How insecure are the ECNL drones?

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Maybe in years past, (and that is a maybe), but I don't know of any other current team in Oregon that equals their commitments, just on D1 status alone.

Look again. A number of teams have done as well. They just don't post here 24/7 like the Onyx parents, all patting each other on the back, acting like they are some unbiased observer. Wonder what they will all do next year? Oh wait, they will all sit together at the PSU games watching their dd's play.

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You talking about the Gresham Gorilla on the U16 Thorns team?

I think I spotted her in the wild: that girl with the weird buzz cut on the side haircut that
looks like a smaller version of Andre the Giant?

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I think I spotted her in the wild: that girl with the weird buzz cut on the side haircut that
looks like a smaller version of Andre the Giant?

You mean Tubby from Onyx? The description fits.

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Look again. A number of teams have done as well. They just don't post here 24/7 like the Onyx parents, all patting each other on the back, acting like they are some unbiased observer. Wonder what they will all do next year? Oh wait, they will all sit together at the PSU games watching their dd's play.

Not a Thusc / CU fan here and my dd is younger then the 'vaunted' Onyx team age group so I never really got caught up in the cluster f***. But why don't clubs list there college recruits? The truth is very few girls from Oregon play D1 each year. A literal handful. A few more will play D2/D3 and 90% of all those playing at the next level will be done playing by their Sophomore year.

[Unregistered]

Not a Thusc / CU fan here and my dd is younger then the 'vaunted' Onyx team age group so I never really got caught up in the cluster f***. But why don't clubs list there college recruits? The truth is very few girls from Oregon play D1 each year. A literal handful. A few more will play D2/D3 and 90% of all those playing at the next level will be done playing by their Sophomore year.

The clubs that have girls going to college to play soccer do list them on their websites.

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The clubs that have girls going to college to play soccer do list them on their websites.

Example: FCP http://www.fcportland.org/2016February_Newsletter

[Unregistered]

Not a Thusc / CU fan here and my dd is younger then the 'vaunted' Onyx team age group so I never really got caught up in the cluster f***. But why don't clubs list there college recruits? The truth is very few girls from Oregon play D1 each year. A literal handful. A few more will play D2/D3 and 90% of all those playing at the next level will be done playing by their Sophomore year.

Because local clubs won't make money if parents all knew how few Oregon girls make even a very low D1 program and how little money they get. Keeping the dream alive keeps the checkbooks open.

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Because local clubs won't make money if parents all knew how few Oregon girls make even a very low D1 program and how little money they get. Keeping the dream alive keeps the checkbooks open.

That's the Timbers strategy for sure. Charge large, deliver nothing or, at the best, outdated programs that don't do anybody any good.

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That's the Timbers strategy for sure. Charge large, deliver nothing or, at the best, outdated programs that don't do anybody any good.

Oddly if a boy wants to play in college, he plays for the Timbers. Oh, you are only talking girls. Who cares.

[Unregistered]

Look again. A number of teams have done as well. They just don't post here 24/7 like the Onyx parents, all patting each other on the back, acting like they are some unbiased observer. Wonder what they will all do next year? Oh wait, they will all sit together at the PSU games watching their dd's play.

The reality is, having 15 plus D1 commits prior to start of junior year on a roster of 20 is not typical for Oregon.

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The reality is, having 15 plus D1 commits prior to start of junior year on a roster of 20 is not typical for Oregon.

I meant the senior year not junior year. But still great accomplishment.

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That's the Timbers strategy for sure. Charge large, deliver nothing or, at the best, outdated programs that don't do anybody any good.

