High School Predictions

[Unregistered]

You are correct. The majority of the top teams (especially in girls soccer in NH) are loaded with club players... established club players with programs like GPS, Seacoast, Revolution, etc... not the "my dad runs a club".

I have seen top club talent struggle in college because the size and speed of the players is just that much different than in club. Any college sport you see a difference in size and speed. Skills are pretty standard across the board between DIII - to DI its just the speed and pace at which players can execute them.

For example - most high schools have taller players in goal. Club (like SUSC) play skilled girls in goal who might sacrifice height. College rosters are LOADED with girls 5"9" or taller playing goalie. Skilled goalies that are 5'6" wont get it done in college. Size and speed matter at any position in college and 9 times out of 10 the faster, bigger player with comparable skills wins.

Not sure where you get your information from. “College” soccer is a very generalized term. Also have you been to an ECNL or DA showcase? Top talent there won’t struggle against anyone. Local NPL teams aren’t up to that level.
There are many conferences in each division in college and play is far different depending on both. Penn State and SNHU and Endicott all have “college teams” but the quality of players is vastly different. All teams in all division I conferences are made up of top level club players (ECNL and now DA) and so they certainly don’t struggle against “big” players. Also top ECNL GKs are typically 5’7” or taller and skilled to match.

[Unregistered]

Not sure where you get your information from. “College” soccer is a very generalized term. Also have you been to an ECNL or DA showcase? Top talent there won’t struggle against anyone. Local NPL teams aren’t up to that level.
There are many conferences in each division in college and play is far different depending on both. Penn State and SNHU and Endicott all have “college teams” but the quality of players is vastly different. All teams in all division I conferences are made up of top level club players (ECNL and now DA) and so they certainly don’t struggle against “big” players. Also top ECNL GKs are typically 5’7” or taller and skilled to match.

To your ECNL & DA question - yes - I have been to several. If you read my entire post I did say that DI through DIII are all skilled - the difference is the speed, pace, and athleticism of the players. Players at Endicott are about equally skilled as a player at Penn State or SNHU... the difference is that the SNHU payer is faster and stronger than the Endicott player, and the Penn State player is faster and stronger than the SNHU player.

ECNL teams have potential DIII players on the same field as potential DI players and it shows when you see them have to play. There are also PLENTY of college players who did not play DA - heck even DA teams have kids who won't play in college.

[Unregistered]

To your ECNL & DA question - yes - I have been to several. If you read my entire post I did say that DI through DIII are all skilled - the difference is the speed, pace, and athleticism of the players. Players at Endicott are about equally skilled as a player at Penn State or SNHU... the difference is that the SNHU payer is faster and stronger than the Endicott player, and the Penn State player is faster and stronger than the SNHU player.

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Different poster. Telling post about the state of soccer. No, the skill levels are not the same at the different schools you mention. Players may seem faster (and may actually be in many cases) BECAUSE their skill levels are superior to lower division schools. The difference is exactly the opposite of what you say. The skill level is the difference, not speed and strength. Often players at higher levels may in fact be faster and stronger, but if it isn't matched by superior skills, then they are an inferior player.

A good example was UNH just playing ULowell twice. They soundly beat them 2-0 both times. I am a fan of Lowell, They had the better athletes on the field. Faster, stronger primarily international players. BUT, the UNH players skill sets were easily a notch higher. Very subtle skills that bought them a tiny bit more time on the ball and more possession. All Lowell could do was kick it long and hope for the best. Lowell couldn't hold the ball in the UNH end for any length of time. With UNH it was exactly the opposite. Their superior passing, receiving, and knowing what they were going to do before getting the ball (iow, their skill sets) resulted in two solid victories. But I would bet if the two teams had a competition of pure athleticism, Lowell would have easily won.

[Unregistered]

To your ECNL & DA question - yes - I have been to several. If you read my entire post I did say that DI through DIII are all skilled - the difference is the speed, pace, and athleticism of the players. Players at Endicott are about equally skilled as a player at Penn State or SNHU... the difference is that the SNHU payer is faster and stronger than the Endicott player, and the Penn State player is faster and stronger than the SNHU player.

ECNL teams have potential DIII players on the same field as potential DI players and it shows when you see them have to play. There are also PLENTY of college players who did not play DA - heck even DA teams have kids who won't play in college.

“Players at Endicott are about equally skilled as a player at Penn State”

You simply don’t know what you don’t know. This statement could not be any more incorrect. The technical abilities of high level D1 players far surpass the technical abilities of lower level D1 players not to mention D2 and D3. Some D3 schools have girls that never played club and played in HS for fun. Some D3 schools (NESCAC schools) are much more competitive.

Soccer IQ is huge for upper level players as is experience. Playing on a fast paced competitive ECNL team is vastly different from a NH NPL team. I’ve seen top NH NPL players at D1 ID clinics and they struggle to keep up on all levels - technical, speed, and vision. This is why good solid D1 soccer program coaches won’t even look at a player that’s not on ECNL or GDA. They could be very strong at the level they are playing but it’s unknown how they will be with a jump in speed and pressure and at 15 and 16 they are too old to catch up.

My advice is really go to a competitive U15-U16 ECNL game and see for yourself because I don’t believe you’ve been to ECNL showcases.

All this talk on here about HS games looking great and being surprised at how good the players are is from people who truly don’t know what they don’t know. They think NH NPL teams are full of strong players and they are gauging play from those games they frequent. The NH HS players who are at the top level on ECNL teams in MA aren’t able to showcase their true abilities because the other players around them are slowing them down. There are a handful of girls in southern NH on several HS teams that are quality players in MA and the rest will not cut it on a D1 college team.

