ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ECNL is sitting back and not making any moves or changes in 2025/26 while MLS Next poaches clubs and ECNL clubs go GA

ECNL plan needs US soccer approval. We will know it after the meeting next week. Nobody will disclose it.

I posted this a few weeks ago. DOC/coach at my daughter’s club said ECNL wants clubs to be allowed to use Q3/4 players starting next year. With showcases being based off new cutoffs or even just grad year cut offs.
But US Soccer needs to agree with their plan.

If the plan is not approved they won’t try to change anything and it will all stay BY for an additional year.

MLS has biobanding, allowing three players to play down for many years without issue. GA might offer that option too if they stay in BY.

ECNL already put the trap players in the 8th grade to play the league games.

Very few areas allow this to happen. Example during California high school season ECNL league play shuts down so there is no cross over. So the trapped 8th graders do not get games and very few get tournaments as clubs pretend they do not know about the showcase role and assume most parents won’t ask either. Don’t want to piss off all the 2011 team parents.

If that is the case, how does the proposed GY for the ECNL showcase work? The younger team will not welcome you. The better way is SY for both league games and showcases.

No idea how that would work? I didn’t post that before. I just know my daughter is in 8th grade and all but 3 girls from her ECNL team are playing high school. There is no games to play in for ECNL 2011 in California. Also the 2011d have a full roster of 18 so I’m sure the club doesn’t want to mess with them. Especially if nothing is official yet.

DMV clubs use trapped players all the time. The seasons work out that way. Thank you for your input about California on a DC-based forum.

[Anonymous]

ECNL has always allowed the use of trapped 8th graders during league play. My trapped college age kid scored a bunch of goals for the age group below the spring her ecnl team was playing high school ball. Clubs are dumb not to take advantage of that

[Anonymous]

The question is will US Soccer approve the use of trapped players in 25-26. I guess we find out in a few weeks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The question is will US Soccer approve the use of trapped players in 25-26. I guess we find out in a few weeks

That and, does ECNL and GA adopt the same strategy or leagues try to differentiate for 26-27. I think this is one of the biggest shoes to drop and could set the tone for these leagues if they do not adopt the same strategy.

[Anonymous]

Aren’t the trapped players only allowed to play ecnl during the HS season? So then what happens to the kids who in the fall in VA played ECNL on the team below 3 are dropped to NCSL to allow 3 to play in the younger age group?

Doesn’t it mess with team cohesion?

[Anonymous]

It will be interesting to see what GA will do with the age change now that they have this Aspire league and are teamed up with DPL. All three would have to be aligned with whatever they decide, whether it’s sticking to BY or switching to SY. DPL commented early on about the possible age change, but GA has said nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It will be interesting to see what GA will do with the age change now that they have this Aspire league and are teamed up with DPL. All three would have to be aligned with whatever they decide, whether it’s sticking to BY or switching to SY. DPL commented early on about the possible age change, but GA has said nothing.

DPL leadership = GA Leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t the trapped players only allowed to play ecnl during the HS season? So then what happens to the kids who in the fall in VA played ECNL on the team below 3 are dropped to NCSL to allow 3 to play in the younger age group?

Doesn’t it mess with team cohesion?

It completely messes with team cohesion and that’s one of the reasons ECNL is looking to change the trapped player issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t the trapped players only allowed to play ecnl during the HS season? So then what happens to the kids who in the fall in VA played ECNL on the team below 3 are dropped to NCSL to allow 3 to play in the younger age group?

Doesn’t it mess with team cohesion?

The trapped player are only allowed to play with the u14 group when the rest of the team is playing high school. How each club handles that situation is handled differently. Some clubs don’t take advantage of the trapped players at all, which could skew u14 results across the league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t the trapped players only allowed to play ecnl during the HS season? So then what happens to the kids who in the fall in VA played ECNL on the team below 3 are dropped to NCSL to allow 3 to play in the younger age group?

Doesn’t it mess with team cohesion?

The trapped player are only allowed to play with the u14 group when the rest of the team is playing high school. How each club handles that situation is handled differently. Some clubs don’t take advantage of the trapped players at all, which could skew u14 results across the league.

ECNL wouldnt'. be doing this if they thought their existing very limited solution was an actual solution. It's clear they don't like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The question is will US Soccer approve the use of trapped players in 25-26. I guess we find out in a few weeks

That and, does ECNL and GA adopt the same strategy or leagues try to differentiate for 26-27. I think this is one of the biggest shoes to drop and could set the tone for these leagues if they do not adopt the same strategy.

GA is staying BY will allow a biobanding concept starting 26/27. ECNL plan is to go Grad Year but will start just for showcases in 26/27 will be for league play 27/28.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ECNL has always allowed the use of trapped 8th graders during league play. My trapped college age kid scored a bunch of goals for the age group below the spring her ecnl team was playing high school ball. Clubs are dumb not to take advantage of that

The majority of soccer clubs are run by people who think they are smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It will be interesting to see what GA will do with the age change now that they have this Aspire league and are teamed up with DPL. All three would have to be aligned with whatever they decide, whether it’s sticking to BY or switching to SY. DPL commented early on about the possible age change, but GA has said nothing.

DPL mentioned they would help navigate whatever was decided by US soccer. Without a mandate DPL and GA will stay birth year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The question is will US Soccer approve the use of trapped players in 25-26. I guess we find out in a few weeks

That and, does ECNL and GA adopt the same strategy or leagues try to differentiate for 26-27. I think this is one of the biggest shoes to drop and could set the tone for these leagues if they do not adopt the same strategy.

GA is staying BY will allow a biobanding concept starting 26/27. ECNL plan is to go Grad Year but will start just for showcases in 26/27 will be for league play 27/28.

Doubt it. I don’t think the two leagues will do two separate things. It would be at their own risk. I think for the most part they will be identical with some nuances that differ between the two.

[Anonymous]

You had me until you said grad year…it’s never been on the table