ECNL forcing Brave & Union Partnership

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was curious about the oldest age groups and how this merger will affect them. From the ECNL rosters, we can see that:

Union has 8 trapped 2006 players plus 26 2007 players
Brave has 5 trapped 2006 players (maybe 7) plus 18 2007 players

Now, for a combined 06/07 FVU team, that's a total of 57 or 58 players and a max roster size of 30 with 18 being able to dress/play. That's really unfortunate for those girls, especially those for whom next year would have been their final year to play.

It’s unfortunate but on the bright side there are 2 GA programs in the area that the majority could go to, make the team and actually play: FCV and SYC. If your DD is one of the 23 BRAVE players, a Union 07 who doesn’t get rostered or comes off the bench, that should be the path forward.

Isn’t FCV out in Loudoun? Not sure many want to do that drive during rush hour 3-4 times a week.

U19s usually aren’t practicing at 5:30…Either way, if a 20-30 min drive to practice is too much, just play for the closest travel team and forget ECNL/GA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was curious about the oldest age groups and how this merger will affect them. From the ECNL rosters, we can see that:

Union has 8 trapped 2006 players plus 26 2007 players
Brave has 5 trapped 2006 players (maybe 7) plus 18 2007 players

Now, for a combined 06/07 FVU team, that's a total of 57 or 58 players and a max roster size of 30 with 18 being able to dress/play. That's really unfortunate for those girls, especially those for whom next year would have been their final year to play.

It’s unfortunate but on the bright side there are 2 GA programs in the area that the majority could go to, make the team and actually play: FCV and SYC. If your DD is one of the 23 BRAVE players, a Union 07 who doesn’t get rostered or comes off the bench, that should be the path forward.

Isn’t FCV out in Loudoun? Not sure many want to do that drive during rush hour 3-4 times a week.

U19s usually aren’t practicing at 5:30…Either way, if a 20-30 min drive to practice is too much, just play for the closest travel team and forget ECNL/GA.

You forgot to add the $20 in tolls each day. It’s called PAY to PLAY for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BRYC just canceled ALL practices. It’s not like they ever do that so wondering if this is tied into the coaching skate and maybe meeting with coaches? Maybe I’m reading too much into it but it’s very odd especially with tourneys this weekend.

Um. There's pouring rain and 50 MPH winds about to hit. That could be another reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My teenager's ECNL team has had 22 on the roster this year, and it's worked out fine - actually, surprisingly well for all players. In the past I've criticized the club for having deep rosters, so I was skeptical at the beginning of the season. I credit the coach's management of the roster.

Do the same group of kids not play in league matches (actually not dress, thanks to substitution rules, most wont play in a given match)? Do the kids who don't dress for games think it is working out fine?

Big rosters are very bad for “recruitment”, a player never knows when the college coach will show up to the game. It’s already enough with the stupid subs rules that keep a few players intact in the field and play the full game. Not to say the player a that coach favors for the reason I cOils never understand, a player with good foot skills in a key role but with very bad understanding of the game. TG this player moved. Now the team will start winning though is too late because the season ended.

All 22 dress, only 18 are actually rostered. If not rostered, they still show up, participate in warm-ups and watch the game; and there's always the possibility of game day substitution (i.e., a rostered player wakes up sick on game day). Of course players are disappointed when they aren't rostered. But they're free to discuss the reason with the coach, and the coach provides meaningful feedback. Again, it works because of the team chemistry (players evenly matched, for the most part) and the thought the coach puts into selecting game day rosters.

So huge rosters, uncertainty of who the team is per game, disappointed players, and reduced playing time per player?! And McLean players and families have been ok with this?

I don't consider 22 players a "huge" roster for high school players, especially given the potential for injury. Competition is part of life, as are uncertainty and disappointment. There's more to participating in youth soccer, even at the ECNL level, than the number a minutes a player gets to play per game.

