Ny gda

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it isn't just that girls are different than boys, although that's part of it. They did an abysmal job assessing the state of US soccer and who their competition was. They assumed they could just roll out another national league and everyone would flock over, just as easy as BDA right? Wrong. Not all the top clubs or players wanted to move. Then quickly several top clubs chose to go back to ECNL. With many disappointed in the quality of competition more are asking themselves why they're doing it. Then there's the fact that another mediocre national league isn't what the top national players need.

They should have gone about it differently, but it's too late now. How do they fix it/save it? Because if it doesn't change soon it won't be saved.

[Unregistered]

it isn't just that girls are different than boys, although that's part of it. They did an abysmal job assessing the state of US soccer and who their competition was. They assumed they could just roll out another national league and everyone would flock over, just as easy as BDA right? Wrong. Not all the top clubs or players wanted to move. Then quickly several top clubs chose to go back to ECNL. With many disappointed in the quality of competition more are asking themselves why they're doing it. Then there's the fact that another mediocre national league isn't what the top national players need.

They should have gone about it differently, but it's too late now. How do they fix it/save it? Because if it doesn't change soon it won't be saved.

I think as you gave a further explanation, it comes back to a boys/girls thing. As a part of that, they had no competition on the boys side, but did on the girls side. They either underestimated it, or thought it would work.

The competition issue is the same in any league. All have good games and blowouts. All have teams that shouldn't be there. What I can see is in GDA, teams are being removed. I don't know if that happens in ECNL, so someone feel free to add further details.

Programs who aren't performing are warned, and let go. Competition is better. From our perspective, every game 75-ish% of our games are one-goal games. To me, that's perfect. Previously, we'd sprinkle in some blow-outs with tight games and travel far (not as far) for that pleasure.

I like the professionalism the Club follows as part of the program. I like the facilities, the officials, the training, and style, and the feedback we get. Again, not sure if it's the same for ECNL, but ultimately it doesn't matter. ECNL locked out too many clubs in too many areas for it to be a legitimate option for us. Nothing against them, and I know our Club tried to get there first. But, there are too many players being left aside so there is a necessity for many of the Clubs/players in GDA to be playing at a higher-level.

I'm still in favor of a combined league between the two. New England could support it, Metro-NY could support it, and so could mid-Atlantic. Putting the top teams in each league into a single, and dropping the others, accomplishes it.

Why won't it happen? Ego.

[Unregistered]

Did only the u14 games get cancelled? Do they just come home early then, or do they have to miss another day of school and come back later after their game would’ve been played if it had not been canceled?

DA cancelled some of the 17’s as well. Well the cellar dwellers club teams. The best 17’s were moved to a location that the remaining college coaches could see them in a 4 hr window

[Unregistered]

it isn't just that girls are different than boys, although that's part of it. They did an abysmal job assessing the state of US soccer and who their competition was. They assumed they could just roll out another national league and everyone would flock over, just as easy as BDA right? Wrong. Not all the top clubs or players wanted to move. Then quickly several top clubs chose to go back to ECNL. With many disappointed in the quality of competition more are asking themselves why they're doing it. Then there's the fact that another mediocre national league isn't what the top national players need.

They should have gone about it differently, but it's too late now. How do they fix it/save it? Because if it doesn't change soon it won't be saved.

You have to define what the end goals are before you can assess. What is the point of the ECNL, a for profit club driven entity? they can tell you all about their goals for development, but its all about making money for them. Is that the GDA goal? I have no idea, but it has to be answered.

The GDA TALKED about quality, but other than practice/game ratios, there are little differences between the 2 platforms - similar coaches, facilities, opportunities, competition structure, showcases etc.

So it boils down to why play for the entity with more restrictions (if you have options) if its product offering is so similar?

i dont think either model has a compelling case to increase the odds of developing "better" players. There are too many factors in play in the inital selection of the pools. Neither is purely talent based.

given that bot platforms are so similar, its crazy that they both exist and fight on the most irrelevant issues.

As mentioned above, if the goal is commercial success, then so b it, but the implication that these structures are best for player development is nonsense.

[Unregistered]

DA cancelled some of the 17’s as well. Well the cellar dwellers club teams. The best 17’s were moved to a location that the remaining college coaches could see them in a 4 hr window

Once the ability to use Dick's was taken away (and that was not a GDA decision), they were left looking for turf fields to be used. There are many, but the biggest facilities in metro-Denver are real grass mostly (some turf, but mostly grass).

That left too many games for not enough fields to be played with enough time for everyone to get out on time. It makes sense to cancel the U14 games, they have the least to play for (U14-parent here).

I can't tell for sure if the U17 games were cellar dwellars. I know they had games rescheduled, and some were still cancelled when the fields weren't cleared. Most facilities hadn't planned on snow at this time so they weren't prepared to get them ready. So, yes, the early games in one ( ? ) location were cancelled. The others played more inland (i.e. Aurora) went ahead. Those could very well be the higher-ranked games.


