Clearly the West Coast is Ahead

[Unregistered]

USSF wanted to put ECNL out of business. If they'd cared about girls soccer they 1) would have started GDA years before, not long after they started BDA 2) built the league's credibility over time instead of going for market share. Now, 5 (6?) years later GDA is what NPL used to be, after all those years of turmoil that didn't improve the soccer landscape and created heaps of headaches for players, families and clubs.

Actually GDA is DOA while NPL at least still exists.

[Unregistered]

USSF wanted to put ECNL out of business. If they'd cared about girls soccer they 1) would have started GDA years before, not long after they started BDA 2) built the league's credibility over time instead of going for market share. Now, 5 (6?) years later GDA is what NPL used to be, after all those years of turmoil that didn't improve the soccer landscape and created heaps of headaches for players, families and clubs.

Out of business? No. A partnership, whereas ultimately USSoccer was in charge, yes.

Yes, they blew it by waiting too long to start it and ECNL slid in. Revisionist history tells me they shouldn't, since the no-HS model was obviously a big deal to girls and they hadn't encountered that for boys.

But, while the little history lesson is cool and all, doesn't change that the introduction of competing national organizations came as a result of US Club soccer. And, it has nothing to do with the situation they allowed PDA to cause in NJ.

[Unregistered]

Why not? Most of CO Real's two teams do well, same with many other clubs. Stars is probably the weakest of the two team clubs, but their weaker teams are still better than basement dwellers like FSA, who only have one team per age.

Why not?

Because they've lost the incentive to get better since they limit (or eliminate) outside competition.

Maybe go back and read several pages before chiming in?

[Unregistered]

USSF wanted to put ECNL out of business. If they'd cared about girls soccer they 1) would have started GDA years before, not long after they started BDA 2) built the league's credibility over time instead of going for market share. Now, 5 (6?) years later GDA is what NPL used to be, after all those years of turmoil that didn't improve the soccer landscape and created heaps of headaches for players, families and clubs.

US Soccer git greedy and thought they knew best. Instead they set back women's soccer at least a few years and created a huge mess. US Soccer and US Club should merge and form a set tiered system complete with relegation for clubs and teams to play in.

[Unregistered]

But it's irrelevant. Are they good because of where they are? Would another be just as good if given the chance? Would everyone get better due to a level competitive field?

Clubs should be competing for players so they have an incentive to improve. PDA has no incentive, and the results bear that out.

NJ clubs are set on auto pilot for mediocracy because there best players always leave for ECNL so why bother.

[Unregistered]

US Soccer git greedy and thought they knew best. Instead they set back women's soccer at least a few years and created a huge mess. US Soccer and US Club should merge and form a set tiered system complete with relegation for clubs and teams to play in.

Agree with the last point, but how did they set it back? If anything, they at least provided an outlet for the thousands of talented players currently shut out. They put a platform in place that at least put pressure on the ECNL clubs so they won't get too comfortable.

Now, that's lost and the incentive for ECNL clubs is lost as well.

Back to the merger point, while I agree there is no incentive for ECNL and clubs. They have the market, they don't need to improve the game, and they are raking in the dough in the process. THAT is what will, and has started, to kill the game here.

[Unregistered]

Agree with the last point, but how did they set it back? If anything, they at least provided an outlet for the thousands of talented players currently shut out. They put a platform in place that at least put pressure on the ECNL clubs so they won't get too comfortable.

Now, that's lost and the incentive for ECNL clubs is lost as well.

Back to the merger point, while I agree there is no incentive for ECNL and clubs. They have the market, they don't need to improve the game, and they are raking in the dough in the process. THAT is what will, and has started, to kill the game here.

thousands of players are shut out? shut out how? it's all the same clubs jumping from one alphabet league to the next. no one is shut out of playing, you just might not always be able to play for the club you'd like to because you can't make the team, it's too far etc.

[Unregistered]

Love sjeb

[Unregistered]

Great club. Great facilities.

Love sjeb

[Unregistered]

Great club. Great facilities.