Except (1) the rosters are bigger than 22, (2) most other ECNL clubs nationally cap their rosters at 18-20 to ensure development individually and as a team, (3) it’s not college where you expect you might sit. You pay to be developed and to play. You can’t develop through practice alone.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:How many girls are being rostered for ECNL teams at Union? How do they determine who plays in the matches?

Next year expect inflated rosters. Playing time will vary based on the coach. Expect many players to self select out in year 2.

Could be but you can only dress 18.

Why would the roster be more than 18 then?

McLean/VA Union ECNL carries rosters of well over 18 in most age groups for boys and girls. Only 18 can be rostered on game days. The rest sit.

BRAVE does not do this - no huge rosters with more players than can actually dress and play. It’s always the same team at every practice and game.

IMO announcing a cap of 18 players per ECNL team would do more to keep the best players than any one single action. Many top players are worried about accepting a 3/1 offer and then learning that there will be 30 on the roster - no ability to build chemistry, lots of "10 minutes left in the half, score tied, 7 subs come on to join you, other team immediately scores" moments.

Roster will be between 24-30

And this was acceptable to McLean players and families? Why?

There isn't deception going on. It's because some of those families were happy to pay the fee to practice with the ECNL team and develop with that team and coach and be rostered on weekends in EDP. That all works because enough people were interested in the program.

BRAVE rostered how many kids and why? Was it because they had 30 great players tryout and decided to only pick the best 14 or was is because lots of players have left and their current coaches do not attract outside talent.

Ask the 2009 Girls if you don't know the answer.

Why not also ask the other BRAVE girls teams that are doing well too rather than only use the example of the 1 that isn’t? These teams all have smaller rosters. There is great team dynamics and synergy since it’s the same players at every practice and game.

Define...doing well? I only see one current girls BRAVE team over .500

Outside of the 2011’s (who have a lot of former McLean and VYS), who is performing well in Arlington?

Outside of the 2010’s (largely from SYC), who is performing well from Union?

Every Union girls team is .500 or better. Did that answer your question?

No. Correct answer is “well enough to leave McLean with 1/3 of an ECNL team”.

[Anonymous]

Do players who don't play on a large roster accept this because they can still say they are on an ECNL team for recruiting? They still have to make it through the college tryout process on merit but maybe just saying that you're on an ECNL team helps? Especially for a D3 school this could help right? Sincerely asking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do players who don't play on a large roster accept this because they can still say they are on an ECNL team for recruiting? They still have to make it through the college tryout process on merit but maybe just saying that you're on an ECNL team helps? Especially for a D3 school this could help right? Sincerely asking.

Well, the argument that ECNL and GA are "the best" leagues for college recruitment is not without merit. You can generally assume that the better players tend to gravitate to teams that play in these leagues. From a college coaches perspective, you have a limited recruiting budget so you have to prioritize where you're going to go to look for players. That being the case, if you're hoping to randomly see a great player that you might want to contact, ECNL/GA showcase events are the places you'd prioritize because it gives you access to the largest number of "the best" players in one place. And if you look at a lot of D1 rosters (certainly Power 5 D1 rosters), they're littered with players that played in those leagues.

As a player with hopes of playing in college, these leagues make sense because the showcase events attract a lot of coaches. Statistically, I the odds are not in your favor if your approach to recruiting is just hoping to be seen by a coach randomly wandering by your game. But if you're taking an active role in the process, you're reaching out to specific programs yourself to express interest and invite them to come watch you play. And since many of them are attending these events, you can end up having the opportunity to arrange for multiple programs to see you at one event. The other benefit I can see is, depending on the club you play for, some clubs do a fantastic job at promoting their players to colleges and they have coaches on staff who have a lot of connections to different college programs. Obviously not every ECNL/GA club is that way but there are certainly some that are.

