What to expct in the ECNL

[Unregistered]

Having actually watched a full season of U16 ECNL including showcases and the National playoffs I thought I would share what I observed so that parents and coaches who HAVEN'T might get an idea of what is ahead for our daughters as they step op to play a higher level of soccer.

The first thing you will see from the sideline is the speed of the game. Few players posses the ball for more than two touches unless on an attack run. What this translates to is more and quicker passing than seen on most local teams and depending upon the club/team style it will be either short passes (possession) or longer passes to space with players running on to the ball (direct) and many times a blend of the two but either way rarely does a player keep the ball and try to beat the defense individually.

The next thing you will see is that the defense does not allow more than those two touches as they are always going FULL SPEED for every ball. They are also very adept at deflecting passes which makes moving the ball on the 2nd touch all that more important.

After that you will notice the overall team speed and quickness. You will see that not only are their forwards Greyhounds their Mids will have nearly equal speed. On the back line what I saw as a universal trait was the defense was very quick and able to keep the game in front of them and recover if beaten.

A majority of the time you will notice a more sophisticated attack than seen locally with backs regularly making off ball opposite side runs and after getting the ball taking it deep into the corner before making centering crosses to players making attack runs from outside the box.


Rarely did I see a team bomb away from distance with the defense set.

I also saw a commitment to head the ball that far exceeds any team I have observed locally over the years with the exception of Neon. Not only are the better ECNL teams committed to heading but they head with purpose and generally to another player and not just the other direction. You will also see that commitment to head translate into more effective set plays.

To sum it up our girls are going to have to play faster and smarter with a dedication to go 100% at all times. They are going to have to lean to pass with precision and accuracy or they are not going to have the ball.

Our coaches are going to have to step up their game too and teach a more complete approach to the game.

IMHO there exists enough physical talent in the area to compete. The question is there enough desire/heart to play at this level. Only time will tell how many age groups at the two clubs can find enough players willing and able.

Good luck to all it's fun if the entire team has the same goal!

[Unregistered]

How do they achieve this with the same players and coaches already here? Are they bringing in new coaches? Out of state players?

[Unregistered]

You can expect:

A lot of wealthy families that can afford the $10000 per year.

A lot of really talented kids that can't afford to participate.

[Unregistered]

They way they did with ODP

How do they achieve this with the same players and coaches already here? Are they bringing in new coaches? Out of state players?

When ODP was the only choice for our better players we had some success with the same old coaches and that was as a "part time" team.

With more training as a unit it is logical to expect equal or even greater success than the ODP of days yore. The variable just like ODP was who will try out and what chemistry can be achieved at each level.

Will the Clubs be able to put together competitive teams at every age group initially? No but at CU 'should" be able to put 3 of 5 teams together that will be competitive given the history of the clubs age groups.

DK what FC is going to end up with but is sounds like the 14's are going to be solid after adding the players who were playing up.

[Unregistered]

How do they achieve this with the same players and coaches already here? Are they bringing in new coaches? Out of state players?

Players will consolidate over time. Already coaches good enough in the area, those will also consolidate. Difficult to bring in established out-of-state coaches considering the money they make elsewhere....

[Unregistered]

When ODP was the only choice for our better players we had some success with the same old coaches and that was as a "part time" team.

With more training as a unit it is logical to expect equal or even greater success than the ODP of days yore. The variable just like ODP was who will try out and what chemistry can be achieved at each level.

Will the Clubs be able to put together competitive teams at every age group initially? No but at CU 'should" be able to put 3 of 5 teams together that will be competitive given the history of the clubs age groups.

DK what FC is going to end up with but is sounds like the 14's are going to be solid after adding the players who were playing up.

