ECNL vs DA, can’t play in HS?

[Unregistered]

Today I learned that clubs affiliated with DA do not allow their players to play high school soccer? However ECNL affiliated clubs do allow their players to play in high school? Is this true?

[Unregistered]

Today I learned that clubs affiliated with DA do not allow their players to play high school soccer? However ECNL affiliated clubs do allow their players to play in high school? Is this true?

Unless you get a waiver from your DA Coach, no you cannot play HS Soccer. They play in the fall whereas ECNL, NPL and below do not.

[Unregistered]

The way you have this worded is a little tricky so hopefully I answer the question you are asking.

Only if your child is on the DA team then YES, you are not permitted to play HS unless you obtain a waiver (no guarantees). If the club has a DA program and you kid is on a different team (say NPL or NEP) then they can play high school.

ECNL is much more lenient in that regard and will allow all HS sports (soccer, basketball etc.)

If your child makes it to either team... congrats!

If you want to learn more (ECNL vs DA), hit the mass. board and you can spend a day reading pros/cons for each league since most of those options are outside of RI (NEFC, Scorpions, Stars).

[Unregistered]

Okay thank you. Seems like a strict rule. In RI think NEFC is part of DA and Bayside on the boys side? But this is all new information. I’m learning as we go. I would feel bad if my kid couldn’t play for his or her high school because the club team was connected to DA... but I think you are saying even though the club is affiliated with DA, it doesn’t mean your kid is actually going to make the DA team. ? So it’s only something to worry about if your kid makes DA team. Ok. I will hop on to MA boards too thank you!

[Unregistered]

That's what I thought you were asking. Yes he/she can play HS unless they are on the actual DA team... AND if they are good enough to make that DA team someday then you have a very special player and a lot of "learning" and decisions to make. Don't forget to enjoy the ride - these are the fun times!

[Unregistered]

That's what I thought you were asking. Yes he/she can play HS unless they are on the actual DA team... AND if they are good enough to make that DA team someday then you have a very special player and a lot of "learning" and decisions to make. Don't forget to enjoy the ride - these are the fun times!

NEFC is the only club in RI with DA on Boys and Girls side. Baysidefc no longer has DA for Boys, GPS no DA, Bolts are in Attleboro and have DA on boys side.

[Unregistered]

If you want to learn more (ECNL vs DA), hit the mass. board and you can spend a day reading pros/cons for each league since most of those options are outside of RI (NEFC, Scorpions, Stars).

Okay thanks I did jump on the MA boards. It sounds like FC Stars is really good and ECNL which means my kid could play for their HS. But I also heard that DA doesn’t like the kids to play in high school or even too many games because your kid will get injured more in the HS when playing some of the less experiences players. Something to consider. I wish FC Stars had a location in RI. Driving to Acton just to have your kid on an FC Stars ECNL team seems crazy from SK area. (Not that my kid would even get on an ECNL team ...but it seems like we should join a club when they are young connected to ECNL so later if they are good enough there is a path.) We could go with NEFC in RI but I’m not sure I’m sold on the DA path.

[Unregistered]

Okay thanks I did jump on the MA boards. It sounds like FC Stars is really good and ECNL which means my kid could play for their HS. But I also heard that DA doesn’t like the kids to play in high school or even too many games because your kid will get injured more in the HS when playing some of the less experiences players. Something to consider. I wish FC Stars had a location in RI. Driving to Acton just to have your kid on an FC Stars ECNL team seems crazy from SK area. (Not that my kid would even get on an ECNL team ...but it seems like we should join a club when they are young connected to ECNL so later if they are good enough there is a path.) We could go with NEFC in RI but I’m not sure I’m sold on the DA path.

A couple of things. NEFC and South Shore Select have full DA for girls only. If you play DA, you are not allowed to do any soccer outside of DA, so that means no high school. There are other issues with DA including strict sub rules that limit play time for the back of the roster and travel.

FC Bolts and Revs have full DA for boys and Revs is fully funded, meaning it is free.

FC Stars and Scorpions have ECNL, Stars I think for boys and girls, Scorpions for just girls. You are allowed to do other sports, including HS soccer, with ECNL. Travel is extensive and expensive.

NEFC trains in Mendon and Marlborough. South Shore is in Hingham and further south on Rt 3. FC Stars trains in Lancaster. Scorpions in Taunton. Revs are in Foxboro and I’m not sure where the Bolts DA teams train.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=...but it seems like we should join a club when they are young connected to ECNL so later if they are good enough there is a path.]

You don't need to do that if you have a special player. I've seen many kids get on ECNL teams playing for different clubs the previous year. What age group is your superstar at right now? No need to make these crazy drives from southern RI if you have a young player.

[Unregistered]

If your son ends up being good enough for an MLS DA team he wont want anything to do with HS soccer.

[Unregistered]

If your son ends up being good enough for an MLS DA team he wont want anything to do with HS soccer.

