ECNL vs GDA Pro's and Con's

[Unregistered]

Okay as things keeps moving forward I am becoming more and more........not confused but more.........(SMH) that's shaking my head. Now if I recall I thought the whole GDA was suppose to come in and make things better for kids or the US as a whole. I thought they were suppose to create a league that only the "ELITE" would be in and really to counter the ECNL who people were saying that its too watered down with teams or clubs that are undeserving I guess. Looking at the GDA and the clubs that are being invited I wonder what they are doing and why so many clubs if that was the argument of the ECNL. Any thoughts or is it just me.

Eric Harris

[Unregistered]

Okay as things keeps moving forward I am becoming more and more........not confused but more.........(SMH) that's shaking my head. Now if I recall I thought the whole GDA was suppose to come in and make things better for kids or the US as a whole. I thought they were suppose to create a league that only the "ELITE" would be in and really to counter the ECNL who people were saying that its too watered down with teams or clubs that are undeserving I guess. Looking at the GDA and the clubs that are being invited I wonder what they are doing and why so many clubs if that was the argument of the ECNL. Any thoughts or is it just me.

Eric Harris

USSF is really only concerned with finding the top 2% of soccer players. To do this they need a league that limits traveling and expenses on the clubs. They also want to ensure they have geographic coverage to not miss any of the 2%. To accomplish this the create a larger dispersed league. What you have in reality is a league of have and have nots.

In the Boys DAP the haves are the MLS clubs and the have nots are the non MLS clubs. In GDA the haves will be the powerhouse ECNL clubs and the have nots will be everyone else. USSF doesn't really care about great teams or even parity if the can uncover that 2%

[Unregistered]

Okay as things keeps moving forward I am becoming more and more........not confused but more.........(SMH) that's shaking my head. Now if I recall I thought the whole GDA was suppose to come in and make things better for kids or the US as a whole. I thought they were suppose to create a league that only the "ELITE" would be in and really to counter the ECNL who people were saying that its too watered down with teams or clubs that are undeserving I guess. Looking at the GDA and the clubs that are being invited I wonder what they are doing and why so many clubs if that was the argument of the ECNL. Any thoughts or is it just me.

Eric Harris

That's the thing. GDA is just another league. There is no magic pixie dust that is going to make it any better than ECNL, EDP, NPL or whatever other alphabet soup that is the flavor of the day. The clubs and coaches in the nation are well known and finite. Any new league that forms is just going to grab the same clubs and coaches that were accepted by ECNL when it was hot, or EDP when it was hot and so on and so on.

The only dramatic change that is really possible is USSF offering free soccer to eliminate pay to play disadvantages but the money just isn't there for that.

[Unregistered]

GDA - in theory top players groomed for NTs.
ECNL - I still see it as the top league and to feed college teams

GDA - 11 players/age group
ECNL - Maxed out rosters

ECNL - Feeder clubs like 2nd team NPL
GDA - ??? Maybe the actual GDA provides initial pool of players to choose from and add outsiders? Create a team at the host GDA club?

ECNL - above average costs
GDA - ?? but rumored to be higher than ECNL

GDA - limited games & 4x/week training
ECNL - less restrictive game wise and ?? about training (Eric & others can fill in here)

ECNL - players play and train, and still have fun
GDA - lifeless, personality-less, emotionless robot (come on, 4x/week training??? What is this nerd soccer? says this nerd-poster)

GDA - encourage creative play? take risks (shots?) trained to think on their own?

ECNL - mostly cool parents; occasional rabid or crazy
GDA - who the heck knows

[Unregistered]

Forgot.

ECNL - still top dog until GDA gets off the ground
GDA - sounds like a disparity of who will have what U16 & U18 only? Full slate of U12-U18? Hence my earlier question elsewhere about joining higher/elite club early on or later

[Unregistered]

ECNL - college coaches and arguably other top coaches
GDA - NO CLUE

[Unregistered]

GDA - in theory top players groomed for NTs.
ECNL - I still see it as the top league and to feed college teams

GDA - 11 players/age group
ECNL - Maxed out rosters

ECNL - Feeder clubs like 2nd team NPL
GDA - ??? Maybe the actual GDA provides initial pool of players to choose from and add outsiders? Create a team at the host GDA club?

ECNL - above average costs
GDA - ?? but rumored to be higher than ECNL

GDA - limited games & 4x/week training
ECNL - less restrictive game wise and ?? about training (Eric & others can fill in here)

ECNL - players play and train, and still have fun
GDA - lifeless, personality-less, emotionless robot (come on, 4x/week training??? What is this nerd soccer? says this nerd-poster)

GDA - encourage creative play? take risks (shots?) trained to think on their own?

ECNL - mostly cool parents; occasional rabid or crazy
GDA - who the heck knows

I will say that my daughters team trains a minimal 3 to 4 times a week and if for some reason there isn't a game slated they go 4 to 5 times that week. I have to say I am a true fan of kids training more. If they play that weekend great if not no matter.

