Why are we traveling this much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't there a concerted effort in the DMV to stop the madness of the gerrymandering of leagues? There is zero need for any teams, including top teams in this area to be traveling five-plus hours one way. Teams in ECNL at the older age group are playing each other once all year while traveling to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or South Carolina several times a year. It just doesn't make sense. Nobody is developing talent by spending $800 a weekend and ten hours in the car. Stop the silliness. Parents should demand that there be a high level DMV extended league that stays within a two-hour radius.

I agree with OP, it’s not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't there a concerted effort in the DMV to stop the madness of the gerrymandering of leagues? There is zero need for any teams, including top teams in this area to be traveling five-plus hours one way. Teams in ECNL at the older age group are playing each other once all year while traveling to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or South Carolina several times a year. It just doesn't make sense. Nobody is developing talent by spending $800 a weekend and ten hours in the car. Stop the silliness. Parents should demand that there be a high level DMV extended league that stays within a two-hour radius.

Who are you demanding this to?

[Anonymous]

At least maybe ecnl there is a reason to do it. But 6 hours to go back and forth to VA Beach for second tier is awful. Made me question my life choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least maybe ecnl there is a reason to do it. But 6 hours to go back and forth to VA Beach for second tier is awful. Made me question my life choices.

Omg this. It is ridiculous to travel that much to play ECRL….

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a parenting problem. None of this is necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a parenting problem. None of this is necessary.

Ecnl is for girls who want to play in college. For girls getting playing time on an ecnl team, it’s a very realistic possibility, not a long shot. If they drop to RL or lower, it becomes a huge long shot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least maybe ecnl there is a reason to do it. But 6 hours to go back and forth to VA Beach for second tier is awful. Made me question my life choices.

Whats the reason ecnl makes sense but ecrl doesn't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$800 is a low estimate. I estimate I'll spend nearly $10K this year between club fees, uniforms and travel for U16.

Then pay for college since no soccer scholarship is forthcoming

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't there a concerted effort in the DMV to stop the madness of the gerrymandering of leagues? There is zero need for any teams, including top teams in this area to be traveling five-plus hours one way. Teams in ECNL at the older age group are playing each other once all year while traveling to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or South Carolina several times a year. It just doesn't make sense. Nobody is developing talent by spending $800 a weekend and ten hours in the car. Stop the silliness. Parents should demand that there be a high level DMV extended league that stays within a two-hour radius.

This seems like pretty lite travel. Not sure what youa re talking about. Can't have it both ways. Can't say don't want to travel and that there should olny be a couple of teams in this area.

$800 a weekend tells me this is a troll and not someone who has done this. Maybe $800 for leauge games. Showcases are 2-3 grand. No one is spending 10 hours in a car in ECNL in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$800 is a low estimate. I estimate I'll spend nearly $10K this year between club fees, uniforms and travel for U16.

Then pay for college since no soccer scholarship is forthcoming

Not PP but don't care about the scholarship. Never a thought or consideration. 10k is on the average side. 15k with playoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least maybe ecnl there is a reason to do it. But 6 hours to go back and forth to VA Beach for second tier is awful. Made me question my life choices.

Whats the reason ecnl makes sense but ecrl doesn't?

It doesn't. It's just different shades of mediocre soccer.

[Anonymous]

I talk about this all the time, even though in NC RL isn't that terrible, 3.5 max once a season for Charlotte based teams.

Really though there's enough talent to play local to the area - and in most Metro areas - and do a handful of tournaments no more than a few hours away. I about spit nails when Texas and Florida were mentioned as possible destinations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't there a concerted effort in the DMV to stop the madness of the gerrymandering of leagues? There is zero need for any teams, including top teams in this area to be traveling five-plus hours one way. Teams in ECNL at the older age group are playing each other once all year while traveling to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or South Carolina several times a year. It just doesn't make sense. Nobody is developing talent by spending $800 a weekend and ten hours in the car. Stop the silliness. Parents should demand that there be a high level DMV extended league that stays within a two-hour radius.

No one is forcing your kid to play ECNL. If you don't like it, drop your kid to a lower level. RL teams usually stay within 2-4 hours. We knew what we signed up for when we accepted the offers. Get over it or get out.

Eye roll. OP is correctly identifying an issue that should be corrected.

I’ve been doing it for 3 years and love the 4 hour drives with my DC. Enjoy it while it lasts…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't there a concerted effort in the DMV to stop the madness of the gerrymandering of leagues? There is zero need for any teams, including top teams in this area to be traveling five-plus hours one way. Teams in ECNL at the older age group are playing each other once all year while traveling to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or South Carolina several times a year. It just doesn't make sense. Nobody is developing talent by spending $800 a weekend and ten hours in the car. Stop the silliness. Parents should demand that there be a high level DMV extended league that stays within a two-hour radius.

there was an effort, but those status-quo disruptors were politicked out by coaches who claimed that they "didn't know the business"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why isn't there a concerted effort in the DMV to stop the madness of the gerrymandering of leagues? There is zero need for any teams, including top teams in this area to be traveling five-plus hours one way. Teams in ECNL at the older age group are playing each other once all year while traveling to New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or South Carolina several times a year. It just doesn't make sense. Nobody is developing talent by spending $800 a weekend and ten hours in the car. Stop the silliness. Parents should demand that there be a high level DMV extended league that stays within a two-hour radius.

No one is forcing your kid to play ECNL. If you don't like it, drop your kid to a lower level. RL teams usually stay within 2-4 hours. We knew what we signed up for when we accepted the offers. Get over it or get out.

Eye roll. OP is correctly identifying an issue that should be corrected.

Sure, they correctly identified an issue (that many others have already identified) and didn't propose any solution. Well done.