DA vs ECNL vs everything else

[Anonymous]

Some Mclean and VDA kids looking around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people reading what you wrote? Yes, the Boys DA dominate's but there was not another national league in place. In addition, it was free for many players.

Have the MLS also run funded academies for the girls and the debate will be settled. That would be a really significant difference.

Yes, LA Galaxy is fully funded and free for girls. Also, many boys DAs are not and never have been free. DC United has charged for years. Richmond Utd didn't at first, but now they have for a few years as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people reading what you wrote? Yes, the Boys DA dominate's but there was not another national league in place. In addition, it was free for many players.

Have the MLS also run funded academies for the girls and the debate will be settled. That would be a really significant difference.

Yes, LA Galaxy is fully funded and free for girls. Also, many boys DAs are not and never have been free. DC United has charged for years. Richmond Utd didn't at first, but now they have for a few years as well.

Good for LA galaxy. If they do it right they should attract a lot of talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people reading what you wrote? Yes, the Boys DA dominate's but there was not another national league in place. In addition, it was free for many players.

Have the MLS also run funded academies for the girls and the debate will be settled. That would be a really significant difference.

Yes, LA Galaxy is fully funded and free for girls. Also, many boys DAs are not and never have been free. DC United has charged for years. Richmond Utd didn't at first, but now they have for a few years as well.

Good for LA galaxy. If they do it right they should attract a lot of talent.

And get a lot of great PR for their entire organization by supporting the female game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bipolar thoughts again.

If DA was free it would be good. But its not so it's trash.

Prior to DA everyone on that level payed ECNL prices for a lesser product.

Ecnl parents who switched to DA are not surprised by the sticker cost.

If Harvard is too expensive then send your child to NOVA community college. A degree is a degree. Right?

College is a useless money crab as well..is it not?

I can make 100 arguments either way. It's pointless.

Ikr? Harvard, gda.... same....creme de la creme. Why can't folks see that?

I actually question that theory based on DA tryouts I saw recently. Top DA teams need to have playoffs against top ECNL teams as well as top other teams. Then and only then will we really know the creme de la creme. Otherwise it is just loud mouths repeating the same junk over and over again hoping someone will listen.

Creme de la creme post was pure sarcasm. It is ridiculous to compare choosing a kid soccer team to choosing a college.

No, it actually isn't. Its all an investment. It requires a higher level of real world understanding.

Oh brother. It is very clear from this silly conversarion why we are where we are with your sports.

+1. Yes, a mess once you see parents priorities.

This forum is a disaster ever since CCL guy came back posing as someone else. It was so nice when he was away. I think he would be sad to learn that CCL has now become the Third Tier of B and C level soccer. All that wonderful driving he does now to have his kids to go play crappy teams. Arlington, Loudoun have joined Mclean and now dump their B teams into CCL to join the other already bad teams. Braddock was smart to bail. Bethesda even smarter to never join.

Get ready for CCL guy . . . 3, 2, 1

I guess I'm CCL guy and frankly have been on these threads for a long time and it would actually shock you that in this thread in particular I have written posts that many of you have agreed with and I have agreed with many of you. It is funny how a single opinion on ONE single issue that some people disagree with means that from that day forward any dissenting opinion must be the same person. Well in this case, I am not the one fuming about the "Money Grab" of youth sports. I am not the one who believes that playing in Pipeline will get you to D1 cheaper than DA/ECNL.

So, in regards to CCL to set the record straight:
Yes, if you sign up for a league know what travel is involved with it or shut up. This is simply pragmatic and doesn't even mean I don't believe that it is impossible to consolidate talent and travel but that is not the current landscape. In short focus your attention on finding a club, coach, team, league that fits your lifestyle.

In regards to ECNL/DA:
I have stated several times in this thread that I believe GDA will ultimately overtake ECNL as the top league. But I believe that ECNL will remain strong 1A option going forward. It offers a showcase platform for talented kids who may still wish to play HS soccer. It also offers a platform that keeps kids focused and not distracted with other options like ODP in order to be seen.