With regard to D3 schools, in particular, you do see ECNL/GA players on their rosters but it's also very common to see players who played ECNL-RL, DPL, EDP, etc. In a few cases, you might even find kids who only played HS and didn't play club at all. It's easy to forget that not everywhere in the country has ECNL or GA teams so you can't play on a team that doesn't exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager's ECNL team has had 22 on the roster this year, and it's worked out fine - actually, surprisingly well for all players. In the past I've criticized the club for having deep rosters, so I was skeptical at the beginning of the season. I credit the coach's management of the roster.

Do the same group of kids not play in league matches (actually not dress, thanks to substitution rules, most wont play in a given match)? Do the kids who don't dress for games think it is working out fine?

All 22 dress, only 18 are actually rostered. If not rostered, they still show up, participate in warm-ups and watch the game; and there's always the possibility of game day substitution (i.e., a rostered player wakes up sick on game day). Of course players are disappointed when they aren't rostered. But they're free to discuss the reason with the coach, and the coach provides meaningful feedback. Again, it works because of the team chemistry (players evenly matched, for the most part) and the thought the coach puts into selecting game day rosters.

So huge rosters, uncertainty of who the team is per game, disappointed players, and reduced playing time per player?! And McLean players and families have been ok with this?

I don't consider 22 players a "huge" roster for high school players, especially given the potential for injury. Competition is part of life, as are uncertainty and disappointment. There's more to participating in youth soccer, even at the ECNL level, than the number a minutes a player gets to play per game.

Except (1) the rosters are bigger than 22, (2) most other ECNL clubs nationally cap their rosters at 18-20 to ensure development individually and as a team, (3) it’s not college where you expect you might sit. You pay to be developed and to play. You can’t develop through practice alone.

Ensure development individually and “as a team”. Excuse me while I pick myself up from the floor. I’m laughing too hard. There is no effort - and as far as I can tell not even a thought - given toward developing a “team” in ECNL girls soccer. The system is set up so these girls are playing for themselves and no one else. You want a team? Where the players are friends and on-field chemistry matters even a little bit? Go someplace else. Most players and parents are marketing themselves to other clubs year-round. By the oldest age groups some of these girls have played for 4 or 5 clubs. Team development is for losers; high school players. This is a dog eat dog world, and it doesn’t matter if the other dog is wearing the same uniform. It is the cesspool of all youth sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager's ECNL team has had 22 on the roster this year, and it's worked out fine - actually, surprisingly well for all players. In the past I've criticized the club for having deep rosters, so I was skeptical at the beginning of the season. I credit the coach's management of the roster.

Do the same group of kids not play in league matches (actually not dress, thanks to substitution rules, most wont play in a given match)? Do the kids who don't dress for games think it is working out fine?

All 22 dress, only 18 are actually rostered. If not rostered, they still show up, participate in warm-ups and watch the game; and there's always the possibility of game day substitution (i.e., a rostered player wakes up sick on game day). Of course players are disappointed when they aren't rostered. But they're free to discuss the reason with the coach, and the coach provides meaningful feedback. Again, it works because of the team chemistry (players evenly matched, for the most part) and the thought the coach puts into selecting game day rosters.

So huge rosters, uncertainty of who the team is per game, disappointed players, and reduced playing time per player?! And McLean players and families have been ok with this?

I don't consider 22 players a "huge" roster for high school players, especially given the potential for injury. Competition is part of life, as are uncertainty and disappointment. There's more to participating in youth soccer, even at the ECNL level, than the number a minutes a player gets to play per game.

Except (1) the rosters are bigger than 22, (2) most other ECNL clubs nationally cap their rosters at 18-20 to ensure development individually and as a team, (3) it’s not college where you expect you might sit. You pay to be developed and to play. You can’t develop through practice alone.

