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**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 10:27 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The way soccer is played here, there is a place for every kid with no fear and exceptional speed. Technical ability is just gravy.

Yes. And technical ability is not useful without other technical players on a team to execute successful plays.

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 11:19 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Yes. And technical ability is not useful without other technical players on a team to execute successful plays.

Wait, are you saying 1 or 2 players per team can't make it a possession based style with 1- and 2-touch passes? If a single player can beat 5 or 6 opponents at midfield every time before losing the ball, that counts as possession soccer, right?

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Let's look at it another way Mr glass half full. Rather than saying all ecnl and gda players are of the highest caliber let's say that more than 80% of them are merely support players. That is to say that on an average tram 3 or 4 are very good players. The other 16-20 kids are less than special and easily surpassed by lots of players from other leagues. I know you think all of ecnl and gda are unicorns but they are not.

Never said all ECNL and gda players are of the highest caliber, but I disagree with your stats a little. I don't agree that more than 80% are merely support players or that there are only 3-4 very good players. I also don't think all of ECNL and GdA are unicorns, but there's no way more than half the starting XI of ECNL and GDA lineups are "easily surpassed by lots of players from other leagues"...or at least the college coaches don't think so, otherwise their rosters would be flooded with NPL and/or EDP-USYS players. Newsflash, they're not.

Now don't get me wrong, I've already admitted there are some very strong players in leagues other than the top 2, just not too many around here and the one's that are, are comparable to the players you consider "less than special"-middle of the roster players on ECNL & GDA teams. My point is, they are some that are objectively head and shoulders above (AS from SSS-now in GDA, the YU kid who was named HS POY) but honestly most are not.

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Wait, are you saying 1 or 2 players per team can't make it a possession based style with 1- and 2-touch passes? If a single player can beat 5 or 6 opponents at midfield every time before losing the ball, that counts as possession soccer, right?

It does around here because it struggles to get beyond that. A fan can dream but strong technical play is rare and difficult as best I have seen. Nice to see when it happens.

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 05:23 PM

Give me the top 5 players in College soccer over the last 5 years from this area - NJ,NY,CT MA, PA

I will bet they are from different programs, have different skill sets and only one thing in common. DRIVE.

They dont share the same technical or physical tools or profile.

There is no formula. There is not "best" club.

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 05:44 PM

The"best" club is the one that's best for your player. Ignore the noise.

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The"best" club is the one that's best for your player. Ignore the noise.

You miss the point . How do you figure out which coaches would be a good match based on your players traits? It has very little to do with how well a team is doing results wise. Most posts are team results based. that is not really helpful

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 10:36 PM

Congrats WC ECNL U15 for dominating down at Bethesda! Powerhouse team

**Unregistered** · 11-17-2019, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Congrats WC ECNL U15 for dominating down at Bethesda! Powerhouse team

While you were down in Bethesda your husband was being dominated by the milkman.

**Unregistered** · 11-18-2019, 07:04 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

You miss the point . How do you figure out which coaches would be a good match based on your players traits? It has very little to do with how well a team is doing results wise. Most posts are team results based. that is not really helpful

When kids are younger it's easier to move around chasing after good coaches. Some of those good coaches won't be a "top" clubs. Once you hit later middle school years it isn't so easy. That's where you have to look at the coaching pool and assess if "most" of them are good. The platform the club plays in also plays a much bigger role vs the younger years also

**Unregistered** · 11-18-2019, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

When kids are younger it's easier to move around chasing after good coaches. Some of those good coaches won't be a "top" clubs. Once you hit later middle school years it isn't so easy. That's where you have to look at the coaching pool and assess if "most" of them are good. The platform the club plays in also plays a much bigger role vs the younger years also

Here is a newsflash for you ..... It is so easy. Many if the top coaches still are not ecnl or gda .... Let's face it 2 years ago all gda coaches were npl or less coaches, now they are special. The difference is in ecnl and gda that more athletic players aggregate to. These teams as they get older. They super special mega clubs haven't made these kids special ... The kids didn't with the help of their parents and little clubs. So tell me how these average (or less than average in many cases) coaches are going to help your player at U15 or U16 when all the players they trained for the past 6 years have been run out because they really can't play? Do not assume the sleeve patch makes better players or coaches ... It's just thread .... Expensive thread at that.

**Unregistered** · 11-18-2019, 09:18 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

When kids are younger it's easier to move around chasing after good coaches. Some of those good coaches won't be a "top" clubs. Once you hit later middle school years it isn't so easy. That's where you have to look at the coaching pool and assess if "most" of them are good. The platform the club plays in also plays a much bigger role vs the younger years also

"The platform the club plays in" . Too many comments like this, too few about actually improving as a player. The focus is on s many things that are a byproduct of actually being good.

Its hard to believe how these platforms contain so many kids who are

technically poor
tactically unaware
physically weak
not motivated

**Unregistered** · 11-18-2019, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

"The platform the club plays in" . Too many comments like this, too few about actually improving as a player. The focus is on s many things that are a byproduct of actually being good.

Its hard to believe how these platforms contain so many kids who are

technically poor
tactically unaware
physically weak
not motivated

Because there's too many of them. There's a league for everyone! All it's done is dilute the player and coaching talent. Clubs have no choice but to take a good # of players who wouldn't have sniffed a "badge" a few years ago.

As for platforms - pick your poison, but the stronger the competition the more challenged your player will be. Of course the coaching matters, absolutely. But the greatest training ever still needs good games to put the learning to work. Once you're below ECNL and DA level it is harder to get noticed, fact. It can happen but it's another factor to consider. In some areas players don't have good options, in others they do.

**Unregistered** · 11-18-2019, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Because there's too many of them. There's a league for everyone! All it's done is dilute the player and coaching talent. Clubs have no choice but to take a good # of players who wouldn't have sniffed a "badge" a few years ago.

As for platforms - pick your poison, but the stronger the competition the more challenged your player will be. Of course the coaching matters, absolutely. But the greatest training ever still needs good games to put the learning to work. Once you're below ECNL and DA level it is harder to get noticed, fact. It can happen but it's another factor to consider. In some areas players don't have good options, in others they do.

If good games was the agenda, teams would find them. Play pick up, mix ages, add boys etc. Its not. The agenda is creating these stupid unwieldy leagues to justify charging parents more.

"Once you're below ECNL and DA level it is harder to get noticed, fact."

Its self fulfilling and services the need of those convincing you that this is the way. They control the narrative.

How about this, if you are really good, its much easier to get noticed.

Most parents are not focused on making their kid really good. They are more focused on herding her to a team that wins a lot of games so she can win. Double edged sword as it tends to concentrate players at destination Clubs, reduce the quality of others and therefore support the narrative that the games are not competitive. Feeds the agenda that ABC is the "best" club when all they are really doing is out recruiting others.

In most cases, they are not doing that much to really improve the players because they dont have to to win. Do kids on those teams work their butts off to improve and go on to great Colleges? Of course they do, but Im not convinced they would not do that if they had stayed where they were.

The drive, talent and mindset to succeed comes from the kids, not the league they play in. Clubs are in the business of trying to convince you otherwise.