FC will do as expected initially. Do well against Utah/Idaho, struggle initially versus WA and Nor cal. But they are much improved. They added three in-club play ups who have been sporadic but are still playing with U15 as well, as they may have gotten into surf and will defend their Championship title from last years Crossfire Challenge (WA). Additionally there are a couple of new WA players, one is a Play up and then there is a bend play up and one from thusc (I think). They have the core of their old navy team that showed poorly in the fall, but with new coaching, they have only lost one match since, versus a relatively decent team from WA (1-2) in an early round of the super cup, then beat that same team for the championship.

No one is kidding ourselves here, they have A LOT of work in front of them however.

Most importantly my daughter is enjoying it. It's challenging, yet fun. Everything else is secondary.

[Unregistered]

Having actually watched a full season of U16 ECNL including showcases and the National playoffs I thought I would share what I observed so that parents and coaches who HAVEN'T might get an idea of what is ahead for our daughters as they step op to play a higher level of soccer.

The first thing you will see from the sideline is the speed of the game. Few players posses the ball for more than two touches unless on an attack run. What this translates to is more and quicker passing than seen on most local teams and depending upon the club/team style it will be either short passes (possession) or longer passes to space with players running on to the ball (direct) and many times a blend of the two but either way rarely does a player keep the ball and try to beat the defense individually.

The next thing you will see is that the defense does not allow more than those two touches as they are always going FULL SPEED for every ball. They are also very adept at deflecting passes which makes moving the ball on the 2nd touch all that more important.

After that you will notice the overall team speed and quickness. You will see that not only are their forwards Greyhounds their Mids will have nearly equal speed. On the back line what I saw as a universal trait was the defense was very quick and able to keep the game in front of them and recover if beaten.

A majority of the time you will notice a more sophisticated attack than seen locally with backs regularly making off ball opposite side runs and after getting the ball taking it deep into the corner before making centering crosses to players making attack runs from outside the box.


Rarely did I see a team bomb away from distance with the defense set.

I also saw a commitment to head the ball that far exceeds any team I have observed locally over the years with the exception of Neon. Not only are the better ECNL teams committed to heading but they head with purpose and generally to another player and not just the other direction. You will also see that commitment to head translate into more effective set plays.

To sum it up our girls are going to have to play faster and smarter with a dedication to go 100% at all times. They are going to have to lean to pass with precision and accuracy or they are not going to have the ball.

Our coaches are going to have to step up their game too and teach a more complete approach to the game.

IMHO there exists enough physical talent in the area to compete. The question is there enough desire/heart to play at this level. Only time will tell how many age groups at the two clubs can find enough players willing and able.

Good luck to all it's fun if the entire team has the same goal!

You have no clue what your even talking about let alone what you are watching.

Quit this sales pitch full of rhetoric. You make this look bad.

Fyi my kid does ecnl and please don't take this idiot as someone that all ecnl parents are.

[Unregistered]

Oh yes tell me what I saw...priceless

You have no clue what your even talking about let alone what you are watching.

Quit this sales pitch full of rhetoric. You make this look bad.

Fyi my kid does ecnl and please don't take this idiot as someone that all ecnl parents are.

So should I start with name calling?

No I will be the adult. You may not like the descriptive terms I used but those are the things I saw with my own two eyes that separate our better local teams from the average ECNL teams. Not sure what age group or for what team your DD played/plays but if you did not SEE these things you are not paying attention.

Every local parent who saw WA Crossfire or WPFC during NWCL can attest to the ACCURANCY of my observations and most of their older teams are only in the middle of the pack nationally.

But I guess you think your eyes are better so please tell us all what YOU saw. I would like to know what was different.

Are we going to have to play faster? Yes or No?
Are we going to have to play with urgency? Yes or No?
Are we going to have to play smarter? Yes or No?
Are we going to see more speed, skill and depth? Yes or No?

Oh hell I realize I just got trolled you couldn't possibly have a kid doing ECNL or you would have 'added" to these observations not tried to dismiss them.

[Unregistered]

You have no clue what your even talking about let alone what you are watching.

Quit this sales pitch full of rhetoric. You make this look bad.