Ensure development individually and “as a team”. Excuse me while I pick myself up from the floor. I’m laughing too hard. There is no effort - and as far as I can tell not even a thought - given toward developing a “team” in ECNL girls soccer. The system is set up so these girls are playing for themselves and no one else. You want a team? Where the players are friends and on-field chemistry matters even a little bit? Go someplace else. Most players and parents are marketing themselves to other clubs year-round. By the oldest age groups some of these girls have played for 4 or 5 clubs. Team development is for losers; high school players. This is a dog eat dog world, and it doesn’t matter if the other dog is wearing the same uniform. It is the cesspool of all youth sports.

Cool story bro. You need professional help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager's ECNL team has had 22 on the roster this year, and it's worked out fine - actually, surprisingly well for all players. In the past I've criticized the club for having deep rosters, so I was skeptical at the beginning of the season. I credit the coach's management of the roster.

Do the same group of kids not play in league matches (actually not dress, thanks to substitution rules, most wont play in a given match)? Do the kids who don't dress for games think it is working out fine?

All 22 dress, only 18 are actually rostered. If not rostered, they still show up, participate in warm-ups and watch the game; and there's always the possibility of game day substitution (i.e., a rostered player wakes up sick on game day). Of course players are disappointed when they aren't rostered. But they're free to discuss the reason with the coach, and the coach provides meaningful feedback. Again, it works because of the team chemistry (players evenly matched, for the most part) and the thought the coach puts into selecting game day rosters.

So huge rosters, uncertainty of who the team is per game, disappointed players, and reduced playing time per player?! And McLean players and families have been ok with this?

I don't consider 22 players a "huge" roster for high school players, especially given the potential for injury. Competition is part of life, as are uncertainty and disappointment. There's more to participating in youth soccer, even at the ECNL level, than the number a minutes a player gets to play per game.

Except (1) the rosters are bigger than 22, (2) most other ECNL clubs nationally cap their rosters at 18-20 to ensure development individually and as a team, (3) it’s not college where you expect you might sit. You pay to be developed and to play. You can’t develop through practice alone.

Ensure development individually and “as a team”. Excuse me while I pick myself up from the floor. I’m laughing too hard. There is no effort - and as far as I can tell not even a thought - given toward developing a “team” in ECNL girls soccer. The system is set up so these girls are playing for themselves and no one else. You want a team? Where the players are friends and on-field chemistry matters even a little bit? Go someplace else. Most players and parents are marketing themselves to other clubs year-round. By the oldest age groups some of these girls have played for 4 or 5 clubs. Team development is for losers; high school players. This is a dog eat dog world, and it doesn’t matter if the other dog is wearing the same uniform. It is the cesspool of all youth sports.

What a miserable way to exist. So sorry this is your experience.
It really isn’t this way on BRAVE.

[Anonymous]

The jeff cup sidelines are gonna be LITTTTTTT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager's ECNL team has had 22 on the roster this year, and it's worked out fine - actually, surprisingly well for all players. In the past I've criticized the club for having deep rosters, so I was skeptical at the beginning of the season. I credit the coach's management of the roster.

Do the same group of kids not play in league matches (actually not dress, thanks to substitution rules, most wont play in a given match)? Do the kids who don't dress for games think it is working out fine?

All 22 dress, only 18 are actually rostered. If not rostered, they still show up, participate in warm-ups and watch the game; and there's always the possibility of game day substitution (i.e., a rostered player wakes up sick on game day). Of course players are disappointed when they aren't rostered. But they're free to discuss the reason with the coach, and the coach provides meaningful feedback. Again, it works because of the team chemistry (players evenly matched, for the most part) and the thought the coach puts into selecting game day rosters.

So huge rosters, uncertainty of who the team is per game, disappointed players, and reduced playing time per player?! And McLean players and families have been ok with this?

I don't consider 22 players a "huge" roster for high school players, especially given the potential for injury. Competition is part of life, as are uncertainty and disappointment. There's more to participating in youth soccer, even at the ECNL level, than the number a minutes a player gets to play per game.

Except (1) the rosters are bigger than 22, (2) most other ECNL clubs nationally cap their rosters at 18-20 to ensure development individually and as a team, (3) it’s not college where you expect you might sit. You pay to be developed and to play. You can’t develop through practice alone.

