DA Is Killing SUSC

[Unregistered]

OP here - exactly!!! Instead of rostering 20 full time girls for GDA - they decided to roster 16 but now carry 30 in their GDA player pool. Ten of those girls should be playing NPL and allowing the NPL program to compete and be successful. Nope. SUSC wants their check for DA and now playing NPL looks like a "demotion" for those girls and parents.

Don't forget - there are 10 of those girls in the pool who have not played in a game for DA since early March with at least 3 fall DA players who have not played since the fall season. I know - they probably play another sport for their school in the spring - yada yada yada - but that did not stop SUSC form letting girls play DA and HS soccer this fall...

[Unregistered]

OP here - exactly!!! Instead of rostering 20 full time girls for GDA - they decided to roster 16 but now carry 30 in their GDA player pool. Ten of those girls should be playing NPL and allowing the NPL program to compete and be successful. Nope. SUSC wants their check for DA and now playing NPL looks like a "demotion" for those girls and parents.

I've seen NPL girls brought in but they honestly haven't been able to cut it in some cases. Ideally, that is what you want; a roster of 16-18 and another 10 or so that are part-time and play NPL. It hasn't worked so far that I've seen due to the drop-off in abilities. There is pressure on all DA clubs to get better top to bottom.

I don't see 30 players on any of their teams' full-time rosters; I see between 16-22 (and two of those 22 haven't played a game).

I'm not sure of your point because I think they are doing what you are asking.

[Unregistered]

Don't forget - there are 10 of those girls in the pool who have not played in a game for DA since early March with at least 3 fall DA players who have not played since the fall season. I know - they probably play another sport for their school in the spring - yada yada yada - but that did not stop SUSC form letting girls play DA and HS soccer this fall...

It looks like SUSC did the right thing with the U14s (only 15 players) and the U15s (18 players). Yes, the oldest team has 22 players, and it looks like they are all full-time. What they really should be doing is making 4-5 of these players part-time, so that they could play up to 12 games with the DA, and the rest with the NPL team. However, it could have been the case that the players the coaches would have normally considered for a part-time roster spot were coming in from outside clubs, and so would not have accepted a part-time position (i.e. they didn't want to travel from MA to Epping to play with the NPL team half the year).

That said, it looks like only three players didn't make over that 12 game mark (doesn't necessarily mean they were sitting the rest of the games, since they could have been out to injury, or otherwise not able to follow through with the commitment for some reason). The two that have played no games obviously had injuries or decided not to play. Hopefully next year, SUSC will either decrease the roster size, or offer part-time status to the overflow. This may or may not help the NPL team, as I mentioned, some of those players offered PT spots may decline.

[Unregistered]

It looks like SUSC did the right thing with the U14s (only 15 players) and the U15s (18 players). Yes, the oldest team has 22 players, and it looks like they are all full-time. What they really should be doing is making 4-5 of these players part-time, so that they could play up to 12 games with the DA, and the rest with the NPL team. However, it could have been the case that the players the coaches would have normally considered for a part-time roster spot were coming in from outside clubs, and so would not have accepted a part-time position (i.e. they didn't want to travel from MA to Epping to play with the NPL team half the year).

That said, it looks like only three players didn't make over that 12 game mark (doesn't necessarily mean they were sitting the rest of the games, since they could have been out to injury, or otherwise not able to follow through with the commitment for some reason). The two that have played no games obviously had injuries or decided not to play. Hopefully next year, SUSC will either decrease the roster size, or offer part-time status to the overflow. This may or may not help the NPL team, as I mentioned, some of those players offered PT spots may decline.

I get the impression USSoccer is pushing for larger rosters, not smaller. Not that I agree with it, but that's their request.

I do agree with PT players being NPL players and they get their time elsewhere. That's how it has been working with the younger age groups and I think it's been working well.

[Unregistered]

Currently, do all of the "best" players at SUSC play GDA? I know when it was first introduced there was talk that the top players may not be inclined to play GDA and may stick with NPL. How did that work out? Is the top talented concentrated on GDA teams or are there NPL players who could keep up no problem but choose NPL instead?

[Unregistered]

I've seen NPL girls brought in but they honestly haven't been able to cut it in some cases. Ideally, that is what you want; a roster of 16-18 and another 10 or so that are part-time and play NPL. It hasn't worked so far that I've seen due to the drop-off in abilities. There is pressure on all DA clubs to get better top to bottom.

I don't see 30 players on any of their teams' full-time rosters; I see between 16-22 (and two of those 22 haven't played a game).

