Can ECNL Mid Atlantic be saved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I posted a comment in the "new league" thread that I think holds true here too...

My DD is now U17 and plays in the ECNL MA. When she first started at U13, the SC clubs were in the MA at the time. They dropped to the SE after her U13 or U14 year, then you had the BRYC, Fairfax, whatever combos and now CISC and NVA dropping out.

It would be great is GA and ENCL consolidated - there's a ton of clubs in Northern VA and along the Charlottesville - Richmond - Williamsburg - VA Beach corridor as well. But, that's kind of a pipe dream.

It doesn't help matters either that VA & MD are on different HS soccer seasons (Spring v. Fall) which precludes pulling those VA & MD clubs together in the same conference.

Only two more years left which I think is only 1 more Wilmington trip!

They tried that years ago, the Virginia Premier League or CCL right after - none of it took

[Anonymous]

No. They added the team from Asheville. It will be years before they can kick them out. They are having so called “national” events in Wilmington. If you live in NoVa you’re screwed with the 5.5-7.5 hour drives.

[Anonymous]

I feel more sorry for the Highland FC parents. They will be doing a massive amount of driving. We only have to go there once. Why on earth they added a team from Asheville, NC to the mid-Atlantic conference I will never know. Asheville is much closer to Atlanta and all the Georgia and South Carolina teams. They should be in the Southeast conference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel more sorry for the Highland FC parents. They will be doing a massive amount of driving. We only have to go there once. Why on earth they added a team from Asheville, NC to the mid-Atlantic conference I will never know. Asheville is much closer to Atlanta and all the Georgia and South Carolina teams. They should be in the Southeast conference.

I love this comment for its empathy. If you adopt this mindset, I've found it makes the drive easier. My kid is in MLS Next, and I was pretty angry when they added Beadling (Pittsburgh) to the division. But then I thought about the travelling THEY had to do. No away game is close to them, at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, I posted a comment in the "new league" thread that I think holds true here too...

My DD is now U17 and plays in the ECNL MA. When she first started at U13, the SC clubs were in the MA at the time. They dropped to the SE after her U13 or U14 year, then you had the BRYC, Fairfax, whatever combos and now CISC and NVA dropping out.

It would be great is GA and ENCL consolidated - there's a ton of clubs in Northern VA and along the Charlottesville - Richmond - Williamsburg - VA Beach corridor as well. But, that's kind of a pipe dream.

It doesn't help matters either that VA & MD are on different HS soccer seasons (Spring v. Fall) which precludes pulling those VA & MD clubs together in the same conference.

Only two more years left which I think is only 1 more Wilmington trip!

They tried that years ago, the Virginia Premier League or CCL right after - none of it took

CCL was before my kids time - why didn't it work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel more sorry for the Highland FC parents. They will be doing a massive amount of driving. We only have to go there once. Why on earth they added a team from Asheville, NC to the mid-Atlantic conference I will never know. Asheville is much closer to Atlanta and all the Georgia and South Carolina teams. They should be in the Southeast conference.

Yeah - Asheville is freaking far. Didn't realize how far until my wife and I decided to drive there for our anniversary and we were coming from Richmond!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, I posted a comment in the "new league" thread that I think holds true here too...

My DD is now U17 and plays in the ECNL MA. When she first started at U13, the SC clubs were in the MA at the time. They dropped to the SE after her U13 or U14 year, then you had the BRYC, Fairfax, whatever combos and now CISC and NVA dropping out.

It would be great is GA and ENCL consolidated - there's a ton of clubs in Northern VA and along the Charlottesville - Richmond - Williamsburg - VA Beach corridor as well. But, that's kind of a pipe dream.

It doesn't help matters either that VA & MD are on different HS soccer seasons (Spring v. Fall) which precludes pulling those VA & MD clubs together in the same conference.

Only two more years left which I think is only 1 more Wilmington trip!

They tried that years ago, the Virginia Premier League or CCL right after - none of it took

CCL was before my kids time - why didn't it work?

It worked until ECNL came along. Then everyone jumped ship to ECNL. Now that MLS Next is expanding, everyone is going there now. The problem is that it is the same talent pool. MLS Next is even getting watered down now. Eventually, even they will have to change their structure to keep the more elite players.

[Anonymous]

MLS is getting watered down . . . Kinda sorta. The teams that were already low in MLS are losing to some of the teams that just joined. A relegation system needs to be put in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MLS is getting watered down . . . Kinda sorta. The teams that were already low in MLS are losing to some of the teams that just joined. A relegation system needs to be put in place.

MLS next II has proven a good addition. Teams are good and very competitive. As for tears, sure, keep academies vs academies, if you are worried about losing…..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel more sorry for the Highland FC parents. They will be doing a massive amount of driving. We only have to go there once. Why on earth they added a team from Asheville, NC to the mid-Atlantic conference I will never know. Asheville is much closer to Atlanta and all the Georgia and South Carolina teams. They should be in the Southeast conference.