[Unregistered]

I will say that my daughters team trains a minimal 3 to 4 times a week and if for some reason there isn't a game slated they go 4 to 5 times that week. I have to say I am a true fan of kids training more. If they play that weekend great if not no matter.

sorry

Eric Harris

[Unregistered]

I will say that my daughters team trains a minimal 3 to 4 times a week and if for some reason there isn't a game slated they go 4 to 5 times that week. I have to say I am a true fan of kids training more. If they play that weekend great if not no matter.

Eric has it always been that way? Or did PDA amp it up once GDA announced? I thought it was 3x/week at the older ages.

[Unregistered]

ECNL Pros: proven college placement track record (all parents and player care about); many college coaches (with their knowledge of what it takes to play in college and great connections to help get players in); ability to play HS soccer and other sports; currently the best competition out there and training for college play

ECNL Cons: some clubs aren't very good and relegation almost never happens; no consistent training curriculum; games are crammed into a shorter season and normally are two per weekend; travel is a bit** and costly; not diverse; little to no coaching standards

GDA Pros: more training, less games (almost always one game/weekend); somewhat lower costs (but not by much and probably won't be a difference maker for the average soccer family); consistent training curriculum; no HS soccer (depending on your point of view)

GDA Cons: unproven college placement record (for now); some clubs aren't very good but at least boys DA does relegate once in awhile; travel is still a bit** and costly; no HS soccer or any other sport; most college coaches will not be able to make a 10 month commitment - so who coaches?; limited substitution rules means some players will travel and never see a minute of game time; won't be any more diverse than ECNL; rising complaints on the boys system that it has become too regimented and turning out robotic players

[Unregistered]

That's the thing. GDA is just another league. There is no magic pixie dust that is going to make it any better than ECNL, EDP, NPL or whatever other alphabet soup that is the flavor of the day. The clubs and coaches in the nation are well known and finite. Any new league that forms is just going to grab the same clubs and coaches that were accepted by ECNL when it was hot, or EDP when it was hot and so on and so on.

The only dramatic change that is really possible is USSF offering free soccer to eliminate pay to play disadvantages but the money just isn't there for that.

the money is not there (or let's say USSF isn't willing to front it and there's no MLS clubs to help the most talented players play for free). so from a diversity standpoint there will be no diversity improvements or broadening of the talent pool. the last two announced club lists were pretty weak. had they stolen most ECNL clubs (like they wanted to) it would be an ECNL killer. but they didn't - ecnl held pretty steady all things considered. so we'll end up with two watered down leagues fighting for talent.

[Unregistered]

Eric has it always been that way? Or did PDA amp it up once GDA announced? I thought it was 3x/week at the older ages.

I won't say it always been that way but this past year it was always. It wasn't every team that took this approach just the one my daughter was on. Years past they would do it from time to time. I am a fan of training more. Every other sports practices at least 4 to 5 times a week. The achievement that my daughters team accomplish this year was evident of the time they spent practicing and how much more they were prepared than other teams.

Eric Harris

[Unregistered]

ECNL Pros: proven college placement track record (all parents and player care about); many college coaches (with their knowledge of what it takes to play in college and great connections to help get players in); ability to play HS soccer and other sports; currently the best competition out there and training for college play

ECNL Cons: some clubs aren't very good and relegation almost never happens; no consistent training curriculum; games are crammed into a shorter season and normally are two per weekend; travel is a bit** and costly; not diverse; little to no coaching standards

GDA Pros: more training, less games (almost always one game/weekend); somewhat lower costs (but not by much and probably won't be a difference maker for the average soccer family); consistent training curriculum; no HS soccer (depending on your point of view)

GDA Cons: unproven college placement record (for now); some clubs aren't very good but at least boys DA does relegate once in awhile; travel is still a bit** and costly; no HS soccer or any other sport; most college coaches will not be able to make a 10 month commitment - so who coaches?; limited substitution rules means some players will travel and never see a minute of game time; won't be any more diverse than ECNL; rising complaints on the boys system that it has become too regimented and turning out robotic players

Nice post

The two other pros for GDA

1. national team scouts will be at GDA games.
2. USSF audits clubs for compliance and improvements areas with the authority to kick out clubs for repeated violations or a bad product

[Unregistered]

In addition, the ECNL defense team is overbearing. I think they would be better off selling the positives of what they offer. The non stop attacks on the GDA are too much and read like dutiful posts that someone is getting paid to make.

[Unregistered]

Nice post

The two other pros for GDA

1. national team scouts will be at GDA games.
2. USSF audits clubs for compliance and improvements areas with the authority to kick out clubs for repeated violations or a bad product

Poster did mention relegation. It happens but not very often and takes some time. In ECNL it obviously never happens.

As for the other - it there's a player with NT skills, they'll scout her out (then probably pressure her to switch). There just aren't that many at that level and they stand out. Besides, that's a factor that will only mater to a few players. Most know they're not NT material. They only care about college. Whichever platform helps them reach their college soccer goals will be what they chose.