Girls U14 ECNL

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When it comes to structuring a team the ECNL allows a Season roster of 30 players. How a club manages that roster is up to them. They can hold a 20+ player active roster and add and subtract from the same or lower ages as they see fit however they are only allowed 18 players for a game.

Since the majority of the additional cost is travel it will also be interesting to see how the clubs manage the non travel fees other than kits since they are looking at roughly $500 more than standard at both clubs. If you get brought up for one game are they going to ask for the full difference, a prorated difference or none?

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See, you answered your own question. To try and compare Oregon to S. Cal, N. Cal or even Seattle is a silly comparison. We will never be like those areas and most people in Oregon like it that way.

I am an ECNL proponent but even I thought it was laughable that we were granted 2 teams within only several miles of each other. One team could have had success. But, two teams is going to be a tough ride.

To say we cannot compete with those areas simply based on numbers is a cop out, to say we can't compete because we lack the commitment and work ethic is perhaps the sad reality of OR culture. I hope you're wrong and that OR isn't just a bunch of armchair supporters?! Guess this ECNL challenge will sort that out!

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I wouldn't get too worked up about GU14 ECNL.
U14 is ECNL "lite" and only the first stage. Even in markets where the ECNL is established not all U14 families jump into ECNL. Seems like at U15 things ramp up. Maybe it's because many players start to make decisions about their future. Kids start to make decisions about how serious they are. Some step it up and the ECNL looks like the ticket.
It will be interesting to see how the U15 and older ECNL teams fair the first go around.
I predict a higher percentage of the better players will embrace the ECNL at the older ages.
They're hip to the club BS sales pitches and they're frustrated with their "average" teams.
We'll see ....

[Unregistered]

I wouldn't get too worked up about GU14 ECNL.
U14 is ECNL "lite" and only the first stage. Even in markets where the ECNL is established not all U14 families jump into ECNL. Seems like at U15 things ramp up. Maybe it's because many players start to make decisions about their future. Kids start to make decisions about how serious they are. Some step it up and the ECNL looks like the ticket.
It will be interesting to see how the U15 and older ECNL teams fair the first go around.
I predict a higher percentage of the better players will embrace the ECNL at the older ages.
They're hip to the club BS sales pitches and they're frustrated with their "average" teams.
We'll see ....

I disagree. There will be low a very low turnout at the older ages.

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I disagree. There will be low a very low turnout at the older ages.

You are right. Just like with all youth soccer, numbers decrease as they get older. It will be no different with ECNL. I just hope they can field a team.

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I disagree. There will be low a very low turnout at the older ages.

The OYSA / OPL split is so damn frustrating the ECNL will succeed.

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Well, since this first round of tryouts was only for the U14 age bracket, you will not know if this is a draw or not, at least until August, when the two clubs (FC and THUSC/X-fire) hold their older age ECNL tryouts.

If I were to throw out guess, I would say the number or the draw of other top players, from other clubs would be very, very minimal, at best. Again, using the club gear that the girls were wearing as my barometer. There were NOT a lot of other girls, from other programs or clubs, at least not at the THUSC/X-fire tryouts. I cannot speak for the FC tryouts as I was not personally there.

I think all of your points are valid---time/distance/financial commitment could be prime reasons. Their liking of their current clubs/coaches could be other reasons as well.

I totally agree too that the two clubs may be naive to think that the ECNL was going to be this 'magic' elixir that was going to be a HUGE draw and bring in all sorts of girls, from all around. It remains to be seen as we will have only gone through 2 nights of tryouts and only have 1 team formed, after tonight. The real proof will come in August and September when the older aged teams get formed. Will the message get out? Will girls WANT to come and try out? Will this be a huge draw and bring in other talented girls to push those THUSC/X-fire and FC girls?? We won't know until the fall.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

It's going to play out in August just like it has played out so far. Nothing magical is going to happen. It's not a marketing problem. Every talented player knows what's going on unless they live in a cave.

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We don't have enough players with that kind of money. Inevitably, the teams will have too many good but not-so-elite players with wealthy parents filling out the rosters.

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To say we cannot compete with those areas simply based on numbers is a cop out, to say we can't compete because we lack the commitment and work ethic is perhaps the sad reality of OR culture. I hope you're wrong and that OR isn't just a bunch of armchair supporters?! Guess this ECNL challenge will sort that out!

Ya man, we're all a bunch of stokers here in Oregon. Maybe we should compete in the Colorado ECNL...uh, cause I think man they are mellowing out up there too man.

It's numbers. You can call it a cop out, but it's reality. Oregon people are no more or less committed than So Cal. To say that's the case sounds childish and thick.

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It's going to play out in August just like it has played out so far. Nothing magical is going to happen. It's not a marketing problem. Every talented player knows what's going on unless they live in a cave.

Here is my tale on what I saw this weekend as I was watching the current U14 and U15 finals. I have a daughter that plays up and am interested in ECNL for her. The U14s (soon to be u15s) are going to get killed by the other ECNl teams. At u15 there was obviously some talent, but even they have struggled with the speed of SoCal and there certainly wasn't any speed on OR Xfire that could help.

I am glad ECNL is here, but it will be a painful in the first couple of years

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Don't Bend & Eugene have some of the best 99s in Oregon? Will they drive that far to do Ecnl?

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Look at their record over the last year and the fact that a number of girls quit the team over the winter. They were also sold the WCDA program last year as an additional "Player Development Opportunity". I think in those tournaments they attended they may have only won 1 game and barely scored any goals. Their Director of Girls was the head coach and he is significantly lacking in just about every area that you would evaluate a coach in.

So, that pretty much sums up why LO kids likely didn't show up.

You've nailed it.

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Don't Bend & Eugene have some of the best 99s in Oregon? Will they drive that far to do Ecnl?

You have some misguided priorities if you are driving from Bend to Portland to soccer and yes I feel the same about driving from PDX to SEA

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It would seem they didn't even pull any of the top players from LO. Well maybe a couple. That doesn't help I'm sure.

I think you have to offer significantly better coaching and opportunity than at players current clubs to make them do ECNL. Maybe that is why people won't pay more to do ECNL?

It looks like one or two of the better FC Portland player are at Hazelia Park tonight. I think one of them played up last year.

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Don't Bend & Eugene have some of the best 99s in Oregon? Will they drive that far to do Ecnl?

Doesn't one '99 from Eugene play for Washington Premier??