[Unregistered]

“Players at Endicott are about equally skilled as a player at Penn State”

You simply don’t know what you don’t know. This statement could not be any more incorrect. The technical abilities of high level D1 players far surpass the technical abilities of lower level D1 players not to mention D2 and D3. Some D3 schools have girls that never played club and played in HS for fun. Some D3 schools (NESCAC schools) are much more competitive.

Soccer IQ is huge for upper level players as is experience. Playing on a fast paced competitive ECNL team is vastly different from a NH NPL team. I’ve seen top NH NPL players at D1 ID clinics and they struggle to keep up on all levels - technical, speed, and vision. This is why good solid D1 soccer program coaches won’t even look at a player that’s not on ECNL or GDA. They could be very strong at the level they are playing but it’s unknown how they will be with a jump in speed and pressure and at 15 and 16 they are too old to catch up.

My advice is really go to a competitive U15-U16 ECNL game and see for yourself because I don’t believe you’ve been to ECNL showcases.

All this talk on here about HS games looking great and being surprised at how good the players are is from people who truly don’t know what they don’t know. They think NH NPL teams are full of strong players and they are gauging play from those games they frequent. The NH HS players who are at the top level on ECNL teams in MA aren’t able to showcase their true abilities because the other players around them are slowing them down. There are a handful of girls in southern NH on several HS teams that are quality players in MA and the rest will not cut it on a D1 college team.

Hooollllyyy....someone took their Stars Kool-Aid today. Yikes.

I know very well the players on Stars ECNL teams and NH NPL teams. While Stars has more of the better players, they are not better from 1-20. Nope, not at all. I say that because our family plays with some of them. Their best players, their top 3, can equate. Where NH struggles, in club and in some HS ages, is when you get toward the bottom of the starting 11 and their subs. That's where they differentiate.

Their are NH NPL players going to D1 schools this year and next. We know you have this thing for the NH players, but I've chuckled this year watching it and was glad to see some of the commits they are getting.

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[Unregistered]

Hooollllyyy....someone took their Stars Kool-Aid today. Yikes.

I know very well the players on Stars ECNL teams and NH NPL teams. While Stars has more of the better players, they are not better from 1-20. Nope, not at all. I say that because our family plays with some of them. Their best players, their top 3, can equate. Where NH struggles, in club and in some HS ages, is when you get toward the bottom of the starting 11 and their subs. That's where they differentiate.

Their are NH NPL players going to D1 schools this year and next. We know you have this thing for the NH players, but I've chuckled this year watching it and was glad to see some of the commits they are getting.

Trending up.

I’m not talking about middle schoolers.. I’m talking about high school players. :
So you must know my high school ECNL player then? Doubt it.

[Unregistered]

I’m not talking about middle schoolers.. I’m talking about high school players. :
So you must know my high school ECNL player then? Doubt it.

I know Stars HS players past and present. I know HS NPL & DA players past and present

A result of being around the game for a long time means I have contacts from all over.

Stop with the Stars bragging. Great club but drips with hypocrisy.

One thing that can always ruin a thread is when mom comes on to talk about their little angel...

[Unregistered]

I know Stars HS players past and present. I know HS NPL & DA players past and present

A result of being around the game for a long time means I have contacts from all over.

Stop with the Stars bragging. Great club but drips with hypocrisy.

One thing that can always ruin a thread is when mom comes on to talk about their little angel...

I rarely mention Stars. In fact I mostly said “ECNL” which could be Stars or Scorpions and I also mention DA which is NEFC. You clearly support Seacoast and it’s values and support. Not sure how that’s different? Not sure how I’m drinking kool aid and you’re not? Very hypocritical. I actually have been thinking about Seacoast for my younger player. DA exposure might be what we are looking for in her future. I also never mention any of my players until you claimed to know all the Stars ECNL NH players. Of course I don’t know who you ar but I still doubt you know my daughter and claiming too is weird. You are far too personal. I stand by my generalized opinion that there are very few NH NPL players who are good enough to go to a high level D1 college. And that NH NPL is a different game than ECNL.

[Unregistered]

I rarely mention Stars. In fact I mostly said “ECNL” which could be Stars or Scorpions and I also mention DA which is NEFC. You clearly support Seacoast and it’s values and support. Not sure how that’s different? Not sure how I’m drinking kool aid and you’re not? Very hypocritical. I actually have been thinking about Seacoast for my younger player. DA exposure might be what we are looking for in her future. I also never mention any of my players until you claimed to know all the Stars ECNL NH players. Of course I don’t know who you ar but I still doubt you know my daughter and claiming too is weird. You are far too personal. I stand by my generalized opinion that there are very few NH NPL players who are good enough to go to a high level D1 college. And that NH NPL is a different game than ECNL.

Well, some salient points:

No, I didn't consider Scorpions because that's a really long ride so while I cannot be sure, it wouldn't make much sense to go to Scorpions if you were from NH

I never said where I was from, nor where my experiences are from. You made the same assumption you blamed me for.

Frankly, there are Stars' families who I know, and maybe you are one of them, who were all DA-DA-DA this time last year. Then, when they handed up the 2018 talking points, they were all ECNL-ECNL-ECNL. So, you fit the model.

Of course there will be less D1 players in NH; there's less population and less teams. There's less in Maine and Alaska, too. That being said, there are D1 players playing. I just watched a D1 game yesterday that had 5 of them that came out of NH. I know of 3 recruits on the girls side going to D1 schools next year.

So, the statement I made stands. There are good players in NH compared to MA. There are less of them, so the lower end of the rosters are where the separation comes in.

None of them are my family members, so I am fairly confident I'm looking at them as impartial observers based on a very long time watching and participating in the game here in NH.