides with very different goals and objectives, the likelihood of someone being unhappy goes up exponentially

[Unregistered]

The goal of USSF is not about developing college soccer players - it's about developing NT players. The goals for most DA players is to play in college. When you have two sides with very different goals and objectives, the likelihood of someone being unhappy goes up exponentially

I disagree. I would make a subtle but clear distinction. The USSF ARE trying to develop players and they are hoping that some become NT standard. They do realize that College plays a big part.

I dont think the goals and objectives are that different. I know you will probably cite the redshirting for the U-20 WC as evidence to the contrary, but Im not sure I agree.


I dont think the ECNL are preparing kids to play in College. They are providing a platform for recruiting.

[Unregistered]

ECNL finals or any finals is not about development, it's about winning. The goal is not to make sure Mia has a few minutes in every half, it's to win the national championship, above all else. Every coach at every club will play their best players for as long as they can to achieve this end.

[Unregistered]

ECNL finals or any finals is not about development, it's about winning. The goal is not to make sure Mia has a few minutes in every half, it's to win the national championship, above all else. Every coach at every club will play their best players for as long as they can to achieve this end.

A comment was made that the teams with the most "rugged" bench are those that end up winning. If you are developing "all" your players appropriately then when little Mia gets injured you have someone who can come in and play at that level. The championship should be about winning, but the remainder of the season should be about developing all your players, so they can be used if the starters are injured.

[Unregistered]

A comment was made that the teams with the most "rugged" bench are those that end up winning. If you are developing "all" your players appropriately then when little Mia gets injured you have someone who can come in and play at that level. The championship should be about winning, but the remainder of the season should be about developing all your players, so they can be used if the starters are injured.

I dont think its possible to be that black/white. You dont suddenly go into game winning mode. A coach is usually one or the other.

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I dont think its possible to be that black/white. You dont suddenly go into game winning mode. A coach is usually one or the other.

This. I've seem coaches who were hyperfocussed on the to the detriment of players on the bench at u11/12. You think that coach is all of a sudden going to be concerned about development? Nope. The coaches who care about the win over anything else are mostly concerned with their own record.

[Unregistered]

This. I've seem coaches who were hyperfocussed on the to the detriment of players on the bench at u11/12. You think that coach is all of a sudden going to be concerned about development? Nope. The coaches who care about the win over anything else are mostly concerned with their own record.

The unfortunate part is that parents leave their kid on teams like this. They would rather have their kid sit on the bench of an "a" team than play and develop on a "b" team. I kept my daughter down several years in a row because I knew she wasn't going to get the same development (style/coaching) on the "a" team. Best decision we ever made as she has now passed many of those players, as she built her confidence and continued to develop with a great coach at a lower level. As the parent you have the option of walking away from that environment.....

[Unregistered]

I disagree. I would make a subtle but clear distinction. The USSF ARE trying to develop players and they are hoping that some become NT standard. They do realize that College plays a big part.

I dont think the goals and objectives are that different. I know you will probably cite the redshirting for the U-20 WC as evidence to the contrary, but Im not sure I agree.


I dont think the ECNL are preparing kids to play in College. They are providing a platform for recruiting.

So you have spoken to the USSF yourself to validate your claim?

[Unregistered]

APRIL HEINRICHS: In our vision statement, the No. 1 thing we stay focused on is developing players for the women’s national team, which is very hard to predict at ages 15, 16, 17.

https://www.socceramerica.com/articl...velopment.html

So you have spoken to the USSF yourself to validate your claim?