GA vs ECNL in the DMV
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Anonymous
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Thoughts on GA vs ECNL in the DMV Area? Looking to make the move with my daughter and trying to weigh the pros and cons of both. GA Sounds good and I see the new SYC GA Program, with coaches/tech director on paper are well qualified. ECNL here locally has a lot of options both in MD and VA. Bethesda/MDU, then Fairfax Union, Arlington, ETC.
Anyone who has been in this situation before have any advice? Also cost? Paying 5K for club fees plus travel for a 13 year old to me is ridiculous. |
Anonymous
| You are not from out of town talking like that. Can somebody just delete this thread? 😂 |
Anonymous
| This is not a serious post. No real person would consider options 2 hours apart (Springfield and Bethesda) at 13 years old. At that age just go to the closest one where you like the coach. very few will remain at the same club for 6 years |
Anonymous
| If you live right off 210 near Oxon Hill, where you can get to both places it does. Thanks for a bullocks answer though. |
Anonymous
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There was an extensive discussion in the Union thread, but I don’t know how you’d find that.
Bethesda’s ECNL program will be much, much stronger than SYC’s GA program. Going forward, if SYC no longer feeds into Union, the question will be whether they can retain and continue to develop their top talent. All eyes will be on what their 2012s do, as well as if any of their older girls move back to the club. |
Anonymous
DCUM is full of a rare breed of blindly privileged folks so be careful of questions that those east of Rock Creek Park may be considering. As a DC person I’ve considered all those clubs. Once you answer the question do I value winning or development, the right club will come into focus pretty easily. |
Anonymous
| Development > Winning has always been the pathway we have taken. Too many local clubs care about posting their low level tournament bracket wins or edp 4 league wins on social media. Never once have the spoken about development of any player, just team success at the younger ages especially. |
Anonymous
Thank You. Any idea how I could find that?
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Anonymous
Always look for development over wins. This is because clubs/teams that are all about wins (especially at younger ages) are just looking to win in the recruitment game. The best players at u10 often ride the bench at u14. Coaches that teach and win more than they lose are the best ones. Your kid will learn how to play and they'll stay engaged. Coaches that play to win will replace players whenever they find something better and generally they're not teaching. They're trying to take what other coaches have created and exploit it. Don't worry about the league GA and ECNL are nearly identical. Look for the one closest to your house with a coach that's developing talent. |
Anonymous
| There are plenty of opportunities for exposure in both leagues. Just keep in mind, wherever you go, you’ll be paying 10k+ a year for dues/travel throughout the high school years. The recruiting environment is getting tougher and, even when players commit, the scholarships for most of them are a lot less than you would expect. |
Anonymous
Don't fall into the FOMO trap. So much changes between U13 to U15/16. Just value where your child thrives and is happy. If the level of competition is good and they're enjoying themselves, the rest will work itself out over time. These platforms for college recruiting shouldn't be a thing for kids in middle school. They should begin at the HS ages, even at that age there's not many college scouts coming to see your freshman, they MIGHT be coming to see sophomore age players depending on the player. |
Anonymous
Agree. It can be challenging, but the most important thing is to find the right coach for your kid (and the right one for your kid might not necessarily be the right one for someone else’s). |
Anonymous
| GA is the better league. SYC plays in it. |
Anonymous
ECNL is the better league. FXU, fear it? |
Anonymous
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