DA will end up drawing a bulk of the top talent but I believe there will be movement between the leagues, especially for committed kids or the younger kids who get bumped out of DA for a year due to combined age groups.

I believe ECNLs pathway is to expand more regionally in order to reduce travel costs thus making ECNL more appealing fiscally while still providing excellent competition. I say all of this as a DA parent.

To the Pipeline Guy. Yes, there are “cheaper” ways to get noticed and still play on a good team. As someone else pointed out GotSoccer rankings mean crap when generally DA and ECNL teams do not participate in enough events to collect a lot of points. Do ECNL and DA teams play in such events? Yes, some, but not all and they are never a priority. Also, if it is a showcase, the emphasis is on showcasing the players, there is no medal ceremony. So, fine, a U17 Pipeline team is ranked 7th in the nation. That team and those players still need to play in front of college coaches to be scouted and frankly a Loudoun Showcase or even Jeff Cup is not drawing the number of high quality coaches and schools as a GDA or ECNL showcase is drawing. So the next step for those girls is college ID Camps. And they Are. Not. Cheap. And I am not trying to knock quality players on a team like Pipeline I’m just saying that the pathway for those players is much harder to navigate than it is for ECNL and DA in general.

To Money Grab Guy. Nothing in life is free. A BMW is a money grab when a Toyota Camry will do the same thing. A majority of DA or ECNL costs are related to travel which certainly does not line the pockets of the club.

And, finally Consolidation/Talent Dilution Guy. I’m sorry your special kid have to play and practice with kids beneath her ability. If you covet such high achieving soccer then move to California but our logistics are what they are and parents and kids are happy with the availability of the platforms provided.

In conclusion, the main point I always try and make or fall back on is do what works for your kid and your family. If a kid wants to play in college there is a college for them. Don’t worry about the alphabet soup of leagues and simply focus on your needs and reality. There is no one true path for every player. I respect much of the out of box thinking that is discussed here but there is far to much dogma that is beaten to death.

Signed
CCL Guy.

[Anonymous]

CCL guy has been cleared of all charges.

We shall name the new guy CCL2 guy.

[Anonymous]

I guess I am CCL2 and I agree with CCL. My point in all of this is that not all the talent will land on a GDA or ECNL team. Non-DA/ECNL teams have to do more tournaments to boost profile but at the end of the day for kids who live outside of ECNL/DA boundaries, it is a strong option. As I have also stated, if a kid is a major talent, word will get back to UNC, Duke etc. and those coaches will seek out that player. I reject any suggestion that GDA/ECNL are the only avenues to reach DI. Yes, ECNL and DA are easier but non-DA/ECNL provide a pathway. I know coaches who have coached multiple nationally ranked teams both in ECNL and non-ECNL. If he is in a showcase and plays against a talented player, he will recommend that player should Duke or UNC call looking for latent.

[Anonymous]

There are no boundaries for a club. You can go anywhere you please. Driving is on you. Do what you can stand

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am CCL2 and I agree with CCL. My point in all of this is that not all the talent will land on a GDA or ECNL team. Non-DA/ECNL teams have to do more tournaments to boost profile but at the end of the day for kids who live outside of ECNL/DA boundaries, it is a strong option. As I have also stated, if a kid is a major talent, word will get back to UNC, Duke etc. and those coaches will seek out that player. I reject any suggestion that GDA/ECNL are the only avenues to reach DI. Yes, ECNL and DA are easier but non-DA/ECNL provide a pathway. I know coaches who have coached multiple nationally ranked teams both in ECNL and non-ECNL. If he is in a showcase and plays against a talented player, he will recommend that player should Duke or UNC call looking for latent.

