GA adding u11-12 for Fall 26, thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Big news or not?

[Anonymous]

Good if pre-e clubs 2nd teams don't have to play GA clubs 1st teams in ncsl. Bad since all u-11/u-12 teams should be able to stay local and now they splinter off earlier.

[Anonymous]

A few thoughts...

ECNL has their Pre ECNL/ ECNL RL league for U11-U12.
-They have 22 teams in that league. All the 1st teams SMASH the 2nd tier trams. If a club only has ECNL RL, it is a crap league to be in as those teams are always getting kicked in the teeth. That is not good for development. Better development could be had playing in EDP or top NCSL for most of those teams.

Also, for GA/ GA Aspire, we do not have enough local clubs (within 60 min drive) to have a robust league. So, clubs in the DMV would play that same 8 clubs 3x over the year.

We are pre Aspire now, and we have had better development in EDP with Pro/Rel in EDP.

-It might work, but talk about a money grab by both ECNL and GA. Clubs should not have to play in stove piped leagues at U11.

I just don't see an advantage, especially the bottom level clubs who will just get eat down the whole time and the top level clubs who will just beat down every one for the whole year.

[Anonymous]

Where was this announced? Is it national?

Completely agree that these should not move earlier.

[Anonymous]

On instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DXICN32GVHq/?img_index=1

Does "apply now" mean this isn't a default for current GA clubs?

[Anonymous]

Application form sounds like (1) open to non-GA clubs and (2) not guaranteed for current GA clubs?

It's not even clear if this applies to GA Aspire too (they were tagged on the instagram post).

What the hell is happening in youth soccer, the entire landscape is going increasingly more insane

https://system.gotsport.com/forms/215777I23?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnOQDVhvvWh492FEo7g6fHpSusVLl1wSzrpiRYFXOeneXIjLwf7f-NeTR9KX0_aem_R_uFy2HWUNACx6jF4wBg6A

[Anonymous]

It's dumb, just like the pre-ecnl league.

[Anonymous]

My my DD was 4 our local town had soccer at U6 and softball at u8. The next year softball (t-ball) started at u5. I talked to the head of the softball club and asked why they moved to u5. I also had a daughter in u8 softball and knew 90% of the kids at u8 couldn't throw and catch well - and 99% of the kids at u5 would never. The head of softball said "if we don't start a u6, they will play soccer and we will never get them).

That is why all the stupid pre-xxxx leagues happen. Just trying to get a group before the others.

[Anonymous]

Just speaking to northern VA - with the local growth of ECNL-RL and the pre-ECNL/VAPL U11-U12 league holding 3/4 of the larger clubs the GA teams are left with EDP (long drives, not always great competition) or NCSL (not great competition, often have to play up a year which is not great developmentally). If per-ECNL/VAPL went away for u11/u12 it would probably be better for everyone - promotion/relegation in NCSL. Lots of local competition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just speaking to northern VA - with the local growth of ECNL-RL and the pre-ECNL/VAPL U11-U12 league holding 3/4 of the larger clubs the GA teams are left with EDP (long drives, not always great competition) or NCSL (not great competition, often have to play up a year which is not great developmentally). If per-ECNL/VAPL went away for u11/u12 it would probably be better for everyone - promotion/relegation in NCSL. Lots of local competition.

Agree with this. All top teams playing in NCSL would be better for NOVA. Less travel at u-little ages as well.

[Anonymous]

This is an anxiety ridden money grab, you are all sheep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an anxiety ridden money grab, you are all sheep

Thanks, hadn’t heard that before. You’re so insightful

[Anonymous]

One thing people talk about is the wear and tear playing ECNL/ GA has on kids. Every week paying multiple games at a high level takes its toll. That said, I dont mind pre ecnl being waterdown some. You have your hard games and your not so hard games. Take most non-professional sports, sometimes you need to play a lesser opponents. Kids at this age in particular need to build confidence, so sometimes you need a lesser opponent, which also gives their bodies changes to heal and recover. Granted, it stinks for the clubs that rarely win, but those parents are paying to have their kids try to grow to a higher bar, so they know what they are signing up for or at least they should know. I might be in the minority here, but it is a long season with lots of soccer, so I dont mind some of the easier games in between the really challenging tourneys and better teams.

[Anonymous]

I think we are trending in the wrong direction here. There is too much of a push in general to move these age groups up in format (from 9v9 to 11v11) and in travel. They should all be playing games more locally. I’d like to see it go backward to push at least U13 and maybe even U14 down to locally as well and start the National league madness at U15. There is so little upside before then.

[Anonymous]

This is also a late-breaking change. In our area of the country, tryouts are in 2 weeks. The club we prioritize has GA, and my daughter will be U11. I would join another club if we have to travel out of state for league games at this age. But with these U11/U12 applications just now open - who knows what clubs will join and what the "local/regional league" will look like?? There's no way that's resolved before tryout decisions?