The overwhelming majority - including on the girls' side the best player to come out of RI in a decade - of college players played for a high school team at least for some portion of their secondary school time.

Yes, it's not as good soccer (obviously); Yes, the coaching for the most part isn't as good..but all the intangibles such as friendships, match buzz (more people and spirit by far on an average Tuesday night hs match than at the state/regional cup matches), and teamwork will be things missed unless your child is the exception to be at the pro/national level (and even then increasingly it's about skipping college too so forget high school).

One moment I vividly remember - a parent of arguably the best player on my child's youth U16 team (one of the better Mass clubs so yeah we made the drive from RI) telling me when I asked (yes, I was the dumb one the other parents got to bring up the subject) about his daughter missing training/games for her other development stuff (camp, personal training opportunities, etc.) was "this team isn't earning my daughter her college scholarship, she is". In other words, until you get to the pro/national level, it's still about your kid's development over the team.

Yes, the coach put up with it because she was the best player and the "too cozy" relationship of the parents with the coach/club overall (separate thread!).

Sure, if your kid is good enough for DA, it's probably too good an opportunity to pass on if that's what your kid wants; but otherwise, high school soccer and playing at the college level are far from mutually exclusive and the intangibles often outweigh the costs of skipping high school team.

[Unregistered]

The overwhelming majority - including on the girls' side the best player to come out of RI in a decade - of college players played for a high school team at least for some portion of their secondary school time.

Yes, it's not as good soccer (obviously); Yes, the coaching for the most part isn't as good..but all the intangibles such as friendships, match buzz (more people and spirit by far on an average Tuesday night hs match than at the state/regional cup matches), and teamwork will be things missed unless your child is the exception to be at the pro/national level (and even then increasingly it's about skipping college too so forget high school).

One moment I vividly remember - a parent of arguably the best player on my child's youth U16 team (one of the better Mass clubs so yeah we made the drive from RI) telling me when I asked (yes, I was the dumb one the other parents got to bring up the subject) about his daughter missing training/games for her other development stuff (camp, personal training opportunities, etc.) was "this team isn't earning my daughter her college scholarship, she is". In other words, until you get to the pro/national level, it's still about your kid's development over the team.

Yes, the coach put up with it because she was the best player and the "too cozy" relationship of the parents with the coach/club overall (separate thread!).

Sure, if your kid is good enough for DA, it's probably too good an opportunity to pass on if that's what your kid wants; but otherwise, high school soccer and playing at the college level are far from mutually exclusive and the intangibles often outweigh the costs of skipping high school team.

I've to say as a parent of a HS soccer player (NPL club) that HS soccer is a very different experience and one I'd never want my daughter to have missed. Her HS friends, and so many of her wonderful memories, are through this team (and they aren't really all that good!). I'd spend lots of time considering this lack of choice! (I am sure there are just some kids so driven and talented that DA is for them and I respect that but as a parent of a rising Senior in HS I am just so glad my kid has been able to experience both club and HS soccer).

[Unregistered]

The overwhelming majority - including on the girls' side the best player to come out of RI in a decade - of college players played for a high school team at least for some portion of their secondary school time.

Yes, it's not as good soccer (obviously); Yes, the coaching for the most part isn't as good..but all the intangibles such as friendships, match buzz (more people and spirit by far on an average Tuesday night hs match than at the state/regional cup matches), and teamwork will be things missed unless your child is the exception to be at the pro/national level (and even then increasingly it's about skipping college too so forget high school).

One moment I vividly remember - a parent of arguably the best player on my child's youth U16 team (one of the better Mass clubs so yeah we made the drive from RI) telling me when I asked (yes, I was the dumb one the other parents got to bring up the subject) about his daughter missing training/games for her other development stuff (camp, personal training opportunities, etc.) was "this team isn't earning my daughter her college scholarship, she is". In other words, until you get to the pro/national level, it's still about your kid's development over the team.

Yes, the coach put up with it because she was the best player and the "too cozy" relationship of the parents with the coach/club overall (separate thread!).

Sure, if your kid is good enough for DA, it's probably too good an opportunity to pass on if that's what your kid wants; but otherwise, high school soccer and playing at the college level are far from mutually exclusive and the intangibles often outweigh the costs of skipping high school team.

So playing DA you don't get "friendships" and "teamwork"? If you play DA your kids hs friends will stop being friends w them?

[Unregistered]

So playing DA you don't get "friendships" and "teamwork"? If you play DA your kids hs friends will stop being friends w them?

Club soccer is a different beast when it comes to “friendships”, especially the higher you go at the older ages. Top teams like DA and ECNL are often more like “Huger Games”, where there are alliances or friendships that don’t conflict in position or play time. Getting recruited is the goal and that often means putting self before team, especially in DA where sub rules are strict. Not saying it is right, but it is the nature of the beast. HS competition tends to be more “pure” and about the team, school and community. Friendships reinforced by time in class...