Help me understand Arlington Boys

[Anonymous]

My son plays for a MLS Next Club. An Arlington coach wants my son to come over. Out of curiosity, I looked up ECNL for the first-time and Arlington is in a division with only 5 other teams in VA and 10 in NC. The other local teams like Pipeline are either in North Atlantic or ECNL-RL.

That feels unnecessarily brutal when you have Bethesda, Potomac, SYC, Alexandria, Celtic, Armour, FC Delco, Real Futbol, Sporting Athletic, DCU, Philly Union and Coppermine all closer than the majority of the teams in the "Mid-Atlantic" that Arlington is competing in.

Am I missing anything?

[Anonymous]

Arlington boys have a good program. You also need to consider high school soccer season. I believe the North Atlantic added 4 new teams, none of which are in Maryland.

[Anonymous]

VA teams in MA conference for next season should be 14 total teams: Virginia: VDA, VAU, Beach, Richmond, Skyline, and Arlington. North Carolina: teams are NCFC x2, CSA x2, NC Fusion, Wilmington, and Highland. Don't know what age group you're asking about, but you're not traveling to NC for all of the games against NC. Why are you trying to leave MLSN for ECNL especially if you have an issue with going to NC for a few games?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA teams in MA conference for next season should be 14 total teams: Virginia: VDA, VAU, Beach, Richmond, Skyline, and Arlington. North Carolina: teams are NCFC x2, CSA x2, NC Fusion, Wilmington, and Highland. Don't know what age group you're asking about, but you're not traveling to NC for all of the games against NC. Why are you trying to leave MLSN for ECNL especially if you have an issue with going to NC for a few games?

OP - We're not leaving our club. I have ignored ECNL and just looked it up for the first time out of curiosity and just really shocked at the structure. I guess if playing high school is important, that is the answer.

Would really like Arlington to come over and consolidate the talent in one place

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA teams in MA conference for next season should be 14 total teams: Virginia: VDA, VAU, Beach, Richmond, Skyline, and Arlington. North Carolina: teams are NCFC x2, CSA x2, NC Fusion, Wilmington, and Highland. Don't know what age group you're asking about, but you're not traveling to NC for all of the games against NC. Why are you trying to leave MLSN for ECNL especially if you have an issue with going to NC for a few games?

If you are in MLS Next in this area you are traveling to PA/DE/NY and NJ on 95. If you are in ECNL you are traveling south to NC. Either way not all your games are here. Pipeline is ECNL but aligned with NY because of when they play HS soccer. VA clubs are aligned with NC as they both play in spring. It’s NBD.

If your kid wants to play HS soccer Arlington is a good place to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VA teams in MA conference for next season should be 14 total teams: Virginia: VDA, VAU, Beach, Richmond, Skyline, and Arlington. North Carolina: teams are NCFC x2, CSA x2, NC Fusion, Wilmington, and Highland. Don't know what age group you're asking about, but you're not traveling to NC for all of the games against NC. Why are you trying to leave MLSN for ECNL especially if you have an issue with going to NC for a few games?

OP - We're not leaving our club. I have ignored ECNL and just looked it up for the first time out of curiosity and just really shocked at the structure. I guess if playing high school is important, that is the answer.

Would really like Arlington to come over and consolidate the talent in one place

Will not happen. They love where they are on the girls side. They will not put that at risk.

[Anonymous]

I am hearing different from the higher ups. Just saying....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son plays for a MLS Next Club. An Arlington coach wants my son to come over. Out of curiosity, I looked up ECNL for the first-time and Arlington is in a division with only 5 other teams in VA and 10 in NC. The other local teams like Pipeline are either in North Atlantic or ECNL-RL.

That feels unnecessarily brutal when you have Bethesda, Potomac, SYC, Alexandria, Celtic, Armour, FC Delco, Real Futbol, Sporting Athletic, DCU, Philly Union and Coppermine all closer than the majority of the teams in the "Mid-Atlantic" that Arlington is competing in.

Am I missing anything?

The level of competition is a joke in ECNL. Arlington is decent, but they play and lose to VDA (the only real powerhouse in DC area) and a team in North Carolina. The rest of the ECNL teams are mediocre.

Whereas MLSNext has your son playing Phili Union, NYRed Bulls, FC Delco, and a number of very good local teams. You are playing top teams and MLSNext academies now. Why weaken your son’s skills?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son plays for a MLS Next Club. An Arlington coach wants my son to come over. Out of curiosity, I looked up ECNL for the first-time and Arlington is in a division with only 5 other teams in VA and 10 in NC. The other local teams like Pipeline are either in North Atlantic or ECNL-RL.

That feels unnecessarily brutal when you have Bethesda, Potomac, SYC, Alexandria, Celtic, Armour, FC Delco, Real Futbol, Sporting Athletic, DCU, Philly Union and Coppermine all closer than the majority of the teams in the "Mid-Atlantic" that Arlington is competing in.

Am I missing anything?

Arlington is a big fish in small pond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am hearing different from the higher ups. Just saying....

Arlington only going if VDA is going and vice versa. They opted not to go when offered for next season and collectively decided not to go.

[Anonymous]

They would lose so many players. They would lose the girls, they would lose the boys who want to play HS soccer, they would lose the RL players as MLSN2 isn't strong enough.

[Anonymous]

which age group? the 2011 is solid and i would love to see them play against some of the local MLS next teams like SYC.