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**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

18 is too late. 17, too. 16 at the most

And even then only if you're definitely going to be a strong starter. Except for an odd player here or there, most rosters are pretty set by the start of the U15 season.

**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

Watching from another club, I agree that NEFC is a strong club. And so are Bolts. Can't say I know enough about Stars operation to comment.

That's not the question though. The question is why wouldn't a kid at one of those clubs prefer to play in the EDP instead of the ECNL, especially at younger ages. I realize these clubs may not even offer the EDP as an option because they're invested in the ECNL, but that doesn't mean the ECNL has a better talent level than there is in the top EDP divisions.

By U14-U15 latest the better talent will have moved into ECNL, maybe a few to GAL. All it takes is an EDP team losing a few top players to teams higher up the ladder and teams fall apart. So does the competition. A few top EDP teams can hang in the mix with mid to lower ECNL clubs but not many. Player depth in any roster isn't the same either. That's why so many move U13-U14. EDP is fine especially for the right level players, but as a league ECNL>EDP.

**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 02:50 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

By U14-U15 latest the better talent will have moved into ECNL, maybe a few to GAL. All it takes is an EDP team losing a few top players to teams higher up the ladder and teams fall apart. So does the competition. A few top EDP teams can hang in the mix with mid to lower ECNL clubs but not many. Player depth in any roster isn't the same either. That's why so many move U13-U14. EDP is fine especially for the right level players, but as a league ECNL>EDP.

GAL? We're talking ECNL boys here, Madam.

**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

GAL? We're talking ECNL boys here, Madam.

It's maddening. It's like the ECNL Cheerleaders can't help themselves. They dedicate much of their days espousing the virtues of the league. And, for clarity, my kid (girl) is in ECNL but who cares? It's a friggin' boys thread.

**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 03:35 PM

I was wondering the same. In the 2011 age group I'm familiar with, there are at least 20 teams that are reasonably strong and competitive:

Including NEAL, Pre ECNL and NECSL teams I would say there's, JAB/IFA (4 or 5 teams), Bolts probably 4, Seacoast probably 4, Stars maybe 2, Valeo, Bayside, Aztec, NE Surf, RI Surf, Legacy, WUP, Mass City, LFC. CFC has a decent ECNL team if you want to count them. They're all competitive teams.

The NEAL teams will condense into 1 team from each MLS Next club next year and that will clearly be the top league. Maybe the kids that don't make the MLS Next at Bolts and NEFC help enhance their ECNL teams? Still, there are a lot of decent players out there and most of them are on non ECNL clubs. The ECNL teams are going to have to really recruit and add talent to start to separate themselves from the stronger NECSL/EDP teams to become the clearly more competitive league. Old metrics may not apply anymore since NECSL/EDP gobbled up the NEP clubs and now there's a lot of good teams in that league. Wonder if there might just be enough talent in the NECSL/EDP now that we've reached a tipping point.

**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

It's maddening. It's like the ECNL Cheerleaders can't help themselves. They dedicate much of their days espousing the virtues of the league. And, for clarity, my kid (girl) is in ECNL but who cares? It's a friggin' boys thread.

Different poster but the funnel they described happens in boys soccer also. Agreed on the boys side ECNL isn't the same, and EDP may be a better option, especially when costly ECNL travel is taken into account. Depends in what's in your area and if that team is a good fit for your player

**Guest** · 10-20-2022, 08:29 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

I was wondering the same. In the 2011 age group I'm familiar with, there are at least 20 teams that are reasonably strong and competitive:

Including NEAL, Pre ECNL and NECSL teams I would say there's, JAB/IFA (4 or 5 teams), Bolts probably 4, Seacoast probably 4, Stars maybe 2, Valeo, Bayside, Aztec, NE Surf, RI Surf, Legacy, WUP, Mass City, LFC. CFC has a decent ECNL team if you want to count them. They're all competitive teams.

The NEAL teams will condense into 1 team from each MLS Next club next year and that will clearly be the top league. Maybe the kids that don't make the MLS Next at Bolts and NEFC help enhance their ECNL teams? Still, there are a lot of decent players out there and most of them are on non ECNL clubs. The ECNL teams are going to have to really recruit and add talent to start to separate themselves from the stronger NECSL/EDP teams to become the clearly more competitive league. Old metrics may not apply anymore since NECSL/EDP gobbled up the NEP clubs and now there's a lot of good teams in that league. Wonder if there might just be enough talent in the NECSL/EDP now that we've reached a tipping point.

If you look at the older age groups, nefc ecnl teams are miles better than any clubs in the edp.