Ensure development individually and “as a team”. Excuse me while I pick myself up from the floor. I’m laughing too hard. There is no effort - and as far as I can tell not even a thought - given toward developing a “team” in ECNL girls soccer. The system is set up so these girls are playing for themselves and no one else. You want a team? Where the players are friends and on-field chemistry matters even a little bit? Go someplace else. Most players and parents are marketing themselves to other clubs year-round. By the oldest age groups some of these girls have played for 4 or 5 clubs. Team development is for losers; high school players. This is a dog eat dog world, and it doesn’t matter if the other dog is wearing the same uniform. It is the cesspool of all youth sports.

MV back on the forums again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was curious about the oldest age groups and how this merger will affect them. From the ECNL rosters, we can see that:

Union has 8 trapped 2006 players plus 26 2007 players
Brave has 5 trapped 2006 players (maybe 7) plus 18 2007 players

Now, for a combined 06/07 FVU team, that's a total of 57 or 58 players and a max roster size of 30 with 18 being able to dress/play. That's really unfortunate for those girls, especially those for whom next year would have been their final year to play.

FVU is in not going to be Union 2.0, so hopefully now it will be smaller, realistic roster sizes made up of top players

Positive thinking Brave parents. The more kids on a team the more money they make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

To the comment about the Arlington 2011 ECNL, thats not exactly right. There are several former Mclean players, one from BRAVE and no one from SYC. 9 members of the team have been together at Arlington since starting together at U8.

Wow the same 9 players were selected at tryouts as 7 year olds are strill on the top team now.

Same deal with Bethesda 2011 ECNL - 10 or 11 together since U8. Case where one family simply refused to have their daughter moved down…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager's ECNL team has had 22 on the roster this year, and it's worked out fine - actually, surprisingly well for all players. In the past I've criticized the club for having deep rosters, so I was skeptical at the beginning of the season. I credit the coach's management of the roster.

Do the same group of kids not play in league matches (actually not dress, thanks to substitution rules, most wont play in a given match)? Do the kids who don't dress for games think it is working out fine?

All 22 dress, only 18 are actually rostered. If not rostered, they still show up, participate in warm-ups and watch the game; and there's always the possibility of game day substitution (i.e., a rostered player wakes up sick on game day). Of course players are disappointed when they aren't rostered. But they're free to discuss the reason with the coach, and the coach provides meaningful feedback. Again, it works because of the team chemistry (players evenly matched, for the most part) and the thought the coach puts into selecting game day rosters.

So huge rosters, uncertainty of who the team is per game, disappointed players, and reduced playing time per player?! And McLean players and families have been ok with this?

I don't consider 22 players a "huge" roster for high school players, especially given the potential for injury. Competition is part of life, as are uncertainty and disappointment. There's more to participating in youth soccer, even at the ECNL level, than the number a minutes a player gets to play per game.

Except (1) the rosters are bigger than 22, (2) most other ECNL clubs nationally cap their rosters at 18-20 to ensure development individually and as a team, (3) it’s not college where you expect you might sit. You pay to be developed and to play. You can’t develop through practice alone.

Ensure development individually and “as a team”. Excuse me while I pick myself up from the floor. I’m laughing too hard. There is no effort - and as far as I can tell not even a thought - given toward developing a “team” in ECNL girls soccer. The system is set up so these girls are playing for themselves and no one else. You want a team? Where the players are friends and on-field chemistry matters even a little bit? Go someplace else. Most players and parents are marketing themselves to other clubs year-round. By the oldest age groups some of these girls have played for 4 or 5 clubs. Team development is for losers; high school players. This is a dog eat dog world, and it doesn’t matter if the other dog is wearing the same uniform. It is the cesspool of all youth sports.

MV back on the forums again.

More like that Fear the BRAVE mom, I miss her