ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

Lots of soccer podcasts and talks on this subject. The benefits of playing up/down(with age group).

If a kid is too dominant for their age group then going up definitely can have some added benefits.

I would say it depends on the skill level of each team at their club and if the player can now handle having even older kids competing against them.There is a reason we have age groups for sports after all.

I would try for my kid to play showcases and about with my recruited age group and split league games with each team depending on the level of team you would play against.

Lots of parents (and kids) obsess over “playing up”, but there are many documented cases of a player benefitting greatly from playing down a year. In fact, several current and former members of the English NT played down when they were 15, 16 years old.

If you happen to be a very late developer (e.g., a 15 year old with the body of a 13 year old) with top technical and tactical skills, playing up or even at your age group could be detrimental to your development.

I once watched an MLS Next U15 match where one team was filled with very developed players. They had multiple 6+ feet +
170+ lbs + muscular players with a HORRIFIC touch and ball control. They could get away with the bad touches because they had the physical capacity to compensate. A highly skilled underdeveloped kid would stand no chance against these players, but this doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to eventually compete against these players.

I think “highly skilled” and “underdeveloped” need to be defined here. But assuming “underdeveloped” means younger / smaller.

If that is the case, you’re probably watching crap soccer and highly skilled is probably, “the cream of the crap.” Will a bigger / older kid be tough for a smaller skilled kid, sure. But “stand no chance” is silly. See Barca v Man United UCL finals. See Argentina v France WC24, see Lisandro Martinez v Haaland, etc etc etc.

Many truly “highly skilled” players play up 2 years, and do just fine.

First, professionals playing at Barca are fully developed- so that is not a comparison.

The idea that a u15 team is playing great soccer is laughable. I love how parents believe their team plays smart soccer bc they pass it around the back before playing a long ball. I have watched the top MLSnext and ECNL teams in the U14-U15 age group. their soccer iq and technical ability is generally crap. Lets be honest, the smaller technical kid will not win you games, so he is not going to be played as much, if at all. Yes, in 5 years that kid will prolly be way above everyone on the team...but noone cares...and most of the kids will quit by that time or be relegated to play crap soccer. That kid will prolly be way above everyone on the team in 5 years...but noone cares...and most of the technical kids will quit by that time or be relegated to play crap soccer. Hence, why our national team always sucks. Its 'pay to play' and 'play to win'.....there is no focus on development...and no, your club is not an exception.

Thank you for so succinctly presenting all that is wrong with youth soccer in America. The smaller, technical kid will not win you games...sorry? Please do not comment on a sport when you don't have any experience in it or watching it. The fact that this country does not embrace small, technical players is exactly why we are trash. And my children have played both ECNL and now MLS Next...we have played high level futsal all over the country. Small, technical players are out there and crushing it on the best teams. Sit down.

Another parent that really want to believe their kid plays high iq soccer. Passing it around the back before playing a long ball...high level stuff... But, whatever makes you feel better. I'm sure your kids will be crushing it at Barcelona soon enough.

You must be on a terrible team...condolences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will Venmo all of you $100 if ECNL makes any concessions or exceptions in 25/26

You only say that because there is less than 10 people making most of these posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will Venmo all of you $100 if ECNL makes any concessions or exceptions in 25/26

You only say that because there is less than 10 people making most of these posts.

I’ll take that $100

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have credible rumors/announcements of mid-atlantic clubs getting promotion into ECNL?

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/1264315.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone send the link to the podcast?

https://breakingtheline.buzzsprout.com/2325804/episodes/16826251-club-chaos-what-does-the-changing-youth-soccer-landscape-really-mean-ep-114

No info about SY/BY or any plan for 25/26. They would t announce anything on the podcast anyway.

That’s literally the only place ECNL announces things now…🤣 have you seen the website for ECNL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone send the link to the podcast?

https://breakingtheline.buzzsprout.com/2325804/episodes/16826251-club-chaos-what-does-the-changing-youth-soccer-landscape-really-mean-ep-114

No info about SY/BY or any plan for 25/26. They would t announce anything on the podcast anyway.

Agree, but one thing they kept harping on was "be honest" with your players/parents. Wonder who that is a shot at.

Squarely at RL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole episode was directed at MLSN and clubs deciding on who to join.

MLSN ate ECNL's Lunch and took their girlfried the last couple of months.

ECNL pissed off alot of clubs in the last decade by allowing rivals to cock block their entry into the league. Lavers talked about that and how they have chnged but in reality the damage was done and people are not looking back.

They have not changed. There are different rules for different clubs. There are literally pockets in this country where the most successful ECNL club is the only club, and will be the only club despite the population.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Listen. Call me a troll all you want. Our ECNL director is on board as, in the decision rooms and he says no one has said a single word about ECNL making concessions for trapped players beyond the 8th/11th grade concessions for 25/26. I have a trapped players and want it as much as everyone else. It’s not happening. [/quote]

If that’s true, it wouldn’t take much of an effort for US Club or ECNL to say that we’ve decided there will be no rule changes for a transition to SY for 25/26, but we encourage clubs to train SY kids together some next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MLS goes to SY, clubs will utilize the 3 biobanding players rule to send 3 Q3/Q4 players down to build the SY team in 25/26.

Yup, MLS delaying SY was about getting a jump on ECNL ecosystem. ECNL got punked and haven't tried anything to maintain market share.

MLSN doesn’t need to get a jump on ECNL’s ecosystem. MLSN’s success and ECNL’s failure on the boys (read $$$$) is why ECNL is aligning with the grassroots.

You’ve got the logic backwards. Maybe girls side parent? The girls’ side doesn’t matter as much because there isn’t any money or prestige in it. All of this is about the boys side at the “highest” youth level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MLS goes to SY, clubs will utilize the 3 biobanding players rule to send 3 Q3/Q4 players down to build the SY team in 25/26.

“If” sounds like they decided that they will…

McLean, a MLS club, already sent an email about SY change and all their teams will align.

That wasn’t about their MLSN teams…read the email

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Listen. Call me a troll all you want. Our ECNL director is on board as, in the decision rooms and he says no one has said a single word about ECNL making concessions for trapped players beyond the 8th/11th grade concessions for 25/26. I have a trapped players and want it as much as everyone else. It’s not happening.

The ECNL director at my club who is a friend of mine showed me and email he sent to the ECNL commissioner when all of this was a rumor early this fall.

The commissioner told him he didn’t know anything about any age group changes. So either they are just liars or they really don’t know anything until they are hit in the mouth with it.

Dude…that’s an easy one…they’re liars…time and time again it’s been shown. Shoot, even their podcast reveals it. Don’t be Charlie Brown.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it is about their teams (MLSN/GA). Read the email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Listen. Call me a troll all you want. Our ECNL director is on board as, in the decision rooms and he says no one has said a single word about ECNL making concessions for trapped players beyond the 8th/11th grade concessions for 25/26. I have a trapped players and want it as much as everyone else. It’s not happening.

The ECNL director at my club who is a friend of mine showed me and email he sent to the ECNL commissioner when all of this was a rumor early this fall.

The commissioner told him he didn’t know anything about any age group changes. So either they are just liars or they really don’t know anything until they are hit in the mouth with it.

Dude…that’s an easy one…they’re liars…time and time again it’s been shown. Shoot, even their podcast reveals it. Don’t be Charlie Brown.

What is the strategy by ECNL and GA/MLSN to delay announcements of plans for SY/BY or even concessions made for trapped players 25/26? Get the kids through tryout season then throw a curve ball?

[Anonymous]

USMNT needs to get away from nepotism and our youths need to be better scouted….