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 05:28 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

If you look at the older age groups, nefc ecnl teams are miles better than any clubs in the edp.

The older age groups is an old story. The landscape will change with 10s and 11s as the young ones come up. More talent all over MA in these age groups than Stars ECNL can roster. NEFC GA and Select GA will roster teams just as strong and competitive as the Stars. It will be a time in which in MA Stars, Select, NEFC will likely have equally strong teams.

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 05:44 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

The older age groups is an old story. The landscape will change with 10s and 11s as the young ones come up. More talent all over MA in these age groups than Stars ECNL can roster. NEFC GA and Select GA will roster teams just as strong and competitive as the Stars. It will be a time in which in MA Stars, Select, NEFC will likely have equally strong teams.

You’re answering a boys question with girl talk

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 06:00 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

You’re answering a boys question with girl talk

These idiots don’t even read the posts they reply to. They got something to say and by golly they are going to say it-whether it applies or not is irrelevant

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 06:06 AM

Cuz nobody cares about boys soccer.

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 08:10 AM

So if you filter out all the ECNL cheerleaders, especially the ones who still think we're talking about girls soccer, we're left with

1) ECNL boys is currently considered by most to be the Tier 2 Boys option after NEAL/MLS Next, but
2) ECNL boys is probably NOT the Tier 2 option at the younger ages right now or at least isn't MORE competitive than NECSL/EDP at those ages (based on records),
3) At older ages, ECNL Boys has traditionally (in their short history) funneled the talent away from NECSL/NEP to achieve that clear Tier 2 status, but
4) With the regional leagues now all rolled into one in the NECSL, EDP may have a stronger pool to draw from so we don't really know if ECNL will be able to keep drawing that tier 2 talent, and
5) We could hit the point where families start to see EDP leveling the field with ECNL even at the older ages, and choosing EDP over ECNL based on similar competition and recruitment opportunities with less travel.

Do I have that right or is there some other reason ECNL will maintain its grip on Tier 2 boys?

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

So if you filter out all the ECNL cheerleaders, especially the ones who still think we're talking about girls soccer, we're left with

1) ECNL boys is currently considered by most to be the Tier 2 Boys option after NEAL/MLS Next, but
2) ECNL boys is probably NOT the Tier 2 option at the younger ages right now or at least isn't MORE competitive than NECSL/EDP at those ages (based on records),
3) At older ages, ECNL Boys has traditionally (in their short history) funneled the talent away from NECSL/NEP to achieve that clear Tier 2 status, but
4) With the regional leagues now all rolled into one in the NECSL, EDP may have a stronger pool to draw from so we don't really know if ECNL will be able to keep drawing that tier 2 talent, and
5) We could hit the point where families start to see EDP leveling the field with ECNL even at the older ages, and choosing EDP over ECNL based on similar competition and recruitment opportunities with less travel.

Do I have that right or is there some other reason ECNL will maintain its grip on Tier 2 boys?

Or since we are guessing about the future, EDP could fail to pull kids from ECNL and underwhelm.

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 08:27 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

So if you filter out all the ECNL cheerleaders, especially the ones who still think we're talking about girls soccer, we're left with

1) ECNL boys is currently considered by most to be the Tier 2 Boys option after NEAL/MLS Next, but
2) ECNL boys is probably NOT the Tier 2 option at the younger ages right now or at least isn't MORE competitive than NECSL/EDP at those ages (based on records),
3) At older ages, ECNL Boys has traditionally (in their short history) funneled the talent away from NECSL/NEP to achieve that clear Tier 2 status, but
4) With the regional leagues now all rolled into one in the NECSL, EDP may have a stronger pool to draw from so we don't really know if ECNL will be able to keep drawing that tier 2 talent, and
5) We could hit the point where families start to see EDP leveling the field with ECNL even at the older ages, and choosing EDP over ECNL based on similar competition and recruitment opportunities with less travel.

Do I have that right or is there some other reason ECNL will maintain its grip on Tier 2 boys?

I think that is generally correct. What I will say is, outside of new england, ECNL boys in very strong in NY, CT, PA because those clubs do not have MLSNext at all, similar to NEFC once you get to u15.

**Guest** · 10-21-2022, 09:36 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

I think that is generally correct. What I will say is, outside of new england, ECNL boys in very strong in NY, CT, PA because those clubs do not have MLSNext at all, similar to NEFC once you get to u15.

Yes, agreed. NY, CT, PA also have more local ECNL teams so less travel. But I think we're focusing solely on the MA landscape here.