Nobody is happy about what transpired, but it's a "someday your the pigeon, somedays your the statue" scenario and yesterday, we were statues. Sucks. Hope for more later because everything else was spot on until the big sh!t at the end...

[Unregistered]

10+ years experience vs. less than two. I agree with the first part of the assessment, and that comes with experience. DA has quickly learned girls are different than boys and they are adjusting, and will keep adjusting.

Save for Mother Nature (which can rear her head anywhere in the country at any time and has affected us with other tourneys before), the showcase was very well-run.

Not happy about two games over 4 nights, nobody is. But, it's not DA's fault the fields were closed. Why it was in Colorado vs. North Carolina as originally planned is a valid discussion point, and I don't know the details. But, Denver-metro is very well-suited for large events like this (as evidenced every summer with Club and NPL Finals). It works from a facility and a logistically perspective for the greatest number of clubs. Snow in April/May isn't completely unheard of, but be sure every local bartender I talked to (and I talked to MANY) said this was unusual.

I believe some of the changes next year will be beneficial. Some, I'm more skeptical on.

So, no, I don't believe they are in trouble. Have to really run your 2004 and 2005 age groups through a full cycle before one can really make that call.

Yeah, its great gasping at high altitude for a short tournament.

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Yeah, its great gasping at high altitude for a short tournament.

Did that complaint come up over the last few years and the Club and NPL championships were held there? Ungodly hot in July, mile-high altitude?

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Ny gda

Did that complaint come up over the last few years and the Club and NPL championships were held there? Ungodly hot in July, mile-high altitude?

suck it up buttercup.....train harder and be prepared....fruitcake.

[Unregistered]

suck it up buttercup.....train harder and be prepared....fruitcake.

Huh? I was asking if anyone complained about it before (i.e. just another hypocritical anti-GDA statement). I didn't say we did complained.

Pay attention.

[Unregistered]

how tiresome this thread has become. Same rhetoric about GDA. If it fails it fails; you all will just go back to complaining about the next thing. Is there anything soccer related that you all don't crap all over?

[Unregistered]

Ny gda

how tiresome this thread has become. Same rhetoric about GDA. If it fails it fails; you all will just go back to complaining about the next thing. Is there anything soccer related that you all don't crap all over?

nope....everything related to soccer is crap....like you!!!....understand??!!!

[Unregistered]

10+ years experience vs. less than two. I agree with the first part of the assessment, and that comes with experience. DA has quickly learned girls are different than boys and they are adjusting, and will keep adjusting.

Save for Mother Nature (which can rear her head anywhere in the country at any time and has affected us with other tourneys before), the showcase was very well-run.

Not happy about two games over 4 nights, nobody is. But, it's not DA's fault the fields were closed. Why it was in Colorado vs. North Carolina as originally planned is a valid discussion point, and I don't know the details. But, Denver-metro is very well-suited for large events like this (as evidenced every summer with Club and NPL Finals). It works from a facility and a logistically perspective for the greatest number of clubs. Snow in April/May isn't completely unheard of, but be sure every local bartender I talked to (and I talked to MANY) said this was unusual.

I believe some of the changes next year will be beneficial. Some, I'm more skeptical on.

So, no, I don't believe they are in trouble. Have to really run your 2004 and 2005 age groups through a full cycle before one can really make that call.

Those other events are held in the summer when the weather is much more stable. In and around Denver is dicey this time of year. Unless you're doing San Diego or Phoenix you need to build in weather adjustments into the schedule. People aren't happy spending that kind of money for two games

[Unregistered]

nope....everything related to soccer is crap....like you!!!....understand??!!!

When it comes to GDA discussions there is a high correlation with the word "crap." It isn't by coincidence.

[Unregistered]

Those other events are held in the summer when the weather is much more stable. In and around Denver is dicey this time of year. Unless you're doing San Diego or Phoenix you need to build in weather adjustments into the schedule. People aren't happy spending that kind of money for two games

Again, the overwhelming consensus is this was an unusual event.

I'm not in favor of hosting all events only in warm (or freakin' HOT) locations. We are a nation of wide ranging climatic factors, and all should be taken into account. Why should cold-weather teams always have to play when it's 100 degrees, and not vice-versa?

We were in CO last June for the NPL finals, and it was ridiculously hot. This wasn't all that unusual, more the norm than the snow we just had. Where were the complaints then?

Denver has a lot of merits in terms of it's location. Reasonable (barely) flight times across the country; many facilities with dozens of fields at the ready - and all in great shape. Nice city, plenty to do off the pitch, and accessible weed.

Not going to indict everyone and everything over something that was not the norm. I'd be more concerned about events being scheduled in guaranteed harsh weather.

[Unregistered]

Now this is funny....from the CT board. Very average club Ginga, based around New Haven, says they're now affiliated with Fury. No one is going from New Haven to Long Island to play there when Oakwood is half an hour away. http://gingafc.com/app/index/list/?org=GINGAFC.COM Desperate times, desperate measures.