DA is Dead! Good Riddance.

[Unregistered]

The Reign bashing is so funny. When they were affiliated with Eastside and Seattle United they were a "good thing", providing a pathway for those clubs players looking beyond D1. SU exited the partnership halfway through the season and applied for ECNL membership. Eastside ended their partnership at the end of the season and obtained ECNL membership. XF withdrew from DA, consolidating to their ECNL teams. PacNW also obtained ECNL membership, bringing the regional count from 2 to 5. One could look back to that period and consider whether the talent pool in the region supported 5 clubs at that time - I honestly don't know and have no opinion.

Now the Reign as a standalone DA club became the enemy, apparently, of the RCL as a collective. Letters from various DOCs are littered through this site making various statements about the club, and in some cases taking punitive action against players who attended Discovery Days. Things settled, clubs went their separate ways and the season continued.

This year USSF pulled the rug out from under the DA clubs, stranding hundreds of kids. These clubs were then left with finding a new league to provide those kids with continued opportunity, ECNL and DPL/GAL as the primary outlets. ECNL now has a massive backlog to work through which is stretching out acceptance/denial processing which adds to stress the parents are feeling.

Like COVID, this will all eventually resolve. Arguing things like "another ECNL club will dilute" is a fallacious argument. If it was a new club with no players then yes as it would be reallocating existing players and spreading every club thinner. With an existing club with an existing player base it's additive so the argument falls flat.

At the end of the day you have a bunch of kids/young adults who love to play soccer and want to continue to do so. The sniping and rumor-mongering that is going on throughout this community boggles the mind as some seem to forget - it's about the kids.

[Unregistered]

The Reign bashing is so funny. When they were affiliated with Eastside and Seattle United they were a "good thing", providing a pathway for those clubs players looking beyond D1. SU exited the partnership halfway through the season and applied for ECNL membership. Eastside ended their partnership at the end of the season and obtained ECNL membership. XF withdrew from DA, consolidating to their ECNL teams. PacNW also obtained ECNL membership, bringing the regional count from 2 to 5. One could look back to that period and consider whether the talent pool in the region supported 5 clubs at that time - I honestly don't know and have no opinion.

Now the Reign as a standalone DA club became the enemy, apparently, of the RCL as a collective. Letters from various DOCs are littered through this site making various statements about the club, and in some cases taking punitive action against players who attended Discovery Days. Things settled, clubs went their separate ways and the season continued.

This year USSF pulled the rug out from under the DA clubs, stranding hundreds of kids. These clubs were then left with finding a new league to provide those kids with continued opportunity, ECNL and DPL/GAL as the primary outlets. ECNL now has a massive backlog to work through which is stretching out acceptance/denial processing which adds to stress the parents are feeling.

Like COVID, this will all eventually resolve. Arguing things like "another ECNL club will dilute" is a fallacious argument. If it was a new club with no players then yes as it would be reallocating existing players and spreading every club thinner. With an existing club with an existing player base it's additive so the argument falls flat.

At the end of the day you have a bunch of kids/young adults who love to play soccer and want to continue to do so. The sniping and rumor-mongering that is going on throughout this community boggles the mind as some seem to forget - it's about the kids.

Existing ECNL clubs are hoping to poach players from the former DA clubs, and think that they can to this by either denying them entry into ECNL (or forcing them into the "ECRL", the new US Club B league), or forcing them into some ridiculous travel arrangements (as though GDA weren't bad enough).

That's what this is all about. Reign FC might eventually be admitted, were they to apply, but the existing clubs want to have a season or two where they have a clear recruiting advantage over the Reign.

[Unregistered]

Existing ECNL clubs are hoping to poach players from the former DA clubs, and think that they can to this by either denying them entry into ECNL (or forcing them into the "ECRL", the new US Club B league), or forcing them into some ridiculous travel arrangements (as though GDA weren't bad enough).

That's what this is all about. Reign FC might eventually be admitted, were they to apply, but the existing clubs want to have a season or two where they have a clear recruiting advantage over the Reign.

Because youth soccer runs on adults screwing each other over for power and letting the kids be collateral damage. It starts with USSF's handling and trcikles all the way down to parents on this board who take pleasure in other people's kids losing their team.

[Unregistered]

Existing ECNL clubs are hoping to poach players from the former DA clubs, and think that they can to this by either denying them entry into ECNL (or forcing them into the "ECRL", the new US Club B league), or forcing them into some ridiculous travel arrangements (as though GDA weren't bad enough).

