can someone explain NCSL vs CCL vs ECNL?

[Anonymous]

CCL maybe a little behind EDP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid played NCSL Div 1 and dominated two years straight then moved over to CCL when the club went that route. The level of play at CCL is a mixed bag as you might expect. Some very high caliber team and a few low caliber cellar dwellars. Overall CCL is much more competitive than NCSL Div 1.

Just my experience and specific to the age group my kid is in.

I cant imagine what Div 2,3,4 and beyond is like if Div 1 was so easy

Agree with this on the boys side, the bigger CCL clubs put their 3rd, 4th and sometimes 5th team in NCSL. Usually in the higher divisions(1-3)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid played NCSL Div 1 and dominated two years straight then moved over to CCL when the club went that route. The level of play at CCL is a mixed bag as you might expect. Some very high caliber team and a few low caliber cellar dwellars. Overall CCL is much more competitive than NCSL Div 1.

Just my experience and specific to the age group my kid is in.

I cant imagine what Div 2,3,4 and beyond is like if Div 1 was so easy

Agree with this on the boys side, the bigger CCL clubs put their 3rd, 4th and sometimes 5th team in NCSL. Usually in the higher divisions(1-3)

Agree with both of these

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid played NCSL Div 1 and dominated two years straight then moved over to CCL when the club went that route. The level of play at CCL is a mixed bag as you might expect. Some very high caliber team and a few low caliber cellar dwellars. Overall CCL is much more competitive than NCSL Div 1.

Just my experience and specific to the age group my kid is in.

I cant imagine what Div 2,3,4 and beyond is like if Div 1 was so easy

Agree with this on the boys side, the bigger CCL clubs put their 3rd, 4th and sometimes 5th team in NCSL. Usually in the higher divisions(1-3)

Regardless of club side NCSL. like EDP is pro/rel so the teams, regardless of club status will find their level relative to the overall strength of the league.

[Anonymous]

^^Club size*

[Anonymous]

On the girls side, you will rarely see any NCSL teams in JefCup or Bethesda and you will only see the top CCL teams but you will see most of the Premier I and some Premier II teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the girls side, you will rarely see any NCSL teams in JefCup or Bethesda and you will only see the top CCL teams but you will see most of the Premier I and some Premier II teams.

Ccl teams usually make jeff cup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the girls side, you will rarely see any NCSL teams in JefCup or Bethesda and you will only see the top CCL teams but you will see most of the Premier I and some Premier II teams.

Ccl teams usually make jeff cup

The big name clubs in the CCL will make the Jeff cup. The other will not...this is the girls side. There is a big difference between the girls and boys side.

[Anonymous]

So it sounds like there are a few angles to the question of...which league is better. I have a son so most of my experience is with the boys side of things but what I'm reading it sounds like this....

It seems that EDP is strongest league for boys. Period. The only question is whether or not it's worth driving farther for league games when the kids are young like U11 and younger I'd say
Also, ODSl is the weakest league by far. It may have a strong team here and there but they are far and few in between..

For NCSL vs CCL, for league play, it doesn't matter which league is best because every age group is different. There are strong teams and weak teams. Competition varies. However, if it's important that you play in Jeff Cup and some other tournaments like that, CCL teams do get preference over NCSL teams. I don't think this is a big deal at all at the younger ages because who really cares if U10 team gets selected for Jeff Cup. U10 kids probably never even heard of Jeff Cup.

As for ECNL...on the boys side, it's too early to tell, but I do understand that to be scouted by colleges, ECNL is where the girls need to be.

So I think as kids get older, if they want exposure to colleges, they have to leave NCSL. I think by U15, they need to be playing for a team in the league that is drawing the most college coaches.

So again, for the young kids it is best to find a team where they like to play, like the coach, like their teammates, has a coach who cares about the kids, they get playing time, and are being taught skills and a love of the game. It doesn't matter what club or what league. Just focus on the team.

And maybe I'm totally wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put NCSL on par with CCL and EDP. As far as I know there isnt a performance requirement to register into any of these leagues. I know parents will argue one way or another so will let them battle it out. Also NCSL has promotion/relegation to keep teams even in each division. In CCL not each team is similar in terms of skill set. I believe EDP has pro/reg also.

NCSL and EDP have promotion/relegation. They aren't going to be ECNL/GA level, but I'd put an NCSL division one team against some CCL teams and expect them to win- just look at the LMVSC thread for an example

Soon-to-be ex-LMVSC parent here: this is correct. We had several of our top teams way short of players and so those teams played in NCSL (2nd or 3rd divisions). They were basically about .500. Lots of us want leave CCL but they are refusing to see reality, and because of CCL fees they’re able to charge us more money. If they don’t remove themselves this season, they’ll probably be kicked out next season and then it’ll be even harder. We’ve been in the club for quite a while and know quite a few of families in different ages and genders. Last year, we lost a couple hundred players and most were from our top teams. This year, it’s basically sort of similar. Virtually every team is losing 1-2 better players that didn’t leave last year.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know if ODSL is done? Saw Loudoun pulled its Gray teams from ODSL and put them in NCSL

[Anonymous]

NCSL beyond division 1 is pretty weak.

[Anonymous]

I've been surprised ODSL has managed to stay a league the past few seasons. It seems like BRYC and Barca are half their teams.

[Anonymous]

McLean and Alexandria's C teams and Arlington and Loudoun's D teams play NCSL D1.

[Anonymous]

Interesting thread. I took my daughter out to eat after a couple soccer practices this past month, so she was in her BRYC gear. She plays in a NCSL D1 bracket. A couple of the waitresses told us they were BRYC NCSL alum and currently had full ride soccer scholarships. Probably not at top flight programs, but it was cool to hear at the time. My daughter was thrilled with the "program" aspect of it all (i.e., they encouraged her, and she looked up to them).