ECRL vs GA

[Unregistered]

There's plenty of non ECNL players that are one D1 rosters. It comes down to 1) what level they're in (tends to be lower level) and 2) if they're playing. Getting on a roster is much easier than playing four meaningful years.

A majority of the top D1 commits over the last few years that are not ECNL came from DA clubs who were previously ECNL.

[Unregistered]

There are always kids who pass on D1 who have offers for D3 or choose not to play in college because they don’t have a fit academically. The top D1 academic schools are also the toughest to play at. Kids have offers from say MAAC schools, and they also have offers from some of the elite D3 schools, and they choose that option. kid may also have the ability to get into Duke or Vandy for example and choose not to play. I have also seen kids take the MAAC or similar conference offer.

[Unregistered]

These arguments are disingenuous. Look back say 4 years and tell me how many players you think really qualify as the best of the best ? First, what defines best of the best as a player at the time? Club success individually?YNT success? Club success on a team? Second, what validates that over time? Scholarship anywhere? Scholarship at top College? Getting drafted? being a successful pro? Making All-WYZ teams?

People define all these things very differently. Remember, College soccer up til Covid, needs a continual supply of players from somewhere. If you listen to the FSU HC, he says openly that the US is not producing players he can consistently win with. He is getting better players from elsewhere and none of them are coming from so called Elite leagues here.

The business of youth sports creates all these arguments and is allowed to exist unchecked in girls soccer, because the College is not about soccer excellence. Just the illusion of it.

Out of 9 freshmen he got 4 ECNL, 2 DA and 3 foreign with 1 of those going to HS in Florida. So 7 out of 9 is hardly ground breaking.

[Unregistered]

A majority of the top D1 commits over the last few years that are not ECNL came from DA clubs who were previously ECNL.

Huh? DA was around for 3 years previously, so if what you are saying is true, rare are any of those actual players who were in ECNL.

[Unregistered]

I think "highly rated D3" in soccer terms applies to the top 20 NCAA D3 rankings. And I don't think think point is whether or not D3 soccer teams can be competitive with D1. The point is that there are D3 freshman recruits that can be on-par with many D1 programs outside of the top 50 D1 programs. What makes those D3 programs unable to compete with D1 programs is that once those players arrive at the school, they do not train as much as the D1 programs. So by the time everybody is a sophomore or junior, the D1 teams grow the gap ahead of those D3 teams despite the fact that the recruiting classes might be of comparable talent. Of course, I am not talking about the top 20 D1 programs (or maybe even the top 50 D1 programs).

you did it again. Highly rated means exactly that. The highest rated teams are all in D1. Thats a fact. What makes them unable to compete is, far often than you infer, they are not as good for whatever reason you want to state. Whether its focus on other things etc is irrelevant. The reasons are fine with me. Its their journey. Its ok to admit that they chose a different path, but to pretend the "could have" is the disingenuous part. We have no idea nd should leave it there.

In my opinion, If you are going past the perennial top 10, and skipping to top 50, then these leagues are making the players pretty homogenous. Hence my surprise some want to pretend the league makes a big difference to the individual trajectory. In my experience, it doesn't. The average elite league kid is being sold as a potential top player. They are far from it.

[Unregistered]

The inference has been made that D3 is a fall back option which it’s not. Uneducated people in the college process assume that D3 soccer is not a strong viable option vs. D1. I think we are in agreement that those of us who have daughters either playing D3 or explored that option see it as a very viable option for numerous reasons but most importantly it gives students the opportunity to study academically in an environment less stringent than D1 and also play competitive college soccer. Many from these student/athletes in this area attend NESCAC colleges along with John Hopkins, MIT, University. Of Chicago, Emery, Pfitzer, Pomona, etc. all outstanding colleges with great soccer programs.

Here we go again. Uneducated people assume that D1 is the same throughout. D3 is not the option of choice for the best soccer players. Not because the schools are not good, the are. All you pointing out is that College for most kids, is not about soccer excellence. I agree. So why do parents spend years in Club soccer arguing over which CLub is better at getting kids into schools through soccer? Why do Clubs list Commits? They rarely list major OR tell you how well these kids did? If i said, my kid want to go to school to study in a less stringent environment....

The schools you list all great schools, great soccer programs? Not really. It doesn't matter but its the truth

[Unregistered]

People need to remember that for girls especially it is Student-Athlete and not the other way around. No NBA #1 draft $$$ after the experience is over. The first goal is to get an education and if soccer can be part of the experience and help pay for it, great. Choosing a bad fit just bc its D1 is insane when this is meant to get you started on the next 60 years of your life.

Who are you to make that generalization? It is whatever the girls choose to make of it. Education you say, but you clearly assume you can only get that in a classroom, You get that from many areas of life. Playing a sport at a high level in a demanding environment can be a great education. Not far all, but no reason for you to dismiss it because it doesnt fit your narrative. I know quite a few women who have played professionally here AND abroad and it has stood them in great stead from an employment PoV and just generally experiencing different cultures and situations. Open your mind.

[Unregistered]

Here we go again. Uneducated people assume that D1 is the same throughout. D3 is not the option of choice for the best soccer players. Not because the schools are not good, the are. All you pointing out is that College for most kids, is not about soccer excellence. I agree. So why do parents spend years in Club soccer arguing over which CLub is better at getting kids into schools through soccer? Why do Clubs list Commits? They rarely list major OR tell you how well these kids did? If i said, my kid want to go to school to study in a less stringent environment....

The schools you list all great schools, great soccer programs? Not really. It doesn't matter but its the truth

In fact some of the best soccer players choose the Ivy’s as their first choice. What exactly is your point?

[Unregistered]

In fact some of the best soccer players choose the Ivy’s as their first choice. What exactly is your point?

Relative to those that dont, its a tiny percentage. What is yours?

[Unregistered]

In fact some of the best soccer players choose the Ivy’s as their first choice. What exactly is your point?

PS are they D3 ?

[Unregistered]

In fact some of the best soccer players choose the Ivy’s as their first choice. What exactly is your point?

lol "Some" who also have the grades and scores. Ivies bend a bit but not much.

[Unregistered]

Does anyone say that? Why would a kid go play at a D1 or D2 or D3 program if they were not a good academic or other fit for that college unless they just really needed the money ...mwhich is fine

Lots of people say that on this forum. It's pretty funny.

[Unregistered]

In fact some of the best soccer players choose the Ivy’s as their first choice. What exactly is your point?

Some of the Ivy teams are pretty awful. Cornell hasn't won a conference game in years. Dartmouth has pretty much only beaten Cornell. Both teams have been in the bottom 75 in NCAA rankings in recent years. I would put the Williams or Hopkins recruiting class up against Cornell or Dartmouth any day of the week.

[Unregistered]

Some of the Ivy teams are pretty awful. Cornell hasn't won a conference game in years. Dartmouth has pretty much only beaten Cornell. Both teams have been in the bottom 75 in NCAA rankings in recent years. I would put the Williams or Hopkins recruiting class up against Cornell or Dartmouth any day of the week.

Shhhhh stop spitting facts. Ruins the narrative.

[Unregistered]

Some of the Ivy teams are pretty awful. Cornell hasn't won a conference game in years. Dartmouth has pretty much only beaten Cornell. Both teams have been in the bottom 75 in NCAA rankings in recent years. I would put the Williams or Hopkins recruiting class up against Cornell or Dartmouth any day of the week.

I wouldn't...I've seen quite a few Williams' games, it's pretty bad.