That's what this is all about. Reign FC might eventually be admitted, were they to apply, but the existing clubs want to have a season or two where they have a clear recruiting advantage over the Reign.

Are you delusional ? The clubs are always looking to add quality players for sure. That is a fact of life for all competitive clubs. You call it recruiting? Do you need a reminder that most all of these so called recruiting clubs operate as a true club. They have younger teams, multiple teams in same age group etc. A real Club!
Need i remind you the Reign is comprised of pulling players from surrounding clubs. They do not have a club system, younger program, development A,B and C teams. They have a coaching staff that is a revolving door.
You say its about the kids and I agree. Did you think of that when you left your club teams to go to the Reign? How did it leave your club team and former teammates?
So please get off your sympathy box and see reality!

[Unregistered]

Are you delusional ? The clubs are always looking to add quality players for sure. That is a fact of life for all competitive clubs. You call it recruiting? Do you need a reminder that most all of these so called recruiting clubs operate as a true club. They have younger teams, multiple teams in same age group etc. A real Club!
Need i remind you the Reign is comprised of pulling players from surrounding clubs. They do not have a club system, younger program, development A,B and C teams. They have a coaching staff that is a revolving door.
You say its about the kids and I agree. Did you think of that when you left your club teams to go to the Reign? How did it leave your club team and former teammates?
So please get off your sympathy box and see reality!

When Reign was formed a few years ago, it was with support of Seattle United and Eastside, and majority of original player pool came from those two clubs. The two clubs were trying to establish an elite pathway. Then SU and Eastside chose to take their balls and go home -- they left those players, the players didn't leave them. Since then Reign has grown as a true club with the reserves program. Yes, some girls have left their clubs in the interim to join Reign -- and some girls have left Reign to go to other clubs. Every club in Seattle has problems, including Reign, but Reign isn't a supervillan. Come on.

[Unregistered]

Existing ECNL clubs are hoping to poach players from the former DA clubs, and think that they can to this by either denying them entry into ECNL (or forcing them into the "ECRL", the new US Club B league), or forcing them into some ridiculous travel arrangements (as though GDA weren't bad enough).

That's what this is all about. Reign FC might eventually be admitted, were they to apply, but the existing clubs want to have a season or two where they have a clear recruiting advantage over the Reign.

I’m pro Reign here, do you really think Reign is getting a membership into ECNL? It’s not happening - come on, let’s be smart about this. Hopefully something will work out with the new GA league. I’m hopeful for the girls that want to stay and love their team.

[Unregistered]

Maybe Seattle United should let OL Reign bring in their money and leadership and take over this program.... win, win for everyone involved.

[Unregistered]

Existing ECNL clubs are hoping to poach players from the former DA clubs, and think that they can to this by either denying them entry into ECNL (or forcing them into the "ECRL", the new US Club B league), or forcing them into some ridiculous travel arrangements (as though GDA weren't bad enough).

That's what this is all about. Reign FC might eventually be admitted, were they to apply, but the existing clubs want to have a season or two where they have a clear recruiting advantage over the Reign.

It's not that Reign is a villain. As a parent of an ECNL player who was actively recruited by the Reign, I have no pleasure that Reign players were left high and dry.

On the other hand, to those who express here that it's somehow unfair or inconsiderate of ECNL to now "deny membership" even if the Reign had been affiliated with a competitive (yes, competitive) league. The sense of entitlement is comical... and frankly delusional.

[Unregistered]

Soccer

It's not that Reign is a villain. As a parent of an ECNL player who was actively recruited by the Reign, I have no pleasure that Reign players were left high and dry.

On the other hand, to those who express here that it's somehow unfair or inconsiderate of ECNL to now "deny membership" even if the Reign had been affiliated with a competitive (yes, competitive) league. The sense of entitlement is comical... and frankly delusional.

Bingo....also if GDA would have taken off, ECNL easily could have either been second tier or disappeared altogether. The youth soccer landscape changes every year just about.

Just 7 years ago, Premier soccer was U13 and up. Anything below was Select soccer. Money started coming into the picture and everyone wanted to be Premier. Costs skyrocketed. It is about time, costs started to flat line or come down.

[Unregistered]

I’m pro Reign here, do you really think Reign is getting a membership into ECNL? It’s not happening - come on, let’s be smart about this. Hopefully something will work out with the new GA league. I’m hopeful for the girls that want to stay and love their team.

Unfortunately the girls GA league is just a place holder for those who cant get in the ECNL. When and If that league even goes forward clubs will bail as soon as something better is available.
There is not enough teams around here to participate in that league which will make for more travel and less games.