Girls Academy League

[Unregistered]

What track record?. GA is a weaker continuation of GDA that didn't last 4 years and lost almost every top club

Good Ga girls went to the ECNL Good GA girls stayed with GA. college coaches look at the individual player no matter what these GA girls decide to do.

Its about the player not about the league.

You think some coach is going to say gosh that GA player is good but if she only played for Matchfit.


They bring them into camp and if the coaches like what they see compared to the others, they get put on their radar screen.

IF my daughter is 1-6 on the PDA Blue roster, I take her there. 8-14, I think long and hard if PDA is worth it. Matchfit is never part of the discussion despite their ECNL affiliation

[Unregistered]

Good Ga girls went to the ECNL Good GA girls stayed with GA. college coaches look at the individual player no matter what these GA girls decide to do.

Its about the player not about the league.

You think some coach is going to say gosh that GA player is good but if she only played for Matchfit.


They bring them into camp and if the coaches like what they see compared to the others, they get put on their radar screen.

IF my daughter is 1-6 on the PDA Blue roster, I take her there. 8-14, I think long and hard if PDA is worth it. Matchfit is never part of the discussion despite their ECNL affiliation

Now the folks who depend on TS for guidance will want to know if being “7” on the PDA Blue qualifies as a pathway for being #1 in MF.

[Unregistered]

This league has some really good teams and some really bad ones. Very similar to ecnl and EDP. Three pretty equal leagues now.

Sorry my daughter plays on GA team and the competition against the same teams last year is even worse. It’s looking that way for the rest of the league as well. I’m going to call is as it is. Good B league just like EDP.

[Unregistered]

What track record?. GA is a weaker continuation of GDA that didn't last 4 years and lost almost every top club

Correct, and even weak new GA clubs like Ukrainian Natl are rumoured to be looking to jump ship from GA to ECNL already, just check the PA forum.

[Unregistered]

Good Ga girls went to the ECNL Good GA girls stayed with GA. college coaches look at the individual player no matter what these GA girls decide to do.

Its about the player not about the league.

You think some coach is going to say gosh that GA player is good but if she only played for Matchfit.


They bring them into camp and if the coaches like what they see compared to the others, they get put on their radar screen.

IF my daughter is 1-6 on the PDA Blue roster, I take her there. 8-14, I think long and hard if PDA is worth it. Matchfit is never part of the discussion despite their ECNL affiliation

How is the coach going to see them if they don't go to the events? Limited budgets which are getting cut more and more mean less travel so they will have to choose. Do they go to the ECNL showcase where proven talent has come or to the GA showcase?

If your daughter was 7-14 on PDA Blue you'd take her. Starter or 1st off the bench.....Yup, don't even kid yourself on that one.

[Unregistered]

Rutgers Would have a much better programme if they actually look at places like SJEB, CSA and STA all top level academies in the tri state.,

They do....The players who left SJEB, CSA and STA for PDA.....DUH

[Unregistered]

Of course every league ash good and bad. But to say the say the quality of all three are similar to one another? No way. eg bottom GAL would have a tough fight with the very top EDP teams but that's it, nothing below that.

ECNL > GAL > EDP. There is some overlap at the bottom of each league to the top of the next one below it, but that's it.

So, you are saying that GAL clubs Sporting DE, LISC, Metro and Ukies would have tough fights in any age group with Clarkstown, Real, NJ Premier, STA B teams, PSA, Lower Merion, FC Europa, FC Copa, Wall? You must be high!!!

Ukies NEVER in 11v11 have teams above D3 EDP and you think they would be a tough fight for top D1s? Sporting DE or should we just call them Kirwood when paired with the rest of DEFC were STILL D2 level with a few D1 teams. So half a team makes them better? LISC and Metro....Really. Sure, the lines blur between bottom ECNL mid to lower teams and GA Top even a few USYS top teams...But that's it....TEAMS. ECNL is club based as is GA. Would love to see a cross over of top 3 and bottom 3 clubs with promotion and relegation on the line. Im mean seriously...After FC Virginia in Mid-Atlantic what club is even above average?

[Unregistered]

Good Ga girls went to the ECNL Good GA girls stayed with GA. college coaches look at the individual player no matter what these GA girls decide to do.

Its about the player not about the league.

You think some coach is going to say gosh that GA player is good but if she only played for Matchfit.


They bring them into camp and if the coaches like what they see compared to the others, they get put on their radar screen.

IF my daughter is 1-6 on the PDA Blue roster, I take her there. 8-14, I think long and hard if PDA is worth it. Matchfit is never part of the discussion despite their ECNL affiliation

I agree with you College coaches look at players first and foremost. Attending college camps and clinics is must for players to get a coaches attention. Then, if you do catch their attention and depending on the college, the league, the academics, the league, The club, the team you play DOES matter. College coaches need to see the player live a few times that is why the ECNL College showcases are a “must attend” events. Coaches want to see highly competitive players playing in highly competitive matches. GDA events were well attended the first 2 years and then you saw a noticeable drop off in the last year. Sorry, put non-ECNL Showcases do not get the caliber or the amount of college coaches that attend ECNL showcases. Go look up college attendances at last 2 years of showcases or up to Jan. 2020. Yes, players matter first but what team, club, league is as important.