I'm not sure of your point because I think they are doing what you are asking.

Their game reports have 28 on their pool with average of 16 being on the roster with a couple here and there being non rostered.

[Unregistered]

Currently, do all of the "best" players at SUSC play GDA? I know when it was first introduced there was talk that the top players may not be inclined to play GDA and may stick with NPL. How did that work out? Is the top talented concentrated on GDA teams or are there NPL players who could keep up no problem but choose NPL instead?

Depends on the age. At the oldest group, no. I'd put an uneducated guess at 60% of them are. Probably to be expected as someone in their junior or senior year wasn't going to drop that now. Too late.

U15? Probably over 90%. Basing that on how many moved from NPL to GDA this year and who "stayed back" (I don't like how that is worded, sorry).

U14? 100%. Same reasoning.

[Unregistered]

Their game reports have 28 on their pool with average of 16 being on the roster with a couple here and there being non rostered.

I think, and I could be wrong, some of those 28 are PT players ( ? ) That's how I've read those reports. Those players can play in NPL games.

[Unregistered]

Their game reports have 28 on their pool with average of 16 being on the roster with a couple here and there being non rostered.

Oh, you're including those seven listed at the very bottom of the game reports. They really shouldn't be counted, as they are 04s and 05s from the younger DA teams, one of them has played a single game, the rest have played no games. You're really looking at only 20 players who have actually played for the 16/17 team (22 on official roster, minus the two that have not played all year so aren't participating).

[Unregistered]

Oh, you're including those seven listed at the very bottom of the game reports. They really shouldn't be counted, as they are 04s and 05s from the younger DA teams, one of them has played a single game, the rest have played no games. You're really looking at only 20 players who have actually played for the 16/17 team (22 on official roster, minus the two that have not played all year so aren't participating).

That's correct. You should only look at the roster on the team's page, not the game-day reports. Only the FT players are listed (and I do think 22 is too many, but looks like a couple have never/barely played...may have quit or injured).

The others mentioned fit the model the OP was asking: NPL players called up when needed, but they have a full-time team they are committed to.

[Unregistered]

Depends on the age. At the oldest group, no. I'd put an uneducated guess at 60% of them are. Probably to be expected as someone in their junior or senior year wasn't going to drop that now. Too late.

U15? Probably over 90%. Basing that on how many moved from NPL to GDA this year and who "stayed back" (I don't like how that is worded, sorry).

U14? 100%. Same reasoning.

I can speak for the 04's and the 05's - the top players are playing DA but not at 100% - the 04 team has some sophomores who all played varsity soccer this season in HS on the NPL team and they would be starting on the DA team no question. GPS has 3of the best 04's in the state playing with them... The 05's have most of their best players but there are 3 or 4 who should be playing who are not - 2 are with GPS...

[Unregistered]

I can speak for the 04's and the 05's - the top players are playing DA but not at 100% - the 04 team has some sophomores who all played varsity soccer this season in HS on the NPL team and they would be starting on the DA team no question. GPS has 3of the best 04's in the state playing with them... The 05's have most of their best players but there are 3 or 4 who should be playing who are not - 2 are with GPS...

The post were referring to SUSC players, not GPS players.

And, no, there aren't any GPS (NH) who could play for the 05 team. There are some Stars (MA) players who absolutely could play if they wished.

As for the 04, seemed to me the 90% of last year's NPL team went to the DA team this year. Possibly an NEP player really improved and leapfrogged, but otherwise I don't see it.

[Unregistered]

Girls or Boys? It's been an ongoing issue for the boys for years now so I'm not sure why/what would change at this point? Girls... not sure since it's so new, but I have a hard time seeing them getting enough quality to keep it going. My youngest is off to college next year so I'm at the tail end of the fun.

The youngest team isn't in HS yet. No doubt some will opt out of GDA because they don't want to give up HS or just have not been happy in GDA.

[Unregistered]

The youngest team isn't in HS yet. No doubt some will opt out of GDA because they don't want to give up HS or just have not been happy in GDA.

I believe there will be attrition, maybe not in year 1 but over time as they get closer to senior year. I think that's to be expected.

[Unregistered]

I can speak for the 04's and the 05's - the top players are playing DA but not at 100% - the 04 team has some sophomores who all played varsity soccer this season in HS on the NPL team and they would be starting on the DA team no question. GPS has 3of the best 04's in the state playing with them... The 05's have most of their best players but there are 3 or 4 who should be playing who are not - 2 are with GPS...

04s are sophomores in high school? I don’t believe that is accurate.