ECNL-DA club jumping season is upon us

[Unregistered]

While these clubs don’t affect our Region, it’s still interesting that Real Colorado,a big club that has produced Nat’l team players and colleges players, only a year ago dropped ECNL in favor or DA. Now they reverse course so you have to wonder what drove that decision.

That’s right Real was bitching last year as it was Harassed by ECNL for fielding substandard teams and the DOC went public to a bunch of newspapers.

Lorne Donaldson was back then saying how majority of his players preferred GDA. Right now he says the reverse.

[Unregistered]

When Solar goes all in ECNL the GDA frontier conference is toast. If Top Hat accepts the rumored two team deal to move to ECNL the south East conference will be in even worse shape.

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A for effort, but C+ for execution. One too many syllables in the first line, one too few in the last.

Ever heard of the Grateful Dead?

[Unregistered]

While these clubs don’t affect our Region, it’s still interesting that Real Colorado,a big club that has produced Nat’l team players and colleges players, only a year ago dropped ECNL in favor or DA. Now they reverse course so you have to wonder what drove that decision.

The DA and ECNL should merge.


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[Unregistered]

That’s right Real was bitching last year as it was Harassed by ECNL for fielding substandard teams and the DOC went public to a bunch of newspapers.

Lorne Donaldson was back then saying how majority of his players preferred GDA. Right now he says the reverse.

Another trend is that the US Soccer Federation has included more ECNL players in their call ups to GNT. For a bit, the call ups were predominantly DA and now it’s more diverse. Maybe they realize the NT’s need good players regardless of league to compete with the rapidly rising teams around the World.

[Unregistered]

The DA and ECNL should merge.


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Why? ECNL doesn't need GDA, never did and if the trend continues, never will...

[Unregistered]

Another trend is that the US Soccer Federation has included more ECNL players in their call ups to GNT. For a bit, the call ups were predominantly DA and now it’s more diverse. Maybe they realize the NT’s need good players regardless of league to compete with the rapidly rising teams around the World.

I don’t think so. If you notice all the call ups from ECNL are from the youngest at age groups. This is just a way to get the best ECNL players together, and let them know that they have been identified and if they want to continue to have a chance then they need to move to DA. If you look at all the older girls who chose an ECNL club over a D.A. club, they have all been cycled out. The reality is that 99% of the girls called up have moved to a D.A. team and this trend will continue. Mark my words, those ECNL girls who got a taste of a US camp will be switching to DA next year.

[Unregistered]

Strategically it was a brilliant move by US Soccer to expand the pool to 180 U-14 players because if 90 of those girls were ECNL players, they will suck off every top player off every ECNL team in that age group. Or better yet if there was more than one player from an ECNL team, some had as many as 5, they will destroy and dilute the talent on that team when those players leave for DA.

Either way when it comes to the top talent that have been identified by US Soccer, 99% of them play in the DA, and so will the next crop. No one cares that the “best” clubs are in ECNL, because what makes the competition day in and day out are the players on the field. How many national team players do your players play against in a typical weekend? I know in DA you can have 8 on the field at once sometimes 10. This would never happen in ECNL, never. ECNL likes to brag about the top clubs, but how many national team players stayed with Slammers, Eclipse, Stars, PDA.... it’s the players that make the league not the clubs.

[Unregistered]

I don’t think so. If you notice all the call ups from ECNL are from the youngest at age groups. This is just a way to get the best ECNL players together, and let them know that they have been identified and if they want to continue to have a chance then they need to move to DA. If you look at all the older girls who chose an ECNL club over a D.A. club, they have all been cycled out. The reality is that 99% of the girls called up have moved to a D.A. team and this trend will continue. Mark my words, those ECNL girls who got a taste of a US camp will be switching to DA next year.

It depends on where you live. Joining the Seacoast united DA would not be a smart move. Better to stay ECNL with better pool of players. Seacoast only has one or two good players that are deserving of DA. The rest are there to fill the roster.

