Where are things currently and where are they headed?
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Anonymous
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This post is focused on Girls ECNL and GA for Northern Virginia/Mid Atlantic for birth years 10/09/08/07/06.
Is the breakdown of the ECNL and GA clubs for Northern Virginia accurate below for this current season and next season? [/u] What will the clubs look like in 2026-27 and why? 2024-25 Season ECNL VDA NVA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union 2024-25 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James 2025-26 Season ECNL VDA NVA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union (BRYC, Valor, Villareal, and VYS) 2025-26 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James McLean (previously FVU) Loudoun |
Anonymous
Incorrect. NVA to GA for 25-26 |
Anonymous
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Thanks, so it would look like this?
2024-25 Season ECNL VDA NVA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union 2024-25 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James 2025-26 Season ECNL VDA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union (BRYC, Valor, Villareal, and VYS) 2025-26 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James McLean (previously FVU) Loudoun NVA |
Anonymous
| Think valor is fvu as well |
Anonymous
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So where is this line up going to change in the next few years?
It doesn't seem to me that one of either ECNL and GA will disappear. So which is better positioned for young women who are in rising freshmen in HS and are trying to plan their path to success. Will ECNL continue to be "better" than GA or is there a real shift occurring in NOVA soccer? |
Anonymous
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2024-25 Season ECNL
VDA NVA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union 2024-25 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James 2025-26 Season ECNL VDA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union (BRYC, Valor, Villareal, and VYS) 2025-26 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James McLean (previously FVU) Loudoun NVA 2026-27 Season ECNL VDA Fairfax Virginia Union (BRYC, Valor, Villareal, and VYS) 2026-27 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James McLean (previously FVU) Loudoun NVA Arlington |
Anonymous
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2024-25 Season ECNL
VDA NVA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union 2024-25 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James 2025-26 Season ECNL VDA Arlington Fairfax Virginia Union (BRYC, Valor, Villareal, and VYS) 2025-26 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James McLean (previously FVU) Loudoun NVA Alexandria 2026-27 Season ECNL VDA Fairfax Virginia Union (BRYC, Valor, Villareal, and VYS) 2026-27 Season GA Revolution Springfield The Saint James McLean (previously FVU) Loudoun NVA Arlington |
Anonymous
ECNL likely to still be more competitive at the older age groups at this point. There may be certain GA teams that are competing at the same level as ECNL, but with the saturation in Louduon County, GA likely to be more unbalanced in the short term. I would expect girls to gravitate towards a couple top GA1 teams/clubs, and then relegation to GA Aspire for lower performing clubs, so GA to be more "elite" in the longer term. However, as long as other strong clubs stay in the MA Conference for ECNL (like CSA, Richmond and Courage), it will continue to be highly competitive and draw top talent. |
Anonymous
| To follow up on this - if you have a rising freshman right now, ECNL likely to be more competitive. or "better". |
Anonymous
| Will all depend on which club(s) gets the itch for MLS Next. When they start seeing their boys programs losing their best players to surrounding mls next clubs…..that may force a switch |
Anonymous
https://www.ncfcyouth.com/sms-ncc-partnership |
Anonymous
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the clubs that moved to GA chose to weaken their girls' programs in favor of the boys' programs and all the new money that comes with that decision. those clubs are currently trying to sell the idea that they haven't actually weakened the girls' programs. the reality is they absolutely have. it's simply a business decision, and probably a profitable one, but their girls will suffer from that decision and the talent in GA will become diluted.
the clubs that are staying in ECNL will see their girls' teams become stronger and more competitive on a national level as the more talented girls/coaches from those weakened clubs will switch for the higher competition they need and club mergers further concentrate the talent in this area. some girls are already looking to switch and that will increase as things become more clear. the result is the MLSNext/GA clubs will become even stronger for the boys and ECNL clubs will become even stronger for the girls. conceivably, the MLSNext/GA partnership might be so lucrative that it can strengthen GA as an entire league, over time, to the point where GA might one day be on par with ECNL girls. but there are a lot of dots to connect for that to happen and the youth soccer culture in this country is fickle and weird and shake ups seem to be the norm now. rough for the kids having to deal with all this, but the cream always rises. |
Anonymous
You say all that…at the end of the day a D1 kid is a D1 kid no matter the league. MLS next is just getting started. Clubs are holding back to see what happens first. But expect next year to be bigger |