[Unregistered]

How is the coach going to see them if they don't go to the events? Limited budgets which are getting cut more and more mean less travel so they will have to choose. Do they go to the ECNL showcase where proven talent has come or to the GA showcase?

If your daughter was 7-14 on PDA Blue you'd take her. Starter or 1st off the bench.....Yup, don't even kid yourself on that one.

Of course coaches look at the player, but they also want to see you're on a quality team (=good coaching and challenging teammates) and playing against quality competition. Being a rock star on a weak team or weaker league won't prepare you for the rigors of college soccer. Locally clubs have reputations also.

If a club has sent some good players to a college program the coach is likely to keep looking at their players. Most clubs publish their college placements. Familes should examine those carefully. I don't mean just the quality of the soccer program but how many of those players played a lot in college. That means they found a good fit and were ready for it. Placing players on benches is all some clubs do. Some even post players that never even showbupnon the roster. Do your homework

[Unregistered]

Of course coaches look at the player, but they also want to see you're on a quality team (=good coaching and challenging teammates) and playing against quality competition. Being a rock star on a weak team or weaker league won't prepare you for the rigors of college soccer. Locally clubs have reputations also.

If a club has sent some good players to a college program the coach is likely to keep looking at their players. Most clubs publish their college placements. Familes should examine those carefully. I don't mean just the quality of the soccer program but how many of those players played a lot in college. That means they found a good fit and were ready for it. Placing players on benches is all some clubs do. Some even post players that never even showbupnon the roster. Do your homework

Your contradicting yourself. First you said coaches look at the player (which I agree) then you say you judge the outcome on how much they played on the team through there time at college. What does the club have to do with the outcome? Makes no sense. A good fit means being a student/athlete of picking a college first and foremost for the best education possible and using your soccer as a way to attend that college. My girls walked away from scholarship money from some good soccer programs because they did not want to go to college and just play soccer and get an inferior education. How much a player plays in college has many factors involved and no freshman could say when making that college choice what those 4 years will bring. That’s why every Spring you could check the college transfer wire that list those athletes looking to transfer to other colleges because of playing time. A smart student making a decision should make their decision about college as if they were to get hurt and be unable to continue to play in college would they stay at that college. That’s the most important factor. Clubs have nothing to do with these important life decisions.

[Unregistered]

Of course coaches look at the player, but they also want to see you're on a quality team (=good coaching and challenging teammates) and playing against quality competition. Being a rock star on a weak team or weaker league won't prepare you for the rigors of college soccer. Locally clubs have reputations also.

If a club has sent some good players to a college program the coach is likely to keep looking at their players. Most clubs publish their college placements. Familes should examine those carefully. I don't mean just the quality of the soccer program but how many of those players played a lot in college. That means they found a good fit and were ready for it. Placing players on benches is all some clubs do. Some even post players that never even showbupnon the roster. Do your homework

So if STA beats matchfit in a game. Should I take my kid to matchfit or STA?

Things that make you go Hmmmmm

[Unregistered]

I agree with you College coaches look at players first and foremost. Attending college camps and clinics is must for players to get a coaches attention. Then, if you do catch their attention and depending on the college, the league, the academics, the league, The club, the team you play DOES matter. College coaches need to see the player live a few times that is why the ECNL College showcases are a “must attend” events. Coaches want to see highly competitive players playing in highly competitive matches. GDA events were well attended the first 2 years and then you saw a noticeable drop off in the last year. Sorry, put non-ECNL Showcases do not get the caliber or the amount of college coaches that attend ECNL showcases. Go look up college attendances at last 2 years of showcases or up to Jan. 2020. Yes, players matter first but what team, club, league is as important.

Not for anything, but my kid is choosing between 3 offers right now (2 Big East and PL) and did not attend a single college camp or clinic. I don't know if it's because Covid cancelled them, but her offers came based on what coaches saw in showcases.
PS-only posting this in case people are stressing that their kid didn't do any camps/clinics. We were planning to do them over the Summer, once she was able to gauge who was really worth it based on June 15th calls. But then Covid...

[Unregistered]

Sorry my daughter plays on GA team and the competition against the same teams last year is even worse. It’s looking that way for the rest of the league as well. I’m going to call is as it is. Good B league just like EDP.

Not so sure the ECNL competition is much better at this point. Looking at the North Atlantic scores from the last two weekends there were plenty of blow outs. Let’s just say between the addition of all the new ECNL clubs and the GA - girls soccer is pretty damn watered down. Find the coach and club that will train and develop your kid and go from there. It’s all a crap shoot at this point.

[Unregistered]

So if STA beats matchfit in a game. Should I take my kid to matchfit or STA?

Things that make you go Hmmmmm

no you go to PDA. North. White. or Blue. Maybe.

[Unregistered]

no you go to PDA. North. White. or Blue. Maybe.

If only we could all go to PDA