[Unregistered]

Either way when it comes to the top talent that have been identified by US Soccer, 99% of them play in the DA, and so will the next crop. No one cares that the “best” clubs are in ECNL, because what makes the competition day in and day out are the players on the field. How many national team players do your players play against in a typical weekend? I know in DA you can have 8 on the field at once sometimes 10. This would never happen in ECNL, never. ECNL likes to brag about the top clubs, but how many national team players stayed with Slammers, Eclipse, Stars, PDA.... it’s the players that make the league not the clubs.

Totally disagree that "no one cares that the best clubs are in ECNL." If no one cared GDA wouldn't be struggling. It should have dominated from the get go and built from there. Instead more top clubs are leaving because the league isn't suiting their needs of that of their players. No one is playing with 8-10 NT players on the field, not even if two top CA clubs are playing each other. Besides, CT players aren't playing in CA. Only NT players care about where the other NT players are. The leagues are made up thousands for whom the NT call means nothing. Families pick their best local options that work for them. Maybe having one makes a club more attractive, but once there families see that it doesn't mean anything for their own players.

[Unregistered]

Why? ECNL doesn't need GDA, never did and if the trend continues, never will...

Not the poster - if DA were a very small top of the pyramid that used ECNL as their feeder program it would work. That was the original thinking but the two sides realized that wasn't in their best interests. So rather than go small, USSF decided to go big, just as big as ECNL. A pyramid became a misshapen rectangle. Obviously, there just isn't enough talent for two large leagues and especially to have the "top" league be substantively better quality. ECNL doesn't have to be the one that blinks first, USSF needs to.

[Unregistered]

A for effort, but C+ for execution. One too many syllables in the first line, one too few in the last.

If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine
And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung
Would you hear my voice come through the music
Would you hold it near as it were your own?

[Unregistered]

Not the poster - if DA were a very small top of the pyramid that used ECNL as their feeder program it would work. That was the original thinking but the two sides realized that wasn't in their best interests. So rather than go small, USSF decided to go big, just as big as ECNL. A pyramid became a misshapen rectangle. Obviously, there just isn't enough talent for two large leagues and especially to have the "top" league be substantively better quality. ECNL doesn't have to be the one that blinks first, USSF needs to.

ECNL would never acquiesce to be considered not the top tier.

[Unregistered]

Strategically it was a brilliant move by US Soccer to expand the pool to 180 U-14 players because if 90 of those girls were ECNL players, they will suck off every top player off every ECNL team in that age group. Or better yet if there was more than one player from an ECNL team, some had as many as 5, they will destroy and dilute the talent on that team when those players leave for DA.

Either way when it comes to the top talent that have been identified by US Soccer, 99% of them play in the DA, and so will the next crop. No one cares that the “best” clubs are in ECNL, because what makes the competition day in and day out are the players on the field. How many national team players do your players play against in a typical weekend? I know in DA you can have 8 on the field at once sometimes 10. This would never happen in ECNL, never. ECNL likes to brag about the top clubs, but how many national team players stayed with Slammers, Eclipse, Stars, PDA.... it’s the players that make the league not the clubs.

Well written and logically sound, except the facts are grossly distorted. Sure there may have been one game where 8-10 NT camp invites were on the field, but that ain't normal and certainly didn't happen in the northeast. Using your own logic of the players make the league, would you rather Your Talented D trains with and competes against 2 Superstar NT Hopefuls and 18 cones below her ability (or she's a cone too) or play with 20 college bound players equally distributed around her ability.

[Unregistered]

ECNL would never acquiesce to be considered not the top tier.

Can't say I blame them, they are making money and that's the ultimate goal.

If you wanted a tier as proposed, with a small # of clubs/players at the top and ECNL behind to support, that would mean asking ECNL to increase the # of clubs in the area. You can also chalk that up to "never gonna' happen".

ECNL has a successful model and while I personally wish they operated differently, they have no incentive to.