Doing more tournaments is not a strong option. Playing four 11v11 games in two days is absolute stupidity - and any coach or scout who shows up at the 4th game thinking they are evaluating "talent" is even more stupid. No one with even a cursory understanding of the world's game thinks that is remotely a good idea. Most quality coaches will admit that they think tournaments are stupid, but they have no choice but to do them because it is the only way to get their players seen.

Beyond all the talk of "money grabs" and adult egos run amuck, the DA also instituted some very real - and much needed - reforms to try and bring a little bit of sanity back to high-level youth soccer development. The mandatory 4:1 practice to game ratio, rules against playing multiple full length games in the same day or playing more than two days in a row, less tournaments but longer league seasons, ... those are all steps in the right direction. Combine that with the fact that the DA really does provide a guaranteed platform to be seen, and it's easy to see why it has an advantage when it comes to attracting the top talent pool, which by itself becomes a further attraction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am CCL2 and I agree with CCL. My point in all of this is that not all the talent will land on a GDA or ECNL team. Non-DA/ECNL teams have to do more tournaments to boost profile but at the end of the day for kids who live outside of ECNL/DA boundaries, it is a strong option. As I have also stated, if a kid is a major talent, word will get back to UNC, Duke etc. and those coaches will seek out that player. I reject any suggestion that GDA/ECNL are the only avenues to reach DI. Yes, ECNL and DA are easier but non-DA/ECNL provide a pathway. I know coaches who have coached multiple nationally ranked teams both in ECNL and non-ECNL. If he is in a showcase and plays against a talented player, he will recommend that player should Duke or UNC call looking for latent.

Doing more tournaments is not a strong option. Playing four 11v11 games in two days is absolute stupidity - and any coach or scout who shows up at the 4th game thinking they are evaluating "talent" is even more stupid. No one with even a cursory understanding of the world's game thinks that is remotely a good idea. Most quality coaches will admit that they think tournaments are stupid, but they have no choice but to do them because it is the only way to get their players seen.

Beyond all the talk of "money grabs" and adult egos run amuck, the DA also instituted some very real - and much needed - reforms to try and bring a little bit of sanity back to high-level youth soccer development. The mandatory 4:1 practice to game ratio, rules against playing multiple full length games in the same day or playing more than two days in a row, less tournaments but longer league seasons, ... those are all steps in the right direction. Combine that with the fact that the DA really does provide a guaranteed platform to be seen, and it's easy to see why it has an advantage when it comes to attracting the top talent pool, which by itself becomes a further attraction.

I heard DA/ECNL games usually have better referee.

[Anonymous]

Actually showcases only do one game per day. Every club plays in 4-6 tournaments per years. McLean U15 played six tournaments this year, including a few showcases. Maybe DA will have an impact on the rest of youth soccer to prioritize practice over games.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone heard anything from Washington Spirit regarding the talents sessions? How full are the rising 2018 05/06 teams and where are they attracting players from? There is only one more open ID session left this spring. Will they have closed sessions after this last open session for players they are interested in? The lack of info stinks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you base of knowledge is nonexistent. Copy that

whatever. go to some sessions if you want to know. you clearly don't have a dd trying out for ecnl or da or you'd know and wouldn't be looking for answers on an anonymous message board. movement is miniscule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you base of knowledge is nonexistent. Copy that

whatever. go to some sessions if you want to know. you clearly don't have a dd trying out for ecnl or da or you'd know and wouldn't be looking for answers on an anonymous message board. movement is miniscule.

You are not an authority on movement. If anything, you may know about one club and one age group...at best. So put your club name on the line and stand behind it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you base of knowledge is nonexistent. Copy that

whatever. go to some sessions if you want to know. you clearly don't have a dd trying out for ecnl or da or you'd know and wouldn't be looking for answers on an anonymous message board. movement is miniscule.

You are not an authority on movement. If anything, you may know about one club and one age group...at best. So put your club name on the line and stand behind it.

lmao

ask around buddy instead of relying on dc urban mom board