Top girls league in the nation

[Unregistered]

Agree with the last point, but how did they set it back? If anything, they at least provided an outlet for the thousands of talented players currently shut out. They put a platform in place that at least put pressure on the ECNL clubs so they won't get too comfortable.

Now, that's lost and the incentive for ECNL clubs is lost as well.

Back to the merger point, while I agree there is no incentive for ECNL and clubs. They have the market, they don't need to improve the game, and they are raking in the dough in the process. THAT is what will, and has started, to kill the game here.

ECNL is there own entity they will never merge with any other soccer organization or eagles. There is no incentive for them to “water down” their product. There is nothing to gain for ECNL. ECNL has no interest to merge with middle tier clubs. ECNL was formed by the best clubs in the country, that is the foundation. I believe they let in clubs thereafter that do not belong but that was a lesson learned by the league. If ECNL is bringing in NEFC, FCV, Tophat that certainly will not bring the middle tier NJ clubs to further dilute an already weakened market.

[Unregistered]

ECNL is there own entity they will never merge with any other soccer organization or eagles. There is no incentive for them to “water down” their product. There is nothing to gain for ECNL. ECNL has no interest to merge with middle tier clubs. ECNL was formed by the best clubs in the country, that is the foundation. I believe they let in clubs thereafter that do not belong but that was a lesson learned by the league. If ECNL is bringing in NEFC, FCV, Tophat that certainly will not bring the middle tier NJ clubs to further dilute an already weakened market.

Agree with the top tier, but still no reasonable explanation for some clubs having two.

None.

(I don't consider lining the coffers of board members from clubs to be reasonable from a sporting perspective)

[Unregistered]

thousands of players are shut out? shut out how? it's all the same clubs jumping from one alphabet league to the next. no one is shut out of playing, you just might not always be able to play for the club you'd like to because you can't make the team, it's too far etc.

Actually, yes. There are players in areas of the country where going to another league is feasible, but getting to an ECNL club is not. When some clubs have a second team (and those teams are mid-level) it prevents a better geographic spread.

Common sense at some point has to be used when posting. Why not start now?

[Unregistered]

ECNL is there own entity they will never merge with any other soccer organization or eagles. There is no incentive for them to “water down” their product. There is nothing to gain for ECNL. ECNL has no interest to merge with middle tier clubs. ECNL was formed by the best clubs in the country, that is the foundation. I believe they let in clubs thereafter that do not belong but that was a lesson learned by the league. If ECNL is bringing in NEFC, FCV, Tophat that certainly will not bring the middle tier NJ clubs to further dilute an already weakened market.

Market is weakened only by PDA:
- 2 teams in 1 location: more travel, obvious A|B tier between clubs
- 2 weekly sessions that are frequently cancelled with no make-up: 3 fields for training for too many teams (boys + girls ecnl, mls next, ECRL) and no indoors facilities
- 22+ players per team with high rotation by recruiting
- practices are 30-50% scrimmage

There is no reason for PDA to change the business model because the top blue team:
- always has a pipeline of fresh players joining, or players moved from white
- blue team players are expected to do 6-8 hours of training on their own because the weak practices
- blue team accomplishments are waved around on social media while no one talks about white as being the feeder tube

Clear way to fix this is to move ECNL white to Shore and to add 2 more ECNL clubs in NJ area and let the better training model win.

[Unregistered]

Actually, yes. There are players in areas of the country where going to another league is feasible, but getting to an ECNL club is not. When some clubs have a second team (and those teams are mid-level) it prevents a better geographic spread.

Common sense at some point has to be used when posting. Why not start now?

ECNL will add clubs in areas where it makes sense. There are less populated areas and low soccer-interest areas where it doesn't make sense, or there aren't enough quality clubs to make it work with traveling etc. Why is it ECNLs responsibility to blanket the country? MLS has similar same coverage issues. Kids can still play soccer in many other leagues out there. They aren't "shut out" Shut out means they're knocking on the door and won't be admitted.