I love this comment for its empathy. If you adopt this mindset, I've found it makes the drive easier. My kid is in MLS Next, and I was pretty angry when they added Beadling (Pittsburgh) to the division. But then I thought about the travelling THEY had to do. No away game is close to them, at all.

mls next has kids driving from dc area to pittsburgh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel more sorry for the Highland FC parents. They will be doing a massive amount of driving. We only have to go there once. Why on earth they added a team from Asheville, NC to the mid-Atlantic conference I will never know. Asheville is much closer to Atlanta and all the Georgia and South Carolina teams. They should be in the Southeast conference.

I love this comment for its empathy. If you adopt this mindset, I've found it makes the drive easier. My kid is in MLS Next, and I was pretty angry when they added Beadling (Pittsburgh) to the division. But then I thought about the travelling THEY had to do. No away game is close to them, at all.

mls next has kids driving from dc area to pittsburgh?

You missed the point. MLS Next has kids in Pittsburgh driving to the Philadelphia area, Wilmington, Central PA, Baltimore, the Jersey Shore, and the DMV. Making one trip to Pittsburgh is relatively easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, I posted a comment in the "new league" thread that I think holds true here too...

My DD is now U17 and plays in the ECNL MA. When she first started at U13, the SC clubs were in the MA at the time. They dropped to the SE after her U13 or U14 year, then you had the BRYC, Fairfax, whatever combos and now CISC and NVA dropping out.

It would be great is GA and ENCL consolidated - there's a ton of clubs in Northern VA and along the Charlottesville - Richmond - Williamsburg - VA Beach corridor as well. But, that's kind of a pipe dream.

It doesn't help matters either that VA & MD are on different HS soccer seasons (Spring v. Fall) which precludes pulling those VA & MD clubs together in the same conference.

Only two more years left which I think is only 1 more Wilmington trip!

They tried that years ago, the Virginia Premier League or CCL right after - none of it took

CCL was before my kids time - why didn't it work?

It worked until ECNL came along. Then everyone jumped ship to ECNL. Now that MLS Next is expanding, everyone is going there now. The problem is that it is the same talent pool. MLS Next is even getting watered down now. Eventually, even they will have to change their structure to keep the more elite players.

The DA hurt CCL originally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLS is getting watered down . . . Kinda sorta. The teams that were already low in MLS are losing to some of the teams that just joined. A relegation system needs to be put in place.

MLS next II has proven a good addition. Teams are good and very competitive. As for tears, sure, keep academies vs academies, if you are worried about losing…..

Academies should be the least worried about winning and losing. They are trying to produce pros through development on their own dime. MLS Next is just the newest flavor of pay to play.

[Anonymous]

Richmond seems to be doing OK.

https://www.instagram.com/stories/richmondunited/3747815822237725558/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a U16 boy who has played in both MLS Next and ECNL, will say that if I had to do this all over again - I'd refuse to travel more than 3 hours one way for a match. There is just no need, and all parents should ban together to say "stop it".

Why do we all need to band together? If you don’t like it, you’re free to join another club. You’re acting like someone’s forcing this on you.

Herein lies the problem that feeds the pay to play. If you don't like it - leave, they say. Because there are other suckers that will step up and pay thousands of dollars to needlessly travel for hours under the false pretense that it's making their kids better. Everyone agrees it's BS but they also want their kid at the highest level possible. So, instead of walking away in unison, we walk away as individuals and other rich kids take our place. And nothing is solved. Meanwhile, the ones who suffer are the kids who don't have the money or support network, who could be playing and exceling against high competition in their back yard. The soccer development in this country continues to be focused on kids of means and not the truly hungry and talented. It's a vicious cycle. But, you've clearly chosen to continue partaking. I have decided to walk away, but thanks for your encouragement.

Why exactly does this need to be “fixed”? It’s a free market where leagues and clubs form, families decide if they want in. No one is being forced. If you don’t like how a program runs, there are countless alternatives, or you can start your own. That’s choice, not oppression. This is how virtually every sport operates. These are extracurricular activities, not public services. If something were blocking your child’s access to education, I’d be right there with you. But this is youth soccer, an optional, competitive environment that costs money to organize, staff, and sustain.

And let’s drop the myth that this is a uniquely American problem. Unless your kid is in a top professional academy overseas, parents pay there too. Training, travel, tournaments, none of it is free anywhere. The “pay-to-play” model isn’t a moral failure; it’s simply how structured competition works.

You simply restated the same exact problem that definitely needs to be fixed. Free market youth sports turns into zero accountability because as previously stated, the next badge chaser is willing to pay despite the product. We pay for ACCESS to competition, that's where people are essentially forced. That's where most clubs stop at and serve it to you as good enough and we accept it en masse. Yes you pay overseas, you just don't pay this much. There is more than enough talent within a 100 mile radius to play against and develop. We simply enjoy American excessiveness.