CSA to ECNL

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Eventually a lot of their better girls leave for pDA anyway. GAL is getting leftovers now especially at the older age groups.

Sad but true

[Unregistered]

The heading is CSA to ECNL and it is evident that is not going to happen. The same for any other club in this area. Parents talking about clubs/team as getting inferior players or left overs is just sad. To read parents arguing over what is better RL or GA is even more pathetic as if coming in right below ECNL makes a difference. It doesn’t. To college coaches either your PDA Blue or your not. The percentage or chances to where you play in college if your not on the Blue team lessens as far as reach programs. At this point it’s about the individual going to college clinics/camps this summer and performing to their highest lev and getting identified by a coach and beginning that conversation with the coach and their soccer program. That s all that matters. This argument about RL vs. GA is for adolescent, juvenile parents who have nothing better to do with themselves. Parents get away from this argument and sit down with your daughter and listen what she has to say and come up with a plan for the spring and summer.

[Unregistered]

The heading is CSA to ECNL and it is evident that is not going to happen. The same for any other club in this area. Parents talking about clubs/team as getting inferior players or left overs is just sad. To read parents arguing over what is better RL or GA is even more pathetic as if coming in right below ECNL makes a difference. It doesn’t. To college coaches either your PDA Blue or your not. The percentage or chances to where you play in college if your not on the Blue team lessens as far as reach programs. At this point it’s about the individual going to college clinics/camps this summer and performing to their highest lev and getting identified by a coach and beginning that conversation with the coach and their soccer program. That s all that matters. This argument about RL vs. GA is for adolescent, juvenile parents who have nothing better to do with themselves. Parents get away from this argument and sit down with your daughter and listen what she has to say and come up with a plan for the spring and summer.

Agreed, I am so disgusted by the entire soccer landscape in NJ. Honestly, I secretly wish my daughter would just quit or take up another sport. We support her because she loves to play.

[Unregistered]

Agreed, I am so disgusted by the entire soccer landscape in NJ. Honestly, I secretly wish my daughter would just quit or take up another sport. We support her because she loves to play.

Reading this message board will make anyone want to walk away from the sport. You can thank the coaches who post attacks and rumors on here for creating the mess that they endlessly complain about.

[Unregistered]

Agreed, I am so disgusted by the entire soccer landscape in NJ. Honestly, I secretly wish my daughter would just quit or take up another sport. We support her because she loves to play.

None of this should make you mad if your daughter loves to play and she is happy with her team/coach/club. It should only make you mad if you start worrying about whether she should be in one league or another.

[Unregistered]

None of this should make you mad if your daughter loves to play and she is happy with her team/coach/club. It should only make you mad if you start worrying about whether she should be in one league or another.

Not mad about the 'league' or 'club' my daughter plays for and she likes her coach. What concerns me is the atmosphere that has been created between the players, the constant one upping, the constant worry of 'am I good enough', the parents pitted against each other, the so called 'tryouts' when coaches already have team selected, the constant additional training, and made to feel bad if kid decides to not participate in some of the additional training...I have experienced some shady **** from township level travel on up. Maybe some transparency would go a long way.

[Unregistered]

The heading is CSA to ECNL and it is evident that is not going to happen. The same for any other club in this area. Parents talking about clubs/team as getting inferior players or left overs is just sad. To read parents arguing over what is better RL or GA is even more pathetic as if coming in right below ECNL makes a difference. It doesn’t. To college coaches either your PDA Blue or your not. The percentage or chances to where you play in college if your not on the Blue team lessens as far as reach programs. At this point it’s about the individual going to college clinics/camps this summer and performing to their highest lev and getting identified by a coach and beginning that conversation with the coach and their soccer program. That s all that matters. This argument about RL vs. GA is for adolescent, juvenile parents who have nothing better to do with themselves. Parents get away from this argument and sit down with your daughter and listen what she has to say and come up with a plan for the spring and summer.

You had me at CSA to ECNL....wishful thinking which will never happen. So you see it’s the business aspect that creates the cesspool of youth soccer in NJ. So on one hand they tell you GA is the “best platform for girls in the country” and one another they would jump to ECNL in one heartbeat. That in a nutshell is the problem with youth soccer no honesty/integrity.