Why do you assume that playing in college or beyond is the end goal for most families and players? Maybe, just maybe, some of us are enjoying the here and now. Letting our girls play the sport, have fun, reap benefits of being on a team and staying active. Perhaps our athletes enjoy better competition than playing rec but have no illusions of going beyond high school (or even middle school). Maybe, framed that way, the clubs - ALL clubs - are delivering. My daughter happens to play on an ECNL team this year. We're giving it a go and taking it year by year. So far, she has enjoyed being on a team where every player has the same competitive drive and better soccer skills than on her club teams. For her, that equals more fun with the sport. She found it frustrating to play with girls who didn't care as much. More weak links. With this team, she is enjoying the more rigorous trainings and being pushed to do better. Will she be recruited and play in college? Who knows?! And at this point, who cares. That's not why we're participating in ECNL THIS YEAR. And the traveling is something we enjoy and can do as a family. We LIKE watching her play. We like getting out of town for a long weekend. We won't get to go to every away game once the league season starts, but this summer? Yes. Because we are enjoying the here and now. And my daughter is having fun and staying active and getting better at the sport. I don't see anything wrong with that. I'm not insecure about being in ECNL because I know that nothing is certain except change. So we will roll with whatever comes our way and just make the best decisions for our daughter and our family.

[Unregistered]

Why do you assume that playing in college or beyond is the end goal for most families and players? Maybe, just maybe, some of us are enjoying the here and now. Letting our girls play the sport, have fun, reap benefits of being on a team and staying active. Perhaps our athletes enjoy better competition than playing rec but have no illusions of going beyond high school (or even middle school). Maybe, framed that way, the clubs - ALL clubs - are delivering. My daughter happens to play on an ECNL team this year. We're giving it a go and taking it year by year. So far, she has enjoyed being on a team where every player has the same competitive drive and better soccer skills than on her club teams. For her, that equals more fun with the sport. She found it frustrating to play with girls who didn't care as much. More weak links. With this team, she is enjoying the more rigorous trainings and being pushed to do better. Will she be recruited and play in college? Who knows?! And at this point, who cares. That's not why we're participating in ECNL THIS YEAR. And the traveling is something we enjoy and can do as a family. We LIKE watching her play. We like getting out of town for a long weekend. We won't get to go to every away game once the league season starts, but this summer? Yes. Because we are enjoying the here and now. And my daughter is having fun and staying active and getting better at the sport. I don't see anything wrong with that. I'm not insecure about being in ECNL because I know that nothing is certain except change. So we will roll with whatever comes our way and just make the best decisions for our daughter and our family.

I assume that your dd is U14. At U14, everything is a crapshoot with respect to college and even if a player will continue to play. I remember top girls at u14 who quit by U16. I remember mid level U14 players who ended up with lots of college offers by U17. If I was going to do it all over again, I would have my dd play in more small sided leagues and tournaments. Futsal, 3v3, 4v4, ... all are so good for vision, decision making, foot skills, passing, ... Don't stop playing 11v11, just more small sided games. If a player can excel at small sided soccer, personally I think that projects well for her as an overall player. And the nice thing is that it's not expensive. Just my opinion.

[Unregistered]

I assume that your dd is U14. At U14, everything is a crapshoot with respect to college and even if a player will continue to play. I remember top girls at u14 who quit by U16. I remember mid level U14 players who ended up with lots of college offers by U17. If I was going to do it all over again, I would have my dd play in more small sided leagues and tournaments. Futsal, 3v3, 4v4, ... all are so good for vision, decision making, foot skills, passing, ... Don't stop playing 11v11, just more small sided games. If a player can excel at small sided soccer, personally I think that projects well for her as an overall player. And the nice thing is that it's not expensive. Just my opinion.

Yes, U14 ('03). I agree with what you say about it being a crapshoot at this age (hence my enjoying the here and now - who can tell the future when kids are still so young??) and love small-sided stuff. All good.

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Yes, U14 ('03). I agree with what you say about it being a crapshoot at this age (hence my enjoying the here and now - who can tell the future when kids are still so young??) and love small-sided stuff. All good.

And I think small sided is as good as playing top competition in 11v11 at the U13 and U14 ages. So I think your decision to skip ECNL for this year isn't a bad choice. My dd did some futsal at U15 or so and it really did wonders for her passing and her skills. They were good before but got really good after that. I wish we had done more. However, she got multiple Pac 12 offers (and I have no reason to say this if it isn't true) so it's not like it didn't work out. I do think that playing against the best competition you can find at the older ages is important. Be it in the GDA or ECNL depending on how things shake out.