Fyi my kid does ecnl and please don't take this idiot as someone that all ecnl parents are.

WST liar spotted. Go away and keep minimizing girls soccer.

[Unregistered]

Every team can play with intensity on defense. 99% of the players out there, regardless of skill, can challenge every pass and make it so the recieving player has little time to react. That doesn't take skill, that just takes desire and conditioning and a coach who actully coashes that way. A girl doesn't have to have great, or even good footskills to play hard defense. If a coach around here would make hard defensive pressure a priority, he would be regarded as a coaching genius. His teams might not score often unless he has some kids with some skills, but even without them, his teams wouldn't get scored on a lot. But what do we get? We get coaches who are content with 20 minutes of keepaway in practice where the girls go 60%, give the receiving girl a chance to receive the ball without pressure and to take a touch and play it. But those same girls, when playing against a team who plays hard, close defense, turn to mush and panick.

[Unregistered]

What ???

Every team can play with intensity on defense. 99% of the players out there, regardless of skill, can challenge every pass and make it so the recieving player has little time to react. That doesn't take skill, that just takes desire and conditioning and a coach who actully coashes that way. A girl doesn't have to have great, or even good footskills to play hard defense. If a coach around here would make hard defensive pressure a priority, he would be regarded as a coaching genius. His teams might not score often unless he has some kids with some skills, but even without them, his teams wouldn't get scored on a lot. But what do we get? We get coaches who are content with 20 minutes of keepaway in practice where the girls go 60%, give the receiving girl a chance to receive the ball without pressure and to take a touch and play it. But those same girls, when playing against a team who plays hard, close defense, turn to mush and panick.

It is clear that you know precious little about the game of soccer. Defense starts with desire and conditioning then continues on with knowledge of passing lanes, forcing offense in or out, to help or 1 v. 1, physical play and above all else, foot skills. You know nothing. Defense as usually practiced by youth soccer involves running at an offensive player, flaying away, and then watching the ball be passed to another offensive player or the original player running away with the ball. That's not defense, it's a waste of time, energy and money.

[Unregistered]

It is clear that you know precious little about the game of soccer. Defense starts with desire and conditioning then continues on with knowledge of passing lanes, forcing offense in or out, to help or 1 v. 1, physical play and above all else, foot skills. You know nothing. Defense as usually practiced by youth soccer involves running at an offensive player, flaying away, and then watching the ball be passed to another offensive player or the original player running away with the ball. That's not defense, it's a waste of time, energy and money.

You must be one of the lazy coaches around here who talks but doesn't do. Collects a paycheck and doesn't care. Well done.

[Unregistered]

You must be one of the lazy coaches around here who talks but doesn't do. Collects a paycheck and doesn't care. Well done.

And you must be one of those idiot parents who live through their kid and realizing really quickly unless you campaign to get good kids around her, she won't win games. Its ok though. She won't make it not because of her team or coach, it will be because of you and the idea that you have no clue what you are talking about yet seem to spout off.

But keep going, this is making fun rounds.

[Unregistered]

And you must be one of those idiot parents who live through their kid and realizing really quickly unless you campaign to get good kids around her, she won't win games. Its ok though. She won't make it not because of her team or coach, it will be because of you and the idea that you have no clue what you are talking about yet seem to spout off.

But keep going, this is making fun rounds.

Do you coach with one of those white boards, you know, lots of talking and explaining while the girls look around and grasp nothing you are saying. Outstanding. Another fine example of the crummy coaching we get here. Why don't teams here in Oregon win outside of Oregon? Look in the mirror there coach.

[Unregistered]

Do you coach with one of those white boards, you know, lots of talking and explaining while the girls look around and grasp nothing you are saying. Outstanding. Another fine example of the crummy coaching we get here. Why don't teams here in Oregon win outside of Oregon? Look in the mirror there coach.

What you said makes no sense. Maybe you should go back to guessing how your kid ended up the way they are. Hint: It wasn't the coach.