[Unregistered]

Not mad about the 'league' or 'club' my daughter plays for and she likes her coach. What concerns me is the atmosphere that has been created between the players, the constant one upping, the constant worry of 'am I good enough', the parents pitted against each other, the so called 'tryouts' when coaches already have team selected, the constant additional training, and made to feel bad if kid decides to not participate in some of the additional training...I have experienced some shady **** from township level travel on up. Maybe some transparency would go a long way.

I somewhat agree about the parents, but I've not seen what you describe between the players. Are there cliques among players and do some players resent others for not being as good as the rest of the team? Yes, but honestly, that's regular teenage stuff. Do players worry about not being good enough to stick with a team? Some do, but is that really unhealthy? I absolutely believe that kids, especially teenagers, need to be able to handle competition to earn their spot. As far as the coaches and the clubs go, I've definitely seen some shady and/or making promises they shouldn't make, but I've also seen plenty of coaches who just focus on coaching and clubs that are pretty transparent with what they want and what they provide. For me, I've seen enough of a mix that I'm not ready to say that the entire landscape is bad. My D had a great time over the years (she played for a town team and then moved to the B-team at an ECNL club and now plays at her top choice D3 school). All-in-all a great experience.

[Unregistered]

Not mad about the 'league' or 'club' my daughter plays for and she likes her coach. What concerns me is the atmosphere that has been created between the players, the constant one upping, the constant worry of 'am I good enough', the parents pitted against each other, the so called 'tryouts' when coaches already have team selected, the constant additional training, and made to feel bad if kid decides to not participate in some of the additional training...I have experienced some shady **** from township level travel on up. Maybe some transparency would go a long way.

My daughter was at a club that was everything you just described. Pushing them like racehorses to train, do more, work harder, watch their back, constant additional training and although she seemed to be ok that environment wasn’t allowing her to enjoy the game anymore or become a more well rounded player (because the constant looking over her shoulder). We did end up leaving and found a club that has a widely different approach and my daughter is thriving with her new coach and team. Sometimes you do just really need to switch it up.

[Unregistered]

You had me at CSA to ECNL....wishful thinking which will never happen. So you see it’s the business aspect that creates the cesspool of youth soccer in NJ. So on one hand they tell you GA is the “best platform for girls in the country” and one another they would jump to ECNL in one heartbeat. That in a nutshell is the problem with youth soccer no honesty/integrity.

GA clubs selling their club as the best platform in the country are flat out lying to their customers. GA clubs would jump to ECNL in a nanosecond if offered the badge.

[Unregistered]

GA clubs selling their club as the best platform in the country are flat out lying to their customers. GA clubs would jump to ECNL in a nanosecond if offered the badge.

Very misleading practices by GA clubs and parents fall for this crap hook line and sinker. Wish we were back in the old days when this bs did not exist.

[Unregistered]

Very misleading practices by GA clubs and parents fall for this crap hook line and sinker. Wish we were back in the old days when this bs did not exist.

Is it crazy to think that parents chose GA clubs not because of they are being mislead but because of the coaching and training? Maybe they think there are better opportunities for their kid based on their wants and needs. To say that all parents are idiots and are making bad choices because they choose GA is a stretch.

[Unregistered]

Is it crazy to think that parents chose GA clubs not because of they are being mislead but because of the coaching and training? Maybe they think there are better opportunities for their kid based on their wants and needs. To say that all parents are idiots and are making bad choices because they choose GA is a stretch.

Is it any different than the RL which was formed to compete against NPL/EDP and now you have parents convincing themselves that in a year or two ECNL will bring the club up to ECNL. Is that realistic for parents to think a GA club will move to RL for what?

[Unregistered]

Is it any different than the RL which was formed to compete against NPL/EDP and now you have parents convincing themselves that in a year or two ECNL will bring the club up to ECNL. Is that realistic for parents to think a GA club will move to RL for what?

I think parents need to refocus on coaching, training and attending camps etc instead of hyper focusing on league. If your kid has it, they have it. It won’t matter the league they are in.

[Unregistered]

My daughter was at a club that was everything you just described. Pushing them like racehorses to train, do more, work harder, watch their back, constant additional training and although she seemed to be ok that environment wasn’t allowing her to enjoy the game anymore or become a more well rounded player (because the constant looking over her shoulder). We did end up leaving and found a club that has a widely different approach and my daughter is thriving with her new coach and team. Sometimes you do just really need to switch it up.

Sounds great. What club?