Just curious... how many girls move to ECNL from a lower team?

[Anonymous]

Have a girl that loves soccer, U13. Didn't make an ECNL team. Agree that she isn't ready. But she is a really hard worker, self-motivated, works outside of regular practices a lot, just loves to play. Do any kids ever move up from ECNL-R teams to ECNL or is it mostly just movement of players between ECNL teams? This is in Northern Virginia.

[Anonymous]

How broadly did she try out? If she just tried out for one team and didn't make it, I'd say tryout more broadly next year. If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

[Anonymous]

Moving up to ECNL within one's club is very challenging unless your daughter is one of the top players on her ECNL-R team, and/or there is a need to fill a certain position. Our experience (and from talking to other parents) shows that clubs in this region do not actively promote from within, ie., moving girls up from the second team to the top team. There is a long list of girls in our area wanting to play on the top level, so finding players from outside the club is easy. Also, if parents continue to pay checks for the second/third team, there is no incentive to develop kids and move them up.

Moving up to ECNL can many times be a combination of skill, positional awareness, speed, luck, timing, and grace. We found that to be the case this year with our daughter as she moved up at another club. They had a need and she was a match. She tried out at 2 clubs and received an offer from one of them.

Visit and practice with other clubs this fall; don't wait for spring tryouts. Ask if they have openings, if there are positional needs, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

Interesting comment given for the youngest Brave team, only Bethesda, Union, and VDA are better in the area. Arlington had an identical record, but Brave had a far superior goal differential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

Interesting comment given for the youngest Brave team, only Bethesda, Union, and VDA are better in the area. Arlington had an identical record, but Brave had a far superior goal differential.

BRAVE is a terrible club. It just is what it is.

[Anonymous]

we saw lots of movement between u14 and u15- high school is starting, girls choosing other things, growth spurts have ended, etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

Interesting comment given for the youngest Brave team, only Bethesda, Union, and VDA are better in the area. Arlington had an identical record, but Brave had a far superior goal differential.

Look at GA, ECNL is not the only league, I'd argue that FCV and Baltimore Armour are better than everyone else in the DMV outside of Bethesda, especially by the end of year when FCV got a result against Bethesda. Insignificant tournament, but signs of development for FCV team which is most important in these middle school years. You could argue potentially that VDA and Union are even with them but not Arlington and Brave; they only made playoffs at u13 this year because the mid-atlantic conference is soft and not deep at all. Sent 5 teams from the conference to playoffs, none got out of their group, proof is in the pudding.

[Anonymous]

This is great feedback. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

Interesting comment given for the youngest Brave team, only Bethesda, Union, and VDA are better in the area. Arlington had an identical record, but Brave had a far superior goal differential.

Look at GA, ECNL is not the only league, I'd argue that FCV and Baltimore Armour are better than everyone else in the DMV outside of Bethesda, especially by the end of year when FCV got a result against Bethesda. Insignificant tournament, but signs of development for FCV team which is most important in these middle school years. You could argue potentially that VDA and Union are even with them but not Arlington and Brave; they only made playoffs at u13 this year because the mid-atlantic conference is soft and not deep at all. Sent 5 teams from the conference to playoffs, none got out of their group, proof is in the pudding.

Agreed. If not making ecnl clubs try ga. Fcv is good but ga is overall not as competitive. Fcv also carries a team of 20+, so lots of room on the team.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t the only club in the area that is GA is FCV/StJames but they practice out in leesburg?

[Anonymous]

If your daughter has made it on a club's ECRL team and it's a good fit, join that team. Don't expect to move up to that club's ECNL team. It's easier to change clubs to join a different ECNL team. Then, if her position is needed at the original club, she can move back. Unfortunate that's how this works.

You're already paying for a spot, so the club is trying to recruit from outside vs internal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

Interesting comment given for the youngest Brave team, only Bethesda, Union, and VDA are better in the area. Arlington had an identical record, but Brave had a far superior goal differential.

Look at GA, ECNL is not the only league, I'd argue that FCV and Baltimore Armour are better than everyone else in the DMV outside of Bethesda, especially by the end of year when FCV got a result against Bethesda. Insignificant tournament, but signs of development for FCV team which is most important in these middle school years. You could argue potentially that VDA and Union are even with them but not Arlington and Brave; they only made playoffs at u13 this year because the mid-atlantic conference is soft and not deep at all. Sent 5 teams from the conference to playoffs, none got out of their group, proof is in the pudding.

Did FCV and Armor make the playoffs in GA? Are GA and ECNL comparable or is one better than the other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If she tried out everywhere and didn't even make Brave and she's already doing all of that work, I wouldn't assume that she could close the gap.

Interesting comment given for the youngest Brave team, only Bethesda, Union, and VDA are better in the area. Arlington had an identical record, but Brave had a far superior goal differential.

Look at GA, ECNL is not the only league, I'd argue that FCV and Baltimore Armour are better than everyone else in the DMV outside of Bethesda, especially by the end of year when FCV got a result against Bethesda. Insignificant tournament, but signs of development for FCV team which is most important in these middle school years. You could argue potentially that VDA and Union are even with them but not Arlington and Brave; they only made playoffs at u13 this year because the mid-atlantic conference is soft and not deep at all. Sent 5 teams from the conference to playoffs, none got out of their group, proof is in the pudding.

Did FCV and Armor make the playoffs in GA? Are GA and ECNL comparable or is one better than the other?

IMHO, it’s like serie A vs epl. Top serie A teams are competitive but only a few. Epl has more top teams and more coverage. Both leagues have bad teams. Since there is only 1 ga team in this area, a lot more travel for uneven competition. Fcv is good option for kids who don’t like losing much. Ecnl is more competitive so expect more even competition.

[Anonymous]

If she didn’t make any ECNL teams she probably wouldn’t make FCV’s first team either. Best to go where she’ll get the best coaching and development and try again in a year or two. A lot of team movements by U15

[Anonymous]

We too looked to "move up" this try out season, and I would say in the close in to DC (ie BSC to SYC and then inward to the Beltway), my kid saw the same 10-12 kids who were clearly looking to make moves at all try outs. I don't know that they all landed, but my kid did. The one caveat, he had trained or guest played with most of the teams in the winter or spring so he wasn't unknown